Henry Kendall Cottage & Historical Museum

A Ship and a Ferry

2011-04-17T15:39:00.001+10:00

At our recent AGM, I (S. Rider, BWHS President) mentioned to Gosford City Council’s Mayor, Mr Laurie Maher, who was acting as Scrutineer at the election of our Committee, about a recent visit Bob and I had made to the Lady Denman Museum at Huskinsson on the South Coast.
I was particularly intrigued by the painting of the ship “Sobraon” at
Circular Quay held in their Maritime exhibit. This closely resembles
the print of a painting of the “Sobraon” held in our museum.
I mentioned that I had photographed the painting as well as the Bell
off the “Sobraon” which was also in their collection. Mr Maher was
delighted that at long last he had discovered the whereabouts of this
Bell as he had been searching for years for it! I’ve now supplied
copies of the photographs to Mr. Maher, who was Superintendent of
Mt. Penang Training Centre for Boys at Kariong for seven years from
1975.

The “Sobraon” was a clipper sailing ship, built in Aberdeen, Scotland
and launched in 1866. For 24 years she sailed between England and
Australia. In 1891 she was purchased by the Government of New
South Wales and used as a floating reformatory ship at Sydney.
Twenty years later she became the stationary Navy training ship
HMAS Tingira. She was sold in 1927 and remained at Berry’s Bay
until 1941, when she was broken up for scrap. The reformatory
eventually became the Mt. Penang Boys’ Training Centre.
This little anecdote now leads into the story of the Lady Denman and
the Museum.

Warren Halloran, the son of pioneer surveyor James Halloran, had
an extensive collection of maps, plans, documents, surveying and
navigation equipment, and many maritime artifacts. He donated
$158,000 for the construction of a museum at Huskinsson to house
the Lady Denman and also donated his maritime collection to the Lady
Denman Museum. It seems that the “Sobraon” Bell was in this
collection.

Now, back to the former Sydney ferry the Lady Denman. Shipbuilding
in Jervis Bay goes back to the middle of the 1800s. There
have been at least five different boatbuilding sites at various times
on the shores of Currambene (sounds familiar) Creek between the
grounds of the Lady Denman Heritage Complex and Huskinsson
Wharf. Ships built here include the Lady Denman and Lady Scott
Ferries.

The Lady Denman saw service from 1912 to 1979. When it was
taken out of service the NSW Government handed the ferry back to
where it was built and the Lady Denman Heritage Committee was
formed. After some trials and tribulations the ferry made it back
to the complex and is now listed as an item of Heritage significance by
the NSW Government.

The ferry was named after Lady Gertrude (Trudie) Denman, wife of
the fifth Governor General of Australia, Baron Thomas Denman, who
was appointed in 1910. Lady Denman assisted in the setting up of
the National Council of Women in Western Australia in 1911 and
heavily encouraged groups from other states to meet annually.
The National Councils of Women are still going strong today. One of
Lady Denman’s most important achievements was in her interest
and support for bush nursing. When she arrived in 1911 only one
Remote Area Nurse had been appointed but when she left Australia
almost 20 centres had opened in Victoria alone. Lady Denman is
actually more famous for announcing the name of the new capital city,
Canberra, in 1913 than for her other accomplishments while in
Australia.

The preservation of the Lady Denman is an ongoing process by
volunteers and donations of time, money, equipment and material.
The former ferry returned home in 1983 and through Government
grants, local funding and donations, the ferry slowly returned to its
once pristine condition. In 1988 the museum complex was finally
opened by Australian swimming legend Dawn Fraser and the Jervis
Bay Museum of Science and the Sea, by Australian solo yachtswoman,
Kay Cottee.

The Lady Denman is one of two remaining original Lady Class ferries.
Her sister ship, the Lady Scott became a floating restaurant and was
renamed the John Cadman.

(Editor’s Note: This Museum is well worth a visit if you are down
that way. It has well presented displays and is in an attractive
setting.)

References:
Lady Denman Heritage Complex – Information leaflets. Huskinsson, NSW
Naval Historical Society of Australia Inc. – Naval Historical Review 1999-
2011

http://www.ladydenman.asn.au/

AGM 2011

2011-04-17T15:19:00.000+10:00

Our Annual General Meeting was held on March 15th 2011. Gosford City Council’s Mayor, Mr. Laurie Maher, graciously consented to act as our Scrutineer and a new
Committee was elected for the forthcoming year.

President - Shirley Rider
Senior Vice-President - Margaret Pearce
Vice-Presidents (2) - Bob Rider, Ingrid Rode
Secretary - Edith Campbell
Treasurer - George Boettiger
Committee (3) - Marguarita Tauni, Brian McCafferty, Trish Scott
(Trish was appointed by the Committee later as the position was left vacant at the AGM(see Rule 13 (4)).

Congratulations to our new Committee. Thank you for giving your time and efforts to help our Society.

Appointments:
Mayor, Mr. Laurie Maher, and Charles, Earl of Gosford, were reappointed as our Patrons, Mr. W. Rutledge has agreed to continue as our Honorary Solicitor, and Mr. A. C. Westbury has agreed to continue as our Honorary Auditor.

The following members have also agreed to continue in their appointed roles.
Ros Ellis – Public Officer
Margaret Pearce – Publicity Officer
Shirley Rider – Newsletter Editor
Hannah Atkin will continue as Curator and Elaine Fry will continue as Assistant Curator.

Thank you to these members as well – your efforts are very much
appreciated.

President's Report for 2010

2011-03-13T13:22:00.000+11:00

I have pleasure in presenting my report for the calendar year of 2010.

FUNCTIONS

Our major event this year was our 60th Birthday/ Christmas party
at the Yellow Piano at Wyoming. Over 40 members and friends
attended this function but we would have liked a few more. Nevertheless,
everyone seemed to enjoy the meal and the entertainment.
Our Guest was Gosford Counsellor, Chris Holstein, who gave an
entertaining presentation.

BWHS was founded in 1950 and acquired Henry Kendall Cottage in
1960. We have a few longtime members, with the longest serving
being Elaine Fry who joined the Society in February 1972.
Elaine then spoke of her experiences and involvement with BWHS that
she had shared with her husband Stan. Not far behind in long service
are Elaine’s sons Kelvin and Daryl Fry who joined in March 1972.
Margaret Pearce presented Certificates of Appreciation on
behalf of BWHS to retiring Duty Members Joan and Fred Koch, Marion
Browne and Barbara Elmes, in recognition of their long and diligent
service.

EVENTS

Book Launch
Gwen Dundon’s latest book “The Ferries of the Central Coast” was
launched at Woy Woy library in September. There was also a launch
of Gwen’s book at Alison Homestead which was attended by Elaine
Fry. We have a copy of this fascinating book in our Library with
copies for sale.

A Big Working Bee and Sausage Sizzle took place in May with the
Museum, Cottage and Grounds closed to the public for a week. A
very big Thank You to those members who attended regularly and
gave so much of their time and efforts. A major clean and tidy up of
our premises was carried out by these dedicated members but it
would have been great to see a few more there to help. The display
Children over the Last 100 years was also erected.

