Oral History Project
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
http://redfernoralhistory.org COMMUNITY STORIES FROM REDFERN AND SURROUNDS Early Redfern families Black Power Black Theatre Sonya Brindle [film] 4 Black Women’s Action Group Sharon Hickey 5 Blackout at the Knockout Auntie Joyce Ingram 6 Blackfella Films & The Black book Shane Phillips [in progress] Boomalli Artists Cooperative The Coloured Diggers Deaths in Custody committee Origins of the Block, and AHC Elouera Gym Bob Bellear 8 Eora Centre Foundation for Aboriginal Affairs (FAA) Kaye Bellear 10 Family days on the Block Dick Blair [City of Sydney] Gadigal Music Col James 12 Gamarada Men’s Self - healing group Gamarada Montessori Learning Centre Ted Kennedy 14 Gathering Ground Mick Mundine 24 ICAMPA The Keeping Place Koori Construction courses Community Koori Lighthouse Koori Radio Uncle Max Eulo 16 Lights Camera Action Ali Golding 17 Mac Silva Centre Peter Golding 19 Metropolitan Aboriginal Land Council Ningenah 20 Midnight basketball Moogahlin Performing arts Paul Morris 22 Mudgin-Gal Women’s Centre Bill Simon 26 Murawina Preschool Redfern Aboriginal Authority (RAA) was OAU Redfern All Blacks (RABs) What Redfern represents to people 28 Redfern Aboriginal Corporation (RAC) Radio Redfern Redfern Community Centre Organisations 31 Redfern Records Aboriginal Children’s Service Redfern Residents for Reconciliation Aboriginal Housing Company [AHC] REDWatch Aboriginal Legal Service The Settlement Neighbourhood Centre Aboriginal Medical Service Short Black Films Aboriginal People’s Gallery Sorry Day Committee NSW Aboriginal Tent Embassy Street Beat Aboriginal Dance Theatre Redfern (ADTR) Tribal Warrior All Blacks Sports Club Wyanga Aged Care Centre Aunty Polly Smith Health Centre Yaama Dhiyaan Babana Men’s Group Young mob leaders Black Lace Films & Music, Map 73 last updated 3 June 2009 See the full interview transcripts at http://redfernoralhistory.com.au 1 TIMELINE Part I – rough draft only The lands (wetlands and dunes) of the Gadigal people were part of the coastal Dharug. 1788 Dispossession of the Gadigal people began. Resistance led by Pemulwuy resulted in many deaths. Loss was intensified by introduced diseases, and the soiling of fresh water sources. 1817 - 1825 British land 'grants' eg William Chippendale , William Hutchinson, (former convict 1799) 'Waterloo Mills’ and James Chisholm (NSW Corps), William Redfern (a Canadian immigrant to England). AHD 1840s Hutchinson's third daughter, Mary married John Rose Holden in 1834. He had arrived in 1831 as an ensign. They built 'Everleigh House' on Hutchinson's Paddock, naming it after his mother's maiden name, Betty Everleigh. It showed in the maps from 1850; in the vicinity of Louis St, just north of Vine. It was later spelt Eveleigh. Two sons; George and Henry Augustus. 1849 Mary died, 1853 Holden returned to England. 1850 Watercolour shows the turning of the turf for the first railway. Aboriginal family / group on the right. 1855 The railway line to Parramatta Junction opened, cutting through Hutchinson's Paddock, and Chisholm's grant. The Government established repair shops at Redfern [now known as Central]. 1875 The site too small, recommendations were made to move the workshops to land occupied by Chisholm. 1878 Chisholms' Grant was resumed. Eveleigh Railway Station opened (now known as Redfern.) 1880 Chisholm's compensation price was approximately 100 000 pounds . Clearance began. 1881 Hutchinson’s grant was subdivided for the Golden Grove estate, where houses were built for workers. 1980s Residential dwellings were constructed in Darlington, housing Eveleigh Railway Workshops workers. 1889 Most of the Darlington area was subdivided and most of the buildings were constructed. 1890 11,827 people worked for the NSW Department of Railways. The railway workshops at Eveleigh were the biggest employer of Aboriginal people, particularly during the late nineteenth / early twentieth century. 1900 La Perouse was declared an Aboriginal reserve. 1906 Eveleigh Station was renamed Redfern Station. Redfern Station was renamed Sydney Terminal (Central). 1914 The Department of Railways was one of Australia’s largest employers; 1/10 of them were employed at Eveleigh. Many local Aboriginal people from Redfern were employed in the foundry, boiler room and workshops. 