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Correys Ave and Correys Gardens
Correys Ave runs between Major’s Bay Road and Concord Road. It is named in honour of Thomas Obed Correy Junior in recognition of his contribution to the community over many years. He served on Concord Council and, in fact, was an Alderman on the first Concord Council, set up in 1983. He was also mayor…
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True stories: Strange Case of Private Donald Miller
How would you feel if you were told that you do not exist? Owing to a razor left behind at a gruesome crime scene being identified as his property, Private Donald Miller, of the 19th Battalion, fought for four years —fighting through asylums and convalescent homes— to prove that he was alive. One morning, a…
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Ernest Stephen Lukeman
Adrian Boothman’s great grandfather, Ernest Stephen Lukeman, father, Richard Stephen Boothman and his family lived at 75 Formosa Street Drummoyne for more than 100 years. Ernest Stephen Lukeman was prominent in soccer circles in the late 1920s until his passing in 1936. He was the Secretary/Manager of the Australian Soccer Football Association and hosted visits…
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Frontline of the Pandemic
Frontline of the Pandemic is based on the 1919 Spanish Flu pandemic that devastated Australia over a century ago. It features letters, rare documents and reports from doctors, nurses, patients, ambulance, drivers, chaplains and reporters whose stories and memories are recorded in our national archives. I wrote this book as a tribute to the frontline…
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What’s new at the Museum: Vintage Hammersley tea and coffee set (early 1900’s)
This Hammersley tea and coffee set was a wedding present to my parents (Betty and Doug Robertson) who were married in 1947. It had pride of place in my mother’s China cabinet, in our formal dining room, being saved for good, but never used! I loved this tea and coffee set, only allowed to peek…
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Halloween at Yaralla
We always think of Halloween as a recent addition to the Australian cultural landscape, but the tradition was alive and well back in 1913, with a large celebration, the Halloween Ball, being held at Yaralla on the 31st of October. Guests travelled up the Parramatta River on the SS Bronzewing, leaving from Fort Macquarie (Bennelong…
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History of Halloween in Australia
Halloween finds its beginning as a Celtic Pagan festival called Samhain about 6000 years ago. The festival marked the end of Summer and the harvest season. It was believed that the veil between the living and the dead was very thin at this time of year. A huge bonfire would be lit to herald the…
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What’s new at the Museum
ENDEAVOUR DISPLAY The Builder This model of HMS Endeavour was built and assembled by Francisco Antonio Coelho a very proud Australian citizen who passed away on 7th September 2023 at the age of 99. Francisco was a master carpenter who learned his basic carpentry skills at Sao Pedro de Solis, a small village in the…
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The street where you live
Henley Marine Drive This street is renowned as one of the most picturesque in Canada Bay, as it skirts the waters of Iron Cove Creek and Iron Cove, from Five Dock to Drummoyne. Henley Marine Drive was named after Sir Thomas Henley, born on the 4th of February 1860 at Wootton Bassett in Wiltshire, England….
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From the Collection – Fireside tools
In ancient times, fireplace tools were crucial for maintaining the fire’s size and heat. They were used to arrange the logs, stir the embers, and control the flames. People relied on these tools for warmth, cooking and light, making them essential in households. Fire tools used to maintain a fire have changed little since the…
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How He Lost the Record
Boat Hits Fish, 90 m.p.h. Mr. Ernie Nunn of Guildford hit a big fish at 90 m.p.h. while trying to break an Australian speed boat record on the Parramatta River at Cabarita on Saturday, 29th September. He prevented the boat from capsizing – but lost the record. When the boat returned to its base a…
