CUDGEGONG VALLEY HISTORY Area Covered Apple Tree Flat, Ben Bullen, Beryl, Biraganbil, Bocoble, Bogie, Botobolar, Breakfast, Creek, Brogan's Creek, Broombee, Budgee Budgee, Bungaba, Burrendong, Bylong, Camboon, Canadian Lead, Capertee, Cassilis, Charbon, Cherry Tree Hill, Clandulla, Collingwood, Cook's Gap, Cooyal, Crudine, Cudgegong, Cullen Bullen, Cullenbone, Cumbandry, Erudgere, Eurunderee, Excelsior, Frog Rock, Glen Alice, Glen Davis, Goolma, Grattai, Green Gully, Growee Gulph, Gulgong, Hargraves, Hayes Gap, Home Rule, Ilford, Kain's Flat, Kandos, Kangaroo Flat, Lahey's Creek, Lue, Mebul, Meroo, Moolarben, Mount Vincent, Mudgee, Mullamuddy, Narrango, Nullo Mountain, Olinda, Piambong, Pinnacle Swamp, Putta Bucca, Pyramul, Round Swamp, Running Stream, Rylstone, Sally's Flat, St Filans, Stubbo, Tallawang, Turill, Twelve Mile, Two Mile Flat, Ulan, Widden, Wilbetree, Windeyer, Wollar, Wyaldra, Yarrabin, Yarrawonga.
Mudgee Centenary 1921 Mudgee’s spectacular 1921 Centenary celebrations ran for a week and included attractions rarely seen in the district. Full story begins page 3.
Shoot Out at Hefron’s Hole In the 1840s, Hellfire Tom and Cursed Jack repeatedly robbed stations and travellers on the district’s roads. At Hefron’s Hole, their luck ended. Full story begins page 15.
CULTURAL SENSITIVITY WARNING Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that this newsletter contains images and names of deceased persons
Cudgegong Valley History Spring 2021
Contents Mudgee Centenary 1921
3
Young Boy Saves Young Boys
11
Image Copyright
12
Researching - How to improve your skills
13
Wiki Migration
14
Shoot Out at Hefron’s Hole
15
Local History Quiz
17
Quiz Answers
18
Index
19
From the Editor This is the first newsletter in this format for Cudgegong Valley History. I purchased, on super Covid special, a software suite which included publishing software. Creating a newsletter for Cudgegong Valley History is an excellent test for the program.
Time permitting, I am hoping to have two issues each year. Articles for inclusion in future issues, of 300-500 words, relating to the district are welcome. Please email RTF files to fiona@fionasuniverse.com
I am still learning the new program. I hope you will forgive errors. Join Cudgegong Valley History on Facebook and see the website at fionasuniverse.com
Back page photographs: Centenary Memorial now in Lawson Park 2021 © Cudgegong Valley History 2
Cudgegong Valley History Spring 2021
Mudgee Centenary 1921 Planning for the Mudgee Centenary celebrations began early in 1920. Locals were asked to help with organising the celebrations for “the honor and glory of the town and for the profit and advancement of the town and district”.
They formed one vast committee, with elected officials, a general committee and an executive committee to plan a week of celebrations to not forget. They elected over one hundred and fifty subcommittee members to organise such things as publicity, finance, reception, sports, decorations, entertainment, procession, and jazz. Not a bad effort for a town with a population of 3000 people.
One organiser, Mr C D Smith, said, “prosperous, progressive up-to-date Mudgee is going to have the best, biggest, brightest Centenary celebrations in Sunny New South Wales”. The celebrations were popular amongst all walks of life. Everyone was proud to be associated with the town.
Above: The front page of the 108 page Mudgee Centenary Souvenir booklet.
People believed the celebrations would give visitors an opportunity to consider making the district their permanent home. 3
Well-known local identities formed the Official Committee. Mr V D Cox was President, Mr J H Marks Treasurer and Mr R Dobie Bawden Hon. Secretary.
They planned the celebrations to coincide with three show days and included two race days. This brought the celebrations forward eight months from the centenary of when Blackman arrived in the area, but
the organisers believed running it alongside the thirty-ninth annual show would be a better promotion for the district.
To alleviate this they expected hotels to offer more accommodation along their balconies and to erect marquees to house the influx of visitors. They placed advertisements in the local paper asking anyone who could accommodate people in their houses or in tents to contact the committee.
