Rookwood Cemetery Discoveries

 Over the last few months, we have heard our national anthem played on many sporting occasions. When it is played, we all join in singing it, generally with gusto (well for at least the first verse and chorus that is) but who came up with this rousing tune in the first place?  Today's blog shines a light on the composer. PETER DODDS MCCORMICK Peter was born on 28 January 1833 in Port Glasgow, Scotland to Peter McCormick and his wife Janet (nee Dodds). Peter arrived in Sydney in February 1855 aged 20 and worked as a joiner, becoming involved in amateur musical societies. He trained as a teacher at Fort Street school in 1863 before being appointed teacher in charge at St Mary's National School. In July that year he married Emily Boucher who became the sewing teacher at her husband's schools. They taught at schools closer to Sydney in 1865 however she died in March 1866. In December that year Peter married Elizabeth Dening and in 1867 he was appointed to the Presbyterian den...

  Today's blog is all about connections to other cemeteries and that six degrees of separation factor. Jigsaws abound and who doesn't like a jigsaw to complete? The central person in this tale had his headstone liberated from an entanglement of weeds and overgrowth by the hard-working small band of volunteer gardeners a few months ago. After cleaning another grave nearby, it appears the central person was present at a pivotal period of that person's life. Later it was discovered that this central person was related by that "six degrees" to a man at the heart of one of the greatest battles of the First World War that Australian troops ever participated in. Without further ado let me introduce REVEREND THOMAS HAYDEN Thomas Hayden was born in 1820 in Country Cavan, Northern Ireland, the eldest son of the Reverend Robert John Hayden, the Archdeacon of Londonderry in Northern Ireland. His life was destined to be in the Church. Thomas married Agnes Gray Cory o...

Today's blog is one about a woman of service who gave her life for her country. She was one of the victims of a horrendous massacre during WW2 which causes shock upon reading all these years later. FLORENCE AUBIN SALMON Florence was born on 20th October 1915, the second child of John Henry Salmon and his wife Florence (nee Aubin). The family lived in Punchbowl a southwestern suburb of Sydney and were members of the Methodist Church. There is not a great deal on public record about Florence's early life, but we do know she passed her Nurses Registration Board exams whilst at the War Memorial Hospital in Waverley. Originally the private residence and grounds of property owned by Ebenezer Vickery, the estate was donated as a war hospital in 1919 opening its doors to its first patients after internal modifications in 1921. War Memorial Hospital Waverley - photograph author's own  Florence enlisted in the Australian Army Nursing Service at Victoria Barracks in Sydney in ...

 Here in Australia, we live amongst many inspirational women but the ones that draw our attention at the moment are those that don shorts and boots and play football - the beautiful game! Roaming around Sydney lately I have seen many groups of young ladies in sports gear often carrying a football and speaking in excitable tones, often in a different language. The Women's World Cup is and will continue to be absolutely amazing with a huge legacy! So, thinking of strong women, over the next few weeks I will be honouring those women who were trailblazers in their fields, inspiring others to follow in their stead. Today's blog is honouring ... MARGARET LILLIAN JEFFREY (nee HINES) Margaret was born in Moss Vale in the Southern Highlands of NSW in July 1896, the second child of Thomas Hines, farmer, of Bundanoon, and his wife Susan. Margaret had four brothers. Not much is known about Margaret's early life but no doubt she received at least rudimental education and was groomed in ...

  I couldn't let the month of July pass without a tribute to some of those who gave their all on the battlefields on the Western Front in 1916. They never made it home to Australia but are remembered on family headstones scattered throughout Rookwood cemetery. After the horror of the Gallipoli campaign, many were patched up and sailed to France to join British and other Commonwealth nations troops for arguably worse horrors. The name Fromelles reminds many of the battle that caused the single the greatest number of dead Australian troops in the Great War. There were 5,533 casualties, including approximately 1,900 deaths. The number of dead included 15 sets of brothers and one father and son. The British Division suffered 1,547. The Germans around 1,500. All the more shocking when you find that this happened in one 24-hour period; 19th July 1916. If that was not bad enough, those that survived the bloodbath of Fromelles were then subjected to the Battle of Pozieres which ran f...

  Today's blog honours a man whose name was given to a beautiful beach on the South Coast of NSW. This beach has fine white sand made from ground pure quartz and arguably the whitest sand in Australia. It lies south of Vincentia and north of Jervis Bay village and is known as Hyams Beach.   MICHAEL HYAM and his family Michael was born in London England in 1799, the third child of Thomas Peynter Hyam and his wife Sarah. He became a shoemaker and arrived on these shores as a free settler via the "George Canning" in 1828. Michael arrived with a consignment of goods for Walter Jacob Levi, to be paid for upon receipt. Mr. Levi had unfortunately died and his widow was unaware of the goods being delivered. As such Michael was given the goods which he subsequently auctioned, set up a shoemaker's shop in Sydney and made an application for land.   Michael Hyam - image courtesy of Wikitree Michael had his sights set on an area far from the city limits; a place that lies ...