Editor: Elizabeth Hodson
Sub-Editor: Joyce Dunbabin
The Glamorgan Spring Bay
Historical Society
Vol 3, Issue 4
December 2007
Email: [email protected]
8 Noyes St., Swansea 7190 Phone: 6257 9011 A
A Star is Born
n exciting announcement concerns our President Mrs
Maureen Ferris. On
the 20th January 2008 on
SBS there will be a program:
Who do you think you are?
The star is someone who
would be know to most of
us although not personally
and many are fans. She’s has
a great personality and her
antecedents were researched
by Maureen so don’t miss
it. Maybe little groups of
people can gather at houses
of SBS receivers to watch
together. We receive SBS
Mrs. Maureen Ferris
and are happy to host a number.
Memories of a PBI
(Poor Bloody Infantryman)
T
he launch of the book: Memories of a PBL (Poor Bloody
Infantryman) went off beautifully. It has been reported
locally and in our East Coast press but GSBHS members
who live beyond our shores would have missed that. A happy
crowd of locals swelled by Arnol family members from far
and wide gathered in the Swansea RSL Club for the launch.
We were lucky to have a special speech about Errol from
our Vice –President: Ray Lewis. Any who know Ray will
know that such an event is rare indeed but he did us proud
as they say. He knew Errol and recalled a side of Errol not
available from the book. Many books were sold on the day.
It was a frenzy of activity with Lorna signing copies after
they were purchased. Ninety nine books sold on the day and
they continue to sell well. The book is an ideal addition to
Christmas stockings particularly of the male kind. We have
already had delighted reports about what a great read it is.
The quality of the production is superb in clarity, paper
choice and design. If you do want a copy you can ask for one
to be sent. They are $14.95 each plus postage. Other items
available for sale are listed elsewhere in this newsletter.
Louisa Meredith Tour
J
udie Hastie conducted a very successful Louisa Meredith
Tour. I was in the History House when the group called
for a tour of our collection and a number of women told
me what a wonderful day they had had. They said they
had been wanting something like this for a long time and
couldn’t believe their luck when they found out it was
actually possible. The tour was so heavily booked a number
of people could not be accommodated. It was a bit sad to
see someone who had not booked, turned away on the day
because already numbers exceeded what had been thought
the maximum. It would not have been fair to have accepted
the late comer as others had been refused. It is surprising how
widely know Louisa Meredith is and I’m sure our reprint of
her book has been a great help here.
Recently we were approached by a local who asked if an
historic tour would be possible to organise for a group of
golfers who has chosen Swansea as their place for their annual
get together. A number of previous tours, not all, have been
organised through Adult Education. As this group has come
to us, it could be the beginning of a new service offered
directly by our society as was done for Heritage week.
Margaret’s Story: The Way We Were
L
ast newsletter we had a letter to a grandson written
by our retiring President, Bill Bailey. It told the story
of his childhood. I promised you Margaret’s letter for this
edition. Remember Margaret retired as Treasurer after many
years of service as both she and Bill were planning a move
to Hobart.
Margaret’s letter to Tyler.
Bicheno
1/5/1994
Dear Tyler,
This is to tell you how I remember life when I was five, the same
age as you are now. I lived with my mother and father and baby
sister in a comfortable home in St Marys. We had a garden with
The Glamorgan Spring Bay Historical Society
lawns and colourful flowers, also a cat, a dog, and canaries,
which my Dad kept, in a large cage.
My Dad owned the General Store. They were not called
supermarkets then, and my dad worked there selling clothes,
groceries and hardware. I was allowed to sit in the office with a
lady called Joan and use the rubber stamps to make patterns on
paper. The shop was at the end of our street. We lived next door
to my uncle, aunt and twin girls who were a little older than
our baby.
Another aunt, uncle and two cousins not far away were my
playmates. Also close by lived my grandmother and grandfather.
They had a big garden with vegetables and fruit trees as well as
lawn and flowers and a tennis court. There was a pet magpie
who lived in the garden to eat insects and worms. Sometimes he
was crabby and would chase us when we went to get our billy of
milk from the cow Grandad had in Daisy Paddock. The whole
family collected milk from the cow. There was a river running
through Daisy Paddock and my mother would take us to sit and
play under the shady willow tree on hot afternoons. It was a very
cold place in winter with frost and fog and my mum would get
freezing hands hanging out the washing.
