VOLUME 9 No. 3 May 2016 ISSN 1835-7628 DIARY Monthly Meeting at the Curl Curl Community Centre, Cnr. Griffin and Abbott Roads
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VOLUME 9 No. 3 May 2016 ISSN 1835-7628 FROM THE EDITOR way in this changing technological world . One should not It is interesting that the State Government has finally forget the annual Australia Day event at Berry Reserve, come to the same conclusion that the founders of our Narrabeen, where the Council has seen fit to recognise our Society recognised 90 years ago - Manly, Warringah and activity with a very much appreciated financial contribu- Pittwater are a coherent whole. Of course, geographic tion. identity is one thing, governance is another. An increase in scale brings opportunities but also challenges. We can On many occasions Pittwater Council has made the Mona only hope that both aspects are met and taken. Vale Library available to us to conduct talks and events. This has all been supplied free of charge which we appre- Special thanks to Merryn Parnell this issue for a compre- ciate and in turn we have participated in the Heritage hensive article on her recent trip to Tasmania. Also to Festival and History week activities, in coordination with Peter Graves for being able to remember the 60s and to their Local Studies unit. Jim Boyce for his versatility, everything from street direc- tories to eels. Hopefully their efforts will inspire others. We saw fit as a Society that a Northern Beaches Council would simplify our activities and enable a balanced and Unfortunately, Shelagh Champion, one of our most prolific consistent focus to be maintained for the whole area. The contributors, has had some recent health problems. On three councils have had different approaches to the com- behalf of all readers, I wish her well. piling of history and the establishment of heritage sites Richard Michell and artefacts. No better example is the view of heritage in Manly, where the whole of the harbour and coastal fore- PRESIDENT’S REPORT shore were heritage listed, while Warringah and Pittwater Councils had a much more limited approach. This is not to We live in turbulent times and, with the merger of Manly, say that Manly were too ambitious but the three councils Warringah and Pittwater Councils, a whole new chapter had quite different definitions of heritage, which confused unfolds for our Society. It will take some time for the dust the public. to settle but Dick Persson has familiarity with the area and we have great confidence in him in establishing an amica- We all hope that a more consistent approach to history ble way forward. Each of the three councils has had its and heritage will be adopted and there is enough goodwill strengths in relation to our activities. to hope that this will eventuate. Manly Council had had its Local History and Heritage Com- Jim Boyce mittee, ably chaired by Cr Adele Heasman, and we would DIARY hope that model is replicated in the eventual community engagement process for the new Northern Beaches Coun- cil. This focus has been sadly lacking in the two other Monthly meeting at the Curl Curl Community councils. The motion by Cr Hugh Burns at the last meeting Centre, cnr. Griffin and Abbott Roads of the Manly Council regarding the presence of a Society Archive Room at premises for the merged council was 11 June, 2016 AGM plus warmly appreciated. As many members know, our Ar- Michelle Richmond chive Room has been in the Manly Library since the early 1990s and maintenance of the archive - now valued at Local Studies Historian, Northern Beaches approximately $100,000 - is also supported by an annual Council Central Division (the old Warringah!) financial contribution. 9 July, 2016 John Koorey Warringah Council has been a great supporter, not only Threads - Lebanese Migration and the trans- through the arrangement of our storage room at the Cromer Community Centre but also with the occasional formation of Sydney grant to give us the ability to function in an appropriate Peninsula Historian Vol 9 #3 May 2016 Page 1 NEWS AND VIEWS tive Committee meets once a month at our Cromer Room, usually on the third Wednesday of the month. MONTHLY MEETING REPORT May Talk by Keith Amos As we are all aware, we are now dealing with just one council GROWING UP IN HARBORD IN THE 1940s and 50s which, while simplifying things somewhat, presents new chal- lenges. In the first instance there is a need to have more vice On Saturday, 14 May we were entertained with the memories presidents who provide general advice at meetings. We do of Keith Amos in his life growing up at Harbord. Keith has need an Executive Committee, who reside across the Peninsu- written a number of books