CHARLES TILLEY FRIPP (1851—1907)

First Cemetery Superintendent

Charles Fripp’s place in the history of the Sutherland Shire is remembered for the contributions he made towards the end of his life although he had  served communities north of the Georges River from the time he was 24 years old.

Charles migrated with his family from England, leaving Southampton on the Tantivy and arrived in Sydney on 3 September 1854. The family consisted of Thomas aged 44, Sarah (nee Tilley) aged 46, Eli 17, Henry 15, Ruth 13, Edward 9, Frank 7 and 3-year old Charles. They came to Australia under an assisted immigration system and from the records we know that his father was a farm labourer and the fare paid was £3. His father could neither read nor write but his mother could do both and the family’s religion was listed as ‘Independent’. It was also noted that Sarah and the first two children, Eli and Henry, were born at Christchurch, Hampshire and were also working as farm labourers. Their father and the remaining four members of the family were born at Milton, Hampshire. Other family members are also mentioned in these shipping lists. Sarah’s parents were Thomas and Patience Tilley while Thomas’ were John and Betty and they all lived at Milton, Hampshire. Also interesting is the fact that Sarah had family already in Australia – her brother Charles Tilley and sister Elizabeth Purchass were living at Balmain.¹

The family first resided at Petersham. Charles attended school at Newtown² and it was there that he met William Judd who became a lifelong friend. In 1870 he married Maria Wherrit and the couple had six children between 1871 and 1880 – Charles William (known as William), Alfred, Fanny, Alice, Florence and Eva, their births all registered in the St George area.³ Charles was a brickmaker before he purchased Daniel Treacy’s coach business in 1881 for £113.⁴  The coach service ran from Gannon’s Forest (Hurstville) along Forest Road to the city. With no other means of transport this was an essential service. Not only did he transport passengers but in these early days he carried newspapers and the mail, the main means of communication.

During the early days of his marriage the West Botany Council was formed (later named Rockdale). There were 764 inhabitants in the electorate at the time and much work needed to be done on the roads and infrastructure of the area. In the 1875 elections Charles successfully stood for office. This was the beginning of a long association with the Rockdale council which lasted until 1892.⁵ While holding office with Rockdale Council he also served on the Hurstville Council from 10 February 1888 until 7 February 1891.

Around that time there were moves afoot to establish a cemetery in the southern area of Sydney and much of the agitation came from the St George district. At Sutherland there was a small brickworks on an area that at one stage was to be a racecourse and it was this area that was selected as the site for the new cemetery. It was named Woronora General Cemetery and was officially gazetted on 2 April 1895. Trustees were appointed by the government to administer it and a Superintendent was sought to oversee the daily operation. At the invitation of his friend and fellow councillor William Judd, Charles Fripp accepted the position.⁶

The position required the family to live on the Cemetery grounds but, with no accommodation available, they were housed in the rear of the Congregational Church which, at that time, was on the corner of Robertson and Oxford Streets. Alice, Fanny, Florence and Eva were all unmarried when the family moved to Sutherland. Fanny married Frederick Derham in 1904 and Alice was living with her widowed brother Frank in 1903 when he is shown as a grocer in Bellevue Parade Hurstville. William was living in Dora Street Hurstville and Alfred in Park Road Hurstville and both were postmen.⁷ However, of the four unmarried daughters, it appears only Florence and Eva made the transition with their parents when the new residence was built.

Like many others in the sparsely populated Sutherland area, the family kept chickens and a cow to ensure fresh eggs and milk. The girls’ duties included not only office work and collecting the telegrams for the next day’s work they were sometimes called upon to collect the coffins from the train. They used a hand-drawn cart for the task, then waited for the mourners at the office before accompanying them to the graveside. Other assistance required by Charles was with the grave digging and for this he employed two men.

On 27 December 1897 Maria, who had been suffering ill health for some time, died aged 57 years. She was buried in the Congregation section A grave 13. The girls continued to assist Charles until they both married. In 1901 Eva married Thomas Smith who was a seedsman and the couple lived in St Georges Parade Hurstville.⁸ On 30 December 1904 Florence married Frederick Charles Derham who lived at Bruce Street Carlton and was a school teacher. They were married in the Congregational Church Sutherland followed by a reception at Lobbs Hall.⁹

Charles remained Superintendent until 20 March 1907 when he died at the age of 56 years of Brights disease and heart failure. The report of his funeral in the St George Call of 23 March shows him as a very respected man ‘whose demise has cast quite a gloom round the district’. It states there were over a hundred mourners at the funeral and the list of local dignitaries attending is testament to his standing in the community.

 Charles’ daughter Eva and her husband Thomas were asked to temporarily assist after his death. Thomas was then appointed Superintendent and remained in the position until his retirement in 1952.

A snippet in the St George Call of 9 July 1904 mentions ‘Mr Fripp has taken advantage of the season to plant a large number of ornamental trees in the cemetery, which is being steadily improved.’ The pride he took in establishing the magnificent gardens continues with the present staff and it has become a place ‘where beauty softens grief’.

Maree McKinley & Maureen Lewis

First published in  Sutherland Shire, Some Early Residents, 2006, by Botany Bay Family History Society. Compiled by Maree McKinley and Sue Hewitt.    

Click on the name CHARLES TILLEY FRIPP (1851—1907) at the heading of thIs story. You will be taken to the database entry for Charles Fripp and his family.

Endnotes:

1  SRNSW Passenger List Reel Nos 2137, 2467

2  St George Call 23 Mar 1907

3   NSW BDM indexes

4   Pedr Davis. The Hurstville story 1987

5 Philip Geeves and James Jervis, Rockdale. Its Beginnings and Development, 1986

6  Michael Boyd, Woronora Cemetery and Crematorium 1895-1995, 1995

7 1903 Electoral Roll

8  ibid

9  St George Call 9 Jan 1904