Members Ruth Logan and Brian McCafferty attended, on behalf of
BWHS, a moving Service of Dedication which took place at the Lone
Pine War Memorial Garden at Wyong Historical Society’s Alison
Homestead. After WWI several Pine Trees were originally grown from
seeds taken from a Pine Tree cone carried back and planted in Inverell
NSW in 1928. The Wyong Pine tree is from this source.

An invitation was received from Koolewong & Point Clare-Tascott
Progress Association to attend their special Christmas meeting at
which were displays of old photographs maps, and plans, with stories
about early settlers such as the Fagans. Bob and I attended this on
behalf of BWHS.

An invitation was received recently from Maitland & District’s
Historical Society to attend a function celebrating the opening of
their new premises at Maitland. This Society have been without
adequate accommodation for some time so were of course delighted
to move into their new premises. Edith, Elaine, Margaret, Ron,
Ingrid and I attended on behalf of BWHS.

Throughout the year representatives of BWHS attended a number of
networking functions held by Central Coast Tourism at various
locations on the Central Coast.

FUND-RAISING ACTIVITIES

These included our successful Street Stall in William Street Plaza on
October 21st. Bunning’s BBQ in August was
a great day. The Rotary Raffle has just concluded.
On our Trading Table in the museum we also have Books, Handicrafts
and Plants on sale. Thanks to Trish Scott for organizing this.

Thank you, thank you to all those hard-working members involved in
these activities – well done!

DISPLAYS

In March we had Seniors’ Week Displays at Gosford and Erina
Libraries.
We participated in a successful Nostalgia Day at the Regional Gallery
& Japanese Gardens at East Gosford, April 17th and our display
attracted quite a lot of interest. We had a successful day with two
tables of artifacts and books as well as screens for photos and subdivision
plans. Thanks to those members who assisted on this day. Our Early Childhood display in the showcase in our museum had been up for 8 months so now a new display on early Medical paraphernalia has been erected.
In the museum the Photography display was researched and
consequenty re-organised and labeled, thanks again to Jay Sider.

OTHER ACTIVITIES

Our Estey Parlour Organ was rejuvenated by Robert Wilson who was
our Guest Speaker in November when he gave a short recital on the
organ. We are very grateful to Robert for all his work.
We hold a very interesting Scrapbook that was compiled by
Garnet Adcock, the second owner of Henry Kendall Cottage and the
founder of Jusfrute. A descendent of Garnet Adcock, Arthur Adcock,
visited our complex in May to do some research and was very
impressed by this scrapbook. Because of its fragile state, the scrapbook
was scanned on to a CD by Jay Sider, a copy given to Arthur and
we retained a copy for our collection. It was a lot of work and we
thank Jay very much for this.
Member Brian McCafferty organised the erection of a special frame
for our “Maitland” Bell and Portholes, free of charge, from Clark
Equipment at Hornsby. A Letter of Thanks was sent to Clark’s and we
really appreciate Brian’s efforts in arranging this.

Working Bees are held before each General Meeting and we’re very
grateful to those members who have given their time and energy to
carry out the various tasks necessary to keep our complex in good
condition and working well.

ADMINISTRATION

Many thanks to Jay Sider for his ongoing hard work relabeling,
reorganizing, reading emails, researching and the other computer
work he does. Evidence of Jay’s work is in the many signs he has
redone as well as redesigning our brochure. Our new leaflet is
currently in progress and almost completed.
Brian McCafferty has been sorting and assembling all the newspaper
clippings that have gathered over the years, some of which date back
to 1946. The project has a number of steps and when completed will
enable easy access for research. Thank you Brian for this painstaking
work.
Our ‘very old books’ are gradually being listed and reorganized –
thanks to Jay Sider but he could do with some help now that Terrell
Dixon, who was assisting him, has taken on a full-time job.
We hope this year to reorganize our Library to improve access and
appearance.

GRANTS

A Heritage Grant was received from Gosford City Council for an
inspection to be carried out by a Heritage Architect. The report found
that we had “spalling” (rising damp) on the front wall of the cottage
which required immediate action. A further Heritage Grant was obtained
from the Council for this work. After obtaining quotes and selecting
one, this work was carried out successfully. It also entailed drainage
work around the cottage and replacement of some rusted downpipes.
A smaller Grant was also received recently for replacing cracked window
panes and this also has been successfully completed.
We are really grateful to the Heritage Committee and Gosford City
Council for these Grants. Thanks to Ros Ellis for all the time and effort
she put into submitting these Grants.
During the inspection by the Heritage Architect it was suggested that
we remove the decaying picket fence so this was carried out by
Norman Allan. This has provided a much clearer view of the Cottage
and Museum from this angle. The lattice at the back of the Bullock
Wagon was also removed and this also provides a much clearer view
of the cottage and museum. Thanks Norman.

MEETINGS

Meetings held during the year consisted of 10 General Meetings (no
May or December meetings), 12 Management Committee Meetings,
and 1 Special Committee Meeting concerning our 60th Birthday
celebration.
Attendances at General Meetings remain at an average of
approximately 23 but we would like to see more members attending.
We have had some great Guest speakers who have been varied and
interesting – thanks to Margaret Pearce for arranging them..
Whilst our sub-committees have wound down somewhat we still have
had very hard working teams organizing our successful Street Stall,
Bunnings BBQ, Cleaning Working Bees, Administration, making Craft
items, General Maintenance, Mowing and Gardening. This hard work
is mostly carried out by a dedicated few. It would be great if we could
have a few more members becoming involved and sharing the load in
the care and maintenance of our valued Cottage and Museum.

We have been very fortunate to have Ingrid Rode who has demonstrated
her hospitality skills in organizing morning and afternoon teas
and special events refreshments, as well as organizing and purchasing
our supplies. Other members such as Brian James and Leni Raica
have filled in on a number of occasions and have been involved in
processing the Newsletter each month. Brian has demonstrated also
his willingness to organize the setting up and putting away the chairs
for our meetings as well as many other little jobs.

SOCIAL OUTINGS

About 20 Members and friends enjoyed a Cruise on Brisbane Water
on the Lady Kendall on March 29th.
In July members had an interesting and informative visit to the
Jewish Museum at Darlinghurst with lunch at the Sporties Club at
Gladesville.
We try to have 3 or 4 social outings each year. Thanks to Margaret
for arranging these.

TRAINING

A Training and Refresher Session was held on February 24th with
a Special Morning Tea. This was to help clarify many procedures to
Duty Members to assist in their museum duties. For those duty
members who could not attend we are sending a resume of the
proceedings and of course the Procedures Manual is now in our
staffroom for consultation.
I would like to thank most sincerely the hardworking members of our
Committee – Elaine, Edith, Margaret, Ros, George, Bob, Ingrid, and
Norman. Your work and support has been much appreciated. It
would be great if more of our members could share in the many tasks
that need to be done to help in caring for our valued Cottage and
Museum. Just come along to the Working Bees on Tuesday mornings,
before each General Meeting. Any help you can give would be great.

