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Bathurst District Historical Society Inc.

NEWSLETTER No 95 July – September 2013 Price $3.00 Free to Members of the Society

FROM THE PRESIDENT

The Bathurst District Historical Society continues to have a great deal happening at present and in many areas. Our first International Museum Day was a great success and there are improvements and additions to be added into next year’s event. Samantha Friend did a great job in organising the special day which saw several new members join the Society.

Since our last member’s newsletter actual construction work has commenced on the new garden at Old Government Cottage. The Society’s training program for the new Mosaic software will take place in July to allow the Society to list all its collection with one or more photos of each item, details of the item’s history, who made the donation, when, its item number, where the item is i.e. if the item’s location has changed for display, storage or conservation – all this will make items easy to find and life much easier. If someone asks do we have a ‘whatever’ we can look it up.

If you are genuinely interested in doing the

course PLEASE contact Samantha or myself,

urgently.

The Theo Barker Memorial Lecture is on again this year with a change in the format – this year it will involve the showing of parts of old and rare black and white silent movies associated with Bathurst. The Lecture is taking place on Friday 16th August at 6pm at the Bathurst campus of Charles Sturt University in the same room as last time - in Building S15 in Lecture Theatre 2.23. The route in will be marked to the venue from Panorama Avenue by coloured balloons as usual.

Andrew Pike, OAM, will be delivering the lecture on Australian film history. Remember you need to

RSVP for catering purposes by 14th August to

Ms Kate Esdaile, phone 63384645 or email

kesdaile@csu.edu.au

David Blaxland will talk about the life and times of his great grandfather’s grandfather, Gregory Blaxland, the Blue Mountains explorer, on Thursday 19th September to mark Museum Week. It is being held at 7.30pm in the Senior Citizen’s Centre at 176 Russell Street. The cost is just $5 with supper served and please remember to book and pay for David

Blaxland’s talk at the Society’s Museum.

The various activities being held in conjunction with Ben Hall are in full swing with ever increasing interest in the event. It is quite amazing the number of people who are receiving the Ben Hall Raid Weekend Festival e-newsletter to date. See further information in this member’s newsletter.

The Society has organised a ‘Historic Colonial Houses’ bus trip to three homes at Parramatta. It is taking place on Sunday 25th August and includes - Hambledon Cottage, Elizabeth Farm and Experiment Farm Cottage. See further details in this newsletter but book early now as there are only 53 seats.

I attended the autumn colours presentation evening which concluded the most successful range of functions over the three month period. Many of the activities and functions were booked out, many with waiting lists. Tours were extremely popular and planning for next year has already commenced. Well done to all those concerned and especially Felicity Baines and her staff at the Bathurst Tourist Office.

I was very happy to learn that the Society has had an authentic gold cradle donated. The cradle was constructed in 1882 on the Turon River by Kay Gibbs’s great, great grandfather. Mrs. Shirley Harmer has donated it to the BDHS. Be sure you have a look next time you visit the museum.

Please take advantage of the Society’s musters, activities and trips as they are for the benefit of members. Alan McRae - President

NOTICE Bathurst District Historical Society

Annual General Meeting

will be held in the Museum

at 7.30pm on Thursday 22nd August, 2013

LOST & FOUND

Over the last couple of months there have been some found items. A hat was left at Sidmouth Valley on the Cox’s Road bus trip and a coat was left behind at a muster. Enquire at the front desk.

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NOTE – NEW MUSEUM PHONE NUMBER

Due to problems with the current Museum phone

our new number is 63308455 - so please record it

in your phone index, purse or wallet. Note phone

number in new phone book is wrong too!

63308455

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BOOK NOW FOR THE

Ben Hall Raid Dinner at the Beau Brown Pavillion at the Bathurst

Showground Saturday Evening 28th September - 6.15pm

Booking are now open for the Ben Hall Raid Dinner with guest speaker Peter Smith who will give the address entitled “Heroes to Villains.” Cost is $60 per head, B.Y.O. and Colonial type costumes encouraged. Bookings at Bathurst District Historical Society, P.O. Box 237, Bathurst NSW 2795 or personally at the BDHS Museum, East Wing, Bathurst Court House, Russell Street, Bathurst. Phone 63308455 - best times 11am – 2pm from Tuesday to Sunday or email info@bathursthistory.org.au Book and pay early.

