Wagga Wagga Cattle Driving Bill :"A menace to life and limb"

In 1901 George Rudd of Wagga Wagga brought forward a petition to the Legislative Assembly of New South Wales , for a law to be created that would control the movement of stock through the township.
The minutes of evidence from the proceedings of the committee make entertaining reading. The other great benefit of the minutes of evidence is the picture it gives of Wagga Wagga at the time, and I was personally suprised to read about buildings I never knew existed.

...I have seen many persons running into gateways out of danger..George Rudd.

There were two different  sale yards at the time : the Municipal Yards, and the Pastoral Hotel sale yards. Apparently it was common practice at the time for hotels to have sale yards right next door. Which also indicates not much thought was given to health and hygiene, as the Bungalow private hospital , according to the minutes of evidence, " immediately adjoins the Pastoral sale yards." There was no adequate drainage at the yards, and the movement of cattle through the streets caused other problems apart from personal injury- ripping up the road surface, and depositing large amounts of manure which then caused the potential health hazard of disease.
Charles Cook of Wagga, in response to the question "what are your objections to cattle being driven through the streets of Wagga in the daytime ? " replied, " I always considered it was a menace to life and limb, and that it was insanitary."  

The Municipal yards, situated "less than half a mile from the Post Office, were not as well patronised as the Pastoral yards. There was discussion of why the Pastoral yards were more popular :
"You say that people go to the Pastoral Yards, for the sake of being near a public house ?" ( James Gormly, to James Beveridge, Grazier)
Beveridge to Gormly : I say that the the people that are drinking go to the Pastoral Yards to look on.
Gormly to Beveridge: "I suppose the people who drive stock are generally a temperate class of people ?"
Beveridge to Gormly: I daresay they will take a dram now and then."

The stock route for cattle to get to the yards passed through Travers and Gurwood Street, and created havoc when passing the Gurwood Street School and other schools along the route. The students no doubt found the progress of the cattle noisy, distracting, exciting, smelly and dangerous. Can you imagine 200 head of cattle being driven along the wide and leafy spaces of Gurwood Street now ?!
The last word should go to the unflappable George Rudd. When asked by Chairman Gormly ,  " you have never had to dodge the cattle ? " , Rudd answered confidently, "No, but I am an expert amongst stock."

If you would like to read the minutes of evidence, you will be transported to another era, chaotic, exciting and full of local characters speaking in their own voice across the years. Come on into the library and ask at the information desk and they will be able to retrieve the document for you- it is part of the local studies collection , available to read in the library only. Just the thing to escape a dreary winter's afternoon!

A droving we shall go...

Written in pencil on the back of this lovely B&W photograph :

 Len and Dolly Boots
San Isidore c 1964

It's thought that Len (or Les ) was a drover.
Can you provide any information about this photograph ? Or droving in and around the Wagga area? Perhaps you recognise the exact spot in San Isidore that Len is passing, or remember Len, or even San Isidore in the sixties.  If you can , email me at wagga.local.studies@gmail.com or pop into the library for a chat- we would love to hear from you.

Dixieland , New Years Eve 1943

 This invitation card (shown left),
to a New Year's Eve Ball held at the Dixieland dance venue on the Murrumbidgee River in 1943, was held to help raise funds for the Wagga Base Hospital.
Many social and fundraising events were held during wartime, including dances, social evenings, Christmas parties for children, civic receptions, dinner nights, swimming and sports carnivals. Compared to the present day, people were more socially active in many different ways during world war two.
The Dixieland was a floating dance floor on the river , near the end of what is now Sturt Street, according to Wagga Wagga : a history, by Sherry Morris.
Supper was served during the evening and the dance floor was decorated with colored lights and willow boughs, reminiscent of a fairy bower.
Wagga Wagga City Library has a small collection of invitation (and similar) cards, the earliest so far found an entry ticket to a special "enclosure" near the Soldiers Memorial Obelisk in Baylis Street, 1929.

Not about the flood : Wagga Leagues Club

Do you remember the Wagga Leagues Club ? Did you sip on a fluffy duck in the Piano Bar, watch "From hell to victory" starring George Peppard , or dance till 2am at the Saturday night disco?

This information card ( circa 1982) is a recent addition to the Wagga City Library local studies collection from a donor in Canberra.

