An historical walk through Daceyville

Every year Council gets involved with History Week, a week when different aspects of our history are brought to the fore. We are what we were – and through History Week we can see exactly who we were and how we are what we are now. This year the theme of History Week is “Faces in the Street” – the people, the characters and the personalities that shaped our lives. Across Sydney there will be many and varied events during History Week, including ours.  

What’s planned for our City is a walk through Daceyville on Saturday September 4 where the names on the street signs are brought to life with the stories of the people whose names adorn our Daceyville streets.  The streets of the planned garden suburb of Daceyville, laid out so soon after the First World War, are, as is to be expected, carry more than the usual military theme.  We have the generals – Haig and Joffre – the men who planned the campaigns in France that saw so many die for a few metres of smashed soil. We have Colonel Braund Crescent, named after the first Member of Parliament to enlist and die for his nation.  There’s Jacka Crescent, named after the solider who was awarded Australia’s first Victoria Cross at Gallipoli – and who probably should have been awarded at least another VC if the generals had not intervened. Many other soldiers’ names are remembered on our Daceyville street signs.  

Council’s esteemed archivist Maie Barrow will join with our heritage librarian Mark Butler in the walk around Daceyville and enlighten participants with the stories behind the names on the signs.  Like all good events, this one is free but you will need to book, which you can by calling our Central Library on 9366 3888. The tour is between 2.00pm and 3.30pm on Saturday, September 4 and everyone will meet on the corner of General Bridges Crescent (yet another general) and Bunnerong Road at Daceyville.  If we get a lot of bookings (which I think we will) we would run another walking tour on Thursday September 9, again between 2.00pm and 3.30pm.  Whether they do it once or twice, Maie and Mark will present a fascinating expose of some of the history of a unique suburb in not only our City but also across Sydney.