The first day of spring is the little-known but uniquely Australian celebration – National Wattle Day. Wattles have always been part of our country’s landscape and the lives of its people. For Indigenous Australians, wattle trees were a source of food, medicines and wood for many different utensils and weapons. Indigenous peoples of Australia soaked the gum…
Industries of the west A glance at an old map of the municipality of Concord will show just how closely the industries in the western part of the district follow the northern railway line. Most of these industrial complexes were on the western side of the railway, although a few lay between Concord Road and…
He was an Australian photographer and adventurer. He is best remembered for his graphic photographs taken when he participated in a number of expeditions to Antarctica and served as an official photographer with Australian forces during both world wars. His artistic style produced many memorable images. He also used staged scenes, composites and photographic manipulation. ANTARCTIC EXPEDITIONS In…
On Christmas Day 1914 there was an unofficial ceasefire along the Western Front. In the week before German and British soldiers crossed the trenches to exchange seasons’ greetings, gifts and even prisoners. There were joint burial ceremonies and some meetings ended with the singing of Christmas carols. One of the most enduring images of the…
What a great day we had on 6th July when Lyndon Lockrey, Trickett’s Great, Great Grandson was our guest speaker. His stories of Edward Trickett and the glorious days of world championship sculling on the Parramatta River kept us all enthralled. On 30th June 1877, one year after Trickett won the world championship, he made…
The history of rowing in Australia began in the early 19th century when crews of Merchant and Naval vessels competed against each other on Sydney Harbour. In 1840 the first Regatta was held on the Parramatta River. By this time rowing had become an integral feature of the riverscape with frequent races and perennial training…
More Industries of Exile Bay Major Brothers & Company The third company to purchase industrial land in Phillip Street was Major Brothers & Company, a manufacturer of marine paints, boot polish and floor wax. The company was founded in 1915 and moved to its 1.6 hectare site at Concord in 1924 when it had outgrown…
General Law Nothing is as easy as it looks. Everything takes longer than you think. Anything that can go wrong will go wrong. If anything simply cannot go wrong, it will anyway. If everything seems to be going well, you have obviously overlooked something. It is impossible to make anything foolproof because fools are so…
SECOND CLASS TRAVEL ON TITANIC: Second class passenger accommodation was to be found over seven decks. Exits were either by the second class grand stairway or an electric elevator which ran up and down all seven decks. After dinner, the gentlemen of the second class could retreat from the Dining Room to their Smoking Room….
Dr John Cade was educated at Scotch College and the University of Melbourne, graduating with honours in Medicine in 1934. The son of a physician who worked as a superintendant at several mental hospitals, Dr Cade joined St Vincent’s Hospital as a Resident Medical Officer in 1935 and the Royal Children’s Hospital in 1936. Later that year…
The River as a Rowing Course Between 1830 and 1880, rowing was the most popular sport in Sydney. This popularity probably had a lot to do with the success that Sydney rowers had achieved in World Championship events. The first Australian to win a World Championship was Ted Trickett, who, on 27 June 1876, beat…
Those who jump off a bridge in Paris are in Seine …. A man’s home is his castle, in a manor of speaking. Dijon vu – the same mustard as before. Practice safe eating – always use condiments. Shotgun wedding – A case of wife or death. A man needs a mistress just to break the monogamy. A hangover is…
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