Parramatta · 1930 — 1939

Parramatta in the 1930s

One fortnight dominates. From 27 October to 5 November 1938 Parramatta held ten days of pageantry for the 150th anniversary of its founding — the second-oldest European settlement in Australia, established in November 1788, a year that mattered more locally than the national sesquicentenary held in Sydney the previous January.

The programme was enormous and slightly unhinged: a military tattoo, a police carnival, Chinese fireworks, dancing under the stars, a Venetian carnival on the river, a rodeo. What the photographs mostly record is the processions down Church Street and George Street — the Cavalcade of the Golden Fleece, the Pageant of Progress — and the trade floats the town's businesses built for them. Riverstone Meat, Tooth & Co's brewery, Tanner Middleton's timber, a milliner's, and one float simply called "Carting the Wool", which is as clear a statement of what the district still lived on as anything written down.

Two hundred thousand people came for the Saturday pageant. In the middle of it, in front of five thousand more packed against the barriers in Church Street, the Chief Secretary handed Mayor W. J. Irwin the pen the Governor had used to sign Parramatta's proclamation as a city. The decorated Town Hall in these photographs is dressed for that week specifically.

The town also observed itself more quietly. There is a ceremony outside St John's, where Governor King declared the parish on 23 July 1802 and the first permanent church building in Australia opened in April 1803 — the Gothick towers Elizabeth Macquarie chose in 1817–19 are the only fabric of that first church still standing. Costumed hostesses pour drinks at a gathering; girl guides form a guard of honour; and away from all of it somebody photographed a lattice footbridge on the upper Parramatta River, which had nothing to do with any anniversary.

23 works
Meggitt's Linseed Oil silos above the rooftops of Parramatta — photograph, from Parramatta, circa 1939
photograph·1939·Parramatta

Meggitt's Linseed Oil silos above the rooftops of Parramatta

Milton Kent aerial views of Marrickville, Mortlake, ParramattaMilton Kent
Meggitt Ltd works and concrete silo from the air, Parramatta — photograph, from Parramatta, circa 1939
photograph·1939·Parramatta

Meggitt Ltd works and concrete silo from the air, Parramatta

Milton Kent aerial views of Marrickville, Mortlake, ParramattaMilton Kent
Sesquicentenary ceremony outside St John's Church, Parramatta, 1938 — photograph, from St John’s Church Parramatta, circa 1938
photograph·1938·Parramatta

Sesquicentenary ceremony outside St John's Church, Parramatta, 1938

Parramatta celebrationsSam Hood
Girl guides' guard of honour at Parramatta celebrations, 1938 — photograph, from Parramatta, circa 1938
photograph·1938·Parramatta

Girl guides' guard of honour at Parramatta celebrations, 1938

Parramatta celebrationsSam Hood
Post Office communications float, Sesquicentenary parade, Parramatta — photograph, from Parramatta, circa 1938
photograph·1938·Parramatta

Post Office communications float, Sesquicentenary parade, Parramatta

Parramatta celebrationsSam Hood
Marching contingents on parade past "The Corner Milliners", Parramatta — photograph, from Parramatta, circa 1938
photograph·1938·Parramatta

Marching contingents on parade past "The Corner Milliners", Parramatta

Parramatta celebrationsSam Hood
Brick cottage float in the Parramatta Sesquicentenary procession, 1938 — photograph, from Parramatta, circa 1938
photograph·1938·Parramatta

Brick cottage float in the Parramatta Sesquicentenary procession, 1938

Parramatta celebrationsSam Hood
Costumed participants at Parramatta's 1938 sesquicentenary, Old Government House — photograph, from Old Government House, circa 1938
photograph·1938·Parramatta

Costumed participants at Parramatta's 1938 sesquicentenary, Old Government House

Parramatta celebrationsSam Hood
Costumed hostesses pouring drinks at a Parramatta Sesquicentenary gathering, 1938 — photograph, from Parramatta, circa 1938
photograph·1938·Parramatta