The library has very little information, photographs or memorabilia of the Leagues club apart from this information card.

Sherry Morris, in her book "Wagga Wagga : A History," notes that the club started in the 1950s with additions and improvements occuring into the 1960s. I'd love to hear from anyone with memories or information, or even phtographs to share - email wagga.local.studies@gmail.com or just pop into the library for a chat.

Women of ill repute: Prostitution in Wagga Wagga 1870 - 1890

Recently an extremely valuable addition to the local studies collection at the Wagga Wagga City Library was donated by Danielle Gamble , who studied at the University of Melbourne.
Danielle has written : "Just another job? A study of prostitution in late Nineteenth Century Wagga Wagga, 1870 - 1890", as her dissertation for the award of the Bachelor of Arts (Honours) 2011.

Amongst her resources were Wagga Wagga's Goal Entrance Description books. The information within these records showed the pressures and poverty these women suffered, that led to the use of prostitution as a way of survival.
Ms Gamble also used material from the Daily Advertiser of the time, and the Court of Petty Sessions.

This quote from the study is most telling, illustrating the difference between how society saw these women and how the women saw themselves: " If they were taken to court and labelled a common prostitute, they would respond with 'incomprehension and at times indignation'. Whilst they might accept that they had sexual intercourse with a man for money they would refuse the inference that this made them a common prostitute." (p.38).

There were different "categories" of prostitutes : the Rowdy, the Quiet, the Common. Most prostitutes were also charged with vagrancy, drunk and disorderly, larceny, or simply behaving in a "riotous manner" (p 41). Oh, and sometimes obscene language as well.

Ms Gamble identifies a third group : the Chinese camp prostitutes, who plied their trade on the banks of the Murrumbidgee. And reveals the location of two brothels in Wagga Wagga - one in Peter Street, and another in Crampton Street.

This research document is a truly valuable and respectful insight into the real world of late 19th century Wagga Wagga , a groundbreaking work, and a refreshing reminder that Wagga Wagga's history is not so dull and respectable as it looks on the surface.

The study is currently being processed and will be available for view shortly in the local studies collection. Email me : wagga.local.studies@gmail.com with your comments, thoughts, or information.

Wagga Wagga circa 1939

The first Wagga Wagga City Council information booklets the Wagga Wagga City Library local studies collection holds are from 1938 onwards. This may not be the earliest year they were produced , but they are the first I have located in the collection.

These charming and elegant little booklets hold a wealth of historical facts and other information about the town.

In 1938, there were 1070 telephones connected ; statistics on the amount of butter produced in previous years - in 1937 , show that 1,904,507 lbs were churned out. In 1937, Wagga's population was 12,530. 29,309,800 cubic feet of gas was sold; and in 1937, there were two cases of typhoid , 35 cases of diptheria, and 11 cases of scarlet fever.

Council employed four people at the sewerage works, 8 at the gasworks, and 6 people at the cattle saleyards.

And as early as 1938 Wagga Wagga had "daily air service links with the capital cities", the journey taking one hour and forty five minutes.

An oddity mentioned in the general description of Wagga's parks and gardens is that Collin's Park had a "Zoological section". There were also black and white photographs of places of interest for a gentler era - including the business districts of Fitzmaurice and Gurwood Streets, the bathing beach, and the various parks and gardens .

Part of the charm of the booklets is that they are written in the language of the time, and with the statistics given, give a detailed picture of Wagga as it was in the 1930s, and with a little imagination it is possible to see yourself in Wagga circa late 1930s.

if you have any booklets or other information you would like to share with us - such as the creatures housed in the Collins park zoo, email me wagga.local.studies@gmail.com or ring 69269757 and leave your number and I will get back to you.

Gumi - river bank spectators - were you there?

The Wagga Wagga City Library currently has a display of photographs from the 1983 Gumi race. Come along and see if you can identify yourself in the crowds along the river bank.
Julie Mutton shares her brief but vivid memories : ...standing on a high bank (probably opposite Wagga beach) and watching the carry on by the entrants. Water bombs and flour bombs being the norm. Also some of the fanciful decorations of the craft which included balloons, flags and patchwork on the more elaborate rafts.
She also remembers having a picnic lunch out of the boot of the car.
Can you see yourself in the crowd? Or someone you know ? email me at wagga.local.studies@gmail