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BEN HALL WEEKEND RAID

FESTIVAL

This special weekend is being held from Friday 27th to Sunday 29th September with the main day on Saturday 28th hosting a re-enactment, festival and dinner to mark the 150th Anniversary of the brazen raid by Ben Hall’s gang of bushrangers on Bathurst.

Ben Hall Raid Weekend Festival e-newsletters are being emailed to interested persons around Australia and New Zealand. If you have an email address or someone you know who may be interested request a copy by emailing amcrae@lisp.com.au

The startling defiance and confronting presence of Hall and his gang had profound consequences in both the short term and long term.

• The New South Wales Government fell on 16th October, 1863, a mere 13 days after the raid, as a direct consequence of the storm of criticism by citizens and newspapers around the country arising from the inability or unwillingness of the police to deal with the bushranging menace.

• The new Premier replacing Charles Cowper was, ironically, Jimmy Martin, who, as a barrister, had defended the Gold Escort Robbers the previous year.

• It triggered further police reforms that had been instigated by Cowper the previous year.

• It prompted continuing land reforms.

As well as the raid, Ben Hall’s connection with Bathurst is a strong one. Hall and his partner John McGuire sold their cattle here and McGuire was later tried here in Bathurst as an alleged Gold Escort robber. Hall was married here in the Cathedral of St Michael on 29th February, 1856, with his wedding reception held at Crilly’s Hotel (corner of Piper and Bentinck Streets). Later Catholic Diocese priests facilitated the surrender of several of his gang members, including John Vane here in Bathurst.

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MUSEUM DAY

Well, it’s finally over! Open Day for 2013 that is. It took a lot of organising by Samantha and Alan, advertising (did you hear Samantha on 2BS!), and two working bees, which involved removing the sad old Diosma from the Courtyard, (see left) and the planting of a lemon tree, some daphne, and two new roses – R. Mary McKillop and R. Governor Macquarie. There was also a thorough spring clean of the Museum, where a lot of cobwebs were disurbed and a mountain of

dust busted!

There were many attractions to entertain visitors on Saturday 11th May; they could listen to Sandy Bathgate talk about the carved trees and Evan’s epic journey across the Blue Mountains, thrill to the tale

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of heroine Caroline Keightley and her desperate dash to get dosh for the dastardly desperados holding her dear family in dire straights as told by Rob McLachlin, (see right with one of his enthusiastic audiences!) and have a peep into the Photo Archives with

Alan McRae who also gave a fascinating insight into the changes in various photographic processes over the years with some examples from his own collection.

Pixie and Valda put on a splendid Devonshire Tea (scones made by Valda and served by Pixie – what a terrific team! And what delicious scones!) in the newly planted courtyard which was enjoyed by many! There were a number of tables set up and decorated. (There is a photo of Elaine appreciating a scone but she’s got cream on her nose so it’s not really for publication …)

The Open Day was designed to encourage more Bathurstians, (some of whom did not know there was a Historical Museum in their town!) to visit, and approximately 50

locals made the trip up the sandstone steps of the historic building that houses the collection. The Museum is open six days a week and averages approx. 5 – 10 visitors a day, so 50 new people is a wonderful result for us!

An evening event saw 20 people enjoy an engaging talk about the origins of the Society and the Museum from Christopher Morgan, together with a glass of local wine and some cheese.

Mayor, Cr Monica Morse opened the evening and was very complimentary about the Society and its place in the wider community. She paid tribute to the volunteers who run the Society and man the Museum, and pointed out that there were great benefits to having a Historical Society and a Museum available for all. Cr Graham Hanger was also present and made some very pertinent and well received comments about history and heritage in Bathurst.

The Open Day Organisers and the Society’s Management Committee thank all involved with putting on the Open Day for their efforts and contributions and look forward to next year’s International Museum Day!

