227
I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I BT- MARVS INDUSTRIAL HERITAGE STUDY

DaVince Tools Generated  · 2012. 8. 17. · 2.0 Brell's Tannery 3.0 Webb's Tannery 4.0 Thompson's Tannery 5.0 Paskin's Tannery 6.0 Samuel Thompson's Tannery 7.0 Hamilton's Tannery

  • Upload
    others

  • View
    7

  • Download
    0

Embed Size (px)

Citation preview

  • IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

    BT- MARVS

    INDUSTRIAL

    HERITAGE STUDY

  • ~

    IIIIIIIIII

    t~j

    II

    ,IIIIIIII

    ST MARYS INDUSTRIAL HERITAGE STUDY

    PREPARED FOR

    Penrith City Council,114-116 Henry Street,Penrith, .NSW, 2750

    BY

    Annette Green,Heritage Consultant,108 Moore Street,Leichhardt,NSW, 2040

    in association with

    Wendy Thorp,Historical Archaeologist,78 Australia Street,Camperdown,NSW, 2050

    JUNE 1987

  • CONTENTS

    SYNOPSIS

    1.0 INTRODUCTION

    ST MARYS INDUSTRIAL HERITAGE STUDY

    9

    8

    3

    5

    2

    1

    11

    PAGE

    • • •• 21

    2.3.3 The Role of the Timber Industryas a Local Sourqe of Employment

    2.3.2 Sawmills

    2.3.1 The Establishment of the LocalTimber Industry

    Sawmills

    2.2.4 Closure of the Major Tanneries

    2.2.3 Consolidation of the TanningIndustry

    2.2.2 The Growth of the Industry

    2.2.1 The Establishment of the TanningIndustries of st Marys

    Tanneries and Boot-making Factories

    The Establishment of the Vi·llage ofst Marys

    Acknowledgements

    Methodology and Format of Report

    Study Area

    Study Brief

    Background

    2.3

    2.2

    2.1

    2.0 INDUSTRIAL HISTORY OF ST MARYS PRIOR TO 1914

    1.5

    1 .4

    1 .3

    1 .2

    1 • 1

    ,!~- ------_.._-------

    IIIII

    ,. III,

    I'll

    IIIIII

    {:,~ IIII

  • 2.4 Bennett's Coach and Waggon Works .... 252.4.1 James William Bennett ans Sons,

    Blacksmiths and Wheelwrights

    2.4.2 James Bennett, junior (1852-1921 )

    2.4.3 George Thomas Bennett (1853-1944)

    2.4.4 The Construction of Bennett Wagons

    2.5 Brickyards 31

    2.6 Cattle Saleyards 32

    2.7 Other Industries 34

    2.7.1 Pulp and Canning Factories

    2.7.2 Wool-Washing Establishment

    2.8 Footnotes .... 34

    CONTENTS

    ST MARYS INDUSTRIAL HERITAGE STUDY

    3.0 PHYSICAL .EVIDENCE OF THE EARLY INDUSTRIALSITES OF ST MARYS

    PAGE

    •••• 42Tanneries and Boot-making Factories

    3.1 .1 Page's Tannery

    3.1 .2 Brell's Tannery

    3.1 .3 Webb's Tannery

    3.1 .4 Thompson's Tannery

    3.1 .5 Paskin's Tannery

    3.1.6 Samuel Thompson's Tannery

    3.1 .7 Hamilton's Tannery

    3.1 .8 Mr Worthington's Bopt-making Factory

    3.1.9 Desborough's Tannery

    3.1

    IIIIIIIIII

    1': I,',

    IIIIIIIII___________________________________________ ;1

  • CONTENTS

    ST MARYS INDUSTRIAL HERITAGE STUDY

    IIIIIIIIII

    ~

    I.IIIII

    tl

    I·II

    3.2

    3.3

    3.4

    3.5

    3.6

    3.7

    3.8

    3.9

    3.10

    4.0

    4.1

    4.2

    4.3

    Sawmills

    Bennett's Coach and Waggon Works

    Brickyards

    Cattle Saleyards

    Pulp and Canning Factories

    Wool-washing Establishment

    Associated Residential Development

    3.8.1 Bronte

    3.8.2 Mimosa

    3.8.3 Workingmen's Cottages

    Summary of Conclusions

    Footnotes

    ANALYSIS OF DOCUMENTARY AND PHYSICAL EVIDENCE

    Historical Development

    Physical Evidence

    Assessment of Significance

    PAGE

    70

    73

    76

    78

    80

    81

    82

    88

    92

    95

    97

    98

  • IIIIIIIIII

    ~

    'I

    IIIII

    ··1.1II

    ST MARYS INDUSTRIAL HERITAGE STUDY

    CONTENTS

    5.0 HISTORIC TRAIL LINKING THE EARLY INDUSTRIALSITES OF ST MARYS WITH THE PROPOSED WALKINGTRAIL ALONG THE SOUTH CREEK CORRIDOR

    5.1 The South Creek Corridor

    5.2 Conservation and Management Recommendations

    5.2.1 Houses

    5.2.2 Industrial Buildings and Tanning Pits

    5.2.3 Potential Archaeological Evidence

    5.2.4 Summary of Recommendations

    5.3 Interpretation of Historic Sites

    5.3.1 Interpretation of Individual Sites..

    5.3.2 Interpretation of the IndustrialSites as an Assemblage

    5.4 The Historic Walking Trail

    PAGE

    100

    101

    • •• 107

    • •• 110

  • ST MARYS INDUSTRIAL HERITAGE STUDY

    APPENDIX D: The Tanning Process

    APPENDIX E Archaeological Investigation

    IIIIIIII,I

    II.IIIIIIIII

    CONTENTS

    APPENDIX A

    APPENDIX B

    APPENDIX C

    Study Brief

    List of the Tanneries and Boot-making Factories of st Marys,1850s - 1940s

    Chronological History of theTanneries and Bootmaking Factoriesof st Marys

    1.0 Page's Tannery

    2.0 Brell's Tannery

    3.0 Webb's Tannery

    4.0 Thompson's Tannery

    5.0 Paskin's Tannery

    6.0 Samuel Thompson's Tannery

    7.0 Hamilton's Tannery

    8.0 Mr Worthington' Bootmaking Factory

    9.0 Desborough's Tannery

    1.0 Preface to the Report

    2.0 Synopsis

    3.0 The Economic and Industrial Context

    4.0 Industrial Traditions and ExtendedData Base

    PAGE

    • •• 11 2

    • •• 117

    125

    132

    137

    140

    148

    149

    150

    150

    151

    • •• 152

    161

    163

    165

    • •• 180

  • IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

    ST MARYS INDUSTRIAL HERITAGE STUDY

    CONTENTS PAGE

    5.0 The Archaeological Resource ..• 193

    6.0 Significance, Management andInterpretation (incorporated withinthe main report) 204

    7.0 Subsidiary Documentation 205

    APPENDIX D : Bibliography •.• 208

  • IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

    "I".III

    ST MARYS INDUSTRIAL HERITAGE STUDY

    CONTENTS

    ILLUSTRATIONS

    Plan of St Marys showing the location ofindustrial sites dating from pre 1914

    Plan of Wilson's Tannery (formerly Page's)as included on a Mills & Pile auction posterdated December 1883

    Plan of Webb's Tannery site, Lot 1, DP 1889showing the approximate location of thetannery and stables as sketched from aRichardson and Wrench auction poster datedSaturday 2 October, 1886

    Sketch of Andrew Thompson's st Marys Tannerydated 1906

    Photograph of Martin Brell's Tannery taken inthe early twentieth century

    Photograph of the interior of part of MartinBrell's Tannery taken in the early twentiethcentury

    Photograph of one of st Marys sawmills takenin the period around the turn of the century

    Photograph of one of the large table-topwagons made by James Bennett of St Marys

    Photograph of George Bennett's Coach andWagon Works taken in about 1910

    Photograph of one of the large cattle sale-yards which were operated at St Marys betweenthe late 1880s and 1945

    Part of the former site of Page's Tannery,1987

    Views of the small brick building remainingon the former site of Page's Tannery, 1987

    The single storey Victorian villa, corner ofWilson and Pages Road, 1987

    Brick cottage, 65 Pages Road, 1987

    PAGE

    4

    • •• 1 4

    • •• 1 5

    • •• 1 8

    • •• 19

    • •• 19A

    • •• 24

    • •• 27

    ... 29

    •.. 33

    ..• 47

    48

    49

    • •• i 49

  • IIIIIIIIII

    n

    IIIIIIIIII

    ST MARYS INDUSTRIAL HERITAGE STUDY

    CONTENTS

    ILLUSTRATIONS

    Part of the former site of Brell's Tannery,1987

    Part of the former site of Webb's Tannery, 1987

    The former receiving shed, st Marys Tannery,1987

    Views of the former" site of Andrew Thompson'sst Marys Tannery, 1987

    Former tanning pits on the site of AndrewThompson's st Marys Tannery, 1987

    Brick cottage, 102 Saddington Street, 1987

    Northern view across the railway line towardsthe area believed to have been occupied bythree of st Marys sawmills, 1987

    Post War development on the sites formerlyoccupied by the wagon works of Georgeand James Bennett, 1987

    Bronte, built for James Bennett in 1889

    Mimosa, built for Andrew Thompson in 1894

    Cottages, 14-16 & 37 Pages Road, 1987

    Cottages, 20 & 24 Princess Mary Street, 1987

    Details of the cracking to the small brickbuilding remaining on the former site ofPage's Tannery, 1987

    Proposed walking trail linking sites relatedto the early industrial development ofst Marys

    PAGE

    53

    55

    • •• 62

    • •• 63

    63A

    64

    • •• 72

    75

    84

    84

    86

    87

    •• 103

    •• 112

  • IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

    ·-1III

    SYNOPSIS

    This study has been undertaken to identify _and assess thoseindustrial sites at st Marys which date from the firstindustrial period leading up to 1914. To achieve thisobjective it has been necessary to consider the history ofthe early industrial development of st Marys and to placethis within the context of the broader industrial andeconomic trends of the state during that period.

