ROSE LANE CONVICT CEMETERY, GLEN DHU

SIGN ON WESTBURY RD

Around 2010-2011 there seemed to be a great deal of activity around the convict cemetery in Rose Lane, South Launceston. The National Trust was involved, children from Glen Dhu school made commemorative tiles (unfortunately some are already worn and broken) and a small sign was placed on Westbury Road. I'm having some difficulty finding out what has happened since.

There may be more burials there than the size of the cemetery, which existed as such between 1846 and 1874, might suggest, as it has been claimed that bodies were interred 5 or 6 deep at each gravesite, and that Rose Lane may be the final resting place for around 320 people.

Memorial Tiles

I'd venture to suggest that most people who live in Launceston remain unaware of the cemetery's existence, and in honesty there's not much to see, if “seeing” rather than “being” is your thing. There is a low walled circle of stones, and some arrows marked on the ground, but there is no sign at the actual entrance, nor anything to say what the arrows mean, and no information about the overall significance of the burial ground. The children's tiles record the names, and other information about some of the people known to be buried there. It is tremendously sad to think that having survived a long and dangerous sea voyage, they died alone in a strange and distant land, away from families and friends.

SITE OF ROSE LANE CONVICT CEMETERY

34 BOURKE STREET - Electricity and Explosives

OLD POWDER MAGAZINE SITE AND ELECTRICITY DISTRIBUTION STATION

There are two ways of going about this blog. One is the sensible way, which is to find out a great deal of existing interesting information about a building and then take a picture of it, and the other way, which is to wander past and, think “Oh this looks interesting,” take a picture and then try to find out what it is and how it came to be. As you have probably gathered by now, my posts generally fall into the latter category.

This week's building is a case in point. We were walking down Margaret Street, and decided to wander up Canning Street. Just around the corner in Bourke Street was an unusual brick building set in a long empty block. I guessed “church”, but I was wrong. The QVMAG's indispensable paper on Launceston's Industrial Heritage tells us that it was, in fact an electricity distribution station, designed by C. St John David, and built by J&T Gunn in 1894. It also mentions that it once had a tower which has since been removed.A newspaper report from 1940 talks of the construction of a new sub-station in Bourke Street but doesn't give any more details so I'm not sure what relationship (if any) it has to this building. It is now on the Heritage Register as “a house” so presumably some redevelopment has been undertaken.

The building is described in the Heritage Council Annual Report of 2009-10 as “Powder Magazine Site and Former Electricity Distributing Station.” was one of 58 additions to the permanent Heritage Register in that year. Gunpowder and other explosives were usually stored in government-owned facilities away from houses for obvious reasons. Presumably the expanding town necessitated the move. Even in the 1850s, there were issues with the location of the magazine. The Examiner of 12 March 1858 referred to “that dangerous old magazine on Cateract Hill.” The newspapers of the time were full of reports of powder magazines exploding at various locations within Australia and elsewhere, so obviously no one was keen to have one on their doorstep.

The original powder magazine was closed in the 1870s, and moved to a location in Henry Street. (More information about the new storage site can be found at

http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/ahdb/search.pl?mode=place_detail;place_id=101047

I'm aware that this is a bit disjointed and am very conscious that there is more to be told – once again I can either not post this because I'm not happy with it or go with it in the hope that someone who can fill in more information about this building's history might like to comment. I'm also having a bit of trouble finding the newer powder magazine site....I suspect I've seen it but not recognised it for what it is.....any suggestions?

251 INVERMAY ROAD - ST FINN BARRS

ST FINN BARRS INVERMAY

The original St Finn Barr's school, established by the Presentation Sisters in 1893 was at the corner of Forster and Holbrook Street, Invermay. It was destroyed by a fire which occurred shortly before 2 am on 25^th March 1925. The blaze was so intense, that according to newspaper accounts of the time “every house on Trevallyn stood out as if in daytime.” This was just one of many unexplained fires that occurred around this time, including several houses and a furniture factory. Some 15 months after the St Finn Barr's fire, the drill hall being leased as a temporary replacement, was damaged by another blaze. The Examiner reported that local residents feared a “fire maniac” was at large.

Funds were quickly raised for the new school, at 247 - 251 Invermay Road, which was consecrated by Bishop Dr W Barry in May 1927. The building, described by the Examiner as “Romanesque”, and by the National Heritage data base as “Inter War Free Classical Style” cost ₤7 000. Speakers complained “bitterly” that despite not making any contribution to the building, the land upon which the school was built was to be taxed by the state government “so that the mud could be taken out of the Tamar.” The architect was “Mr Tandy” and the builders “Messrs Munro and Quinn.”

The Presentation Sisters continued to be involved in the operation of the school until 1993.

(A very readable account of the history of The Presentation Sisters in Australia can be found at http://presentationsociety.org.au/about/our-history/ - its worth noting that this article mentions that the first school established by the order in the southern hemisphere was in Richmond, Tasmania in 1866.)

Additional details (particularly in relation to the building's architecture), as well as a more conventional photo can be found at http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/ahdb/search.pl?mode=place_detail;place_id=100199.   

60 WILLIAM STREET - GLASGOW ENGINEERING

GLASGOW ENGINEERING - 60 WILLIAM STREET

Glasgow Engineering is one of the longest operating engineering firms in Australia. Originally called Tamar Foundry, it has been operating in William Street since 1892, although the facade we see today is believed to date from around 1900. The company, which has played a fascinating role in the industrial heritage of Launceston has a well written history on its website, including photographs, so if you would like to know more, go to http://www.glasgowengineering.com.au/ and look under “Company Profile.”

Check out the photo of a bullock team and steam engine towing a boiler made by the foundry at the State Library: http://catalogue.statelibrary.tas.gov.au/item/?q=launceston&avail=Online&format=Images+%5c+Photograph&i=78&id=LPIC147-1-380#urls

CLARENDON

CLARENDON

Clarendon was built by grazier and politician James Cox in 1838, and is one of the best known of the Tasmanian National Trust Properties. The folks who maintain the building and grounds have done a terrific job but clearly need more finances, especially to fix a leaky roof! If you haven't been, I'd recommend a visit, although be aware that according to the Trust's website the house is closed in July and August. Clarendon is an easy 27km drive from Launceston, (well this blog is called Look Around Launceston) and if you go on a Sunday you can always stop at Evandale for the market and morning tea.

There is so much information available about James Cox and indeed Clarendon and I don't have any great new insights to add, so.......if you'd like to know more see:

http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/cox-james-1931 (Australian Dictionary of Biography)

or just Google “James Cox Clarendon”.

As there are many photos of the front of the house already on-line, the one you see here is of the back!!