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 […]

Photo of Sons of Temperance courtesy of Wikipedia website. Over one hundred years ago, nothing but fire-grimed walls remained of the Penrith Temperance Hall that was in Station Street. The International Organisation of Good Templars (IOGT) originated as one of several fraternal organizations for temperance or total abstinence founded in the 19th century, and with […]

Photo of the old St Marys Council now the headquarters of the Society courtesy of Tom Thorburn. IN his minutes submitted to St Marys’ Council in August 1947, Mayor Alderman Joseph Cook said that the town planners Messrs Bunning and Madden submitted a revised residential area to the Town Planning Committee to accommodate a population […]

Photo of grave from Find a Grave website. AN inquest was held by District Coroner John King Lethbridge and a jury of seven in August 1896 on the death of Elizabeth Warden, wife of William Warden who met her death by falling into a well. William, who was employed at Gillespie’s flour mill in Sydney […]

By Lyn Forde – President/Research Officer of St Marys & District Historical Society Inc. In 1912, word reached Penrith that Rowland Cochrane had been cut to pieces in the Glenbrook railway tunnel. He was born in 1887, the youngest son of Mr and Mrs John & Betsy Ann Cochrane (Margarson) of Doonmore Street who were […]

By Lyn Forde – President/Research Officer of St Marys & District Historical Society Inc. THE Morehead family like many other families coming from overseas were determined to keep the name “Arthur” within the family tree. Arthur James Morehead, born in Ireland in 1810 came to Australia with his family on the “Thomas & Henry” as […]

Penrith settlement began in the Castlereagh area along the Nepean River, but the Hawkesbury area was already settled.  In September 1808, Hugh Dowling was on trial before A Bell, Esquire for armed burglary at the Hawksbury, stealing cash and clothing from the dwelling house of William Styles. Hugh was brought before the court on a […]

By Lyn Forde – President/Research Officer of St Marys & District Historical Society Inc. IN November 1945 questions came up on how the Blue Mountain’s train called “The Fish” came by the name. Jim Hartigan of Penrith who was a relief stationmaster in the Penrith district felt that with the train’s contemporary named “The Chips” […]