Bennett Wagons
The Bennett wagons represent the early manufacturing days of St Marys. The Bennett wagon business began in 1858 when James Bennett opened a wheelwright shop opposite Victoria Square, now called Victoria Park. Their wagons were transported by rail from the St Marys Goods Yard with the wagons being sold for £150 to £250 all over Australia. The Bennetts were huge employers of workers in the St Marys area. They put St Marys on the map and had the world record for the largest load in 1920. Two of his sons, James William and George Thomas, worked there with him and later took over the business when James died in 1908. The wagons varied in size and were sold to farmers for transporting goods, mainly wheat and wool; for minerals e.g. silver ore in the Burragorang Valley, and for town transport. The wagons were pulled by horses, usually fifteen. If the owner requested it, a box called a "coffin" was built at the back of the wagon for the driver's supplies. James Bennett wagons were painted red and blue, and had James Bennett, South Creek and the year painted on the side. Wagons were given names, such as "The Maxina" (in South Creek Park now), "King of the Road", "The Pioneer". George Bennett wagons were green and red and he took great pride in exhibiting his wagons at Agricultural Shows, including the Sydney Show where he won a first prize in "Best Collection of Vehicles"
In June 2014, Penrith City Council proposed a project to upgrade the housing for the wagons. I was one of the surveyors for the detail survey to go with this proposal. In September 2015 the new pavilions were officially unveiled for three of Bennett’s Wagons.
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