HISTORICAL SUMMARY. 2.1 Phase 1: Early Development of Orange ( ) PRE-EUROPEAN OCCUPATION

Transcription

1 HISTORICAL SUMMARY 2.1 Phase 1: Early Development of Orange ( ) PRE-EUROPEAN OCCUPATION The Orange Plateau prior to European settlement was covered with tall woodland with areas of grassy plain and open river flats. Water resources in the area are supplied by the headwater creeks of the Ball, Macquarie and Lachlan Rivers. Prehistoric sites identified in the area tend to fit a general pattern, with a few extensive occupation sites close to the water, with the size decreasing according to the height above sea level. It is suggested that the woodlands along with low winter temperatures may have discouraged heavy aboriginal use of parts of the area. Site types also vary, with some burial sites and axe grinding groves found close to occupation sites where suitable solid or rock sources are found. Ceremonial sites, and stone arrangements were located in more secluded areas, away from occupation sites and foraging areas. When Europeans settled the area, it was inhabited by the Wiradjuri linguistic group, whose territory was probably centred around the Bathurst area but encompassed the Orange Plateau. They were divided into a number of small clans, consisting of up to 20 members, who had fairly well-defined territories. It is suggested that these groups were typically independent, moving separately for much of the year, with some friendly contact. In 1815 Maquarie visited the area after ordering the establishment of the city of Bathurst in He is said to have reported that some Aboriginal people carried a stone axe which was used to cut steps into trees for the purpose of climbing up after possums. 1 European settlers begun to spread west from Bathurst, attracted to the area for its open land, with small numbers arriving in the area in the late 1830s and 1840s. They were primarily poor migrants who took up small holdings until the discovery of gold encouraged a wave of new settlement. Whilst contact was initially peaceful the increasing number of settlers, in combination with competition over land use led to conflict, with sporadic but rigorous resistance to settlement taking place particularly in the Bathurst area. 2 The earliest known conflict took place in 1824 with the proclamation of martial law in the area and the subsequent killing of a large number of Aboriginal people. Some details regarding language, diet, cultural practices and beliefs of the Aboriginal people of the area have been recorded. 1 Folster, William, W. Folster s Articles: The Writings of William (Bill Folster), compiled by his Grandson Paul William Weathersten, Orange, Hughes Trueman Ludlow, Heritage Study of the City of Orange, prepared for the Council of the City of Orange, 1986

2 THE TOWN OF ORANGE Orange is located on the old track linking Wellington to Ballarat today referred as Mitchell Highway. The area known as Blackman s Swamp derives its name from the Surveyor-General Thomas Mitchell, who named it in honour of the Prince of Orange, later became the King of Holland. 3 It was firstly settled as a convict cattle station in 1820s. In 1826 Governor Darling opened it up for free settlement and a land survey was undertaken in The village of Orange was proclaimed in 1846, counting a population of only 28 people in In 1860s Orange developed into a significant commercial centre including 3 flour mills, a foundry, 3 banks, 14 hotels and a daily coach mail service along the Penrith to Wellington Highway and was incorporated as a Municipality. As a town it rapidly grew from less of 500 people in 1860 to more than 3,000 by the 1970s. The first post office was established in 1849, and is reported to have been within the store of John Woodward, fronting the road to Bathurst. In December 1860 the Telegraph reached Orange, six years after its introduction to Australia. Following the opening of the railway line in 1877 the Colonial Architect James Barnet was appointed to prepare plans for the present Post Office, which would adequately accommodate both the postal and telegraph services. In 1888 the Municipality of East Orange was founded which was separate from Orange until By 1910s the internal street grid was mostly established and Cook Park established in In 1946 Orange was proclaimed a city and celebrated its centenary in An airport opened the same year and by 1966 commercial development and post-war migration led to a population of more than 22,000 people. 5 Figure 3: View of Summer Street, east, looking west, Orange, photograph taken between 1870 and 1975 (Source: State Library of NSW, ON 4 Box 52 No 135, Digital Number a ). 3 Orange Council, History, available at accessed October Orange Council, Survey of Orange Significant Landscape Features, accessed October Ibid.

3 Figure 4: Plan of the village of Orange at Blackmans Swamp, Co. of Wellington 1846 (Source: National Library of Australia MAP F 26) Figure 5: View of Cook Park in Orange, photograph taken by John Flynn between 1912 and 1955 (Source: National Library of Australia, Part of Australian Inland Mission collection, Image No. nla.pic-an ).

