Alphabetical List of Significant Holroyd People

Amos, Bernard 'Bernie'

(c. 1935 9 May 2005)
Long time resident of Westmead, Doctor and Director General of NSW Health Department from 1989-1993. Helped plan Westmead Hospital and was its first General Superintendent from 1977-1989. Awarded Member of the Order of Australia.

Amos, Richard

(c. 1821 - 17 November 1870)
Wesleyan Minister, the Rev. Amos and his wife settled in Australia in late 1858, after an 11 year missionary tour to the Friendly Islands,aboard the mission brig John Wesley. Amos acquired approximately 9½ ha of land in 1862. Amos passed away in 1870 at his property Edgaston Grove, Parramatta, aged 49.

His son, Richard Capewall Amos was also involved with the Wesley Mission and inherited his father’s Parramatta property. Amos was appointed Valuer for Prospect and Sherwood Municipal Council in 1872 and was the Council’s third Town Clerk from October 1873 to October 1874.

Annan, Alyson

Olympic hockey player, born in Wentworthville in 1973. Annan represented Australia as a member of Australian Hockyroos team in three Olympics, winning gold medals at the 1996 and 2000 Olympics.

Atkins, Richard

(22 March 1745 21 November 1820)
Land grant holder and Judge Advocate of the Colony. Granted 100 acres in 1793 and 145 acres in 1798, totalling 245 acres, north of present Merrylands Railway Station. Atkins named his property Denham Farm, after Denham Court his family home in Buckinghamshire, England. By 1802 Atkins and four convicts had cleared the land, grew wheat and maze and were grazing sheep and pigs, but the property was granted to John Bowman in 1810, and Atkins eventually settled between the Liverpool and Campbelltown districts.

Balding, Abner 'Ab'

(2 January 1916 20 June 2002)
Local athlete and community volunteer, born in 1916. Was awarded the Ferguson Cup Medal for athletics in 1929, and competed as an elite cyclist between 1930 and 1945. In 1958, Balding formed the Merrylands RSL Junior Cricket team, and in 1959 helped establish the Merrylands Junior Rugby Union Club. He was involved with the Merrylands RSL Youth Club from 1960, and the King Park Committee Executive from 1961 to 1989. Balding was awarded Life Membership of Merrylands RSL Youth Club in 1989, Life Membership of NSW RSL Youth Clubs in 1993, and Holroyd City Council Citizen of the Year in 1995. The Ab Balding mini field in the south eastern corner of King Park, Merrylands was named after him.

Balding, Russell

Managing Director of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) from 2002-2006. Son of Ab Balding.

Bath, Christine 'Chris'

Journalist, television, and radio personality. Born in Auburn in 1967 and raised in South Wentworthville. Worked briefly at K-Mart Merrylands, before becoming a reporter and news anchor for regional and Sydney television news broadcasts.  

Benaud, Richard 'Richie'

Australian cricketer, selector, author, and media commentator. Born in Penrith in 1930. Played for Cumberland Cricket Club. Has a street named after him in Greystanes. Received the OBE in 1961.

Bond, George Alan

(22 May 1876 1 June 1950)
Manufacturing and agent, born in Louisville, Kentucky, USA. Moved to Sydney in 1906 and naturalised in 1922. Bond established a small hosiery manufacturing firm in Redfern in 1914, which grew to become the publicly listed company George A. Bond & Co. Ltd in 1920. Bond supervised the rapid growth of cotton production in the Wentworthville area (now Pendle Hill) from 1923.

Burge, Noel Edgar 'Ted'

(c. 1920 - 30 May 1995)
Founder of Wenty Waratah Sports and Social Club in 1953, he was President of the club, and President of the Centenary Park Committee for 35 years. Ted Burge lived opposite Centenary Park in South Wentworthville, and volunteered his time to maintain the sports grounds and facilities, coaching teams, and promoting sporting activities and other events in the park. Burge was awarded the OAM in the 1985 Queen's Birthday Honours list for his efforts. Centenary Park was renamed Ted Burge Sports Ground in his honour.

