The History and Pioneers of Blackwood – Newspaper reports
Compiled by Margot Hitchcock, Historian for the Blackwood & District Historical Society. March, 2021. ©
NEW YEAR’S DAY – SPORTS DAY – BLACKWOOD – 1902
The Bacchus Marsh Express Newspaper – January 11th 1902.
The Blackwood sports committee and public generally was inclined to be pleased with the Clerk of the Weather on New Year’s Day. The attendance at the sports was much as per usual, about £17 being taken at the gates. Entries fell off considerably from other years. Mr T Vigor, secretary and numerous staff of stewards, managed the whole concern in a creditable way, the events being run through with celerity and to the satisfaction of the public. Mr R Matheson, as starter; Messrs. H Cann, M Siddal, J.Walter, R. Benson, as handicappers; Messrs. W.Broad, and G.Matheson, as judges; performed their numerous duties to the satisfaction of all concerned.
The following are the results:
Riflemen’s race, 5 entries, 1st A. Cocciardi; 2nd G Strangman; 3rd M. Cocciardi.
Hurdle race, 1st J.Coleman; 2nd P.Healy; 4 entries.
Miners race, 1st M. Cocciardi; 2nd A Cocciardi; 5 entries.
Half-mile race, 1st T.Healy; 2nd J. Daymon; 3 entries.
Figure 8, 5 entries, 1st A. Taylor, 36 sec.
Hop, step and jump, 8 entries, 1st J.Colman; 2nd T.Healy.
Cannon ball, 8 entries, 1st J.Colman, 21ft. 4in.
Throwing cricket ball, 18 entires, 1st, Colman, 95 yds.
Hammer and Drill contest, time 15 minutes, 1st. T.N.Terrill, A.Cocciardi, 19 inches.
Of interest to the Blackwood Sports on New Year’s Day 1902 is a phone call the author had from Kathleen Maxwell regarding a story her mother told her of her Grandfather Antonio Cocciardi who took part in the Blackwood Sports Day at the Blackwood Sports Ground. Her mother remembered a big grassed area with pine trees around and a big stone wall at the back end. On this wall Antonio told her that at the sports he entered a competition to see who was the fastest to drill a hole in the wall like they did in the mines where they would plug the hole with dynamite.
In the above sports results we can see that A. Cocciardi (Antonio) won a prize for the Hammer and Drill contest and for drilling a hole of nineteen inches. The author went with 2 of her grandchildren to inspect the wall at the Sports Ground in January 2008 and found and photographed about 10 holes which would be the ones drilled for the New Year’s Day Annual Sports Day. No doubt other holes were drilled on subsequent years if further newspapers were checked. In other sports results above we can see where A. (Antonio) Cocciardi also won the Riflemen’s race and his brother M. (Michael) Cocciardi came third. In the Miner’s race Michael Cocciardi came 1st and Antonio came second. (Vincenzo) Charles Cocciardi was a gold miner in Blackwood who lived in Blackwood with his family. He built the water-race behind the Mineral Springs which was named after him and the water carried in these races was used by the miners for sluicing their gold. A pleasant walk along this water-race track will take you past big ferns and maiden hair ferns, and Moonlight Gully, towards Golden Point.
Further Research shows – Buried in the Roman Catholic section of the Blackwood cemetery is Vincent (Vincenzo) Charles Cocciardi died 24 April 1918 aged 81years (born 1837) and his wife Jane (nee Roach) Cocciardi aged 76 years, died 24 October 1918 (born 1842). In an adjoining grave is a male child died aged one day old in 1881 and an infant Vincenzo John Roach Cocciardi died aged 2 months old in 1885. Jane would have been about 39 years old when the day old child died in 1881, then she gave birth to her last child, when she was about 43 years old and he died later aged 2 months old in 1885.
Vincent and Jane Cocciardi had nine children all born in Blackwood.
Jane Cocciardi (nee Roach) died 6 months to the day after Vincenzo at the age of 76 in 1918.
Researched by Margot Hitchcock from her forthcoming book ‘The History and Pioneers of Blackwood’, hopefully to be published soon. Other books published by Margot Hitchcock – “Aspects of Early Blackwood”, Some History of Simmons Reef, Blackwood” and “The Billy Pincombe Tragedy”. See – www.blackwoodpublishing.com
For help with information on Blackwood ancestors contact Margot Hitchcock – email – margothitchcock@bigpond.com
Rock wall at Sports Ground with holes drilled in it. 2008
Walk along fern walk on Cocciardi’s Race from Mineral springs to Golden Point. 2008.
Cocciardi’s Water Race walk behind Mineral springs. 2004.
Photos courtesy of Margot Hitchcock, Historian of B.D.H.S.