Best wishes to the incoming committee for the coming year. Thank
you for having me as President this year.
Sincerely
Shirley Rider – President

Acme

2011-02-16T14:26:00.000+11:00

When next you are in the museum take notice of the painting on the left wall.
It is of the Acme a wooden topsail schooner, built by Edward Davis. This
painting was donated to BWHS by Beryl Nixon a few years ago.

Edward Davis was born at Wollongong on 10 January 1837, and was
one of the shipbuilding brothers William, Benjamin, Rock, and Thomas.
Another brother George, was a carpenter but would probably have worked
for some of his time in shipbuilding. Edward was the only native born
Australian among the shipbuilding Davis brothers, his siblings having
arrived in NSW from Ireland in 1833, except for Rock who was born during
the voyage.

In 1859 Edward bought two acres of land at Cockle Creek, Davistown but
it was not until some years later that he set up his own shipbuilding yard on
this site.

Edward Davis moved his shipbuilding operations from Davistown to
Point Frederick in 1874 and Acme was built there in 1876. It was 55 tons,
67.5 X 19.3 x 7.0 ft, and had a female bust figure head. It was owned by
Edward Davis and David Capper, both of Brisbane Water. Sadly it was
wrecked at Seal Rock Bay NSW on 16th July 1876, in a heavy gale on her
first trip. The name Davistown evolved because of the number of Davis
family members living along the stretch of Cockle Creek channel. The
Rev. Alfred Glennie of Gosford referred to the area when writing in his
journals between 1855 and 1864 as Davis Village, Davisville, and Davis
Town.

(Ref: Dundon, Gwen. The Shipbuilders of Brisbane Water NSW - Gwen Dundon, 1997)

60th Birthday & Christmas Celebration, December 14th, 2010

2011-01-12T11:05:00.002+11:00

This was held at The Yellow Piano at Wyoming and all appeared to have an
enjoyable time. Thanks go to Ingrid Rode and Elaine Fry for their
organisational work and also to Kelvin Fry for his contribution of the attractive
table decorations. We had some nice food and the entertainment was great
so thanks go to Proprietor Trevor and his staff.
President Shirley Rider welcomed everyone and acknowledged the original
custodians of the area, the Darkinjung people.
Senior Vice President, Elaine Fry, was then invited to speak about the long
history of our Society. She is the longest serving member of BWHS, having
joined the Society in February 1972, with sons Kelvin and Darryl not far behind,joining in March 1972. Their long service was acknowledged on behalf of the Society by Margaret Pearce, Vice President.
Certificates of Appreciation were presented on behalf of the Society by
Margaret Pearce to retiring Duty Members Fred and Joan Koch, Marion Browne and Barbara Elmes for their dedication and outstanding contribution to BWHS and Henry Kendall Cottage.
The Birthday Cake was cut by Shirley Rider, Elaine and Kelvin Fry.
Chris Holstein from Gosford City Council then gave an entertaining presentation and proposed a toast to BWHS on this memorable occasion.
We thank Jay Sider for his work in designing our place mats and Bob Rider
and Tyrell Dixon for the laminating of the place mats. Thanks to Elaine and
Shirley in compiling the Photoboards and to Edith for her delivering them to
and from The Yellow Piano.

The Maitland

2010-12-12T14:26:00.000+11:00

We are lucky enough to hold various artefacts from the wrecking of the Maitland steamer. The following information comes from: http://www.abc.net.au/backyard/shipwrecks/nsw/maitland.htm

Such was the impact when the steamer Maitland wrecked in 1898 that it led to the naming of a bay, a bombora and the storm that sank it!

Photographs of the iron paddle steamer portray its beautiful sleek lines. Of 231 feet (70.00 m) in length, the vessel was built at Glasgow, United Kingdom, in 1870. Famed as a regular trader along the New South Wales coast, excited passengers queued at Sydney to board before the 11.00 p.m. departure. By the time the steamer reached the Sydney Heads, they began to fear for their lives.

Labouring into a frightening gale, the Maitland immediately began shipping water. Seas carried away the deckhouse as all aboard assisted in bailing water from the flooding hull. Struggling in the pitch-black night, frantic efforts were made to dump cargo in a last ditch effort to stay upright. However, by the time they passed Barrenjoey Headland, huge seas flooded the engine fires, they were now adrift at the mercy of the driving seas. As one survivor was later to remark, "it seemed as if all the winds of heaven from every point of the compass had been let loose from their caverns". Captain Skinner got everybody together and instructed them "to prepare themselves for what was to come".

Just before 6.00 a.m. on 6 May 1898, the Maitland was driven onto the foot of East Reef with a mighty crash and driven high up into the air. The hull immediately wrenched apart amidships, carrying most of the crew and steerage passengers in the forward section to their deaths. Those swept ashore alive were severely injured by the jagged rocks and pounding surf. The remainder survived on the shattered stern, eventually making it ashore by the afternoon, after several nerve-racking attempts to secure a line to the beach. At one stage four of the crew including the Stewardess were crossing by the line when it broke. Only the Third Engineer made it to safety.

The tragic death of 24 from 63 aboard appalled the population. One young women found drowned had been buried under sand and wreckage, near naked, and with her teeth smashed away.

There were many tales of gallantry however, one involved the remarkable survival of baby Daisy Hammond. Trapped on the wreck after her mother had carried ashore, Daisy was nursed by crew through the night. Next morning, she was carried through the surf on the Boatswain's back. Many years later, Daisy Stevens visited the wreck, and when she died in 1988 at the age of 90, had her ashes flown from Canada and scattered over the wreck site.

The "Maitland Gale" also claimed the schooners Amelia White, Philip Palfrey, Adelaide, Isabel, J.G. Kondio; the ketch Coral; the barquentine Fido; the ship Hereward and the steamers Ethel, Merksworth and Saxonia. In 1909, the timber steamer Narooma ran ashore on the beach at Boat Harbour and became a total wreck. The Maitland's exposed boilers were still clearly visible in photographs taken at the time. Today little is left of the Maitland wreck, other than fragments of the hull and remains of a boiler on the exposed East Reef at low tide.

Sydney Morning Herald 9, 10, 11 & 12 May 1898
Central Coast Express, 8 April 1988
Gosford Heritage Association

Around the grounds

2010-12-12T14:21:00.000+11:00

Our front entrance has had a bit of a facelift. The “Maitland” Bell has
been erected, along with two of the “Maitland” portholes, on a strong
stand made by Clark Equipment at Hornsby. This stand enables the Bell
to be presented hanging, as a Bell should be - and it has a lovely sound
when struck.

The picket fence between the Cottage and Museum has been
removed and this gives a clearer view of the Cottage. When the
Heritage Architect inspected our complex recently this was one of his
recommendations.

