IN December 1945 a single man named John Joseph Xavier Wright aged 31 returned to St Marys. John was born in May 1914 at Boolaroo, Lake Macquarie in NSW to parents Albert Ernest and Elsie Xavier Wright (King). His father was born in 1886 in Durham, England and they married in September 1910 in Tynemouth, […]

Photo of a £40 cheque from Farleigh Nettheim & Co – 1907 from the internet. IN December 1936 a bike ride to St Marys changed the lives of two friends and their families forever when Thomas Ernest Wright and Francis Edward Spittle both aged 16, decided on a bike ride to St Marys that was […]

Photo of Miss Franklin courtesy of RAHS History online. January 5th – “Manly” on the Nepean. If anybody had the idea that there are not any beauty spots in and around the Penrith District that idea would certainly have been dispelled if they had paid a visit to the western bank of the famous Nepean […]

There are many theories regarding the start of Christmas in July in Australia.  We definitely know that the weather in December was not the traditional Christmas cold weather. Even though it is boiling hot here in Australia, the oldies (baby boomer parents, grandparents etc) who mostly in the early days came from Great Britian the […]

Photo of the grave courtesy of Ancestry website. THE Penrith District Coroner Arthur Judges J.P. held an inquest at Penrith Court House concerning the death of William Victor Breeze. William was born at Jamisontown on 14th February 1878 and was 45 years of age. He was the son of John Mathew Breeze and Catherine Harvey […]

IN 1919 on Victoria Park at St Marys an energetic committee of Secretary Mr Marx left no stone unturned to make the celebrations worthy of St Marys. Mr Marx was well supported in his efforts by Mrs Young the  Secretary of the local Red Cross Society along with Mayor Alderman Morris and other prominent townspeople. […]

A fter nine long years “Val” is back where she belongs. When the gathering “storm clouds” of the Second World War became threatening, Australia started once again to look to its defense. The first Menzies’ Government came to power in 1939 and set in place events leading to the establishment of an ammunition fill for […]

Photo of the Penrith Railway Coal Elevator courtesy of Australian Railway Historical Society.  By Lyn Forde – President/Research Officer of St Marys & District Historical Society Inc. In 1918 an inquest was held at Penrith Court House into the death of Spencer Alfred Payne. He was born in Newcastle in 1857 and married Elizabeth Fisher […]

Photo of his grave courtesy of “Find a Grave” website. Arthur Judges the district coroner held an inquest at the Penrith Court House in July 1923 concerning the death of John “Jack” Jones that took place at Orchard Hills. In evidence Dr Day said that John was a patient of his since Christmas last and […]