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

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

Secretary ph: 9929 6637 President ph: 9450 1552 Affiliate Member: Royal Australian Historical Society

BULLETIN for OCTOBER 2016

NEXT MEETING The next meeting of the Society will be held on Thursday 13 October,

2nd floor Conference Room, Stanton Library, Miller Street, North Sydney. Light

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

Guest Speaker: Dr. Carolyn Lowry OAM – Carolyn Lowry’s remunerated working life has been spent as a librarian, researcher in marketing and advertising, teacher in schools and colleges and Tutor in Psychology at Sydney University. She has travelled widely, completed a Masters degree in English specialising in theatre and, in 2008, was awarded a PhD from Sydney University for her thesis outlining the contribution of Doris Fitton and her Independent Theatre to the cultural life of Sydney in the first half of the 20th century. This degree started her on a new path as a theatre historian.

During the 1990s Carolyn and her husband Peter played a significant role in a major community project to restore and revitalise Sydney’s oldest live theatre, the Independent in North Sydney on behalf of Dr Rodney Seaborn. Dr Seaborn appointed Carolyn and Peter to establish a Friends organisation to assist with all aspects of the restoration.

In 2001 Carolyn won the North Shore Historical Society’s Isobel Brierley History Prize. This prize financed her brief history of the Independent Theatre, an illustrated summary that became the contribution by the Friends of the Independent Theatre to North Sydney Council’s Centenary of Federation celebrations. Carolyn’s community work for the performing arts and community was recognised with a Centenary Medal, a Citizenship Award in 2000 and an Award in the Order of Australia in 2002. Photo above: Rodney Seaborn, Carolyn Lowry, Genia McCaffrey, Peter Lowry and past NSHS President Brian Evesson.

Topic: Dame Doris Fitton – Independent Woman of Theatre Dame Doris Fitton (1897-1985) was a Sydney-based actress and artistic director of the Independent Theatre, North Sydney. Her remarkable theatrical career spanned half a century. Although well recognised in her lifetime, her contribution to the cultural life of Sydney and beyond has been gradually marginalised. At our October meeting, Carolyn Lowry will present details about this remarkable woman and outline her main achievements in the theatrical world.

Welcome new members - Julie Wigney, Paul Budde

At the Annual General Meeting 8th September 2016 the following Office Bearers were elected: -

President Geoff Huntington

Vice Presidents Vilma Bowers, Don Napper

Treasurer Don Napper

Secretary Gaynor Austen

Guest Speaker Organiser Vilma Bowers

Publicity Barvara Hush

Committee Persons Susan Wade and Alex Mattea

October Outing

Tour of the Balls Head Coal Loader Thursday 27th October- 10am to 12 noon. Council historian Dr. Ian Hoskins will be conducting the tour of the Balls Head Coal Loader, Waverton.

Make your own way to the Coal Loader site. Sturdy footwear suggested. This is a great follow-up to the

Coal Loader DVD we presented at our September AGM. Meet at the Coal Loader at 10.00am.

If interested in attending please put your name down on booking sheet at October meeting or email

NorthShoreHS@hotmail.com

Luna Park Self-guided Tour

Many of our members enjoyed the Society’s tour of Luna Park earlier this year.

Now, for those who may have missed out, or for those wanting to experience it all again, Luna Park has

produced a digital self-guided visual and audio-book tour of the Park site. As you follow the tour, you will

be able to compare images from the past with what you now see, including moving images of a ride on the

old Big Dipper. There are scenes from above, and inside the Crystal Palace, an interview with the resident

artist, and a behind-the scenes look in the kitchen with the resident chef.

The digital tour can be hired for $10 for a 3-hour period at the Luna Park Merchandise Shop at the site, or it

can be purchased for $50. You can find out more at http://www.lunaparksydney.com/digital-tour

Members should note that there is also a DVD about Luna Park available for loan from the Stanton Library.

Membership subscriptions are now due.

Amount is $12 per person for 12 months

Pay October meeting or post cheque to PO Box 399 North Sydney 2059 EFT details:

North Shore Historical Society Inc; Bank = St. George; BSB = 112879; Account = 039538385 Please ensure your surname and payment purpose are included in the transaction details

in order for us to identify you and the reason for the payment.

For your diary -Christmas Afternoon Tea

Saturday 26th November 2-4pm Don Bank Museum, 6 Napier Street, North Sydney.