They advertised the event throughout Australia. Local and national newspapers printed regular updates for twelve months before the celebrations. The Centenary Committee arranged for a booklet to be published to celebrate the centenary. It contained photographs and details relating to the local area. After the event, they sent large quantities of booklets around Australia and to major newspapers in London. These booklets served as excellent publicity for the district for many years. This booklet is now freely available online through the National Library of Australia.
Above: Notice. Mudgee Guardian 6 January 1921.
The Centenary Celebration Committee requested the Department of Education send a drill instructor to help train the primary school children for a display during centenary week. They agreed to this and sent an instructor, George Davies, who arrived in early February to train the children and to assist their teachers.
In September 1920, the Committee wrote to Council requesting Council change the name of River Park to Lawson Park to honour William Lawson. The federal government offered an exhibition of World War One trophies to Mudgee during centenary week. Relics and official war photographs associated with units with Mudgee district connections were to be a feature. The Centenary Committee decided the expense of freighting the exhibits to and from Mudgee from Melbourne to be beyond their means and declined the offer.
The committee planned a Bush Week, where they prepared a display of the district’s products in a city shop window. The centenary’s slogan was “Meet at Mudgee in March”. The committee realised accommodation would be at a premium during the celebrations.
Schools, government offices and banks were closed for part of the 4
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week during the celebrations.
Mudgee during the celebrations.
A large contingent of police from Flight Commander A Pentland Hargraves, Windeyer, Wollar, flew an Avro over Mudgee during Rylstone, the Dunedoo, celebrations. Lithgow, Flights used Bathurst and Austin’s Perthville aerodrome, patrolled North Shore, Mudgee during Mudgee. The Centenary Avro had Week. Neither already been in visitors nor Mudgee in locals 1918 as seen committed any in the photo major crimes above. Above: Avro landing at Mudgee 1918. during the Mudgee Centenary Souvenir, p. 85. Other aircraft week. The were in police made a Mudgee during the centenary. half dozen arrests for drunk and These planes operated from disorderly behaviour. Arthur Smith’s property, Holyoak. Mudgee considered itself to be a People could book flights for £2 hub for the developing aviation for short joy flights. Longer flights industry in New South Wales. At could be arranged. least two local landing fields were available for aircraft to use during Colourful streamers decorated the the Centenary. town. Red, white and blue being the most widely used, although The Diggers’ Co-operative combinations of blue and gold Aviation Co from Wellington featured around the town. proposed to have planes at
Above: Unveiling the Memorial Obelisk. Sydney Morning Herald, 14 March, 1921, p. 1. 5
Every available flagpole in town had flags attached. They hung prominently throughout the town. Thousands of small flags were everywhere. Businesses and private residences decorated their walls with flags and pictures and signs, many saying “Welcome Home”. After dark, thousands of lights shone in the town. Glass flood lights lit up the front of Kelletts’ store. Displayed in the window was a pair of Wellington boots purchased from Kelletts’ by George Bax in 1860. Former Mudgeeites living in New South Wales returned for the festivities. Everyone enjoyed the opportunity to reunite with family and friends while in Mudgee. The week attracted large numbers of “foreigners”, or people who had no connection to the town. The weather for the event was perfect. Mudgee was experiencing a brilliant season. As one wit said, “They came, saw and were conquered.” The thousands of people visiting Mudgee could buy cheap rail fares which were on offer during the centenary. Special trains ran from Lithgow to Mudgee each day during the celebrations. The overcrowded overnight trains from Sydney arrived in Mudgee with tired and cold, but eager, passengers. The celebrations began 6
with church services. They held a united Protestant centenary service in the Town Hall. Bishop Long from Bathurst conducted the service. The Salvation Army Silver Band accompanied the hymns. St Mary’s Church held a special service with Rev John Hall, president of St Stanislaus’ College Bathurst, delivering the sermon. Two large parties of aboriginals, one from Tomingley and one from the Burra Ba Dee aboriginal station at Coonabarabran, arrived and held a corroboree in Lawson Park. The groups gave exhibitions of spear and boomerang throwing and step dancing. The civic recognition of the centenary and welcome to visitors ceremony occurred outside the Town Hall. At 12 midday, the bells of the town rang as one proclaiming the century old existence of Mudgee. Mayor Knight welcomed visitors to the town. Cudgegong Mayor May
Above: Roasting a Bullock in Lawson Park Sydney Mail 23 March 1921.
