At the opening of the Marrickville Anzac Memorial Club in 1921 (now demolished) NSW governor, Sir Walter Davidson, paid tribute to Australians' war efforts. “Hereafter the highest honour that can come to any Australian”, he said, “is to have been identified in the great war. And the greatest honour to any Australian woman that she buckled… Continue reading Alice Cashin – the Queen of Marrickville
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Marrickville Girl Guides 1922-2022
Nineteen twenty-two was a momentous year in the history of Marrickville. The new Town Hall was opened, as was Ferncourt Public School. A building boom to deal with a housing crisis was underway; ironically many of the houses that were built at that time are now being demolished to deal with the latest housing crisis.… Continue reading Marrickville Girl Guides 1922-2022
Marrickville Town Hall – dancing days
This is part two of a series celebrating the centenary of Marrickville's town hall. Part one can be found here. The Marrickville Town Hall on Marrickville Road was finally officially opened with much fanfare on 11 February 1922. The previous 28 years of wrangling over whether to have a new town hall were forgotten; almost.… Continue reading Marrickville Town Hall – dancing days
Where the babies went: baby farming and child abandonment
At 10.30 on a Friday night in October 1893 Constable Farmer, patrolling Tupper Street, Enmore, stumbled across a 3-week-old baby girl. The child was on the footpath, perhaps to be easily discovered, and the constable took her to the Benevolent Asylum in the city. However, this was no guarantee of safety or survival. In the… Continue reading Where the babies went: baby farming and child abandonment
Marrickville floods
Marrickville floods. Today's residents know this very well. Marrickville has always flooded, but it only became an issue when European settlers arrived, took possession, and set themselves down permanently on the land. Signage and flood gauge at the northern end of Carrington Road, Marrickville.Photo: Rod Aanensen Prior to that, the Gadigal and Wangal had occupied… Continue reading Marrickville floods
Marrickville Town Hall – 100 years
On this day (11 February) in 1922 Marrickville's new Town Hall was opened with much fanfare. We shall be presenting a number of stories about its life and times over the last 100 (+28) years. Marrickville Town Hall, Marrickville Road. Fire Station to the left, 'Winged Victory' memorial to the right. Photo: Rod Aanensen Part… Continue reading Marrickville Town Hall – 100 years
Dibble Avenue’s Waterhole
Tucked away amongst trees and homes between Riverside Crescent and Ewart Street Marrickville is a body of water. Home to bird and animal species as well as native flora it is called Dibble Avenue Waterhole. Its name derives from the avenue which is the only real access for the general public. This is probably just… Continue reading Dibble Avenue’s Waterhole
Building Blocks of Empire
Sometime ago an enquiry was made through Facebook for information on a brick found in a backyard. A photo was supplied and we were able to help with some background information on its origin. One person replied to the photo with the tongue in cheek comment “It’s a brick”. While obviously true, it was a… Continue reading Building Blocks of Empire
50-52 Warren Road – behind the facade
From the street 50-52 Warren Road looks like a typical 1930s Art Deco block of flats, side by side, with beautiful colour variation in the bricks which make them stand out. But in a twist on today’s development practice, where the façade of a property is kept and the rest demolished, here we have the… Continue reading 50-52 Warren Road – behind the facade
Marrickville women at war
1943 and Australia is at war. But there is another war being fought in our garage – Carrington Road, Marrickville.
Marrickville Heritage Society 