ÒNurungiÓRemembered OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE CONCORD HERITAGE SOCIETY email: [email protected] www.concordheritage.asn.au

EDITOR No. 89 August 2003 From the Archives The Shot Heard PRESIDENT Around the World TRISH HARRINGTON Thus, on April 19, 1775, 9764-3296 when the British were PUBLIC RELATIONS approaching the Old TRISH SKEHAN North Bridge at Con- 9743-4172 cord, near Lexington in Massachusetts, a SECRETARY Minute Man, Paul Re- LOIS MICHEL vere (an engraver), who 3 Flavelle Street has been given undying (P.O. Box 152) fame as the “Minute Concord 2137 American Revolution - 1776 Man”, rode across the Phone: 9744-8528 American Independence Day, 4th July Fax: 9744-7591 Old The Anniversary of the adoption of the North * Declaration of Independence in 1776. Concord Bridge to warn MEETINGS the Americans of the Turkey and Cranberry Sauce - and all that! British approach, and General Meetings But what does it really mean to Americans? thus “the shot heard 2nd Wednesday of month In the middle of the 18th century France around the world” be- at 7:30 pm in the claimed the land surrounding the thirteen gan the bloody clash Concord Citizens’ Centre British Colonies in North America, and when that was to bring on In- (except July) the war ended in 1763, France gave Britain dependence. Executive Meetings all Canada, and French possessions east of By the Old North 4th Wednesday of month the Mississippi. Bridge at Concord, at 7:45 pm in the Massachusetts, there Concord Citizens’ Centre Britain had a large war debt and tried to force the Colonies to help pay for it. The Colonists stands a statue of a Committee Meetings refused to observe a tax imposed on news- “Minute Man” with the As arranged papers and official documents in 1765, and following inscription: Contact Chairpersons so the Stamp Act was repealed in 1766. By the rude bridge that arched the flood, for details Britain then introduced import duties the fol- Their flag to April’s breeze unfurled. Here once the embattled farmers stood, Museum lowing year. The Colonists forbade the im- And fired the shot heard round the world.” Fred Stansfield, 9743-1866 port of dutiable goods and this finally led to the “Boston Massacre” which caused the Emerson Walker Estates deaths of five Colonists. So the import First Thursday each month duties were repealed, except on tea. (please contact to confirm) The Boston Tea Party Concord Bowling Club Clermont Ave, North Strathfield Much discontent arose, and finally a group Errol Grace, 9743-4301 of Colonists flung large quantities of tea into Boston Harbour - this has often been re- Heritage ferred to as the “Boston Tea Party”. The Bill Barlow, 9743-3662 British government responded by closing Boston Port to try to force traders to pay for Oral History the tea. Lola Sharp, 8753-0659 The Minute Men Fighting broke out between British Troops * and Colonists around 1775. The armed citi- zens, who pledged themselves to take the CONCORD field at a minute’s notice, have been referred August 13 - Annual General Meeting HERITAGE MUSEUM to since as “Minute Men”. They were told by & Election of Office Bearers 5 Wellbank Street their leader, Captain John Parker - “Stand September10 - Jan Bell from the your ground. Don’t fire unless fired upon, but Nurses’ Museum at Concord Open 2:00 - 4:00 pm if they have a war let it begin here”. Wednesday & Saturday Hospital And so commenced the War of In Concord, Mass., there have lived Some facts about the monument: American Independence. such people as the poet, Ralph Waldo Official Title: “Liberty Enlightening Emerson (after whom their famous The following year, on July 4, 1776, the World” the Declaration of Independence was Walden Pond is named), Louisa May Wind Speed at which Statue sways 3 signed by patriots at Philadelphia. Alcott (author of ‘Little Women’ and other books), Nathaniel Hawthorne inches (7.62cm) - 50 mph Deportation of British Convicts (‘The House of the Seven Gables’) Torch sway in 50 mph winds: 5 inches The British had been accustomed to and Henry Thoreau, also an author. Number of windows in crown: 25 sending their convicts to the Ameri- In 1976 the two Concords were can colonies, but now that that door named as “Sister Towns,” and during Number of spikes in the crown: 7 rays was closed consideration had to be the Bicentennial celebrations sent, of the diadem (7 oceans of the given to other possibilities and thus and returned greetings to one an- world) was suggested the southern land that other. Height from base to torch: 151’1” Captain James Cook had discovered (46.50 m) on his voyage in 1770. As the “Roo has greeted the Eagle” Foundation of Pedestal to torch: Finally it was decided to send a small 305’1” (92.99m) fleet, under Captain , to form a settlement at Botany Bay. The Statue of Liberty Heel to top of head: 111’1” (33.86m) Feeling that Botany Bay was unsuit- Length of hand: 16’5” (5.00m) The Statue of Liberty was given to the able, Captain Phillip and a party Size of fingernail: 13”x10” United States by France in recogni- sought another bay and settled on (33x25.4cm) tion of the friendship established be- Farm Cove in Port Jackson on Janu- Weight of copper used in Statue: ary 26, 1788. tween the two nations during the American Revolution. 