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also welcomed visitors, as did Ald Bond, President Meroo Shire. Right Rev Dr Long, Anglican Bishop of Bathurst also spoke.
Mr L A Saunders, President Country Promotions League, said the celebrations showed city people the potential of the country.
Senator BrigGen Cox said having people work together as they had to organise the celebration made the nation great.
Organisers arranged for a bullock to be roasted whole in Lawson Park, Above: Unveiling the Obelisk. for the visiting Sydney Mail 16 March 1921, p. 5. aboriginal groups. They served a portion Mr W G Ashford, M.L.A. wanted of the bullock on the day they the people who had created cooked it. They put the remainder Mudgee town to be recognised. of the bullock into a freezer while still hot. When they went to serve Mr J A Clarke, M.L.A., stated the it next day, they found it had gone destiny of Mudgee was in the off and was inedible. hands of the people as to whether the town became a city or not. The The first day of centenary week area had the resources to saw Coonabarabran and Mudgee succeed. cricket clubs playing a match at Victoria Sports Ground. Six
Above: Three cheers for Lawson at the obelisk unveiling. Sydney Mail 16 March 1921. 7
interstate players were playing with the two teams. Mudgee won the match.
Lincoln, and Corriedale being shown. The Mudgee Centenary Carnival ran each day in Robertson Park. Tents packed the park. Attractions for young and old operated all week.
The Mudgee Show proved to be the perfect shop window for the district. The centenary show had 2340 entries, which was a record. A record crowd attended the show during the three days.
There were twenty six side shows in Robertson Park. They included Giggleville, Crazy Cottage, Portable Dance Floor, Razzle Dazzle Merry-go-round, Houp La, Duck Pond, Indian Dance, Shooting Gallery, Chocolate Wheels, Confetti Stalls, and Dainty Refreshments.
Minister for Agriculture, Mr Dunn, opened the show. As he declared the show open, he expressed his concern with the number of country people moving to the city. He considered this drift to be dangerous for rural communities in New South Wales. The show featured exhibits of minerals from the Mudgee district, from Tallawang to Coonabarabran. They included lead, silver, galena, iron, talc, gold, tin, aragonite, limestone, pottery clay, and polished marble and slates.
Admission to the park was free. The amusements were pay-as-youenter.
Above: The Memorial Obelisk. Sydney Mail 16 March 1921.
People jazz danced on a designated dance floor in the park.
Mr Walter Hawkins was the marshall of the procession, which occurred on Thursday. The streets filled with 1000s of spectators as the procession marched through town to the memorial obelisk in Post Office Square.
There were twenty grape classes. The show featured at least ten different varieties of grapes. Some were as big as pigeon eggs. The sheep section featured a variety of sheep, with merino, 8
Four mounted police and the town band led the procession. People
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representing early explorers and their aboriginal guides on horses followed.
presented Mr Cramp with a miniature gold replica of the obelisk.
A group of aboriginals carrying boomerangs, nullas and wooden spears were next.
The Lawson memorial, made from Bowral trachyte, stood 16 feet tall and included a medallion head of William Lawson. The memorial cost £400. The monument was lit by four electric lamps.
Next in the cavalcade came vehicles carrying politicians who represented the district and president of the Royal Historical Society, among others.
On the front of the obelisk and on the right and left faces of the die were the following inscriptions: — Motor vehicles carried many “To commemorate the district pioneers. These included achievement of Lieutenant William the names Gawthorne, Wilson, Lawson, who was the first to Large, Hume, traverse the site of Blackman, Phillips, Mudgee and to Turner, Russell, explore the country Rheinberger, Baker, beyond.” “Also to Mogg, Tomkins, commemorate James Harper, Jennings, Blackman, Meers, Talbot, Superintendent of Honeysett, and Bathurst, who first Rowell. discovered the Cudgegong River and Several societies took traced its source to the part in the procession. vicinity of Mudgee.” They included A H A “Also to commemorate Guild, Protestant George and Henry Alliance, Manchester Cox and William Unity, and Oddfellows, Lawson, the pioneer Above: Base of Obelisk. The scouts and Sydney Mail 16 March 1921 settlers of the Mudgee Mudgee Fire Brigade district.” Above the took part. inscription of the front die is the legend, “Mudgee, 1821Traditional subjects, such as 1921,” and above that again a Father Time, bushrangers, and a bronze medallion of Lieut. kangaroo, appeared in the Lawson, while upon the procession. corresponding faces, are symbolical representations of The procession made its way to agriculture, mining, and the wool Post Office Square at the industry, the drawings for which intersection of Market and Perry were made by Mr. Stewart Allen. streets. Here, Mr K R Cramp, president of the Royal Historical Members of the fire brigade Society of NSW unveiled a received long-service medals in a memorial obelisk. Officials 9
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special presentation after the unveiling.