The lattice work behind the bullock wagon has gone and this also gives
a clearer view of the Cottage and Museum. The unfinished bullock yoke
which belonged to Horace Frost was donated to BWHS by Geoff Potter
of Gosford City library and this has been erected behind the bullock
wagon, which also belonged to Horace Frost.

Grant Success

2010-12-12T14:17:00.000+11:00

Since recently receiving a Grant from Gosford City Council for an
inspection by a Heritage Architect, we received a subsequent Grant for
the essential work to be carried out. This entailed treating the ‘spalling’
or rising damp on the front wall of the Cottage and this has now been
successfully completed. It also covered the installation of a drainage
trench across the front wall, tying in with the existing drains so that the
same problem would not occur again. This has also been carried out
successfully. A small Grant was also received for replacing cracked
window panes in the Cottage. So thanks to Gosford Council, including
their Heritage Committee, for these Grants and to BWHS member Ros Ellis for
requesting them.

Dedication of the Lone Pine Memorial Garden at Allison Homestead, Wyong

2010-11-13T14:42:00.000+11:00

Brian McCafferty’s report at the General Meeting:

On 12 October, Brian McCafferty and his wife
attended the dedication ceremony for the Lone Pine Tree in the grounds of
Allison Homestead.
Brian reported that it was rather moving and was well organised. About 120 to
150 were in attendance including the Mayor, Local Member of Parliament,
local business leaders, Wyong RSL Sub-Branch members, some school
principals and their respective school captains. A noted item was that an
identical ceremony was being held on the same day on the Beach at
Gallopoli. That ceremony was being conducted by the Wyong Parish Priest
with about 30 people from Wyong and surrounds who accompanied the
Parish Priest to Gallopoli.

Member, Ruth Logan also attended – her comments follow …

On 12 October I attended, on behalf of Brisbane Water Historical
Society, a Service of Dedication at the Lone Pine War Memorial Garden
at Alison Homestead, Wyong.
It was a very moving ceremony conducted by Mr. Phillip Moreley,
President of Wyong District Museum & Historical Society and attended
by the Mayor of Wyong, Mr. Doug Eaton, the State Member of Wyong,
Mr. David Harris and President of Wyong RSL Sub Branch, Mr. Lawrence
Shaw. Rev. Father Michael Kelly OAM, Blessed the Memorial Garden and led
the service.
On this day, Rev. Fr. Bill Stevens, Parish Priest of The Entrance, along with
over 30 people on pilgrimage, were at Gallipoli to place soil, rosemary, poppy,
and a small piece of pine from the garden in Wyong, at a suitable location.
He in turn will bring back a small memento from Gallipoli to be placed in the
Memorial Garden.
Several Pine Trees were originally grown from seeds taken from a Pine Tree
cone carried back by Sgt. Keith McDowell of the 24th Battalion at the end of
the 1914/1918 war and planted in Inverell, NSW in 1928.
From this source there were several Pines grown there and another in
Canberra. The Wyong Pine Tree is from this source.
At the conclusion of the Blessing of The Memorial Garden, the Last
Post was played by a member of the Brisbane Water Brass Band who
also played Revelle.
The gardens and grounds are a credit to the work of Roman Paul, who
designed the Memorial Garden, planted with poppies, rosemary and other
flowers.

Ongoing Projects (1)

2010-10-16T13:58:00.001+11:00

The Cottage Fence
The committee has resolved to remove the decaying picket fence, between
the Cottage and museum. The yellow rose bush may be re-located to one
corner of the Bullock Wagon cover – so it can ramble freely along the lattice
or other structure.

Newspaper clippings
Member, Brian McCafferty is currently sorting and assembling the newspaper clippings that have been gathered over the years. The clippings date back to 1946. They are being placed on A4 sheets and assigned a category then a sub-heading. Nearly 100 sheets have been assembled so far. The project has a number of steps including scanning all the documents, treating the documents or laminating them to protect them from aging.
The sheets will be scanned and entered onto an archive database.

Bell and Portholes of the SS Maitland
Brian McCafferty initiated the idea of improving the presentation and
repositioning the Maitland display. The idea was approved and he undertook
to have a vertical stand made so the Bell can be presented hanging, as a bell
should. Brian prepared a design and engaged professional engineers
/fabricators to do the final design and the fabrication of a purpose built metal
stand. The terrific stand has been completed.
Our thanks go out to the management and team at Clark Equipment Pty. Ltd.
of Hornsby who graciously donated the material and the time required by the
skilled craftsmen to complete the work.

Our very old books
As you may know, we have a collection of very old, fascinating and possibly
rare books.
These precious old books are being catalogued and re-shelved.
Tyrell, one of our newer members, is helping Jay with this project.

Henry Kendall Cottage on Facebook and Twitter

2010-10-02T17:03:00.000+10:00

Please can you help spread the word about Henry Kendall Cottage and the work of the Brisbane Water Historical Society.
Become a fan of the cottage on Facebook
Follw us on Twitter

Guest Speakers

2010-10-02T16:52:00.000+10:00

The Guest Speaker at the August General Meeting was Derelie Cherry from
the lovely Paradise Gardens, Kulnurra, who gave us an interesting talk about
the McLeay family and Elizabeth House at Potts Point, as well as how lovely
Paradise Gardens are now that spring is here. The Guest Speaker at the General Meeting on September 21st was Lindsay Allen from State Records, NSW. Many thanks for this informative talk.

October’s Guest Speaker will be John Haxton from the First Fleeters (19/10/2010 @ 1.00pm). And our Guest Speaker for November will be Robert Wilson, the lovely gentleman who has rejuvenated our 100 years old Estey Parlour Organ in the Museum and has also done some work on the Cabinet Organ in the Cottage. Robert has some
interesting facts to relate and stories to tell, and also will be playing our organ
so we’ll look forward to his presentation.

All members of the Brisbane Water Historical Society, and any potential members, are most welcome.

Adcock Scrapbook

2010-10-02T16:21:00.000+10:00

We hold a very interesting scrapbook that was compiled by Garnet Adcock,
the second owner of Henry Kendall Cottage, and the founder of Jusfrute.
A descendant of Garnet Adcock, Arthur Adcock, visited our complex to do
some research in May this year and was ‘blown away’ by this scrapbook.
Because of its fragile state now, arrangements were made for us to copy it.
Jay Sider did the jpeg images on a CD, a copy for our library and also a copy
for Arthur. Thanks Jay for all your hard work in this.

Camera Collection

2010-08-27T11:25:00.002+10:00

We recently dusted off our photo camera collection. Interest in old cameras,
around the world, is alive and well, therefore not too many such cameras are
rare or valuable (in dollar terms). We do however have in our collection a
notable specimen. The Kodak Medalist II (1946). There were two models
made in the 1940’s and we appear to have a fine example of the revised
model. The design and construction of the Medalist II was a radical departure
from the Kodak consumer camera range. There seems to be no other
camera of its kind from that era.
Although it was commercially available, the Medalist II was made for and
used by, the U.S. military. It was made for rugged use, its casing was mostly
black, it used a large format film (620) and the optics were superior to
anything before it.
During the War Years, steel and aluminium were at a premium but no
expense was spared to make this a solid, reliable camera and it was during
this time that a black veneer was applied to most of the body, revealing less
reflective surface and thus more suited to military recognisance.
Unfortunately, we have no history on our Medalist II but as its manufacture
was near to the end of the War, it may not have seen action.

