1891 and 1892 Section Maps for Balmain and Leichhardt
Some fast advancing collections are being digitised by the State Library of NSW, National Library of Autralia and the City of Sydney.
For 1891 -1892 Section maps for Leichhardt and Balmain click here
as well as a selection of Sydney Maps Online
Are you researching your family history and would like to brush up on your skills. Why not attend some of the great courses at:
SAG Society of Genealogists
All activities are held at Richmond Villa, 120 Kent Street unless otherwise specified.
A chronological list of all activities is now available for online viewing and bookings here. You can also phone Monday to Saturday during office hours on 9247 3953 or call in during library hours Tuesday to Thursday and Saturday.
Eugene and Guisseppe Scarcella
With a packed room as part of History week 2012, we celebrated 60 years of business for Scarcella Watchmakers. Like the hands of a clock the fashions in time keeping have come full circle. It is a local business which survives in a suburb where a penchant for old craftsmanship keeps the Scarcella business alive. Giuseppe and Eugene continue the business laid down by father and grandfather Carmello Scarcella who started the business just three days after arrival to Australia.
Now Leichhardt watchmakers Guiseppe and Eugene Scarcella keep the family tradition going. The Local communities love of things old and well made with sentimental penchant for family aerlooms which have kept people coming from all over Sydney for many years “People like old watches. It’s actually a fad at the moment – people buy them on eBay. Which is good for us, because we have to do the repairs !” Eugene said “A lot of people will come in with watches that may not be the most expensive, but their father wore it every day. They’ll pay to have it fixed because they’re so attached to it,” he said. Carmello Scarcella opened up the business in the first week of arriving to Australia in July 1952. His son Giuseppe Scarcella joined him in the businesses from 1960 and Eugene joined the family trade in 1982 full time. The Leichhardt family business is one of the longest surviving on Norton Street with some customers still coming from the time it opened. The small shopfront filled with watches parts and clocks has worked for them.
Three generations Carmello Giuseppe and Eugene
Carmelo was a healthy 105 yrs old when he passed away in 2011. 1930s/1940s:
1952“Carmelo Scarcella owns a jewellery and wedding gift shop in Messina” which was damaged in WorldWar 2. They sold wedding gifts like vases. Carmelo Scarcella arrives in Australia from Messina, where he had a jewellery and wedding gift shop. He opened up the watchmakers shop at 12 Norton Street in his first week of arriving. He began his trade at age 8.
1960 Giuseppe Scarcella joins his father in the shop at 12 Norton Street Leichhardt. They specialise in fixing in older watchers, old clocks, automatic, all watches, geek watches. 1982
Eugene Scarcella starts working full time in the shop. 2012
The business ticks over successfully making it one of Leichhardt’s oldest local businesses.History Week was full of engaging and informative events. Powerhouse museum curator Lindie Ward, gave a presentation on “What they Wore on the Waterfront” tracing a history of the clothes worn by men and women on the Balmain Peninsula. Beautiful images from the Tyrell collection, Mitchell Library and Powerhouse Museums online collection, showed men working on building sites, docks and factories.. wearing Panama Hats, Fedora hats, Bowlers hats, Dakota hats, waistcoats, braces, three pieces suits and summer linen three quater pants were amongst the clothes worn by men. Women wore working aprons, high neck collars, ankle length skirts, with tailored jackets for outdoor recreational activities such as bike riding and picnics.
Many people have come in to Leichhardt Library to view the Kath Farrell collection. A private collection containing an original Edwardian Satin dress with silk bows, 1950s and 1960s swimwear. Colonial corsets. 1910 childrens dresses, hand operated sewing machine, 1920s David Jones shop display wig, Mens collars, 1930s shoes, watchmaking devices, 1953 bone tailored dress, 1930s dress, and mens 1940s suit. For more information on private historic collections why not check out the Australian Dress Register
Men’s Woolen 1920s Jansen Swimmers
1920s coarse silver wig.