Burr, Marilyn

Prima Ballerina and Ballet Mistress, born in Parramatta in 1933 and raised in Pendle Hill. Joined the National Theatre Ballet in 1949 and toured all over Australia and New Zealand, before moving to England at age 18 to join the London Festival Ballet Company.  Burr became Prima Ballerina of the Hamburg Opera Ballet in 1963, returning to Australia as a guest artist with the Australian Ballet in 1966. Married Hungarian Ivan Nagy, a principal with the American National Ballet, and together they re-staged many classic ballets all over the world. Burr's mother, Cissy Burr-Hancock operated a dance school in Wentworthville for nearly 65 years.

Butler, William

Seaman, convict and original land grant holder at Prospect. After serving his sentence, Butler was granted 50 acres (having received more land due to being married) at Prospect Hill in 1791.  By December 1791 he had cultivated 4 acres in partnership with George Lisk. Butler and his wife had left the property by 1800.

Castle (or Castles), James

Husbandman, convict and original land grant holder at Prospect. Castle was granted 40 acres at Prospect Hill in 1791.

Cuthbert, Elizabeth 'Betty'

Olympic gold medal winning runner, born in Merrylands in 1938. Cuthbert won three gold medals at the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games, for the 100m sprint, 200m sprint and 4 x 100m relay, and won a fourth gold medal at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics for the 400m event. Cuthbert was appointed as a Member Order of the British Empire (OBE) for athletics in 1965, as a Member of the Order of Australia in 1984, and awarded the Australian Sports Medal in 2000.

Dunstan, Ralph Henry

(c. 1879 – 12 October 1934)
Electrical Engineer, unionist, and Mason. At various times, Dunstan held the position President with the Electrical Trades Union and the Electricity Supply Engineers’ Association. He was appointed Electrical Engineer at Prospect & Sherwood Municipal Council (now Holroyd) in December 1922 to co-ordinate the Council’s newly established electricity undertaking, a position he held until his death on 12 October 1934. At the time of his death Dunstan was also Honorary Secretary of the Municipal Officers Association, Secretary of the Fairfield Masonic Lodge and Companion of the Royal Arch Chapter at Merrylands.

Fullagar, William

( - c. 1894)
Major landowner in Westmead and Wentworthville areas. In the early 1840s Fullagar established the Starr Inn on what is now the corner of the great Western Highway and Ettalong Road.  In 1845 he established cattle yards next to the Inn to take advantage of stockmen driving cattle over the Blue Mountains along the Western Road. For many years it was the leading cattle yard in the entire Sydney area. Built and owned Willow Cottage (now known as The Wattles) and 'Essington'.

Gould, Phil 'Gus'

First grade Rugby League player, coach and commentator, born in 1958. Played junior rugby league for Wentworthville Leagues Club and played cricket for Wenty Waratahs, to A grade level as a wicket keeper and batsman, also representing Parramatta District. Played first grade rugby league for the Penrith, Newtown, Canterbury and South Sydney teams from 1976 to 1986.   Gould coached the Canterbury, Penrith and Sydney City first grade teams from 1888 to 1999, and coached the New South Wales Rugby League team in the 1992-1996 and 2002-2004 State of Origin matches. Gould is an award-winning rugby league commentator in newspapers and on television.

Griffith or Griffiths, Samuel

Butcher, convict and original land grant holder at Prospect. Griffith was granted 40 acres at Prospect Hill in 1791.

Grover, Marshall

(13 February 1921 4 February 1993)
Author, born Leonard Frank Meares, in Merrylands in 1921. He published 746 novels, the majority of which were westerns.  Grover also wrote under several other aliases. His best known creations are Texas trouble-shooters Larry and Stretch. Prior to taking up writing film scripts and radio plays in the mid-1950s Grover was in the Royal Australian Air Force and worked for the Department of Immigration. Grover died in 1993.

Herbert, John

(c. 1760 1 April 1832)
Convict and land grant holders at Prospect. Was one of the first 13 people granted land at Prospect Hill in 1792, and one of two who was still under sentence. Was one of only five of the original grantees to still occupy their farm in 1800.

