A stroll in North Ryde in the past

Posted on in North Ryde PS History

School photo of students, parents and teachers with the label "gathering at N Ryde School -Cox's Rd Looking East.

Imagine time travelling back to the early 1900s in North Ryde. If you strolled down Cox’s Road from the school and turned right into Wicks Road you would have walked beside paddocks and orchards and had views across to the city. It is claimed that with binoculars you would have been able to read the time on the GPO’s clock! The farm bound by Wicks and Cox’s Roads was Heard’s Orchard, named the Model Farm. As a boy Fred Heard attended North Ryde PS then followed in his father’s footsteps to run his portion of the farm. He had vineyards, loquats, oranges, lemons, mandarins, oats, rye, cereals and 20 varieties of summer fruits. An article published on 6 November, 1902 gives a vivid description of the area.

The image shows a gathering at North Ryde PS in 1910. Imagine wearing those outfits on your stroll! More North Ryde PS 1900s photos.