Pondering the Balmain Association
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the Newssheet of the Balmain Association PO Box 57•Balmain•NSW•2041 www.balmainassociation.org.au Vol 54 No 3 Issue 352 Founded November 1965 September 2019 Pondering the Balmain Association he BA was formed some 54 years readers what you wish the Tago during a time that Balmain BA to be. was fghting for its identity against Currently we: road builders and developers. It was • Manage the exhibitions successful then and many of the at the Watch House features that we hold important in the • Provide access to our peninsula result from what was quite a archives for family and large and active group of residents. house history The peninsula since then has • Maintain and care for the undergone quite a signifcant change Watch House . in its demographics and also its level of activism. Many of the activists of • Attend on Saturdays to the past are aging and participation is host visitors in our History reducing. At most of the local events Room it is clear that the attendees are of a • Arrange two heritage/ ‘certain age’. history exhibitions a year The BA itself still has a signifcant • Publish a quarterly membership but the active members newsletter (which you are are a small dedicated group. reading) I’ve been pondering the BA’s future • Publish occasional books and would like to hear from our on history • Have a Christmas Party. In the past there were Recent protest against the council amalgamations poster from National Trust campaigns, cruises, and Heritage Festival 2017 “Balmain Speaks Out” other functions; most recently the demolition of All of these need active input and I’m the telephone exchange (see calling for ideas from our readers and page 3) and recently we ran members about the future direction of a successful open gardens the BA. I’d hate to see it disappear! day in October 2018 (see Please email me at report in December 2018 Peninsula Observer) [email protected] or phone me on 0414 667 940 if you have an idea, There’s a suggestion we good or bad. could publish more books such as an update of Called I look forward to hearing from you. To The Bar, and books about Duncan MacAuslan, President. the peninsula’s industrial history and people. IN THIS ISSUE P. 1 Pondering the Balmain Association P. 2 This and That Issy Wyner, Councillor and Update on recent issues Mayor of Leichhardt Council, P. 3 The naming of a park spent eighty years of defying P. 4 & 5 Quiet Achievers in Our Callan Park authority to improve living p. 6. Memory and Landscapes HW conditions for residents of P. 7 Glebe 50th Balmain. P.8 What’s on at the Watch House From Balmain Speaks Out Back to Balmain Day exhibition. This and That . The inaugural Living Heritage Festival of the Historic Houses Association (HHA) was held at Tempe House on Sunday 4 August 2019 Tempe House was the home of was sold for development. A Permanent Alexander Brodie Spark, who had Conservation Order was established arrived in Sydney from Scotland in for Tempe House and the surrounding 1823. He quickly established himself grounds to the riverbank. The southern as a successful trader and by 1826 had part of the estate has been developed Tempe House, note the high in the right started a shipping agency. He developed with 3500 units in high rise blocks and a hand corner. a passion for land ownership and beside new railway station, Wolli Creek. by experts about such topics as wooden the very large parcel on the Hunter The festival was a celebration of some of boat building, life on the banks of the River and nine acres at Woolloomooloo, the forgotten crafts and heritage skills of Cooks River, the early history of the area where he built Tusculum, he acquired the past as well as looking to the future. and Mt Olympus, and the story of Tempe the land on the southern side of the The heritage stonemasons were at work House and A B Spark. Cooks River and developed Tempe and some of their restoration work on our Willie The Boatman craft beer added to House, designed by John Verge in the signifcant buildings was on display. There the ambience of the day as well as some 1830s. The house was an Arcadian Villa were examples of decorative plasterwork gourmet pies and tacos on sale, so many with an extensive garden, vineyards, and some wonderful examples of wood people enjoyed the afternoon in the sun, orchards and Mt Olympus, a natural graining and stenciling. while the Shetland ponies carried small feature beside the house. In the Chapel, with its beautiful lead children across the lawns. Willie the Caroline Chisholm leased the property light windows, there were many stalls Boatman was the man who had