Hindle, Bryan

(c. 1938 c. 1978)
Champion motorcycle racer and resident of Merrylands, born c. 1938. Hindle twice won the Castrol Six Hour race, including the inaugural race in 1970. In 1971 he beat unbeatable world champion Giacomo Agostini, at Oran Park. After sustaining several injuries Hindle retired from his sport in 1975, the holder of 47 national speed records. Hindle was tragically killed in an ultra light aircraft crash in 1978.

Hudson, Wilbert Thomas 'Darkie'

(19 December 1920 7 July 2002)
Gunner with the Australian Army during World War II and the first recipient of the Military Medal for bravery against the enemy on Australian soil.  Born in Merrylands in 1920, and known as Darkie by his army mates because of his dark-tan.  Gunner Hudson was stationed in Berrimah, a suburb of Darwin, during the Japanese attack of Darwin on 19 February 1942.  During the attack Gunner Hudson shot down one of the planes and was awarded the Military Medal for his actions.  Japanese attacks continued across northern Australia (including Western Australia and Queensland) until mid-1943.  In June 1942, Hudson was stationed on a naval oil tank in Darwin, which came under a bombing raid by Japanese forces.  During this attack Hudson received third-degree burns, and with other survivors was sent to the Army hospital at Adelaide River, before being sent to the Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital in Melbourne.  Great media interest was generated about the survivors of the tanker bombings and they became known as the Burns Boys.
After his marriage in 1945 to his wife June, the Hudsons moved to Greystanes, where they brought up their family.  Mr Hudson's family still reside at Greystanes.
A portrait of Gunner Hudson's actions during the Darwin bombing was commissioned by the Australian Government and hangs at the Army Headquarters Northern Command, Darwin.

Kennedy, Yvonne

(c. 1939 – 11 September 2001)
Yvonne was born in the western suburbs of Sydney, after marrying Barry Kennedy in 1972, they made their home in Toongabbie, raising two sons.  In 1976 Yvonne joined the Australian Red Cross as a volunteer and First Aid Instructor. Yvonne helped establish the Holroyd Voluntary Aid Detachment in 1982, and became a full time employee at Red Cross in 1990, until her retirement in 2000.  Yvonne was returning home from her “Retirement Tour” of the United States and Canada, when she boarded American Airlines Flight 72 in Washington, the plane that was crashed into The Pentagon building. Yvonne was one of 10 Australians and 2,992 people who lost their lives in the September 11 attacks in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania. A memorial to the two Holroyd residents killed in these attacks was unveiled on 11 September 2010 at the Council Chambers, Merrylands.

Kenny, Brett

Local footballer who played for Guildford Rugby Leagues Club, and the Parramatta Eels NSW Rugby League Club. Kenny played for the Australian Rugby League team in the 1980s.

Kenyon, Joseph

Landowner 1820s employed as tutor to Samuel Marsdens children, bought up part of Sherwood Estate.

Kilby or Kirby, William

Husbandman, convict and original land grant holder at Prospect.

Kimble (nee Sewell), Ronda

Netball player, coach, and umpire and sports administrator, one-time resident of Greystanes. Born in Randwick in 1946, became interested in netball during high school in the Sutherland Shire.  Married in 1967, Ronda and her husband moved to Greystanes in 1969. With no established local netball competition Kimble was forced to take a six-month break from the game until she and three other people helped form the local netball team (Greystanes Panthers). Kimble's experience with coaching, organisation, fundraising and production of the team's newsletter, led Kimble to be employed as an Administrator with the New South Wales Gymnastics Association in 1981. Six years later Kimble was the Executive Officer with the New South Wales Netball Association. In 1991 Kimble obtained the All Australian Umpiring Badge, and is a life member of two netball clubs Greystanes, upon her retirement from the sport, and her original club the Miranda Magpies. Kimble presently holds the position of Archivist with Netball Australia, and was awarded the Member of the Order of Australia (OAM) for service to netball as a competitor, coach, umpire and administrator in the 2008 Australia Day honours list.

Larkin, John

Author born in Yorkshire, England. Early works are semi-biographical about growing up in Pendle Hill and Toongabbie.

Lawson, Nelson Simmons

(1 May 1806 3 February 1849)
Son of William, considerable landowner of the Greystanes/Prospect area, and Member of the New South Wales Legislative Council. Owner of Greystanes House, where he died in 1849, aged 42.  