and Advance Australia Fair. Various district groups nominated their representative for the Mudgee Centenary Queen. Rural industries group nominated Miss Ame Mills, Lawson Creek; hospital, railway, etc, nominated Miss Ivy Rope, Mudgee; Returned Soldiers’ Patriotic Association nominated Miss Pearl Kennedy, Mudgee.
After many speeches, the unveiling finished with the National Anthem. Over 5000 people were present for the unveiling. The procession, which had halted at Post Office Square for the unveiling, then proceeded to the show grounds to see an open Centenary Bicycle Handicap run. Equestrian, sheep and dog trials and novel competitions were also run.
They announced the Mudgee Centenary Queen from the basement of the Town Hall on Saturday night. Pearl Kennedy secured 8758 votes, Ivy Rope 6567 votes and Ame Mills 2672 votes. A large crowd enthusiastically applauded as they declared Miss Pearl Kennedy Mudgee’s Centenary Queen.
Dignitaries from far and wide attended the official luncheon, which was held at the show ground. Many made eloquent speeches congratulating the organisers of the centenary.
Johnston and Carmichael hoisted the winner’s flag to the top of the masthead and everyone sang For She’s a Jolly Good Fellow. The Queen contest raised £459.
Thursday night’s carnival included a baby show. Seventeen babies entered. The two Sydney based judges selected Neville Fitzsimmons for the major prize and Reg Wills received a special prize.
A dedication ceremony occurred at the historic camping tree at Meenah, along with the unveiling of a memorial tablet on the tree. The tree was on the property of Mr & Mrs A H K McKenzie about three miles from Mudgee. The tablet was made from Mudgee slate. The inscription on the tablet was: “Camping Tree. Under this tree the first settlers of the Mudgee district, George and Henry Cox, camped 12th February 1822. Dedicated to the general public by Mrs McKenzie, granddaughter of Henry Cox. 12.3.1921”.
Friday was Children’s Day and involved children who attended the town and district schools. They held a sports carnival in the morning. After lunch, the children, who had spent several weeks being drilled by George Davies, gave a creditable display. The display included gymnastics and may pole dancing. Friday night saw the children hold a concert in the Alhambra Theatre. It included performances of Auld Lang Syne, God Save the King
Continued on page 17 10
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Young Boy Saves Young Boys On Sunday 30th January 1909, after a long dry spell, storm cells brought heavy rain to parts of the district. In Mudgee, the residential blocks around the showground suffered flood damage. The space between Victoria Park and the sports oval had two feet deep water rushing through it. Water inundated Denison Street from Perry Street to Douro. Water uprooted trees and washed fences away. The storms continued eastwards and deluged the headwaters of Lawson Creek which became an angry torrent.
around the neck, dragging him under the water. Eric brought both boys to safety. Two other boys dived in to help, but they got into difficulties in the raging water. Eric yelled to the two in the water to swim toward a willow downstream. The two boys grabbed the willow as they passed, this allowed them to be safely rescued. Thomas Ambler was so grateful to Eric he arranged for a gold medal, engraved with the words “True as Steel”, to be presented to Eric to thank him for saving the boys. Thomas arranged for the District School Inspector to present the medal on his behalf to Eric at Mudgee District School.
Being a Sunday allowed a group of local Lue school boys to walk along the creek to watch the flood waters. Eleven-year-old Ernest Ambler, son of Thomas and Clara, and nine-year-old Dick Ryan were amongst the group playing on the creek bank. Both boys lost their footing, falling into the raging water and carried downstream.
The Ryan family showed their appreciation by presenting Eric with an engraved watch a few days later in Lue. Eric Lue Young enlisted in the Expeditionary Force in August 1914, returning to Australia in February 1919. While in England he married Winifred Grace Snell. The couple had two children, Jack and Win. Eric Lue Cavin died in 1974.
