Tour of Historic Cemeteries
Rediscover some of the Hawkesbury’s lesser-known cemeteries on an excursion to old Historic cemeteries in McGraths Hill and Pitt Town.
The Methodist Cemetery at McGraths Hill was established in the 1850s, with over 80 headstones including many of Windsor’s business owners. The Old Pitt Town Cemetery is much older and larger, with many pioneer family names inscribed on the headstones.
At the Old Pitt Town Cemetery, we will visit several graves including Ann Smallwood and Granny Greenfield. Ann Smallwood was the daughter of shipbuilder John Grono and died in 1838 while Granny Greenfield was a local midwife, who brought many Pitt Town residents into the world in the early 1900s.
Richmond Girl Guides Celebrate 60 years On Saturday 25th June 2022, the Richmond District Girl Guides celebrated 60 years of guiding at the Richmond Guide Hall on Bourke Street, Richmond.
Special guests were •• Deputy Mayor of Hawkesbury, Councillor Barry Calvert •• Hawkesbury 2022 Citizen of the Year, Dianne Williams •• Kerrey Williams, Deputy State Commissioner, Girl Guides NSW, ACT & NT •• Chesne Jones, Archivist (and Hawkesbury local), Girl Guides NSW, ACT & NT •• Heather Pinning on behalf of Girl Guides Greater Rivers Region •• Special guest Robin Bennett (nee Holman) who was the first Richmond girl guide to earn her Queens Guide in the Richmond Guide Hall •• Generations of Guides celebrated the 60-year anniversary with an afternoon tea and enjoyed the current girl guides (aged from 5 to 16) entertaining the audience with their activities
. Chesne Jones, Archivist (and Hawkesbury local) gave a brief history of guiding in Richmond, from the first unit in 1925 to how they came to the current location on Bourke St, Richmond. The Richmond Guide Hall was opened on 30th June 1962 by the then Mayor, Victor William Gillespie. It was originally acquired from the RAAF base, as the RAAF no longer needed the building.
The Lions Club Richmond assisted in raising funds to transport the hall from the RAAF base back to Bourke Street, Richmond. Over the past 8 years it has undergone some renovations to allow for another 60 years of guiding!
Notable headstones at McGraths Hill are Reverend Peter Turner and his wife Mary, who were missionaries in Tonga and Samoa in the mid-nineteenth century. Several members of the Chandler family also have headstones at McGraths Hill including the local undertaker James Chandler, who died in 1919, and who was also the Mayor of Windsor Council on three occasions.
Join us on this driving and walking tour and discover some of the stories behind those buried in these historic cemeteries. Tours will be held on Thursday, 14 July 2022 10am to midday and repeated on Saturday, 23 July 9am to 11am. Cost is $10 and bookings are essential via hawkesburylibrary.eventbrite.com Instructions and directions are provided at the time of booking.
Contact name: Michelle Nichols, Local History Librarian Phone: 4560 4466
Email: [email protected]