Lawson, William

(2 June 1774 16 June 1860)
Trained surveyor and landholder in Prospect. Was part of the successful Wentworth, Lawson and Blaxland expedition to find a route over the Blue Mountains in 1813. Owner of Veteran Hall, Prospect (the house was located just west of Holroyds boundary with the property straddling our boundary).

Leask, Harold Medcalf, Alexander Richie 'Alex', and Henry Henderson 'Harry'

Lisk, George

(c. 1758 -  ?)
Watchmaker, convict and original land grant holders at Prospect in 1791. Convicted of assault on 10 September 1783, and originally sentenced to transportation to America for seven years.  Eventually transported to New South Wales with the First Fleet.  Granted 40 acres at Prospect Hill in 1791. By December he had cultivated 4 acres in partnership with William Butler.  Lisk had left the property by 1800.

Louat, Frank Rutledge

(30 December 1901 26 January 1963)
Barrister, journalist, political figure and cultural patron, Frank Louat was born at Merrylands in 1901. He was educated at Sydney Church of England Grammar School (Shore) and the University of Sydney, and was awarded the university's Morven Nolan prize for political science in 1923. In 1925 he was admitted to the Bar.  For many years he was the only doctor of laws practising at the New South Wales Bar and frequently appeared before the High Court of Australia in constitutional cases.  He became a Queen's Counsel in 1952.
Louat was a leader-writer for the Sydney Morning Herald between 1926 and1928. From 1938 he frequently wrote for the Daily Telegraph, and commented on current affairs for the Australian Broadcasting Commission.
He was elected to the council of the National Party at the age of 21 and was an executive-member of the United Australia Party. He advised the Commonwealth government on the Constitutional Convention in Canberra in 1942 and sat on the National Security Regulations Advisory Committee in 1944. During World War II he was active in defence of civil liberties and free speech, and in May 1946 helped to organize protest meetings against strikes by industrial groups. He was nominated by the Court of International Justice as an observer for the 1950 referendum in the French territories in India.
Louat was joint honorary secretary of the local branch of the United Association of Great Britain and France in 1928; president of the Constitutional Association of New South Wales 1940-1946; president and life member of the Dante Alighieri Art and Literary Society; president of the Wine and Food Society of New South Wales in 1953-1954; honorary vice-president of the French Chamber of Commerce in Australia; appointed (chevalier) to the Légion d'honneur for furthering Australian-French relations in 1958; a trustee of the Art Gallery of New South Wales from 1959; and was a member of the Australasian Pioneers' Club.
Louat died while on holiday at Dijon, France in 1963.

Mackell, Frederick Austin

(26 November 1917 – c. 1965)
Born and raised in Merrylands, Mackell attended Parramatta High School between 1930 and 1933, and enlisted into the Australian Army in May 1940.  As a Lieutenant in the 2/17th Battalion, serving in Tobrouk, Libya, Mackell was in charge of a small unit, comprising himself, Corporal John Edmundson, and five Privates, that attacked 30 German soldiers armed with mortars and machine guns, in a bayonet charge.  During the battle Lt Mackell was wrestling with one German soldier, when a second came from behind.  Cpl Edmundson, already seriously wounded, came to his commander’s defence, killing both Germans.  Despite being outmanned and outgunned, Mackell’s unit dispatched 12 of the enemy and captured one more, the rest fled.  Unfortunately Cpl Edmundson died of his wounds the following day on 14 April 1941, his actions resulting in being posthumously award the Victoria Cross – the first Australian to be awarded the VC during WWII.  Mackell was awarded the Military Cross on 18 July 1941, for “remarkable gallantry and brilliant leadership” during the 13 April 1941 battle.  By 1944, Mackell had been promoted to the rank of Major.  Lieutenant-Colonel Mackell M.C., of the Royal Australian Infantry Corps, was awarded the Officer of the Military Division of the Order of the British Empire, in the Queen’s Birthday honours on 9 June 1955, was present when Cpl Edmondon's mother presented her son's medals to the Australian War Memorial in 1960.