4 BEFORE BERRILEA The land on which Berrilea was built was originally granted to Dennis Hanrahan on 16 July Dennis Hanrahan, son of Patrick Hanrahan & Euphemia Young, was born in 1812 in Castlereagh, NSW. He married Ellen Bulger from whom he had three children in Bathurst and then Catherine Carroll in 1853 from whom he had six more children, all born in Orange. Dennis was the licensee of several hotels in Orange The Valley Steamer Inn in about 1846, The Plough and Harrow at Campdale in 1853, and as a building contractor he built the original Church of England, now known as the Bluestone Hall. 6 In 1859 he signed the petition for Orange to become a municipality, of which he was one of the inaugural councillors in After Hanrahan s death in 1868 the land he owned at Blackman s Swamp, which appears to be used for cultivation in a plan dating 1846 was subdivided into three portions of Section 28 numbered 15, 16 and 17 on the plan AO Portions 16 and 17 were then bought in 1902 by the Frost family who built the still standing Berrilea. Figure 6: Surveyor-General. Plan of the town of Orange at Blackmans Swamp in the Counties of Wellington & Bathurst, N.S.W (Source: National Library of Australia MAP F 27 from Dept of Lands AO 4694) 6 accessed October accessed October 2012

5 2.2 Phase 2: The Frost Family and Berrilea ( ) THE FROST FAMILY The Frost family is one of the oldest pioneer families of Orange. Robert Frost was born in Leicestershire, England in He arrived at Blackman s Swamp (now Orange) in 1861 and established a butchery business which he carried on for 25 years. 8 Frost was also involved in gold mining and in 1863 he purchased the Lucknow mines and the founder, together with Mr A Kerr, of the first Orange Hospital. In 1868 he sold the mines to the Ballarat Company and then from 1872 they were sold to various companies in portions. Robert married Bridget Carroll from Summerhill, near Lucknow, in They had 13 children and after living for a while at Bridget s father's property in Orange, they purchased a property of 290 acres in Blackman s Swamp after Robert Frost assisted surveying these block of lands that were to become central Orange. Together they built Campdale, a grand two storey residence (see Figure 7) that is standing now as Kinross Wolaroi School, on the Presbyterian Ladies College site in Orange. The Campdale Estate was later sold and subdivided in Figure 7: A 1980s photograph of Campdale (Source: Orange Library Local Studies Collection, R. Marony of the Orange Historical Society, 'Robert Frost, man who built Campdale' CWA newspaper, p.4) Figure 8: Robert and Bridget Frost in some of their family, undated 19th century photograph. (Source: Orange Library Local Studies Collection, R. Marony of the Orange Historical Society, 'Robert Frost, man who built Campdale' CWA newspaper, p.4) 8 As above, "Robert Frost", p accessed October 2012.

6 Robert Frost died in 1888 at the age of 65 having an accident while riding a horse 10. Mrs Frost continued to live in the home until At that time, she decided to have a smaller residence built and either she or her family contracted the fashionable architect John Job Copeman to design a smaller residence for her at Summer Street, opposite Cook Park. The residence was called Berrilea, or Tabratong. Mrs Bridget Frost lived at the property in Summer Street, until her death at home there in Robert and Bridget s children included: Robert Thomas ( ) Mary (Polly or Pollie) ( ) Elizabeth Leeds (Bessie) ( ) Frances ( ) Catherine ( ) Frances William of Broken Hill (Fannie) ( ) Emma Moore of Cudal ( ) Maria Sharpe Kenna ( ) Anne Frost ( ) Bridget Frost ( ) Esther Lane of Parkes (Ettie) ( ) Robert Edwin of Randwick ( ) Phoebe Arnold ( ) When Bridget Frost died she was survived by eight of her thirteen children and both her and her husbands are remembered in the community as respectable members of the Church of England and Orange pioneers. Robert Frost has been previously confused with Samuel Frost, another prominent early pioneer and a brickmaker who arrived in Orange in He established a kiln and made bricks for most of the prominent Victorian buildings in Orange including the viaducts and railway buildings along the western line. 12 BERRILEA The house was built on a portion of the former Dennis Hanrahan land grant (lots 16 and 17) and has been identified with the name of Berrilee or Berrilea and Tabratong. The house was built by J. H Gain to the design of the architect John Job Copeman. 10 Australian Town and Country Journal (NSW : ), Saturday 9 June 1888, page R. Marony of the Orange Historical Society, 'Robert Frost, man who built Campdale' full page article, CWA newspaper, p.4 12 The Writings of William (Bill) Folster, compiled by his grandson Paul William Featherston, W. Folster's Articles, 1988, p.102 "Early Brickmakers Samuel Frost"