rowed after A B Spark’s death and ran an – quilting, wood work, candles, fower A B Spark across the Cooks River when educational establishment for young arrangements and more, while workshops he visited Sydney Town. ladies at Tempe. The Good Samaritan took place in Tempe House. You could It was a very enjoyable day and Order bought the building in 1884 and make a basket out of scraps, learn how to hopefully will be followed by another in built the Chapel in 1888. This Retreat research your house history or learn about the future. for unmarried mothers and women at colonial fashion. Di Garder risk operated until 1989 when the estate Around the grounds there were short talks Sue Balmain Griffn Celebrating two life members’ birthdays Descendant of William Balmain Val Hamey 96 in February and Bob Irving 93 in July. Sue from Texas USA will arrive in Both Val and Bob worked tirelessly for the Balmain Association over many years. Australia 20th August. Her previous Val arrived in Balmain in 1985 joined the association and became editor of visit was in 1991 when she gave the BA Newsletter from 1988 to 2005. He became the Treasurer in 1994 and the BA a copy of her family tree. remained so until 2008. He was involved in many of the Balmain Association’s She and partner Doug are looking publications. forward to meeting up with BA Bob came to Balmain from Melbourne with his family in the 1960s. He members. became the second President of the BA in 1968. He and his family remained We have had no defnite in Balmain for over 40 years before moving to Dulwich Hill in about 2012 confrmation of their arrangements where he is now sharing his wide knowledge with the Ashfeld community. but Sue has asked for advice for He has written and contributed to many publications and heritage studies. accommodation locally and tours See some of their publication on the Balmain Association website or visit around Australia. If you have any the Watch House. suggestions please phone June Our best wishes and many thanks to both. June Lunsmann. Lunsmann, 9810 6885. Updates . • Clontarf Cottage Update include the former Precinct committees. • Woolworths signage approved IWC has attended to some outstanding With the municipality so large it is very IWC has approved Woolworths maintenance problems in particular the diffcult for residents to keep abreast of application to remove their insignia from outdoor lighting and are to arrange a issues affecting them. June Lunsmann. above the entrance to the Balmain store, to meeting with former committee members • Western Harbour Tunnel repaint the facade and to use decal images to look at ongoing lighting needs. No news on Western Harbour Tunnel and of historic photos on the Darling Street • Community Facilities Committees impact on Birchgrove peninsula. facade windows. This follows a meeting There still has been no meeting with the FYI the submissions by IWC to the issues David Liddle and I had on Saturday mayor, Darcy Byrne, as promised some are available on their website 23 February with Michael Mackenzie time ago to discuss the re-instatement of innerwest.nsw.gov.au go to Develop then (Woolworths NSW, ACT State General former community facilities committees Major projects then to State and select Manager, Supermarkets) at Loyalty which took responsibility for care of the West Harbour Tunnel. Square. Ferg Fricke local amenity, discussion should also Hope you can fnd it! 2 The Naming of a Pocket Park - Fergus Fricke he demolition of the front of the More seriously a reasonable TBalmain Telephone Exchange has case can be made for a suitable begun and in its place the Inner West First Nation name, for example, Council will construct a public open “Anembo”, meaning “a peaceful, space. It is perhaps time to consider a quiet, contemplative place” could be name for the space/park/plaza/square/ considered despite the traffc noise piazza etc. It is also time to consider at Balmain’s main intersection as, a plaque giving some history and since the closing of the Town Hall photos of the site and recognition of Hotel, the noise level has markedly the Balmain Association’s work to get decreased. Just as important as the Telstra, Leichhardt Council and the name of the space is the way it is Inner West Council to turn a dream chosen. Who should decide on a name into a reality. and how should a name be chosen? The IWC Mayor, Darcy Byrne, has There is an opportunity to introduce already suggested that it would be a democratic decision here. I would appropriate to name the new “public suggest that any Balmain resident be open space” in Balmain after Neville allowed to suggest names and that the Wran. “Nifty” was born in Paddington.