Parramatta Gasworks and the Australian Gas Light Company

Parramatta Gasworks

The Australian Gas Light Company was established by private interests in New South Wales on 7 September 1837 to light the streets of Sydney with coal gas.  This is Australia’s second oldest company to be listed on Australian Stock Exchange. Australian Gas Light Company has expanded businesses in all Australian states, as well as in Chile, China and Poland. The lights were turned on in 24 May 1841 to celebrate the birthday of Queen Victoria. Within next two years there were 165 gas lamps in the city - 14 Government lights, 11 Corporation lamps, 106 Publicans’ lights, and 34 Private lamps.

Boer War Memorial, Parramatta Park, 1904, by W. Hanson

Soldiers' Memorial, Parramatta Park, photographer unknown, 1904-1950, Parramatta Heritage Centre, LSOP00438

The Memorial to Parramatta’s involvement in the South African Boer War was unveiled 30 April 1904, by the Colonel James Burns, and Alderman William Noller along with J. Arundel and Walter Gates. 

Present at the ceremonies were Colonel Cox, who would ten years later garner even more fame in Palestine during World War One, Major Hiillard of the Lancer Regiment, Captain’s Mackenzie, Guyot and Dr. G. E. Rundle (father of the late Captain W. J. S. Rundle, of King’s School. Also there was the Honorable Joseph Cook and between four and five hundred public school cadets under Major Dove.

Annual Meeting of the Aborigines at Parramatta

Earle, Augustus, 1793-1838.

The annual meeting of the Aboriginal tribes at Parramatta, New South Wales, the Governor meeting them [picture]

[1826?] 1 watercolour ; 17.1 x 26 cm. (National Library of Australia)

On the 28 December 1814 Governor Macquarie organised a meeting with local tribes at Parramatta to discuss the enrollment of children in a newly formed "Asylum for Native Children". At one o'clock Macquarie and his wife, accompanied by a number of civil and military officers, arrived at the market place adjacent to St John's Cathedral. After talking for an hour to overcome the suspicions of the local aborigines three children were finally yielded up to the project and a meal of roast beef and ale was provided to those in attendance.