May, Thomas

(d. 1873)
May was a wheelwright, publican, property developer and slaughterhouse owner and later Sydney Council Alderman. May purchased an allotment of the Governor's Domain (now Parramatta Park), when it was partly subdivided and sold in 1859. It is likely that his house, known as Park Lodge, was the first residence built in what would become the suburb of Mays Hill.

McClelland, Douglas

Reporter, Senator and Australian High Commissioner, Doug McClelland was born in Wentworthville in 1926, and served with the second A.I.F. in Darwin between June 1946 and January 1947.  He worked as a reporter for Hansard, before successfully standing as a New South Wales Senate candidate for the Australian Labor Party at the 1961 Federal Election.  Taking office in July 1962, McClelland went on to hold the positions of the Manager of Government Business for the Government from July 1974, Minister for the Media from 1974 until 6 June 1975 and then Special Minister of State in the Whitlam Government, until the Whitlam Government’s dismissal.  From 1 July 1981, McClelland became Father of the Senate, an informal title bestowed upon the Senator with the longest continuous service of the current-sitting Senators.  McClelland became President of the Senate on 21 April 1983, until his retirement from the Senate on 23 January 1987, when he was appointed as the Australian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, a position he held until 1991.  McClelland was awarded the Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) in June 1987.

McGee, Bradley 'Brad'

International and Olympic cyclist born 1976.  Former resident of Wentworthville. Was Holroyd City Council's Young Ambassador for Sport in 1993. McGee competed in four Olympic Games between 1996 and 2008, winning a gold medal for the Team Pursuit at the 2004 Olympics.  McGee won a total of five gold medals for Individual and Team Pursuits at the 1994, 1998 and 2002 Commonwealth Games, and won the Prologue of the 2003 Tour de France. McGee was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the 2005 Australia Day honours list.

McMillan, William

(14 November 1850 21 December 1926)
Merchant, NSW and Federal politician, born in Londonderry Ireland in 1850. At 17, McMillan joined his uncle's merchant business in London, McMillan purchased over eight acres of land from Fitzwilliam Wentworth on 5 February 1883 and the following year mortgaged the property to secure a loan to construct Dunmore House. McMillan would later purchase adjoining land, to total 27 acres in 1885.  McMillan and his wife Ada's youngest child Constance was born at Dunmore House. McMillan moved out of Dunmore in 1887, was granted a separation from his wife, and custody of their four children in 1888, and was granted a divorce from Ada in 1891. McMillan was elected to the NSW Legislative Assembly, representing East Sydney from 1887 to 1894, Burwood from 1894-1895 and East Sydney again from 1895-1898. McMillan was Colonial Treasurer from 1889 to 1892, and was a delegate at all the conferences and conventions leading up to Federation.  McMillan served in the first Federal Parliament, representing the seat of Wentworth from 1901-1903. McMillan was knighted as Knight of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) in 1901 for his services to Federation. McMillan retained ownership of Dunmore House until 1912.

Mance, Lionel Charles

(3 December 1900 13 September 2001)
World War I veteran and President of the World War 1 Veterans Association (N.S.W.).
Born in Victoria, enlisted in World War I at the age of 16 years and 5 months, and obtained the rank of Private.  Became a resident of Merrylands in 1953.  Was one of only 25 surviving WWI diggers when he passed away. Charles Mance Reserve in Newman Street, Merrylands is named in his honour.

Martin, Thomas

Weaver, convict and one of 13 original land grant holders at Prospect in 1791. Granted 40 acres, with 1 ½ acres cultivated by December 1791. In Watkin Tench's 1792 report he described Martin as "a person entirely ignorant respecting agriculture".

Maston, William Anthony Joshua 'Tony'

(1911 25 July 2006)
Photographer, printer, journalist and long-time resident of Merrylands. After moving from Coffs Harbour with his family, Tony attended Parramatta High School. Tony received his first camera in 1929, as a gift from his parents for passing his Leaving Certificate.  He used the camera for the first time on his last day of school in October. Tony would spend the next 75 years taking photos of Merrylands (and surrounding districts) places, people and events.  Tony also contributed many illustrated articles to The Sydney Mail and The Sydney Morning Herald (Country Edition), and provided photos for numerous publications and journals, including Holroyd: a social history of Western Sydney.  Tony retired from professional portrait photography in 1975.  While alive Tony donated some his photos, books, notes and equipment to the Holroyd City Council Library Service. The Tony Maston Room at Merrylands Central Library was named in his honour.