179,200 pounds (81,300 kg) Soon after the landing at Farm Cove It was originally intended as a gift to Weight of steel used in Statue: Captain Hunter and Lieutenant 250,000 pounds (113,400 kg) Bradley made excursions around the celebrate the 100th anniversary of foreshores to find suitable land for America’s independence in 1876. Approximate fabric in Liberty’s dress: farming and some days later break- Raising funds to design, ship and 4,000 sq.yds. fasted in what was later to be the construct the massive structure took longer than anticipated, however, and The sculptor, Auguste Bartholdi, Australian Gas Light Co. at Breakfast clothed Liberty as a classical Ro- Point. the statue didn’t find its home in New York harbor until 1886. man deity. She wears a palla, a The land was explored for some dis- cloak that is fastened on her left tance inland and found to be very fa- Once there, it quickly became the shoulder by a clasp. Underneath vourable for farming. The area for world’s most widely recognized sym- is a stola, which falls in many folds some distance was to be known as bol of liberty. Immigrants streaming to her feet. Liberty Plains. into the United States by way of nearby Ellis Island were guided to Captain Phillip later returned to Eng- America’s shores, in a literal and a WANTED! land. symbolic sense, by Liberty’s torch. Among the officers who fought in the “Give me your tired, your poor, An Archives British army during the War of Ameri- Your huddled masses yearning to breathe can Independence at Concord and free, Committee Chairman Lexington in Massachusetts was a The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. The above articles, plus many, many Major Grose, who was later sent to Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to more are held in our archives but need as Lieutenant Gov- me. sorting and cataloguing. I lift my lamp beside the golden door.” ernor. Have you thought about Major Grose was accompanied by a nominating for this posi- fellow officer named Collins, who be- tion The AGM is only came Judge Advocate of the Colony. weeks away. In 1793 Governor Grose made grants to six non-commissioned officers in the and four to other settlers and requested that Final Reminder !! the part of Liberty Plains where the grants were situated should be known Annual General Meeting as Concord. Wednesday, 13th August, 2003 It is now thought by many that the If you’d like to take an ative part in the area bordering the (then) beautiful functioning of our society, then we River, lined with trees and need you to nominate. If you’re too with small rivulets, reminded Grose of embarassed to put your own name the likeness to Concord in Massachu- forward, then just whisper in another setts, through which the lovely sylvan member’s ear. Sudbury River flowed on under the Old North Bridge at Concord, there- It only involves you in a short meet- fore he gave the name of Concord to ing once a month - but we do need the area of Liberty Plains where the fresh blood with fresh ideas to keep land grands had been made. us from falling into a rut. You can do it! Give it a try! The Bays and Headlands of the Parramatta River Concord/Ryde

BEDLAM POINT Canada Bay was named for the French Lieut. Bradley recorded that “they found Canadian exiles. When they were it to terminate in many coves surrounded Within the grounds of Gladesville Hospi- by mangroves with rather shoal water”. tal, which was originally the “Lunatic Asy- granted a pardon all but one, Joseph Marceau, went back to Canada. Marceau About to put in to land they were sur- lum”. “Bedlam, any lunatic asylum, a prised to see natives here in greater num- madhouse.” The Macquarie Dictionary, became a farmer, settled at Dapto and, with his Australian wife, had nine children. bers than they had seen anywhere before where this explanation is given - “Middle in their survey of the harbour, and not English bedlem, alteration of Bethlehem, The French Canadians were harshly being equipped to face a hostile reception, from the Royal Bethlehem Hospital, Eng- treated by the convict authorities but re- Hunter wrote, “We therefore for the land’s first lunatic asylum in South East ceived kindness from some of the local present contented ourselves with making London (founded 1247). Bethlehem was people, including Emmanuel Neich of the signs of friendship and returned to the invariably pronounced ‘bedlem’. Bath Arms Hotel and Father Brady of St. ship”. Mary’s Catholic Church, Concord. BRAYS BAY: Small inlets are named France, Exile and It would be necessary to determine the EXILE BAY: Canada Bays - to commemorate the date of naming to ascertain after which Named to commemorate the French Ca- French Canadian exiles to Bray the bay was named. Private John nadian exiles who were held as prisoners New South Wales. Bray and his wife Mary arrived in Sydney at the Longbottom Stockade (where Con- HOMEBUSH BAY on board the “Neptune” in June 1790, cord Oval now stands). They were part with the first detachment of the New of an unsuccessful rebellion in Canada in Named because of proximity to the sub- South Wales Corps. Three years later 1837-38 and were transported to Aus- urb of Homebush, which was the original John Bray had been promoted to the rank tralia aboard the “Buffalo” for their ac- site of the grant of land to Captain and of Sergeant and on the 11th November, tions. Mrs. Laycock, which later belonged to D’Arcy Wentworth. 