Gresford News November 2014

G resford News • November

The

2014, p 18

q Gresford District Historical Society r Pender & Foster’s - Allyn river timbertown

Pender & Foster’s timbertown on the Upper Allyn. Courtesy Grace Lister

W

W2 saw the State forests opened up as the war effort and restrictions on imported softwoods had created a high demand for Australian timbers. Pender & Foster, a Maitland based sawmilling firm saw the opportunity to access Crown forest reserves on the Allyn and Williams catchments and commenced construction of a mill on the Upper Allyn in the early 1940s.

Like most mills at that time the mill was located close to the forest as road transport of logs to mills better located to markets was not yet feasible. The mill was powered by steam using a converted marine engine with machinery and engine set up by the Maitland engineering firm – “PWG Kings”.

Electricity as a power source was not an

option as the electricity network was not to reach this location until 1953.

cabin there his home for the next 48 years.

Bill provides a most readable history of the Pender & Foster Allyn river mill and village To accommodate the workforce an almost in his book titled, “Little Village in the instant village was created of 15 (family) Foothills” published by the Dungog cottages and a single mens’ barracks. A Historical Society and also available from community hall and separate billiard hall the Gresford Historical Society. were added as was a shop, and in 1949 a new school building was constructed. A The cottages in the Allyn river cricket pitch catered for the enthusiasts timbertown were small and basic but and there was also a nearby tennis court. reputed to be superior to those made available by other mill owners. Families All of this had been carved out of were supplied with plentiful water from extremely dense forest on the Allyn river the Allyn and there was of course an almost immediately across the river from abundance of wood for heating. the Hancock Bros sawmill. One man who Remoteness and isolation from services watched the development of the Pender was the biggest issue but there were and Foster mill and village with great compensations as this produced a strong interest was Bill Bates. Readers may recall sense of community. Life in the village in an earlier story that Bill had was friendly and everyone turned out for commenced with Hancock Bros in the the sporting and social activities. early 1930s and was to make his modest

Sunday Mornings

Anglican Parish of Gresford Paterson Glendonbrook Road Gresford NSW 2311 Telephone (02) 4938 9313 gresfordparish@bigpond.com

NOVEMber SERVICE TIMES 2

9

16

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St Anne’s, Gresford 7.30 9.30 8.30 St Paul’s, Paterson 9.30 9.30 St John’s, Vacy 9.00 St John’s, Lostock 11.30 St James’, Martin’s Ck 8.00 St Mary’s, Allynbrook 10.30 St Paul’s, Eccleston Weekdays St Paul’s, Paterson – Wednesday and Friday 7.30am; Thursday 6pm

30 9

11.30