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This year is Bathurst’s bicentenary, but it also marks the 125th annniversary of the birth of Bathurst’s most famous son, Ben Chifley. It is also 70 years since he was elevated to the office of Prime Minister of Australia.
To celebrate these two events, the Chifley family of Bathurst is writing a book about their “Uncle Ben”.
While most other books concentrate on Chifley’s political career and his many other achievements, this one looks at his personality and character from the perspective of his family and friends, with many previously unpublished stories about him added by those who knew and loved him best.
Much of the information comes from the memoirs of Ben’s nephews, Joe and John Chifley, and from the oral histories compiled by historian Sam Malloy some years ago, when many of those people who knew him were still alive.
For instance, it is not generally known that he supported the establishment of the race circuit as being a good event for Bathurst. He convinced the three dissenting members of the Abercrombie Council to vote in favour of allowing the Australian Racing Drivers to stage their first Grand Prix at the Vale Circuit.
He was also instrumental in obtaining an educational grant through the then education minister, Gus Kelly, to establish the Bathurst Teachers’ College, telling Alderman Alan Morse, who was unrelenting in his fight for better educational facilities for the city, that the university would come later.
Ben Chifley loved Bathurst and was always worried about a reliable water supply for the people. He started the process of building the dam rolling when Mr J.J. McGrath found the most suitable site for the dam catchment after many years of searching. The dam which now bears his name was finished some years after his death.
Previously unknown information has also recently come to the family’s attention with the visit to Bathurst last year of an Irish relative, Fr Des Corrigan from Fermanagh Ireland.
Other history about the Chifley side of the family from Ireland has also recently been discovered.
n Anyone who knew Ben Chifley or his wife Elizabeth and has any interesting stories about them and is happy for them to be included in the book can contact Jane Chifley at PO Box 9069, West Bathurst or at janechifley@yahoo.com.au.