Rookwood Cemetery Discoveries

 Last week I published a Blog about Ruston George Stephenson who gave his life to serve others in War and in peacetime. Today, Police Remembrance Day, I wish to honour another member of the Force who gave his all but managed to arrest his murderer first!  JOHN VANCE BLAIN John was a native of Donegal, Ireland, born around 1850 to Joseph, a farmer, and his wife, Elizabeth. Not much is known of his early life or when he arrived on these shores, but it is known he was appointed to the Metropolitan Police District as a Constable on 26 December 1874 and was attached to the Darlinghurst Police Station. Darlinghurst Police Station (now decommissioned) - author's own Life was progressing well for the young man when just after 4pm on the 22nd of March 1877, Constable Blain was on duty patrolling by foot in Bourke Street Woolloomooloo, when he saw two men carrying a "bundle" in Forbes Street. He called on them to stop but they ignored him and ran off. Constable Blain gave chase. On...

 The past week has been filled with memorials and tributes to the head of the British Monarchy, the only one most of us have known in our lives. Her life was one of service and dedication. Today's blog is about another noble person who served his Country in War and in Peace.  RUSTON GEORGE STEPHENSON Ruston Stephenson was born in Tumbarumba in regional NSW in 1886 to Ruston and Julia. He joined the NSW Police Force in 1912.  On 1st August 1916 when he held the rank of Second Class Constable, at almost 30 years of age and 6ft 2 inches, Ruston enlisted in the AIF and served in France as a member of the 58th Battalion.  Ruston George Stephenson - image from AWM records During his time in the Army Ruston was wounded in action during the second Battle of Bullecourt in May 1917 sustaining a gunshot wound in the right eye and a further injury in July 1918 with a gunshot wound to the right leg, both injuries requiring hospitalisation in France. Stephenson was admitted to hos...

 It's been a tumultuous week and from the passing of Queen Elizabeth II it seemed only fitting to honour the life of a man calling Rookwood "home" who has astonishing connections to the British Royal Family. WRIOTHESLEY AUGUSTUS FITZROY  Wriothesley (perhaps it was shortened to Roy?) was born in Dublin Ireland on 11 July 1837 to Henry Fitzroy and his wife Jane Elisabeth nee Beauclerk. He was the second son in a family consisting of five siblings and rose to the rank of Captain in the 23rd Royal Welsh Fusiliers. It is very likely he took part in the Lucknow uprising during the Indian Mutiny in 1857-1859.  Royal Welsh Fusiliers Cap Badge - Wikipedia Before I continue, I want to advise you of his family connections. Wriothesley's father Henry, was the son of the Reverend Henry Fitzroy. This Henry was the son of Augustus Henry Fitzroy the 3rd Duke of Grafton and his second wife, Elizabeth Wrottesley - no doubt where Wriothesley's name, albeit altered over the years, c...

 Well a few short decades ago who would have thought that Enmore Road would be considered a "cool" place! It was recently officially voted the coolest Sydney Street by Time Out for 2022 - (as well as being No. 24 on the list of coolest streets in the world this year!) Enmore Road was a "happening" place from the mid 1910's through to the early 1980's after it transformed from an area of villa garden estates to a suburban landscape before it went into a gradual decline before reinventing itself. So who made this area the "place to be seen" ....Two brothers with stars in their eyes. GEORGE AND WILLIAM SZARKA George Clifton was born in Sydney in 1869 to Lucy and John Szarka, the eldest of their seven children, with William joining the family in 1880. George worked for a number of years as a compositor at the Government Printing Office and later at John Sands. Both brothers lived in the Newtown area and were heavily involved in the promotion of boxing,...

  With Father's Day approaching I thought of a store in the Sydney CBD my father and many others used to frequent. In my case my dad could always find a suitably priced and well fitting pair of "strides" and get a great haircut at the same time! The founder has not totally been forgotten but as time elapses his name and Department Store that was once synonymous with all a man could want, will be. J OHN ELLIS SYMONDS GOWING John was born in 1835 in Eye, Suffolk, England, the eldest son and one of ten children to Ellis Symonds Gowing, 'gentleman' farmer and his wife, Charlotte. With the repeal of the Corn Laws at the time, which would cause great loss to the family business, John sailed for Sydney in 1857 intending to purchase farming land. Due to the discovery of gold, increasing agriculture and sheep farming, the Australian economy was booming and his parents and siblings followed him out to these shores the following year. Farming was not what the family ...

 A female who was the first professional woman employed by an Australian Museum and arguably the best in her field is lying under a headstone that doesn't bear her name. Forgotten no more.. JANE CATHERINE TOST  Jane was born in 1817 (believed to be in London England) to John Ward, a bird breeder, and his wife, Catherine. Her parents not only bred birds but also stuffed them for gentlemen collectors and had been carrying out this activity since the early 1800's. Jane and her siblings learnt the trade first hand and later the siblings were working in the Gould's taxidermy shop in London.  On 1 April 1839, Jane married Charles Gottleibe Tost, a native of Prussia and a piano-forte maker; they were to go on to have six children. The workload at Gould's became so large that Jane was taken on in a greater role and during the 1840's -1850's under Gould's direction she was employed at the British Museum, preparing specimens.  Although taxidermy had been practised fro...