Charles, ( refered to as "Charle"), family is know as the Lidcombe Cutcliffes. Licombe is situated 10 miles due west of Sydney.
Charles Agnew Cutcliffe was born on Saturday the 11th August 1866, the 6th child and 3rd son of Rev. Charles Cutcliffe B.A. and Mary Jane (nee Poingdestre). Only a matter of weeks earlier, on the 29th of June, 1866, Charles and family had converted from the Anglican faith to Roman Catholicism: he was the first child born a Catholic. This conversion caused a great upheaval in the lives of the family. All of the pupils in CharleÕs Grammer School were withdrawn; naturally, he lost his clerical stipend from the Anglican Bishop of Goulburn, but the family stayed on in Yass for a short period before moving to 197 Dowling Street, Wooloomooloo, and left ther for Neill Street, Murrumburrah when Charles took up his appointment as Clerk of Petty Sessions on 1 st. May 1875. Charles Agnew spent his early years in this environment. Charles acquired his second name of Agnew from his motherÕs side of the family. His mother was Mary Jane Poingdestre and her mother was Mary Eleanor Agnew. Edward Agnew, Mary JaneÕs uncle, was a Witness at the marriage of Charles AgnewÕs parents on 28th November, 1855.
In 1892, Charles Agnew was employed by the Public Works Department of N.S.W., and commenced work at Rookwood State Hosp[ital as a member of the Outdoor Works Staff. Rockwood Hospital was an Asylum for old men, known as Rookwood Old MenÕs Home. It had very large grounds where they grazed their own livestock (pigs, cattle) which was of a very high quality that they won many prizes at the Royal Easter Agricultural Show. It was due to CharleÕs long association with this Hospital together with the fact that he was prominent in public life as an Alderman or Lidcombe Municipal Council, that a street was named after him. Cutcliffe Avenue runs to the West of Joseph Street, Regents Park, deagonally adjacent to the Hospital grounds. We assume that while working at Rookwood (now Lidcombe) that he met and eventually married Annie Maria Gormley on 12th February, 1896 at St. JoachimÕs Catholic Church, Rookwood.
Here is an extract from a Sydney based Catholic newspaper, ÒFreemans JournalÓ dated 7th March 1896:
ÒOld Sydney Catholic ÔboysÕ who remember the High School in Macquarie Street, conducted by Charles Cutcliffe B.A., under the patronage of Archbishop Ploding, will be interestedin a marriage notice published in this weekÕs ÒFreemanÓ. the fine old scholsr who used to teach in his academic gown and mortar-board has had the happiness of seeing his third son married in the Catholic Church. Mr. Cutcliffe, senior, was a convert from the Church of England, and he has been for many years Clerk of Petty Sessions at Murrumburrah. The young Australian who has now sworn allegiance to the United States -- of Matrimoney -- is one of the Survey Office staff. He won for his bride, the daughter of Alderman Gormley of Rookwood, and the marriage was at St. JoachimÕs Church, Rookwood, on 12th February, 1896.Ó
CharleÕs position at teh Lidcombe Hospital has been described as Outside Foreman, Irrigationist, Forman, etc. In order to obtain a clearer idea of his position and what he did, here are some items which were obtained from the archives of the Rookwood Asylum.
In 1899, a building originally imported from Scotland in 1857 and which had been used in the City of Sydney, was taken down and re erected at Rookwood Asylum. On the 12th October, 1899 a Public Works Dept. N.S.W. gives the names of men engaged in the re erection, and Officers of the Institution at the time. On the list of Officers, ÒMr. Cutcliffe, IrrigationistÓ is listed fourth, after Superintendent, Matron and Head Clerk.
Department of Public Works, N.S.W., dated 10th December 1908, extols CharleÕs expertise in irrigation saying ÒMr. CutcliffeÕs experience in this class of farming which is so little understood in Australia at present, renders him a most valuable Officer.Ó
Letter dated 3rd july 1912, by Robert A. Fox, Superintendent, suggesting an increase in salary for Charles due to his knowledge and work experience. ÒHis ability and knowledge are such that when he takes part of the duty duringthe absence of the assistant superintendents, their absence is not felt.Ó
Charles was due to retire on his 65th birthday, 11th August 1931. However, he was so well thought of that a request was made for him to continue for another 12 months.
When the time for retirement came in 1932, this item in the local press:
ÒThe JobÕs Yours If You Can Fill It
ÒJack Of All TradesÓ Wanted Lidcombe Hospital
Take Napoleon, Houdini, Thomas Edison, Dr. Bradfield, Mr. Ennis, Burke and Wills, Admiral Drake, Premier Lang, Mr. Bruce and -- Well, to fill the job of forman to the Lidcombe State Hospital and Home, you would need to have all the qualifications of these famous persons well developed.
Quite a number of people would like to be foreman to the Lidcombe home, and in this period of depression many will leap boldly at the job and trust to luck. Luck will have to be on the side of the winner.
Here are the qualifications necessary for a position as set by the Public Service Board.
ÔAs the appointee will be required to supervise all outside activities of the institution he should have a detailed knowledge of ALL the buildings and be able to prepare plans, specifications and estimate for the building construction and gardening operations and to supervise tactfully workers engaged on the above.Õ
And all this for the salary of L330.9s.7d. per annum, advancing by annual increments of L13 to L356.9s.7d, per annum, with an additional L10 per annum, subject to the Public Service Salaries Act (No.2) 1931. Which means in plain language, less 22 1/2 per cent. deduction.
There it is, and the filling of the job will be notified in the Public Service Supplement of the Goverment Gazette.
If you feel capable of building a second Harbor Bridge, he Panama Canal, the Pyramids, the Great Wall of China, the Burrenjuck Dam and the Leaning Tower of Pisa, all in one short lifetime, you will appear to have an outside chance.Ó