“Seniors Festival Chair Yoga” Learn how simple movements can promote flexibility. Find strength and improve posture for all levels of mobility at Gladesville Library.
Gladesville Library is more than just a place for books. It is a community hub. It is a place of learning.
Gladesville Library stands as a testament to the suburb’s rich history. Gladesville itself is situated on the northern banks of the Parramatta River. It is approximately 10 kilometres from the city centre.
Before European settlement, the Wallumedegal people called this area Wallumetta. European settlement began with land grants in 1795. John Doody, a convict artist, received one of the first grants. The area was initially known as Doody’s.
In 1836, John Glade, an emancipist, acquired Doody’s grant. He expanded his property. After his death in 1848, the land was sold. It was then subdivided and named Gladesville in 1855.
The suburb’s development was significantly shaped by the Great North Road. This road, surveyed in 1825, connected Sydney to the Hunter Valley. The point where the road met the Parramatta River was named Bedlam Point. The name Bedlam Point was in use long before the Tarban Creek Lunatic Asylum opened in 1838.
The Tarban Creek Lunatic Asylum was later renamed Gladesville Hospital for the Insane. It eventually became Gladesville Hospital. Today, much of the hospital’s grounds is part of Parramatta River Recreation Park.
Better access to Gladesville was crucial for its growth. A wharf was built to improve transport. Regular ferry services replaced the earlier punt system.
The first Gladesville Bridge opened in 1881. It was replaced by the current concrete-arch bridge in 1964. This bridge greatly improved access to Sydney.
One notable resident of Gladesville was John Crotty. He built a stone residence called Rockend. From 1866 to 1909, Rockend was home to Emily Mary Barton. She was the grandmother of poet Banjo Paterson.
The village of Gladesville emerged by the 1870s. The post office moved here in 1867. Gladesville Public School opened in 1879.
Gladesville has a number of significant World War I memorials. The Christ Church memorial gates commemorate 167 servicemen.
A well-known Gladesville identity of the 1920s was Black Lucy. She was an Aboriginal woman who lived in a humpy near Tarban Creek. When her hut burnt down, the community built her a new cottage.
After World War II, the Ryde Housing Scheme addressed housing shortages. Two project areas were located within Gladesville.
Today, Gladesville is a vibrant suburb with a rich history. Its library continues to serve as a vital community resource.
As you leave Gladesville Library, remember the stories it holds. The stories of early settlers. The stories of community spirit.