Concord’s Memorial Avenue

Concord Memorial Avenue – Officially Opened Yesterday (so reads the article in the Sun of 4th August 1918)

“I hope every municipality in NSW will follow Concord’s example in honouring its soldiers,” said Mr. Orchard yesterday when the Memory Drive, which is being planted by the citizens of Concord in honour of the nurses, sailors and soldiers who went from the district, was officially opened. “We cannot restore life, but the immortal souls of our fallen men will be represented in the boughs and leaves growing in your midst.

“They will have a great influence on the future generations,” continued Mr. Orchard, “teaching them that love of one’s country is the greatest asset a nation has. With deep reverence and pride, I declare this avenue open.”

The Mayor, Mr. T.F. Warbrick, presided at the function, which was inaugurated by Mr. S.W. Gissing in February and the work begun in April. The avenue runs along Concord Road for three and a half miles, from the site of the new railway station to the Parramatta punt.

Mr. Maiden has given a number of Australian trees. Four were planted yesterday by Mr. Orchard, Captain Chaplain Wilson, Miss Eadith Walker and Mrs. Warbrick (Mayoress). Each tree will bear on a tablet the name of a nurse, a soldier or a sailor from the district.

Concord has its own Soldiers’ Relief and Voluntary Workers Association which is looking after the interest of the boys who return and settle down in the district. Several houses have already been built and others are being erected.

The avenue is marked by two drinking fountains, one at Patterson Street, close to the new North Strathfield Station, and another at Rhodes. The inscription on each fountain reads . .

MEMORY AVENUE
This avenue of trees was planted as a memorial by relatives and friends of
the Nurses, Soldiers and Sailors of Concord who enlisted in the Great War, 1914-1918
Dedicated August 3rd, 1918..

A note in another newspaper articles with the heading “Memorial Avenue” advised that . . .

Last Saturday we saw another large muster of enthusiasts at work on Concord Road at Rhodes. Each section of the municipality was well represented and most satisfactory progress was made. The ladies, as previously, provided afternoon tea, which was gratefully partaken of by these self-appointed laborers.

No work will be done in connection with the Avenue today, Saturday, 1st June (1918), work having been suspended to enable all to join the welcome to his Excellency Sir Walter Davidson, who will visit Concord to perform the ceremony of handing over to ex-Private Curran the cottage which has been built in Empire Avenue by voluntary workers.

Next Saturday work will be resumed as usual at 2 p.m. at Rhodes, when it is hoped a specially large band of workers will muster to make up for the Saturday missed.