On Sunday nights we always sat in the lounge room to read
stories by the fire. Other nights my dad read stories to me after I
went to bed. My favourite toy was a brown teddy, which I still
have. I had dolls and a bike as well. For holidays we went to
Gran and Grandad on the farm, Glen Heriot, at Cranbrook. I
loved going there. My Nan took me and other cousins for walks
to gather bark and sticks for the fire and we helped to feed all the
animals which lived on the farm such as chooks, ducks, turkeys,
lambs, pigs and calves.
There was a fireplace in every room in the big farmhouse, so they
needed lots of wood. My grandad and his helpers brought home
loads of wood from the bush on a big cart pulled by two horses.
The horses also pulled the plough to make the paddocks ready
for planting wheat and other crops. I loved the draught horses.
They were very strong and at the end of the day when they were
unharnessed they took themselves to the river for a drink then
waited at the stable door to be let in for food and to sleep the
night. My aunt and uncle and their children lived in a stone
cottage nearby and on Sunday evening, other family members
from a few miles away came to have Sunday School and music
lessons.
When it was lambing time Grandad always gave me a pet lamb
to take home. I fed this with a bottle until it was big enough to
go back to the farm with the other sheep.
Before I started school we had a trip to Hobart, travelling down
the East Coast and picking up Nan and Grandad on the way.
At Bellerive we boarded the ferry that took cars and people across
the river as there was no bridge in 1937. My first recollection
of Hobart was the smell of raspberry jam cooking in the factory
near the wharf where the ferry berthed. In Hobart we stayed at
a guest house in Davey Street which had two storeys. At the top
of the stairs was a big stuffed eagle in a glass case.
I had my long corkscrew curls cut off in Hobart as my mum
thought I should have this done before I started school. I also
locked myself in the bathroom of the guesthouse. Not having seen
a lock with a big key like this one before, I managed to lock it
but couldn’t unlock it. My dad rescued me but I can’t remember
how.
I had a very nice teacher when I started school and I enjoyed it
lots. Eventually I had three sisters and one brother. Hope this has
not been too long Tyler, perhaps I could write a book.
Love from Nanny.
(I typed this particular story just before attending our local Council’s
Natural Resource Management meeting and was particularly struck by
all the little details of those times that have added to our environmental
worries today. When there are fewer people around the environment can
handle the odd misdemeanour.)
I
‘Our Patron Saint.’
t was suggested by one of most illustrious
and respected members that we make
Louisa Meredith ‘Our Patron Saint.’ This
was most probably a sample of his wry
humour but there is no doubt that she is
fitting as a nomination for Spiritual Patron.
Her Swans are our symbol and her books
preserve the memories of the area so long
ago she was doing the work we do now.
I
A Series on Houses
thought that as there are so many historic houses in the area
we could ‘do’ one house each newsletter. As our treasurer,
Noel Stanley, shares ownership of Meredith House and it
bears our Spiritual Patron’s surname we could start with it. I
think it is also important as many think it is one of Louisa’s
homes so we do need to correct that assumption. Initially it
has been a disappointing exercise because I searched our files
and found no primary sources of stories of the time but after
talking to Noel I discovered the house can actually talk for
itself prompted by the memories of those who know how it
was in their childhood.
Page 2
Newsletter
Issue 12
Meredith House
Meredith House was built in 1853 by J.A.Graham on land
originally owned by Charles Meredith husband of Louisa.
It was bought by Gordon Burgess from Laughton in Essex
England. A cousin of Louisa’s, a Miss Cope, whom Gordon
Burgess married, ran it as a school and then a maternity
hospital. It was know as Laughton House. Purchased in 1870
by James Morris, then owner of Morris Store, it became a
guesthouse. His daughter Sarah and later his niece Maude
who married Frank Morey, ran it. The name was changed to
Canberra Guest House. “This was its heyday” so the tourist
information says.”-a large dining room was added and
became a very popular place for holidays and honeymoons.
