I'll start with a typical Australian, my lovely koala now being used as a planter box. Also typical is the weather today, sunny with a top temp. of 41 deg C. I am staying inside with the air con. on, hiding from the heat and being forced for the first time to wear a mask at the shops. In my much younger days I would have been burning up at the beach.
I'm celebrating Australia Day with a bit of local history. St Luke's church Liverpool celebrated its 100th birthday with this photo taken in 1919.
100 years later in 2019 the same photo (well not quite) was taken. I am in this photo, you will find me near the front on the right if you look hard enough. I was lucky as people kept pushing me toward the front saying you are only small. In the first photo everyone was wearing a hat, no hats in the second pic. The dignitaries such as the Archbishop and the Mayor had seats in the pic and the children were seated on the ground in front.
For such a small church it is very beautiful inside.
Another great book written about early Liverpool and it's first cemetery. Gail Newman's research is amazing. The crimes of convicts and the ships they arrived on also cause of death makes interesting reading. This cemetery is now a park the headstones moved, some lost but the bodies are still there.
This is the "newer" cemetery after Apex was closed and is now known as the Pioneer Cemetery and was closed for burial many years ago. The church and cemetery are now separated by a very large Westfield shopping centre. This is the view from my balcony looking over at the grave of my convict 6 times grt grandmother and 2 of her grandsons.
The old station buildings parts of which can still be seen.
Spanish flu in Liverpool 1918-1919, now we have Covid so not a lot has changed.
Thanks to Dr Brian Cowling and Gail Newman for the use of their books (without permission) Liverpool has such an interesting history as it was a very early settlement in Australia.
Liverpool was founded in 1810 by Lachlan Macquarie who named it in honour of the Earl of Liverpool then Secretary of State for the colonies.
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Happy Australia Day 🇦🇺 Lovely to read some of the stories of your local area. Also of your ancestors. Like the koala 🐨 looking good.
ReplyDeleteFascinating glimpse of local history.
ReplyDeleteHappy Australia Day!!!! I did a double take when I saw Liverpool as my husband is from there:)
ReplyDeleteI should clarify....the Liverpool in England.
ReplyDeleteYou have to stay inside because of the heat and I because of the cold and rain !
ReplyDeleteHow interesting this graveyard where the first prisoners arrived and you have such and interesting great grandma, what has she done ? Stolen an apple ? What a lot of sad destinies the first Australian inhabitants had. I don't know if the Spanish flu was also over the world, anyway on the News here they said that we are all jaleous because you see people playing Tennis and on the street without masks ! A look into a better future ! Gives hope !