Pre-opening stories
Carol van Stratum from Beacon Hill NSW 2100
The arch of the Harbour Bridge was joined on my mother's 18th birthday. Her name was Frances Harding and she lived in Norfolk Street Killara. She worked for Wright Heaton's in Pitt Street. Each day she would travel by train to Milson's Point and then by ferry to Circular Quay. Every day she and her girlfriend would observe the building of the bridge - it was exciting to watch and created much talk on the journey and during lunchtime. At first as the arch lengthened some people thought one would have to drive over the arch!! For the two weeks prior the my mother's birthday she and her girlfriend watched and hoped the final joining of the arch would coincide with Mum's 18th birthday. When it did, what a birthday she had! She said she felt everyone in Sydney was celebrating her birthday with her. On the day the bridge was opened my mother and her girlfriend walked across the bridge with the many thousands of other Sydney folk. To carry on our family connection, my daughter (my mother's granddaughter) walked through the Sydney tunnel when it opened. She has done the Bridge Walk over the arch and as a family we hope to walk the bridge on the 18th March 2007 to celebrate the 75th Anniversary. My mother Frances Inns (nee Harding) is now 94. Her health is frail and she lives in Palm Grove Nursing Home at Narraweena. Over the years she had told us many stories of the period of her life during the 1920's and 1930's. We as a family will finish the 75th Anniversary day with a big family celebration party. Happy 75th Birthday Sydney Harbour Bridge - you have served us well Carol van Stratum 13th February 2007
Cheryl Whiteford from Monterey Keys, QLD
My grandfather, William Michael Whiteford, was a train driver. Before the first official trains began running, he drove a train across the bridge to test the safety of the bridge. Well, this is what has been told to the family all these years. Have yet to confirm the story.
Deborah Garrett from Lilyfield
My grandparents honeymooned in Sydney when the bridge was joined - we have photos from that time.
Donald Wait from Sylvania
As a small boy, my father used to bring me down to see the brige developments every couple of weeks. I thought the traffic would go over the top of the arches prior to the road being added. I thought they would need very powerful cars to do this. The Tuesday before the official opening I went on a double couple set tram from Randwick High School with fellow students into Circular Quay and onto the approaches to the bridge. It was a very long walk on the approaches and across the bridge.
John Hoile from Cowra
In the 1950s I was shown plans of a proposed Sydney Harbour bridge probably done under the name of W. Kenwood and Son. At the time of my viewing the firm was known as Kenwood & Hoile. The elevation view of the proposal showed a bridge which reminded me of London Bridge. I have since lost track of these plans and the owner of the firm now known as Kenwood Hoile & Valentine is a mystery.
Linda Stankovski (nee Zakov) from Melbourne, Australia
A Lacemaker from Nottingham, England, my Nanna, Cissie Atkinson (then Cissie Roberts), sailed to Sydney in the early 1920's and lived in the city for a number of years before returning to England at the end of the decade (she later relocated to Sydney permanently, in the 1970s I think). I often used to ask her about the Sydney of the 1920's, and it seems that even then, the yet-to-be-completed bridge was one of the most imposing icons to Sydneysiders of the time. My Nanna remembered "two huge arcs that lead nowhere", and how her and her friends watched with interest as the giant arcs drew closer. I will be thinking of her as I cross the long-completed Harbour Bridge 85 years on from when she stood on Sydney Harbour as a young girl - in fact, I'm flying in from Melbourne (where I now live) to do it!
Mrs V Shears from Willoughby
As an 7 year old , I remember walking across the bridge with my uncle Frank Loncle some days before the offical opening. The mystery is, we weren't in a group, such as the official schoolgroup day or the pageant. No one else seemed to be there on the day. The point is that the bridge was as yet unopened, but somehow Uncle Frank managed to get us walking on the structure. My grandmother had a 6 x 8" chunk of Moruya granite from the bridge which was an offcut from the pylon construction. It stayed on her mantlepiece for as long as I can remember.
patricia dewey from pennant hills
I have one photograph of the bridge before the arches met. The photo is dated.
Peter Torenbeek from Cessnock
I have a small black and white photo believed to be around 1929-30, in which the bridge spans have not yet joined. It may be taken from Mrs Macquarie's Chair. I believe it was taken by my uncle, Harold Venn who was I think a photographer, maybe with the Herald in Sydney.
Robert MILES from Cromer NSW
I have original certificate given to my dad after crossing bridge 1932 I also have a variety of black & white photos dating from1929 early in the construction.of bridge I have photos of men in suits(some of them named)&children standing on the spans,one of them being my dad Noel Miles age 10 with his dad Aubrey Miles age 42.with his friends. We have already booked our walk across the bridge.Myself,wife,daughter,son in law,3+?grandkids are going to enjoy this day,especially as we have a little bit of history in our family.
