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innovation and invention Excavations in New south wales The Broad Arrow Bricks Allan Hackett The broad arrow originated in England in 1698. It was an identification mark introduced to prevent the pilfering of Government property. Hence bricks, axes, shovels and other items were marked with the broad arrow. In New South Wales this practice of identification is usually accepted as commencing after 1819 when Commissioner Bigge arrived in Sydney to investigate the state of the colony. His reports were extremely critical of Governor Macquarie for his lenient treatment of convicts. However, I believe there is evidence that the broad arrow appeared prior to 1819. Archaeological excavations were carried out at the site of the Westfield shopping centre at Parramatta. Bricks which were thought to be unmarked or “clean skins” by the archaeologist were unearthed and a sample of four bricks were made available for examination. These bricks were recovered from one of the nineteen allotments on the site which was occupied by a private settler in 1810. However, examination of these bricks has revealed that they were in fact marked. In this instance the marking took the form of a series of dots and interestingly the dots are arranged in the form of two broad arrows. These may be the first government broad arrow bricks made in <strong>NSW</strong>. In addition, shell mortar is associated with the bricks and all measure the standard English size of 100cm x 21.5cm x60cm. The dot markings were impressed in the brick surface with nailheads protruding from the kick of the stockboard as the clay was pressed into the mould. Further evidence of the broad arrow predating 1819 has been provided by excavations at the site of the third old Parramatta hospital. The hospital was built in 1818. Double arrow bricks were found on site in the wall footings and can still be seen today covered by a glass floored building. For more information visit www.turnofthefirstclay.com or contact Allan Hackett at brickyone@bigpond.com Trust News Australia november 2012 10
innovation and invention Between the lines Farewell, Dear People Author: Ross McMullin ABOVE left Governor Lachlan Macquarie’s building regime occurred at the same time the single arrow appeared in Sydney. Early bricks were of English size but changed to 10cm x 23.5cm x 7cm in the late 1820s. A Hackett left Brickmakers sent to the penal colony at Port Macquarie from 1821, produced bricks on a quota system. Gangs assisted the brickmakers and each had their own identification mark. A Hackett ABOVE Dot markings form broad arrows in bricks from the Westfield site in Parramatta, <strong>NSW</strong>. A Hackett BELOW Brickmakers sent to the penal colony at Port Macquarie, from 1821 produced bricks on a quota system. Gangs assisted the brickmakers - each had their own identification mark. A Hackett Publisher: Scribe Publications Reviewer: Robert Mitchell National Trust members taking advantage of reciprocal privileges with the National Trust for Scotland and the National Trust in the remainder of Britain may be aware the role of death and taxes in the transfer of many country houses and estates to National Trust stewardship. While the imposition of death duties was a primary cause, the death of “heirs male” during the Great War 1914 – 1919 was often an important factor. While the national sacrifice and community loss was widespread, the line of succession for many family estates was extinguished in the mud of Flanders and elsewhere. The collective impact of the national loss was also reflected in “government by the second eleven” a phrase describing the lack of depth of political leadership in Britain between 1919 and 1939. In Australia the focus of commemoration of the Great War has been on service and sacrifice and battlefield accomplishments. Biographies, unit histories and memoirs continue these themes. As the centenary of the Great War approaches new publications are allowing us to re-examine the impact of the War on Australia and to present previously untold stories. The 60,000 soldiers lost in death to a young nation with a relatively small population was both devastating and politically potent as in the famous interaction between Prime Minister Billie Hughes and US President Woodrow Wilson over the League of Nations’ mandate for New Guinea demonstrated. Sometimes forgotten within the remembrance of the magnitude of loss are the individual stories of extraordinary Australians and what they might have contributed had they lived. Farewell, Dear People by Ross McMullin contains ten extended biographies of young men who exemplified Australia’s gifted lost generation of World War I. This book seeks to retrieve their stories and to fill the gaps in the nation’s collective memory. It shows how their deaths were a loss to Australia and part of the lasting legacy of the Great War. Although each biography culminates in death, these are not narratives of military history but rather a rich portrayal of Australia and Australians from the 1870s and into the 1930s. I entirely agree with Michael McKernan of the Canberra Times who characterised the narrative as a deeply felt engagement with lost lives, and a superb union of research and writing. I also agree with Peter Cochrane in his review in The Australian, that sometimes McMullin’s empathy for his selected individuals draws a long bow and loses historical context including the conjecture that General Sir John Monash could have replaced Field Marshall Sir Douglas Haig as Commander in Chief in France. Overall however the book is a compelling read with many links to heritage places like Woodbridge in Western Australia which is under National Trust of Australia stewardship. Available from info@scribepub.com.au Trust News Australia november 2012 11
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