    It was found that industrial activity commenced in a smallway in the 1840s and 50s when st Marys was first establishedas a roadside village. The introduction of the railway inthe early 1860s provided the catalyst for significantindustrial growth during the second half of the century, butthis was also part of a larger state-wide swing to freeenterprise and massive industrial development.

    Seven distinct industries were developed in st Marys duringthe period covered by this report tanneries, sawmills,coach and wagon works, brickyards, cattle saleyards, pulp andcanning works and, briefly, a wool-washing establishment.The development of each of these and the industrialtraditions surrounding them were reviewed and the remainingphysical evidence identified.

    This resource was then assessed within its local and statecontext . and recommendations were prepared for itsconservation and interpretation, with particular reference tothe proposed walking trail along the South Creek Corridor.

    It has been concluded that very few of the early industrialsites have retained standing structures or are likely tocontain significant archaeological evidence. Of those thatthat do the majority are tanning sites. However, evidence.still remains of the associated residential development,particularly in the area south of the Great Western Highwayand west of Mamre Road.

    The significance of the industrial sites at St Marys istwo-fold. They are important in understanding anddemonstrating the development of the town and the region.The specific sites, regardless of the presence of physicalremains are significant by association with important eventsand figures in the town. In addition, some of the sitescontain valuable research potential in the form ofsub-surface archaeological remains. This latter could beexploited to investigate the form, function and layout ofspecific industries, as well as local variations inestablished industrial practices.

  • I,I

    IIIIIIII

    r.

    IIIIIIIIII

    In order to provide the best opportunity for interpreting theindustrial history of st Marys it has been recommended thatthe proposed walking trail along South Creek be linked withother nearby sites. This trail could then be used tointerpret the role of the industrial sites within the town byproviding information about individual sites and byhighlighting their relationship with the associated urbandevelopment.

  • IIIIIIIIII

    li I

    IIIIIII

    "II

    1 .0

    1 • 1

    1

    INTRODUCTION

    BACKGROUND

    In recent years a considerable part of the landfronting South Creek at St Marys, New South Wales, hasbeen purchased by the State Government as an openspace and public utilities corridor. Development ofmuch of the land within this corridor is restrictedbecause the land is flood prone, and it is currentlyplanned to increase its recreational potential byconstructing a walking trail between 'Mamre' (whichwas built for Samuel Marsden in c.1820) and SouthCreek Park (see plan of St Marys, page 4).

    When proposals for this walking trail were beingdeveloped consideration was given to the likelihoodthat this work would disturb some of st Marys' earlyindustrial sites. At this time it was known that stMarys had developed as an important industrial centrein the late nineteenth century, but few physicalremains had been identified and little detailedinformation had been collated about the location orextent of these industries. Historical plans hadindicated that at least one of the early tanneries hadbeen located within the South Creek Corridor andbecause of the reliance of these industries on a readysupply of water it was believed likely that othercomplexes would have been developed elsewhere alongthe Creek.

    In accordance with the Council's aim of identifying,preserving, enhancing and promoting the heritage ofthe City of Penrith it was considered essential thatfurther researqh be undertaken to provide a betterunderstanding of the industrial heritage of st Marysand to develop proposals for the protection ofsignificant historic sites. It was consideredparticularly important that the proposed walking trailshould not diminish the significance of any of thesesites and, if appropriate, that they should beincorporated as features of this trail.

    In late 1985 Penrith City Council presented asubmission to the Australian Bicentennial Authorityfor the commissioning of a stuOY of the industrialheritage of st Marys, New South Wales. Thissubmission was revised in 1986 and the projectcommenced under th~ joint sponsorship of theAustralian Bicentennial Authority (NSW Council) andPenrith City Council in January, 1987.

  • 2

    STUDY BRIEF

    - to identify any archaeological or other physicalevidence of these industries;

    A full copy of the brief has been included as AppendixA to this report.

    conservation measures arethe long term protection of

    whatensure

    - to investigate the potential for a historic trail tobe constructed linking these sites with South CreekHistoric Park;

    - to develop a strategy for the public interpretationof these sites through a public information brochureand trail signs.

    - to determinenecessary tothese sites;

    - to identify the location, and if possible, thelayout of these industries;

    - to investigate the historical development of theindustries located at st Marys prior to 1914;

    The aims and objectives outlined in the brief for thest Marys Industrial Heritage Study were :

    1 .2

    IIII

    i IIIIII

    w

    IIIIII

    'f I

    III

  • IIIIIIIIII

    1;

    IIIIII

    "IIII

    1 .3

    3

    STUDY AREA

    St Marys is located approximately 43 kilometres westof Sydney in the City of Penrith.

    South Creek runs in a north-south direction throughthe town and the study Area defined in the Brief wasdirectly related to the proposed walking trail linking'Mamre' and the South Creek Historic Park along theSouth Creek Corridor. However, for the purposes ofhistorical research the Study Area was taken to meanthe whole of the village of st Marys as it was in1914.

    In investigating the potential for an historic traillinking the early industrial sites with South CreekHistoric Park priority was given to the South CreekCorridor, but recommendations were also made for areasoutside of this Corridor where it was considered thatthis would make a major contribution to the publicinterpretation of st Marys' industrial history.

  • I,IIIII·II

    .1III1I'

    I

    II.1III

    bI'. SOUTH CREEK

    /

    PLAN OF ST MARYSTHE LOCATIO SHOWING THE

    N OF INSITES DA DUSTRIAL

    . TING FROM_ PRE 1914

    7

    1--- -

    Seeto .page 4A folndivid r.1egendua1 s a t.e s -

    4

  • LEDGEND

    INDUSTRIAL SITES OF ST MARYS DATING FROM PRE 1914

    IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

    x

    1

    2

    3

    4

    4A

    5

    6

    7

    8

    9

    9A

    10

    11

    12

    13

    14

    15

    South Creek Park

    South Creek Corridor

    Page's Tannery

    Brell's Tannery

    Webb's Tannery

    Thompson's Tannery

    'Mimosa'

    . Paskin's Tannery

    Samuel Thompson's Tannery

    Desborough's Tannery

    Sawmills

    James Bennett's Coach and Wagon Works

    'Bronte'

    George Bennett's Coach and Wagon Works

    Fleming's Brickyard

    William Thompson's Brickyard

    Mitchell's Brickyar~

    Railway Cattle Saleyards

    Newmarket Saleyards

    Workingmen's Cottages

    4A

  • IIIIIIIIII

    i I

    IIIII

    ~ I

    III

    1 .4

    5

    METHODOLOGY AND FORMAT OF REPORT

    This report was prepared by Ms. A.L. Green, heritageconsultant, in association with Ms. W. Thorp,historical archaeologist. The principal components ofthe study were the historical research, field work,analysis and the preparation of conservation andmanagement recommendations related to the developmentof historical walking trails through the town.

    Historical Research

    The principal sources used for the historical researchwere Penrith City Library, the state Library and LandTitles Office. Other sources consulted during thecourse of the study included the Royal AustralianHistorical Society, State Railway Archives, StateArchives Office, and the Penrith City CouncilArchives. Mr Bert Evans of the St Marys HistoricalSociety provided access to the comprehensive notes hehas prepared as part of an oral history programmerelated to the development of st Marys.

    An outline of the industrial history of st Marys priorto 1914 has been presented in Section 2 of thisreport. Following a brief introduction this sectionhas been divided into seven parts which describe eachof the early industrial traditions of st Marys. Incontrast to the other industries considerabledocumentary information was found about the localtanneries and this supplementary information has beenincluded in Appendix B, which is a list of the tannersand bootmakers known to have been operating at stMarys between the 1850s and the early 1940s; AppendixC, a chronological outline of the development of eachof the major tannery sites; and Appendix D , a summaryof the tanning process, based on a description of theoperation of Andrew Thompson's 1St Marys Tannery' in1908

    In order to provide a framework for the analysis ofthe early industrial development of st Marys anassessment was also made of the broader industrial andeconomic trends of the State during the same period(Appendix E, Part 3).

  • 6

    Fieldwork and Analysis

    Conservation and Management Recommendations

    The analysis of the documentary and physical evidenceis presented in Section 4.

    the interpretation of the industrialof st Marys all of the known sites were

    In terms ofdevelopment

    The significance of these sites was then assessedwithin their local and state context. Both of theauthors of this report were involved in thepreparation of the Heritage Study of the City ofPenrith and this provided the basis for an assessmentof their local context. Their significance within awider context was then assessed by determining theirplace within the broader economic and industrialtrends of that period and by assessing theirscientific research potential. An extended data basewas prepared by identifying comparable industrialsites which have been included on the National TrustIndustrial Sites Register, the National Parks andWildlife Service (NSW) Historic Sites Register and inrelevant archaeological literature (Appendix E, part4).

    The major aims of this study were to determine themeasures necessary to ensure the long termconservation of the known industrial sites, toinvestigate the potential for incorporating thesewithin an historic trail linked to South Creek Park,and to develop a strategy for their publicinterpretation •

    This historical information was used as the basicinvestigative tool to define both the location ofearly industrial sites and the nature and extent ofthese industries. Each of these sites was inspectedand the physical evidence assessed against theavailable documentary evidence. Section 3 of thisreport describes the location of each of the knownindustrial sites, summarises the historicalinformation relating to their physical development andlayout, describes the physical evidence identifiedduring the site visits and outlines the potentialarchaeological resource. In order to determine thelatter research was undertaken to provide a broaderdata base which outlined the historical traditionswhich surround each of these industries and definedthe typical. site characteristics which might bee~pected to be found (Appendix E, Part 5).

    IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII.1II

  • Abbreviations Used in the Report

    All conservation and management recommendations weremade on the basis of the significance of the sites, asdefined in Section 4, and the need to resolve anypotential conflicts between the interpretation ofthese sites and their long term protection.

    considered for theirbetter understandingHowever, many of thestanding structuresif any, sub-surfacemanagement of theprimarily concernedpotential for intact

    IIIIIIIIII

    ~

    IIIIIIIIII

    AOCTLTOMLNTPCL, LCVF

    SMH

    7

    potential to contribute to aof the history of the local area.industrial sites have left noand are likely to have left few,archaeological features. The

    industrial sites was thereforewith those that offer the

    evidence.

