Here we take a (sometimes amusing) look at a typical day in the life of Thompson Square.
Thompson Square is the first town square in Australia and was established over 200 years ago. It has seen many changes in society, values and technology. As a public space it has had many uses; from the punishment of offenders to mini golf.
Read the articles below to gain a holistic view of Thompson Square as a public space; one which has served the community through time.
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Long Term Planning; The Age of EnlightenmentLachlan Macquarie was never happier than when planning and laying out towns and communities. This interest he shared with his wife Elizabeth Campbell whom he appears to have been devoted. She was more than a demure wife and like Macquarie’s first wife Jane Javis, who died shortly after their marriage, seemed to enhance his ethical compass and encouraged new age thinking as exemplified in the reformer William Wilberforce. More...
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The Riverfront - Fourth side of the SquareWe often tend to forget nowadays that one whole side of Thompson Square is bordered by the mighty Hawkesbury River. Much of the activity and business of the Square was conducted at the wharf with the comings and goings of river craft, ferrying passengers and goods from Windsor to Sydney via places like Wiseman’s Ferry. More....
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An Old Photograph... and a Poignant StoryThis unusual photograph of Thompson Square appeared in the Sunday Times on the 28 March, 1909. It depicts “ the old officers’ mess house, afterwards Robert Fitzgerald’s Mansion, now Royal Hotel: also part of Thompson Square”. More....
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Richard Fitzgerald (1772-1840) – A Square Man and a Pub Man
The Macquarie Arms is the most iconic and oldest building in Thompson Square. It owes it’s existence to two men – Governor Lachlan Macquarie who ordered it to be built and Richard Fitzgerald, the man who carried out that order. More....
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Thompson Square - And the Battle of the NewspapersIn 1888 there began a great battle between Windsor’s two newspaper owners – George Louis Asher Davies and John Charles Lucas Fitzpatrick. More.... |
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Howe's That - Who Was John Howe?HOWES THAT ! – another great SQUARE MAN who was also involved with government papers!
Howe’s Swamp.....Howe Creek.......Howe Park.....Howe House....who was Howe? More.... |
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Harry Anderson and his 'Brother' Jack'An amazing story disclosing the identity of a young woman, who masqueraded for three years in Windsor as a man, was revealed last week by the birth of a baby girl in the Richmond Hospital. More...
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Thomas Mina - Defender of the SquareTHE MAN FROM JAPAN WHO CARED
In 1874, in Yokohama, Japan Obimune Minami was born. When a young man his family sent him to study Arts at Kyoto University but he was restless and took to travelling the world. More.... |
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Anzac Day March in Windsor, 1935This image is believed to have been taken on ANZAC day in 1935. Taken from the upper balcony of the Macquarie Arms; it provides us with a view of the square not often seen in historic photos. More....
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Hawkesbury's HomageIt is a glorious afternoon in Thompson Square on Empire Day, Sunday 24 May 1925. The Square is abuzz with activity. Horses and riders, motor vehicles, the local fire brigade, school children, the Salvation Army Band, various V.I.P.s ,local groups, interested on-lookers.....and men in uniform. More....
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Golfing in the SquareOn December 19th 1930 Mayor WH Dean officially opened the new "minni golf course" in Thompson Square. Mini golf had become a had become a popular pastime among the people of the city and suburbs and Mayor Dean proclaimed that this was a fitting opportunity for residents of the country to follow the suit. More....
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Was There a Doctor in the Square?You Bet There Was.... Dr Thomas Fiaschi Came All The Way From Florence To Share A Part Of His Life With The Folk Of Windsor.
Our story begins in 1876 when our Dr Fiaschi was a house surgeon at St Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney. More... |
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Just for the Record - A Manuscript by One Historian and an Artist
In 1931, two Windsor residents decided to work on a manuscript to describe some of the old buildings of Windsor and surrounding districts. More...
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A Wife For SaleThe Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1803 - 1842) Saturday 14 September 1811
By a letter from Windsor, dated the 10th Instant, we have been favored with an account of a most disgraceful transaction which has lately taken place there, and we feel it a duty owing to Society to give it public notoriety, more.... |
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To be sure, to be sureTHE IRISH ARE COMING TO THOMPSON SQUARE
When “Granny” Butler told historian George Reeve in 1931 that the Doctor’s House had always been known as Doyle’s House she was right on the money. More.... |
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Children of the Square.In history studies it is often the case that the stories of the so called “lesser” individuals of our society ie. children, are over-looked. But although their stories are small they are not insignificant or uninteresting. Recently the beautiful writings of Ivan Stevenson brought to our attention the world of the child and how these little individuals interacted with Thompson Square. More....