Speaker Dr. Ian Hoskins “A history of Don Bank” Cost only $25.00 per person

Wading through the Archives Susan Wade

Interesting and Entertaining Snippets about Trams in

North Sydney early last century Horse 1, tram nil –

At the end of August 1918 the Tramway Traffic Manager wrote to the North Sydney Town Clerk bringing to

his notice that at 8.40 p.m. a tram came into collision with a stray horse when approaching the Bruce Street

stopping place in Lane Cove. The spot was very dark and the horse not observed by the driver. Damage was

done to the tram car but the horse did not appear injured and galloped away. The Tramway Manager

requested the Council keep this nuisance abated. The Town Clerk’s response was “stray stock is under

constant supervision, and the Impounding Officer keeps a very vigilant look-out, but it is quite possible that

occasionally a stray animal may escape his notice”.

Opal Card needed - A request was made in September 1918 for the Office of the Commissioners of the Railways & Tramways to

consider a system for transfer of tickets to enable passengers to continue their journey after changing

tramcars without being called upon to pay additional fares. They replied that the request had received

careful consideration at various times, but as considerable additional expense would be involved in

establishing such a ticketing system, it was regretted that the request could not be agreed to.

Milsons Point- the front door to the opposite shore- In October 1918 the Town Clerk wrote to the Railway Commissioners asking for a convenient time for a

deputation from North Sydney Council to discuss their resolution “That with a view of beautifying Milson’s

Point, the front door of the Northern Suburbs – steps be taken to secure the demolition of the unsightly

hoarding adjoining the Railway and Tramway property, and that an endeavour be made to have a garden

plot installed in its place.”

Waiting seat not waiting around –

Mr. Albert Lea of Lane Cove Road complained to the Tramways Superintendent’s Office in September 1919

of the great annoyance caused nightly by persons making use of the tramway waiting seat in front of his

residence. The Traffic Manager noted that the seat was initially placed adjacent to the Public School in

Rocklands Road from where it had been removed by an unauthorised person. He requested approval from

the North Sydney Council to have the seat secured to timber placed in the footpath in its original position.

Sydney Tramway Museum photo: Pacific Highway and Rocklands Road, 1958 and today

Another request for a Bridge - In correspondence dated 1st October 1919, the North Sydney Council wrote to the Office of the Railway

and Tramway Commissioners requesting they support Council’s resolution “that the Railway

Commissioners be requested to facilitate the erection of a bridge across the Harbour to link up with the

Railways and Tramways communications with the Northern, Southern and other Branches of the Railway

service.”

Fowl houses foul -

The District Superintendent of the N.S.W. Government Tramways wrote in July 1921 complaining that in

Ben Boyd Road the back yards of residences on the northern side of Military Rd run back to the dividing

fences of the Tramway Depot. These properties have two fowl houses against the dividing fence, within

four feet of the Office windows. He stated there are a number of Clerks engaged in these office, and the

smell arising from these fowl-houses was most offensive. The Council Health Officer responded that he

would serve notices on the occupiers.

Yearning for an awning –

In March 1923 the Mayor of North Sydney wrote to the Office of the Commissioners requesting the

provision of a shelter awning for passengers in front of the Town Hall in Albert Street. Their response was

that a count of the number of passengers alighting from trams at this point averaged one passenger per

trip and as shops in this vicinity were in the course of erecting awnings it was considered an unnecessary

expense for the Railways and Tramways to provide the requested awning.

Never on a Sunday –

The Traffic Manager of the Tramways Mr. E. S. Doran wrote to the Mayor of North Sydney Mr. G.T. Clarke

in April 1923 admonishing him about his complaint of the discontinuance of the Sunday trams to Balmoral

Beach in winter when very few people travel to and from the beaches. He also noted the Mayor requested

a through tram from Milson’s Point to Balmoral Beach, as service required for the convenience of bathers

living between Milson’s Point and Ridge Street, as they preferred Balmoral Beach to Lavender Bay.

Balmoral Tram on trial – Mr Doran stated that the timetable for travel to Balmoral was bought into force in March 1922 and

discontinued in April 1923, during which 144 trips were run carrying 543 passengers to Balmoral, an

average of 3.77 passengers per trip. “The policy of the Commissioners is to give reasonable facilities and

direct services to residents in out-lying districts to reach various beaches and in order to improve matters

approval has been given for direct connections between trams running from Lane Cove and Chatswood”.

He went on to say it was intended in the near future to re-lay and re-grade the Falcon Street junction and

have it ready for next summer,

and also provide Milson Point

residents with a through service

to Balmoral Beach and give it a

reasonable trial next season.

Last days of the North Sydney to

Balmoral Beach line 1958. Photo

from Flickr- unknown

photographer