3. The Corso ~ 1920s

The Corso, outside Coles From the Corso we look along Whistler Street, named after Henry Gilbert Smith's first wife's family. The former Town Hall, once the imposing residence of Mr W.H. Rolfe, stands on one corner and the building advertising 'Cold Luncheons' still stands today. Henry Gilbert Smith promoted Manly as a 'watering place' in the 1850s, but development was slow. It was not until 1877 that the first meeting of Manly Municipal Council was held in the Church of England school room. Council then met in several different locations in Manly, including the old Ivanhoe Park Hotel building in Ivanhoe Park until 1909 when it purchased Mr Rolfe's old home. This was demolished in 1937 and the present Town Hall was erected. The vehicles are early privately owned buses which began running to Queenscliff and Freshwater around 1920. The palm tree in the foreground now towers above the Corso. The Soldiers' Memorial was erected in 1916 in memory of the first soldier from Manly to fall in World War One. The carved dolphins on its base signify that the casualties came from the seaside, while the Waratahs and Christmas Bells on the capital illustrate how Manly was once famous for its wildflowers. 

Photograph courtesy: Manly Library

4. The Corso ~ 1915

The Corso, beach end, Manly In a peaceful atmosphere, old men sit yarning while boys ride bicycles, at a time when many young men were away fighting in World War One. With only one car visible, The Corso resembles the paved mall of today but without the bustling throng or traffic lights. Manly's first street lights were kerosene lamps, then gaslights from 1884, which were replaced by electric street lighting in 1923. The pines planted under Council's 'beautification scheme' have been replaced by palms. The refreshment rooms on the left have lost their original awnings and fancy posts. Further along the Corso, the elegant spire of the first St Matthews Church of England, designed by Edmund Blacket and opened in 1865, can be seen. It was demolished in 1928 and the present church, built on an adjacent site, was opened two years later. The original Steyne Hotel was built by Henry Gilbert Smith in 1859 when The Corso was only a sand track, and the New Brighton Hotel pictured here was constructed in 1880. The hotels have been rebuilt over the years, providing a continuous supply of refreshment and places of rest for visitors to Manly. 

Photograph courtesy: Manly Art Gallery & Museum

5. Marine Parade ~ 1920s

Marine Parade overlooking Manly Beach From this lookout, formally attired spectators watch a surf carnival against a sweeping panorama of thriving pines. Today high-rise buildings dwarf the trees, which were damaged by airborne pollution from North Head sewerage works. Since the construction of the deepwater ocean outfall, Manly Council has undertaken an extensive replanting and rehabilitation scheme to restore the beauty of this heritage-listed beach. In 1898, the promenade to Fairy Bower was constructed above the sewer line to Cabbage Tree Bay. Originally, Manly Beach was known as Cabbage Tree Beach because of the many cabbage tree palms growing in the area. The surf lifesaving movement holds huge significance in Manly's history. After daylight bathing became legal and crowds flocked to Manly's beaches, not everybody understood the dangers of the surf. The Sly brothers were the first lifesavers to patrol the beaches in their boat. In 1903 they staged a lifesaving demonstration on Manly Beach to raise money for this essential service. Early surf carnivals like this attracted thousands of visitors. 

Photograph courtesy: Manly Art Gallery & Museum

6. South Steyne ~ c.1929

North Steyne near Carlton Street Along South Steyne, holiday-makers shelter in shady gardens beneath Norfolk Island pines. Soon after Manly Municipal Council was incorporated in 1877, it began a tree-planting scheme resulting in this magnificent crescent of pines that has made Manly internationally famous. The style of clothing, women wearing hats and carrying parasols, and men attired in suits, waistcoats and felt hats, contrasts with today's casual dress. The Manly Life Saving Club building pictured at the southern end of the beach was built in 1914 and extended in 1923. These premises have been rebuilt over the years to cater for the ever-increasing popularity of surfing. The earliest portion of the seawall was constructed along South Steyne in the late 1880s. For ease of walking for those 'taking the air' along the promenade, asphalt paths were laid in 1902. The gracious guest houses of this period have been demolished and replaced by blocks of flats. Impressive St Patrick's Seminary, opened in 1889, was the first Roman Catholic training college built in Australia. 

Photograph courtesy: Manly Art Gallery & Museum

7. Ivanhoe Park ~ c.1930

Corner Sydney & Pittwater Roads Men dressed in white flannels play tennis at Ivanhoe Park which was purchased by the NSW Government in the early 1880s for £8,600. It has since remained a sportsground and over the years a wide range of sport has been played here, including croquet. The Merrett Memorial Gateway was erected in memory of Manly sportsman, O.G.H. Merrett, manager of the Australian team attending the 1924 Paris Olympic Games at which local heroes, 'Boy' Charlton, Dick Eve and 'Nick' Winter won gold medals. In the background towers Dalley's Castle, home of William Bede Dalley. First named Marinella, it was built of local sandstone during the 1880s, a period of grandiose buildings such as St Patrick's Seminary and Clavering (now Dalwood). In 1939 Dalley's Castle was demolished with virtually no protest and replaced by blocks of flats. Now only two gargoyles, one a dragon and the other a hunting dog, stand guard above the old stone wall in Sydney Road. Son of former convicts, William Dalley became NSW Attorney-General and, in 1885, served as Acting Premier. 

Photograph courtesy: Manly Art Gallery & Museum

8. Fairlight House

Fairlight Beach on Scenic Foreshore Walkway The stone wall and pine trees are all that remain to remind us of Fairlight House, the home of Henry Gilbert Smith (1802-1886). He first saw the potential of Manly as a seaside resort and laid out central Manly much as it is today. He commissioned the eminent Colonial architect, Edmund Thomas Blacket, and local builder Alexander Dean, to design and build Fairlight House. Erected in local sandstone, it was of classic rectangular Georgian design, two storeys high, five windows and ten shutters wide. The ground floor of the house had verandahs on the front and one side. The name 'Fairlight' had strong emotional ties for Smith. It was the name of the village in Sussex, England, where his first wife, Eleanor Whistler had once lived. The house was first occupied around 1860. The 36 acres (15 hectares) estate stood just behind the pine trees, extending half a kilometre northwards to Hilltop Crescent. Smith's second wife, Anne Margaret, died of tuberculosis in April 1866 and is buried in Manly Cemetery. The family enjoyed Fairlight House for only six years, after which the family left for England. The tower and portico in the photograph were added by subsequent owners. The house was demolished in 1939. There was a 100 foot reservation dedicated to public recreation on the harbour foreshore of the estate's southern boundary. 

Photograph courtesy: Manly, Warringah & Pittwater Historical Society