Diane, I think you've found the answer. The boiler would need the chimneys seen in the painting. Well done. Phillip Carruthers Brisbane, Australia +617 3273 5531 ----- Original Message ----- From: Diane To: [email protected] Sent: Monday, October 05, 2009 10:46 AM Subject: Re: [HV] Sketch of Long Bridge WEST MAITLAND Hi Ray, I'm wondering ??? if the building to the left [ http://nla.gov.au/nla.pic-an8329629 ] may be a depiction of Green's Flour Mill, built in the 1840's and later owned/operated by Pierce and Crofton ? The following article, Explosion at West Maitland, c. 1855, describes the location of the mill as being ... "situated in the road on the left after crossing the long bridge from Maitland, and has been erected about ten years" http://newspapers.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/4807375?searchTerm=%22explosion+at+west+maitland%22 Perhaps someone else may know more about this mill. Cheers, Diane Hills District Nth West Sydney ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Hi Phillip, Funny that you should mention that, as I came across this small extract whilst reading a 50th anniversary article on the '55 floods. >From the Newcastle Herald, Tuesday February 22, 2005 [Greg Ray] http://www.sanitarynapkins.com.au/sanitary-napkins-articles/2005/2/22/when-the-rains-came/ "Ironically, Maitland's system of levee banks was later blamed for making the situation worse by increasing the flood height and velocity of the water. That meant, when the breaks came, the hurtling water was infinitely more dangerous than it would otherwise have been. The first major levee failure was Cummins Dam at Oakhampton at about noon. People who were in Mount Pleasant St at the time say they heard two or three "explosions" and to this day some remain convinced that authorities deliberately blew a hole in the levee to channel the threatening water away from the more populous Lorn side, a claim always strenuously denied. When the wall of Cummins Dam gave way a tremendous head of water tore along Oakhampton Rd, sweeping all before it. Houses were ripped from their foundations and smashed against the Long Bridge that joined Telarah and the hospital to the rest of the town. Water surged past the damaged bridge, destroying a rail embankment and signal box on the Great Northern line, west of the railway station." Regards, Diane Hills District Nth West Sydney -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]]On Behalf Of Phillip Carruthers Sent: Sunday, 4 October 2009 4:36 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [HV] Sketch of Long Bridge WEST MAITLAND Ray, The Bull Street area would have taken a battering in 1955. It was in direct line of the water flow from the Oakhampton breach. It has always been thought the Oakhampton breach was deliberate and indeed the path of the water became the course of the mitigation scheme developed in the years following the flood.

Wow! Hello all. THANK YOU so much, to each contributor, for all of the great replies to my question, most especially to Diane for having found the answer it would seem to that 'chimney'; and to Phillip for tying it all together. I have also really enjoyed reading the stories of reminiscences of the flood time itself. I intend to reply privately to each contributor to the discussion; and to reply on here separately with answers to a couple of questions which were put in their replies. Again, my grateful thanks to each of you. Ray. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Phillip Carruthers" <[email protected]> Diane, I think you've found the answer. The boiler would need the chimneys seen in the painting. Well done. ----- Original Message ----- From: Diane I'm wondering ??? if the building to the left [ http://nla.gov.au/nla.pic-an8329629 ] may be a depiction of Green's Flour Mill, built in the 1840's and later owned/operated by Pierce and Crofton ? The following article, Explosion at West Maitland, c. 1855, describes the location of the mill as being ... "situated in the road on the left after crossing the long bridge from Maitland, and has been erected about ten years" http://newspapers.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/4807375?searchTerm=%22explosion+at+west+maitland%22