Very pleased to make the shortlist! What illustrious company!
At the House (1981/2020) - 220cm x 330cm
At the House (1981/2020) Detail
At the House (1981/2020) Detail
FRIENDSHIP OPENING AT LAST! /
Very glad that this very timely show is finally open to the public after two months of being in darkness.
Plenty to see here! (And there’s more on the sidebar)
Amazon Acres, April 1980 from And awe was all that we could feel (2020)
JOURNAL OF THE PLAGUE YEAR, THURSDAY, MAY 31ST, 1900 /
2020: DAY 68
SMH p7
178 Elizabeth St, Sydney, 1900 - Source: State Library of NSW
(p 3) – ABATTOIRS / TO THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD - “… an open sore, so filthy and repulsive as to need the strong hand of Government to interpose and snatch from the nerveless grip of incompetence and lazy ignorance the reins of government which they have shown themselves so ill-fitted to handle. Darling Harbour had become a sickening cesspool of disease. The shores of the harbour were nuclei of unmentionable filth and all abominableness and a menace to public health; and yet in the face of this ghastly and costly experience it is calmly proposed to shift the abattoirs to a site on the Parramatta River whence the offal and filth naturally inseparable from abattoir arrangements, no matter how well conducted, must of necessity percolate into the river and reproduce the old filthy conditions…. I am a busy man and have little time for newspaper correspondence, but … JAS. INGLIS
(p5) – PUBLIC SCHOOLS' PATRIOTIC DISPLAY. / GREAT FETE AT THE CRICKET GROUND. / AN ENORMOUS GATHERING. / DEMONSTRATION OF LOYALTY AND PATRIOTISM.
(p7) – FRANCE / THE DREYFUS CASE
FEDERATION / THE NEW CLAUSE IN THE COMMONWEALTH BILL / OPINION OF SIR S. GRIFFITH
BOXERS" MARCH ON PEKIN PLUNDERING AND MURDERING. / BELGIAN ENGINEERS BESIEGED. LONDON, May 29. " The Boxers," a seditious society, are murdering and plundering within 29 miles of Pekin. Japan has landed a force of blue-jackets at Tientsin, the port of Pekin. May 30. The " Boxers " are near Pekin. They have destroyed the railway workshops at Fengtai, eight miles from Pekin. The Belgian engineers, who controlled the shops, are surrounded, and are besieged on a hill. A party of Frenchmen and of Germans have armed themselves and have gone to the rescue of the Belgians. The Powers have announced that they will return their guards, which some months ago were withdrawn at the request of the Empress Dowager, to their respective legations at Pekin.
LATE EDITION /HERALD OFFICE, 6 a.m. / THE WAR / ANNEXATION OF THE FREE STATE / LONDON, May 30 – Orange Free State annexed on behalf of Great Britain
(p8) – THE BUBONIC PLAGUE./ ANOTHER CLEAR DAY. The register of fresh cases of bubonic plague yesterday was clean, showing that none were discovered … All the work in the quarantined areas was completed vesterday, and as no further areas have been declared the men engaged on them, to the number of 1050 were temporarily dismissed. It is, however, understood that they will be again engaged. On the wharfs all the staff has been retained, and work there is progressing… The number of rats delivered direct at the incinerator yesterday by the ratcatcher was 546.
THE SOLAR ECLIPSE. / AN INTERVIEW WITH THE GOVERNMENT ASTRONOMER
JOURNAL OF THE PLAGUE YEAR, WEDNESDAY, MAY 30TH, 1900 /
2020: DAY 67
SMH, p6
Shed, Rear, 109 Goulburn St, Sydney, 1900 - Source: State Library of NSW
(p 4) – THE COMMONWEALTH BILL. / A “PUNCH” CARTOON. / DINNER DEBATES. THE DELEGATES STAND FAST. / AN APPARENT DEADLOCK. (FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT) LONDON, April 27. “ On the other hand, as I am bound to say, it is felt here that the delegates – three of them, at least – sometimes display an emphasis, not to say dogmatism, in the expression of their views not altogether consistent with the quasi-character of diplomacy which is inherent in their mission …”
(p6) – Advertisement for “WEALTH OF NATIONS” TOBACCO / A GIFT FROM THE UNITED STATES TO AUSTRALIA
Editorials on war ” …"If the British lack the feverish gaiety of the French and the lofty solemnity of the Japanese, they have in their own favourite methods certain well-recognised elements that strike home to the hearts of the people. Those who complain of the sad way in which the British take their pleasures must have been considerably surprised at the recent outbursts of popular feeling."... There's no place like England - when you've done your work." Kipling: The Brushwood Boy - Column by Kipling as well
(p8) – BUBONIC PLAGUE / YESTERDAY’S CASES - 2 more cases
JOURNAL OF THE PLAGUE YEAR, TUESDAY, MAY 29TH, 1900 /
2020: DAY 66
SMH, p5
180 Elizabeth St, Sydney, 1900 - Source: State Library of NSW
(p4) – Editorial on new bill to amend Water Board's rating powers (a factor in whether it could get revenue) Question of licensing of plumbers – *Royal Commission on Board in 1897
(p5 ) – LATE EDITION. HERALD OFFICE, 7.30 a.m. THE WAR. / THE BOERS TO MAKE A LAST STAND. / LONDON, May 28.