The arch of the Harbour Bridge was joined on my mother's 18th birthday. Her name was Frances Harding and she lived in Norfolk Street Killara. She worked for Wright Heaton's in Pitt Street. Each day she would travel by train to Milson's Point and then by ferry to Circular Quay. Every day she and her girlfriend would observe the building of the bridge - it was exciting to watch and created much talk on the journey and during lunchtime. At first as the arch lengthened some people thought one would have to drive over the arch!! For the two weeks prior the my mother's birthday she and her girlfriend watched and hoped the final joining of the arch would coincide with Mum's 18th birthday. When it did, what a birthday she had! She said she felt everyone in Sydney was celebrating her birthday with her. On the day the bridge was opened my mother and her girlfriend walked across the bridge with the many thousands of other Sydney folk. To carry on our family connection, my daughter (my mother's granddaughter) walked through the Sydney tunnel when it opened. She has done the Bridge Walk over the arch and as a family we hope to walk the bridge on the 18th March 2007 to celebrate the 75th Anniversary. My mother Frances Inns (nee Harding) is now 94. Her health is frail and she lives in Palm Grove Nursing Home at Narraweena. Over the years she had told us many stories of the period of her life during the 1920's and 1930's. We as a family will finish the 75th Anniversary day with a big family celebration party. Happy 75th Birthday Sydney Harbour Bridge - you have served us well Carol van Stratum 13th February 2007
Cheryl Whiteford from Monterey Keys, QLD
My grandfather, William Michael Whiteford, was a train driver. Before the first official trains began running, he drove a train across the bridge to test the safety of the bridge. Well, this is what has been told to the family all these years. Have yet to confirm the story.
Deborah Garrett from Lilyfield
My grandparents honeymooned in Sydney when the bridge was joined - we have photos from that time.
Donald Wait from Sylvania
As a small boy, my father used to bring me down to see the brige developments every couple of weeks. I thought the traffic would go over the top of the arches prior to the road being added. I thought they would need very powerful cars to do this. The Tuesday before the official opening I went on a double couple set tram from Randwick High School with fellow students into Circular Quay and onto the approaches to the bridge. It was a very long walk on the approaches and across the bridge.
John Hoile from Cowra
In the 1950s I was shown plans of a proposed Sydney Harbour bridge probably done under the name of W. Kenwood and Son. At the time of my viewing the firm was known as Kenwood & Hoile. The elevation view of the proposal showed a bridge which reminded me of London Bridge. I have since lost track of these plans and the owner of the firm now known as Kenwood Hoile & Valentine is a mystery.
Linda Stankovski (nee Zakov) from Melbourne, Australia
A Lacemaker from Nottingham, England, my Nanna, Cissie Atkinson (then Cissie Roberts), sailed to Sydney in the early 1920's and lived in the city for a number of years before returning to England at the end of the decade (she later relocated to Sydney permanently, in the 1970s I think). I often used to ask her about the Sydney of the 1920's, and it seems that even then, the yet-to-be-completed bridge was one of the most imposing icons to Sydneysiders of the time. My Nanna remembered "two huge arcs that lead nowhere", and how her and her friends watched with interest as the giant arcs drew closer. I will be thinking of her as I cross the long-completed Harbour Bridge 85 years on from when she stood on Sydney Harbour as a young girl - in fact, I'm flying in from Melbourne (where I now live) to do it!
Mrs V Shears from Willoughby
As an 7 year old , I remember walking across the bridge with my uncle Frank Loncle some days before the offical opening. The mystery is, we weren't in a group, such as the official schoolgroup day or the pageant. No one else seemed to be there on the day. The point is that the bridge was as yet unopened, but somehow Uncle Frank managed to get us walking on the structure. My grandmother had a 6 x 8" chunk of Moruya granite from the bridge which was an offcut from the pylon construction. It stayed on her mantlepiece for as long as I can remember.
patricia dewey from pennant hills
I have one photograph of the bridge before the arches met. The photo is dated.
Peter Torenbeek from Cessnock
I have a small black and white photo believed to be around 1929-30, in which the bridge spans have not yet joined. It may be taken from Mrs Macquarie's Chair. I believe it was taken by my uncle, Harold Venn who was I think a photographer, maybe with the Herald in Sydney.
Robert MILES from Cromer NSW
I have original certificate given to my dad after crossing bridge 1932 I also have a variety of black & white photos dating from1929 early in the construction.of bridge I have photos of men in suits(some of them named)&children standing on the spans,one of them being my dad Noel Miles age 10 with his dad Aubrey Miles age 42.with his friends. We have already booked our walk across the bridge.Myself,wife,daughter,son in law,3+?grandkids are going to enjoy this day,especially as we have a little bit of history in our family.
