Annandale on the Web
Established 1998

Anecdotal History of Annandale

1945-1955 - Post War Migration

"2/33rd Battalion, Annandale Masonic Hall, Trafalgar Street, 1.30pm" - The Sydney Morning Herald Tue 23 April 1946 (page 5)

Besides continuing development at Auburn, the company purchased the firm of C. Elliott, of Annandale in 1947. This company’s name was changed to Annandale Engineering Co. Pty. Ltd. and now operates from its own premises adjacent to the Auburn plant....History of Wallbank Engineers. Founders. Patternmakers.

Christine's Memories of Annandale

Christine McKay's family moved back to Annandale, from Hurstville after the war ended. Christine, her sister and parents lived in Taylor St. At the time, the tram ran down booth st, then down Taylor st, before crossing Johnston's Canal and up the crescent to Ross St, where it followed the current 470 bus route into the CBD.

Christine recalls, raiding the Melocco Brothers Marble yard for firewood for the bonfires they had in the park between the tram lines and the yard. Tram at the Corner of Booth and Johnston St Annandale, 1955 and Aircraft Fuselage turning intho Johnston Street from Parramatta Road

Later, Christine went to stay with her grandfather in Wells st, from where she would walk to the Annandale Public School. The tuckshop in Trafalgar St, across the road from the school is still as Christine recalls it - though no longer in business.

At the end of Primary school in Annandale there were three public school options - Leichhardt Domestic Science School, Fort Street Girls High and Burwood Girls High School. Her headmaster advised her mother, that she was too bright for Domestic Science and would have to work hard with the Academic Elite at Fort Street Girls. So, off she went to Burwood.

Christine recalls her mother doing piecework at home. This included stamping out rubber washers. As Christine had small nimble fingers she specialised in making tiny little red rings for the redcross and was paid 6pence a dozen.

After Christine left school she worked in Elizabeth St in the city for a Dictaphone company. The company provided a service of transcribing and scraping the wax cylinders of dictaphones.

Later Christine joined PGH Wood Products, whose yard was located between Whites Creek, Piper St, Whites St and Railway Parade in what is now Lilyfield. Christine recalls the logs being stored in Rozelle Bay to stop them drying out before they were sawn and made into Plywood. A manufacturing process that had been pioneered in Australia at the local Beale's Piano factory. PGH also manufactured Office Furniture. See Picture Australia and Benton'sImages of Logs being unloaded in Rozelle Bay

As a Comptomitrist, Christine's Job was to work a Comptometer to calculate the total price of pieces of timber. The device would work by pressing down the price of the item, in Pounds, Shillings and pence by the quantity of the item in square or linear feet.

"One of them, Raymond, remembers that in 1947 when he was in first class, 2/3 of the playground was covered with brick air raid shelters. The crane with the ball and chain demolished them while the children were in class and the noise was deafening...Family Ties Annandale Public School

The reverand Old, a long serving Rector of St Aidens, never drove a car. He visited his parishners on a Bicycle, which lead to local children giving him the nickname of "God on a Bicycle". When his bicycle was stolen in 1947, while he was out visiting, the Parishners bought him a replacement. - Annals from AIDAN's in Annandale (p42)

When two cars collided at the corner of Trafalgar and Collins Streets yesterday, Sidney Berg, of Ronald Avenue, Revesby, gashed his leg. He was admitted to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.-The Sydney Morning Herald Tuesday 7 October 1952 page 3

No. 5 The Crescent

"Significance: No. 5 The Crescent, Annandale has local historic significance. The site forms part of a local pattern of mixed residential and light industrial development. During the 1920s and 1930s, the site was the location of one of the many local furniture companies. After this time, it has an association with modern industries such as the application of latex in manufactory and electronics."....from www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au

This page www.ramin.com.au/annandale/story6.shtml last Updated: 10 May 2012.