The Boatwrights of Henley Pleasure Grounds, Lugarno

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The Boatwrights of Henley Pleasure Grounds, Lugarno

Transcript of The Boatwrights of Henley Pleasure Grounds, Lugarno

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The Boatwrights of Henley Pleasure Grounds, Lugarno

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In March 1926, musician, inventor and entrepreneur, John Edmund Boatwright, bought eighteen acres of land in Lugarno and created Henley Pleasure Grounds.

Current overlay of John Boatwright’s 18 acres maps.six.nsw.gov.au

Henley Pleasure Grounds was at the bottom of Murdock Crescent.

Photo: Author 2017

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This photo below shows Henley Pleasure Grounds about 1927. People are walking back from the boatshed and shop. The banner was strung up along the flying fox wire. Pleasure grounds, or picnic areas, on the Georges River were very popular and the larger ones were serviced by paddle steamers. Even though Henley was in Lugarno, there was also the Lugarno Pleasure Grounds across the river at Illawong. Henley was not a registered business, as it did not appear in Sands Business Directory like larger grounds such as Parkesvale.

But Henley was well equipped as a holiday and day trip venue. There was already a fine boatshed, jetty and boats for hire. John added a paddle steamer prop as a shop on the grounds, a flying fox with a tyre on it, two toilet blocks, and in 1930, a swimming pool.

The paddle steamer was a prop used in the 1929 JC Williamson Sydney show called ‘Showboat’ in Her Majesty’s Theatre. Since that production was the only one in Australia at that time, the props were probably sold. John Boatwright was a well connected professional musician. He was also part of the entr’acte in the 1921 Williamson production of ‘Scandal’.

Photo kindly supplied by Mervyn and Maureen Boatwright.

The Boatwrights lived in George St Penshurst from 1914, where John was listed as a ‘teacher of music’ in Sands Directory: the forerunner of our White Pages. He also bought four blocks of land close to Penshurst Station.

Since arriving from England as a waiter in third class aboard SS Omrah on 16 January 1913, John Boatwright started working as a cellist in a trio at the stylish Oak Luncheon Hall in Farmer’s Sydney store on Friday 21 February. He is described as a ‘renowned cellist’ in Farmer’s newspaper marketing. He was also a talented arranger, performer and conductor, playing theatre organs and in the orchestras at Penshurst, Kogarah and all the city theatres. John also accompanied singers such as Rita Hogarth and Gladys Moncrief. From 1924, when crystal radio sets became available, John’s family would listen to his music, and having the train timetable, they would know the time he would arrive at Penshurst station when they heard him finish playing for the night.

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From the Farmer’s Sydney store on the corner of Pitt and Market St, John would have caught the Pitt St tram to Central station. John’s wife, Olivia, would drive a horse and sulky 5.5 km to Penshurst station to bring John home. She was warned many times by police about the dangers of travelling at night, since there was no street lighting in Lugarno until 1927. By horse and sulky to Penshurst would have taken at least 30 minutes. Also, even by 1925, Lugarno only had one telephone—in the post office.

Farmer’s building

Photo: Archives Office of NSW

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The Sun Thursday 20 February 1913

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The Sun Thursday 19 June

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SMH Saturday 14 November 1914

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Early in 1914, John took over Penshurst Orchestral Society and renamed it ‘Penshurst College Orchestra’, for which practice was in Colvin’s Hall on Wednesdays at 8 pm. Colvin’s was a hub for multipurpose hire at 3 Blake St Kogarah. John’s Penshurst College of Music was in Penshurst St Penshurst, opposite Clarence St. The college specialised in violincello, violin, piano, singing and mandolin. The Hurstville branch was in Salisbury St, where John had to repair the shelter shed on the premises in January 1915.

John ran separate advertisements for the College and orchestra in The Propeller from 17 April 1914 to 16 April 1915. He also ran the advertisements on 33 Saturdays during 1915 in the St George Call—even on Christmas Day. The last one appeared on New Year’s Day 1916.