    - Archives Office of New South Wales- Certificate of Title- Land Titles Office- Mitchell Library- Nepean Times- Penrith City Library,

    Local Collection, Vertical File,- Sydney Morning Herald

  • 8

    ACKNOWLEGEMENTS

    The authors of this report would like to acknowledgethe assistance received from the following people :

    - Mr Wayne Wilson of Penrith City Council, ProjectManager for the study

    HistoricalMarys

    City Council, whoan inspection of the

    PenrithGreen on

    - Mrs E. Heckenberg, of Saddington Road, st Marys, whoprovided access to the site originally developed asAndrew Thompson's 'st Marys Tannery'

    - Mrs Armstrong and Mrs Farrell, both of Pages Road,st Marys, who provided access to the site originallydeveloped as Pages Tannery

    - Mrs Margaret Player, who provided access to familyphotographs of Martin Brell's Tannery

    - Mr Bert Evans, who provided access to the notes hehas prepared as part of an oral history programmerelated to the development of st Marys, and whoaccompanied Ms A. Green on a comprehensive tour ofthe area

    - Mr and Mrs Stapleton of the stSociety

    - Mr Tony Howard ofaccompanied Ms A.South Creek Corridor

    - The staff of Penrith City Library, and in particularMr Colin Stephenson and Mr Stephen Gibbs

    1 .5

    IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

  • IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

    .1\

    II

    9

    2.0 INDUSTRIAL HISTORY OF ST MARYS PRIOR TO 1914

    2.1 ESTABLISHMENT OF THE VILLAGE OF ST MARYS

    2.1.1 Land Grants and Settlement

    The area in which st Marys developed was first openedup for European occupation in 1806 when Mary Putlandwas granted the 242 hectare IFrogmore, Estate (1).Mary subsequently married Maurice O'Connell and in1810 the IFrogmore1 Estate was enlarged by a furthergrant of 426ha (2).

    These combined grants were later known as theOIConnel1 Estates at South Creek and in February 1841part of this area was subdivided into thirty-five townallotments and offered for sale as the Village of stMarys (3).

    By 1842 approximately 400 hectares of the OIConnel1Estates had been· divided into town allotments, plusfour and twenty hectare paddocks, and closersettlement of this area is believed to have commencedfrom this time (4).

    While documentary evidence shows that the sale of landwas relatively slow and that all but 16 hectares ofthe Estate was still owned by the 01Connell1s when theproperty was sold by the mortgagees in 1855 (5),reminicences of the area suggest that st Marys hadbeen established as a small roadside village by the1850s. At this time it is reputed to have included afew small houses, shops such as a butcher, ironmongerand grocer, a post office, hotel and at least twotanneries (6).

    The status of the village as a'small rural centre wasreinforced in 1863 when the South Creek RailwayStation was .opened on the northern side of thevillage. However, development continued to befocussed around the Western Road (Great WesternHighway) until after the Second World War.

  • 10

    Early Industrial Development

    From the mid-nineteenth century the village developedas the centre of a number of major industries throughwhi.ch the name of st Marys became widely known. Interms of employment the most important of these wasthe timber industry (Section 2.3), but in terms of thecharacter and identity of the town it was thetanneries (Section 2.2) and the coach and waggon works(2.4) which reigned supreme.

    Little documentary evidence has been found whichdescribes the history of st Marys' early industries,but the available information has been supplemented bya major oral history programme which has beenconducted by a local resident, Mr Bert Evans, over thelast thirty years. Through this programme thememories of many of the older residents of the townhave been recorded and a valuable historical resourcepreserved~

    Marys within theeconomic trendsAppendix E, Part

    The industrial development of stcontext of the broader industrial andof the State has been discussed in3.

    st Marys reached its first peak of development in thelast twenty years of the nineteenth century and thelocal industries played a major role in the continuedgrowth and consolidation of the town at this time.This peak was maintained through the first few yearsof the twentieth century but, in common with the restof the present City of Penrith, the town entered aperiod of hiatus during the inter-war years. Althougha number of the early industrial sites continued tooperate during this period changing technology andeconomic conditions and the development of newindustrial areas elsewhere in the State, diminishedtheir importance and their history at this time is oneof gradual decline.

    2.1 .2

    IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII.II

  • IIIIIIIIIIIII

    ~

    ~I,

    I.,~'I]

    11

    2.2 TANNERIES AND BOOTMAKING FACTORIES

    2.2.1 The Establishment of the Tanning Industry

    Little information is available about the developmentof st Marys' tanning and bootmaking- industries priorto the commencement of the local paper, the NepeanTimes (NT), in the early 1880s. However, from theavailable documentary evidence it appears that tanningwas the first industry to be established in st Marys,taking advantage of the ready supply of water (fromboth the creek and nearby springs), the availabilityof hides through the local cattle industry and thelocal supply of suitable tanning bark.

    While it was claimed in 1884 that "at one time" therewere no less than twelve tanneries, large and small,in full swing (7), no documentary- evidence has beenfound to identify or locate most of these, themajority of which would have been small, one-man orfamily operations.

    However, local sources, which are largely based onoral history, have identified at least four siteswhich are believed to have been operating as tanneriesby the 1850s.

    In reminiscences relating to the village in the 1850stwo of these were described as follows :

    "Next to Spratbrow" (who had a small slab shop on thesouth-western corner of the Western Road and MamreRoad) "was the residence of Tom Pasking (sic), who hada saddlers shop and tan yard". From the present siteof Victoria Park "right back to Mamre, stretched the'Fattening Paddock' (which) ••• belonged to MrPage, who had the first tannery here, which wassituated on the bank of the creek". (8)

    Of the above, Paskin's tannery is reputed to have beenestablished in 'the early 1840s, while the Land TitlesOffice (LTO) records show that Page purchased histannery site in January 1856 (9).

    The other tanneries believed to have been establishedby this time were those of Samuel Thompson and ThomasHarford. The former was located on the eastern bankof South Creek, facing the Western Road, and accordingto family history it started in 1850 with only sixpits and seven hides. (10)

  • IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII.IIII

    12

    In 1853 land was purchased a little further to thewest by Thomas Harford. This site was developed asHarford's Tannery and Boot Making Factory and in 1887was described as the oldest tannery in the district(11). As Paskin's tannery was still operating at thistime, but under different ownership, this may meanthat Harford's had remained under the one ownershipfor the longest time; that Harford was leasing histannery site prior to purchasing it in 1853; or thatPaskin's tannery was not established as early assuggested in some local records.

    Despite the apparent suitability of the area to theestablishment of tanneries their success was by nomeans guaranteed, and by the beginning of 1866 JohnPage's Saylhurst Tannery had been sold to RobertSaddington following the closure of the mortgage(12) •

    However, the fortunes of the tannery improved greatlyunder the new ownership and in 1870 the tannery of'Saddington and Sons at South Creek' was described asone of the most extensive establishments of the kindin the Colony. It empioyed 48 hands and produced anaverage of about 350 hides per week (13).Saddington's works were named the 'Colonial Tannery',but within the town they were commonly referred to as'the big tannery'.

    2.2.2 The Growth of the Industry

    In 1872 Saddington was one of only five tanners listedfor st Marys in the Post Office Directory. The otherswere Thomas Harford, Daniel Lord, Thomas Paskin andMatthew Webb & Sons (14). However, over the next fewyears there was considerable activity which wasreflected in changes in ownership and in theestablishment of new works. The purchase of a smalltannery by Martin Brell in 1879 (15) and theestablishment of new works by Andrew Thompson (the sonof Samuel Thompson) in 1881 (16) were of particularnote as these were 'to become the two largest tanneriesin the district. Within one year of opening his newworks in Saddington Street Andrew Thompson hadincreased the number of pits on his site from 10 to128 and was employing 25 men (17).

    In addition to the above the 'Parkhill Tannery' wasopened in the vicinity of the present day DesboroughRoad by Mr R. Hamilton (c.1874); a large, new sitewas purchased on the western side of the Windsor Road(Queen Street) by Matthew Webb (1876>."; Saddington's

  • IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII'IIII

    13

    tannery was sold to Thomas Henry Alcock and JosephDavenport (1879); and Thomas Paskin's tannery was soldto John Herford (c.1882). (18)

    2.2.3 Variable Fortunes

    From the 1880s the major events in the history of thetanneries of st Marys were well documented in theNepean Times and it is possible to gain a clearerunderstanding of their role within the town.

    The insecurity of employment associated with thetanning industry during this period must have been amajor factor in the development of st Marys. Frequentreferences were made in the Nepean Times to thedifficulties associated with drought (insufficientwater), wet ~eather (inability to dry the hides), thedestruction of the tanneries by fire, and the vagariesof the market (ie. the periodic conjunction of a highprice for bark and/or hides and a low price forleather). Mis-management was cited as a problem on atleast one occassion" (19).

    Despite the excellent supply of water from the creekand underground springs drought was still a majorproblem in the operation of the tanneries, largeamounts of fresh water being required for the variousstages of the tanning process (see Appendix B). InMay 1882 this was reported as being a major factor inthe closure of st Marys "centrepiece of industry", MrAlcock's tanyard. A "considerable number" of peoplelost their jobs and most of these were forced to goelsewhere to seek work (20). In October of that yearthe tannery was sold to Ebenezer John White, butdespite (or perhaps because of) the "greatimprovements" which he made to the tannery, Whitebecame insolvent in just over a year and was forced tosell (21). From this time the tannery appears to haveremained largely idle until the beginning of 1887(22) •

    The mid-1880s appear to have been difficult times andat least two other tanneries changed hands during thisperiod both apparently due to financialdifficulties. In 1886 Webb's tannery was offered forsale as Section 1 of a subdivision of ·the site, b~twas not sold until 1891. The management of thetannery was taken over by a Mr Forsyth, but by 1888various other allotments within the subdivision werebeing'sold by W.C. Hill and W. Clark, as mortgageesexercising the right of sale (23).