Morley (or Marlow), Joseph

One of 13 original land grant holders at Prospect in 1792. Was still under sentence when he was awarded his grant.

Murray, Kenneth 'Ken'

Ken Murray of Wentworthville was based with the RAAF 77 Squadron during the Korean Conflict from 1950 to 1953. Murray enlisted with the RAAF under an alias during World War II and reached the rank of Squadron Leader by November 1945. Flight Sergeant Murray had two tours in Korea, stationed at the U.S. Air Force Base in Kimpo Korea. He flew a total of 333 combat missions – a record for any jet pilot in the combined United Nations forces during the Korean conflict. During his second tour Flight Sergeant Murray was awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal (DFM) in October 1952, for “courage and devotion to duty…” and promoted to the rank of Flight Officer. Flight Officer Murray was presented with the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) in September 1953 for “personal courage in 333 personal sorties…” and with the US Air Medal in October 1953. Later promoted to Flight Lieutenant, Murray was awarded the Air Force Cross (AFC) in the New Year’s Honours in 1959 and was the Chief Test Pilot for the RAAF before being medically discharged after a long and distinguished service.

Muscat, Christine & Sharon

Singers, sisters Christine and Sharon are better known as the pop act sister2sister. Released their double platinum debut single Sister, in 1999 and their first album One, in 2000. Won the Best Independent Release award at the 2000 ARIA Awards. Their parents were the former owners of Jo Jo Deli Café at Merrylands, which the girls also worked at on weekends.

Nichols, John

(December 1755 25 December 1822)
Gardener, convict and original Land Grant Holder at Prospect. Sentenced for theft in April 1784, and transported with the First Fleet on board the Scarborough. On 18 July 1791, Nichols was granted 40 acres, with 2 acres cultivated by December 1791. Was granted an additional 30 acres in 1793 and an additional 100 acres near Prospect Creek in 1809. In 1798 Nichols was elected as a Trustee of Prospect Common, held the position of Chief Constable of Prospect Hill, and granted a publican's license. Nichols married Ann Pugh at Parramatta in 1803 (Nichols third marriage), they already had two children together, with another 10 born after their marriage. Nichols sold his Prospect properties due to severe drought and moved to Sydney in 1815.   

North, Samuel

Lieutenant and land grant holder. North was granted 640 acres in 1837 for his 15 years service with the NSW Marines. North named the property Guildford, after his relative the Earl of Guildford.

Oakes, George

(1 January 1813 10 August 1881)
Member of Parliament, pastoralist and landholder of Westmead in the mid 1800s. Was an elective Member of the NSW Legislative Council for the Town of Parramatta between 1848 and 1856, then Member for Parramatta in the NSW Legislative Assembly between 18561860. Oakes Street, Westmead is named after him

Parish, William

Seaman, convict and original Land Grant Holders at Prospect 1791. Granted 60 acres (and additional 20 acres for being married with a child).

Pemulwuy

(c. 1750 1 June 1802)
Aboriginal resistance leader of the Bediagal Clan. Led resistance movement against European settlement in Prospect Hill and Prospect Creek areas between 1797 and 1802. The suburb of Pemulwuy is named in his honour

Pugh, Edward

Carpenter, convict and original land grant holders at Prospect in 1791. Granted 70 acres (granted an additional 30 acres for being married with 2 children).

Purdie, Richard Robert 'Dick'

(7 May 1902 - 30 June 1989)
Professional radio operator, telegraphist and certified wireless operator, Dick Purdie enlisted with the Royal Australian Navy during WWI. After a stint with the Postmaster General’s Department, working in a number of Post Offices in outback New South Wales, he joined the newly formed Royal Australian Air Force prior to the outbreak of WWII, helping establish the training for Wireless-Air-Gunners for the Empire Air Training Scheme, and later operating in the South Pacific with the RAAF Signals Intelligence Unit.  At the end of the war he was posted to the RAAF RADAR Unit, and remained with the RAAF until the end of the Korean War, earning the distinction of serving in three wars.  Mr Purdie was later employed as Postmaster, principally at Pendle Hill Post Office, until 1974, when he was forcibly retired. Mr Purdie was awarded the Order of the British Empire – Member (Military) on 1 January 1953. Purdie Lane, Pendle Hill is named after him.

