I've just looked at the copy of the painting I have and the factory looks to be on the town side of the flat. I think there was a soap factory there at one time. And, Alan it's not in the book you mentioned, I have that one. It's in "The Rise of High Street, Maitland" by John Turner. Frankly I think it's a fanciful representation of what the artist, F C Terry saw in 1885. Incidentally that's when my grandfather arrived in the town from Somerset. The garden in front of the hospital will be where the boilerhosue was before it was demolished in the 80's. that's the 1980's. And the Hospital is much closer to the end of the bridge than depicted. David mentioned that Bull Street graded down to the river but that can't be right. The river is nowhere near Bull Street. The grading would have been down to what I think became known as Soldiers Flat across which the Long Bridge was built. Water didn't normally flow under the bridge except in flood. Does anyone know why the bridge was built? I assume to give a flood free road to the west and north. Phillip Carruthers Brisbane, Australia +617 3273 5531 ----- Original Message ----- From: Allan Murphy To: [email protected] Sent: Sunday, October 04, 2009 5:01 PM Subject: Re: [HV] Sketch of Long Bridge WEST MAITLAND Phillip and Ray I remember seeing this photo in a booklet Maitland City Council published in the 1980s, I think it was something on the history of Maitland. Maybe if have a look at this booklet it may mention details about the photo. Unfortunately, I can not locate my copy. regards Allan Murphy [email protected] -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Dorothy Moore Sent: Sunday, 4 October 2009 5:36 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [HV] Sketch of Long Bridge WEST MAITLAND What wonderful information - thank you, fascinating reading. regards dorothy ~~~ -----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. I was seven at the time and still have vivid memories of what went on. We had endure several floods in the years before 1955 but they only flooded the streets and low lying houses. We missed out and would stay at home watching the water rise against our brick fence. In 1995 it didn't stop and my father made the decision to get us out but returned to protect the castle. He and Adrian decided to leave when a pole floated around the corner of Hannan and Wolfe Street with a black snake curled around it and a tortoise swam between his legs. We had 3' 7" of water in the house and ;lost everything. We lived for a few days at the old Tally Ho factory on the outskirts of Rutherford until I was evacuated to live with my cousin in Cessnock. The rest of my family lived in a caravan in the backyard of Bill Jack (Jack's Motors on High Street) on Aberglasslyn Road Rutherford. We eventually move the house to Aberglasslyn Road. The site you found the photo on has some great Maitland building shown. Quite a few of them were built by my Grandfather, Charles Taylor who had a workshop in Banfield Street that would not have been far from Bull Street. The buildings include, Walka Waterworks, Maitland Courthouse, and Benholme on Regent Street. Thanks for asking the original question. What's you family name from Bull Street? Phillip Carruthers Brisbane, Australia +617 3273 5531 ----- Original Message ----- From: Ray To: [email protected] Sent: Sunday, October 04, 2009 12:54 PM Subject: Re: [HV] Sketch of Long Bridge WEST MAITLAND Hello again Phillip. Thanks for this. What a great bit of local and family history that item makes. I wonder if they were grateful that it didn't collapse whilst they were walking on it. I was not aware that the bridge had collapsed. When I searched under "Long Bridge" Maitland at the National Library of Australia pictures web-site, there were lots of photos of concrete work being constructed on the bridge, which I was unaware of; so this would now explain it. At the time of the flood, Phillip, we were living in the western suburbs of Sydney, and being a kid, I had no idea at that stage that the family had originated in Maitland, still living almost adjoining the Long Bridge at the time of the flood -- in Bull Street, formerly called Thompson's Lane -- on the eastern side, on my John THOMPSON ancestor's original Veteran's land grant which had stretched right across from Thompson's Lane to Regent Street; so from the photos at the NLA, it would seem that the entire grant would have looked like a river then. Phew! Thanks for sharing this interesting item. Regards again: Ray ------------------------------- 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 ------------------------------- 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 ------------------------------- 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 et al, There used to be a soap-works and brewery near the Long Bridge, but on the opposite side, near Hannan Street. For those people who are not sure where the Long Bridge is, have a look at Google maps http://maps.google.com.au/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=hannan+street+maitland&sll=-32.727689,151.548972&sspn=0.011354,0.02502&ie=UTF8&t=h&hq=&hnear=Hannan+St,+Maitland+NSW+2320&ll=-32.726426,151.552277&spn=0.011354,0.02502&z=16 The building of the bridge was written about in the Sydney Monitor in April 1832 ... " A new bridge is being built at the foot of Campbell's Hill, near Maitland, on the edge or side of a swampy piece of ground which is passed in going from Maitland to the upper districts. In wet weather, the swamp has damaged harness, bullocks and drays, the value of which would build a bridge of polished stone. The bridge being erected does not cover the swamp, but only the gully which runs through it on one side. Mr. Bingle's servant and horse were drowned in this gully. We hope a bridge will be built over the 400 yards of sludge, and over Black Creek". The bridge was still under construction in July 1833, and nearly finished towards November of that year. See Sydney Gazette article : http://newspapers.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/2214727 Generally speaking, the land between the river and the swamp was also known as the Veteran's Flat, as this was where a number of grants were initially marked out c.1830 for ex military soldiers/veterans. Cheers, Diane -------------------------------------------------- From: "Phillip Carruthers" <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, October 04, 2009 8:58 PM To: <[email protected]> Subject: Re: [HV] Sketch of Long Bridge WEST MAITLAND > I've just looked at the copy of the painting I have and the factory looks > to be on the town side of the flat. I think there was a soap factory > there at one time. And, Alan it's not in the book you mentioned, I have > that one. It's in "The Rise of High Street, Maitland" by John Turner. > > Frankly I think it's a fanciful representation of what the artist, F C > Terry saw in 1885. Incidentally that's when my grandfather arrived in the > town from Somerset. > > The garden in front of the hospital will be where the boilerhosue was > before it was demolished in the 80's. that's the 1980's. And the > Hospital is much closer to the end of the bridge than depicted. > > David mentioned that Bull Street graded down to the river but that can't > be right. The river is nowhere near Bull Street. The grading would have > been down to what I think became known as Soldiers Flat across which the > Long Bridge was built. Water didn't normally flow under the bridge except > in flood. > > Does anyone know why the bridge was built? I assume to give a flood free > road to the west and north. > > > Phillip Carruthers > Brisbane, Australia > +617 3273 5531

Hello again. Phillip, you asked the question below about why the Long Bridge was built. I cannot put my hand on any documentary details about it at the moment, but in the early days of my researching about Maitland, I was told that it was the victualling centre and final jumping-off point for all heading north, north-west, and west; with stock being driven across that area as well as bullock-wagons, passenger carriages, etc. My guess is that as the land is so low-lying and swampy, such a 'track' would have quickly become almost impassable, so the bridge would have been almost necessary. I am also at the moment reading Grace Karskens' M.A. Thesis from the University of Sydney, the online source for which Diane kindly pointed me to in a recent discussion on the NSW Colonial History list (nowhere near as active a list as this one. lol) THANKS AGAIN DIANE!; and if I understand Grace Karskens correctly, this bridge was a necessary part of the access between Newcastle and Maitland with the Great North Road; and Sydney, as well as north and west of Maitland. HTH: Ray ----- Original Message ----- From: "Phillip Carruthers" <[email protected]> ... Does anyone know why the bridge was built? I assume to give a flood free road to the west and north. ...