......(Thanks to Jay Sider for this contribution)

1910 Estey Parlour Organ

2010-08-27T11:19:00.000+10:00

You will no doubt be aware of the organ in the Museum. It is a 1910 Estey
Reed Organ. We couldn’t find an exact match on the Estey website but
we’re reasonably sure this would have been referred to as a ‘Parlour ‘model. This was Home Entertainment 100 years ago. Our Estey is 100 years old - Happy Birthday!
We offer Bob Wilson, a visitor to the Museum, our sincere thanks for applying his expertise to restoring it to full ‘playability’.

Bob is a professional restorer but has graciously given his time to clean the organ and get it playing again. From him, we’ve now learnt how to effect basic maintenance in order to keep it in good playable condition. If any members can
play the organ, come in and blow the cobwebs away! Bob recently completed a restoration on a similar organ in an old church at Hill End. His next little job will be to join a small team of experts who will be undertaking a thorough cleaning of the grand organ at the Sydney Town Hall. Bob also commented on the organ in
the Cottage - he likes it. We don’t know much about it so more research is
required to establish the maker and year of manufacture. We’ll keep you
posted. Once again, our thanks to Bob for his time and effort.

........(and thanks to Jay Sider for this contribution)

The Saving of Fairview - Dubbo Gully, New South Wales, Australia

2010-06-09T15:50:00.000+10:00

The Saving of Fairview

2010-06-09T14:44:00.000+10:00

From: The Saving of Fairview petition

Fairview is an historic homestead on a property situated in an area of The Central Coast of New South Wales, Australia, called Dubbo Gully, not far from Lower Mangrove. The property is of major significance to the history of the area, with one building there dating back 150 years.

It is owned by Gosford City Council, being purchased by them some years ago in readiness for the construction of a major water storage dam just downstream of the house. The location for the dam was subsequently moved upstream and the house still stands as it was then, deteriorating further every year. Those familiar with the heritage want the property saved and restored to its former glory, but as of May 2010, Gosford City Council is yet to give approval with several reasons being given for why it will not be possible to do so.

Please make use of this petition to let those in power know that it is imperative that this property be saved.

If you are not familiar with the property, please do everything you can to go there and check out the Facebook page The Saving of Fairview and check out the video produced for the cause. It is certainly worth your while going there and experiencing the area for yourself, but of course the video comes in at a close second. I am sure you will understand immediately why the property MUST be saved. Not only is it of historical importance, it is without doubt one of the most beautiful areas of The Central Coast.

Vale - Frank Chalk

2010-06-06T15:30:00.000+10:00

Sadly we report the recent passing of a highly respected and well-loved member of the Brisbane Water Historical Society - Frank Chalk. He is greatly missed by those who knew him. The following is an extract from the Eulogy offered by Elaine Fry:

"Frank, wonderful sincere friend, workaholic, great mate, advisor, you name it and that was Frank...

Frank was born in Birmingham, England in September 1919. His family moved to Australia when he was an infant...Frank joined BWHS in 1981 and became very much involved. No matter what was damaged, Frank knew how to fix it, doing many repairs, soldering, making display cabinets and photo frames, and cleaning of exhibits to display standard, all under the advice of Museums Australia.

Frank, Alice [his wife], Stan (my late husband) and I worked as a team, having our working bees at the museum complex when we had time to spare, often 4-5 hours, 3-4 times a week, to set up a special exhibition. We also spent many. many hours in the gardens and grounds. Our first love was our family and home, closely followed by the cottage complex. Frank's knowledge and assistance was greatly appreciated by the committee and members of BWHS. Frank also joined the roster to open the cottage/museum on a regular basis once a month.

Frank was elected a Vice-President in 1982, a position he held for 3 years, then Treasurer in 1984, a position he held for 16 years. He certainly looked after our monies. He checked every item on every docket or invoice.

Frank was a great ambassador for BWHS and HK Cottage. He was a guest speaker at other organisations' meetings, and carried our brochures to distribute whereever they went on holidays. He was a guide on coach tours visiting from other areas, transported boxes of items to street stalls, displays etc. with no worries and not looking for any pat on the back. Frank also kept a lookout at night. Really he was an unpaid caretaker of the cottage and grounds. No request was ever too large or too small for our Frank.

On 20th February 2001, Frank was appointed a Life Member of BWHS for his dedication to the Society and his voluntary work for HK Cottage, over and above anything that is expected of a volunteer...

In June 2007 when we had those very heavy winds and storms, some trees came down in the cottage grounds, one large tree blocking the driveway. Stan and our son Kelvin, with his chainsaw, came over to see what could be done. Very soon 88 year old Frank came over in the rain to assist in removing most of the trees and branches. Work stopped because the rain became too heavy, but they were back again on Sunday morning and access was made for the garbage truck and for the coach that arrived on Monday morning...

Frank enjoyed life and talking to people, he was happy in life and at peace with himself. The Community is much richer for the time Frank has spent in the area."

From the Curator: Ethnographic Collections & Post-Colonialism

2010-05-12T16:34:00.001+10:00

The ethnographic collection is openly influenced by the external socio-political principles that shape attitudes towards the presentation of different cultures. The foremost change came following the move towards political independence of colonised countries, as the desire to represent personal national identity through objects and the theory of post-colonialism flourished. Previously, imperial rule was legitimised through anthropological hypotheses and illustrated in ethnographic museums, so the ethnocentrism of the museums existed in direct opposition to this new shift in the balance of power. Post-colonial breakdown of cultural structures challenged the domination of Western perceptions and established a collection of ethics and values that promoted a more equitable system of societal representation.
Moreover, the traditional ethnography museum was challenged by the post-colonial desire for self-representation and the accompanying realisation that the
collective memory of these events [colonisation] of indigenous peoples and their descendants is vastly different to that of European peoples and their descendants.

Thus, the formerly colonised nations began to establish their own heritage and ethnic legacies for the ‘enrichment, education and collective identity of the citizenry’, with the creation of a national museum part of the ‘criteria of civilisation’.
With respect to these changes in the ideological climate, the ethnographic museum has to operate under the influence of rapidly changing socio-political theories. The museum now has to re-evaluate the particular world-view that it was previously programmed to promote and make attempts to redress the imbalance caused by the endorsement of ‘otherness’ and the portrayal of the colonised peoples privation and hardship as resulting from their own ‘inability, incompetence and sheer laziness’. Consequently, the existence of post-colonialism has created a paradox and raised a variety of key issues that impact upon the ethnographic museum. Their new role to nullify the inequity and undo the damage caused by previous interpretive techniques undermines their own existence.

