VOLUME 6 NO. 6 JUNE 2013 ISSN 1835-7628

FROM THE EDITOR claim was more pressing. However the importance of the Richards' grave needs to be proclaimed. There is no overarching theme this issue. A smorgas- bord for you to pick from, with hopefully something for It is viewed as an iconic grave in the Manly Cemetery every taste. along with 25 others. Of those graves, the Richards' grave was in the poorest condition and therefore Thanks again for your contributions - large and small. justified attention. Unfortunately the word “iconic “ Please keep them coming; I am getting closer to the has tended to be used fairly loosely these days and bottom of the pile! along with such descriptions as “living treasure“ has I find that almost wherever you turn in our early-ish suffered from hype. What is meant is that this group of colonial history you find fascinating stories, usually graves has a symbolic historical importance for Manly centred around fascinating people. I was aware of and the Australian community. William Bede Dally but only in a general way. I was To me, the Richards' grave has three important histori- inspired to do a tiny bit of reading on him by the sight, cal themes which it represents. Firstly, Tom Richards in Anne Spencer's talk last month, of the "witch's hat"" was a miner, like his father who originally came from on the original Bilgola Cottage (see p.3). The cottage Cornwall and left his homeland because of the exhaus- was built by Dalley and it reminded me of the similar tion of the tin and copper deposits there. Tom grew up hat on the bell tower of St. Andrews Presbyterian in Charters Towers, the second largest city in Queens- Church in Manly. Could Dalley have been inspired by land in the late 1800s and early 1900s and wealthy seeing the church from his Manly "castle". because of its gold mines. Born in 1887, Tom was The answer was no. Dalley's Bilgola cottage preceded going down the mines when he was picked to represent the church by quite a few years. But it made me read in rugby in 1908 but had already been to about the man and what a fascinating read it was. I South Africa and worked in the mines on the high veldt have included some snippets in this issue. in Johannesburg. Mining has been an important part of Richard Michell Australian history since 1850 up to the present and the participation of Richards in it was common for a great number of young men and their fathers. FROM THE PRESIDENT The second theme is one of sport and Tom Richards The last month has finally seen a project come to was recognised by those in Australia and in the other fruition that I first became involved in some years ago major rugby playing countries as one of the greatest but kept striking administrative hurdles because nei- flankers of his day. He initially was selected for ther did I own the cemetery plot nor was I descendant Queensland from Charters Towers , which was no mean of any of the family that were buried there. I refer to feat, and then for Australia for the tour of the British the broken headstone of Tom Richards and his brother Isles in 1908 – 09. He was in the team that won the Bill which lay on its side despite being considered an gold medal at the London 1908 Olympic Games and on iconic grave in the Manly cemetery. The Manly Council has now funded the restoration, while our Society commissioned Ian Laurenco of Northern Memorials to Diary - Monthly Meeting do the work. Ian finished the work on Tuesday 11 June and the grave now looks terrific. The grave had been July damaged before and the previous stonemason had put Sat 13 2.00pm the base on backwards which necessitated a bit more Monthly talk work than a simple headstone restoration. There has Margaret Millar, Burma Now and the been some criticism of the cost being met by the Hellfire Pass Memorial Council, as unfortunately there are many damaged graves within the cemetery and some felt that their At the Tramshed Narrabeen