  • '0> !00'-- :

    en-

    -N

    ..... ---1....l-.j

    r------.-. - _..

    i '"' .:~ =.N~c:r').

    ~. .-- ---"'- -----

    - ......

    \\

    \\

    v~ .

    ~:. ~!,

    \\

    -/

    ---~_. --_.~---_ ..--<

    "to: . Of1'~

    .....--.-... ,"r'- .._..-.----j. r . 03£ . ~-,

    ..,~- ' -'- r »

    s

    "'0.

    - ~O-rL-------- ---

    \

    1

    ./ ...:·0.. ·0.~ ----..;..~-""'~~

    ON A MILLS & PILE AUCTION POSTER DATED DECEMBER 1883

    PLAN OF WILSONS TANNERY '(FORMERLY PAGE'S) AS INCLUDED.

    11

    G.!JLII

    "

    IIIIIIIIIIII·1IIIII Source Mitchell Library, St Marys Subdivlsion Box

    Map 811.11281/1883/2

    I '. '. ........ ,'. ~ ~ ~ ... . • r :» ~~ ~~'" \" ~ ~ .'

    •• '. #. -, • : -,'"" '\,; ~ .\,,~ ~~""~: .~. " ...

    :~ll~:q~· ,;'" .~.:'.~'. ".. . . .~...~, \ ~\/ .. c ....... ,;~~~;~j~v:~~%~~;.~~\~Q .~\~~~

  • J

    ....

    I....";~ ~.; f~

    ~

    I

    VI

    '"no'

    t!': '"6' ee: ea» 6&'

    ~~O.I.~ ~ 0:1.'3

  • IIIIIIIIII

    ~ I

    IIIII

    "I

    III

    16

    At the same time Thomas Harford sold his tannery siteto John Harris of Shane Park for 1000 pounds, but heobviously had no intention of leaving the town orchanging his line of business, because he continued tomanage the works as a family concern until themid-1890s (24). However, despite these 'bad times'many of the tanners of st Marys managed to survive andsome seem to have thrived.

    In February 1887 it was reported that the "••• tanningindustries at st Marys are now looking up immense(sic). There are now seven yards doing a fair amountof work. Altogether these employ betweeen 50 and 60hands, and will very soon increase this number" (25).The seven tanneries noted in that article where thoserun by W. Carberry (the manager of Harford's Tanneryand Boot Making Factory and the largest employer atthat time), Martin Brell (Brell's tannery), Mr Farrell(the manager of Wilson's tannery - originally Page's),Mr Forsyth (the manager of Webb's tannery), RobertHamilton (Parkhill Tannery), John Herford (Herford'stannery - originally Paskin's) and Andrew Thompson (stMarys Tannery) (26).

    2.2.4 Consolidation of the Tanning Industry

    By 1890 there were eight tanneries operating at stMarys, but in the following year Mr Herford's businesshad grown to such an extent that he took up newpremises on Eastern Cree~. Some of his equipment wastransferred to another local tannery and his st Marysyard ceased to operate (27). One of the only newtanneries to be established during the last few yearsof the century was that of Robert Desborough who hadopened his yard on Phillip Street (near thesouth-western corner of the present~day Desborough andBega Streets) by April 1895 (28).

    However, this did not mean that the tanning industrywas entering a period of decline, but rather a periodof consolidation. During the 1890s the establishedtanners spent considerable money on upgrading andexpanding their works and on adopting new technology.

    .....--'In 1891 Webb's yard was"'so'ld to Andrew Thompson whosubsequently developed it as his 'No 2 Tannery' (29),and by 1895 Thompson was reported as making "greatadditions to both of his tannery yards". Newbuildings were being erected under the supervision ofan architect, 25 additional pits were put down in theold yard and 9 or 10 in the new yard. At the sametime Desborough and .Hamilton were reported as having

  • IIIIIIIIII

    ill

    IIIIII

    ;~' I

    ·1II

    17

    introduced steam to their works (30). Later in thesame year Harford's tannery was sold by theadministrators of John Harris' Estate to Martin Brell,who had owned the adjoining tannery since 1879. Hesubsequently upgraded and combined the two works andin 1897 purchased additional land to the rear of hisproperty to further enlarge the yard." (31).

    Despite the great improvements to st Marys tanneriesthe weather and fire were still major threats to theindustry and in April 1897 it was reported that someof the local tanneries were again being threatenedwith closure because of another extended drought (32).Later in the same month six thousand pounds worth ofproperty was destroyed by a fire at the ColonialTannery (the site originally established by Page inthe 1850s) (33), and two years later eight thousandpounds worth of damage was done by a fire atThompson's No. 1 tannery (34). However, the responseto these disasters was immediate and both fires werefollowed by major rebuilding programmes (35).

    By 1906 the industries of st Marys included fourtanneries which were operated by Messrs AndrewThompson, Martin Brell, Robert Desborough, and J. L.Anschau & Sons. The latter were the only new tannersto move to st Marys in the early 1900s, having takenover the Colonial Tannery in 1902 and re-establishedit as the Colonial Tannery of Anschau and Sons,Tanners and Blucher Manufacturers (36). During thefirst decade of the twentieth century these four yardsappear to have provided steady employment for about 60men.

    In 1907 the three major tanneries were Thompson's(which employed 26 hands and treated an average of 520hides per week), Brell's (which employed 15 hands andtreated an average of 450 hides per week) andAnschau's (which employed 14 hands and treated 100hides per week as well as producing a large quantityof bluchers - ie. 2,589 pairs in the first quarter of1905). (37)

    The main drawback connected with leather manufacturingat st Marys at this time was attributed to the heavycharges which tanneries had to pay in railage andcartage, both in obtaining tanning supplies fromSydney, and forwarding the finished article to thecapital. The railway rate on bark railed from Sydneyto st Marys was 3s 5p per ton for large quantities and4s 8p for smaller consignments. To that had to beadded the cost of cartage (2s 6p per ton) from thestores in. Sydney ~o the railway station (38).

  • 11

    I".--1-' d

    1111II1I1II

    Sketch of Andrew Thompson's St Marys Tannery

    dated 1906

    Source: Penrith City Library, Photographic

    Collection

    18

  • - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

    ...... .~)~:r,·1 ..

    "", "~J'~I'~~~",~.~y:':~~ ).1."",=;::~.;..'T "'_'~'''.. j''''''''i:IIi!'''''!liA:"'''''''~J~{;,~

    _;;-tii/fII'!' "'7~';~J.-,,"rr $ .l~'..~r;.i '

    A photograph of Martin Brell's Tannery taken in the early twentieth century

    ,r-" ....-

    I-'\.D

    Source Mrs M. Player, St Marys

  • -

    Photograph of the interior of part of Brell's Tannery taken in the early twentiethcentury. Martin Brell is standing in the foreground on the left of the photograph.Source: Mrs M. Player, St Marys

    -

    t-'1..0::t:'

  • IIIIIIIIII

    :;}

    IIIIII

    1:':1

    III

    20

    2.2.5 The Closure of the Major Tanneries

    The first of the major tanneries to close down wasAnschau's Colonial Tannery which was sold in 1911 andapparently no longer used (39). In about 1915 thiswas followed by st Marys Tannery which closed with theretirement of Andrew Thompson (40).

    Both Desborough and Brell were still operating theiryards in 1930, but Brell's tannery closed after hisdeath on 17 January 1934, and Desborough's followedsometime during that decade. By the beginning of theSecond World War the only tanneries operating in thedistrict were those at nearby Werrington and Kingswood( 41 ) •

  • IIIIIIIIII

    ill

    IIIIIIIIII

    21

    2.3 SAWMILLS

    2.3.1 The Establishment of the Local Timber Industry

    In the early 1860s the construction of the railwaythrough the district provided new opportunities forlocal employment. Initially this was related to theconstruction of the railway itself, which providedemployment not only for permanent gangs, but also forlocal farmers and labourers who secured short termcontracts for carrying, excavating, fencing orsupplying timber. Following the completion of thisline the industry continued to develop with thehardwoods being cut out for railway sleepers,telegraph poles and building timber, and the thesofter woods for the ever expanding market proyided bythe fireplaces and stoves of Sydney (42).

    There is little documentary evidence which refers tothis important local industry, but an oral historyprogramme suggests that it was the major employer oflocal men during the second half of the nineteenthcentury (43). These were employed as timber cutters,carters and saw millers, and in the hey-dey of thewood trade some 200-300 men are believed to havegained their livelihood in the area ranging fromKingswood to Rooty Hill (44). As an indication of thescale of the operation in the period around the turnof . the century it has been noted that in July 19001,352 tons of firewood was sent from st Marys-by rail(45).

    Towards the end of the nineteenth century the areasclosest to the village were gradually cleared of theirtimber and the distances travelled by the wood-cartersincreased accordingly, but the industry continued tosurvive until the Second World War.

    2.3.2 Sawmills

    After the timber was cut it was carted to the sawmillsnear st Marys Railway Station, sawn and then loadeddirectly into railway trucks. From st Marys it wasthen taken by rail to be auctioned at the AlexandriaGoods Sheds.

    In 1890 three steam sawmills were in operation at stMarys (46) and by 1895 a fourth had been opened by aMr Anderton (47). Various families were associatedwith the industry, but perhaps the most important wereTurner & Garner and William Fleming. On his death in

  • The Role of the Timber Industry as a Local Source ofEmployment

    The number of mills fluctuated accordingand market, and in 1901 George Turner,apparently the only saw mill operatorMarys (49). In 1910 there were threeoperated by Mrs Turner, George W. McCreaAndrews and in 1930 two yards were beingFrederick Andrews and Mrs G.H. Luke (50).

    According to local sources there were five sites whichwere occupied by sawmills at various times, three onthe northern embankment of the railway and two on thesouthern embankment (51) (See plan of st Marys, page4). The occupation of each of these has not beentraced.