Some of those who should be thanked include:

• All the local business houses who put flyers up in their windows

• Bathurst Advocate and Western Times

• Bathurst Regional Council

• Felicity Baines from the Bathurst Tourist Information Centre

• Lucy at 2BS

• The Management Committee of the BDHS

• The Mayor and Councillors of the BRC

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• TLC Garden Care

• Winooka Park Wines – who donated some wine for the Evening Event

And individuals

• Alan McRae

• Beverly Berkahn

• Carol Churches

• Christopher Morgan

• Elaine Slattery

• Elizabeth Willingham

• Ernst Holland

• Graham Hanger for the wonderful plug on his Saturday morning radio show

• Ian Wilkinson

• John and Thelma Williams

• Ken Webb

• Merryll Hope

• Pixie Lincoln

• Robin and Joanna McLachlan

• Sandy Bathgate

• Valda Goodwin

• And everyone else who made it such a success oooooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooo

HERITAGE WALL PLAQUES

Most members will be aware that the Bathurst City Council created a Heritage Wall located in the immediate vicinity of the Proclamation Cairn at the lower end of William Street, at the entrance to the Macquarie River Bicentennial Park in 1988.

Any family having connections with the Bathurst district may apply to have a plaque (example above) made and placed on the Heritage Wall. Wall plaques commemorate the pioneers and early settlers in the Bathurst district and also include more recent contributors to the development of the area. The Bathurst District Historical Society manages the wall plaque service.

Applications are available from the Bathurst District Historical Society Museum or by phoning (02) 63308455 – best time is between 11am and 2pm Tuesday to Sunday or by emailing

info@bathursthistory.org.au You can also email amcrae@lisp.com.au Applications should be lodged at least 12 weeks prior to the proposed unveiling date to allow verification and manufacture of the plaque. Payment of currently $450.00 (includes GST) must accompany the application.

For more detail ask for an application form or contact the BDHS Wall Plaques Co-ordinator.

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SOCIETY MONTHLY MUSTERS

Monthly Musters are held at the Museum with a 7.30pm start. Musters are free and open to the public. There is a tradition of having supper afterwards and people are requested to bring a plate of goodies for supper. For information please contact Alan McRae, Monthly Muster Master on 63315404 (h).

18th July (Thursday) - Muster - 7.30pm in the

Museum – Alan McRae will show a presentation of “Hospitals, Doctors and Potions in Bathurst” – a photographic insight into the history behind Bathurst’s hospitals, doctors and nurses, medical services and chemists.

Friday 16th August - 6pm - Theo Barker Memorial

Lecture is being held on the

Bathurst campus of the

Charles Sturt University in

Building S15 in Lecture

Theatre 2.23. The route will

be marked to the venue from

Panorama Ave by balloons

as usual.

Andrew Pike, OAM, will be delivering the lecture on Australian film history, with a Bathurst flavour. RSVP by 14th August to Ms Kate Esdaile, phone 63384645 or email kesdaile@csu.edu.au

Andrew Pike is a film distributor, film historian, documentary film-maker and former exhibitor. With Ross Cooper, he wrote Australian Film 1900-

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1977, published by Oxford University Press. His films as director include the award-winning ANGELS OF WAR (1982) about Papua New Guinea during World War Two, THE CHIFLEYS OF BUSBY STREET (2008) about Australia’s post-war Prime Minister, Ben Chifley, and EMILY IN JAPAN (2010), an arts documentary commissioned by ABC TV. He has personally produced several documentaries for other directors. He managed the Electric Shadows cinema in Canberra for 27 years, from 1979 to 2006, and through his company, Ronin Films, has distributed many Australian films including STRICTLY BALLROOM and SHINE, and 500 documentaries.

In 2007 Andrew was awarded an OAM and an honorary doctorate from the University of Canberra for his services to the film industry and community. In 2003 he was appointed by the French government to the rank of Chevalier dans L’Ordre des Arts et Lettres for Ronin’s promotion of French cinema in Australia. He served on the Board of the National Film and Sound Archive from 2008 to 2012 and is a member of the ACT Government’s arts policy advisory council.

Various movies will be covered from the black and white silent days filmed around the Bathurst area including some on bushrangers. In particular the 1921 melodramatic tale of romance, with elements of social comment, called “A Girl of the Bush” and directed by Franklyn Barrett for his own film company. It was 6,000 feet long (about 1½ hours.)

Released on 26th March, 1921, it tells of Lorna Denver (Vera James) who manages Kangaroo Flat sheep station (Freemantle at Bathurst) and is pursued by two men, evil Oswald (Herbert Linden) and handsome young surveyor, Tom Wilson (Jack Martin). Lorna gives shelter to a baby who has survived an attack by aboriginals but Tom thinks the baby is hers. This upsets Lorna who breaks it off with him. Oswald is murdered and Tom is arrested. A Chinese cook reveals that the real killer was the

father of a woman who had been seduced by Oswald. It shows a number of quasi-documentary scenes of rural life near Bathurst.

