Gap Road

5 Gap Road, John Henry Ruane and wife Mary (nee O’Sullivan) 1915 approx to 1940s. He died 1936.

Sun (Sydney, NSW : 1910 – 1954), Monday 29 April 1918, page 5 SHOT THROUGH HEAD Body of Unknown. Man Found

While walking through Gap Park, Watson’s Bay yesterday, Edward Cohen, aged 12, of Gap-road, Watson’s Bay, found the body of a man with a bullet wound in the head and an automatic pistol clasped in the right hand. The body, which has not been Identified, is that of a man about 30 years old, and of very thin build. It was dressed in a grey suit, a brown overcoat, and a bluish-grey hat. A returned soldier’s budge was pinned in the coat.

December 1911 AN ASSAULT MATTER. AT THE TELEPHONE

Mr. Curlewis, instructed by Mr. W. A. Freeman, appeared for the plaintiff, Wentworth Armstrong, of Redan-street Mosman; and Mr. E. R. Abigail for the defendant. Frederick Edmiston, of Gap-road, Watson’s Bay,.

Plaintiff sued defendant for £50 damages, for an alleged assault, whereby he was wounded and injured, and his clothes spoilt and damaged. Defendant pleaded that he committed the alleged assault in self-defence, he having been first assailed by defendant

Plaintiff’s case- was that the alleged assault occurred whilst he was endeavouring to raise Central. He had been at the telephone for about half an hour in an unsuccessful effort, when the lines apparently crossed. A somewhat heated interchange took place between plaintiff and the person who had “cut in. Plaintiff recognised the voice of the other person as defendant’s. Whilst plaintiff was still trying to effect a connection the door opened, and defendant, he alleged, struck him while he (plaintiff) had the receiver in his hand. As a result of the alleged assault plaintiff’s eye was closed, a tooth injured, and his nose and lip cut.

Defendant, a launch proprietor, said he had business with the office at which plaintiff was employed. He had occasion to ring up for certain orders, and subsequently secured a connection. Defendant had a conversation with plaintiff on the telephone, during which uncomplimentary language was used by both. Subsequently defendant walked to the office, where he met plaintiff, whom he asked what he meant by using the terms he had. Plaintiff, he alleged, made a blow, which he (defendant) avoided. Defendant then retaliated by hitting plaintiff twice.

His Honor found for the plaintiff for £10 10s.

Daily Telegraph (Sydney, NSW : 1931 – 1954), Friday 20 September 1935, page 7

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Boat Built By Brothers In Backyard

Built in their backyard by the brothers Alfred and Harold Driscoll, of Gap Road, Watson’s Bay, this 20ft. launch will seat 20. The brothers, who are unemployed, will fit it with a 45 horsepower Brent engine. They have had good offers for it already.

Daily Telegraph (Sydney, NSW : 1931 – 1954), Wednesday 31 March 1948, page 1 MAN FAILS IN BID TO SAVE WOMAN AT GAP

A man grabbed at a woman as she fell 175 feet to her death from a rock ledge between the Gap and Jacob’s Ladder at Watson’s Bay about 4.20 p.m. yesterday.

The man, Leonard Bullivant, 41, storeman, of Gap Road, Watson’s Bay, touched the woman’s dress with his right hand, but could not grip it because of an old thumb injury. Bullivant fell on his elbow and knees and narrowly missed falling over the cliff. The woman was Mrs. Evelyn Ada Bratt, 70, widow, of Emmeriek Street, Leichhardt. Mr. Bullivant said yesterday: “I was walking’ along the cliff pathway when a man said to me: ‘See that woman down there — I think she’s going over. She’s taken her shoes and stockings off twice.’ “I went up to the woman and said: ‘You’re not thinking of going over, are you?’ “She just looked at me, with a funny look in her eye. “I tried to make conversation with her. I said, ‘It’s a nice day’, She said, ‘Yes;’ “I said, ‘Look at that calm sea.’ She said, ‘It looks wonderful.’ “She thanked me for the talk and walked away. “She’d gone about 100 yards when I saw her take her shoes off and go through the fence, “I raced up yelling, ‘Don’t do it.’ “When I got there she was already poised on the edge. She didn’t say a word. “As she fell I made, a grab at her dress and my hand just touched her. “I didn’t get a grip. My injured right hand failed me. : “I heard the crash when the woman hit the water.” Mr, Bullivant said the woman seemed rational, and showed no trace of emotion during the brief talk he had had with her: Watson’s Bay police found the woman’s grey topcoat, belt, shoes, handbag, and glasses near the cliff fence. ‘ They said the handbag contained a note saying that the woman had been suffering from a long nervous illness. Constables Whitmore and Fairbairn. in the Water Police launch Typhoon, recovered the body, which was later taken to the morgue.

Daily Telegraph (Sydney, NSW : 1931 – 1954), Friday 19 August 1949, page 10

MAN ADRIFT IN LAUNCH RESCUED

Water Police rescued a man in a disabled 16ft. launch which was in danger of drifting on to rocks near Rosa Gully,

Dover Heights, yesterday afternoon. The occupant of the launch, Leonard Bullivent, 42, of Gap Road, Watson’s Bay, told police he took the launch outside the Heads about 8 a.m. on a fishing trip. About 11 a.m. the engine broke down and the launch began to drift. About 1.30 p.m. workmen at Dover Heights heard him calling, and telephoned Rose Bay police. The Water Police launch towed him into Watson’s Bay.

Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 – 1954), Tuesday 9 July 1912, page 10

CHILD DRINKS BOILING TEA

A child of two years, named Charles Samuel Drew, died at the Children’s Hospital, Paddington, on Friday, under’ somewhat unusual circumstances. His mother left him for a moment in a room of his home in Gap-road, Watson’s Bay, on the previous day, and on returning found that he had seized the teapot, and had drunk some hot tea from the spout.

Daily Telegraph (Sydney, NSW : 1931 – 1954), Monday 13 April 1936, page 2

Runaway Car Hits Baby Standing At Door

A BABY girl was knocked down by a runaway sedan car which crashed through a picket-fence on to the front verandah of her home yesterday.

This was the third such accident’ which has occurred at this house, which is on the angle between Gap Road and Dunbar Street, Watson’s Bay. The baby, Joan Margaret Warren, 20 months old, was standing inside the doorway of the house, when the car crashed through the fence, leaped on to the verandah, and flung her into the hallway unhurt. The car, which was driven by Ramsay George Lobb, was not seriously damaged, and none of its Ave occupants was hurt. Posts holding the corrugated iron roof of the verandah were dislodged.