Places and Events in Granville

HISTORIC PLACES IN GRANVILLE

From information compiled by James Jervis, ASTC, FRAHS

Granville is built mainly on grants made to James Ruse, John Macarthur, Lieutenant Thomas Davies, Thomas Keele, John Harris, Garnham Blaxcell, James Smith, John Thomas Campbell, W. C. Wentworth and William Lawson.  North Granville stands on grants to Ruse, Macarthur and Harris.  Blaxcell’s 1,125 acres lies south of the Sydney Road, and the grant dates from 1st January, 1806.  The land was known for many years as the Drainwell Estate.  Blaxcell Street recalls the name of the original owner.

The grant passed into the hands of Sir John Jamison and became known as the Dog Trap Farm, because dingoes were numerous and traps were laid for them.  Later the property passed to Jamison’s daughter, the wife of Captain William Russell.  Russell and Jamison Streets perpetuate the names of this family.

After the railway was constructed in 1855, the terminal point was known as “Parramatta Junction” and a suburb began to develop there as land was sold around the station.

Population growth was slow, and in 1871, residents numbered less than 100 and ten years later the census recorded a population of 372.

The suburb changed its name to Granville  in 1885.  The Earl of Granville was Foreign Minister in the British Government from 1870 to 1874 and again from 1880 to 1885.

The Granville Municipality was formed in 1885 and the Granville Council carried on the local government of the area until 1948, when the enlarged City Council of Parramatta was established.  Granville became one of the three wards of the new organization.

Granville Park Granville Park forms portion of land reserved in the time of Governor Phillip to provide revenue for churches and schools.  This land was held by the Crown until 1872, when portions of it were sold.  Granville Park was originally set aside as a water reserve for settlers who bought land in the vicinity.  Twelve acres were dedicated for park purposes in 1886 and later in the same year another section of eight acres was added.

Toll Bar Governor Macquarie established a system of tolls on the roads out of Sydney in 1811,  and a Toll Bar was built on the Parramatta Road near Boundary Street, Parramatta.  The Toll Bar was shifted to the junction of the Parramatta and Dog Trap (now Woodville) Roads, in 1831. Tolls were collected until 1880.

Granville Town Hall The Granville Council met in the School of Arts for some years and then it was decided to build a Council Chamber.  The foundation stone was laid on 5th September, 1883, and building officially opened on 16th January, 1889.  The Town Hall was completed in December, 1900.

Granville School of Arts The foundation stone of the School of Arts building was laid on 3rd November, 1883 and the opening ceremony was performed on 4th June, 1884.

Bergan’s Mill James Bergan, who had managed Byrne’s Brothers Woolen Mill at Parramatta, established a mill at Granville in 1870 near the present Municipal Baths, and it continued to work until the 1920’s.

Brunton’s Mill Brunton’s Flour Mill was opened on 23rd February, 1888.

Clyde Engineering Works The foundation stone of the building which housed the industry which was originally owned by Hudson Brothers and known as the Union Rolling Stock and Engineering Works, was laid on 19th August, 1882.

Sandown Meat Works Sandown Meat Works were completed in 1897, but killing did not begin until 1900.  The building was burnt in 1923 and in 1925 the Ford Motor Company began to construct a factory on the site.

Australian Kerosene Oil Works The works were built in 1887 and began operations in that year.  The plant distilled shale oil and was closed down in 1898.  In the 1920’s the Goodyear Tyre Company acquired the property and erected a tire factory on the site.

St. Mark’s Church of England An Anglican Sunday School was established in a building which formed part of the original Vauxhall Hotel in 1870 or earlier.  The room was burnt in November, 1870, and a galvanized iron structure for use as a church was built.  In 1879 it was decided to erect a permanent church, the foundation stone of which was laid in April, 1882, and the building was opened on 13th January, 1883.  Portion only of the church was completed and on 31st July, 1920 additions were opened by Sir Walter Davidson.  The church was designed by E. Blackett, the eminent architect.