Rankin, Robert William 'Oscar'

(3 June 1907 4 March 1942)
Lieutenant Commander in the Royal Australian Navy, nicknamed Oscar. Born in Cobar on 3 June 1907, and educated at Merrylands Public School and Parramatta High School. Rankin assumed command of the sloop H.M.A.S. Yarra on 11 February. On the morning of 4 March 1942, while on escort duty of a small convey between Java and Australia, the Yarra encountered a Japanese squadron comprising of three cruisers and two destroyers. Though outgunned, Rankin ordered the Yarra between the enemy and the scattering convoy ships and engaged the enemy. At 8.00 am, Rankin gave the order to abandon ship, moments later the bridge took a direct hit. 138 of the 151 crew of the Yarra were killed in the battle, including Rankin. The Collins class submarine, H.M.A.S. Rankin is named after him.

Ratty, Benjamin

(c. 1798 - 7 October 1826)
Police Constable, Ratty arrived in the Colony as a convict on the Somersetshire on 25 October 1814. Ratty was appointed Town Constable of Parramatta on 12 August 1820. On the evening of 23 September 1826, Ratty, with Chief Constable John Thorn, Warden William Wells, and Mr John Piesley, jnr, investigated a report of bushrangers hiding in the Government Domain, near the toll house on the Western Road.  Upon sighting the group hiding near the toll house, Thorn ordered Ratty to act drunk, carrying a bundle (guns), in an attempt to lure the bushrangers out into the open. In the attempt to arrest the criminals a gun-fight broke out.  Multiple shots were fired from all parties, and while wrestling with one of the criminals, Constable Ratty was shot in the back. One of the bushrangers was shot dead, two others were captured, and three more got away. It was later revealed that Ratty had been accidently shot by Warden Wells.  Constable Ratty, on his death bed, wholly exonerated Wells from any evil intent.  Constable Ratty survived for a further 14 days, passing away on 7 October. A public collection was raised to pay for the funeral costs, including the purchase of a mourning dress for Constable Ratty’s widow, Ann. A memorial was erected at St. John’s cemetery, Parramatta.

Redmond, John

First private settler at Toongabbie, 1793.

Rogers, Mylie Patricia

(c. 1913 8 August 1995)
Long-term Bonds Industries employee and Trade Union official.  Rogers was first employed by Bonds Industries in 1937, retiring in November 1978 after 41 years of service with the company. Rogers was also an active member of the Australian Textiles Workers Union (ATWU), and represented Bond's employees as shop steward for 30 years.  Rogers was also a New South Wales member of the ATWU Management Committee for 35 years, and served as a delegate to the New South Wales Labour Council of New South Wales for 33 years.  Rogers was awarded Life Membership of the ATWU in 1975 for her loyal and devoted service to the Union movement.

Shannon, Kathleen

International and Olympic cyclist, born in Penrith 1964. Resident of Westmead. Pioneer of Australian women's cycling in international competitions

Sherwin, William

Sergeant, Chief Constable at Parramatta, storekeeper and land grantee. In 1810, Sherwin, a former Sergeant of the NSW Corps, and at the time H. M. storekeeper at Parramatta, petitioned Governor Macquarie to keep his job and to receive a grant of land. Sherwin was granted 400 acres fronting Prospect Creek (now the southern border of Holroyd City Council), just east of Kenyons Road which he called Ockbrook.  William lived there with his defacto wife Mary Duggan and their four children.
In 1813, Sherwin was dismissed as storekeeper for improper and irregular conduct, but kept the land. By 1822 Sherwin made plans to acquire small grants surrounding his property that had been surrendered by their owners.  Unfortunately both William and Mary died before their plans reached fruition and it was left to their son William to finalise the consolidation.  
Sherwin Park in North Parramatta is named in honour of the Sherwin family.