1920s Aboriginal people from all around NSW migrated to Redfern drawn by the possibility of regular work. 1930s During the Great Depression, many Aboriginal people sought refuge with relatives in Redfern as work in rural areas became scarce. AHD 'Eveleigh employees were involved in the advocacy of improved living and working conditions for Aboriginal people, and their citizenship rights, from the early 1930s until 1967.' LT 1940s Many travelled from northern and western NSW for the work opportunities after the outbreak of WWII. 1944 Bill Onus and Ted Duncan began organising support for the Redfern All Blacks. After WWII, residents who had bought nearby freehold land pressed Randwick Council to move squatters from La Perouse. Many moved to Redfern and sought refuge with relatives. A large Aboriginal population had now re- established itself in Redfern, which became the location of civil rights protest meetings and rallies. AHC 1965 Redfern accommodated over 12,000 Aboriginal people; many were employed in local factories. AHC 1967 National Referendum. Many rural workers were laid off when wages equalised. At the same Aboriginal people were freed up to move around, for the first time. As racism in the country was bad, many migrated to Sydney for better opportunities for jobs, housing and education. Off the train at Central, into the Foundation for Aboriginal Affairs (FAA), next stop Redfern. See the full interview transcripts at http://redfernoralhistory.com.au 2 Gadigal clan of the coastal Darug Tribute in progress About this site The Redfern Aboriginal Housing Company (AHC) was set up as the first urban Aboriginal community housing provider, using grant money to purchase the houses on the Block. This site documents stories and photographs about the Block, and surrounding Redfern that are not often known to the community at large. You will find varying 'voices' and experiences under Oral history, and there are photos and videos that display the vibrant community spirit in Redfern and showcase achievements that do not necessarily make headlines. Some of the people you will encounter are quiet achievers, unsung heroes or simply ordinary members of the community. The Redfern Oral History website was started with a grant from Australia Council for the Arts. Who are we? Redfern Residents for Reconciliation [RRR] is a small group dedicated to Aboriginal rights, recognition, healing and reducing racism. We are a mixture of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people. We started interviewing people in 2002, so that information about this vital, dynamic and diverse community could reach the general public. We meet on the third Wednesday of the month at 7.30 at the Redfern Community Centre. Feel free to drop in any time. Check first, as we often meet at other places. Message to the Redfern community Our goal is to hand this website over to you. We were happy to help get it started, but it is your history, your story. Please get in touch with us and tell us what you think. If there is a problem tell us. We are happy to have kicked it off, but we look forward to the day when appropriate people can take it over. Please note this is incomplete – it’s a work in progress. We are trying to name all the people in photos. If you know any names, or have photos or stories you would like to share, please contact us. • Contact: Lyn Turnbull 9699 3105 • mail at redfernoralhistory.org Volunteers are welcome. Help is needed interviewing, transcribing, editing, scanning … Thank you to all in the community who have been generous and gracious giving their time & stories. WARNING: This website has images of people who have passed away. See the full interview transcripts at http://redfernoralhistory.com.au 3 Early Redfern families Sonya Brindle Sonya was born at 27 Caroline Street, to parents Ken and Mavis Brindle. She lived her early years there and has returned to Redfern from Kempsey . 'All roads lead to Redfern, if you're black.' Sonya's DVD is available for private use purchase for $19.95 and rights can be negotiated for other purposes. For orders and further information contact [email protected] View a clip from the film Sonya produced in 2007 on the website Also in 2007 Wai Yuen Chong won a University of Sydney prize for his 3 minute documentary about Sonya, including the sadness of the death of her brother in custody. The real neighbours . Watch this space for the next instalment !!! Transcript to come. See the full interview transcripts at http://redfernoralhistory.com.au 4 Sharon Hickey Sharon Hickey has many childhood memories of the Block. As an adult, she worked for thirty years in government departments and in the community sector, and completed a Master’s degree in Social Ecology. She has returned home. 12 February 2007 My family originally comes from Redfern, and as far as I can trace, my blood line goes directly to Sarah Waters. Her mother was Madoo. I am fifth generation from this area, originally from Botany. Botany is linked to my spirituality and history. Sarah Waters was registered with Native Title. She never spoke English and practised the old ways until she passed away at 161 Lawson Street in 1945. My mother has a five generation photo taken in Caroline Street in 1945. There is concrete information about my family that dates back to 1870 in Redfern. It is in my blood. My early memories of the Block go back to when I was about five years old in 1959. In Louis Street. I had many aunties that I used to visit in Eveleigh Street and Vine Street, and my grandmothers used to all live in Caroline and Hugo Streets. My sister also lived there, she was seventeen when she had her first son in 1969, and I went to live with her.