Gables

 

Just before we closed the Museum for the COVID19 health emergency the newly assembled Willoughby East Bungalow Gable Vents panel and the three panels of the Chatswood House Names were installed. When we are able to open the Museum again at some indefinite stage in the future this display will be waiting for you.

illoughby East Bungalow Gable Vents – Fourth Avenue opposite Willoughby Park is a treasure trove of roof gable vent decoration. There are plenty of examples similar to this form of detailing throughout Willoughby City but particularly concentrated in these buildings built by Greens as good examples of interwar bungalows. The block – Fourth Ave/Robert Street/Eastern Valley Way/McClelland Street is an intact collection.
(REW Imagery©)

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Become a Member

To become a member: Direct deposit $20 ($30 family) to: BSB: 032 090 Account Number: 973362 with your name in the reference field. Then complete an application form available at: Membership Application Renewing members only need to complete new application if your details have changed.

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House names

When Chatwood as a residential suburb began to be developed from the late 1890s most houses were identified by a house name, not a number. The names may have developed from a number of sources eg: a family name, where the family originated from, classical references or aboriginal names.

By the mid 1920s house numbers were becoming the normal postal identification in a street address.

However many of these original names remain as nameplates on numerous Chatswood houses. One hundred and thirty five nameplates feature on these panels.
Some houses have been renamed with more modern versions.

There are some one hundred and fifty names still viewable on Chatswood houses, substantially in the North Chatswood (inc Roseville) and South Chatswood Federation and Interwar built heritage conservation areas.

The house addresses are not identified for privacy purposes.
All photos were taken from the public domain – the footpath.
( REW Imagery©)

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Become a Member

To become a member: Direct deposit $20 ($30 family) to: BSB: 032 090 Account Number: 973362 with your name in the reference field. Then complete an application form available at: Membership Application Renewing members only need to complete new application if your details have changed.

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Keep active at home

Documenting our history

During COVID-19 when we are generally required to stay at home there is still opportunity to be productive. If you are interested in the history of your suburb there are excellent on-line resources available from the Library under History of Willoughby (http://www.willoughby.nsw.gov.au/library/history-at-willoughby/).

Of particular note are the on-line publications available at http://www.willoughby.nsw.gov.au/library/history-at-willoughby/publications/ and a terrific set of historical photos on Picture Willoughby 

(http://www.willoughby.nsw.gov.au/library/history-at-willoughby/picture-willoughby/)

Consider reviewing the information available then writing a short article on an aspect ofour history that takes your fancy. You can send this to us here at the Museum via willoughbydistrict@bigpond.com. We can use your article in our newsletter and publish it on our website.

It is also a good time to get with documenting you family history. See  (http://www.willoughby.nsw.gov.au/library/history-at-willoughby/family-history/

Become a Member

To become a member: Direct deposit $20 ($30 family) to: BSB: 032 090 Account Number: 973362 with your name in the reference field. Then complete an application form available at: Membership Application Renewing members only need to complete new application if your details have changed.

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Upcoming events

Please scroll down to see schedule of events

Current Exhibition

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Current exhibition

Growing up in Willoughby 

Our Heritage for the Future is the theme for this year’s celebration of heritage across NSW. ‘Growing up in Willoughby honours stories of the past, celebrating living heritage and looking to the forward to ensure stories of Willoughby are preserved for future generations..

Current exhibition

 

History of the North Shore Railway

Chatswood Station 1910

The Willoughby Historical Society’s new Exhibition, the History of the North Shore Railway will officially open at 1.00 pm on Sunday 8 September at the Willoughby Museum, 58 Johnson Street, Chatswood.

SMH 14 November 1924 p.10

The exhibition covers newspaper reports on the politics leading up to the construction of what was Sydney’s first true suburban railway in the 1880s and 1890s.

Willoughby Museum is open from 1pm to 4pm on Sundays (Feb-Nov)

Next General Meeting

The next General Meeting of the Society will be held on Saturday 12th October 2019 in Chatswood Library starting at 2PM.

Guest speaker: Brian Day on a variety of aspects of Willoughby’s history.

General Meeting 10/8

LATE NEWS !!!

WDHS General Meeting this Saturday afternoon starting 2pm in the Library at The Concourse.

Paul Storm (aka Mr. Willoughby) will present the story of the Blau family.

From pre WW1, interned during the war, he discusses their rich family history.
Running a general pharmaceutical supply business for a number of years from East Chatswood, they were the agents for 4711 perfume.

There will be a quantity of original historic material on display.

North Shore railway

On Saturday 8th June 2019, Bob McKillop will speak about the history of the North Shore railway at our General Meeting. The meeting is from 2 – 4 PM in the Front Room at Willoughby Library.

Cavalcade of Fashion 2019