22nd August AGM (Thursday) – ANNUAL

GENERAL MEETING - 7.30pm in the Museum.

25th August – Sunday Tour - Historic Colonial

Houses at Parramatta Tour. Visit the early colonial homes of Hambledon Cottage, Elizabeth Farm and Experiment Farm Cottage at Parramatta to see and hear of their fascinating history from the formative years of the Colony of New South Wales. Cost is $70 for members of the Society and $75 for non-members and includes all entry, a scrumptious lunch, morning and afternoon tea. The bus will leave McDonald’s rear carpark at 7am and home by 7.15pm. BOOK & PAY EARLY before Monday 19th August, 2013 – by ringing the Society on 63308455 (best time Monday to Sunday between

11am to 2pm) or call personally at the Museum

or email info@bathursthistory.org.au

Hambledon Cottage - built in 1824 by John Macarthur as a second house on his Elizabeth Farm Estate. It had many notable occupants in the early days, including General Sir Edward Macarthur, Archdeacon Thomas Hobbes Scott and Dr Matthew Anderson. Penelope Lucas, the former governess to John Macarthur's daughters, lived there for 9 years, naming the family “Cottage” after the township of Hambledon in Hampshire, England. Hambledon Cottage is built of rendered sandstock brick in Colonial Georgian style with Australian cedar joinery throughout. Some of the internal ceilings and walls are still of lath and plaster whilst one bedroom still has its original ironbark floor. A domed brick oven adjoins the open fireplace in the kitchen. The cottage is furnished in the style of the mid 1800s.

Elizabeth Farm – was commenced in 1793 and is now Australia's oldest European building. It was built as the home of John and Elizabeth Macarthur and overlooks the upper reaches of Parramatta River. The small, solid three-roomed brick cottage was transformed by the late 1820s into a smart country house. The furnishings and objects (reproduction) belonging to the Macarthurs give an authentic glimpse of early l9th century life. Elizabeth Farm is situated in a glorious 1830s garden with some of the plants believed to be planted by the Macarthurs.

Experiment Farm Cottage stands on the Colony’s first land grant, Governor Phillip’s reward to convict farmer James Ruse in 1789 for his successful farming experiment on this site. By 1791 Ruse had successfully farmed the 30 acre site as an experiment in self-sufficiency, proving that a new settler could feed and shelter his family. Colonial Surgeon, John Harris, bought Ruse’s land in 1793 for £40 and built the existing Indian-style cottage in 1834. It is furnished to reflect the times and taste of Dr Harris.

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The cellar houses a permanent exhibition on the life of James Ruse and the story of the site in all phases of its occupation - Indigenous and colonial to the present day.

Thursday 26th September - “Chasing Ben Hall”

Bus Tour visiting Grenfell, Forbes Museum, Ben Hall’s grave, Escort Rock, Eugowra Museum, Ben Hall’s cave and Canowindra Museum. Morning and afternoon tea supplied, bring your own lunch + something to share. Bus leaves McDonald’s rear carpark 7am. $50 per person. Bookings open at BDHS now so be very quick – 53 seats only.

Friday, Saturday and Sunday 27th to 29th

September – Ben Hall Raid Weekend Festival –

our program is still being compiled though a draft program can be viewed at the Museum. The weekend will include Friday 27th – Bus tours throughout the day. 5.30pm for 6pm - Official Opening of the Bushranger Room incorporating the Edgar Penzig Collection by Megan Penzig in the Bathurst District Historical Society Museum in Russell Street at 5.30pm for 6pm - Mayoral Reception by invitation. Gold coin donation. Saturday 28th September - Museum and Bushranger Room open 9am. Various escorted bus, self-drive and walking tours commence. Bathurst Court House tours. Bushranging, Colonial, Police, Cobb & Co and horsedrawn vehicles and other historic displays and activities, N.S.W. Mounted Police, talks, book launches and sales, people in period costumes, food available, Official Opening of Festival by the Mayor of Bathurst and flag raising, “Macquarie” historic homestead bus tours and lots, lots more.

6.15pm – Ben Hall Raid Dinner at Bathurst Showground. Guest speaker Peter Smith will give the address entitled “Heroes to Villains.” Cost $60 per head, B.Y.O. Colonial type costumes encouraged. Booking details on page 1.

