This Reminds Me of Christmas Time
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the tedmain TKe Peninsula association incorporated news sheet Vol 30 No 6 Issue 238 Founded November 1965 D e c e m b e r 1 9 9 5 Christmas in with silver polish, washed in warm for Christmas Day, one for New Year's, one to keep for Easter, and D u r h o m H o u s e soapy water and dried, ready - Oh! - ready for the climax! Every jjerson in one/two/three to give away. I mind me, too, of Christmas cakes - [With Christmas coming, we bring the house, even studying sisters out of you our final excerpt from Barbara the eyries, had to come down to the not nearly as exciting as the puddings. Whitley's reminiscences with Seasons kitchen, throw in a coin, have a stir with I mostly remember having the carry Greetings to all.] the big wooden spoon, and make a them round to the baker's in Darling wish. Even Dad. (There used to be little Street, mixed and in tines, to be put in Thisand reminds the memaking of Christmas of puddings time, magic tokens too. If you got the ring in the "dying oven" after the days' bread (though they'd be made weeks and had been taken out. I used to wish I weeks before.) Another all-in to the kit wouldn't be seen by anyone I knew on the way. 1 didn't mind so much the chen, but Mother at the center this time. What a huge pudding basin it was! In collecting of them after they were would go the brown sugar and dripping, cooked - the smell was absolutely pounds I'm sure, and there'd be more scrumptious! than one of us taking turns at the cream Christmas itself - how did our mother do it! We hung a sock (boy's, long, ing of them - we didn't have any electric woollen and stretchy) try a piece of gadgets, hands were the thing. But we liked this better than the long business string to the bottom of our beds, each of picking the stalks and bits out of the child, one sock (a pillow case? unheard dried fruit, far far more than I used to of!) In the morning, mysterious bulges; which would turn into - an orange in the toe, peanuts in the foot, presents and lollies in the leg, and always, somehow, she managed heart's desire poking out the top; for me, a book, perhaps even two. I wonder how many socks she your pudding on Christmas Day - filled? In my memory time, the number anyone can imagine what that meant. must surely have been well on the The button - you'd be a bachelor. The decrease. She used to go Christmas thimble - an old maid.) shopping in Anthony Hordern's, her Mother did the final part, portioning best-loved shop; and It's b^ond me to deal with on Saturday mornings. A love the mixture into pudding cloths, tying imagine what her shopping list must ly job was cutting up the candied peel. them up, and popping them into the have been like. This came out of the grocer's bag in great pot of boiling water at the back of [As indicated in our last issue, halves of oranges with the most un the stove, where they'd cook for hours. Barbara has recently published her believably delicious lumps of crystall (And what about scraping the basin, m e m o r i e s i n " K i d S i s t e r " w h i c h i s n o w ised sugar in them - and - and - and - they what about that! I can see it now, available from Bray's Books and at the were for the eating! But he or she doing browny-yellow on the outside, white Watch House. If you wish to order it the cutting up, of course would go fair inside, with the remnants of the direct from Barbara, you can write to 47 Farnsworth Street, Castlemaine 3450 shares. There was nutmeg, not powder luscious-smelling mixture sticking to it; in a bottle but round nuts that had to be Mum would mark three equal divisions, but please add $2 to the price of $17.95 grated, and watch out for your fingers. and away we'd go at it. 1 can't remember to cover postage.]