North Shore Historical Society Inc. PO Box 399 North Sydney NSW 2059

Email: NorthShoreHS@Hotmail.com ABN 58 742 490 986

President ph: 9929 6637 Secretary ph. 9957 2332 Affiliate Member of Royal Australian Historical Society

BULLETIN for August 2018

ISSN 2207-936X

NEXT MEETING The next meeting of the Society will be held on Thursday 9th August 2018 2nd floor Conference Room, Stanton Library, Miller Street, North Sydney.

Light refreshments served from 6.30pm prior to meeting which commences at 7pm.

Guest Speaker: John Lanser Born Waverley (Sydney), graduate of Universities of Sydney, London and New South Wales. Solicitor, now semi-retired. Former chairman of the NSWAFL Disciplinary Tribunal and former member of the RAAF Specialist Reserve. Member of the Royal Australian Historical Society, the National Trust, the Australian National Maritime Museum and Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club. Former president of the Australasian Pioneers’ Club, which owns a table made of timber salvaged from the Dunbar wreck.

Image of te Dunbar Courtesy of the Royal Museums Greenwich

Topic: The Wreck of the

Dunbar

John Lanser will present the story of Sydney's first major maritime disaster—the 1857 wreck of the Dunbar at the foot of the Gap. In 1857 the confident young colony at Sydney was stunned by a maritime disaster at Sydney Heads. The Dunbar arrived off Port Jackson on the night of 20 August in a rising south-easterly gale and poor visibility. Shortly after midnight breakers were sighted and Captain Green swung to starboard, inadvertently taking his ship closer to the cliffs. Now on a lee shore, the vessel was carried against rocks and within minutes began to break up, all 63 passengers and all but one of the 59 crew perishing. Fifty years later there was an echo of the event, when a North Shore man laid claim to relics recovered from the waters below the signal station at South Head.

Welcome to new member- Sandra Smith

July’18 Meeting Report

Talk by Julian Leatherdale – The Opal Dragonfly

Julian Leatherdale’s second book, The Opal Dragonfly, is an addition to the burgeoning genre of ‘faction’, fiction based on historical facts. In his talk, Julian presented the fascinating historical facts that his research had revealed and on which his new novel is based, with the intrusion of only minor forays into poetic licence. His talk focussed on two important historical figures: the Scottish-born Alexander McLeay, devoted public servant and distinguished entomologist who built the magnificent Elizabeth Bay House, and a second Scot, the highly ambitious surveyor and explorer of south-eastern Australia, (Sir) Thomas Mitchell. Julian, however, began his talk by discussing the way by which Governor Sir Ralph Darling on arrival in Sydney overcame what he saw was the inappropriate lack of separation between the social classes, especially the physical distance of the separation of their communities that was common in Britain. Darling recognised that Woolloomooloo Hill (now Potts Point), an elevated ridge with excellent views of the Harbour, would well serve the social aspirations of an emerging middle class. To this end, from 1828 onwards, he made 17 generous but conditional grants of land to senior public servants and merchants. The conditions included that the cost of the luxurious homes to be built upon them must exceed £1,000, that they must face the city (ie, Government House), have superb gardens and be of a design approved by the Governor. Fortunately, in what was later termed the Golden Age of (Domestic) Architecture, there were highly talented architects, such as the English migrant John Verge, who were able to design such stately homes. Verge was a master of the Greek Revivalist architectural style but he also brought to the Colony a comprehensive range of Regency styles. Verge designed many of the ‘Villas of Woolloomooloo Hill’ as they were called, including Rockwall (for surveyor John Busby), the extant Regency mansion Tusculum (for the businessman Alexander Spark), Goderich Lodge (for the Governor’s Sheriff, Thomas Macquoid) and, further to the east, the Greek revivalist Elizabeth Bay House (for the Colonial Secretary, Alexander Macleay). Darling’s villas initiative has been described as providing an important seminal step in the transformation of Sydney from a penal settlement to a market-based free colony. Next to the Governor, the position of Colonial Secretary was the most important in the NSW colony. In 1825, Alexander Macleay was appointed the Colonial Secretary and migrated to Sydney the following year. He was both extraordinarily hard working and devotedly loyal to the autocratic Governor Darling. For this, Darling rewarded him by approving his self-allotted 54 acre land grant at Elizabeth Bay, as well as allocating several thousand acres of land elsewhere, land holdings that Macleay doubled by further land speculation. However, as the oppressive Darling became progressively more disliked, so too Macleay become more unpopular with other colonists. His relationship with the next Governor, Richard Bourke, proved to be less harmonious than that with Darling and Bourke orchestrated Macleay’s ‘retirement’ in 1837, aged 70. Macleay’s ambitious expenditure on Elizabeth Bay House exceeded his means. The loss of his salary on retirement just as he moved into his yet-to-be-finished stately villa, when later coupled with the rural recession of the 1840s, led to his near-bankruptcy. It was only the arrival from England in 1839 of his eldest son William, who took charge of his debts and subdivided the estate that saved him from bankruptcy. Governor Macquarie in 1815 attempted to ‘civilise’ a small group of indigenous people by establishing a farming (and fishing) community north of the Harbour at Georges Head under the leadership of Bungaree, a Gu-ring-gai man from Broken Bay. This failed when Bungaree, who had previously accompanied Matthew Flinders on the first circumnavigation of Australia, left in 1820 to accompany the hydrographer Phillip Parker King on a further mapping survey of the Australian coast. Undeterred, Governor Lachlan Macquarie immediately set aside land for a ‘model fishing village’ for Aboriginal people, this time south of the Harbour near Elizabeth Bay. At this settlement, known as