The Propeller Friday 19 March 1915 The Propeller Friday 25 March

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John also played every afternoon in the Corelli Trio at Frou Frou from April 1915 until 2 September, after which Frou Frou closed its doors after less than a year. Advertisements often wrongly called the trio an orchestra and Frou Frou was advertising for a ‘refined lady’ cook even on 13 April and ‘attendants . . . ready to start’ on 17 April.

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The Sun Friday 16 April The Sun Tues 20 April

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St George Call Saturday 1 May

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In 1917, John bought the boatshed, cottage and boat hiring business on Salt Pan Creek. He then started promoting it for fishing. In 1918, the family moved to Forest Rd Lugarno, buying a home they called ‘Henley’ from the previous boatshed owner, Max Booth. Henley was built in 1897 by RB Holland. The purchase also included a small cottage overlooking the boatshed. From this interest in boats, John invented a ‘shore cradle for yachts and boats’ and applied to have it patented in October 1923. It was not commercially developed, but there was probably a working model used at his boatshed.

Arrow Saturday 6 October 1917

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The Propeller Friday 8 February 1918

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Sunday Times 11 August 1918

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The Propeller Friday 2 May 1919

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The Propeller Friday 19 September

For neighbour Mr Everett, the boatshed was already the local landmark before there were house numbers.

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The photo below shows the Henley boatshed about 1927. RB Holland had constructed it in 1905. Alex Davidson managed the boat hiring after John bought the property. Part of the foundation wall and jetty footings are still clearly visible today.

Photo kindly supplied by Mervyn and Maureen Boatwright.

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Sunday Times 5 February 1922

John was also a member of the Amateur Fishermen’s Association.

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SMH Friday 15 September 1922

From Friday 20 December 1912, Farmer’s ran theatre dinners first with musical items, then an orchestra, including John’s trio, until Friday 8 March 1929. The Oak experience then changed to à la carte with dance music. John may have played right up to the changeover, while also overseeing Henley Pleasure Grounds and the bus service.

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Sunday Times 3 September Sunday Times 8 October

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The Propeller Friday 22 December

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SMH Wednesday 23 January 1924

This was the cottage that came with John’s Henley purchase. The bus stop was some distance from the cottage up a steep track, later to become Blackbutt Avenue

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The Propeller Friday 2 May 1924

This advertisement was probably for Lily Boatwright, who was now 16.

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Sydney's first official station, 2FC, with Licence No.1, began service on 9 January 1924 in the Farmer’s building. John Boatwright was part of many broadcasts as a cello soloist up to 9 January 1925 and in the studio trio from 1924 until 27 January 1925. He also performed for the Sydney Madrigal Society.

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SMH Monday 16 June

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The Maitland Daily Mercury Tuesday 14 October

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Mervyn and Maureen Boatwright supplied the undated original mounted photo below. John is playing cello in Farmer’s Studio Instrumental Trio in a live broadcast with Gladys Moncrief. A S Cochrane, 2FC’s announcer, recalled that sometimes the trio would play in the restaurant from 6.30–8, then come to the broadcasting room for evening recitals from 8–10.

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The Propeller Friday 22 October 1926

At Henley homestead, at the top of Blackbutt on Forest Road, the Boatwrights had another shop selling lollies, home made ice cream, and butter made in a hand churn by John’s wife, Olivia.

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The Propeller Friday 5 November

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The Truth Sunday 13 February 1927

Henley ‘Picnic Grounds’ is mentioned in a road trip as a place of interest.

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The Propeller Friday 29 April 1927

Jack was now 14, Stan 12 and Tom was 7.

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The Propeller Friday 6 May

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The Propeller Friday 30 September

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In 1927, the first of the Boatwright girls is married: Vera Rose Boatwright marries Alfred S Gallahar at Hurstville. In 1928, Myrtle Jean Boatwright married Alexander Davidson at Kogarah and Violet Chanteri Boatwright married Alfred H Newnham at Hurstville. Then in 1929, Lily Sylvia Boatwright married Henry J Whitwell at Rockdale.

On 22 February 1929, John started Henley Bus Service Route 147: Mortdale to Henley Pleasure Grounds.

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In January 1939, Route 147 is extended from Mortdale to Punchbowl, becoming part of Route 188 shown below as it was in 1939 with route times.