Granville Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Church The first Roman Catholic Church in Granville was built in 1882.  Portion of the church was blown down in February, 1895 and had to be rebuilt, the additions being blessed and dedicated by His Eminence Cardinal Moran in September, 1895.  A new church was opened and blessed on 21st April, 1907, but the structure was burnt in May, 1908.  Steps were then taken to erect a new church which was opened in October, 1908.

Granville Methodist Church The first Methodist Church was opened in William Street in 1883 and a Primitive Methodist Church was built on the Sydney Road in September, 1888.  When the two Methodist sections decided to amalgamate a site for a new church was purchased in Carlton Street, and work on its erection began in 1906.

Granville Baptist Church A Baptist Sunday School was opened in Granville in the early 1880’s and later the denomination held services in a room over a shop in South Street.  A church was built in Blaxcell Street in 1885.  In 1911 a new church was erected at the corner of William and South Streets where a Sunday School had been erected early in the same year.

Granville Presbyterian Church Knox The church officially commenced its work in Granville on 13th July, 1884, when Rev. J. Ross began to hold services in the School of Arts.  Earlier services had been conducted in the Mess Room at Hudson Brothers’ Works at Clyde.  Land was purchased with frontages to Hutchinson Street and The Avenue, and a church built and opened on 13th December, 1885.

Granville Presbyterian Church Tron Kirk Mr. J. B. Brown gave a block of land in Trongate Street in 1925, and a weatherboard structure called the Tron Kirk was completed for use as a Presbyterian Church.

Granville Public School The first public school was opened in William Street in 1881.  Additions were made in 1883, 1900 and 1902.  A new Infants’ School was opened in March 1915, and another building for the Infants’ Department completed in 1923.

Eliner McGee’s Grave This is one of the oldest graves in Australia and in it one buried Eliner McGee and an infant son, who were drowned when returning from Sydney up the river in January, 1793.  At that time the land occupied by the grave was part of a farm held by the woman’s husband.

South Granville Public School This school was opened in August, 1889 and additions were made in 1902, and a new wing was built in 1929.

Blaxcell Street Public School This school was opened on 2nd February, 1924.  Two rooms were added in 1924, and a new wing in 1928.

Granville Holy Trinity Roman Catholic School In 1882 a wooden building about 60 feet by 18 feet was built for use as a school.  Additions were made to it later.  In May, 1934, the foundation stone of a new school was laid by His Grace Archbishop Sheehan and it was completed later in the year.

Granville Boys’ High School Bergan’s property in Mary Street was resumed in 1923 and a Junior Technical School built on the site was opened on 10th October, 1925.  This became a High School in 1958.

Granville Technical College Technical classes when first established were held in the School of Arts.  A temporary building was erected on a site in South Street, in 1909 and the first portion of a brick structure completed and opened in July, 1910; two years later the remainder of the buildings were occupied.  Owing to a great expansion in Technical College work it became necessary to erect a new building which was completed in 1943.

Rosehill Race Course This race course stands on a portion of a grant to John Macarthur.  Work was begun on the construction of a track named Rosehill Race Course in 1883.  The job was completed in 1885 at a cost of £17,000, and the first race meeting held there in April of that year.

Anzac Day Floods  Anzac Day 25 April 1974 was the scene of absolute chaos when Duck creek on the corner of Blaxcell Street and William Street flooded due to debris in the drain.   It broke it's banks, the deluge flooded the local R.S.L., the sports rooms were flooded.   The old R.S.L. Youth Club, the former R.S.L. was also flooded and many old photographs and honour boards were destroyed.

Granville Train Disaster The Granville Train Disaster happened on the 18 January 1977.   The Blue Mountains train reached Granville at ten minutes past eight in the morning.   The train left the rails just before the Bold Street Bridge hitting the staunchion, bringing down the bridge.   Eighty three people were killed and many injured.