John Macarthur and the Seven Hills farm

An advertisement in the Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser on Sunday 29th January 1809 stated that 'flocks of choice ewes and weathers of the Spanish race; a number of fine cows, bulls and oxen, of the English breed as well as some valuable brood mares, stallions and saddle horses were to be disposed of at Mr Macarthur's farm Parramatta.' The livestock was to be sold at low prices but only for ready money. Also mentioned was the sale of a 'most desirable estate,' located at Seven Hills, which comprised of some two thousand acres adjacent to Hawkesbury Road (present day Old Windsor Road).

John Macarthur had purchased the Seven Hills property from Major Joseph Foveaux in 1801. However, records indicate that the Seven Hills property did not find a buyer in 1809 and remained in the hands of Macarthur until it was returned to Crown ownership in 1821.  In return, the Macarthur's secured property at Camden. In the redistribution of the Seven Hills farm George Acres received 500 acres in 1823; Susannah Maria Ward received a grant of 500 acres in 1831; Matthew Woodward (son of Matthew Pearce) received 170 acres in 1835 and James Robertson, watchmaker, received a grant of 500 acres in 1837.

Robertson eventually sold his property to Isabella Maria Acres in 1838, and she sold the property to William Thomas (son of Matthew Pearce), in 1842.  This was developed and became 'Bella Vista.'

Ref: Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser, 29.1.1809, p. 2.
        Blacktown City Council, Seven Hills Timeline. 

Buzacott and jam making machinery

Buzacott

The Buzacott group of companies can be traced back to 1849 when the founder Mr A.B. Armstrong founded an engineering merchant business that later became known as Buzacott Co. Ltd. located at 9 Market Street Sydney. The business expanded but remained in the ownership of the Armstrong family – moving from father to sons - after the death of its founder. In 1889, Ernest Walter succeeded his father Thomas, who was the son of A.B. Armstrong.  In 1902, it became a limited liability company, trading as Buzacott and Company, with Ernest at the helm as Chairman of Director’s while his brother, Walter Verney was a director.

 

Buzacott entered the world of engine manufacturing at the turn of the century when the marine oil engine was introduced into Australia.  Instrumental in this move was Walter Verney Armstrong, an electrical engineer by trade, who gathered information about manufacturing engines from the USA. Eventually, the company expanded to become one of the respected manufacturers of fences and gates as well as pumps, wool presses, elevators, corn crushers and chaff cutters.  Today, engineering enthusiasts restore Buzacott engines and machinery while one of their Trademark products, Cyclone fencing, is still sold to this present day.

 

In later years, the company manufactured refrigerators under an agreement forged with Westinghouse and the name of the company was changed to Westinghouse Rosebery Ltd until it was taken over by the EMAIL group in the 1940s.

 

The company even produced motors and dynamos that went to the Antarctic with Douglas Mawson. Buzacott was responsible for producing farm and station accessories like the canning machinery used by Harry Smith at Seven Hills.



Harry Smith's canning outfit may have been similar to the one in this advertisement c1915

Two early advertisements

 

Ref: Buzacott engineering archive, article Peter Arfanis, 1992, Powerhouse Museum

        Various newspaper articles

Harry Smith's Jams and Preserves

Orchardists lived a precarious life because pests, disease, weather and fluctuating markets or gluts of fruit, often threatened their economic existence. Mr H.H. (Harry) Smith of Jerseyville Seven Hills was one orchardist that considered producing jams and preserves would return him a far better profit than just growing the fruit.

 

In 1916, a newspaper article told of a visit one of its correspondents paid to Harry's 'fine residence, orchard and jam factory.' The correspondent related that a one horse boiler supplied the steam necessary to run a 12 gallon jam-making copper capable of turning out 1cwt of jam at any one time.

It would seem that his set-up had the capacity to can the jam - when cooked - and a crimping machine attached the lids to avoid the use of solder. Originally, Smith used parchment paper on glass jars but screw lids were a welcome replacement. The plant had been  installed by Messrs. Buzacott and Co. Ltd. of Sydney and was located in a shed measuring 15 feet long and 10 feet wide.

Harry had already supplied one buyer with a 2 1/2 ton consignment - made from his own fruit - while another ton was waiting to be dispatched.  He had a standing order from one buyer to supply 100 ton. Harry used the peel and by products in the jam making process to augment pig fee thus nothing went to waste.

 

In February 1916, around 150 ladies and gentlemen attended a fruit canning and jam making demonstration at Jerseyville  given by Mr J.G.R. Bryant (Assistant Government Fruit Expert) from the Blacktown branch of the Agricultural Department.  Robert Lalor, hon. secretary of the branch, saw to the comfort of the visitors, as did Mr and Mrs Smith, who supplied afternoon tea as well as grapes and other fruit.  As well as locals, visitors came from as far afield as Cowan Creek, Hurstville, and Crows Nest.  Bryant turned out excellent samples of canned peaches and plum jam on the day. 

 

Harry Smith, apparently a self taught jam and fruit preserver, intended extending operations because he was convinced he would get a better return by treating his fruit on the premises and selling direct to retailers.  In 1917, a Mr Sharpe was putting in a pulping plant to can his own fruit.    

Orchards in Seven Hills c1914

Ref: Windsor and Richmond Gazette, 4.2.1916, p. 4
         Sydney Morning Herald, 4.2.1916, p. 7
         Farmer and Settler, 4.2.1916, p. 7
         Sydney Morning Herald, 25.12.1917, p. 5.