    As outlined above the timber industry was the majorsource of employment in the late nineteenth century,providing work for hundreds of local men. However, itwas highly susceptible to fluctuating marke~ pricesand weather conditions and did not always provide asteady source of income.

    to the seasonjunior, was

    working in stmills being

    and Frederickoperated by

    22

    having carried on a"many years". He hadPostal and Telegraphthe Roads and Bridgeslocal men had been

    During periods of heavy rain the rough dirt roadsleading to the timbered areas rapidly becameimpassible for the heavily laden timber waggons, andthe timber carters regularly had to cease operationswhile the roads dried out (52). However, when wetweather was protracted and widespread the high pricesoffered for timber encouraged the carters to at leastattempt to bring wood into the mills. For example,in July 1898 the incessant wet weather right throughthe country had caused the the price of wood to riseand despite the bad roads teamsters daily broughtloads to the station yards, where the mill hands were"pretty busy". The high prices at this time were incontrast to the "real starvation prices latelyobtained" and were obviously welcomed by the carterswho had previously had barely enough to subsist on(53) •

    1897 the latter was described astimber business at st Marys forhad extensive contracts with theDepartments as well as withDepartment, and "hundreds" ofemployed by him (48).

    2.3.2

    II IIIIIIIII

    ~

    IIIIIIIIII

  • -- ----------------

    IIIIII

    (\" IIII

    ~l} I

    IIIII

    ··1III

    23

    The other problem which progressively eroded the localtimber industry was the dwindling supply of timber(54). While this was denied to be a major problem in1906 (55) and while the industry obviously surviveduntil well into the twentieth century, the hey-day ofthe industry was over by about 1900.

  • IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

    24

    A photograph of one of St Marys Sawmills taken

    in the period around the turn of the century.

    Source: Penrith City Library, photographic

    Collection

  • IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

    ~ I

    III

    25

    2.4 BENNETT'S COACH AND WAGGON WORKS

    2.4.1 James William Bennett and Sons, Blacksmiths andWheelwrights

    James William Bennett was born in England in 1822. Hearrived in Australia in March 1853 and after workingin Sydney and Emu Plains moved to st Marys in 1857.Here he worked as blacksmith, wheelwright andpublican, operating from various sites before settlingon the corner of the Western Road and Princess MaryStreet in about 1866. On this site he built a new'Volunteer Hotel' behind which he established awheelwright and blacksmith's shop (56).

    In 1875 James Bennett, senior, transferred hisblacksmith and wheelwright business to his sons James,junior and George Thomas and they continued to workthere for some years before moving to George Bennett'snew premises in Queen Street (57).

    It was during this period that the brothers decided tocombine their trades of wheelwrighting andblacksmithing and to specialize in the construction ofsturdy wheat and wool waggons. Initially they workedin partnership, but at some stage prior to 1892 anargument led to the establishment of a separateworks.

    Few details are known about the establishment ormanagement of these businesses, despite the fact thattheir waggons are reputed to have been renownedthroughout Australia.

    2.4.2 James Bennett, junior (1852-1921)

    It appears that James Bennett, junior, had establisheda successful business by the late 1880s, as in 1889 hebuilt 'Bronte' a two storey villa which at that timewas the most substantial house within the town.

    By the beginning of 1892 he had established his ownfirm, which was advertised as a Coach and Waggon Workswith general blacksmith, wheelwright and shoeingservices etc. (58). The location of these works wasgiven as Station Street (now Queen Street), st Marys.

    In 1899 James Bennett purchased a block of land on thesouth-western corner of the present-day Queen Streetand Carson Lane from Rosanna Donnelly (59), and-it isthis site which is generally known as the location of

  • IIIIIIIIII

    ~I

    IIIII

    -II.II

    26

    his Coach and Waggon Works. No evidence has beenfound to confirm that he was working from here when headvertised his services in the early 1890s, but it isquite possible that he leased the site for a number ofyears before having the opportunity to buy.

    Unlike his brother George, James did not advertise hiswaggons widely or enter them in many agriculturalshows. He appears to have concentrated almost solelyon the construction of sturdy waggons suited to heavyloads and rough conditions, and it was on his successin this field that his product became widely known.

    One of the only references to his work which has beenlocated is an unconfirmed local .report that in about1916 he built the largest waggon in the Commonwealth.This is reputed to have stood 2 metres high (60).

    After his death on 15 June, 1921 James Bennett's Coachand Waggon Works were taken over by his sons, Ernest(Pat) and Harold (61). They continued to produce highquality table-top waggons and in 1923 were contractedto build a waggon suitable for a record attempt by MrCon Hildebrand of Calleen. This waggon was loadedwith 407 bags of wheat, weighing 35 tons, 17 cwt & twoquarters gross, and drawn by a team of 15 horses. In1927 a photograph of this event was displayed at theBritish Empire Exhibition at Wembly, London, and achallenge offered to anyone who believed they couldbeat this record. No-one came forward (62).

    Despite the high regard in which their waggons wereheld the introduction of motorised transport graduallyreduced the demand for their product and the lastBennett waggon was built in 1934 (63). Businesscontinued with repair work and general blacksmithinguntil the death of Mr Ernest (Pat) Bennett in 1956.Two years later the site was sold and the buildingshave since been demolished (64).

  • Photograph of one of the large table-top waggonsmade by James Bennett of St Marys

    IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

    Source Penrith City Library, Photographic Collection

    27

  • 28

    Wagga Wagga Show

    New South Wales Royal Agricultural Show

    George Thomas Bennett (1853-1944)

    4 silver medals: 9 gold medals

    First prize for his collection ofwaggons, lorries and draysFirst prize for his collection ofvehicles exhibited and built in NSWGold medals for his table-top waggon,farm waggon, box waggon and lorry upto 80cwtGold medals for his table-top waggon,bakers cart and milk-cart

    1906

    189219011904

    1894 : First prize for his farm drayFirst and second prize for his table-top waggonsCertificate of Merit for the workman-ship of his table-top waggon

    In 1920 George Bennett closed down his business andretired to Sydney where he died in August 1944 (69).

    From this advertisement and from general oral historysources (67) it appears that George produced a muchwider range of vehicles than his brother. UnlikeJames he was also a regular exhibitor in the regionaland Sydney agricultural shows and his name frequentlyappeared in the Nepean Times as the winner of variousprizes for his waggons. The following examples givean indication of the quality and range of vehiclesmade at his works (68) :

    In January 1892 he advertised the firm as builders ofbuggies, waggonettes, sulkies, spring carts, box andtable-top waggons, farmers trollys, vans, lorries,drays etc. General blacksmith and wheelwrightservices were also offered (66).

    In December 1888 George Thomas Bennett purchased lots4 & 5 of Section 2 of the subdivision of Webb'sTannery site (65). It was this site, which is locatedon the north-western corner of the present-day QueenStreet and Carson Lane, which was subsequentlydeveloped as G.T. Bennett's Coach and Waggon Works.

    2.4.3

    IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

  • IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

    29

    A photograph of George Bennett's Coach and Waggon

    Works taken in about 1910

    Source: Penrith City Library, Photographic

    Collection

  • IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

    30

    2.4.4 The Construction of Bennett Waggons

    No detailed records have been located which describethe layout of the two factories or their method ofoperation. However, from oral history sources (70) ithas been recorded that about 25 men would be employedfor about a week in the construction of one waggon.These tradesmen were the body-builders, blacksmiths,wheelwrights and their labourers.

    On completion the waggon would be handed over to thepainter/signwriters. The standard colours of BennettWaggons were a blue top with bright red under-carriageand wheels, unless otherwise specified by thepurchaser. Most waggons were given names such as 'TheInvincible' , 'The Pioneer', 'The King of the Road'etc.

    In all, it is believed that about 50 tradesmen wereemployed at the two works in their hey-day (71).

  • IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

    2.5

    31

    BRICKYARDS

    While bricks are known to have been made in this areafrom an early date (ie Mamre was built of brick inc.1820), these would have been produced for specificbuildings rather than as part of a local brick-makingindustry. As with many local industries there islittle documentary evidence about the establishment oroperation of St Marys brickyards and what littleinformation we have is largely based on oral history.

    The earliest reference which has been found forbrickyards in the village area dates from August 1884when the Nepean Times reported that "There's nothinglike bricks in South Creek just now; three new brickkilns starting, T.R. Smith's, William Fleming's andHall and Turner's" (72).

    In 1886-7 Wise's New South Wales Post Office Directorylisted Charles Gilbert and James Royal as brickmakersof St Marys, but in a description of the town'sindustries in 1890 no mention was made of these yards(73). Similarly, when Sands Directory beganincluding country commercial listings in 1901 nobrickmakers were included on that or any subsequentlist. Other people who are locally believed to havebeen associated with the local brickmaking industryinclude William Thompson and a Mr Mitchell, but nodocumentary evidence has been found to confirm thisinformation.

    In William Fleming's obituary in 1897 (74) it wasstated that he had been a successful brickmaker withextensive establishments at both st Marys and Penrith.However, it was concluded that "Lately ..... throughmodern machinery, he could not keep up to othercompetition, and both establishments were closeddown."

    From the available information it appears thatbrickmaking at st Marys reached its hey-day in themid-1880s. This coincides with the rapid growth ofthe town during this period, but despite the continuedgrowth and consolidation of the 1890s, it seems thateconomic forces and changing technology had led to theclosure of the towns brickyards by that time.

  • IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

    2.6

    32

    CATTLE SALEYARDS

    Saleyards were first established in st Marys by JamesLanders who started a cattle auctioneering business atthe rear of his Oddfellows Arms Hotel on the GreatWestern Road near South Creek in 1856 (75).

    These and other small yards coped with the local salesof stock for the next thirty years, but in the 1880sand 90s new yards were opened which were to become thefocus for a major local industry. The first of thesewas located on the northern side of st Marys RailwayStation and it was this site which was later enlargedas the Railway Cattle Saleyards. By 1888 the JubileeCattle Yards had been established on Mamre Road byWilliam Fleming and in about 1890 John Perryestablished his Newmarket Salesyard on the westernside of Mamre Road, between Edgar and MitchellStreets. The Jubilee Cattle Yards closed in about1900, but auctions were held at the other two sites byvarious proprietors until the 1940s (76).

