rookwood

Note the overhead wires for the trams.

Museums of History NSW - State Archives Collection See my photograph (s) here

John Cowper That's a brilliant "Now" and "Then" set! AB

"...The single station on the branch line when it opened was called Haslem's Creek Cemetery. Its name was changed to Necropolis prior to 1872 and changed again to Mortuary General Cemetery on 16th July 1897. It was then changed to Cemetery Station No 1 15th June 1908 when the Roman Catholic Platform, which had been opened on 31st December 1901, had its name changed to Cemetery Station No 2. Mortuary Station No 3, which opened on 26th May 1897, became known as Mortuary Terminus two months later. Its name was changed to Cemetery Station No. 3 in June 1908 to create uniformity between the station names within the cemetery. The line's name was changed to the Rookwood branch line on 1st January 1914. No trace remains of it today except for the points and a short section of track that led to the cemetery line beyond Lidcombe station. The No. 1 Mortuary Station was constructed in 1864 and remained in use as the main station until the line's closure in December 1948. It was used as a chapel until 1958 when a fire gutted its interior. The Gothic-style building was then dismantled and re-erected stone by stone in Canberra as All Saints Anglican Church in the parish of Ainslie . The Redfern Mortuary Terminal, Regent Street, Redfern, from which trains left the city on their journey to Rookwood, was opened in 1869 and closed simultaneously with No 1 Mortuary Station at Rookwood Cemetery. St Paul's Anglican Church (which is today The Greek Orthodox Church), 242 Cleveland Street, Redfern, was the church where Anglican funeral services were held prior to the departure of funeral trains from the nearby Mortuary Station..."

The Austin A40 4-door saloon was built from 1947-1952. This photo, then, cannot have been taken before 1947. But seeing that the Mortuary station ceased operations in December 1948, and noticing timber planks & other building material leaning against the building in the above photo, it would seem that the station was no longer operational in this photo, which could have been taken some time from 1949 onward.

The stonework from this station was moved to Canberra in 1958 and reconstructed as All Saints' Anglican Church, Ainslie.

That is interesting to know - there is more about the history on the Australian Heritage Database

Although it was re-erected, it was much changed, transposed, and much of the decorative detail lost.

Damn. Shame as this would be the type of Historical structure I'd like to have seen unchanged. Not like the "historical" nonsense that they do fight tooth and nail to keep nowadays. This would have made an awesome photo shoot!

See also - www.flickr.com/photos/state-records-nsw/2798269301/

I wonder if this image is as old as the c.1865 one? The stonework etc still looks relatively new and clean.

I didn't realize before that the Rookwood Station was literally a 'dead end'. Did the trains have to reverse all the way from Redfern?

Those angel sculptures symbolize Death and Resurrection, and the young sculptor, Thomas Duckett, died in 1868 as the building was nearing completion - trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/13166461

It seems the No.1 Mortuary Station was completed in 1869. See this wiki article - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cemetery_Station_No._1_railway_station which mentions a sign saying "commenced 14 April 1867, completed 10 August 1869".
And this article in the SMH 22/4/1868 with description of how the building will look -

" ... The receiving-house at Haslem Creek is placed in the centre of the 200 acres set apart for the cemetery, and also in tho centre of an inner ring comprising 20 acres. The chapels to be erected by the several denominations will be around it. This building is a specimen of the Italian Gothic style, beautiful in proportion and ornamentation. It is a paralelogram, 98 feet 6 inches by 42 feet. This figure is divided longitudinally into three parts, a nave with side aisles, by two rows of circular columns, with richly-carved capitals. From these columns spring pointed arches, carrying the wall upon which rests the main roof. The sides of the building are entirely open. The rails will run through the nave, the side aisles and a portion of the nave forming platforms. The plain walls are built of 6-inch courses of rock faced work, pointed with black mortar. The whole of the interior timber work of the open roof will be painted in neutral tint, .picked out in primitive colours. The roof will be covered with slate in ornamental design, the entire length being terminated with an iron ridge cresting of quaint design. In these buildings it is difficult to say which is the most remarkable, the taste of the architect, Mr. Barnett, or the faithful and persevering skill of the general contractors, Messrs. Stoddard and Medway for Redfern, and Mr. Aaron Loveridge for Haslem Creek. ... "

I reckon all these photos are 1869, not "c.1865"

Update 1871 by photographer Charles Pickering. See comments here -

Thomas Duckett the sculptor (see link above) - found on Flickr!

beachcomber australia [http://www.flickr.com/photos/hpeters]
Great links - thank you.
I think the c.1865 date given on one of those images may have been based around the date the Rookwood Cemetery rail line opened - 22nd October 1864. However a post August 1869 date would be more approriate. - AG