Hannah Clayton Atkin

The Curator on Art Nouveau & Art Deco in England

2010-04-30T16:12:00.002+10:00

The quintessence of Art Nouveau is the curved, supple lines derived directly from nature and first emerging in the 1890s. In England, as with its direct predecessor the Arts and Crafts movement, came the rejection of mass production and the adoption of the sinuous, natural forms that were to dominate Art Nouveau design. Thus, the increased prevalence and popularity of Arts and Crafts ideas abroad and the inspiration of the various nationalistic revivals of the period culminated in the Art Nouveau style.

As Art Nouveau was linked inexorably to regionally specific revivals, such as the early Nordic art revival in the Scandinavian countries, this post will focus on the English Nouveau designs with their naturalistic and Gothic revival influences. Most importantly, England, as part of an island nation, managed to remain at a distance from the ‘renewal fever’ that gripped the rest of Europe. In addition, the moralising influence of the Arts and Crafts movement was more explicit and unfiltered in its impact on subsequent design; it did not undergo the modifications experienced when ideas move away from their culture of origin.

Significant too was the English expectation of the approaching changes in domestic setting and popular requirements. Since the middle of the 19^th century, English designers had been producing furniture that had unsophisticated forms and purposeful structure. Opinion had moved away from the veneration of stylistic imitation to the adaptation of the traditions of the past, thus inspiring such re-appraisals as the Neo-Gothic movement.

Accordingly, at the turn of the century the most important furniture designers were the beneficiaries of the most groundbreaking 19^th century developments. The designer Charles Francis Annesley Voysey (1857-1941) was an architect trained using the guidelines espoused by William Morris. His work was inspired by his reading of the Tudor tradition but, in contrast to Morris, he did not reject the concept of mechanisation. Voysey believed the industrialisation of production should be welcomed as an altruistic force that could bring good-quality products to a wider public audience. Despite this philanthropic attitude, Voysey’s move towards ‘naturalness’ often lead to oversimplification and a primitivism that did little to appeal to the public.

Consequently, the Art Nouveau period in England is so significantly influenced by the Arts and Crafts traditions of William Morris that it is difficult to perceive a considerable difference in style, unlike the flourishing market on the continent. Nonetheless, the increased use of naturalistic form and free flowing lines does demarcate a change in inspiration; however slight.

In contrast, the style identified as Art Deco attained its peak in the interval between the two World Wars. It followed almost directly after the Art Nouveau period and worked as an unequivocal veer away from the natural, complex floral forms to modernised, clean angular lines. Following the seminal Exposition des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels (1925) in Paris, from which the style would acquire its name, it went on to become the first genuinely 20^th century design.

Indeed, the advent of Art Deco signified the arrival of the first all-encompassing fashion that could be adopted regardless of budget. In addition, the advances in new technological communication resulted in an almost uniform, quickly spreading style in direct contrast to the distinct regionality and exclusivity of the Art Nouveau designs.

Moreover, in further contrast to the Art Nouveau Movement, Art Deco was the essence of modernity. Although earlier styles were modified for contemporary use, the Art Deco approach was not dependant on revival or the need to explore historical aspects of design to qualify itself. Art Deco was a volte-face away from a ‘diseased society that had chosen to massacre its youth across the battlefields of the Somme’[1] to something that was pure, primal and preferably non-European.

However, the impact of the rapid mechanisation of the war years should not be underestimated as an influence on the production techniques, the adoption of new materials and machine based design-styles it invoked. Now, the patterns on tea services echoed the shape of an aeroplane wing and new bakelite radios imitated car radiator grills in an attempt to emphasise the desire to look towards the future via new technology.

For the purposes of this essay, the Art Deco furniture and design qualities studied for a direct comparison will be English. Although there was no substantial regional variations within Art Deco designs, retaining the focus on English furniture means that ‘like is being compared with like’.

In England, Art Deco signified the ‘furniture of reason’ and was embodied completely in the designer Gordon Russel (born 1892). Despite being accustomed to the repair of antique furniture and rural traditional techniques, he quickly developed an eye for form. Russel’s work was then exhibited in the influential 1925 exhibition in Paris, where it won a gold medal for its simplicity – in direct contrast to the unadulterated luxury of the other interiors on show.

In the early Thirties, Russel was joined by his architect son R. D. Russel and machinery was subsequently introduced to the manufacturing process with designs being modified for the mass market. Outlines were simplified and made increasingly geometric and therefore, quite logically, the pieces that were produced became far more modern in their characteristics.

Accordingly, although Art Deco defended the value of craftsmanship, it recognised, accepted and benefited greatly from the advancements in manufacturing. As a result, while Art Nouveau could be intense, multifaceted and congested, Art Deco was fresh and clean. The designs were also flexible enough to adapt in a period of unparalleled change.

Hannah Clayton Atkin

[1] Van De Lemme, A (1996) Art Deco An Illustrated Guide to the Decorative Style p32.

The Big Working Bee

2010-04-18T09:20:00.003+10:00

Big Working Bee

Our museum complex will be closed to the public from 17th-23rd May 2010 for a big clean and reorganisation of the displays. Please show your support by joining in. It will be on every day during the week so most members should be able to spare some time - it doesn't matter how little, it all helps. The week will culminate with a Sausage Sizzle on Sunday 23rd May.

As part of the Big Working Bee, Hannah our Curator will be giving a training session on caring for historical artefacts. This will last for approx. 2 hours from 10am on Tuesday 18th May. If you have any particular items that you would be interested in learning how to care for, please contact the Curator via our website.

To take part in our Big Working Bee, you must become a member of the Brisbane Water Historical Society. Click HERE for details on becoming a member.

200th Anniversary of Lachlan Macquarie's Governorship

2010-02-27T18:10:00.002+11:00

2010 is the 200th Anniversary of Lachlan Macquarie's Governorship of New South Wales.

As such, there will be many celebrations and events held in and around Sydney. As part of this the Brisbane Water Historical Society would like to recognise Bungaree, the aborigine that was befriended by Lachlan Macquarie. It is believed that Bungaree came from the Broken Bay area and we would like to highlight this connection between the Central Coast and Governor Macquarie. We do not currently have a set programme of events so any ideas and suggestions would be appreciated.

"Bungaree (or Bongaree) was an Aboriginal man from the Broken Bay area who settled in Sydney in the 1790s. He became a well-known character around Sydney and is often protrayed in distinctive military clothes and hat.

Bungaree accompanied both Matthew Flinders and Phillip Parker King on voyages of discovery. Flinders was attracted to his 'good disposition and manly conduct', and Bungaree became an important crew member on the Norfolk as they sailed to Moreton and Hervey Bays in Queensland in 1799, and on the Investigator during Flinders' circumnavigation of Australia from 1801 - 1803.

Bungaree also sailed with Phillip Parker King to north western Australia where he proved very helpful in making contact with new tribes.

Governor Macquarie conferred upon Bungaree the fictitious title of 'King' in an attempt to create for the Aborigines a leader with whom he could negotiate.