on such varied subjects as the Irish la, particularly when the merger has alarmed people as to their immigration to Australia and the New Guard movement of the lack of representation. Once a person gets to know the ropes 1950s. Besides this output, he has contributed a range of in the Society, they then would feel confident enough to take articles on the history of the Northern Beaches. With the aid on a more specialised role eg Talks Organiser, Archivist, Treas- of our new digital projector, Keith was able to cover the early urer or Secretary. I am always available to discuss these roles history of the Northern Beaches. with a member who wants to know more. The Society does not run by itself. It needs to represent contemporary views Keith described how he had worked with Gwen Gordon to and sometimes long time Executive Committee members publish an early history of Harbord and then assist with a later need a rest. version of the same book. He was able to show an early map Jim Boyce - President of the area between Dee Why and North Head which identi- fied the early land grants, particularly those of the Wentworth family. In passing, Keith made reference to the Jenkins Road, which was the first means of travel for the early settlers and to a certain extent established the route that Pittwater Road takes today. There were also images of the developments in Harbord at the turn of the 19th century and the early 20th Century when daylight bathing became permissible. In the talk, Keith made reference to his family and his elder brother who led the way for the Amos family into the teaching profession. There were a number of early family photos at the front of their Harbord house. There was reference to the early picture theatre at Queenscliff and various acquaintances in Harbord at that time. Keith has had a distinguished career as a primary teacher and Keith (centre) and friends playing Cowboys and Indians he described his first country posting before, luckily enough, being posted back to the Harbord Primary School. He had a POT POURRI copy of the recent book written on the history of the school with extensive photographs, which included one of himself at Window on the Archive 1 - Street Directories a tender age. While the NAVMAN is increasingly occupying the role of a As with engaging talks, there were plenty of questions from driver’s locational information, many of us of somewhat older the audience, some of whom had attended the Harbord persuasion still retain our Street Directory in close proximity to School. The talk was a delightful mixture of personal reminis- the drivers seat. Directories have been with us from the 1870s cences in the context of a broader time span, focusing on a but in somewhat larger versions, to be consulted in one’s small suburban locality. As with all good talks, we had people home. It is with the coming of the motor vehicle in the early still talking at 4pm when we left the community Centre. 1900s that the smaller street directory with printed informa- Thanks again to Keith for opening this rich chapter in his life. tion and maps came to be seen as a necessity. After all, such an almanac in a horse drawn carriage was seen as cumber- Jim Boyce some and accompanying a bicycle was seen as impossible. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Car ownership, on the Northern Beaches and elsewhere in Sydney before World War 1 was uncommon. It was only in I know this is a bit late in the year but the audit of the 2015 1909 that the Motor Traffic Act came into being, licensing Annual Accounts always results in some delay. The Annual drivers and registering vehicles. The speed limit, within 5 General Meeting to pass the 2015 Accounts and elect new miles (8 km) of Sydney, was restricted to 15 mph (25 kph). As officers for 2016 will be held at the beginning of the 11 June late as 1911 there were only 3,978 motor vehicles registered meeting, to be held at the North Curl Curl Community Centre, in the whole of NSW. Model T Fords, imported from the USA, starting at 2PM. It is very important that members consider began to make their presence felt. Taxis were a rarity and involving themselves in the administration of the Society. commercial vehicles were few in number. Anyone taking on a role will not be working alone. The Execu- Peninsula Historian Vol 9 #3 May 2016 Page 2 It is therefore an interesting part of the history of Syd- ney that Wilson’s Authentic Street Directory appeared for the first time in 1902. Our Historical Society has a 1915 Wilson’s in its Archive and Manly features in this little book, and with Warringah Shire (created in 1906) as an addition. The entry for Freshwater gives some indication of another world.