Peninsula Historian Vol 6 #6 June 2013 page 1 his return, left for South Africa again and while there annum for the calendar year to 30 June 2014. There played for the British Lions Rugby team against South was unanimous agreement that this offer should be Africa. He subsequently played in and France accepted. and had a hand in coaching the French team in playing Wales. He managed to squeeze in a walking trip from Spain to Switzerland in the summer of 1911, in Talk at the June meeting Australian fashion with a swag over his shoulder. He had started to play for Manly at the start of that year THE HISTORY OF BIGOLA AND BILGOLA HOUSE - before his travel to Europe via California and Canada. Anne Spencer Tom was an inveterate traveller, all in the age of There was a full house to hear Anne's talk and see her steamships. photographs and we were well-rewarded. The The third aspect of historical significance was his concentration was on Bilgola Cottage and the subse- involvement in the First World War, both at Gallipoli quent Bilgola House - now tragically demolished - and and on the Western Front. He was a stretcher bearer their builders and inhabitants down the years. There and landed at Anzac Cove on the first day and was were many questions from the floor and a great deal of evacuated ten days before the final withdrawal in discussion afterwards. Thanks to Anne for her diligent December 1915. He was then shipped to France and research and her willingness to share it. saw action from mid 1915 till the end of the war in 1918. Over those four years he incurred a number of wounds and suffered the effects of a gas attack. His That Royal coach grave carries the letters MC after his name. Due to his Ex. SMH 2 June 2013: It is the new royal state coach bravery at the battle of Arras in 1917 he was awarded in waiting - complete with bullet-proof glass. the Military Cross for rescuing a comrade who lay wounded in No Mans Land. The gold carriage Britannia was partly funded by the Howard government and intended to be part of the The word “iconic” hardly does justice to the these Queen's 80th birthday celebrations - in 2006. Then three aspects of Australian History which the life of there was talk that it might be used in last year's Tom Richards symbolises. It is important that his grave jubilee celebrations. But they came and went and the is capable of communicating the dignity of his life and carriage languished in a workshop in Manly. it merits a visit by every one of our members and we thank Manly Council for their assistance. But now the designer and builder Jim Frecklington, who worked for the royal household and built the Jim Boyce Australian State Coach used at Prince William and NEWS AND VIEWS Kate's wedding, has confirmed that the Britannia has finally been shipped to London. Next meeting It will be delivered before the arrival of the couple's baby, due next month. Mr Frecklington, OAM, is bound When: Saturday 13 July 2013, 2.00pm by a confidentiality agreement but said: "It is some- Where: Tramshed Narrabeen thing for the monarchy to travel in and for visiting heads of state when they arrive in Britain. I do feel Topic: Burma Now and the confident it will be used for many, many special Hellfire Pass Memorial occasions for many years to come. It offers more comfort, is very roomy, is heated and has hydraulic Speaker: Margaret Millar suspension.'' Two years ago Labor senator John Faulkner asked in Parliament about the whereabouts of the carriage Report on June meeting financed with a $245,000 donation from the Howard Jim Boyce informed the meeting that the storage area government. The sum is a small percentage of the final that was being offered by Warringah Council was no cost, believed to run into several millions. longer available to the Society despite assurances from the Mayor and General Manager. Instead, Warringah The coach contains timber from 100 historic palaces, Council had offered the Society the storage room at ships and buildings including the door from 10 Down- the Cromer Community Centre with an area of approxi- ing Street, Henry VIII's flagship the Mary Rose, the mately 40 square metres. The rental would be $110 Tower of London and St Paul's Cathedral. per annum for the year to 30 June 2013 and $120 per

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POT POURRI

The role of patron in our Society George Champion sent me the following summary of past (and present) Patrons of our Society and also some comments on the evolving nature of the role. I plan to interview our current incumbent, Alan Ven- tress and we can perhaps tease out that matter a little more in a future issue. I have added something on our first Patron. Others may have more.

"Since the establishment of our Historical Society we have had a number of patrons. Our first patron was Lieut. Governor Sir Philip Whistler Street. The names Whistler and Street have family connections with the founder of the village of Manly, Henry Gil- bert Smith. Following the death of Sir Philip in Septem- ber 1938, Mr Aubrey Halloran, a Life Mem- ber and Fellow of our Society, was ap- pointed patron in March 1939. He contin- ued as patron until his death in 1966, aged 94. After Aubrey’s death a succession of New South Wales Governors followed as patrons, namely:- Sir Roden Cutler, 1966 – 1981, Air Marshal Sir James Rowland 1981 – 1989, Rear Admi- ral Sir David Martin 1989 – 1990, Rear Ad- miral Peter Sinclair 1990 – 1996. Apart from Sir Roden Cutler, who grew up in Manly and therefore took a more intimate interest, the other governors in the main played a passive, nominal role as patron. After the departure of Governor Peter Sin- clair, the State Government decided Gover- Bigola Cottage (upper) and the later Bilgola House (lower) nors would no longer act as patrons of or- ganisations such as ours. In November 1996 our Society invited the Honourable Dr James Macken to be our pa- tron and he continued as such until his re- tirement in July 2012, a period of nearly sixteen years. Jim Macken, as he liked to be known, was a popular and pro-active patron. He im- mersed himself in the local history of our peninsula. He researched, recorded and wrote many books on this subject. At the invitation of clubs and other institutions he gave frequent informative and often amus- ing talks. He also led historical walks and regular boat excursions in Pittwater and on the Hawkesbury River. Jim was always glad to share his research material with others, whom he always encouraged to write them- selves. The Frecklington coach (not in its Royal setting) In July 2012 a local identity, well-known in