1794, he was granted thirty acres of land FRANCE BAY in the area later to be called Rhodes, It was at Homebush that the Australian where he built his home, called The French Canadian exiles made a name Jockey Club held its first meeting in 1842. for themselves as honest and hard work- “Braygrove”. In January 1800 Mary Bray KENDALL BAY received an additional grant of 25 acres ing men who were vastly different from adjacent to John Bray’s original grant. the common criminals who were usually Named after Henry Kendall, Whaling Mas- Two descendants of the Brays became barracked at the Longbottom Stockade. ter of the brig “Plumstead”. His nephew Mayors of Concord Council. A stone plinth in Cabarita Park was un- was Henry Kendall, the famous poet. BREAKFAST POINT veiled in May 1970 by the then Prime Henry worked in the office of the Sur- Minister of Canada, Pierre Trudeaux, in veyor General for two years, about 1862, On Tuesday, 5th February, 1788 Captain memory of the exiles. This was later after several trips to sea with his uncle. John Hunter and William Bradley led a moved to Prince Edward Park, Exile Bay. He was also a personal friend of Henry small, well-armed longboat party west- GLADES BAY Parkes and possibly used that connection ward along the river we now call the to honour his uncle. ‘Parramatta’. Originally named Doody’s Bay after the The land around Kendall Bay was owned In his journal he recorded that they convict artist John Doody, who was a servant to Captain William Paterson. In in the 1820’s by John Ward. He made passed several natives, close to where good use of the waterfront property and they had seen them two days before, who 1795 Doody was granted 30 acres “on the had a fence constructed across the nar- followed along the rocks calling to them. north shore opposite the Field of Con- cord”. Eventually the name was changed row bay. A gate in the fence was closed Captain Hunter’s party landed on the op- as the tide ebbed and fish and prawns posite shore to them (Breakfast Point) to Glade’s Bay when John Glade, who had were easily caught. and made signs for the natives to come a farm in the area as early as 1806, over. Soon after seven of them came bought Doody’s land in 1817. KING BAY over in two canoes and landed near their HEN AND CHICKEN BAY Named for William Lyon Mackenzie King, boat, approaching in a friendly manner. Prime Minister of Canada. (29/12/1921 Although they did not share the strange This is the area between Cabarita Point and Abbotsford Point. to 18/6/1926; 25/9/1926 to 6/8/1930 food of the white men they later made use and 23/101935 to 15/11/1948). of the fire to cook their mussels. On 3rd February, 1788 Captain Hunter KISSING POINT (BAY) CABARITA POINT and Lieutenant Bradley sailed into the bay. It is thought that he bestowed the name Kissing Point was the original name of the “Cabarita” is an Aboriginal word, probably “Hen and Chicken Bay” because the larger area now known as Ryde. meaning “by the water”, but it is not sure rock jutting from the river and always when the area was named. “Cabarita partly above water reminded Hunter of a In Governor Hunter’s day picnics were Point” is named in a survey map of 1856 mother hen, while the smaller rocks sometimes held here. On one occasion, and in the same year a farm near Kendall around it resembled her chickens. (Ear- owing to some mishap, the ladies of his Bay was known as “Cabaritta House”. lier he had named the Sow and Pigs Reef party had to be carried ashore by the Whether the house was named after its near the entrance to Port Jackson be- men. The Governor did his part and the location or the area named after the house cause of its apparent likeness to a sow ‘rescued’ maiden bestowed upon him a is not, and may never be known and her litter.) Or, did Hunter notice an kiss. Correys Gardens were situated nearby emu and its chicks pecking about on the A less romantic claim probably arises and the area was popular as a recreational land behind the rocks? Whatever the from the shallowness of the river here. park, easily accessed by boat from Syd- origin of the name, it soon spread by as- The keels of larger boats tended to “kiss” ney sociation to the surrounding inlet and the (or become even more firmly entangled name “Hen and Chicken Bay” was in use with the muddy river bottom. CANADA BAY by 1796. (cont over) LOOKING GLASS BAY/POINT home but made the same mistake and From the This bay received its name as the result suffered the same consequence. of an incident which occurred in February Upon this land, in 1941, was constructed