. A small heap of thrippeny and sixpenny how many puddings were hung, Edited Debby Nicholls pieces had to be cleaned and shined afterwards, on hooks In the pantry - one The Old Balmain President of the Manly- Warringah and Stephen's Church, Penrith. The Rev Cemetery Pittwater Historical Society. Fourteen of Elijah Smith was rector of that parish the headstones - those belonging to from 1853-1868. Mr Gledhill again Charles Davis, William Graham, Henry participated In the unveiling when the ThisCommittee year the of theHistory Balmain Sub- made Morgan, Henry Palgrove, Bridget Sloan, rector's monument was re-erected on the Old Balmain Cemetery Its focus of Richard Fowler, Jane Thompson, 1 4 D e c e m b e r 1 9 4 1 . attention, with the aim of tracking down Edward Martin, David Hall, John Leys, all the headstones which had been Bessie Breillat, Samuel Turton, the moved from the Old Balmain Cemetery Shoobert family and Edmund Blacket before it became Pioneer Memorial Park and his wife Sarah - were removed to in Leichhardt. Camperdown Cemetery. The remains The first burial took place at that of Edmund Blacket and his wife were cemetery on 26 January 1868 with a removed and cremated and the ashes further 10,608 interments before the placed at St Andrews Cathedral, cemetery closed. The last person to be Sydney. The Shoobert obelisk was buried was George Holley, aged 79 re-erected at Camperdown Cemetery years, on 7 May 1912. A Balmain on 22 October 1943 in memory of the resident, he had married Agnes Aborigines buried there. Howard, the daughter of William Other headstones became historical Howard, who was Balmain's first boat m a r k e r s . T h o m a s R o w n t r e e ' s w a s builder. placed in Macquarie Terrace, Balmain. Robert Towns' memorial was removed to Townsville which is named after him. Mr Gledhill gained the permission of the Leichhardt Municipal Council to erect the Harwood family monument at the Spit, Middle Harbour, on 19 May 1942, to commemorate Peter Ellery's hand punt which started there in 1850. An obelisk belonging to the Shaw family Obelisk at Church Point was officially unveiled by Mr Gledhill on 22 May 1943 at McCarrs Creek, The History Sub-Committee has Pittwater to commemorate the first photographed all except three of the survey of the creek by Captain John headstones, the existence of some of Hunter in 1789. It is now situated in which was previously not generally Church Point. known. The Brelliat, Davis and Martin Two obelisks were sent to the monuments were, sadly, lost to vandals Ebenezer Presbyterian Churchyard: at Camperdown Cemetery. Further John Leys headstone at Camperdown those of Rev Robert Blain and of Rev details will appear in a subsequent The records of the cemetery, which George Macfie, who for many years was article, but in the meantime the show place of residence, indicate that a minister there. The obelisks were re- Sub-Committee wishes to share a piece many of those interred were not from dedicated at the 140th Anniversary of Information with you. Undertaking Balmain, some living as far afield as Celebrations of Ebenezer Church on 26 was one of the professions which Rose Bay, Lynden, Muswellbrook and January 194Z occasionally passed to women on the even one from Melbourne. St Barnabas Church Ground, death of their spouses. In the 1860s a When the cemetery was demolished Broadway, also has monuments to two Mrs Jane Thomas and a Mrs Kirby each in the early 1940's a few family former rectors - Rev Joseph Bainer and took over the business on the demise of headstones were saved by Percy W. Rev Canon Thomas Smith. Another h e r h u s b a n d . Gledhill who for many years was clergyman's obelisk is now at St Bonnie Daoidson Anniversary Party previous campaigns and good wishes the balmain association from absent friends. Thank you Debby TT^he Watch House needed rubber Micholls and Diana Garden for J. walls to accommodate all who organising such a successful evening. attended the 30th Anniversary Cocktail To commemorate the occasion two Party on 28 October because a wines with 30th Anniversary labels are downpour prevented the use of the available. These are blends from garden. Many old friendships were McWilllams Riverina and Hunter rekindled. Eight past presidents as well vineyards - a Semillon Chardonnay and 30*Anniversary a s o t h e r o f fi c i a l s m a d e i m p r o m p t u a Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon and can speeches. There were cheers and be purchased for $12 per bottle from Semillon Chardonnay U c m N S V ' delightful anecdotes and reminisces of Jeremy Arnott, Tel 818 1902. 7XM 9i ti<r% AkAi^W 2M: 4M<d Sizar Elliott of the Balmoin Stores. In March,stone cottage 1843, Sizar(11 Johnston Elliott bought Street, a Balmain East) where he began a ships' grocery and chandlery. The cottage became the Balmain Stores, and when he found himself in financial difficulties in 1848, he was still able to settle the Balmain Stores on his wife, Sarah.