After a marvellous dinner rugs were rolled back and dancing
began! Stories also abound of ladies of the night entertaining
the transient fishing fleet and large functions including
Christmases with as many as 100 for lunch. Roast duck was
a speciality of the house, harvested from the local flock. It
was then simply known as the guest house.”
sometimes perhaps licentious dining room is no more. The
original exterior rough stone wall is again visible and most of
you know that Noel Stanley and Neil McDermott received
a Tidy Town Award in 2007 for the efforts that had taken to
repaint Meredith House in its original colours. The house is
beautiful and as I left I glimpsed the present formal dining
room exquisitely dressed for an elegant repast, a flummery
of gilded chiffon serviettes added a Christmas touch to the
wine glasses into which they had been placed. I suspect
these lovely touches along with the luscious treats you get
when you stay at Meredith House go way beyond what was
available originally but they do give a golden glow to what
seems to be an authentically maintained historic house.
A Suggestion from our President.
M
aureen would be delighted if we could have
contributions from members. If you would like to
send through a story or comment email them to the GSBHS
address please.
Christmas Lists.
Books and cards may be purchased from the society.
See list below:
I could not find any of these stories that were said to
abound and went to Meredith House to beg Noel and Neil
for some data. While failing to produce wicked stories; who
would leave evidence of such kind of course, evidence of ladies
of the night is not kept and treasured now nor was it then,
Noel did produce a section of a letter describing the dining
room and extensive bedrooms replete with washing jugs and
bowls and pots for under the beds. The letter mentioned
the work required to attend to all these. It was at this point
I asked Noel to show me where the dining room was and it
was then that the house began to speak for itself. The house
reminded me of a woman whose body swells as required at
different points through life to fulfil different functions and
then diminishes when these functions i.e. producing babies,
are no longer required. The difference is that although the
house bears the scars in the brickwork of a past staircase (our
stretch marks), and although there are solid feet to show
where the added on structure once was (our moments of
oedema), it has returned to an elegance of youth that few
women’s bodies could match. The extensive noisy, joyous
My Home in Tasmania Tigress in Exile
Memories of a PBI
(The ideal Christmas gift for 2007)
Castle Day Dreams East Coasters Edward Shaw’s Memoirs Freeman Family History Glamorgan: Tasmania GSBHS Booklet Kettle on the Hob Memories of Rostrevor Orford: Now & Then Ravensdale Remembered Spring Bay History St Andrews Swansea BDM Swansea Heritage Walk Louisa Meredith Prints Historic Greeting Cards of our area ($5.00 for a set of 6… these are lovely)
Slide Show and Screen Saver CD Your $15 Subscription is now Due!
Page 3
$29.95
$19.95
$14.95
$30.00
$29.95
$25.00
$20.00
$25.00
$1.50
$8.00
$22.00
$10.00
$13.00
$25.00
$17.00
$2.00
$15.00
$1.00
$5.00
The Glamorgan Spring Bay Historical Society
I
Tips Bits
searched through our files to find bits that might amuse
or titillate your interest and one such document was a last
will and testament. I found this interesting because when
my parents died, and it has been so for many of my friends,
we were unable to accommodate furniture etc, as our homes
were already full of material things. This Will specified
who was to inherit the bedstead and feather bed and the
bedclothes, who was to get the teapot and coffee pot and
who was to get the bedclothes from the spare room. Best
of all was the information that one son was to have all the
vases. I could imagine either of our sons’ joy if I left such a
directive. The executor was appointed in part to ensure that
there were no disputes over these bequests.
burnt down a fence. Recently when this happened to one of
our sons, he didn’t even receive an apology. This court case
was reported in the Mercury 1895 and witness information
went on for pages including the possibility of whether or
not sparks could fly the required distance to produce a guilty
verdict. I found lots more including the favour of tattooing
by many illustrious people: King Alfonso XIII of Spain
in 1930s, King Frederick of Denmark after WWII and
accounts correcting the historical record of the treatment of
convict servants. I’ll keep those for next time. Next edition
will also include the Mr Brewis Lyne’s cider press so if you
have any stories to tell me please do. We know many locals
remember it.
Another item I found was the record over a court case
held because one neighbour had apparently lit a fire that
D
Franklin Street looking East, Swansea circa 1920
Franklin Street looking East, Swansea circa 2006
Page 4