Blue Mountains History Journal Issue 2
Blue Mountains History Journal Issue 2
Blue Mountains History Journal Issue 2
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
<strong>Blue</strong> <strong>Mountains</strong> <strong>History</strong> <strong>Journal</strong> 2; 2011<br />
Medlow Bath (<strong>Blue</strong> <strong>Mountains</strong> Shire Council Rate Books 1914 to <strong>Blue</strong> <strong>Mountains</strong> Shire Council Rate<br />
Books 1919).<br />
1926<br />
Captain Cornwallis Wade-Browne, was an Army officer formerly of the 11th and 48th Foot Regiments<br />
(1855-1866), whose step-grandfather Sir John Eardley-Wilmot had been Governor of Van Diemen’s<br />
Land (1843-46). Wade-Browne owned several plots of land at Medlow, one of which was a farm of<br />
50 acres named Oriel (Pors.328-331, <strong>Blue</strong> <strong>Mountains</strong> Shire Council Rate Books 1918) that lay beyond<br />
the eastern end of St. Albans Road and is now in the Sydney Water Catchment Area. He was a regular<br />
worshipper, as was his first wife Eudora Mary Anne who predeceased him in 1893; both are buried in<br />
Blackheath Cemetery, Church of England, Row 1, No.11 (<strong>Blue</strong> <strong>Mountains</strong> Family <strong>History</strong> Society<br />
1989, p.95). His son’s benefaction is recorded:<br />
“... the Rev H.A.C. Rowell (sic) dedicated a magnificent oil painting and tablet to the memory of<br />
the late Mr. Cornwallis Wade-Brown, a devout churchman and a staunch supporter of St. Luke’s.<br />
Mr. John Wade-Brown, only son of the deceased gentleman, unveiled the painting, which he<br />
purchased in Italy. The subject was “The Shell” portraying Our Lord and St. John the Baptist, after<br />
the famous painting by Murillo. The brass tablet was engraved “To the Glory of God and in memory<br />
of Cornwallis Wade-Brown, who worshipped in this church from 1902-1923.” ... St. Luke’s is<br />
perhaps the prettiest of the small churches in the <strong>Blue</strong> <strong>Mountains</strong>.” (Anonymous 1926).<br />
The latter date is inaccurately reported as Cornwallis Wade-Browne died on 8 July 1922 and that is the<br />
year engraved on the plaque (Figure 14)!<br />
(photo Peter Rickwood 2011)<br />
Figure 14. Cornwallis Wade-Browne memorial plaques, now in St Aidan’s Church, Blackheath.<br />
post 1934<br />
There were two brass vases inscribed ‘H.A.C.R.’ (Figure 15A), these being the initials of the Rev.<br />
Harold Arthur Campbell Rowsell (18?? - 1941), Rector at St. Aidan’s 1922-1934 (Hodgkinson 1984,<br />
p.20; Finney 2005; NSW BDM 1941). Whether he donated the vases, or whether another donated them<br />
in his memory, is not known but as they are engraved with his term of office they have to postdate<br />
1934.<br />
25 Back to Contents