Glass cabinet display, lace, 1930s shoes, 1920s hat, 1850s shoes.
The National Library of Australia is pleased to announce the following newspapers from Victoria which have issues that have been newly added to Digitised newspapers and more on Trove ( trove.nla.gov.au ). Many of these newspapers are currently being added to Trove and further issues will become available shortly.
Advertiser (Footscray, Vic. : 1914 – 1918)*
Bendigo Advertiser (Vic. : 1855 – 1918)
Bendigonian (Bendigo, Vic. : 1914 – 1918)*
Berwick Shire News and Pakenham and Cranbourne Gazette (Berwick, Vic. : 1914 – 1917)*
Broadmeadows Camp Sentry (Vic. : 1917)*
Dandenong Advertiser and Cranbourne, Berwick and Oakleigh Advocate (Vic. : 1914 – 1918)*
Flemington Spectator (Vic. : 1914 – 1918)*
Gippsland Farmers Journal (Traralgon, Vic. : 1914 – 1918)*
Gippsland Mercury (Sale, Vic. : 1914 – 1918)*
Great Southern Star (Leongatha, Vic. : 1914 – 1918)*
Hawthorn and Camberwell Citizen (Vic. : 1914)*
Hawthorn, Kew, Camberwell Citizen (Vic. : 1914 – 1918)*
Heidelberg News and Greensborough and Diamond Creek Chronicle (Vic. : 1914 – 1916)*
Heidelberg News and Greensborough, Eltham and Diamond Creek Chronicle (Vic. : 1916 – 1918)*
Leader (Melbourne, Vic. : 1914 – 1918)*
Maryborough & Dunolly Advertiser (Vic. : 1914 – 1918)*
Moorabbin News (Vic. : 1914 – 1918)*
Oakleigh and Caulfield Times Mulgrave and Ferntree Gully Guardian (Vic. : 1914 – 1918)*
Ouyen Mail and Central Mallee Advertiser (Vic. : 1914 – 1915)*
Ovens and Murray Advertiser (Beechworth, Vic. : 1914 – 1918)*
Port Fairy Gazette (Vic. : 1914 – 1918)*
Port Melbourne Standard (Vic. : 1914 – 1918)*
Portland Observer and Normanby Advertiser (Vic. : 1914 – 1918)*
Prahran Chronicle (Vic. : 1914 – 1918)*
Preston Leader (Vic. : 1914 – 1918)*
Queenscliff Sentinel, Drysdale, Portarlington, Sorrento Advertiser (Vic. : 1914 – 1918)*
Riverine Herald : Echuca and Moama Advertiser (Echuca, Vic. ; Moama, NSW : 1914 – 1918)*
St Arnaud Mercury (Vic. : 1914 – 1918)*
Sandringham Southern Cross (Vic. : 1914 – 1918)*
Seymour Express and Goulburn Valley Avenel, Craytown, Nagambie, Tallarook and Yea Advertiser (Vic. : 1914 – 1918)*
Shepparton Advertiser (Vic. : 1914 – 1918)*
Snowy River Mail (Orbost, Vic. : 1914 – 1918)*
Standard (Port Melbourne, Vic. : 1914)*
Wangaratta Chronicle (Vic. : 1914 – 1918)*
Balmain council was the earlist council in the current Leichhardt Local Government Area. Below is a leaf out of the Balmain Jubilee Celebrations in 1910 listing the mayors with John Booth as the first mayor in 1867. In 1948 Annandale Council, Leichhardt Council, Balmain Council and Glebe amalgamated and became Leichhardt Council. In 2003 Glebe became part of the City of Sydney.
For more information on John Booth we have the following books in our collection.
John Booth of Balmain : reminiscences by his family / retold by Rhoda and Norma Selfe.
John Booth of Balmain : the Booths in Bermondsey, Kincumber, Balmain and on the Manning, 1800-1946 / Peter Reynolds Online catalogue