In 1815 Macquarie installed Bungaree and others from his tribe on a farm at George's Head in Sydney. However, the farm was not a success and the venture ultimately failed. Bungaree died in 1830 after a long illness. "

From: http://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/discover_collections/history_nation/macquarie/bungaree/index.html

Kitchenalia

2009-11-03T16:13:00.001+11:00

2nd - 13th November 2009 - Kitchenalia at Erina Branch Library

We have created a small display of early 'Kitchenalia' to support the library's exhibit of historical cooking books.

As the name implies, kitchenalia is the collecting of items used in or related to the kitchen. As this room is often the heart of the home, most kitchenalia collectors are often wanting to recapture a nostalgic slice of the way it 'used to be' and bring back memories of being in grandma's kitchen -- or simply wanting to satisfy a yearning for things of yesteryear. Recently, however, interior decorators have become attracted to kitchenalia items, given their bold colours and interesting shapes, which can often make quite a statement in a modern room.

The options available for the kitchenalia collector are vast. If this is an area you are interested in then you can tailor your collection to suit whatever area takes your fancy. From early electronic appliances to storage containers and those items related to a particular ingredients (for example, milk or cheese). You could even just collect particular objects like can openers, corkscrews or even rolling pins.

As mentioned above, kitchenalia provides a broad range of options for the home decorator. Although items like old storage jars or blue and white jugs have been popular decorating items for ages other objects like old tools, aprons, jelly moulds and even tablecloths could be turned into something decorative to brighten up your home.

From:
http://au.lifestyle.yahoo.com/b/better-homes-gardens/12201/better-blogs-kitchenalia/

September in Australia

2009-09-06T09:50:00.000+10:00

Grey Winter hath gone, like a wearisome guest,
  And, behold, for repayment,
September comes in with the wind of the West
  And the Spring in her raiment!
The ways of the frost have been filled of the flowers,
  While the forest discovers
Wild wings, with the halo of hyaline hours,
  And the music of lovers.


September, the maid with the swift, silver feet!
  She glides, and she graces
The valleys of coolness, the slopes of the heat,
  With her blossomy traces;
Sweet month, with a mouth that is made of a rose,
  She lightens and lingers
In spots where the harp of the evening glows,
  Attuned by her fingers.


The stream from its home in the hollow hill slips
  In a darling old fashion;
And the day goeth down with a song on its lips,
  Whose key-note is passion.
Far out in the fierce, bitter front of the sea
  I stand, and remember
Dead things that were brothers and sisters of thee,
  Resplendent September!


The West, when it blows at the fall of the noon
  And beats on the beaches,
Is filled with a tender and tremulous tune
  That touches and teaches;
The stories of Youth, of the burden of Time,
  And the death of Devotion,
Come back with the wind, and are themes of the rhyme
  In the waves of the ocean.


We, having a secret to others unknown,
  In the cool mountain-mosses,
May whisper together, September, alone
  Of our loves and our losses!
One word for her beauty, and one for the grace
  She gave to the hours;
And then we may kiss her, and suffer her face
  To sleep with the flowers.


High places that knew of the gold and the white
  On the forehead of Morning
Now darken and quake, and the steps of the Night
  Are heavy with warning.
Her voice in the distance is lofty and loud
  Through the echoing gorges;
She hath hidden her eyes in a mantle of cloud,
  And her feet in the surges.


On the tops of the hills, on the turreted cones --
  Chief temples of thunder --
The gale, like a ghost, in the middle watch moans,
  Gliding over and under.
The sea, flying white through the rack and the rain,
  Leapeth wild at the forelands;
And the plover, whose cry is like passion with pain,
  Complains in the moorlands.


Oh, season of changes -- of shadow and shine --
  September the splendid!
My song hath no music to mingle with thine,
  And its burden is ended;
But thou, being born of the winds and the sun,
  By mountain, by river,
Mayst lighten and listen, and loiter and run,
  With thy voices for ever!

Henry Kendall

Bloodstained Brisbane Water: Colonial Crimes and Tragedies of Gosford's Early Days - LECTURE/SEMINAR

2009-08-30T08:20:00.002+10:00

Presented by: Brisbane Water Historical Society

11 September 2009, 6.30pm for 7.00pm

Bloodstained Brisbane Water: Colonial Crimes and Tragedies of Gosford's Early Days

Interested in the colonial history of Gosford and Brisbane Water? Hear Geoff Potter, historian from Gosford Library, bring to life some of the fascinating tales and stories surrounding our early settlement, in the colonial environment of Cooranbean (Henry Kendall) Cottage, one of the oldest buildings on the Central Coast.

Gold coin donation. Bookings recommended - limited seating

Place Names of the Central Coast: Koolewong

2009-08-04T11:56:00.002+10:00

Koolewong

An aboriginal word meaning: "Koala's there!"
Before the Railway Station opened on 29th November 1920, the area was known as Glenrock. This was the property of Fred Couche and his home and boarding house occupied a prominent position where the present Couche Crescent is situated.
Some of his property was resumed to build the railway line and when the station was to be named Fred Couche wanted to call it "Glenrock".
However, the Department of Railways thought that there would be confusion with other fairly similar names and they named it Koolewong. Records at the Public Transport Commission Archives do not state who suggested the name.

From: Place Names of the Central Coast: origins & meanings (Historical Monographs No. 5) Eileen Pratt - West Gosford : BWHS : 1978

From the Curator: What is interpretation and meaning-making?

2009-08-04T11:37:00.004+10:00

Interpretation within the museum setting comes from a complex chain of connections created between the museum, the collection and the audience. This chain of connection, if correctly assembled, should facilitate the understanding of the audience and support the formative actions of meaning-making.

This interpretive system is not based upon the passive transmission view of communication, but states that learning is maintained through active engagement with the object, stimulated by the informative text provided by the museum curator and guided by the level of existing knowledge held by the audience.

An example of interpretation and meaning-making:

When viewing a piece of Roman pottery, for example, the information supplied by the museum curator may include the date of manufacture, what the pottery was used for or where it came from. In addition to this, the existing knowledge of the audience might include details from Roman history, Roman mythology, archaeology, pottery in general or even current popular media such as 'Time Team' or or the movie 'Gladiator'. Therefore the museum audience employs a circular 'question-and-answer' system of meaning-making that is sited within the knowledge and culture of the viewer, aided by the informative text provided by the museum curator.

Place names of the Central Coast - Gosford

2009-07-28T13:13:00.005+10:00

In the early 1830s the Government decided that there should be a Government town at Brisbane Water as allotments in the private township of Samuel Peek (now East Gosford) were being sold.
The land selected for the township on the headwater of Brisbane Water was occupied by Thomas Allison Scott. The Government resumed this land and gave him the grant at Tascott by way of compensation.
In 1838 Alfred Holden applied to purchase six acres of the Township Reserve as he already had a house on the land - now Grahame Park. The application was refused.
Surveyor Dalgety then was instructed by the Colonial Secretary to prepare a plan of the ground for a township at Point Frederick.
On 27th February 1839, Dalgety forwarded "The Survey for the Township at Point Frederick" to the Governor. It was returned in April with the words "To be called Gosford" written across the survey plan.