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To service the buses, which needed constant attention, John erected bus sheds where the current car wash stands and a small shop selling butter, lollies and icecream. The bus drivers were John’s sons Stan, Tom, Jack and brothers-in-law Alf Gallahar and Alf Newnham, who was particularly keen on buying old diesel engines.

‘The buses included a Chevrolet National and a Chevrolet Capital, a General Motors six wheeler (with a four wheel bogie), and later a Reo. The buses were nicknamed Boatie's Bouncing Butterboxes, and seated about 20 passengers. The Aborigines from the camp in Doctor's Bush, Peakhurst, would sit on the floor and entertain the passengers by playing gum leaves to earn their fare. Considerable expenditure was required to keep the buses running in good order, and Mr. Boatwright sold out to Mr Feagan, the proprietor of the De Luxe service.‘

Graham Blewett: A Home in the Bush

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Restored 1928 Chevrolet Capital Bus

Photo: Google Images

1929 six wheeler bus

Photo: Google Images

1947 Reo Speed Wagon

John ordered such a model, but unfortunately

the deal fell through. John sold his bus service

shortly after this.

Photo: Bus Australia

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SMH Thursday 10 April 1930

A £100 fine was a small fortune and an unfortunate financial burden for the Boatwrights.

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Freeman’s Journal Thursday 23 April 1931

Primary school pupil Agnes Smith from Punchbowl writes: ‘During the holidays we went to Henley, Oatley and the Zoo.’ Henley Pleasure Grounds was a popular local attraction for families and fishermen, especially on weekends.

In 1931, none of the younger Boatwright children are officially employed. Marie 8, John 18, Stan 16 and Tom 11, were probably very busy helping out in the pleasure grounds, at the Henley shop and in maintaining the buses. The Lugarno electoral area was then known as Peakhurst and John lists his occupation as ‘musician’.

On 24 May 1932, the last of the Boatwright children was born: George Noel Boatwright. In 2016, he was living in Moss Vale with wife, Fay. As a boy in the 1940s, George rode his pony down from Henley to look after his father’s boats and boatshed. George later became a motor mechanic, working at the Lugarno Garage (in front of Henley on Forest Rd) with nephew Mervyn (John Oliver’s son).

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The Sun Friday 29 June 1934

The Henley buses needed constant attention; this one needed immediate attention.

The Propeller Thursday 6 February 1936

The Propeller Thursday 6 May 1937

SMH Wednesday 11 August 1937

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BUS Chevrolet 12 passenger good condition cheap Boatwright Forest Rd Peakhurst.

One of the Henley buses is for sale. In the advertising over the years, the family address is flexible: Henley, Lugarno, Peakhurst.

The Sun Sunday 31 October

Five year old George rates a special mention.

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The electoral roll shows son Stanley Edward Boatwright living at Henley in 1937. In 1939, at 24, he married Neta Edna Colebrook at Hurstville and moved to the house on the Henley property at the end of Blackbutt Av. In November 1938, a neighbour’s cottage in Blackbutt was auctioned for £250. Built on steep land, these cottages had impressive water views. Also in 1939, John Oliver Boatwright, then 26, married Olive Florence Bailey (aka Dolly) at Hurstville.

SMH Saturday 6 August 1938

The Propeller Thursday 23 March 1939

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SMH Saturday 8 March 1941

This was John’s largest vessel and would have needed constant maintenance.

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The Propeller Thursday 22 January 1942

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The Propeller Thursday 12 February

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Courier Mail Brisbane Saturday 21 February 1942

The Boatwright clan was widespread: Western Australia, Tasmania, Queensland and New South Wales. And in Mortdale, there was another Boatwright family but they were not directly related to the Henley family.

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Henley (far right) bus sheds and shop fronting Forest Road in 1943.

Image: maps.six.nsw.gov.au

On Friday 29 May 1942, a slice of John’s land was acquired under the 1912 Public Works Act to erect the present power lines, visible in the image on the bottom of page 22.

Below: The Henley 18 acres with boatshed and the other Henley house to its left.

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Image: maps.six.nsw.gov.au

2015 Image: maps.six.nsw.gov.au

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Bottom left of this photo is the cottage Alex Davidson and then Stan Boatwright occupied.

