How many times have you wandered through Victoria Park, paused at our Fountain and thought, "that's nice". I certainly have, on many occasions.
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But there is more to our fountain than just "being nice" as it has quite a story.
The centrepiece of our Park was presented to the town in 1891 by then Mayor Mr Thomas and opened on the same day as the Town Hall.
From the Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser, Saturday 28 November 1891
THE FOUNTAIN IN VICTORIA-SQUARE
While in England Mr Thomas purchased a large and very handsome iron and bronze fountain, which he presented to the town. It has been erected in Victoria Square (the cost when erected exceeded 300 pounds).
At 2:30 the formal presentation was made by the Mayor, and the Mayoress (Mrs Thomas) turned on the water, and declared the fountain open. The Mayor said he was only doing his duty in presenting the fountain to the town. It was right that he should spend some of the money in the town where he made it.
The Mayoress then gave a picnic to about 1000 children in the square. The refreshments were so abundant and varied as to make anxious mothers look upon them with dread of consequences. Those who accompanied the children were entertained in the pavilion, where afternoon tea was served. The band played at intervals during the afternoon.
I had a couple of thoughts about this wonderful description. Firstly 1000 children in the square is a lot and secondly all those kids sugared up with the "abundance of refreshments" certainly would give a "dread of consequences".
A bit more digging found that the Cast Iron Fountain was from the Coalbrookdale cast iron foundry in the UK and is quite rare and indeed one of very few remaining examples in the world. Those that are left are Heritage listed with one example being in Adelaide and another in Somerset, UK.
The reference for the nationally listed UK fountain reads: Fountain. Late 19th Century, by the Coalbrookdale Company. Cast iron. Highly ornate design, with four consoles to base and two bowls, finished with the figure of a cherub wrestling with a snake, a reference to the mythic character and legend of Laocoon. One of a series of fountains produced from 1845 by the celebrated Coalbrookdale Company.
Our fountain is listed on the local Heritage Register bundled in with the Rotunda and Park itself. I certainly hope that this gives us some degree of protection and preservation as it certainly is an asset to our town and indeed could be a precursor to our Statue Trail?
I certainly had no idea the significance of our 'Boy and Serpent' statue and it is just another example of the treasures hidden in our marvellous town.