Costumed hostesses pouring drinks at a Parramatta Sesquicentenary gathering, 1938

Parramatta celebrationsSam Hood
Richmond Brewing Company float, Parramatta sesquicentenary procession, 1938 — photograph, from Parramatta, circa 1938
photograph·1938·Parramatta

Richmond Brewing Company float, Parramatta sesquicentenary procession, 1938

Parramatta celebrationsSam Hood
Costumed participants at Old Government House, Parramatta, 1938 Sesquicentenary — photograph, from Old Government House, circa 1938
photograph·1938·Parramatta

Costumed participants at Old Government House, Parramatta, 1938 Sesquicentenary

Parramatta celebrationsSam Hood
Costumed participants at Old Government House, Parramatta, 1938 — photograph, from Old Government House, circa 1938
photograph·1938·Parramatta

Costumed participants at Old Government House, Parramatta, 1938

Parramatta celebrationsSam Hood
Lattice footbridge on the upper Parramatta River — photograph, from Parramatta, circa 1930
photograph·1930·Parramatta

Lattice footbridge on the upper Parramatta River

Upper reaches of Parramatta RiverTed Hood
Tooth & Co brewery float, Parramatta Sesquicentenary parade, 1938 — photograph, from George Street, circa 1938
photograph·1938·Parramatta

Tooth & Co brewery float, Parramatta Sesquicentenary parade, 1938

Parramatta celebrationsSam Hood
Cavalcade of the Golden Fleece procession through Parramatta — photograph, from Parramatta, circa 1938
photograph·1938·Parramatta

Cavalcade of the Golden Fleece procession through Parramatta

Parramatta celebrationsSam Hood
Parramatta Town Hall dressed for the 150th anniversary, 1938 — photograph, from Parramatta Town Hall, circa 1938
photograph·1938·Parramatta

Parramatta Town Hall dressed for the 150th anniversary, 1938

Parramatta celebrationsSam Hood
Chic Salon float in the Parramatta sesquicentenary procession, Church Street — photograph, from Church Street, circa 1938
photograph·1938·Parramatta

Chic Salon float in the Parramatta sesquicentenary procession, Church Street

Parramatta celebrations
"Carting the Wool" float in the Sesquicentenary procession, Parramatta — photograph, from Parramatta, circa 1938
photograph·1938·Parramatta

"Carting the Wool" float in the Sesquicentenary procession, Parramatta

Parramatta celebrationsSam Hood
Sesquicentenary military parade past The Corner Milliners, Parramatta — photograph, from Parramatta, circa 1938
photograph·1938·Parramatta

Sesquicentenary military parade past The Corner Milliners, Parramatta

Parramatta celebrationsSam Hood
Parramatta Town Hall decorated for the 1938 Sesquicentenary — photograph, from Parramatta Town Hall, circa 1938
photograph·1938·Parramatta

Parramatta Town Hall decorated for the 1938 Sesquicentenary

Parramatta celebrationsSam Hood
Sesquicentenary parade float and boy scouts, Parramatta, 1938 — photograph, from Parramatta, circa 1938
photograph·1938·Parramatta

Sesquicentenary parade float and boy scouts, Parramatta, 1938

Parramatta celebrationsSam Hood
Tanner Middleton Ltd timber float in the 1938 Sesquicentenary procession, Parramatta — photograph, from Parramatta, circa 1938
photograph·1938·Parramatta

Tanner Middleton Ltd timber float in the 1938 Sesquicentenary procession, Parramatta

Parramatta celebrationsSam Hood
Riverstone Meat Co. float, Parramatta Sesquicentenary procession, 1938 — photograph, from Parramatta, circa 1938
photograph·1938·Parramatta

Riverstone Meat Co. float, Parramatta Sesquicentenary procession, 1938

Parramatta celebrationsSam Hood