Image: maps.six.nsw.gov.au

2015 Image: maps.six.nsw.gov.au

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On 9 April 1943, John Edmund’s second patent was registered. Nothing appears to have been commercially developed from these patents, but there were probably working models used at Lugarno Garage and Henley boatshed.

Images: AusPat

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In 1944, while on leave from the RAAF, 24 year old Thomas Henry Boatwright married Gwenyth Margaret Bowman in Wagga, NSW. In 1955, Tom won a ballot to run a hire car service. Soldier, Jack and wife Olive, lived at 66 Princes Highway before moving to Riverwood where Jack drove buses.

The Propeller Thursday 7 December 1944

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The Propeller Thursday 5 April 1945

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The Propeller Thursday 12 April

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St George Call Friday 13 April 1945 St George Call Friday 20 April

SMH Saturday 23 June

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Without street names in Lugarno, it made sense to set directions against a local landmark like Henley. Ten years earlier, a neighbour needing a plumber gave their location as ‘opposite Henley’, as did another neighbour in 1919.

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SMH Saturday 13 October

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Aged 13, John’s son George is called as a witness.

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The Propeller Thursday 1 November

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SMH Wednesday 9 January 1946

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SMH Wednesday 13 March

This was John’s first advertised attempt to sell off part of his 18 acres. The term ‘parties’ may simply mean interested people should enquire at Henley.

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The Propeller Thursday 21 March

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During 1946, John met informally with 11 year old Phillip James Boatwright. Phillip was from the Mortdale Boatwrights and found John sitting on a rock near the Pleasure Grounds. John said, ‘I’ll sell you an acre for 1 shilling and 6 pence. I want to keep it all in the family’. ‘I don’t have any money’, said Phillip. ‘You must have some pocket money or something’, John replied. Nothing more to say, Phillip walked back up the hill to visit Sidney Gallahar: a local fisherman and oyster farmer.

On Saturday 29 June, John advertised for a boatshed caretaker: ‘good chance right man’. On Saturday 21 August, he advertised the picnic grounds and boatshed as a partnership or lease. And on Saturday 9 November, he had for sale a set of 10 expanding reamers for ‘£10 or offer’.

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The Sun Sunday 29 December

‘Laugh With Us’

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11 year old Pamela lived opposite Henley on Forest Road with father Alexander Davidson, who had married Myrtle Boatwright. Pam had six brothers and sisters. Alex managed the boat hiring for Henley, then George Boatwright helped out when he was old enough to ride his pony from Henley down Blackbutt to the boatshed.

The Propeller Thursday 3 October

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Mervyn (John Oliver’s son) recalls picking Flannel flowers in the pleasure grounds with the Davidson girls to sell, and Native Sarsaparilla to boil up into a drink.

Flannel flowers still grow in Murdock Cr Reserve in the drier areas

around to the north. Native Sarsaparilla or Purple Coral Pea (below)

grows on a a plateau close to the eastern edge of the reserve just

below Boyd Avenue.

Photo: Author

Photo: Google Images

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The Propeller Thursday 21 November

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SMH Saturday 29 March 1947

Another attempt to sell Henley Pleasure Grounds, this time with a set price through an agent.

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SMH Saturday 28 June

After his mother and father died, George Boatwright had Henley demolished and built the existing fibro residence at 3 Blackbutt Avenue. Ironically, he specifically designed the new residence to accommodate a full size billiard table in a separate room. Yet, John had earlier put this billiard table up for sale.

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SMH Wednesday 9 July

Notice the slightly higher asking price, a city based agent, more acreage and dynamic language.

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The Propeller Thursday 17 July

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SMH Thursday 7 August

Thomas and Gwenyth lose their son Richard.

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SMH Wednesday 10 September

The second attempt to sell the billiard table, this time with a fixed price.

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SMH Saturday 11 October

To Let: Perhaps the weekender was where Stan and Neta had lived. By 1949 they had moved to Lugarno Parade.

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SMH Saturday 29 November

To Let: slightly reworked from 11 October.

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The Propeller Thursday 15 January 1948

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SMH Saturday 28 February

You can see the launch on the right side of the jetty on page 20.