Peninsula Historian Vol 6 #6 June 2013 page3 library and archival circles, Alan Ventress, was ap- pointed current patron of our Society."

It seems a remarkable coincidence (and no little confu- sion) that our first Patron was named Philip Whistler Street and that we also have a Whistler Street in Manly. The street is named Whistler after Henry Gilbert Smith's first wife - nee Eleanor Whistler. So is there any connection with Sir Philip? It seems that there is. But it is complicated (and a little incestuous!). Henry Gilbert Smith, founder of Manly, was the fifth child of Thomas Smith and Frances Flesher His older brother, also Thomas Smith, married Penelope Whis- tler. They had several children, their oldest boy being christened Thomas Whistler Smith. Some years later, HG Smith married Eleanor Whistler, Penelope's sister. However, she died within a matter of months and they had no children So the Whistler connection to the The Hon Philip Whistler Street, chief judge in Equity, in Smith brothers and to Manly is clear. But what, if any, 1918, photo from 'Hermes', June 1918 . is the connection to Sir Philip? Philip was the eldest son of John Rendell Street and Susannah Caroline Lawson (descended from Lawson of Blue Mountains fame). John Rendell had a sister, Sarah Maria Street (Philip's aunt). She married Thomas Whis- tler Smith. Hence TW was Sir Philip's uncle by mar- riage. The Whistler in Sir Philip's name apparently came from this connection. There was not a blood relationship (or so it seems). It does seem a little odd to give your son a name from your brother-in-law's family. Or perhaps all is not quite as it seems. After Philip's mother Susannah died in 1872 his father re-married - 11 years later - to Anna Maria Smith, the youngest sister of TW Smith. She certainly carried the Whistler blood (from her mother Penelope). Could she possibly have been Philip's real mother? (she would have been about 22 at his birth). Irrespective of his parentage, our first Patron, Lieuten- ant Governor Sir Philip Whistler Street, had a strong personal, family connection to the area. He also founded the great legal dynasty of "Streets" that exists in NSW to this day. Ed.

Visit to Manly Cemetry with Jim Boyce

On 7 May Jim Boyce led a tour of Manly Cemetery. The sunny autumn morning was a perfect backdrop for Jim’s entertaining and scholarly presentation as he led us around the cemetery, pointing out names of interest and importance: a sprinkling of ‘reverends’ and politi- cians, some sportsmen, a pioneer woman aviator and several of those colourful characters that enliven every community. It was a personal, as well as an educa- tional, journey for me since my great-grandparents, George Chapman Mallaby and his wife Faith (Furness) Mallaby (b.1860 and 1861 respectively in Ossett, Yorkshire) are buried there. George and Faith sailed from Plymouth in August 1883 Mallaby Grave at Manly Cemetry - then and now

