Listed below are short biographies of people who contributed to the development of Wollongong.
The entries in this section are the result of research enquiries received by the Illawarra Historical Society. They do not seek to be exhaustive but serve as a quick reference. Where possible indications are provided to further sources. Click on the red text for more information.
BARRETT family | John and Johanna Barrett, and their children Tom and Isabel who lived at 41 Auburn St, Wollongong |
BLAXLAND, Gregory | Tobacco Growing in Illawarra |
BRIGHT, John | Wollongong Retail Tycoon 1832-1883 |
BROADFOOT, Margaret | Radio announcer and journalist 1943-1950s |
COADY, Richard | Coal miner at Coal Cliff 1878-1884 |
COLE, Robert Martin | Early landowner at Farmborough Heights |
COMELLI, John | Real estate agent, property developer and businessman in Wollongong |
COOPER, Alice | World War 1 nurse |
COX, Frederick Henry | Doctor at Helensburgh 1910-1942 |
CUNNINGHAM, John | Master shipbuilder at Wollongong 1831-1843 |
DAVIES, William Henry | Member for Wollongong (1917-1949); Member for Cunningham (1949-1956) |
DAVISON, Robert | Wollongong Druggist, Chemist and Businessman 1839-1842, 1852-1854 |
DIX, Stan | Lake Illawarra boatbuilder |
DYMOCK, David Lindsay | Local auctioneer romoter of dairy co-operatives [1837-1939] |
FIGTREE Family | Cokeworks proprietors |
FRANKS, Pat | Long-term councillor on Wollongong City Council |
GRANT, Robert | Champion cornet player |
LANCE, Walter | Crown St shop owner 1889-1929 |
LYSAGHT, Andrew | Politician and Barrister |
McDONALD, George | Owner of Marshall Mount House |
McINTYRE, Kenneth Owen | Awarded the Albert Medal for saving a life at sea |
MALLON, Richard | Veteran settler at West Dapto |
PUCKEY, Courtney | Wollongong chemist and owner of 'Puckey's Estate' |
READ, Mary Ann | Infants Teacher at Wollongong Public School 1886-1926 |
ROSE, Jane | Last Free Female First Fleeter in Australia |
SHANNON-SHANAHAN, Ellen | Soldier's widow and owner of 13 CRown St Wollongong |
STORK, Sarah | Waterfall Bus Proprietor |
TUXWORTH, Catherine | Dame of the Order of St Syvester |
VICKERY, Ebenezer Frank | Vision for a model village at Coalcliff |
VINING, Jay Joseph | Dapto Storekeeper |
WISEMAN, William John | Wollongong Businessman and Civic Leader |
Want to do your own research?
Finding information about people who have contributed to the history of Illawarra requires the use of multiple sources. A good place to start is the Local Studies collections of the Wollongong Central Library. The collection is located on level 1.
Wollongong Central Library
41 Burelli St, Wollongong, NSW, 2500
Telephone: 02 4227 7414
Details of the Local Studies Library are available online: http://www.wollongong.nsw.gov.au/library/services/pages/localhistoryinformation.aspx
Other useful resources:
Illawarra Family History Group : http://illawarrafhg.blogspot.com.au/
Illawarra Images : http://mylibrary.wollongong.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/MSGTRN/PIC/BSEARCH
Illawarra Index : http://mylibrary.wollongong.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/MSGTRN/PIC/BSEARCH
Trove (National Library of Australia) : http://trove.nla.gov.au/
University of Wollongong Archives : http://www.library.uow.edu.au/archives/index.html
The Illawarra Historical Society has limited capacity to respond to enquiries. You are welcome to send your enquiries to info@illawarramuseum.com or on our Contact Us page.
Have we missed someone? Contact us.