Sherwin, William Jamieson

(14 July 1804 18 March 1874)
Doctor and landowner, son of William Sherwin and Mary Duggan. After his parent's deaths, Sherwin took control of Ockbrook and by 1831 had finalised the consolidation of the surrounding properties that his father had begun. Sherwin junior renamed the 1165-acre property Sherwood.
In 1817, Sherwin became the apprentice of Dr. William Bland and studied medicine in London, becoming the first Australian born Doctor.  He was also a member of the Royal College of Surgeons and practiced in Parramatta from 1829, but kept an interest in Sherwood during his studies. Sherwin began the process to subdivide the property in 1842, part of which would be bought by Arthur Holroyd.

Silverthorn, John

Weaver, convict and original land grant holder at Prospect in 1791. Granted 40 acres, with 1 ¾ acres cultivated by December 1791. Watkin Tench's report of March 1792 indicated that Silverthorn "who employs his time chiefly in working for the other settlers" was not expected to do well with his farming pursuits.

Stanton, John Walter 'Jack'

(c. 1910 - 1 October 1932)
A Sunday School teacher with St. Paul’s Church of England, Wentworthville who was one of two young men drowned while trying to save members of their Sunday school who had gotten into difficulty in the surf, while on a picnic outing at Scarborough, on the South Coast. Stanton lived in Dunmore Street, and worked at the Bonds clothing factory. A memorial fountain was unveiled in the victims’ honour on 21 December 1935, near the entrance of Wentworthville Railway Station, in The Kingsway.

Springfield, Rick

Grammy Award winning musician and actor. Born Richard Lewis Springthorpe at Merrylands in 1949, Springfield had a number one hit in the United States with Jessie's Girl in 1981.

Tench, Watkin

(c. 1758 7 May 1833)
Officer in the British Marine Corps, explorer and diarist, originally from Wales. Tench entered the Marine Corps with the rank of second Lieutenant in 1776, fought in the American war of independence and was promoted to First Lieutenant. Tench volunteered to join the Marine Corps at Botany Bay, and was in charge of the Marine detachment that sailed on board the Charlotte on 12 May 1787. Tench undertook many expeditions around the new colony and kept a diary of his explorations of the natural landscape, indigenous customs and culture, and of the early European settlement. In 1789, Tench ascended and named Prospect Hill and was the first European to see the Blue Mountains. Tench left Australia in 1791, and retired from the Marine Corps in 1827, with the rank of Lieutenant-General. He died in Devonport in 1833.

Tomlinson, James Alexander ‘Jim’

(c. 1916 - 1 October 1932)
A Sunday School teacher with St. Paul’s Church of England, Wentworthville who was one of two young men drowned while trying to save members of their Sunday school who had gotten into difficulty in the surf, while on a picnic outing at Scarborough, on the South Coast.  Tomlinson lived in Smith Street, Wentworthville and had started work with the composing staff of The Cumberland Argus newspaper three months prior.  A memorial fountain was unveiled in the victims’ honour on 21 December 1935, near the entrance of Wentworthville Railway Station, in The Kingsway.  James Tomlinson was only 16 years old.

Tompsett, Stephen K.

(c. 1962 – 11 September 2001)
Stephen was born in 1962, and raised in Merrylands. In 1986 he travelled to New York on business for three months. During this trip Stephen met Dory, whom he married and they had one daughter together. Stephen, as Senior Vice President of Corporate Technology, for Instinet Corporation, was attending a conference in Windows of the World, located on floor 106 of the North Tower of the World Trade Centre on the morning of 11 September 2001, when  American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the North Tower at 8.45am.  Stephen was one of 10 Australians and 2,992 people who lost their lives in the September 11 attacks in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania. A memorial to the two Holroyd residents killed in these attacks was unveiled on 11 September 2010 at the Council Chambers, Merrylands.

Wentworth, D'Arcy

(c. 1762 7 July 1827)
Medical practitioner, public servant and land holder. 2000 acres granted in 1810, in what would become Wentworthville. D'Arcy Wentworth was the father of William Charles Wentworth, explorer of the Blue Mountains.

Williams, John

Carpenter, convict and original land grant holders at Prospect in 1791. Was granted 50 acres (having been granted an additional 10 acres due to being married).