William George Judd was born on 1 January 1849 in Sydney, the son of John and
Selina Judd. His father deserted the family to seek his fortune during the
Californian gold rush. Three years later he returned, claiming that he had been
shipwrecked on a Pacific Island. William left school at the age of seven to work
in the clay pits at St Peters brickworks. However he continued to improve
himself through attendance at night school, becoming a successful businessman
and community leader.
In 1869, at Newtown, he married Eleanor Eliza Howard, the daughter of a
brickyard proprietor. Four children were born – James H in 1871, William Percy
in 1874, Annie E in 1876 and Harold Athelstane in 1880. The grand family home
“Athelstane”, was built at Arncliffe and had both an orchard and a cricket
ground which was used by local players. After the death of Eleanor Judd in 1944,
the property, on the corner of Wollongong Road and Dowling Street was acquired
by the NSW Department of Education and became the site of Athelstane Public
School.
The official opening, in 1884, of the first section of the Illawarra railway
line, from Redfern to Hurstville, attracted many new residents and investors to
the area. William Judd was an astute businessman by this time with a store at St
Peters. He was involved with local government as an alderman and later became
mayor of St Peters. He established the Hurstville Steam Brick Company at
Mortdale and became the first managing director.
The brickworks were important to the development of Mortdale, encouraging
families to settle in the area. A school and post office were soon opened. A
railway siding for the brickworks was provided in 1886 and Mortdale Railway
Station was opened in March 1897. The brickworks had five kilns producing 20,000
bricks daily, many of which were used in the construction of the Queen Victoria
Building and other major works in Sydney. A number of cottages were built by
Judd, for his workers, in Judd Street, backing onto the brickworks land and some
still survive. The brickworks ceased manufacturing in 1972 and in 1973 the
chimney stacks and kilns were demolished. The site later became the Georges
River College, Oatley Campus.
Continuing his involvement with local government, William Judd became an
alderman of West Botany (Rockdale) Council and mayor of that municipality from
1885 -1889. He was also elected to State Government as the Member for Canterbury
from 1885 –1887, which at the time covered the Sutherland district. When the
Sutherland Shire was proclaimed in 1906 the State Government appointed a
temporary Sutherland Shire Council until elections could be held later in the
year.William G Judd, who had a
holiday property at Port Hacking and had demonstrated his political expertise on
West Botany Council, was appointed as Chairman of the Council. When the ballot
was taken in November, Judd was elected to the Sutherland Shire Council and
became the first President of the Sutherland Shire, a position he held until
1910. The main road from Sutherland to Caringbah (then called Highfield) was
renamed President Avenue in his honour.
Until his death on 6 December 1929, William Judd was active in many other
community endeavours. He was an Elder of the Rockdale Congregational Church,
also Choirmaster and Patron of the Rockdale Congs Cricket Club which, in 1905-6
won the Willington Shield in the Illawarra Suburbs’ District Competition. After
defending the title three times, the Shield became the property of the Club and
was presented to W G Judd as Patron. For many years it was in the possession of
his son Harold Judd.
Harold Judd, a rugged forward, was captain of the Australian Wallabies Rugby
Union team from 1903 to 1906. The St George Rugby Union Club which formed in
1906, disbanded in 1915 during WW1. Harold Judd, with his son, Bruce, a NSW
Waratah, was highly involved when the Club was reformed in 1928. Harold became
coach of the First Grade team. In 1989, the Club amalgamated with Port Hacking
RUC to become Southern Districts RUC.Harold Judd’s home on the Esplanade, overlooking Cronulla Beach, was
appropriately called ‘Rugby’. The site is now occupied by a multi-storied unit
development. Harold Judd was an active supporter and Patron of the North
Cronulla Surf Life Saving Club and the Club’s trophy room bears his name.
Colleen M Passfield.
First published inSutherland Shire, Some Early Residents, 2006, by Botany Bay Family
History Society. Compiled by Maree McKinley and Sue Hewitt.
Click
on the name JUDD, William George (1849 – 1929)
at the heading of this story. You will be taken to the database entry for
William Judd and his family.
References:
NSW Registry of Births Deaths and Marriages
Hurstville Family History Society Inc –
The Genealogist – bi-monthly newsletter
Kirkby, David R – From Sails to Atoms –
First Fifty Years of Sutherland Shire
First Fifty Years of the
Sutherland Shire Council unpublished manuscript
Larkin, Maryanne – Sutherland Shire – a
history to 1939
Lawrence, Joan – Pictorial Memories – St
George
Sharpe, Alan – Pictorial History – Newtown
Southern Districts Rugby Union Club – history on website
