The Roads of Change - Botany Road, Mascot

Botany Road has seen many changes throughout its history. Yet it still remains one of the most unique and important main roads in Botany and Mascot. These pictures show some of the change the road has seen over the last 70 years.

 This image shows Botany Road, Mascot, looking north from 1938.

This image, from a similar position, shows the same stretch of road from 2011.

The Vanished Town Clerk

One of the most intriguing mysteries in North Botany (later renamed Mascot) around 1906 was the disappearance of the town clerk, Mr T.A. Watson.

Mr Watson, who had served as town clerk with the Municipality of North Botany since 1891, had been granted a leave of absence to recuperate from indifferent health in 1905.

He had boarded a ship to travel to New Zealand for his holiday and wrote the Mayor of the time, Alderman King, notifying him of his arrival.

Since then, however, there had been no word from him. He had literally disappeared.

The Mayor called a special meeting of council 10 weeks after the disappearance to discuss the matter. He submitted a minute in which he intimated that the only course open to him under the circumstances was to suspend Mr Watson for neglect of duties.

Alderman King stated that Mr Watson had been a 'faithful servant of the council for more than 16 years and it was a surprise to many that he had now, through some unaccountable cause, ensconced his leave'.

The Council endorsed the Mayor's motion and began looking for a replacement.

It appears Mr Watson was never heard of by the Council again.