HURSTVILLE and ST GEORGE Page 2

  Thursday, January 29, 2009 04:11:13 PM

Baltimore Dating Service

James Oatley first grant of land was 470 acres in Snugborough Park now known as Beverly Hills. The next 300 acres he was given was at Oatley. His last land grant was 40 acres at south of  Hurstville.

We have remembered him with naming the suburb and parks in his memory. He was buried on his farm near King Georges Road Beverly Hills near the intersection of Pallamana Parade and Ponyara Street Beverly Hills.

The roads were terrible and so Forest Road was eventually built. Captain John Townson's sold to  Lord  Simeon whom in 1829 purchased Kingsgrove. The St George area although close to Sydney was inaccessible, as there was no bridge over the Cook's River.

Many of the streets in Hurstville are named after the original inhabitants and their children. Dora, MacMahon, Timothy, Beatrice, Patrick, Moore, to name a few. His  Dalcassia estate went from Dora, MacMahon, to Stoney Creek Road. This took place around 1884. The Hurstville Historical Society have laid a foundation stone outside the Council Chambers in Mac Mahon Street Hurstville.

Patrick McMahon arrived in 1854 on the "Caroline " and he married Dora McDonagh 1857.

Hurst, is a small grove of trees, or wooded hill, which this district was commonly known for its forests. Ville, is a settlement or a group of houses.

Hurstville's first public school was establish in 1876 and still stands in the same spot today in Forest Road, Hurstville. In 1916 the first Technical classes for older students began. 1916 saw the first Junior Technical College opened and this was used by a wide area of students.

The St George area boasts of some of the most incredible sports people, with the likes of Jack Brabham, Ken Rosewall, Eddie Charlton, Brian Booth, Ray Lindwall, Bill O'Reilly Don Bradman got some of his greatest scores here.

The first sporting grounds were Chappelow's paddock now the site of the old brickworks in Hurstville.. Hurstville oval was opened September 23 1911. This oval is the one of the most outstanding fields in Australia.  True credit must be given to the groundsmen of Hurstville Council for the fine upkeep of this attraction today.

In 1908 St George produces a district Rugby club. The St George Ruby Union club was commenced in 1908 in St Joseph's at Arncliffe. Although Marist Bros is also named in several sources that is where it began. The first settlers in St George were Shell gatherers Charcoal Burners, Timber-getters. Their homes were mainly shanties and their spare time was trying to buy grog from the sly grog shops, and then drinking it.

Timber was the booming industry in this area and was used for the roof shingles the houses, furniture, fencing and ballast for the ships to return to England. Bulli was being mined for coal and the only way to Sydney was the shipping industry and as  there were  no wharves in the area this  was extremely difficult to transport. It took a further 20 years for the haggling to stop to get some action...some things don't change do there. Where is our next International Airport going to be???

Hurstville Arcade 1934

The railways solved many problems with colony and brought increased land values along the route. The first trains were powered by steam. Electrification was introduced to the citizens of the St George district in 1926.

1920 Rockdale, Bexley Hurstville joined up to give us the St George County Council,  Australia's first. 1980 it was taken over by the Sydney County Council, but not without an almighty struggle against it.

War Memorial Forest Road Hurstville with the Railway behind. On the 22nd October 1840 the firtst train arrived at Hurstville. At that time the population was 153, I guess it seemed like the back of Bourke. Thank goodness for the railway as it has made it what it is today. 140,000 people pass through the station each day, (October 2004)

Our first power was given to the residents in 1923 on the 9th March. Local Government commenced for Hurstville on the 28 March 1887. George Leeder was the first Town Clerk, with Alexander Milsop as our First Mayor. Their first major project was the punt to be built at Lugarno, at the grand cost of $2000.00 and the State tossed in $50.00 a mile... wow..

Newspaper enjoyed by the residents were the  St George Observer and St George Advocate in 1890. 1911 the Hurstville Propeller followed  by the  St George Express. Funnily enough some are still in production today. Our wonderful St George Leader is the best in the Country. I say that with no hesitation. The awards bestowed upon them prove it.

Once things became more official, organised Publican Licences were issued to Thomas Kelsey, in 1850. He owned the Man of Kent, and there today in Kingsgrove Road and Morris St, near Kingsgrove Public School there lies the stone still visible verifying its presence of its past existence. 

Blue Post Hotel 1925

Stood in a weathered board building opposite Hurstville Public School. This was also the first polling place for the first Council's election in 1887.

In 1880 the first bus service was introduced from Hurstville to Newtown, owned by Daniel Tracy, later on Charles Fripp ran it. Up till then the only way thought was through Enfield. Sir Thomas Mitchell was given the task of providing better roads over the Cook's River at Tempe to Lugarno,  Heathcote and down to Bulli. Now we know of this as Forest Road.  

In 1884 the Illawarra Railway Line came to Hurstville and then it became the fastest growing populated areas bringing with prosperity. Alfred Gannon Michael Gannon's son welcomed the train into Hurstville. Local population was 6,533.