Elizabeth Town, a number of bark huts were built, a patch of land was cleared for a garden, and a fishing boat and tackle, as well as salt and casks for fish preservation, were provided. This village was located downslope from Elizabeth Bay House (now Beare Park). Macquarie’s south of the Harbour experiment also failed and by late 1824 the village had been completely abandoned. This allowed the land to be reallocated as part of the Macleay allotment in 1826. Thomas Mitchell was appointed Assistant NSW Surveyor-General in 1827 and came to Australia with the right to succeed the Surveyor-General, John Oxley. This happened the following year after Oxley’s premature death. Mitchell was then responsible for surveying the whole colony, most importantly its roads and bridges to catalyse the colony’s expansion. His work included changing the routes of the roads from Sydney to Parramatta and Liverpool, as well as plotting new routes to Berrima and Goulburn and a trail from the Blue Mountains to Bathurst. Many of the roads that he plotted are much the same as the ones used today. These changes brought him into conflict with Governor Darling, who wanted him removed but instead was himself recalled, allowing Mitchell to survive and serve a total of 5 Governors. In 1831 he chose a 9 acre allotment on Woolloomooloo Hill on which to build his villa, Craigend, that he designed himself. Its Parthenon-style portico and prominent elevated position led it to be known as the ‘Acropolis of Sydney’. But Mitchell's profligate spending on his grand mansion led him into financial difficulties, as it did Alexander Macleay, and in 1837 he was forced to subdivide his 9 acres and sell the Craigend estate.

Mitchell’s volatile temperament made him a very difficult person with whom to work. He was also involved in one of the last duals in Australia with (Sir) Stuart Donaldson, later to be the first Premier of the Colony of NSW, who in 1851 had publicly defamed Mitchell on the hustings. Mitchell refused to accept Donaldson’s hastily published apology and challenged him to a duel. On September 27, in what is now Centennial Park, each fired three shots but both were such poor marksmen that neither was injured. Governor FitzRoy turned a blind eye to the occurrence of this duel.