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The Propeller Thursday 8 July

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The Propeller Thursday 22 July

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SMH Saturday 20 November

By this time, John had sold the bus service, but the current service still stopped at Henley and Blackbutt Avenue has more than the two Henley properties on it. By 1948, the entrance to Blackbutt Avenue had been realigned, but the current bus stop is exactly where it was in 1929.

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In 1952, at least one old weekender in Blackbutt (not a Boatwright house) of 450 square metres, was demolished and replaced as a residential address. And the photo below shows number 66 Blackbutt as it was in 1968 when bought by current owner Robert Nelson for $12 500. Although now modernised, Robert retained a good section of the original stone steps for access to Blackbutt. Number 66 was built between 1910 and 1920 and was very similar to the Boatwright cottage that used to be at current 56 Blackbutt.

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Photo kindly supplied by

Robert Nelson and taken by his

late wife Diane.

Photo: Author

SMH Saturday 27 November

Kym Robertson may have lived in the Henley weekender advertised in 1947.

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The Propeller Thursday 9 December

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SMH Wednesday 22 December

Henley Pleasure Grounds is again up for sale. The term ‘pleasure grounds’ has been replaced with ‘picnic grounds’ in line with trending language use.

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SMH Saturday 5 February 1949

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The Propeller Thursday 24 March

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The Propeller Thursday 20 October

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The Sun Thursday 24 November

H A Gascoigne was probably renting the waterfront property at Henley, until winning a home ballot.

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On 17 June 1949, John Edmund and Olivia celebrated 50 years of marriage. Daughter Lily had died at 27 on 20 July 1934 and two other daughters, Olivia Iris and Marguorite Muriel, lived in England.

Top Row: George Noel (17) now living at Moss Vale, John Oliver (36) known as Jack, Stanley Edward (34) known as Stan. Middle Row: Myrtle Jeanne (40) known as Jeanne, Violet Chanteri (49) known as Tot, Thomas (29) known as Tom. Front row: Marie Joan (26) known as Joan, Vera Rose (44) known as Vera, Olivia (67), John (70).

Photo kindly supplied by Mervyn and Maureen Boatwright of Casula, Sydney.

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Motor engineer, Thomas and Gwenyth now live at 41 Scott St Mortdale. Henley and Herne Bay still have no street addresses. Bus driver, John Oliver and Olive now live in Eldon St Herne Bay (now Riverwood). Bus driver, Stan and Edna are in Lugarno Parade. By 1958, they have moved to Mogo on the NSW south coast where Stan had a shop.

Lugarno and Peakhurst are still used interchangeably as electoral roll addresses, but the Boatwrights had been using Lugarno as their suburb address since at least 1946.

SMH Saturday 22 July 1950

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Restored Royal Enfield Bullet 1939

Photo: Google Images

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Factory diagram of BSA 1938 2.5 SV

Photo: Google Images

SMH Saturday 22 July

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Restored Dodge 1933 Sedan

Photo: Google Images

The Propeller Thursday 7 September

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SMH Saturday 3 February 1951

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SMH Tuesday 19 June

On 18 June, John Edmund Boatwright dies at Henley aged 72. He was cremated at Woronora cemetry. John and Olivia had been planning to build a weekender on 480 square metres of ‘Special Lease’ land on the NSW south coast at Coolangatta. Unfortunately, permission to do so was not published until Friday 13 July. The lease period was from 4 July–31 December 1965 at £4 16s per year.

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The Truth Sunday 2 September

Sadly, in this 1951 article, Henley Pleasure Grounds does not rate a mention. But since March 1946, John had been trying to sell much of the acreage and boatshed.

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SMH Tuesday 8 April 1952

John had written in his will that he was a ‘Retired Bus Proprietor’ rather than a musician. Perhaps as his diverse musical engagements gave way to running Henley’s businesses, his rather famous former life became a matter of history.

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The Propeller Thursday 19 June

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The Propeller Thursday 11 September

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The Propeller Thursday 19 March 1953

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The Propeller Thursday 10 September

By 1951, Alf Gallahar had cleared the bus shed site and built an independent service station, called Lugarno Garage. Tom Boatwright was the proprietor and head mechanic.