    The importance of the Railway and Jubilee Yards isreflected in the claim that for many years st Maryswas the second largest stock mustering town in NewSouth Wales, outside of the metropolitan area.(Second only to Goulburn) (77).

    The yards continued to operate from these sites until1945, when the Newmarket Salesyards were closed andthe Railway Cattle Saleyards tranferred to a 4 hectaresite on the north eastern corner of Collins andLonsdale Streets. This new yard closed down shortlyafter and the business moved to Camden.

  • IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

    33

    Photograph of one of the large cattle saleyards

    which were operated at St Marys between the late

    1880s and 1945

    Source: Penrith City Library, Photographic

    Collection

  • 34

    OTHER INDUSTRIES

    Wool-Washing Establishment

    Pulp and Canning Factories

    and vegetables eventually becameAustralia and during the fruitwas a major employer of local

    Balgay canned fruitwell known throughoutseason the factorywomen. (79)

    One of the only other industries known to have beenstarted in st Marys was a wool-washing establishmentwhich opened in about 1882. However, this closedwithi~ only a few months because of the effects of asevere drought (80).

    One of these factorys had been established by PeterMethven as the Balgay Cannery and this continued tooperate until the mid-1970s. In the early years allcans were made by hand on the premises and the fruitwas locally grown produce. Later the range of fruitexpanded to include peaches, pears, apricots,blackberries etc, and a variety of vegetables werealso included.

    In about 1903 two pulp and canning factories werestarted in Roper Street in nearby' Colyton and inJanuary 1904 these were turning out large quantitiesof pulp for Sydney firms and canned fruit for localconsumption. Each factory was employing about 8 hands(78).

    2.7.2

    2.7.1

    2.7

    1I.1IIIIIII1

    ~;.

    III1II

    "II,I

    \1, ,

  • IIIIII

    ~. I

    III

    lit.

    IIIIII

    ,,' I

    III

    2.8

    35

    FOOTNOTES

    Section 2.1

    ( 1 ) LTO, Book 41 , No 329

    ( 2 ) LTO, Book 41 , No 329

    ( 3 ) The Australian, 28 January 1841

    LTO records

    (4) Sydney Herald, 2 May 1842

    (5) 1843 - The O'Connell Estates at South Creekmortgaged to the Australian Trust Company. LTO,Book 41 r- No 329

    1854 - Letter of attorney under the seal of theAustralian Trust Company empowering A. Bonar tosell the above property following the default ofthe mortgage. LTO, Book 41, No 329

    1855 Sale of the above land (excepting 16hectares already sold) to Andrew Hardie McCullochof Sydney, Solicitor. LTO, Book 41, No 329

    1855 The "magnificent property known as theO'Connell Estates" offered for sale by James Ryanon behalf the proprietor (A. H. McCulloch) -Sydney Morning Herald, Thursday 13 December,

    . 1855, p.7

    (6) NT, 'Old st Marys - As It Was in the Fifties'

    Section 2.2

    (7) NT, 12 January 1884

    (8) NT, 'Old st Marys - As It Was in the Fifties'

    (9) LTO, Book 41, No 527

    (10) Andrew Thompson was working at this tannery atthe time of his fathers death in c.1863. Thetannery was subsequently run by Samuel's familyand then by his widow's second husband, MrMitchell (Source: Mr Bert Evans).

  • 36

    NT, 19 March 1927 : Herford's obituary;

    LTO, CT Volume 464, Folio 26 (Colonial Tannery)

    st Marys Hiqtorical News, Spotlight on History No5 : 18 (Herford's Tannery)

    obituaryHamilton's..

    ( 1 9) NT, May 1882 (Drought)

    NT, 12 January 1884 (Market Prices)

    NT, 12 December 1891 (Mis-management)

    NT, 24 April 1897 (Fire)

    NT, 5 August 1899 (Wet Weather)

    NT, 26 August 1899 (Fire)

    (20) NT, May 1882

    (14) As collated in Stapleton, E., Other Days, OtherWays

    (15) LTO, Book 196, No 466;

    NT, 20 January 1934 · Brell1s obituary·(16) NT, 9 November 1918 · Thompson1s obituary·

    (11 ) LTO, Book 29, No 735

    NT, 15 June 1907 . Letter to the Editor.NT, 20 January, 1934 : Brell1s obituary

    NT, 26 February 1887

    (12) LTO, Book 97, No 242

    (18) NT, 26 November 1921(Parkhill Tannery)

    LTO, Book 163, No 781 (Webb1s Tannery)

    (17) NT, 21 & 28 October 1882

    (13) The Industrial Progress of NSW, Being a report ofthe Intercolonial Exhibition of 1870, at Sydney:445

    IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

  • NT, 16 October 1897

    NT, 25 December 1897

    NT, 20 April 1895

    NT, 6 April 1895

    Box, Richardson anddated Saturday 2 October

    NT, 26 February 1887

    NT, 26 February 1887

    NT, 26 August 1899

    NT, 23 August 1884

    37

    Mr L. Stapleton, ST Marys Historical Society

    LTO, CT Volume 431, Folio 186

    (32) NT, 10 April 1897

    (33) NT, 24 April 1897

    (34) NT, 26 August 1899

    (35) NT, 21 August 1897

    (30) NT, 9 March & 13 April 1895

    (31) LTO, Book 557, No 731

    (29) LTO, CT Volume 1042, Folio 51

    (28) LTO, CT Volume 1039, Folio 68

    (27) NT, 4 July 1891

    (26) NT; LTO records; PCL,LHC

    NT, 6 April 1895

    (25) NT, 26 February 1887

    (24) LTO, Book 357, No 694

    (23) ML, St Marys SubdivisionWrench auction poster1886

    (22) NT, 12 January 1884 (tannery lying idle)

    (21) LTO, CT Volume 536, Folio 125;

    IIIIIIIIIII.IIIIIIIII

  • st Marys, From

    38

    (50) Sands Directory, 1910 and 1930

    (36) NT, 24 March 1906Australasian Leather Trades Review, 1 June 1905 :17

    (37) Australasian Leather Trades Review, 2 December1907

    Australasian Leather Trades Review, 1 June 1905 ..17

    (38) Australasian Leather Trades Review, 2 December1907

    (39) LTO, CT Volume 905, Folio 75

    Sands Directory

    (40) NT, 9 November 1981 . Thompson's Obituary.

    (51) Mr Bert Evans and Mr Len Stapleton, st MarysHistori?al Society

    (49) Sands Country Commercial Directory, 1901

    (48) NT, 20 November 1897 : Fleming's obituary

    (46) Sydney Mail: p 251

    (47) NT, 26 October 1895

    Stap1e ton, E., =S-=o:.::u:...:t:.:.h=--.....:C::.:r~e=-e=k:...::.....__...=..:=--....::.=.:==-"'-=-"'-----=-..=...;:~Village to City : 8

    (45) NT, 11 August 1900 : st Marys Railway Returns forthe month ending 30 July

    (44) PCL.LCVF - st Marys, Notes prepared by Mr Evans

    Section 2.3

    (42) Fox & Associates, Penrith Heritage Study: 28-29

    (43) Mr Bert Evans, st Marys Historical SocietyIn 1897 the wood trade was described as themainstay of 'a great many people' in the St Marysdistrict - NT, 26 June 1897

    (41) Wise's New South Wales Post Office Directory

    IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

  • Section 2.4

    (59) LTO, Book 641, Folio 581

    (53) NT, 9 July, 1898

    (60) PCL, LCVF - st Marys

    junior's

    8 The woodyear increased

    long distances,be hauled to the

    James Bennett,..

    39

    February 1898 - At the end of Januarywet weather was interfering with thethe woodcarters, the roads to Mamre andbeing "very heavy". Not much wood wasat the local mills.

    Freame, W., Sweet st Marys :industry "presents year bydifficulties in the matter ofover which the timber mustsawmills at the railway"

    NT, 5 August 1899 - "The continued wet weather isalso responsible for a number of those engaged inthe wood trade being compelled to have a spellowing to the terrible bad roads"

    ego NT, 5continuedwork ofTottenhambeing cut

    (61) PCL, LCVF - st Marys, Notes prepared by Mr Evans

    (58) PCL, LCVF - st Marys, Notes prepared by Mr Evans

    (57) PCL, LCVF - st Marys

    NT, 25 June 1921obituary

    (56) PCL, LCVF - st Marys, Notes prepared by Mr Evans

    (55) NT, 24 March 1906 - "With regard to wood cutting,any time this last 15 or 20 years it has beenreckoned the supply was cut out. But still thewood cutter lives •••• Mr G. Turner, jnr, has twosawmills constantly going in the railway yard.So the industry cannot be dead"

    (54) ego NT, 29 January 1898 "Business connectedwith the wood trade has been very slack herelately, the mills, so we are informed, onlyworking half-time. The prices are good but thesupplies very moderate. It is a pity for ourlocal men that there is not sufficient timber forthem to cart to the mills" (9).

    (52)

    IIIIIIIIII

    [l

    ,! I

    IIIII

    ··1III

  • I40

    II (62) Penrith Press, 8 August 1973 . 29.

    (63 ) PCL, LCVF - st Marys, Notes prepared by Mr Evans

    I (64) PCL, LCVF - st Marys, Notes prepared by Mr Evans

    ILTO Book 2461 , Folio 56

    (65) LTO, CT, Volume 431, Folio 186

    I ML, st Marys Subdivision Box, Richardson andWrench Auction Poster dated 2 October 1886I

    (66) PCL, LCVF - st Marys, Notes prepared by Mr Evans

    (67) Oral history programme undertaken by Mr BertEvans

    I (68) Stapleton, E., Other Days, Other WaysI Australasian Leather Trades Review

    NT, 6 October 1894

    I (69) PCL, LCVF - st Marys, Notes prepared by Mr Evans11 (70) PCL, LCVF - st Marys, Notes prepared by Mr Evans

    I (71 ) PCL, LCVF - st Marys, Notes prepared by Hr EvansI

    Section 2.5

    I (72) NT, 23 August 1884I (73) Sydney Mail, August 1890 . p 251.