7 The residence and its outbuilding, which now consists of the former stables and attached tank stand, are noted as being constructed in 1902, although Bridget Frost still appears to be residing at first previous house Campdale in Orange in the Electoral Roll. 13 The original architect's plans are framed and hanging in Berrilea (see Figures 9 and 10). The legend on the plans notes they are "Plans of a proposed residence to be erected in Orange for Mrs Frost." Unfortunately these plans are not dated (see Figures 9 and 10.). 14 Bridget Frost, widow of the late Robert Frost, died in Berrilea in The house went through various hands until Fleurette Weston, who resided there until her death in 1981, left it to the Wontama Homes. The building has been used as offices and most recently turned into a Day Therapy Centre and an Overnight Respite Accommodation. Figure 9: John Job Copeman architectural drawings of Berrilea. Figure 10: Right, a current view of the western hallway in Berrilea. 13 Transcription of Orange Electoral Roll, in Frost family file, Orange City Library Local Studies 14 Orange Council, DA No. 85/90, Property File No. 258/29/2/1 15 The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : ), Saturday 17 November 1906, page 12

8 Figure 11: The rear elevation of Berrilea which had later additions to each wing but retained the centre row of windows - see current photographs in Section 2.1 Site description. (Source: JJ Copeman drawing, framed and hanging inside Berrilea) Figure 12: The architect's drawing for the side main entry elevation of the house, facing east. The legend states JJ Copeman Architect Bathurst. ARCHITECT - J.J. COPEMAN John Job Copeman began practicing as an Architect in Bathurst in He had come to Bathurst as a 12 year old with his parents in In 1887, he won the Artisans prize at the Bathurst Show for his architectural drawings and in 1889 he was the only leaving certificate candidate in NSW to receive honours in Architectural Planning and Designing. He worked with a number of the significant families of Bathurst including the Webb family, and the McPhillamy family, and also taught at the Bathurst Technical College in By 1901 he had designed more than 30 houses in Bathurst and had taken on a number of public commissions. He carried out extensive private and public commissions including works to a number of church buildings in the district including Holy Trinity, and St Barnabas Anglican Churches and rectories, the Catholic Presbytery (now demolished) and the Catholic Chapel at the cemetery. He was also responsible for the design of the linking building between the Art Gallery and the Exhibition Hall at the Bathurst showgrounds and alterations to the Grandstand in Other significant buildings include the Boer War Memorial in Bathurst and the extension to the Bathurst School of Arts in He was admitted as a Fellow of the Royal Australian Institute of Architects in 1903.

9 His work in Orange is not well documented, however his design for Mrs Bridget Frost, the widow of the prominent Robert Frost is in keeping with this picture of Copeman as a leading architect and a fashionable choice for members of society. It would be interesting to review his other designs in Orange. In 1910 he left Bathurst and continued to practice in Sydney. His last Bathurst Commission was in He continued to practice in Sydney, with offices in King Street under the company name of Copeman and Lemont Architects up to The company then became Copeman Lemont and Keesing until his retirement in Copeman resided lastly in Robertson Road, Greenwich and died in Sydney in Copeman's work indicates that he was a conservative but capable and quality practitioner, with his style being tasteful interpretation of the fashions of the period. There are a number of Copeman, Lamont & Keesing buildings dating from the 1930s and 1940s listed on the Australian Institute of Architects NSW Register of Twentieth Century Buildings of Significance. They are as follows: 1930 Criterion Hotel Sheridan Street Gundagai, Listing No Belmore Hotel 476 High Street Maitland, Listing No Alfred Hotel Former Grose Farm Hotel, 51 Missenden Road Camperdown, Listing No Erskineville Hotel 102 Erskineville Road Marrickville, Listing No Kurrajong Hotel 106 Swanson Street Erskineville, Listing No Criterion Hotel Park Street Sydney CBD, Listing No Main Entrance to Tooth & Co Limited, Broadway Sydney, Listing No Hotel Illawarra Keira Street corner Market Street Wollongong, Listing No Phase 3: Uniting Care Aged Care Accommodation (1966 present) AGED CARE ACCOMMODATION In early 1960s a gift to the Methodist church of was made by the late Mr Laurence Askam of Wellington for the specific purpose of providing a home for aged care. A committee was formed and in 1963 Orange was selected as a suitable location in the western districts. In 1964 Miss Fleurette Weston offered a gift to the church for the use of, "35,000 sq ft of land at the rear of her home, Berrilea, at Summer Street in Orange. This site was seen as ideal as it was opposite Cook Park with the Orange Base Hospital and related professional services and shopping facilities nearby." 17 Thanks to the late Mrs Askam the committee also purchased two "old semi detached cottages to provide access through to Byng Street" and they were presumably demolished 16 This information was obtained from the Australian Institute of Architects heritage office, NSW Architects, Biographical Entry for J J Copeman, author M. Fallon, 12 June Wontama Nursing Home, the 25 th Anniversary, The Vision, p.1

