Cornwall Street
Cornwall Street, Bunbury was first mentioned in the newspapers in August 1902 as the Municipal Council were discussing the street's repair (reference). In 1902, the road was suggested to be a public thoroughfare (reference). Improvements were also made to the street that year with stone procured from Bury Hill to repair the road (reference; reference).
Cornwall Street required regular repair, and in 1912 as part of a large scale maintenance project of Bunbury's roads, a significant amount of metal was used on Cornwall Street (reference). In 1914, metal was added to Cornwall Street, but this sort of street repair required covering to protect the horses that still carted around Bunbury residents. By not sealing the road, horses kicked up the loose metal and stones, causing them to break their legs (reference). In 1916 Cornwall Street had to be reconstructed and the footpath was repaired the following year (reference; reference; reference; reference). It was again rebuilt in 1922, and a drain was extended to Cornwall Street in 1925 (reference; reference). Despite the added drain, it continued to flood in winter until the 1940s (reference; reference). Paving was added to the street in 1932 (reference) and new electrical poles were installed in 1940 (reference).
In the early years, there was a large debate surrounding a fence that went across Cornwall Street that many wanted removed (reference; reference). In 1906 the issue was first approached by writing to Messrs Port to remove the fence (reference). It was not for another year until Mr Port was forced to remove his fence blocking the road to turn Cornwall Street into a public highway (reference). Cornwall Street intersected with the railway line running next to the street, which was blocked by a fence (reference; reference). The Municipal Council was also involved in straightening streets as Bunbury grew. One particular street that required straightening was Charles Street, so land at the end of Cornwall Street was proposed as a swap to allow this street to be fixed (reference; reference; reference; reference).
In 1920 there were cases of diphtheria in Cornwall Street (reference). This disease is contagious and spread through coughing, sneezing and open wounds. Symptoms consist of a sore throat and breathing problems (reference). While this disease is still around today, vaccination and advanced medicine mean that it is no longer deadly like it was in 1920. (reference).
In 1930 Zoe Street was planned to be an oil depot, and Cornwall Street was to be the main thoroughfare for the trucks to access this (reference). To no surprise, the community was not happy about this proposal.
In 1936 the Sunday Schools of Bunbury walked a 'Procession of Witness' through Bunbury, beginning at Cornwall Street (reference).
The Cornwall Street intersections have posed an accident risk for decades. In 1907 an inspector recommended installing a post at the corner of Cornwall Street and Zoe Street to stop horse-and-carts from turning 'too short' and causing an accident (reference). This dangerous corner was brought up again in 1914. It was discussed that it needed a footpath and the works would be completed when they had enough gravel to do the job (reference). The first recorded accident at this intersection was in 1934 when a motorcycle driven by George Martinson collided with Mr A Rowe's car (reference).
The intersection of Cornwall Street and Spencer Street had a few accidents. The first recorded one was in 1927 when a baker's cart driven by Leslie Buswell and Arthur Smith's motor vehicle collided (reference). Fortunately, in this incident, no one was hurt. Two years later in 1929, Edward William Kelly was arrested at the Cornwall-Spencer Streets intersection for allegedly riding his bicycle without headlights reference). In 1941 Ian Anderson, a car driver, hit Raymond Guppy, 15, riding a bike and then blamed it on another adolescent who cried a warning to Raymond (reference). Raymond survived the accident and went on to be married in 1947.
In 1944 Bowes Henry Raymond Shields was fined £1 after colliding with another car as he had faulty brakes (reference). In 1947 a car and utility vehicle collided at this same intersection. Luckily neither of the drivers, C H Warburton in the car and Bernard Joel in the utility vehicle, were injured (reference).