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on the ‘Dallam Tower’, arriving in on 1 Novem- shelter was still there! ber 1883 with £5 between them. They travelled to Dubbo where George worked as a butcher and as a It was common during the war for homes to make their jackaroo – a far cry from Yorkshire’s spinning and weav- own safety arrangements - usually of one of two kinds. ing mills. By summer Faith was pregnant and finding the heat difficult so they moved to Armidale where they One was to buy and install a heavy metal (iron or steel) began to manufacture soap in the backyard of their table which replaced the dining-room table that every rented house in Dumaresq Street. Six healthy children home had. The idea that if there was an air-raid you were born over the ensuing fifteen years: Emma, John, would get under the table, so that if the roof fell in my grandfather George, Ethel, Hedley, Faith and Cliff. you'd be protected from falling rubble. This was called The business prospered and by the time of Faith’s birth an Anderson shelter or a Morrison shelter - I forget in 1897 they were living in their own home in Markham which was its name, but BOTH were names of home Street. Their ‘Champion Cleanser’ bar soap was much shelters. in demand in northern New South Wales and George won a gold medal (since lost) with the soap he exhibited The other was to build your own underground shelter, at the Paris Exhibition of 1900. which is what my father and our next-door neighbour (we lived in semi-detached houses which had adjoining Around 1919 George and Faith left son John in charge gardens) combined to do. They dug a big hole at the of the factory and moved to Manly with their daugh- bottom of and across both gardens (i.e. away from ters. Emma and Ethel had a milk bar ‘between a both houses). They lined it with Besser blocks, and skating ring and a picture theatre’ (family memoir). built a short stairway into it from each garden. It From 1922 to 1926 the two sisters ran a haberdashery remained there for as long as we lived in that house, and ‘Ladies Outfitters’ business at 85 Pittwater Road. but we never used it for its main purpose. In fact none Sadly George and Faith’s well-earned retirement was of us ever went into it during the many air-raid short lived as they both died within months of each warnings we received. After the war it was used as a other: 1921 and 1922 respectively. When I returned to store for apples and vegetables." Sydney in 1989, I discovered that their headstones had fallen over but were fortunately undamaged. With the John Boyce assistance of a local stonemason I was able to have the stones restored to their rightful place, much to the Visit to Mount Victoria Historical Museum satisfaction of my mother and her sisters, granddaugh- ters of George and Faith. Recently I visited this museum, located in the old railway refreshment rooms on Mt Victoria station. It is Cemeteries have many stories to tell, both public and a delightful little museum, a bit dusty, but well worth a private; they hold secrets too. Jim Boyce’s initiative will visit. I went because its listing in the National Trust's hopefully open memory’s doors to some of these. ‘The Heritage Festival booklet promised a display to cel- cemetery,’ he writes, is a ‘window on the history of ebrate the crossing of the Blue Mountains, but work on Manly in all its diversity’ (Manly Daily , 20 April, 2013, the display had only just started. An attractive, p.5). professionally produced banner around the walls tells Sue Steggall the story, but the artefact cases were still empty and the carpet was rolled up in the middle of the floor. At the time of my visit two volunteers were hard at work More memories of school and the Second World War on the exhibition. I received the following letter from John Boyce. Ed . "Reading the short article on air-raid shelters reminded me of my years in England during WW2.

I started at my first school in the Oxford suburb of Cowley (home of the Morris car factory) in September 1939. In those days the school year began in September and my starting date must have been very close to the start of the war (3.9.1939). Before long an air-raid shelter had been built in the far side of the playground from the school. I can't recall ever going into it but I was told not so many years ago that the