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Napoleon's Intention to Capture Thompson Square?The most amazing story related to Thompson Square is the proposed attempt of the French to capture the Hawkesbury by force of arms and thus seize the colony of Australia. Though regarded as unsupported speculation in the past recent research into French archives suggest indeed it was true.
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The Mounted Police of the Government Domain, Thompson Square
Windsor had one of the earliest police units in the land which ran concurrently with the military units stationed here and eventually fully handed over to them about 1860. The Police Station took over the Barracks Area of the Domain and its buildings. All have gone except for the original stables built for the 1817 Macquarie Barracks hidden and forgotten behind fences but in excellent condition – for now!
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The Blood and Passion of Thompson Square.
“DEATH OR LIBERTY” - THE CRY, “ST PETER” - THE PASSWORD, MONDAY 4th MARCH , 1804 - “THE DAY”.
Australian history is often said to be dull as it lacks the passion, violence, drama and powerful beliefs that require ultimate sacrifice. This is not the case with Thompson Square and the conclusion to a revolt that begun in Ireland and ended with bones left to bleach near the Hawkesbury. More... |
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The Lost Fitzgerald House.When this article was written by George Reeve in 1931, the home of Richard Fitzgerald still stood beside the Macquarie Arms (Royal Hotel). Sometime later, it disappeared to be replaced by the present two storey Fitzgerald House, a drive-through bottle shop and a car park. More...
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For Jean - The Story Of The Steamer “ST ALBANS”.
It seems the people of the Hawkesbury have long had a strong desire to “muck about in boats” and have similarly had a long love affair with “their” River. More...
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No. 6 Bridge St - Thompson Square or Cunningham's Cute Cottage.
The story of No 6 Bridge Street tells of the lives of ordinary people who led “little-big” lives. “Little”, because they had no power, political or otherwise; and “big”, because their lives formed the fabric of their own families and thus of Thompson Square itself. They are the story of “us”. More...
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No. 6 Bridge St - The Sisters Of CharityDo you remember, in Part 1 of this story, it was mentioned that Eliza Hopkins (nee Cunningham) had a sister, Mary Ann born in 1833. Mary Ann was one participant in this story who led a “BIG” life.
She had enjoyed growing up with her siblings on the Hawkesbury River, passionately enjoying their adventures on horseback, rowing, fishing and shooting. More.... |
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No. 6 Bridge St - The Armstrong CenturyWhat follows is the story of "the Armstrong century" in Thompson Square. In the next chapter we will meet Roma Armstrong, however, before we proceed we must pause and pay our respects to Roma. More...
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Bridge Street No.6, Thompson Square, Leo Armstrong And The Windsor Fire Brigade.As a member of the Fire Brigade Leo displayed valour, courage and an unflagging sense of duty.
In 1874 an event still fresh in the minds of many Windsorites at the turn of the century, established the high credentials and enduring necessity of the local fire brigade. More... |
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No. 6 Bridge St, Thompson Square - Dark Days of WW2In 1939 the world and Australia with it, had been plunged into the dark depths of a second World War, when Germany invaded Poland. Europe was far away from Australia but in December 1941 the world of conflict reared it’s head in our sphere of the globe when Japan attacked the American Base of Pearl Harbour and British bases. More....
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No. 10 Bridge St, Thompson Square - Part OneThe building at No 10 Bridge Street stands like a solid sentinel of Thompson Square defining the corner of George and Bridge Streets. It forms part of a harmonious group of similar buildings which surround the Square – the School of Arts Building, the Moses Store, the Macquarie Arms, Howe House and the Doctor’s House. More....
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Part 3: No.10 Bridge St, Dr Joshua Dowe And His Twenty Years In Windsor.On his arrival in Windsor and after buying himself a brown horse at Laban White’s auction in February, Dr Dowe set up a partnership with Patrick Gray as Medical Practitioners, something similar to the arrangement he had with Dr Mallon in Maitland. However, in July 1840 a notice appears in the papers bearing the following information :- “The partnership subsisting between Patrick Gray and Joshua Dowe, in Windsor, as Medical Practitioners, only will terminate on the 1st Oct.; Mr Gray having, according to the terms of the contract of co-partnership, given Mr Dowe intimation of his intention of dissolving the concern by giving up his interest in the same. More...