Sunday 29th September - From 9am Family Reunions commence. Pioneers’ plaques unveiling, Ben Hall Raid escorted bus tours, “Macquarie” historic homestead bus tours, Bathurst District Historical Society Museum and Bushranger Room open, 10am Old Government Cottage, 16 Stanley Street opens – Devonshire Teas and Tour $12 served till 3pm, Abercrombie House Tour, Bathurst District Historical Society Museum closes 2pm.

19th September (Thursday) - Museum Week

Muster - 7.30pm at the Senior Citizen’s Centre at

176 Russell Street, up the lane. Note some

parking inside otherwise park in Russell Street.

David Blaxland will talk about the life and times of his great grandfather’s grandfather, Gregory Blaxland, the Blue Mountains explorer. Cost is $5 with supper served. Bookings for the talk of David

Blaxland are being taken at the Society’s

Museum.

Dr David Blaxland is a direct descendant of Gregory Blaxland and the prime mover in the establishment of the Western Crossings Foundation. He is acknowledged as a “Blaxland-ophile” having extensively researched the Blaxland family. He has been a general pathologist since 1987 in Tasmania, and NSW having previously practised as a Wagga Wagga GP. He is a farmer as well as a breeder of Clydesdale horses.

Gregory Blaxland, his wife Elizabeth and their three children left England on 1st September, 1805, above decks on the William Pitt, a transport carrying 121 prisoners, all except one being female. After the longest passage from England of any female transport between 1801 and 1820 the William Pitt arrived at Sydney Cove on 11th April, 1806, bringing the news of the Battle of Trafalgar to the colony. He lived at Brush Farm, his 185 hectare property in present day Eastwood.

2013 marks the 200th Anniversary so come along and hear the fascinating story of one of the major discoveries in the colony and the declaration of Bathurst.

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7 CLEAN-UP AT OLD GOVERNMENT COTTAGE

A working bee was held at old government cottage ready for the commencement of the bi-centenary garden project being carried out in conjunction with the Bathurst Garden Club. Items have been put into storage for now. Old sandstock bricks have been donated and will be

used in carrying out the edging.

Already there is remarkable progress and help is required so if you are a gardener or general helper please phone Peter Varman

on 63324443 as he has a number of jobs to be done. All the grass has gone along with the plants with the famous apricot trees remaining. Loads of various sands have

arrived and Peter Varman has been mixing numerous loads of cement. The last time there was any reasonable amount of digging done was in the 1960s – see photo at the bottom left of the previous page.

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AUTUMN COLOURS MYSTERY TOURS

WERE POPULAR

Chris Stewart’s ‘History Mystery Tours’ were extremely popular and well attended and nearly all were booked out. As part of the Autumn Colours activities this event was held each month. People attending found the event was both fascinating and

delicious as people had a terrific afternoon which finished up with a delectable afternoon tea at Chris’s

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house, one of Bathurst’s hidden gems – Glendower which Lewis Lloyd, MLA, had constructed around 1885 on the site of an earlier residence though the family left in 1886 after their infant son passed a way. Lewis Lloyd was once manager of the Burraga copper mine. The home has a most interesting history.

The tour started and finished at the Bathurst Court House and was billed as “an intriguing bus tour with an historical twist.”

From the cemetery the tour wound its way through Bathurst first stopping at Machattie Park to see the Freeman Gates memorial to Pilot Officer Maurice J. Freeman 413561 who was part of RAAF 460 Squadron. He was killed over Germany on 23rd November, 1943, and was later buried at Dusseldorf.

The gates are located on the Keppel Street side of Machattie Park. The actual gates were removed and relocated into the park from ‘Delaware’ in Russell Street. Made during the late 1800s the gates were re-assembled in memory of the World War Two Lancaster Bomber pilot Captain Maurice Joseph Freeman with two others of his crew, the rest survived.

Details of his death are on the plaque on the gate so have a look sometime. There are a number of interesting associated, but sad, stories behind this family. His brothers Pat and Terry also enlisted in the RAAF during the war. Maurice's father, Michael, joined the Royal Australian Engineers when his three sons entered the RAAF and was accidentally killed with three other soldiers from a bomb blast while they were cutting and sawing wood at J Block, Bathurst Military Camp on Limekilns Road.