    (74) NT, 20 November 1897

    II

    Section 2.6

    (75) PCL, LCVF - st Marys, Notes prepared by Mr Evans

    I (76) PCL, LCVF - st Marys, Notes prepared by Mr EvansI

    (77) PCL, LCVF - st Marys, Notes prepared by Mr Evans

    II

  • III11III.I1

    f:

    1III1II1II

    41

    Section 2.7

    (78) NT, 9 January 1904

    (79) Mrs E. Stapleton, st Marys Historical Society

    (80) NT, May 1882

  • IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

    42

    3.0 PHYSICAL EVIDENCE OF THE EARLY INDUSTRIAL SITES OFST MARYS

    3.1 TANNERIES AND BOOTMAKING FACTORIES

    3.1.1 Page's Tannery

    Location

    Page's Tannery was located at the southern end ofPages Road on a site labelled as Lot 26, Section C ofDP 1895. This has since been re-subdivided as DP30962 and the area which included the tannerybuildings is now divided between lots 2, 3, 4 and 5 ofthis' subdivision.

    Historical Information Relating to the Development andLayout of the Site

    Page's Tannery was established in c.1856 on a site atthe southern end of the present-day Pages Road and wasoperated by various proprietors until its closure in1911 (see Appendix C).

    The total size of the establishment varied over time.It began in 1856 with 70 hectares ,and by 1879 this hadbeen increased to 92 hectatres. However, much of thisland was used for other purposes such as grazing, andwhen the site was subdivided in 1883 the tannerycontinued to operate on a site of only 13 hectares.

    There are few descriptions of the layout of the siteor of the major phases of development, but it can beassumed that it had been well developed by 1870 whenit was described as one of the most extensiveestablishments of its kind in the colony (1). At thistime 48 men were employed in running the yard and anaverage of 350 hides were being treated per week.

    The earliest indication of the layout of the sitedates from its subdivision in the latter part of 1883.The auction poster for this subdivision, which dividedthe land into the tannery site, homestead blocks andtownship allotments, included a rough sketch of thetannery (2) (See page 14). Numerous small and largebuildings were shown including the scraping shed,drying sheds, engine house, and residence plus pits,fences and a dam. It is likely that at least some of,these structures would have been developed as part the"great improvements" undertaken by Mr White during hisshort proprietorship which dated from June 1882 to

  • IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

    43

    September 1883 (3).

    The next major phase of re-development recorded indocumentary sources followed a fire which destroyedsix thousand pounds worth of property at the tanneryin April 1897 (4). The buildings destroyed by thisfire included a large three storey building which wasreferred to as the "old tannery". Within about fourmonths a major reconstruction programme had bencarried out and "extensive improvements" made to thesite (5).

    From 1902 to 1911 the site was occupied as Anschau'sColonial Tannery and Bootmaking factory and duringthis period at least two descriptions of the firm wereincluded in the Australasian Leather Trades Review (6& 7)

    In 1905 the machinery at the tannery was described asincluding an 18 h.p. boiler, 8 h.p. engine, roller,bark mill, pumps etc. Fourteen hands were constantlyemployed and the weekly output of sole leatheraveraged 100 sides. During the quarter ending March1905, 2589 pairs of bluchers were manufactured (6).

    In 1907 the tannery was located on a fifteen hectareblock, the greater part of which was undercultivation, good crops of hay being obtained from theland. Fourteen hands were employed and 100 hidestreated weekly. The factory was described as a brickstructure with plenty of room for the operatives, andthe machinery included an 18 h.p. boiler, 8 h.p.engine, two rollers, a bark mill, and several pumps.Water was obtained from the creek by a windmill andtaken directly to the pits, which were arranged in theshape of a circle - a method of laying down pits whichwas not usually followed in New South Wales tanneryestablishments (7).

    Following its closure in 1911 most of the tannerybuildings were demolished and the site wassubsequently used as a market garden.

    Physical Evidence Identified by Site Inspection

    The standing structures which are believed to havebeen related to the use of the site as a tanneryinclude two houses and a small brick building at thesouthern end of Pages Road. None of the other housesand outbuildings on the property are believed to datefrom this period.

  • !I

    /

    ~I'IIIIII1II

    I{t~

    ""I

    IIIIIIIII

    44

    The early houses include a small brick cottage at 65Pages Road which has been enclosed with fibroextensions. This is likely to have been a simple tworoomed structure with skillion additions to the rear.The side wall and gable roof form are still visibleand the site is marked by a mature pepper tree. Thisbuilding has not been inspected in any detail, but itsform and the visible details suggest that it isprobably one of the cottages shown on the 1883 plan ofthe site (2).

    The second house is a single storey Victorian villa onthe south-eastern corner of Wilson street and PagesRoad. This is not shown on the 1883 plan and islocally believed to have been built for Mr Farrell,who was the manager of the tannery from 1887 until thetime of his death in c.1894. The external detailingof the house has been modified during this century,but its origi,nal form is clearly visible. The syle ofthe building is consistent with a construction daterelating the period in which Farrell was managing thesite.

    The small brick building is located just beyond thesouthern end of Pages Road and on its eastern side.The 1883 plan shows a small building on this site andfrom the location, scale and detailing of the existingbuilding it is likely that these are the same. Onthat plan the building was labled as a stable, but itis locally referred to as the 'old bootmakingfactory'. The form and detailing of the buildingsuggest that it may date from the occupation of thesite by Robert Saddington (1866-1879)

    This building is a two storey structure comprising aground plus attic floor. It is built of solid brickwith a simple symmetrical facade and retains itsoriginal shingled roof under the later corrugatediron. The design of the building suggests that it wasconsidered to be an important part of the presentationof the site. Although simple in form it featuresdecorative timber gable boards, and at one stage thefront wall was detailed with tuck pointed joints. Theground floor is brick paved and the window openingsare faced with iron bars set into the frame. A fireinsurance plaque on the front wall features an imageof a bird holding a branch in its beak and the words'Liverpool and London'. The building is currently ina poor condition and needs urgent maintenance if it isto survive.

  • From the extent of the damage caused by the .fire of1897 it is probable that the large building referred

    Crop marks on the site provide clear evidence of thelater market gardening phase, and there are a numberof houses and outbuildings dating from the inter andpost-war years.

    The only other visible evidence of the development orthe site as a tannery is the the dam which is locatedto the south of the brick out-building. The originalform of this dam is clearly shown on the 1947 aerialphotographs of the site but while its location isstill evident it has been extensively altered inrecent years.

    The distribution and construction of buildings datingfrom the early phases of development have not beendetermined. However, from the availabl~ evidence itmay be concluded that the remnants of the tanneryworkings from its complete working life may be locatedover a considerable area of land. The more durablestructures erected during the late nineteenth centuryappear to have been concentrated in the area at theend of Pages Road.

    45

    dairy which has been built as a lean-to atthis building probably dates from theuse of the site as a small farm and market

    Potential Archaeological Evidence

    The archival evidence suggests that the establishmentgenerally conformed to the standard tanneryarrangements of the time (see Appendix E, Part 5).The two unusual features of the complex (in terms ofits state context) were its distance from the creek,requiring a windmill to bring water to the works, andthe circular arrangement of the pits (as .de~cribed in1907). .

    In addition to the above the site inspection alsorevealed evidence which suggests that a very largearchaeological resource exists as sub-surfacefeatures. A number of grassed over building platformsmay be seen which coincide with structures identifiedon the 1883 plan. In addition, a limited probebeneath the grass in the area of what was once theengine shed and pits indicated the presence of anextensive floor slab. A well defined depression inthis area suggests that considerable evidence of thisportion of the works survives intact.

    The timberthe rear ofsubsequentgarden.

    IIIIIIIIII,

    ·ll

    -IIIIII

    h I

    III

  • IIIIIIIIII~I

    IIIIIII~I

    il

    46

    to as the "old tannery" was a timber framed structure.Both the documentary and the surviving site evidencesuggest that the structures dating from thedevelopment of the tannery in the late nineteenth andearly twentieth centuries were substantiallyconstructed.

    It is evident from the extent and nature of the worksthat the tannery would have made a considerable impacton the site, both in the form of structural relics,such as foundations and pits, as well as alterationsto the natural landscape, such as dams. It seemsprobable that the earlier phases of building wouldhave had less impact on the site and that these mayhave been overwhelmed by the later tannerydevelopments. It is therefore considered to be mostlikely that remnant archaeological evidence will dateto the later phases of the tannery.

    A, number of factors may have influenced the retentionor otherwise of archaeological evidence. Firstly, the1897 fire appears to have destroyed sections of theearlier works. Secondly, the site was demolishedafter 1911 and this action generally involves somedisturbance to sub-surface features. Thirdly, thesubsequent use of the site as a market garden hasprobably also disturbed sub-surface elements.Finally, floods which have covered the site may havecaused the deposition of overburden as well as someactive destruction and/or disturbance ofarchaeological layers.

    On the basis of the archival evidence and siteinspection it may be concluded that significantremains of Page's Tannery may be found as asarchaeological features. Furthermore, evidence of the1890s fire may be revealed in the presence of anarchaeological destruction horizon in sub-surfacestatigraphy. It may be presumed that the subsequentmarket gardens have disturbed the resource to someextent, but the lack of major development since theclosure of the tannery suggests that the majority ofthe archaeological resource will be found to beintact.

  • IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

    Part of the former site of Page's Tannery

    Part of the former site of Page's Tannery

    47

  • IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

    Views of the small brick building remaining on the

    former site of Page's Tannery

    48

  • IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

    The single storey Victorian villa on the corner of

    Wilson Street and Pages Road which is believed to

    have been built for Mr Farrell, manager

    of the adjoining tannery from 1887 to c.1894

    The small brick cottage at 65 Pages Road which is

    believed to have been built as part of the develop-

    ment of the adjoining tannery. Now partly enclosed

    by later fibro additions

    49

  • IIIIIIIIII

    i~ I

    IIIII

    ",1

    III

    50

    3.1.2 Brell's Tannery

    Location

    The site of Brell's tannery is bounded by the GreatWestern Highway to the north, Market street to theeast, Putland street to the south and Werrington Roadto the west.

