Book's Title Taken From A T-shirt

Sydney Morning Herald

Thursday March 8, 1990

ELIZABETH BROWN

MOSMAN journalist and author Felicity Baverstock really did have a lot of help from her friends when writing Ferry to Mosman.

The 112-page hardcover book will be launched on Wednesday at Mosman Rowing Club by round-the-world yachtsman Ian Kiernan as part of the Festival of Mosman.

Miss Baverstock, who is assistant publicity manager for the Sydney Opera House, said the book depicts Mosman in the 1980s through photographs and text

"It's a spontaneous look at Mosman," she said. "There are aerial pictures in the book and very few people would have the opportunity to look at Mosman this way.

"It's a fresh, contemporary way of looking at the suburb."

The book's title was the idea of Mrs Helen Egan, who said it came from a T-shirt designed by Ken Done for Mosman High School.

Mrs Egan, a past P and C president of both Mosman High and Mosman Primary schools, helped with research for Ferry to Mosman.

"Helen was my right-hand person," Miss Baverstock said. "She helped with the research and followed up things for me. She is a great fossicker."

All the people most closely involved with the book are from Mosman. They are the secretary/treasurer of the book project committee, Mrs Margaret Miller, and the two photographers, Mr Peter Eastway and Mr Philip Ramsden.

Funds for Ferry to Mosman were provided as a State bicentennial project through a local government initiative grant and matched dollar for dollar by Mosman Council. Proceeds from sales at the launch will assist the Festival of Mosman's scholarship fund.

Proceeds from on-going sales will go towards endowing scholarships for young Mosman residents for excellence in recording, through photographs and written work, the impact of Mosman's environment on the present-day nature and character of the suburb.

Miss Baverstock said the book was "not a snapshot album with captions".

"There were many burning-the-midnight-oil sessions involved," she said. "We found ourselves reminiscing like mad and getting into the 'remember whens'. Do you remember when the ferries used to toot? Sadly, they don't do that anymore."

Although the book is of present-day Mosman, history is brought in where it is relevant. For instance, one titbit recalls that the first official police station opened for business in 1900 with a Sergeant Murphy living behind it in Military Road.

He reported certain complaints about free-wandering cows and horses, the damage caused by marauding goats and noise made by firecrackers at Rosherville Park (Chinamans Beach) as the Chinese market gardeners celebrated their New Year.

Miss Baverstock hopes the book captures the Mosman she loves.

"It's an old suburb," she said. "There's a feel of the past here. It's a special place and I wanted to make people aware of this."