Since ancient times mankind has dreamt of flight. Through the 20th century these dreams became reality.
Some pioneers flew like Icarus too close to the sun. Others lived to tell their tale.
Local aviators Charles Kingsford Smith, Charles Ulm and P.G. Taylor were from a generation forged in the fire of WW1.
Having cheated death and beaten the odds, they were propelled to achieve fame and fortune – crossing the globe, to and from Australia.
Darragh’s talk will focus mainly on the military service of ‘Bill’ Taylor, then Smithy & Ulm. Their legendary achievements and human failings will be presented in the context of war, depression and the birth of commercial aviation.
Log in to Mosman Library Facebook on Monday 12 April @ 10.30am or listen and watch later at your leisure.
]]>Another good crowd filled the Mosman Room for this month’s talk, delivered by Gareth Morgan, President of the Australian Society of WWI Aero Historians.
Gareth took us through the development and use of aviation 1914-1919 with a sequence of illustrative photographs and paintings. The talk was recorded and you can watch it here (scroll down) or on YouTube.
Gareth also outlined the work of the Society, which has been active for 50 years. Andrew Smith, ww1aero.org.au web master, demonstrated the resources available to members.
These include:
Gareth kindly shared the results of a search for Mosman men in the Society database and these are listed below. Suggested avenues for research have been added to the Resources page.
Gareth also shared information on Mosman’s ace, Capt G F Malley, and another renowned pilot, Capt P G Taylor, whose lucky black cat and flying jacket and scarf are on display at the AWM. Contact us if you would like to write a piece on either man.
The following lists are from the Society’s database of Australian airmen.
This first list is of men who have Mosman in their biographical information, i.e. they were born in, enlisted from, or died in the suburb.
ALLPORT | Jack | Manning | 13/7/1895, North Sydney, NSW Australia |
ANDERSON | Keith | Vincent | 06/7/1898, Perth, WA Australia |
BAALMAN | John | 27/7/1893, Sydney, NSW Australia | |
BANKS | Edmond | Clifford | 13/7/1895, Paddington, Sydney, NSW Australia |
BOYDEN | Reginald | Haslam | 21/8/1896, Auburn, Vic Australia |
COLE | Lewis | George | 12/7/1893, Ultimo, Sydney, NSW Australia |
COLQUHOUN | Roderick | Shaw | 29/8/1898, Mosman, Sydney, NSW Australia |
DIBBS | Eric | Rupert | 09/3/1894, North Sydney, NSW Australia |
HUNT | Alfred | Stanley | 13/6/1894, Nevertire near Nyngan, NSW Australia |
KELLNER | Oscar | Charles | c1894, North Sydney, NSW Australia |
MALLEY | Garnet | Francis | 02/11/1893, Mosman, NSW Australia |
MULLEN | George | Forrester | 12/12/1900, Nowra, NSW Australia |
PAHLOW | Maxwell | Timothy | 23/6/1892, Nyngan, NSW Australia |
PHELAN | Ronald | Starr | 08/12/1893, Glebe, Sydney, NSW Australia |
PURSELL | Archibald | Samuel | 1895, NSW Australia |
PURSELL | Frank | Grenville | 25/11/1897, Balmain North, Sydney, NSW Australia |
SUTTIE | G. | C. | ??, ?? Australia ? |
TAYLOR | Patrick (“Bill”) | Gordon | 20/10/1896, Mosman, Sydney, NSW Australia |
TUTHILL | Ferguson | Hendley | c1886, ?? Australia ? |
UPTON | Selwyn | Arthur | 09/11/1893, ?? Australia? |
URE | Claude | Raymond | 17/2/1900, Bafmain, NSW Australia |
WASHER | John | Andrew | c1887, ?? Australia? |
WILKINSON | Henry | Arthur | 31/7/1893, Tumut, NSW Australia |
This second list is of men with a mention of Mosman in their ‘Events’ section, i.e. they had some connection with Mosman during their life.
Name Last | Name First | Name Middle | Born |
ALISON | Colin | Archibald | 1893, NSW Australia |
ALLPORT | Jack | Manning | 13/7/1895, North Sydney, NSW Australia |
BARLOW | Edward | 24/9/1895, Sydney, NSW Australia | |
BOYDEN | Reginald | Haslam | 21/8/1896, Auburn, Vic Australia |
COLQUHOUN | Roderick | Shaw | 29/8/1898, Mosman, Sydney, NSW Australia |
DENNE | Walter | William | ??, ???? |
DIBBS | Eric | Rupert | 09/3/1894, North Sydney, NSW Australia |
FRASER | John | Barclay | ??, ?? Australia ? |
GARLING | Septimus | William | 21/12/1883, Walgett, NSW Australia |
MALLEY | Gamet | Francis | 02/11/1893, Mosman, NSW Australia |
McMILLAN | Charles | c1898, NSW? Australia? | |
NEENAN | John | Francis | c1874, NSW? Australia |
POTTS | Leonard | Malcolm | 11/3/1895, Karori, Wellington.New Zealand |
PURSELL | Frank | Grenville | 25/11/1897, Balmain North, Sydney, NSW |
SCARR | John | Herbert | 12/2/1894, Sydney, NSW Australia |
SIMPKINS | Frederick | George | 1891, Henley-on-Thames England |
TRENCH | Charles | Frederick | 05/7/1895, Orange, NSW Australia |
Another good crowd filled the Mosman Room for this month’s talk, delivered by Gareth Morgan, President of the Australian Society of WWI Aero Historians.
]]>It was a packed Mosman Room to hear Tony Cunneen’s talk on Sir William and the Cullen family of Tregoyd in Raglan Street. Tony brought a unique perspective to our project by sharing his knowledge of the Sydney legal profession’s contribution to the war effort.
A video recording of the presentation is now available. Marlene Reid, a member of Mosman’s Bicentennial committee that prepared a number of the plaques you see in the area, told me after the talk that Sir William Cullen was one of those whose contributions to Mosman should be better known. This talk is a valuable addition to resources held by Mosman Library.
Tony Cunneen also had a suprise in store. He shared seeds of the tree named in Sir William’s honour – Eucalyptus cullenii, Cullen’s ironbark – and suggested they be planted locally as a memorial to the man and his family.
]]>It was a packed Mosman Room to hear Tony Cunneen’s talk on Sir William and the Cullen family of Tregoyd in Raglan Street. Tony brought a unique perspective to our project by sharing his knowledge of the Sydney legal profession’s contribution to the war effort.
]]>A great story, well told. Thanks to Ross and his wife Kerrie for an excellent evening. Thanks also to Pages & Pages Booksellers and Inside History who joined us on the night.
The Lost Diggers by Ross Coulthart is published by HarperCollins. Remember me: the lost diggers of Vignacourt is on exhibition until 31 July 2013 at the Australian War Memorial.
]]>A great story, well told. Thanks to Ross and his wife Kerrie for an excellent evening. Thanks also to Pages & Pages Booksellers and Inside History who joined us on the night.
]]>Kerry Farmer gave an excellent overview of WWI family history resources at Mosman Library this week. You can download the handout here:
Her advice:
site:awm.gov.au "Mosman NSW"
will search across the entire Australian War Memorial site for the phrase “Mosman NSW”.In addition to the sources Kerry cited, if you have WWI questions you can also ask the many knowledgeable and helpful people on forums like the Great War Forum and The Gallipolian.
Thanks again to Kerry, and it was good to meet more people with Mosman Great War connections.
]]>Kerry Farmer gave an excellent overview of WWI family history resources at Mosman Library this week. You can download the handout here:
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