Railway refreshment rooms tableware

Peninsula Historian Vol 6 #6 June 2013 page5 A friendly woman showed me around the museum and It is not a smart museum by any means, but for anyone talked about it, and then I browsed around by myself. interested in Australian history it is a treasure trove. And what an interesting place it is. It has a huge The journey Central Station to Mt Victoria is a long one, amount of artefacts. They are grouped in categories two hours twenty minutes, but you alight from the (e.g. old farm equipment, kitchen utensils, laundry train and the museum is in front of you. I strongly tools) but few are labelled. There is a buggy, a plank recommend a visit and I'm sure the society would there simply because it was pit sawn, old bottles, two appreciate both your interest and your $5 entry fee. It very early washing machines, one of metal and one of is open Saturdays and Sundays from 2.00 to 5.00 pm, wood, made like a wine barrel, convict leg irons and a but check before you go, as times vary in their cat-o-nine tails ? genuine. There are old music organs literature. The publicity officer is Jean Winston, 4782 and WWI helmets, tableware from the old refreshment 7866, [email protected] and the curator is Roy rooms, laundry baskets, cameras and fairly recent pink Bennett 4787 1559. plastic souvenir dishes and cases of stuffed rare birds. MerrynParnell Upstairs are rooms set up as a bedroom - with a bed once belonging to Kate Kelly, sister of Ned - a sitting William Bede Dalley room and a schoolroom. There are Victorian babies' clothes and a Victorian wedding gown with a long train, In her talk on Bilgola at last month's meeting, Anne made for a very trim bride. Spencer explained that the "first" Bilgola House was built by William Bede Dalley. Although generally well There is a room dedicated to a woman who founded known by Manly-ites because of his "Castle" his life and and ran a small school for girls at various places, career are perhaps less understood. They could easily including Mt Victoria, based on naval lines. School fill an entire issue of this Newsletter. office bearers were given titles like lieutenant and captain. The girls' uniforms featured gold buttons from There are not many children of unmarried convict the Royal Navy. However did she get her hands on parents who have had a large statue erected in their those? memory in Hyde Park upon their death, with the inscription Scholar, Patriot and Statesman. One such is There are little dioramas of New Guinea natives and WB Dalley. The statue was erected by public subscrip- photos of the Federation celebrations in Sydney. tion at the instigation of Sir (the The museum opened in 1971 in premises owned and Premier). It was placed where it still stands today, still owned by State Rail (or whatever its name is these looking down Macquarie Street to the Law Courts and days). The society struggles to maintain it, battling Parliament House. There is also a stained glass window damp, decay, dust from unsealed doors and cold. And and commemorative plaque to Dalley in St Mary's of course it is chronically underfunded and the society Cathedral, Sydney, and a plaque in St Paul's Cathedral, London. He is buried in Waverley Cemetery. depends on grants. One grant helped repair part of the floor and another the ceiling, and they obtained a grant William Bede's father was John Dalley who arrived in to mount their Blue Mountains crossing display. the colony on 31 December 1818 on the ship General Stewart. He was aged 19 years, from Dorsetshire, and The railway station at Mt Victoria opened in 1868, with a wool comber and dyer by trade. He was sentenced many additions and modifications since then. In 1873 to life on 12 March 1818. and again in 1884 dining rooms and refreshment rooms were added. The dining room seated 62 people who His mother was Catherine Spillane who arrived at Port could be served a three course meal in 21 minutes. It Jackson on 10 July 1825 on the ship Mariner. She was featured white linen tablecloths, china, silver plated aged 27 years and was a housemaid from County Cork cutlery and fruit and flower arrangements. who had been sentenced to seven years transporta- tion. The saloon offered tea, coffee, soft drinks, sandwiches, pies, cakes, fruit, sweets and tobacco. In 1829, four years after her arrival, Catherine applied Upstairs the bedrooms were used by the manager, by to marry John Dalley. But, as was the case with many female staff and sometimes by travellers. Male staff transported convicts, she had already been married used barracks on the other side of the tracks. At its back home and permission was refused. Their son busiest, the refreshment rooms employed some 40 William Bede was born out of legal wedlock in 1831 in staff. George Street, Sydney. By then his father was a store- keeper. In 1960 the refreshment rooms closed due to faster trains, having on-train refreshment services available, WB went to school at St Mary's seminary where he and road transport becoming increasingly popular. formed a lifelong friendship with Archbishop John Bede