10 soon afterwards. 18 A further gift was made by Mr. J.B. Wilson for commissioning the architect Mr Fred Nolan to design a hostel and a first section of the future Nursing home and units. In 1966 the builder Kell & Rigby handed the key to 30 residents who started to move in the hostel. The official opening of the Hostel was on 13 March 1967 by Charles Cutler MLA. The first Matron was Miss Katherine Pilkington, assisted by 5 staff. She continued as a Matron until 1972, just prior to the opening of the Nursing Home. 19 In 1967 negotiations commenced to acquire Miss Wright s home at 27 Summer Street, next to Berrilea to build the Nursing Home. The first stage of the nursing home, which is the area to be demolished as part of this project, was officially opened on 7 October This was to be known as Askam House, in honour of the original donor, Laurence Askam. A decision was then made to construct a 3 storey block of self contained units on the eastern side of the Hostel, behind Berrilea to accommodate 43 residents in self- care. The construction of Weston Lodge was also completed and occupied in mid 1972, and is now refurbished and known as Clancy Weston Lodge. A second stage of the nursing home was now wanted but prior to approval being granted, concern was expressed that the demolition of Miss Wright s house in front of the Hostel would adversely affect the Heritage Streetscape. However, the design and use of suitable materials ensured that, as with all of Wontama s buildings, a pleasant and compatible environment has been maintained. 20 A foundation stone was laid on 19 June 1981 (located inside the foyer) and this building, separated from Berrilea by the driveway, opened on 17 April The following photograph has the nameplate 'Wontama'. This was the house at 27 Summer Street, owned by a Miss Wright and adjacent to Berrilea. It was acquired by Uniting Care Ageing in 1967 and then operated as part of the Wontama Village Nursing Home. It was demolished to make way for the constructed nursing home which is currently on this site. In 1980 Miss Weston became a patient in the Nursing Home until her death on 14 December The home was initially considered for self-contained flats, bu in the May 1987 it became the Wontama Day Care Centre and incorporated the Administration Office. 24 self contained units called Carinya (Happy Home) were opened in Berrilea was listed by the National Trust in 1983, when it was already owned by Uniting Care Aging and formed part of the Wontama Village Nursing Home. The 1985 Heritage Study ensured its listing on Schedule 5 of Orange Council LEP 2011 as an item of State significance within the Central Orange Heritage Conservation area. 18 Ibid, p.1 19 Ibid, p.5 20 Ibid, p.7

11 Figure 13: A 1970s photograph of the house formerly located at 27 Summer Street which was owned by a Miss Wright and under the ownership of Uniting Care Ageing from It was demolished in c This house along with its (extant) neighbours to each side would have formed part of a consistent, c1900 heritage streetscape. (Source: Orange City Library Local Studies Collection) The 1990 plans of the Wontama site show the Summer Street section of the overall site. These plans depict the proposed use of Berrilea as a day therapy centre, which did not eventuate and the location of the former stables. The architect for the original hostel and the first section of the nursing home was Mr Fred Nolan. Following completion of the hostel, the key was handed over by the builders Kell and Rigby on 12 December 1966 with the first 30 residents moving in a week later. 21 There was an official opening held in 1967, with the ceremony performed by the Governor of NSW, Sir Roden Cutler, on 13 March and this is commemorated with a marker stone located in a garden bed at the site. In March 1980 Miss Weston became a patient in the Nursing Home until her death on 14 December The terms of her will left her home, Berrilea, which was one of her properties in Orange, (then called Tabratong) to the Wontama Homes for the Aged and there is a letter saying that this took effect on the occasion of her death. 24 Her will also decreed that she be cremated, with her ashes scattered in the garden of my home Tabratong, 29 Summer Street, Orange. 25 Currently, there does not appear to be any memorial stone in the garden commemorating this event or indicating a specific location. On 1 July 1991 Wontama Nursing Home amalgamated with 17 units at 19 Sale Street, on St John s Church grounds. 21 As above, p5 22 As above, p5 23 Op cit 24 Correspondence to Council dated , Property File No. 258/29/2/1 25 Death Certificate dated , pp1-3,property File No. 258/29/2/1

12 Figure 14: This framed portrait of Miss Fleurette Weston hangs in the passage of Berrilea. Figure 15: The 1990 site layout plan of the Summer Street part of Wontama. (Source: Orange Council File No. 258/29/2/1). Figure 16: A September 1990 plan of the Berrilea stables at top, with the plan of the Wontama Workshop attached to it. (Source: Orange Council File No. 258/29/2/1).