THE DECEASED WIFE'S SISTERS BILL, LONDON, May 28. (bill introduced to allow a man to marry his dead wife’s sister, something previously considered illicit)
THE WAR / INVASION OF THE TRANSVAAL. / BRITISH ARMY IN THE REPUBLIC. / ENVELOPING MOVEMENT IRRESISTIBLE. / LORD ROBERTS'S BRILLIANT STRATEGY. / ENEMY OUTMANOEUVRED. / COMMANDANTS DISCUSS SURRENDER. / PEACE DELEGATES DIS-HEARTENED. / CAMPAIGN ON THE NATAL BORDER. / BOERS' EXTENDED FRONT. LONDON, May 28.
(p6) – BUBONIC PLAGUE / POSSIBILITIES OF RECRUDESCENCE - carcasses found in harbour - 640 rats, 168 dogs, 93 cats, 87 fowls, 9 pigs, 1 monkey
DARLING HARBOUR RESUMPTIONS
REDUCTION OF INSPECTORS AT PADDINGTON - to save £10/18/- per week
JOURNAL OF THE PLAGUE YEAR, MONDAY, MAY 28TH, 1900 /
2020: DAY 65
SMH
Rear, 50 Wexford St, Sydney, 1900 - Source: State Library of NSW
(p3) – BUBONIC PLAGUE / GRATIFYING DIMINUTION OF CASES - At 19th May, 100 patients convalescing; by 26th May, there had been 7 new patients, 19 discharged, 6 died. Total: 82npatients. 1st week since March 10 when numbers didn't reach double figures. The highest no of deaths in one week (12) occurred in week ending April 14th. Highest no of cases in one week: 38 . Total cases to date: 247 Deaths: 89 Recovered: 76 Death rate: 36% ; Town Hall: 62 inoculated on Sat.
SANITARY IMPROVEMENTS AT REDFERN
PERSISTENCY OF A NIHILIST PAPER
- story of pursuit of Polish Nihilists in Warsaw; expert Nihilist-hunters from St Petersburg sent down to find them. One press found but paper reappeared within hours, naming those arrested, and the informer, who was later found stabbed to death in a street.
- Editorial commenting on export of British coal and fear that it would diminish superiority of Britain -> why not use NSW coal as a substitute?
(p4) – THE WEATHER / A BRIEF INTERVAL OF SUNSHINE / THE STORM OF LAST WEEK / REPORTS FROM THE FLOODED RIVERS
(p5) – A WOMAN’S LETTER FROM LONDON / THE SPRING / A SAD EASTER / MAFEKING AND THE NURSERY / FASHIONS / HAND-MADE TRIMMINGS / THE ROYAL FAMILY / THE JEW AS SOLDIER (extolling the virtues and patriotism of a Jewish officer, killed in South Africa – notwithstanding ‘our preconceived notions of the Hebrew people’)
THE WAR / MAFEKING DAY - pages and pages of reports
(p 7) – CHINESE SEDITIOUS SOCIETY – The Great Powers have represented to the Tsung-li-Yamen the necessity of suppressing the “Boxers”, a Chinese seditious society, which has committed a number of outrages.