Eric Lue Cavin Young, son of Lue School teacher Samuel Cavin Young, saw the boys in distress and dived in, still dressed in his best clothes. Ernest could swim, but Dick could not. Dick grabbed Eric 11
Image Copyright People often disregard the rights of the copyright owner when dealing with images. People regularly steal images from websites and use them illegally. They regard image copyright as unimportant and “it’s just a photo. What’s the problem?”
Stealing photos from the internet is just plain theft. Some online photos can be used, but you must check what licence they are operating under. Sites such as Unsplash.com and flickr.com offer licence information and the allowed usage for each image.
Copyright protects intellectual property rights in the same way as patents and trademarks.
Some licences are: • Royalty Free These are not free images. The copyright owner charges a one-off fee to use the image. Free use of the image for additional projects is allowed.
It gives copyright owners the exclusive right to: • Reproduce the image • Prepare other works based on the original
Creative Commons Image Licence
• Distribute copies to the public
1. CC-BY Image can only be used with attribution, i.e., the name of the creator
• Display the copyrighted work publicly Copyright is protected until seventy years after the death of the copyright owner.
2. CC-BY-SA Must have creator attribution and the same licence must be attached to any resulting work
Copyright on photos taken before 1 January 1955 has expired, as copyright rules were different then.
3. CC-BY-ND Image can be used free of charge but no changes are allowed to be made
Photographic copyright usually belongs to the photographer. If you did not take the photo, you do not have the right to use or duplicate the photo without a licensing agreement with the copyright holder. Owning the camera that took the photograph does not give you copyright. Having the original photograph in your possession does not give you copyright.
4. CC-BY-NC Image cannot be used for commercial use without permission of the copyright owner. This is the most common licence. Copyright on images is free and automatic. No registration or copyright notice is required. Continued on page 14 12
Cudgegong Valley History Spring 2021 Cudgegong Valley History Spring 2021
Researching How to improve your skills by Jeannette McCarthy PgDiploma Genealogical, Palaeographic & Heraldic Studies
Many of us become overwhelmed when researching our family histories. We can hit a brick wall and not know how to break it down. We can also collect so much information it becomes difficult to sort and organise. How many times do we find an important piece of information only to find we’ve repeated a search we undertook months before?
This course teaches core skills in family history to research your ancestors including planning and conducting online research, locating and managing historical data, and writing compelling family histories. https://www.utas.edu.au/ courses/cale/courses/r2h-diplomaof-family-history If your ancestors are primarily from United Kingdom, courses are available from the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland.
There are myriad Youtube videos, websites and blogs that offer hints and tips for family history research and give suggestions and examples of how to organise your research.
This university offers online post graduate courses as well as a short online course to help you develop your research skills. The part-time postgraduate course offers a Certificate, a Diploma and a Masters degree. Each of these courses can be taken in one year or in modules over a number of years. The Masters course is available as a part-time one-year option.
Looking at all these can be confusing. There is another option that can help to improve your skills and that is to undertake an online course run by a genealogy specialist or university. The Society of Australian Genealogists runs a short online course entitled Family History Fundamentals for a small fee. The Society also offers a Certificate in Genealogical Research and a Diploma in Family Historical Studies. https://www.sag.org.au/ StudyOnlineWithUs
The skills learned in these courses provides a thorough grounding in genealogical research, family history, records, archives and heraldry. https://www.strath.ac.uk/ studywithus/ centreforlifelonglearning/ genealogy/ aboutpostgraduategenealogy/
If your ancestors are primarily in Australia, the University of Tasmania offers a Diploma of Family History.
University of Strathclyde also offers a free 6-week course that provides Continued page 14 13
Cudgegong Valley History Spring 2021
Researching
Wiki Migration The Cudgegong Valley History Wiki has ceased to be. The hosting wiki platform used obsolete 2007 software. The operators of the wiki platform decided it was unviable to update the software on the site and closed the entire platform.
Continued from page 13
an introduction to genealogy. Topics include finding and analysing sources, research strategies and an introduction to DNA. You’ll learn the best way to record your research and how to document it for the future. This course is highly recommended. Genealogy: Researching your Family Tree - https:// ww.futurelearn.com/courses/ genealogy?fbclid=IwAR07wjyy2ipuWZjW3jP6_Yh4Q6axQIVq Hk8qqk3UKviy9Oxr5Scp9PnVkY Developing a sound set of research skills can make your research much more time efficient and productive. If it helps to break down that brick wall that’s been annoying you for years, it’s definitely worth it!