    Historical Information Relating to the Development andLayout of the Site

    Martin Brell commenced his tanning operation at stMarys at an existing tannery on the western side ofthis site in 1879. Nothing is known about the historyof these works prior to this time, and there are fewdetails about the subsequent phases of development.

    The next reference to the development of Brell's worksis his purchase of the adjoining site which had beenestablished as a tannery by Thomas Harford in the1850s. From 1858 Harford also ran the Cottage ofContent Hotel, but in about 1873 converted it into abootmaking factory. After Harford's retirement theseworks were run by his son-in-law, Mr Carberry, untilthey were purchased by Brell in 1895.

    At this time the Nepean Times reported Brell'sintention of making "great alterations" to Harford'ssite. Some of the old tan-pits were nearing the endof their useful life and Brell planned to make a cleansweep of these pits and to put down newer and muchlarger holes (8).

    Brell continued his programme of expansion andimprovements throughout that decade and in December1897 purchased additional land on Putland Street, atthe rear of his existing tannery, and put down newtanning pits on "the most approved principle" (9).

    From a description of the site in the AustralasianLeather Trades Review of November 1904 (10) the pitsand buildings were distributed over a 0.4 hectaresite, the different portions of the tanyard beingdistributed 'so as to provide the most convenientworking operations. In all, the pits numbered about120, inclusive of limes, liquors, layers, soaks andspenders, and 14 men were kept constantly engaged.The quantity of hides treated weekly was 300, althoughunder pressure the yard could turn out a much largernumber. The drying-room, which was located in closeproximity to the pits, measured 15.2 x 9.1m, while asecond drying room measured 21.3 x 12.2m.

  • IIIIIIIIII~I

    IIIIIIIII

    51

    Communication between the drying room and the shed inwhich the steam roller was installed, was obtained bymeans of a tramway, over which the leather wascarried. In the way of machinery, the tannery alsoboasted "one of the famous Vaughn No 5 beam machines"plus an eclectic bark mill, two steam pumps, and aTangye engine and boiler.

    A similar description published in December 1907 (11)described the tannery as being located on a 0.8hectares site. This included a two storey mainbuilding which was louvred for drying purposes. Waterwas drawn from the creek using a windmill and wasforced from a dam located close to the tannery intothe pits using a hot-air pump. Tramways laid acrossthe yard provided transport for the leather from therolling room to the drying department. The tanneryincluded over 100 pits which operated on an average of400~450 hides. per week and the machinery included aVaughn No 5 fleshing and unhairing beam house machine,2 pumps and a steam roller by Pullam & Co., a 20 h.p.boiler by Hoskins Ltd, a Tangye engine and a largebark mill.

    An indication of the scale and character of the worksat this time is provided by a photograph of the sitetaken during the first decade of the twentieth century(see page 1~). This shows numerous large and smallbuildings located in close proximity to each other an~covering a large part of the site.

    The tannery continued to be run by Martin Brell untilhis death in January 1934, but was closed only a fewmonths later. It was sold in September of that yearand the buildings were subsequently demolished.

    Physical Evidence Identified by Site Inspection

    The only standing structure which relates to thedevelopment of this site as a tannery is the housebuilt by Martin Brell in 1922. This was named the'Four Winds' and was designed by the architects Roweand Eyre. It is a large single storey building in theCalifornian Bungalow style and in its form and scaleindicates the success of Martin Brell as one of themajor tanners of St Marys. It is now occupied as theGreater Western Education Centre (570 Great WesternHighway, st Marys).

    The area occupied by the tannery has not beenredeveloped and at least some of the pits are believedto remain within the bamboo cluster near the centre ofthis now over-grown site. An inspection of the i. site

  • IIIIII

    :,' I

    III~I

    IIIII~I

    III

    52

    revealed evidence which suggests that a considerablearchaeological resource exists as sub-surfacefeatures. In addition to the heavy bamboo growth anumber of locations were found to demonstrateexcessive bramble and thorn growth which is a classicsign of sub-surface structural remains.

    Potential Archaeological Evidence

    The archival evidence suggests that the establishmentconformed to the standard tannery arrangements of thetime (see Appendix E, Part 5). The only unusualfeature of the site, in terms of its state context,was its distance from the creek. This required awindmill to bring water to the works.

    Little information is available about the distributionand construction of the buildings dating from theearly phases of development, but the documentaryevidence suggests that the structures developed at theend of the nineteenth century were substantiallyconstructed.

    It is evident from the extent and nature of the worksthat the tannery would have made a considerable impacton the site in the form of structural relics, such asfoundations and pits. It seems probable that theearlier phases of building would have made less impacton the site and these may have been overwhelmed by thelater tannery developments. It is thereforeconsidered to be most likely that remnantarchaeological evidence will date to the later phasesof the tannery, ie the 1890s and early twentiethcentury.

    A number of factors may have influenced the retentionor otherwise of archaeological evidence. The "greatalterations" made to the site in 1895 are likely tohave removed considerable evidence of earlier workingssuch as pits and buildings. Secondly, the site wasdemolished after its closure in 1934 and this actiongenerally involves some disturbance to sub-surfacefeatures.

    It may be concluded on the basis of the archivalevidence and site inspection that some remains of thetannery exist as archaeological features. The lack ofmajor development since the closure of the tannerysuggests that the majority of the archaeologicalresource will be found to be intact.

  • IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

    Part of the former site of Brell's Tannery

    Some of the tanning pits are believed to remain

    in the area now overgrown with bamboo

    Part of the former site of Brell's Tannery

    looking towards the rear of the house he built

    in 1922

    53

  • 54

    Location

    The tannery site was defined as Lot 1 on DP 1889.

    Webb's Tannery

    of the primarycarpark and thebeen extensively

    standing structures remaining from thethis site as a tannery. No

    evidence was visible at the time of

    The area is now occupied by partschool, the bowling club and aremaining areas of open space havemodified.

    There are nodevelopment ofarchaeologicalinspection.

    When the site was sold to Andrew Thompson in 1891 itwas reported that the tannery contained some "powerfulmachinery and facilities for an extensive output", butthat it had been allowed to run down (14). It wassubsequently developed as Thompson'.s No 2 Tannery andat least nine new pits were laid down during the mid1890s (15).

    Physical Evidence Identified by Site Inspection

    While the site is known to have been operating untilat least the end of the nineteenth century no furtherinformation has been found to describe its layout.According to oral history the water required for theoperation of the tannery was supplied by a smallstream which originated from a spring on Church Hill(near the site of st Marys Church of England).

    This site was acquired by Matthew Webb, junior, inOctober 1876. (12) and on an auction poster dated 1886was shown to include a large tannery (13) (see page15).

    Historical Information Relating to the Development andLayout of the Site

    The site of Webb's Tannery is located on thenorth-western corner of the Great Western Highway andQueen street and to the rear of the allotments facingthese roads. It is now occupied by part of st MarysPrimary School, St Marys Bowling Club and a largesealed carpark with access via Carson Lane.

    3.1.3

    IIIIIIIIII

    §

    IIIIIIIIII

  • IIIIIIIIII

    ~l~

    I

    55

    Potential Archaeological Evidence

    From the available documentary and physical evidenceit is difficult to determine whether the tanneryconformed to the standard tannery arrangements of thetime (see Appendix E, Part 5). In terms of comparablesites elsewhere in the state the most unusual featureof the complex,· as far as known, was its distance fromSouth Creek. As with many of the other tannery sitesat st Marys it was reliant on water originating fromunderground springs.

    It is impossible to determine from the availableevidence whether the structures from the tannery weresubstantially constructed and, therefore, capable ofmaking a lasting impact on the site as archaeologicalevidence. Neither is it possible to determine themaximum extent of potential archaeological evidence orthe nature of that evidence except for the assumptiont~at some of the tanning pits may have left an impacton the site.

    One major factor has probably influenced the retentionor otherwise of archaeological evidence. The site hasbeen extensively redeveloped during the post war yearsand this action is likely to have removed most, if notall, traces of its earlier use as a tannery.

    IIIII

    :,·1

    II

    '1I ~

  • IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

    St Marys Bowling Club - part of the former site

    of Webb's Tannery

    Public Carpark off Carsons Lane - part of the

    former site of Webb's Tannery

    56

  • was locatedIt extendedto the rear

    IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

    3.1 .4

    57

    Thompson's Tannery

    Location

    Andrew Thompson's 'st Marys Tannery'between Saddington and Vincent Streets.from the western end of Saddington Streetof the allotments facing Pages Road.

    Historical Information Relating to the Development andLayout of the Site

    In 1881 Andrew Thompson opened his tannery inSaddington Street with only 10 tanning pits (16), buthe rapidly expanded these works and within twelvemonths the "latest improvements" had been introduced,in both the plan of building and the apparatusemployed. Viewed from a distance st Mary's Tanneryhad "quite the appearance of a small township". Thecapability of the tannery was from 500 to 800 hidesper week and it employed about 25 men. The machinerywas almost new and included "the latest and mostimproved labor saving devices", including a 20 h.p.engine, two boilers of 20 h.p. each, and a steamroller of 15 tons pressure. There were 40 lime andsoak pits, with a capacity of about sixty hides each,70 tan pits with a capacity of 150 to 240 hides, and18 spending pits in which the virtues of the barkcould be "thoroughly exhausted". The pits were allbuilt of brick and cement, puddled with clay. Thesite also included three currier shops containingaccommodation for fifty curriers and the drying shedshad a capacity for 3000 sides being contained in abuilding 42.6 x 9.1m and three storeys high. Thewater for the tannery was obtained from a "neverfailing spring of the purest water" (17).

    This process of expansion and modernisation continuedover the next thirty years and particular mention wasmade of improvements to the site in 1887 (improvedmachinery), 1890 (the erection of new sheds), 1895(new buildings and additional pits) and 1899(reconstruction of the site after a major fire) (18).

    The