Julian’s compellingly-presented historical talk was a tempting entrée to the main course that his new novel now represents. Don Napper

August 16th 2018 - Outing to Quarantine Station

On Thursday 16th August we are visiting The Quarantine Station at the Sydney Harbour National Park, Manly. We have arranged a return bus trip and a 1 hour Quarantine Wander Tour which

includes an overview of the history of the Station, the wharf precinct and a visit to the hospital. You will be able to walk around after the tour and buy a light lunch if desired.

Comfortable walking shoes recommended! Transport via Community Bus.

Depart 9.30 am Council Carpark. Return Departure 1 pm from North Head Bus fare $10 return trip plus Quarantine Wander Tour. 10.30 am to 11.30 am Cost $15.

Free time and lunch (sandwiches at own cost). 11.30 to 1 pm To participate, please register by email to the Outings Officer susan.wade@ozemail.com.au

Our Annual General Meeting is 7pm Thursday 13th Sept. 2018 All Committee positions fall vacant on the 13th September 2018

If you are interested or would like to know more, please speak to the President (99296637) or any other Committee person.

Wading through the Archives

Susan Wade

Recently I commenced indexing the 1929 archive boxes for the North Sydney Council. Interestingly,

this year appears to be one of the very few complete archived years and hence contains very

extensive collections of correspondence to the Council. As I have mentioned previously, the archived

collection is not always sequential and some years are inexplicitly missing – and I can only assume it

is because of a shortage of storage space, or the correspondence was not deemed interesting, or not

considered of future historical interest. However 1929 is a treasure trove of social history because of

its completeness. The first box, containing correspondence under the heading of “A” contains a

plethora of anonymous letters, and below is a sample of this type of correspondence covering some

interesting issues. I was entertained by the variety of “titles” the authors chose!

A Ratepayer. Each morning between 10 and 11 o’clock a milkman drives his horse cart up along

the footpath at the top of Benelong Street East. The footpath is in a shocking state of repair and if

this is allowed to continue it will be dangerous for children to walk upon. No doubt this is a case for

the police.

Response from Acting Engineer H.P. Buick. “I did duty at a position handy to this pathway from 9.50

am to 11.50 am but did not see any vehicle drive along the footpath. The footpath is in fair

condition, and not dangerous, and there is not even a wheel mark to be seen. It seems useless

wasting time over these complaints from anonymous letter writers.”

A Neighbour. Would you kindly make a visit to the rear of 17 Young St Neutral Bay. There are 3

rooms and the son put a lavatory between two of the rooms and the drain pipes are not even

covered and the smell is unbearable.

Response from Engineer: After inspection, it is decided a notice under the Public Health Act will be

served on the

owner of the

premises.

A Nearby

Neighbour.

I would like to

draw your

attention to a

family of 12 or 13

living in a 3 room

house in West St.

I know the family

well and the

husband and one

of the boys is

suffering from Tubercular. I think this sort of living should be looked into.

Response from Health Inspector: Premises consist of 4 rooms and a kitchen. There are only 5 adults

living on the premises and they were found to be in a clean condition.

Several Ratepayers. Please call at 57 Ridge St. The person there has fowl and geese in the yard

which is causing a very unhealthy smell.

Response from Health Inspector: The occupier has been instructed to get rid of the geese.

Proud Resident and Ratepayer. I wish to complain of the state of the water in the Memorial

Fountain at the corner of Alfred and Ernest Street, Cammeray Park. I went for a drink but it tasted so

vile I could not swallow a drop.

Response from Health Inspector: I had a drink at this fountain and the water is fine. Probably the

drinker had a drink shortly after the mains had been flushed.

A Property Owner. Please send an inspector down to 61 Bent Street. The property is in a very bad

state of repair at the back of the house. The 3 children have a very bad blood desise (sic) probably

caused by living in such a slum. I think you people ought to do something for ratepayers and we do

not get much consideration in Bent St at any time. I wish some of your inspectors would have a brain

wave and hop around to Bent St to help keep the ratepayers from going mad.