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Windsor Court House - In The Beginning Part OneOur on going court case has inspired us to create a new historical series;
CAWB IN COURT From the newspapers :- “May 1820 Chief Engineers Office It being the intention of His Excellency Governor Macquarie to erect a new Court House at Windsor, such person or persons disposed to build the same by contract are requested to send in sealed Tenders to the Chief Engineers Office, in His Majesty’s Lumber Yard on or before 15th May next. More.... |
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Thompson Square - The Big Picture Part OneSure its a nice place to eat fish and chips on a warm autumn day in the square and look at its quaint buildings. However, it is far more than that on a symbolic level. It is a physical expression of the great formative forces that drove European thinking between 1650 – 1850 leading to war from the Americas to the snows of Russia costing millions of lives. It is at this level our political leaders seem bereft of awareness as such abstract thoughts are dwarfed by road management issues. More....
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Mr Huggins and The Carrington/Jolly FrogMr Robert Huggins “built” the Carrington in 1886.
He was born in Belfast, Ireland in 1841 and came to Australia in abt. 1883, spent 6 months in Sydney, then went to Pitt Town where he was the licensee of the Maid of Australia hotel for 2 years.He bought the property on Bridge Street where up until the time of his death he kept and ran the popular “Carrington” Hotel. His hotel was seen as a great improvement because he took what had been the town eyesore at the approach to Windsor, and made it very smart, clean and useful – he basically re-cycled old buildings with a bit of spit and polish, some paint and whitewash and some remodelling and additions. More.... |
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Mr Huggins and The Carrington/Jolly Frog Part TwoFollowing on from our previous story about the Jolly Frog/ Carrington and Robert Huggins; this series of photos, documents and family history was sent to us by a descendant of Robert Huggins: More....
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Every Picture Tells A Story -
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A Local Painter's Love Of This Spiritual HomeProudly displayed on a wall in Windsor is a painting from the WW2 era of the wharf, bridge and east bank of Thompson Square done by a female amateur artist when a young woman sharing her ... more...
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What Was And What May BeWindsor and its square have always been an area of great interest to artists for 210 years. No other country town in Australia can challenge this. Its mixture of old world colonial charm, picturesque setting and historical associations brings out the romance and the aesthetics in many. More....
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Thompson Square And Windsor's First School HouseTHOMPSON SQUARE – A SCHOOL MASTER, A SHEEP NAMED “BEAR” & AUSTRALIA’S FIRST POET.
By 1803 there were just over 200 children in Windsor and the surrounding district so the populace requested a School House be built. More... |
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Lionel Lindsay - An Artist Of The SquareThompson Square's artist Jane Bennett follows in the footsteps of other fine artists who have found Thompson Square and its environs captivating both for its heritage and aesthetic values.
Lionel Lindsay was another such artist. We first find reference to his arrival in Windsor in the Gazette, 23rd Feb. 1917 – “Mr Lionel Lindsay, the well known Bulletin artist and writer, spent a few days in Windsor last week.” More... |
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Another Artist Of The SquareThis tiny snippet comes from an article that appeared in the Australian Women's Weekly in 1971 entitled The Ghost and Mrs Atkins.
The article tells the story of of Dorothy Atkins and her life as an artist in a charming 1858 house in Hunters Hill by the name of Lyndcote, which she believes she shares with a ghost named Ella. More... |
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Artist Of The Square - William Hardy WilsonARTIST OF THE SQUARE - WILLIAM HARDY WILSON ( 1881 – 1955 )
William Hardy Wilson was another Australian artist, architect and author for whom the Georgian architecture of Thompson Square and the Hawkesbury was of great interest. He was born in Campbelltown, studied at the Sydney Technical College and took instruction in art from Sydney Long. Determined to make Australians aware of their early colonial heritage as Americans had become of theirs, Wilson began to make drawings of colonial buildings in NSW and Tasmania. He looked at buildings with a painter’s eye as well as an architect’s, even noting the plants in their gardens. More... |
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In The Beginning - From A Bridge St Point Of ViewANDREW THOMPSON AND WINDSOR’S FIRST “BUNNINGS”
Not much is written about the buildings of the Square that face Bridge Street but this is the side of the Square that will be deeply and irrevocably impacted by the Government’s Option 1 Bridge replacement project – if it proceeds. This side of the Square is steeped in the very earliest history of Windsor being once the domain of Andrew Thompson himself and of a variety of Government buildings which formed the “Government Domain.” More... |