Maurice Joseph Freeman was born in Bathurst on 20th September, 1915. He went to school here and enlisted in Sydney on 12th September, 1941, just before his twenty sixth birthday. His service number was 413561 and he named his father Michael as his next-of-kin. After training he sailed to England to become part of 460 Squadron.

Initially Maurice was sent to do an ITS course for a period of six weeks. There was no flying but a chance for the authorities to access what use he

might be to the RAAF. At this ground school a number of instructors, who were invariably recruited former school teachers, gave many aptitude tests. There various assessments were to indicate how you were to be trained in the future – pilots, navigators, wireless operators, gunners, bombardiers etc.

Maurice was to train as a pilot and then spent some months at No. 4 Elementary Flying Training School at Mascot Airport before being sent to the No. 10 Elementary Flying Training School at Temora in central New South Wales. His final posting was to No. 6 Service Flying Training School near Molalla in South Australia for several months.

The Service Flying Training School was an advanced training operational flying school for successful RAAF pilots. They were trained on fighter and multi-engine aircrafts. After his final move and fine tuning of his flying skills Maurice was shipped back with many others to New South Wales for final leave. They were quite aware and somewhat excited as they were about to embark for Britain for overseas flying duty.

Then it was off to look at the wrought iron overhead railway bridge with construction starting in 1876 and approved by John Whitton, Chief Engineer of the New South Wales Government Railways.

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TOWN SQUARE SIGNAGE

You may have noticed the new photo-signs around central Bathurst along with new paving blocks which have been put into the pavement as part of the promotion of Bathurst’s historic Town Square.

Bathurst’s Town Square occupies the block bounded by William, Russell, George and Howick Streets. A preliminary town plan, incorporating the distinctive

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town square, was prepared by Surveyor J. Larmer in 1832, with the final plan released under Mitchell’s signature, and with Governor Bourke’s approval, in January 1833 however the feature was not proceeded with.

Few Bathurstians are aware of the Bathurst Town Square even though in September 2010 the Geographical Names Board of New South Wales officially recognised the “Bathurst Town Square” as a designated Historic Area and is a significant area when it comes to the history of Bathurst. The new signage seeks to inform Bathurst residents and visitors of some of this early history.

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KELLOSHIEL CREEK STONE BRIDGE

Recently Christopher Morgan and I attended the opening of the Kelloshiel Creek Stone Bridge on Freemantle Road. For some considerable time Kevin Boole and Terry Rath (below) have been trying to save this historic bridge which was damaged and could have been demolished. Fortunately, with the co-operation of the Bathurst Regional Council, Central West Catchment Authority, Bathurst District Historical Society and Mount Rankin Landcare Group Inc. this significant structure has been saved.

Kevin Boole carried out research on the bridge over many years and has taken a keen interest in its preservation. Kevin was able to glean the following history which appears on the photo-sign at the site.

Bathurst Land Grants in 1823 established properties West of Eglinton. This road from Eglinton, now named Freemantle Road, was in use from the 1820’s and officially surveyed in 1876. The road crossed Kelloshiel Creek within the original Kelloshiel Grant. In those days the creek ran along a deep gully. Where the road crossed the creek was known as ‘Vogt’s Gully”, named after Adma Vogt, a market gardener who lived just west of the creek.

Crossing the steep gully and creek was difficult, and tenders were called in 1895 for a stone bridge. Mr. J.

Burns snr. a Bathurst stonemason, was awarded the contract in 1896 for £185.

The bridge is a segmented masonry arch bridge, solidly constructed of granite. It is 13 metres in length and has a height in excess of 6.5 metres. The archway spans 4.4 metres and the carriageway is 4.7 metres wide. There are stone buildings at Abercrombie House which appear to have been built similarly with identical raised tuckpointing. The fact that James Horne Stewart owned land on the Macquarie River along Freemantle Road may indicate a connection with similar structures in the vicinity.

Over time, soil erosion from land clearing and grazing upstream caused gravel to be deposited along the creek bed causing a large reduction in the space under the bridge. This is evident from the 1947 photo that appears with the information.

Locals recall that in the early 1920’s the bridge was a watering point for horses in their long journeys to and from Bathurst. They also recount which they could ride their horses under the bridge and stand up and get swallow eggs from mud nests that still exist. Others talk of racing their sulkies under the bridge. Adjoining residents from “Kelloshiel” as children in the 1930’s were warned to stay away from the “Convict Bridge” because of the deep water nearby.