THE MARCHING OF THE TROUPS / SPLENDID PERFORMANCES / LONDON
AT THE FRONT. / NEW SOUTH WALES TROOPS. / WORK REQUIRING VIGILANCE. / OUTPOST DUTY. / AUSTRALIAN TROOPS EXCEL. / COMPLIMENTED BY LORD ROBERTS. / REVEILLE AT FOUR O'CLOCK. / OUT IN THE OPEN. / SATURATED WITH RAIN. / VISIT OF GENERAL HUTTON. / WARM COMMENDATIONS. /(FROM A CORRESPONDENT) BLOEMFONTEIN, April 26.
JOURNAL OF THE PLAGUE YEAR, SUNDAY MAY 27TH, 1900 /
2020: DAY 64
FINAL WEEKLY REPORT OF BUREAUCRATIC ENDEAVOURS
MAY 20TH - MAY 26TH
6-10 Exeeter Place, Sydney, 1900 - Source: State Library of NSW
Register of Letters to the Colonial Secretary:
– May 22nd, From Secretary, Board of Health to coast Hospital; from Chief Medical Officer to Coast Hospital.
– May 25th, From Chief Medical Officer – refund of £1/6/- paid for taking walks (?) as a JP; from Public Service Board to Coast Hospital.
Extracts from the Minutes of the Board of Health
– May 22: Leave of absence for workers engaged on building at Quarantine Station given. To be allowed to leave on Saturday afternoon and return Monday morning;
– Citizens' Vigilance Committee requests Board of Health to authorize its officers to enter premises to inspect. Board of Health replies that it can only authorize persons who are under direct control of Board and directs them to approach Local Authorities.
NSW Govt. Gazette, 1900, Vol 2, Govt. Printer, 1900
Further extensions of scheduled areas – and release and rescission of earlier scheduled areas.
Register of Deaths
Between May 20th & May 26th, there are 6 deaths from Bubonic Plague – 4 men (William Docksey, 27, James Munn, 31, Andrew O’Young, 26 and Edward Edney, 47), 1 youth (William Cooper, 17) and a 4 year old boy (Lawrence George C. Plant) – a 40% reduction on the numbers for the previous three weeks.
JOURNAL OF THE PLAGUE YEAR, SATURDAY, MAY 26TH, 1900 /
2020: DAY 63
SMH, p7
109 Goulburn St, Sydney, 1900 - Source: State Library of NSW
(p5) - OUR VIENNA LETTER - APRIL 12 - “Looking back over the history of this unhappy country, that never knows rest, vainly one casts about for signs of progress and improvement. Nothing is to be found but a spirit of retrogression and spiritual oppression. In legislation, in administration, no advance. In the last three years Austria had six Ministries and three of the six budgets were never passed by Parliament. … coal strikes, dangers of anarchists, German empire news, Recipe for photographic developer solution...
(p6) – DARLING HARBOUR WHARF RESUMPTION / AN ASSOCIATION FORMED - of wharf & ship owners - Editorial on garbage collection - the sooner we get an incinerator, the better
(p7 ) – WOMAN'S COLUMN The work of cleansing – is it not the true function of all women ? Do you remember that princesses and ladies of high degree did not disdain to wash the linen in the early days of the golden long ago? The lovely maidens by the river's brink, with their snowy linen outspread under the gleaming blue of the Grecian sky form a picture pleasing for all time. Though the estimation in which such work is held has degenerated … the function of the washerwoman is one of the noblest possible, typical of the best work that women can ever do, turning what is soiled and stained into what is wholesome and sweet. … “Virtue never dwelt long with filth”
(p10) – BUBONIC PLAGUE / ONE FRESH CASE - 662 rats caught.
THE CENTRAL VIGILANCE COMMITTEE / REPORT ON RAT DESTRUCTION – 68,076 Killed since March 2 ( & paid for @ 2d/head; a further 3000 since paid for @ 6d/head )- "A report which had been prepared by the executive showed that attention was being given to the habitations of the Chinese. Eleven Chinamen had been attacked within a few days and of these ten had died. That was an enormous fatality. [these figures overstate the official record by 50%] With all their virtues Chinamen had not the same notion of cleanliness that Europeans had." - proposed new by-laws to insist that baths be installed in all houses (by landlords) ; 114 complaints for the week (Council couldn't keep up because not enough inspectors) . - Rat trapping - the best place to put traps, the best traps to use, the best kinds of bait, and how to handle dead rats - Exec told Pres of Board of Health there were some grounds for believing Chinese were concealing their plague patients. -Insanitary conditions of schools - complaints about damages during cleansing; Premier wouldn't admit responsibility but would pay compensation as an act of grace in some cases.