This means the information which was on the wiki is no longer readily available. The Cudgegong Valley History Wiki had more than 5000 pages. Many pages held a significant amount of information and, in some cases, information not available elsewhere. A suitable wiki platform, which uses open source software as its base, and is freely available to anyone on the internet, has been located. Knight Foundation is the primary source of funding for the platform. This, combined with the open source software, should ensure its longevity.
Image Copyright Continued from page 12
To avoid infringing photographic copyright you can: • Create your own images
Data from the former Cudgegong Valley History Wiki is available to migrate to the new platform. Migrating the data will be an enormous undertaking. One person can not complete this task in a timely manner. To do so, volunteers are required. Volunteers only need internet access and spare time to help with this project. If this sounds like you, please email me at fiona@fionasuniverse.com
• Use licensed images from Unsplash.com, etc. • Purchase stock photos • Obtain the copyright holder’s permission to use the image. Please respect the intellectual property rights of photographers by not breaching photograph copyright. If you use a photograph you did not take please credit the copyright owner within your text. 14
Cudgegong Valley History Spring 2021
Shoot Out at Hefron’s Hole In the 1840s, a gang of bushrangers terrorised the district. The ringleaders of the group were John McIntyre, alias Cursed Jack, and Thomas Rourke, alias Hellfire Tom.
Bayly’s teams, on Cherry Tree Hill, their luck changed. They made the bullock drivers carry the items they wanted to the top of the range. The thieves destroyed everything they did not want, including furniture and boxes and drawers. They then forced each of the teamsters to drink four pints of wine from the dray, hoping to make them drunk.
In April 1844 they raided Carwell. They arrived when the family and the tutor were having tea. The bushrangers ordered the diners into an adjoining room. They then herded everyone from the surrounding huts into the room with the others and placed a guard outside.
Lyons, Mudgee Mail carrier, rode by as the robbery was in progress. They held him up, too. They stole his horse and made him drink the wine, but he let the wine run under his shirt without the bushrangers realising he didn’t drink any.
The bushrangers then raided the storeroom and took £47 cash; thirty pairs of moleskin trousers; twelve regatta shirts; three check shirts; twelve best waistcoats; twenty silk handkerchiefs; a quantity of tea and sugar; other sundry items; one cream-coloured horse; and a bay pony. They packed the stolen goods onto the Carwell horses and they rode away.
The bushrangers left at 8 p.m., which allowed Lyons to walk to Bowman’s station, where he collected a horse and rode to Mudgee where he arrived around 1 a.m. Mudgee police, who estimated the value of the stolen and destroyed property to be £250, began the chase. They tasked troopers Hodgson and Ormston with the pursuit. They raced to the scene of the crime.
John Nevell, of Carwell, placed advertisements in the Sydney Morning Herald offering a reward of £10 for their capture. The bushrangers continued to hold up and loot stations and travelling drays throughout the district.
Two native Barwin trackers travelling with Henry Bayly’s teams agreed to help the police. They followed their tracks to Bloodsworth’s, near Dabee, where they rested for the night.
They robbed the Bathurst Mail in June 1844 and got away with cash and cheques. In September, when Cursed Jack and Hellfire Tom held up Henry 15
The police and trackers started early the next day. They tracked the bushrangers to Hefron’s Hole, where they saw two horses, one
of which they knew belonged to Lyons, and a man drawing water some distance away.
Captain Chevaul, J.P. and Edward Cox, J.P., conducted an inquest. They found Rourke was a ticketof-leave holder from the Bathurst district.
They charged after the man, but their horses bogged as they tried to cross a swamp to get to him. The police dismounted and ran to the hut where the man entered.
Police recovered Lyon’s horse. The police commended the trackers who tracked the bushrangers over forty miles and helped to locate the stolen property.
As they approached, Rourke ran out armed with a double-barrel shotgun and a brace of pistols as he attempted to reach his horse.
The accomplice was a newly arrived immigrant who had been working as hut keeper for Mr Irwin’s shepherds on Bandanora, where Capertee is now. John Nevell and his brother-in-law, William Hawker apprehended the man.
McIntyre fired a double barrelledrifle through the bark hut at Hodgson, who was only ten paces from the building. McIntyre missed his target. After firing, McIntyre rushed out of the building and into the bush. As it was approaching dark, he made his escape.
The accomplice handed over around £80 and John Nevell’s gold watch. They took him to Round Swamp and handed him over to the police.
