Wenty Voices / Wentworthville Now and Then

05/10/2026

Ooh, now there’s a scary movie!

MONDAY MEMORIES: This photo shows the famous Roxy Theatre in the Parramatta C*D. It was taken on August 31, 1961.

A large crowd has gathered outside, preparing to see the film 'Misty'.

(📸 City of Parramatta)

04/10/2026

Anyone else got one of these handy metric conversion 'slide rules' from the Commercial Banking Company of Sydney Limited?

My sister worked at CBC bank for a while, so I'm not sure if this came courtesy of her, or if I got it from the Wenty branch, which was operational in 1982 (and probably before and after that year).

Source - news article - 28th June 1982 - CBC Bank operating at 61 Dunmore St Wentworthville - Canberra Times, courtesy of Trove

03/10/2026

I’m currently on tour at Mudgee, and found this ‘Car Racing Programme’ from a meet at Parramatta Park on 28th January 1952.

A little before my time, but I’m wondering if any of you made it to this, or other races at Parramatta Park / Speedway?

02/10/2026

Looking at these photos, it's interesting to reflect on the changing face of the Wentworthville Hotel in Station Street.

John Hawe was the first licensee, overseeing construction of the hotel, which was built in 1923.

It should be noted that there was a groundswell of opposition to the building of the hotel from the Temperance Movement, which was well established in a number of local churches and community groups.

I've attached several news articles from the hotel's early days, which you might find of interest. :0)

Photo sources:
1 - 1930 Wentworthville Hotel, Wentworthville - card 2 side 2, Noah Butlin Archives courtesy of the Australian National University (ANU)
2 - 1949 Wentworthville Hotel, Wentworthville, card 4 side 2, Noah Butlin Archives courtesy of ANU
3 - 1960 Wentworthville Hotel, Wentworthville, card 5 side 2, Noah Butlin Archives courtesy of ANU
4 - 1922 7 8 John Hawe applies for Publican's License - Cumberland Argus & Fruitgrower's Advocate, courtesy of Trove (CAFA)
5 - 1922 7 22 [need full article] Hotel licence granted for Wenty - CAFA
6 - 1922 7 29 appeal against license - CAFA
7 - 1923 2 14 - 20 men building hotel £7000 - Sydney Morning Herald, courtesy of Trove (SMH)
8 - 1923 3 24 - 22 bedrooms in hotel - should open in 6 weeks - CAFA
9 - 1924 3 22 Hotel loses roof - SMH
10 - 1926 7 23 Wenty Hotel advert - CAFA
11 - 1930 5 29 John Flack wanted a drink from Wenty Hotel on a Sunday morning - fined 15 shillings - CAFA
12 - 1936 2 27 Betting raid at Wentworthville Hotel - CAFA

27/09/2026

Thanks to Julie MacAmbhlaoibh for sharing this slice of early Wentworthville history, which was attached to the deeds of her land at Wentworthville, purchased in the 1980’s.

It sets the boundaries of 2,200 acres, named ‘Fitzwilliam Place,’ granted to D’Arcy Wentworth Esq. by Lachlan Macquarie, on 31st of August 1819.

The grant was conditional on Wentworth cultivating 130 acres of the grant, and not selling the land for at least five years, and reserving such timber as the Crown might need for naval purposes.

27/09/2026

Next in the series of Wenty places that are special to me is the Masonic Temple in Garfield Street.

As well as being a meeting place for Wenty's Masons, an untold number of dances, euchre nights, debutante balls, birthday parties etc were held here.

On a personal note, I recall the 'Father and Son' night that I attended here with my dad in the mid-1960's.

Like so many others, this 'son' sat through the lecture, which was interesting and perplexing in equal measure.

At the end of the talk, the lecturer asked if there were any questions, and much to my dad's horror, my hand shot up and I asked 'how do you get twins?' Natural curiosity won out over reticence, and I'm glad I asked the question, as there's two sets of twins in our immediate family - one set identical, and the other not.

Living on the Central Coast, I have pause to compare the Wenty Masonic Hall with the Woy Woy one, and while neither building is used as a Masonic Hall anymore, the Wenty one is still well used as the Armenian Apostolic Church of the Holy Trinity, while the Woy Woy one, of similar vintage has stood unused for many decades.

Photo sources - all from my collection,

26/09/2026

Thanks to Linda Floyd (nee Currell) for sharing these news articles from her lifesaving days at Wentworthville Memorial Swimming Centre (aka Wenty Pool). I know a few of the names mentioned, and some of those faces too. :0)

25/09/2026

Thanks to the generosity of Sandra Brown, I've got this great photo of a St Paul's Sunday School picnic, which was held in the grounds of Dunmore House on 28th February 1920.

George Alan Bond (owner of the Bond's Spinning Mills) and his wife Jeaneatte hosted the picnic, which was reported in the attached Cumberland Argus article.

Sandra's Aunt Marjorie is seated in the third row, far right.

Photo courtesy of Sandra Brown, news item from the Cumberland Argus & Fruitgrower's Advocate of 3rd March 1920.

24/09/2026

I’m happy to report that I’ve had a reply from the New South Wales War Memorial Register, and they’ve updated the location of the ‘Wentworthville Park War Memorial’ to the correct location.

Lest we Forget.

Wentworthville Park War Memorial Middle Image Image Image Image Image Image Image Image Image Image Image Image Image 0 / 0 - Display full screen carousel Prev Next Description / Background Curved brick wall displaying honour rolls, with flagpole and gardens and gun emplacement to one side. Inscrip....

24/09/2026

Other exhibits at the Parkes Museum that took me straight back to my Wenty days include these Mixmasters (Mum had the yellow one), the Pascall Fruit Bon Bons (a favourite at Christmas time), the Singer sewing machine (I’ve got Mum’s one in a timber cabinet at home), the slide projectors (from some ‘interesting’ slide nights), and these Corgi cars and the box of Cuisenaire Rods.

Gee I love history. :0)