The Glenbrook Horse Trough (New South Wales, Australia's Blue Mountains)
Annis and George Bills ran a bird exporting business. They were animal lovers who had no children and gave considerable sums to animal societies such as the Dowling Street Dogs Home (£500 p.a) and a shelter for horses in Kingswood/Maroubra. They also donated to the (English) Metropolitan Drinking Fountain and Cattle Troughs Association.
When George died in 1927 he left an estate of £91,000. After various bequests, the remainder of the estate was to be used to construct and pay for horse troughs wherever they may be necessary for the relief of horses or other dumb animals in Australasia, the British Isles or any other part of the world subject to the consent of the proper authorities.
The troughs were erected from 1930 to 1940, providing employment in the Depression years. About 700 troughs were erected in Australia, the majority were in Victoria, and about 50 were erected overseas, including the UK and Dublin. The troughs were usually of reinforced concrete and were of a standard design. Rare examples were occasionally in granite (eg Scone, NSW and Hawthorn, Victoria).
The executors of the Bills estate died in the 1950s, then the estate was finally wound up about 1981.
Source: New South Wales Heritage Register.
The Glenbrook Horse Trough (New South Wales, Australia's Blue Mountains)
Annis and George Bills ran a bird exporting business. They were animal lovers who had no children and gave considerable sums to animal societies such as the Dowling Street Dogs Home (£500 p.a) and a shelter for horses in Kingswood/Maroubra. They also donated to the (English) Metropolitan Drinking Fountain and Cattle Troughs Association.
When George died in 1927 he left an estate of £91,000. After various bequests, the remainder of the estate was to be used to construct and pay for horse troughs wherever they may be necessary for the relief of horses or other dumb animals in Australasia, the British Isles or any other part of the world subject to the consent of the proper authorities.
The troughs were erected from 1930 to 1940, providing employment in the Depression years. About 700 troughs were erected in Australia, the majority were in Victoria, and about 50 were erected overseas, including the UK and Dublin. The troughs were usually of reinforced concrete and were of a standard design. Rare examples were occasionally in granite (eg Scone, NSW and Hawthorn, Victoria).
The executors of the Bills estate died in the 1950s, then the estate was finally wound up about 1981.
Source: New South Wales Heritage Register.