The policeman then fired at Rourke one hundred yards away, near the horses. One bullet hit Rourke in the left shoulder. He ran three hundred yards before collapsing. After being taken back to the hut, he died half an hour later.
The police took him to Carwell for identification. After his formal identification, the police escorted him to Bathurst where authorities sentenced him to fifteen years’ imprisonment.
The next day, police found many stolen light articles in the bush around the hut at Hefron’s Hole. The heavy goods were not located. They believed the bushrangers had accomplices near where they committed the robbery, as it was impossible for two horses to have carried the stolen property.
John and William refused the reward. The police accepting it instead. The horses were located and returned to Carwell. They did not find the clothing McIntyre continued his depredations with various accomplices until at least 1846, when he and another robbed travellers at Meadow Flat, east of Bathurst. Both escaped.
The police took Rourke’s corpse to Edward Cox’s station, where 16
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Local History Quiz 1. When was the first flour milled at the Gulgong Flour Mill? 2. When and where was the first meeting held which established the Mudgee Historical Society? 3. Who purchased Thomas Whitford’s mercery and clothing business in Church Street Mudgee in 1938? 4. When did Mudgee’s automatic telephone exchange commence and who threw the switch? 5. What year did Mudgee Abattoir begin processing livestock? 6. W W Armstrong attempted to grow which crop in the Rylstone district in the late 1840s? 7. Who drowned while attempting to cross the Cudgegong River at Slasher’s Flat in July 1874? 8. What fuel did Hubert Butler, Mudgee-Cassilis mail driver use to power the mail car during World War Two? 9. Name the couple who were the first to be married in the new St Stephen’s Church, Hargraves, in 1903? 10. How much did tickets in the Back Stalls at Kandos Theatre and Mudgee Theatre cost in 1952?
1921 Centenary of nominations. Total prize money was £230.
Continued from page 10
The celebrations included a popular centenary ball in the artistically decorated Mechanic’s Institute. Wilkinson and Dutton supervised the dancing while Knight’s Orchestra provided the music. Mr Lawler, from Sydney, provided the catering.
As part of the celebrations, the Bishop of Bathurst opened a hostel for girls at Bleak House. Two hundred and fifty people attended the opening. It housed 30 girls, most of whom attended Mudgee High School. The girls living in the hostel travelled from between Coonabarabran and Portland.
The Mudgee Race Club arranged for two days of racing during Centenary Week. Saturday and Monday each held five races. They received an extensive field
Continued on page 18 17
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1921 Centenary
Quiz Answers 1. July 1913. (Mudgee Guardian 11 March 1963). 2. Tuesday 14 April 1964 at the Mudgee Town Hall. (Mudgee Guardian 17 April 1964). 3. Cyril Blowes. (http://nla.gov.au/ nla.news-article162502271). 4. 1964 Mayor E G Moufarrige. (Mudgee Guardian 21 September 1964, p. 1). 5. 1965. (Mudgee Guardian 2 April 1965, p. 2).
Above: Bishop Long opening the Girls Hostel at Bleak House. Sydney Mail 23 March 1921
6. Tobacco. (http://nla.gov.au/ nla.news-article17098542). 7. Dr Simon Belinfante. (http:// nla.gov.au/nla.news-article145065200).
Continued from page 17
Everyone considered the event to be a success. Financially the committee was left with a debt at the end of the celebrations. The committee spent £1700 and received income of £1200. Donations of £370 reduced the shortfall to £130. One thousand unsold booklets remained in stock.
8. Charcoal with a charcoal gas burner. The charcoal was made by Mr G Carr and sons of Murragamba. (Chimney in the Forest. Belle Roberts, p. 8). 9. Samuel Cassidy and Emily E H Mills. (http://nla.gov.au/nla.newsarticle157570142).
Representations were made to Mudgee, Cudgegong and Meroo Shires to liquidate the deficit out of Council funds. All refused to assist. The Shires indicated it was up to the businesses who had benefited from the event, to pay the outstanding money.
10. 3/6 at Mudgee. 4/4 at Kandos. (http://nla.gov.au/nla.newsarticle156437541)nla.gov.au/nla.newsarticle145065200). 8. Charcoal with a charcoal gas burner. The charcoal was made by Mr G Carr and sons of Murragamba. (Chimney in the Forest. Belle Roberts, p. 8).