By-passed and carefully restored in 2011, it is a monument to the pioneers of the Central West after more than a century of use.

Above - Kevin Boole officially opening the restored Kelloshiel Creek Stone Bridge on Freemantle Road. The bridge is located just past the 2BS radio towers and is well worth a look.

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SOFALA RESIDENT INSOLVENT

In the New South Wales Government Gazette of 27th September, 1861, appears a notice concerning the Insolvent Estate of Moritz Mendell of Sofala,

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Licenced Victualler, giving notice to creditors that the Commissioner of Insolvent Estates would be sitting in the District Court at Bathurst on 10th October, 1861, at 11am. Creditors were advised that they needed to bring proof of debts.

The notice in full states : - In the Insolvent Estate of Moritz Mendell, of Sofala, Licensed Victualler. JOHN MORRIS being the Official Assignee appointed in this Estate, this is to give notice, that all debts due to the same are to be paid to him, the said Official Assignee; also, that a Third Public Meeting of the Creditors of the said Moritz Mendell, will be holden before the ‘Commissioner of Insolvent Estates’ for the District of Bathurst, at the Court House, Bathurst, on Thursday, the 10th day of October next, to commence at 11 A.M., for the proof of debts against the said Estate, to receive the report of the Official Assignee as to the then condition of the same; also, for giving him directions as to its future management, and as to whether the Creditors will permit the said Insolvent to retain for his own use his household furniture, wearing apparel, beds, bedding, and tools of trade, or any part thereof respectively. Dated at Sydney, the 26th day of September, A.D. 1861.

ALFRED McFARLAND, Chief Commissioner of Insolvent Estates.

Mr. Mendall was licensee of the Royal Hotel in

Sofala and was in time able to pay back his creditors. His son Frederick would later volunteer to serve in the Sudan War.

Frederick Moritz Mendel was single when he volunteered as one of nineteen soldiers from Bathurst and district who sailed for the Sudan. He put his name in late and it is believed that he did not make the parade as his horse went lame on the way in from Sofala. He was an ex-member of the Bathurst Volunteer Rifles under the new organisation. He was born in the Royal Hotel at Sofala in 1866 and was nineteen when he passed his medical, though his Army records show his age as 21. Frederick was assigned number 223 and he was proud that he had been accepted as a private in the Infantry Regiment of the NSW Contingent.

The men who served received the Khedive Star which was issued for service by the Khedive Tewfik of Egypt and given to those Army and Navy servicemen who were eligible for the Egypt medal. Authorised in 1882 and struck by Jenkins of Birmingham in England and were issued unnamed. The Khedive Star is a five pointed star with a circle in the centre featuring the Sphinx and several pyramids in the background. This is surrounded by a band which has Egypt and the year at the top with ‘Khedive of Egypt’ and the year in the Muslim calendar and written in the Egyptian language at the bottom. The two lots of information are separated by a dot on either side. On the back of the medal, the reverse, is the Khedive of Egypt’s monogram surmounted by a crown. This star has a special suspension comprising a suspension ring joined to a clasp consisting of an ornamental clasp with a star and crescent on it. The ribbon is deep blue in colour and 37mm wide.

A bible was presented to Mendel by Mrs. Price, wife of the Baptist minister in Bathurst. She was the local secretary of the New South Wales Auxiliary of British and Foreign Bible Society. Mrs. Price visited all the men on parade in Bathurst prior to their departure to give them their bibles just days before they left Bathurst for Sydney and the Sudan. Some also received another bible in Sydney.

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Some time later Mendel wrote in a letter that the British troops had expected the New South Wales colonial troops to all be black, not all white.

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LOOKING BACK!

Theo Barker receiving his Life Membership at the 50th Anniversary Dinner of the Bathurst District Historical Society held on 8th May, 1997. A large number of members and guests gathered for the evening which was held at Lamplighters in William Street.

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CONVICT BRICKS

Whilst we historians have had a long interest in our nation’s convict heritage many ordinary Aussies and our ancestors have, it seems, been unwilling to accept their convict origins. The shame of having a ‘convict’ in the family, the hiding of that history in family trees, has really only now been replaced by pride. To this end many ‘convict’ items, both personal and public, no longer remain. Bricks made by convicts are one item, probably due to their solid nature, that have survived. I have been a brick collector for many, many years and have had a particular fascination for these early bricks in particular and my collection will form the basis for one of my future books.