Secretary’s Desk 1788. Governor Phillip and Lt. Bradley the 113th Australian General Hospital were visiting the area when a curious which, in 1947, became the Repatriation Annual Subscriptions Aborigine approached the explorers. He General Hospital, Concord. These are now due - have you paid yours? was presented with a looking glass . . . UHRS POINT Please ensure you are financial prior to “which, when he looked into it, he looked the AGM in August. immediately behind the glass to see if Named to honour George Richard Uhr, a anyone was there”. He then pointed to Sheriff, who bought the land now carry- the shadows he saw in the water to indi- ing his name from its original grantee, Yaralla Open Day cate that they were similar to the image Simon Donally. George Uhr built his Don’t forget, we’re having another Open in the mirror. Hunter named this area home there. Day at Yaralla on Sunday, 12th October, “Looking Glass Bay”. YARALLA BAY/POINT so to our helpers, please make a note of MAJORS BAY the date in your diary now and be ready Originally called Nichols Bay after Isaac to let us know later if you will be free to It is thought that this bay, which was part Nichols, who was originally transported help. of the property of Isaac Nichols, was to Australia in 1790. After serving out his sentence he was granted land at Con- named to honour Rosanna Nichols’ step- Visit to Camden Area father, Major George Johnston. Rosanna cord, where he established a successful was Nichols’ second wife. farm. We’ve set Saturday, 15th November, 2003 as the date for this excursion. If you are McCALLUM POINT In 1809 he was appointed as the colony’s first postmaster. He went on to become interested please let the secretary know The old name of the area at the eastern a wealthy, respected and socially active so that we will have an idea of what trans- end of Phillips Street, part of which is now member of the Sydney community. port will be needed Prince Edward Park. It was named after John McCallum, labourer, of Phillips In the 1840s Thomas Walker, a wealthy Walker Estates/Yaralla Commit- Street merchant, banker, ship owner and pastoralist, began acquiring land in Con- tee MORRISONS BAY cord, including the Nichols’ estate, and This committee meets next on Thursday, This bay was named after Archibald the name was changed to Yaralla Bay. 7th August. We would like all tour guides to be present for final details. Other in- Morrison, a private in the NSW Corps. In “Yaralla” is an aboriginal word meaning terested members always welcome. 1795 he was given a land grant of 55 “camp site” or “dwelling place”. acres in the area. Venue: Concord Bowling Club, 8:00 pm. MORTLAKE POINT Mortlake was named by nostalgic settlers to remind them of moorings along the The Australian Garden History Society in association with The National Trust of Thames River. It seems to have been some time, however, before the name Australia (NSW) presents the inauguaral was generally accepted. On an 1837 map Heritage Garden Tool Show Mortlake Point is named Pleasant Point; by 1857 it had become Bachelors Point; , Ruse Street, Harris Park (near Parramatta) and in 1890 it was variously known as Nearest train station - Harris Park (5 min. walk) Bachelors or Green Point. Sunday, 10th August, 2003 - 10:00 am to 3:00 pm PUTNEY POINT Talks on the history and design of garden tools Exhibition of historic garden tools Named by Englishmen and oarsmen who Tool maintenance and sharpening workshop. Show and Tell - bring your favourite were boatmen rowing the Parramatta garden tool for appraisal Stalls selling old and new tools and plants (plus BBQ) River. They regarded the river as the Garden and house tours of Experiment Farm and Hambledon Cottage Hands-on “Thames of the Antipodes” and derived introduction to the ancient craft of water devining (you will be amazed!). the names from the memories of ‘home’. Tickets for this unique event are only $10.00 ($5.00 children and AGHS/NT members) RAVEN POINT Named for Captain William Raven, captain and part owner of the ship “Britannia”. Dates for your Diary . . . ROCKY POINT Wed. 23rd July - Executive Meeting Part of the block known locally as “The Folly”. This had been granted to James Thurs. 7th August - Walker Estates Meeting Williamson in May 1798 and he named Wed. 13th August - Annual General Meeting & Election of Officers the point “Rocky Point”. Later a Mr. Levy acquired this land and it Tues. 19th August - Prime Timers tour of Yaralla is said that he tried to build a house there Sun. 24th August - Open Day at Rivendell but, as there was no fresh water available (no springs, etc.), he mixed his mortar Wed. 27th August - Executive Meeting with salt water. When the house was Wed, 10th September - Jan Bell from the Nurses’ Museum at Con- almost built the mortar, which would not dry due to the salt water, fell out and the cord Hospital will be talking about the musuem and bringing along building collapsed. According to tradi- photographs, etc. tion, Levy tried once again to build his Please mark these dates on your calendar now so you won’t forget.