Response from Health Inspector: After inspection, it is decided a notice under the Public Health Act

will be served on the owner of the premises.

A Resident. Would you please have a look at the premises 117 Military Rd Neutral Bay. It is infested

with rats and the drainage is so bad and we get flooded out and all of the ceilings are falling down.

Response from Health Inspector. After inspection, it is decided a notice under the Public Health Act

will be served on the owner of the premises.

Indignant Rate payer. Lavender Bay. (a “rare” typed letter). Your Council has an excellent

opportunity of serving the ratepayers of this portion of North Sydney and giving the youthful

population 2 or 3 Public Tennis Courts on the site of the old premises recently demolished at the

head of the bay. It appears a lamentable lack of foresight allowing part of the area to be occupied by

hideous flats, and unless Council wakes up, probably sites recently cleared will be handed over to

the jerry builder to spoil one of the prettiest natural beauty spots in the district. Your Council seems

to be in a state of Coma and apparently is awaiting the completion of the Bridge in the distant

future. Ratepayers whose rates have been doubled of late see no corresponding improvement.

My reflection: I have very strong feelings about the negative act of submitting anonymous

correspondence and feedback, because it is impossible to follow up satisfactorily and because it

usually enables the writer to “hide” behind their anonymity and “dump” unreasonable criticism.

I suggest the 1929 Acting Engineer H.P. Buick would agree with me! What do you think?

The Beacon, 1961 Photo by Geoff Huntington

Note the top of the Norths Sydney PO.

A Spoonful of History

Geoff Huntington

The MLC Weather Beacon These days the idea of having to look to the horizon and seek out a weather beacon to determine the weather forecast is a bit quaint – particularly considering all of us now have unlimited weather information at our finger-tips via mobile phones internet-connected to the Bureau of Meteorology.

When Prime Minister Sir Robert Menzies opened MLC’s new high-rise headquarters in Miller Street, North Sydney on the 22nd August 1957, it was the largest office building of its type in the Southern Hemisphere; 42,000sqm of office space. Inside were gleaming interiors and marching rows of desks, all sporting the latest look in corporate efficiency. In addition to being a pioneer in corporate administration, MLC

boasted on their rooftop, weather forecasting technology not at that time, used elsewhere in Australia.

Weather beacons were most popular during the 1950s and 1960s and many will remember the MLC beacon; particularly seeing it when crossing the Bridge travelling north. The first attempt to create a weather beacon as a form of advertising was from Douglas Leigh, who, in 1941, arranged a lighting scheme for New York’s Empire State Building to display a weather forecast code with a decoder to be packaged with Coca-Cola bottles. Because of the attack on Pearl Harbour in December that year, the plan was never implemented. However, Leigh resurrected his idea in Minneapolis in October 1949 with the Northwestern National Bank’s Weatherball. To promote it further there was a jingle written to help people remember the colour “scheme”. To listen go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0E5jcDt9tIM The North Sydney code and colour scheme was different and more detailed than Northwestern’s. Switched on the 31 December 1957, the beacon indicated the forecast using incandescent lamps by day and fluorescent tubes by night; and so was visible for many miles. The lights were aligned vertically in two groups. In the upper group, flashing ascending lights indicated warmer temperatures, descending flashes cooler temperatures and steady lights no temperature change. In the lower group, slow white pulses indicated rain clearing, slow red pulses rain developing, steady white fine, steady red rain, fast white pulses strong winds and fast red pulses strong winds and rain. From the early days of the colonial weather services, a need to communicate up-to-date forecasts was needed and flags had been flown from poles on Observatory Hill and other buildings to display forecasts and warnings. This practice continued until the late 1920s–early 1930s when radio stations began broadcasting weather forecasts. The weather beacon was another step in the evolution of forecast messaging but has now disappeared from our skyline. However weather “beacons” still exist around the world today and a good example is the Tempozan Ferris wheel in Osaka Japan; it combines functionality, beauty and purpose without the need for a smart phone!