The first brick makers at Bathurst were convicts and started making bricks within a short time after Governor Macquarie proclaimed the township of Bathurst. The bricks were being made on a site down on the Macquarie River. The convicts had to hand make bricks in a crude mould and then dry them in the sun.

Convicts were expected to put some mark on their bricks but that didn’t mean they did. Whilst many of these early bricks are easily identifiable as they have a special mark such as the Government’s broad arrow though they could also have diamonds, hearts or other shaped patterns on them. The broad arrow was only officially introduced from 1819 in the Colony of New South Wales by Governor Macquarie. It also seems likely with the number of bricks found with thumb marks that convicts would put a thumb mark, a sort of tally mark, into every so many bricks, say ten or twenty for ease of counting to make their quota for the day. This sounds great until we realise that the convict had to take the ‘wet’ brick from the mould after it had partially ‘set’ to lay it in the sun, so there is probably more finger prints that don’t relate to anything other than handling.

Many of the early colonial bricks are actually smaller than what the domestic brick are today. Being smaller it was easier to dry them in the sunshine as these men did not have access to the high temperature kilns of today. In fact in Bathurst it was almost two decades before brick kilns were built here.

Often numbers of small timber press moulds were used to form the brick and either a carved timber and later lead moulds in the shape used to ‘brand’ the bricks were employed.

The mould or shape in the centre of one side is known as the ‘frog’ which served two purposes, firstly it allowed the mortar to adhere more securely to the bricks when being laid and it identified the maker of the brick. Unfortunately these frogs did not have to be registered so we are not able to easily identify who was the maker today. The number and variety of ‘frogs’ are mind boggling and provide an endless fascination for collectors.

Im always on the lookout for examples of early and unusual bricks.

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BATHURST CONNECTION COMES TO LIGHT

A photographic exhibition was held in early 1953 with Mr. J. Peter Moodie, local chemist, travelling to Sydney for the opening night along with several Bathurst Camera Club members.

KODAK (Australasia) PTY. LTD. had invited Mr. Moodie and local members to inspect the B. 0. HOLTERMANN Photographic Collection - “EIGHTY YEARS AFTER” featuring

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AUSTRALIAN LIFE AND SCENES DURING 1871—1876 which were photographed by Beaufoy Merlin and Charles Bayliss. The group visited the Mitchell Library and the Kodak Salon Gallery on the first floor at 386 George Street, in Sydney.

Keast Burke wrote some historical notes at the time – the Holtermann Collection was dramatically re-discovered late in 1951 by the grandson of its founder, in the company of members of the Editorial Staff of The Australasian Photo-Review. It had been stored away in a backyard shed in a North Sydney suburb, its existence forgotten for more than a generation.

Mr. B.O. Holtermann was a goldminer of Hill End, New South Wales who achieved world-wide and lasting fame when in October, 1872, there was found in his shaft the largest specimen of reef gold ever located in the world - it weighed some seven thousand ounces. Holtermann is also remembered for his building, in 1874, of the residence and tower in North Sydney which is now occupied by the Sydney Church of England Grammar School.

At the suggestion of Kodak Australasia Pty. Ltd., the Holtermann Estate offered the collection to The

Mitchell Library, Sydney, and, in due course, the collection was placed on the accession list by the Trustees.

GENERAL INFORMATION Museum and Archives:

East Wing, Bathurst Court House, Russell Street. P.O. Box 237, Bathurst NSW 2795 Phone: (02) 63308455 (Museum Open Hours) Email: info@bathursthistory.org.au

Annual Membership Subscription (due July 1st) $20 single and $30 family Corporate on request Once only joining fee of $25

Museum Hours:

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday 10am – 4pm. Sunday 11am-2pm

Archives Hours:

Tuesday 10.30am-12.30pm; 1.30-3.30pm Subject to volunteers availability.

Old Government Cottage Hours:

Open each Sunday 12 noon to 4pm.

Information on the Society, as well as membership application forms, are available at the front desk during opening hours.

Photos by - Alan McRae, Samantha Friend and Alan

Hammond

Alan McRae FAIHA Newsletter Editor