13 ARCHITECT FRED NOLAN Architect Fred Nolan worked locally in the Orange LGA in the 1960s. In 1961 he undertook a small commission at the State heritage property, Duntryleague with Lodge, Park, Gates, Stables - also known as the Orange Golf Club. At that time the property was already operating as a guest house. In 1961 the guesthouse lease was taken over by Mr and Mrs H Gear, who at their own expense converted a number of rooms into bathrooms and toilets. 26 Nolan was the architect commissioned for Uniting Care for the original hostel and the first section of the future nursing home and units on the subject site in He arranged for a model of the buildings at Wontama Village Nursing Home to be constructed and displayed in Orange and other towns within the district. 27 Figure 17: An undated but believed to be late 1970s drawing of the buildings on the site and the proposed buildings. The building shown in the foreground is in the location of the 1982 building which is in a slightly different configuration and directly adjoins the 1967 building designed by Nolan and indicated in red. (Source: Uniting Aged Care Wontama Nursing Home, the 25th Anniversary booklet, p.4). In 1971 Peter Priestley established an architectural practice in North Sydney with fellow Directors John Delohery and Fred Nolan. The firm was known as Peter Priestley Associates, which was subsequently shortened to Priestleys Architects and is still in practice. Upon the retirement of Peter and Fred in 1978, John continued the practice with Michael Barlow, who had joined the practice in From the history for Duntryleague Guesthouse, State Heritage Inventory Form No , 27 Wontama Nursing Home, the 25th anniversary, p4 28 Priestley's Architects,

14 2.4 Historical Themes The NSW Heritage Branch developed a thematic framework for use in heritage assessment and management. It was thought that thinking about a place in terms of themes can help understand its significance. The organising principle for the thematic framework is the dynamism of human activity. This Framework identifies thirty-eight principal themes. 29 The historical development of an area or item can be understood as occurring in a thematic way, with different layers representing progressively earlier themes. 30 In the case of the Berrilea, there are numerous State themes reflected at the local level which relate to its foundation and development. They are Health, Mining, Towns, Suburbs and Villages, Accommodations, Welfare and Persons. These themes are referred to within this CMP to guide future research questions, to interpret the history, and structure the narrative of the development within the context of the local area. Historical Themes associated with Berrilea: Australian Theme 3 Developing local regional and national economies 4 Building settlements, towns and cities NSW Theme Local Theme and Notes Comments Health Mining Towns, suburbs and villages Accommodation Activities associated with preparing and providing medical assistance and/or promoting or maintaining the well being of humans Activities associated with the identification, extraction, processing and distribution of mineral ores, precious stones and other such inorganic substances. Activities associated with creating, planning and managing urban functions, landscapes and lifestyles in towns, suburbs and villages Terrace, apartment, semidetached house, holiday house, hostel, bungalow, mansion, shack, house boat, caravan, cave, humpy, migrant hostel, homestead, cottage, house site (archaeological). 7 Governing Welfare Activities and process associated with the provision of social services by the state or Wontama Village Nursing Home is an Aged Care facility that is managed by Uniting Church. This institution merged the different blocks of land into the current title. Robert Frost, together with Mr A Kerr, founded the first Orange Hospital. Robert Frost is the founder of the Lucknow Mines of gold. Berrilea is one of the first houses built after the subdivision of the land called Blackman s Swamp. One of the earliest houses of Central Orange built in this location due to its proximity to the newly established Cook Park. Uniting Care Ageing is a Not For Profit Organisation. Uniting Care NSW-ACT is the Board of the NSW and ACT Synod of the 29 Both the Australian Heritage Commission (national) and the NSW Heritage Office (state) have identified themes for research relating to places of heritage significance NSW Heritage Office, Heritage Information Series, Historical Research for Heritage, Baskerville, Bruce, (2000) p. 2.

15 9 Marking the phases of life Persons philanthropic organisations Activities of, and associations with, identifiable individuals, families and communal groups Uniting Church responsible for the work of community services, chaplaincy and social justice advocacy. Berrilea is associated with Robert Frost and his family, one of the earliest pioneers of Orange. It was designed by JJ Copeman a well established architect of its time.