Mudgee Shire purchased £25 worth of centenary booklets which they onsold. The Mudgee Agricultural Society gave the committee £20. Various individuals made small donations to finally whittle away the debt.
9. Samuel Cassidy and Emily E H Mills. (http://nla.gov.au/nla.newsarticle157570142). 10. 3/6 at Mudgee. 4/4 at Kandos. (http://nla.gov.au/nla.newsarticle156437541) 18
Cudgegong Valley History Spring 2021
Index A Aboriginals 6 Accommodation 4 Avro 5 B Bathurst Mail 15 Bush Week 4 C Certificate in Genealogical Research 13 Copyright 12 Cudgegong Valley History Wiki 14 D Diggers’ Co-operative Aviation Co 5 Diploma in Family Historical Studies 13 Diploma of Family History. 13 E Expeditionary Force 11 J Joy flights 5 K Knight’s Orchestra 17 M Mudgee Agricultural Society 18 Mudgee Historical Society 17 P People Allen, Mr Stewart 9 Ambler, Ernest 11 Ambler, Thomas and Clara 11 Armstrong, W W 17 Ashford, Mr W G M.L.A. 7 Bawden, Mr R Dobie 3 Bax, George 6 Bayly, Henry 15 Blackman, James 9 Bloodsworth 15 Bond, Ald 7 Butler, Hubert 17 Carmichael 10 Chevaul, Captain 16 Clarke, Mr J A. M.L.A. 7 Cox, Edward 16 Cox, George 9 Cox, Henry 9 Cox, Mr V D 3 Cox, Senator Brig-Gen 7 Cramp, Mr K R 9 Cursed Jack 15. See Also People, McIntyre, John Davies, George 10 Dunn, Mr 8 Dutton 17 Fitzsimmons, Neville 10 Hall, Rev John 6 Hawker, William 16
Hellfire Tom 15. See Also People, Rourke, Thomas Hodgson 15–16 Johnston 10 Kennedy, Miss Pearl 10 Knight, Mayor 6 Lawler, Mr 17 Lawson, William 4 Long, Bishop 6 Lyons 15 Marks, Mr J H 3 May. Mayor 6 McIntyre, John 15–16 McKenzie, Mr & Mrs A H K 10 Mills, Miss Ame 10 Nevell, John 15–16 Ormston 15 Pentland, Commander A 5 Rope, Miss Ivy 10 Rourke, Thomas 15–16 Ryan, Dick 11 Smith, Arthur 5 Smith, Mr C D 3 Snell, Winifred Grace 11 Whitford, Thomas 17 Wilkinson 17 Wills, Reg 10 Young, Eric Lue Cavan 11 Young, Samuel Cavin 11 Places 17 Alhambra Theatre 10 Austin’s aerodrome 5 Bandanora 16 Barwin 15 Bathurst 5–7, 9, 15–17 Bleak House 17 Bowman’s station 15 Bowral 9 Burra Ba Dee 6 Camping Tree 10 Capertee 16 Carwell 15–16 Cherry Tree Hill 15 Coonabarabran 6, 8, 17 Cudgegong 6, 18 Cudgegong River 9, 17 Dabee 15 Denison Street 11 Douro STtreet 11 Dunedoo 5 England 11 Hargraves 1, 5, 17 Hefron’s Hole 15–16 Kandos 17 Kelletts 6 Lawson Creek 10–11 Lawson Park 4, 6–7 Lithgow 5 Lue 11 Lue School 11 19
Meadow Flat 16 Mechanic’s Institute 17 Meenah 10 Melbourne 4 Meroo Shire 7 Meroo 18 Mudgee 1, 3–11, 15, 17–18 Mudgee Abattoir 17 Mudgee District School 11 Mudgee Shire 18 Mudgee-Cassilis mail 17 North Shore 5 Perry Street 11 Perthville 5 Portland 17 Post Office Square 10 River Park 4 Round Swamp 16 Rylstone 1, 5, 17 St Mary’s Church 6 St Stanislaus’ College 6 St Stephen’s Church 17 Sydney 6 Tallawang 8 Tomingley 6 Town Hall 6, 10 Victoria Park 11 Windeyer 5 Wollar 5 R Returned Soldiers’ Patriotic Association 10 Royal Historical Society of NSW 9 Royalty Free 12 S Salvation Army Silver Band 6 Society of Australian Genealogists 13 U University of Strathclyde 13 University of Tasmania 13