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SMH Wednesday 4 August 1954

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The Propeller Thursday 16 December

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On 29 March 1955, Olivia Palmina Boatwright dies at Hurstville aged 73. One of the saddest memories Olivia lived with was that she had not been able to bring her other two daughters, Olivia and Marguorite, to Australia in 1913.

Twice, John sent money to Olivia, allowing her to travel 2nd class for £35-40 on the well appointed, recently launched SS Ballarat, with daughters Violet, Vera, Lily and Myrtle. Olivia had arranged with her mother (Teresa Catherine Chanteri) to bring her other two daughters, Olivia and Marguorite, on the 12 June sailing day, but they never arrived.

George Boatwright recalls Teresa did not want the family to leave England. But, Olivia, pregnant with John Oliver, arrived with the girls in Sydney on 2 August. John sent money a couple of times to Teresa for passage to Australia for Olivia and Marguorite, but they never came out, and John and Olivia did not see them again.

Yet, John and Olivia had created a lasting and valuable legacy for Lugarno and their nine children: Henley Pleasure Grounds. Here, friends, family and community could share in the beauty of Salt Pan Creek, hop on a boat and explore the Georges River or camp in the grounds. Rich memories were made of this.

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Thursday 24 November 2016

George (foreground) 84, and nephew Mervyn, in George and Fay’s Moss Vale home. Mervyn was able to identify some of the buildings in Henley Pleasure Grounds.

Photo: Author

Image: maps.six.nsw.gov.au

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Toilet block 1 identified by Mervyn Boatwright Photos pages 42 and 43: Author 2016

Toilet block 2 identified by Mervyn Boatwright.

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The Henley Pleasure Grounds’ flying fox

bracket identified by Mervyn Boatwright.

Sunday 9 July 2017 George Boatwright and family: three generations share memories near the site of Henley’s Boatshed.

Author: 2017

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The high point was to the right of this photo up the hillside.

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Meet the Boatwrights

Photos: boatwrightgenealogy.com

John Emund Boatwright’s mother and father: Harriett (d 1926) and John (professor of music

d 1906).

1879

John Edmund Boatwright is born 10 Sept, 19 Lyme St, St Pancras, Camden Town Middlesex, England.

John Edmund as a boy

Photo: boatwrightgenealogy.com

1882

Olivia Palmina Mentasti Chanteri is born 8 October in Milan, Italy.

1891

John and family live at 23 Torriano Av, Pancras.

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1899

John (20 yr old Cellist) and Olivia (17) are married at Islington, London 17 June.

1900

Violet Chanteri Boatwright is born 5 March. John and Olivia live at 45 Warham Rd Hornsey.

Violet and mother Olivia in 1900

Photo: boatwrightgenealogy.com

1902

Olivia Iris Boatwright is born 2 January at Edmonton, Middlesex, England.

1904

Marguorite Muriel Boatwright born 27 January at Wood Green, Middlesex, England.

1905

Vera Rose Boatwright is born 21 August.

1907

Lily Sylvia Boatwright is born 30 November.

1909

Myrtle Jeanne Boatwright is born 15 June.

1913

John Oliver Boatwright is born Sunday 10 August at Penshurst. He was popularly known as Jack.

Photo: ancestry.com.au

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1915

Stanley Edward Boatwright is born 22 November at Penshurst.

1920

Thomas Henry Boatwright is born 11 September at Penshurst.

1923

Marie Joan Boatwright is born. She never married, lived at Henley and was never listed in the electoral roll with any occupation.

1932

George Noel Boatwright is born 24 May. John was 53 and Olivia 49.

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This local history project was compiled by Ron Denholm: [email protected], 13/7/2017, with material and memories gratefully received from George Boatwright, Mervyn Boatwright, Maureen Boatwright, Phillip Boatwright and Robert Nelson.

Other sources:

Riverside Reflections by Glennys Barnham

A Home in the Bush by Graham Blewett

trove.nla.gov.au

ancestry.com.au

findmypast.com.au

Google Earth

maps.six.nsw.gov.au

pericles.ipaustralia.gov.au

Google Images

boatwrightgenealogy.com

Archives Office of NSW

Sands Directory

Bus Australia

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