TIMES ARE A CHANGIN’: Lithgow was a boom town in the 1920s and the crowds turned out to celebrate this prosperity at the Six Hour Day parade through Main Street in 1926. NINETY years ago this weekend Lithgow was clearly a bustling boom town having trouble keeping up with its own rapid growth. On March 9 1924 “The Sunday Times” (Sydney) published an article under the headline: Lithgow Lively, Mines working full speed, rush for Houses and Great Prosperity. It went on: Lithgow, Saturday. LITHGOW is a very busy spot just now, and the town’s Mayor (Alderman Robert Pillans), who is filling the chair for the tenth time, is a proud man. The coal mines are working full time, the State mine is particularly busy, and the Railway contracts are keeping the Lithgow Coal Association (which embraces Lithgow, Hermitage, Zigzag, Oakey Park and Vale of Clwydd collieries) fully employed. Several smaller mines are being worked to advantage. The Small Arms Factory is turning out plenty of outside work, and thus is advancing an argument for its conversion into factory for the manufacture of other than war material. Work for Two Years: See your ad here The building trades are fully employed and sufficient work is available for a couple of years. A new picture show will go up shortly. The housing question is very acute, and new dwellings are being erected in every part of the town. There are none empty. Many old business premises in Main street have been demolished and new places erected in their stead. There is a rush to occupy them. Station and a Church: The work of erecting Lithgow’s new station is steadily proceeding. The Church of England is about to build at a cost of 6000 pounds ($12,000). A start is also to be made with the erection of the new Salvation Army hall. An idea of the progress of the town can be gleaned from the figures of the Lithgow Co-operative Society, which now boasts of 24 departments. In the grocery section the annual turn over is 90,000 pounds. The gross profit for the last half-year was 19.4 per cent. (9223 pound), and the nett profits 9.9 per cent. (4727 pound). A canvass is being made throughout the town and district for 8000 pounds for additions to the hospital. Hoskins’ Iron and Steel Co. head the list with 250 pounds; the Council has given 100 pounds. Lithgow Oakey Park colliery ...
Posted on: Sun, 14 Sep 2014 11:16:29 +0000