Two Original Sydney Harbour Bridge-Arcane Ephemera
1 - Five typed pages reporting on the Workers Compensation claim of riveter A.J. Costello who claims he contracted 'spinal neuritis' while riveting inside the chord. Report on actual investigations and measurements of wind and temperature inside the chord (middle compartment, centre of arch) sometime around August 1930. Also handwritten note of the investigator. Stained and chipped to the edges, note in poor condition, detached on fold line.
2 - Printed flyer of poem "Mackay's Five Hundred". Printer and author/publisher uncredited.
This refers to the 'Battle of Liverpool Street' at de Groot's court appearance on April 1, 1932 after prematurely cutting the ribbon at the Bridge opening ceremony. Mackay was the high profile police chief (Commissioner from 1935) whose mission was to crush de Groot's right wing New Guard.
A force of many was used at the court appearance to clear the streets of de Groot's supporters and public. Header of this flyer reads….' Scene in Liverpool Street at de Groot's trial on Friday morning 1st April (April Fools Day) when the public were thrown off the street. Impressions hereunder by one of the public.'
The following from a complaint to police from eye witness N.S. Thomas, April 7, 1932….'Without any warning a general scuffle took place between the police and civilians … I saw several instances of the police literally throwing themselves
at the crowd … The behaviour of the police absolutely astounded me … [they]
set on the people like a mob of larrikins, and candidly I was ashamed to think that a section of our Police Force, who I have always held in the greatest admiration, should lower themselves by behaving as they did.
I have seen police handling strikers on the waterfront, and also during the timber strike, but at no time have I witnessed such violence as was used on peaceable citizens on Friday morning.' Police Dept. Special Bundles, 10/1829, NSWSR.
Flimsy green tinted paper faded to the edges, dog ears. 22x17cm (Flyer)



Estimate $60-100