Along Drummoyne’s main thoroughfares there are signs attached to some of the street furniture. They are not advertising, as one might expect, but an apparent jumble of words suggesting what some of our senior citizens remember about the Drummoyne they knew as children. The word association triggers a compilation of images that reminds us of…
The melody of this song is based on traditional Irish folk music. Although it has had many iterations, the tune remains easily recognisable and has endured in popular memory. Over the centuries the lyrics and their intent have changed. It has been a drinking song, (“Johnny Fill the Cup”) a love ballad (using the words…
There’s some confusion about exactly when the first camels and their handlers arrived in Australia, and for what purpose. We do know that “Harry” was the first camel to arrive in Australia after landing in Port Adelaide on 12 October, 1840. The animal was shipped from Tenerife, Spain, by the Phillips brothers, Henry Weston and George. Camels…
A Naval Jacket (c late 19th Century) A dark navy blue wool serge, double-breasted naval “under dress” uniform with gold braid trim and 8 rows of brass buttons. It was worn by Lieutenant-Commander Rupert Oswald Jones, OBE, RNR (Rd.). The style is traditional to the late 19th Century Royal Navy uniforms but with a twisted…
Conduct Prejudicial to Good Military Order The first casualties of the Gallipoli campaign occurred several months before the landing at ANZAC Cove. The arrival of 20,000 Australian soldiers in Cairo in the weeks prior to Christmas 1914 attracted a swarm of those keen to exploit this as a money-making opportunity. Historian Dr. Peter Stanley quotes…
Ken Beames – Optical Engineer and Astronomer In 2014 Canada Bay Council sponsored the “More Than Just a Name” project to mark the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War. The project memorialised the names of more than 1600 men and women who answered their country’s call to arms. Working with students from…