From: Place Names of the Central Coast: origins & meanings (Historical Monographs No. 5) Eileen Pratt - West Gosford : BWHS : 1978

Town & County Journal

2009-07-19T16:59:00.002+10:00

Henry Kendall sometimes wrote prose pieces for the Sydney newspaper, the Town & Country Journal. While he was staying with the Fagans, he had an article piece published titled "Arcadia at our Gates. In his own distinct lyrical and romantic style...he has given us a picture of the Brisbane Water of 1874, as seen through his eyes

"Here will be a refuge for aching heads and weary hearts. The kind wind of lakes, the gracious song of brooks, and the generous shelter of trees, will all play a restorative part. Limbs will receive new life, hearts new joy, minds new vigour."

From: The Fagans, the Cottage and Kendall (Historical Monograph No. 8) Joan Fenton : West Gosford : BWHS : 1996

The Poisonings at "Cooranbean"

2009-07-16T15:38:00.003+10:00

"I find that the deceased Mrs Margaret Fagan aged 50, Bridget Gilligan aged 38 and Margaret Fagan aged 24 - died from the effects of Strychnine accidentally administered to them instead of Quinine by Peter Fagan of Cooranbean

Signed Boyd Horsbrugh J.P.

Sydney Morning Herald 11 December 1865

THE LATE FATAL ACCIDENT FROM POISONING AT BRISBANE WATER

The remains of Mrs Fagan, Miss Bridget Gilligan, and Miss Margaret Fagan were brought up to Sydney by one of the Illawarra Company's steamers, which arrived from Gosford, Brisbane Water, early on Saturday morning. An investigation respecting the cause of death was held at Brisbane Water on Thursday, the conclusion arrived at being that the poisoning was accidental. The bodies were taken to St. Joseph's Church, adjoining St. Mary's Cathedral on Saturday, and the interment took place yesterday afternoon. The other persons who also had the misfortune to take some of the strychnine in a fair way of recovery.

From: The Fagans, the Cottage and Kendall (Historical Monographs No. 8) Joan Fenton - West Gosford : BWHS : 1996

The Fagans, the Cottage and Kendall

2009-07-07T11:36:00.003+10:00

Visitors to the Henry Kendall Cottage & Historical Museum at West Gosford are often intrigued by the relationship of the poet Henry Kendall to the small stone cottage built by a pioneer of Brisbane Water - Peter Fagan.
Many words have been written and published about Kendall: his life and his art have been well documented and commented upon ... Fewer words have been published about the life of Peter Fagan and his family of "Cooranbean", West Gosford.
The story of what is now Henry Kendall Cottage is really the story of individuals in three families: the Fagans, the Kendalls and the Adcocks
- Peter Fagan built the cottage
- Henry Kendall stayed in the cottage
- Garnet Adcock owned the cottage, lived in it for a while, developed the land around it, pioneered a significant business enterprise near it, and contributed to its preservation by selling it to the Brisbane Water Historical Society.

From: The Fagans, the Cottage and Kendall (Historical Monographs No. 8) Joan Fenton (Ed) - West Gosford : BWHS : 1996

Place names of the Central Coast

2009-07-07T11:27:00.003+10:00

Erina

Erina is said to be a variation of "Yerin" of "Gerrin", an Aboriginal name meaning literally "an object of fear"... This name occurs as early as 1825 when James Stewart applied to the Surveyor General for a grant of 500 acres at Erina Creek.
In the first census of the native population taken at the end of 1828 by Willoughby Bean, the local magistrate, he reported five family groups of natives. The groups mentioned are the Mial or Broken Bay tribe, the Narara, the Erina, the Tuggerah Beach and Wyong tribes.

From: Place Names of the Central Coast: origins & meanings (Historical Monographs No. 5) Eileen Pratt - West Gosford : BWHS : 1978

Baby Doll

2009-07-05T12:26:00.001+10:00

Does anyone have a Baby Doll that they would like to donate to our museum?
Sadly our doll in her pram has a "wonky eye" and many unkind remarks have been passed about her.

:-(

Snippets

2009-07-05T12:22:00.002+10:00

When one of our new members, Norman Allan, was on Museum Duty recently, he gave an impromptu poetry reading of some of Henry Kendall's poems to a widening circle of interested and entertained visitors. Norman has only been in Australia for six months, coming from County Kildare in Ireland, and anyone who has the pleasure of meeting him will take delight in his Irish accent. Particularly enjoyed was "Song of the Shingle Splitters".

We are now thinking of appointing Norman as our resident poetry reader and look forward to more performances of this nature!

More on Aboriginal exhibitions from the Curator...

2009-05-02T15:22:00.003+10:00

As mentioned in the previous post, we are hoping to reinterpret our collection of Indigenous artefacts. The following is a further excerpt from the research I am conducting:

"In addition to the academic discourse surrounding the debate, there has been a political re-imagining of Australian society as multicultural and inclusive of its Aboriginal past. Prior to the emergence of a widespread social conscience inspired by the civil rights movement in 1960s America, Aboriginal culture had been almost entirely subjugated by the near two hundred years of European nation building within Australia. Aboriginal peoples had been ejected from their lands, forced to 'assimilate' within white culture or become subject to segregationist policies. All of which conspired to dilute the traditional belief systems and quash individual tribal heritages."

From the Curator...

2009-04-25T11:32:00.003+10:00

We are hoping to reinterpret our collection of Aboriginal artefacts in the near future. As a consequence, I have been looking into the role and responsibilities of the museum in the presentation of Indigenous objects. The following comes from my initial research:

"The inclusion of Aboriginal art and artefacts in the modern museum setting is the product of major changes within Western conceptions of art and culture, and the political climate of Australia. For the greater part of the twentieth century Aboriginal art and material culture was confined to the ethnographic museum, thus defining it as belonging to the 'other' and being part of a 'primative' art movement. More recently, the modernist expressionism of this 'primative' art has been recognised by critics and Aboriginal art and associated artefacts have been accepted as equal to the Western cultural 'standard' and is being exhibited in every key museum in Australia."

New website

2009-04-19T14:13:00.001+10:00

Work has been completed on our new website and it has officially gone online.
It has a nice, clean look and hopefully will be easy for people to navigate.
If you'd like to check it out at www.henrykendallcottage.org.au and let us know what you think, we'd be happy to read your comments.

Heritage Week 2009

2009-04-13T13:21:00.000+10:00

Our astronomical event, planned during Heritage Week, 4th-19th April as part of the National Trust Heritage Festival Our Place in Space - Under the Southern Skies, has shaped up nicely.

Our exhibit features James Dunlop, former Superintendent of Parramatta Observatory and Astronomer Royal of the Colony of New South Wales during the 1830s. In 1843 he retired to Kincumber where he died in 1848 and is buried in St. Paul's Church of England graveyard at Kincumber.

2009-04-12T17:07:00.000+10:00

Updates Coming Soon