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Polding (note the middle name). He left in 1845, intending to work in Horderns drapery shop, but Pold- ing persuaded him to resume his studies at the Sydney College. After working as a clerk in Thomas Burdekin's office, he was articled in 1853 to Frederick Wright Unwin and on 5 July 1856 was admitted to the Bar. He never looked back. As well as having a very good legal brain he was a magnificent orator and a great companion. This naturally led him into politics. Short and thickset, with a jovial and often glowing countenance, Dalley set trends in colonial dress: colour- ful cravats and buttonholes reflected his unique flair and style. He found it virtually impossible to resist any appeal to his generosity. He apparently spent the first 20 pounds that he earned on a 25 pound dinner. But he was no playboy. At various times he was member of the Lower House, Member of the Upper House, Solicitor General, Immigration Commissioner and held many other roles. All this while running a very active criminal law practice - usually working for the defence (he defended, unsuccessfully, Henry O'Farrell for shooting the Duke of Edinburgh at Clontarf - and writing literary pieces, reviews and criticisms for a vari- ety of publications. He became a QC in 1877, having declined a Supreme Court judgeship the previous year. In 1872 he married Eleanor Jane Long but tragically, Eleanor died of typhoid in 1881. With six young children, Dalley withdrew from public life for a few years and went with his family to Sutton Forest, south Hyde Park statue of William Bede Dalley of Sydney. It was in this more introspective period that he built or began to build both Bilgola Cottage and Marinella - Dalley's Castle. Unable to stay away, Dalley returned to public life in WHAT'S ON 1883 as Attorney General. In 1886 a bust was placed in Parliament House in his honour and he became Austral- Manly Art Gallery and Museum ia's first Privy Councillor. However, his health was Tel. 9976 1421 declining and he died in 1888. Newspapers were full of glowing obituaries, the Argus describing him as 'one of Jonathon Jones the pioneer statesmen of the new world'. 7 June - 21 July 2013 Another amazing figure from our colonial past. As a highlight of the 2013 Guringai Festival, Aboriginal artist Jonathan Jones is to feature in a solo exhibition Richard Michell of one of his celebrated site-specific installations.

Tamworth Textile Triennial (Based on several sources but particularly the Austral- 7 June - 21 July 2013 ian Dictionary of Biography. There is also a book by Rob- A Victorian style mourning dress stained with a fugitive ert Lehane, William Bede dye; pictures made of buttons detailing a migrant expe- Dalley, silver-tongued pride rience; hand printed resist-style patterned cloth and of old Sydney, Ginninderra machine knitted metal sculptural forms. These are Press 2007) some of the textile works included in the 1st Tamworth Textile Triennial exhibition titled Sensorial Loop, and touring to Manly Art Gallery & Museum.

Peninsula Historian Vol 6 #6 June 2013 page7 Mona Vale Library Author Talks 18th Jul 2013 7:30pm-9:00pm Richard Glover speaking about "George Clooney's Haircut and other cries for help"

30th Jul 2013 6:30pm-8:00pm Manly, Warringah and Pittwater Stephen Martin speaking about "The History of Historical Society Inc. Antarctica" Established 1924

Patron Museum of Sydney Alan Ventress BA DipLib Saturday 13 April - Sunday 14 July 2013 President Was your ancestor transported for a pittance? This Jim Boyce exhibition showcases the rich, large-scale photographs 0402 096 080 of documentary photographer Mine Konakci. [email protected] The works reveal the connections between convict set- tlers, their direct descendants and the petty crimes that Treasurer changed the course of their families’ histories. Drawn Barbara Davies from a diverse cross-section of the community, sitters 9997 6505 have been photographed alongside a representation of the item, or items, stolen by their ancestors. [email protected]

Minutes Secretary Cowley, Oxford and bomb shelters Clive Halnan

In the article on p.5, John Boyce recalls the bomb 0410 867 685 shelter that was built in his school in Cowley, near [email protected] Oxford, in 1939. Little did he and his fellow classmates realise what a precedent they were setting. Archivist Vacant Between 1980 and 1992, at the height of the Cold War, the Headquarters of the United Kingdom Warning and Monitoring Organisation (UKWMO) was located in a Editor converted barracks complex in Cowley. The UKWMO Richard Michell was the organisation responsible for giving the (perhaps 9401 4525 optimistic) Four Minute Warning in the event of a nu- [email protected] clear attack on the UK. This location was chosen because the site was already the Headquarters of a Postal Address section of the Royal Observer Corps and they had a PO Box 695 Manly, NSW 1655 fully-functional underground nuclear war survival bun- ker, built 1965. Website Fortunately, neither shelter had to be used for its de- www.mwphs.co sign purpose. Ed.

"God cannot alter the past but historians can" Samuel Butler

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