Stratford Historical Society and Museum

Honour Box to go home

2012-01-24T18:38:00.008+11:00

The Society is excited to have been part of the tale about an Honour Box returning to its home.

We have an Honour Box in our collection, and a copy of the book that it contained, issued at the end of World War I, recording all Victorian Teachers who served.

This is our box, one of the commercially produced type.

When the Valencia Creek school closed in 1951 as part of the amalgamation that formed Boisdale Consolidated School, the book and box remained in the vacant building.

When the vacant building was moved to Bairnsdale (in the 1960s?) to use at the first Nowyeung in Grant Street, there was still no interest in the box and its book, so the relocation contractors kept it, rather than see it thrown out.

They have now handed it to the East Gippsland Historical Society at Bairnsdale, who in turn passed it to us, in the hope that we would know where it should be most appropriately placed.

It did not take a lot of thought. The Valencia Creek Soldiers Memorial Hall, which was built next to the school after WWI, was the only option we were prepared to consider. It will be returned as close as possible to its original home in the near future.

The box itself is interesting, apparently a locally made option, much more vernacular than the commercial options usually found. (It is actually quite square - blame the photographer for the list!)

Does anyone have any knowledge of other examples of these boxes, especially any that are different again?

The assistance of the East Gippsland Historical Society in the return of this valuable item to its original home is much appreciated.

Dairy Factories

2012-01-18T17:24:00.003+11:00

George is currently working on our dairy display in The Shed, and Maffra Historical Society are working on dairy factories, so our minds are turning to the same thing.

We have a number of items in our collection that relate to home milking and processing, and one cream can (from Miss Farrell), pictured.

But we have no photographs of either milking or of the numerous dairy factories that were in the Shire of Avon.

There were early private factories at Inverbroom and Craigielee, and later the Avondale Condensed Milk factory near Chinn's Bridge. The Heart / Clydebank Cheese factory was very prominent in the 1880s, and a creamery operated on the river (about where the Rules live) from 1893 to an unknown date. The Bundalaguah Creamery was just inside the Shire of Avon, and a private butter factory at Wolverton may have also been in the shire, the same for one on Tom's Creek at Bengworden. Thomas Coto had a large factory near Sale. There was even a cheese factory at Dargo.

But not one photo of these do we have in the collection.

Can anyone help with the loan of any we can copy???

We have a Flower!

2012-01-09T07:36:00.004+11:00

The Tuesday team has, over the years, become very attached to the plant on the corner. We used to know its name, but have temporarily forgotten, but think it was planted long before the society took over the building. You can see it here, behind the sign.

Every Tuesday Wemyss would carefully water it, and ever year its flowers were celebrated.

Until we came along, and found the brickies had removed it during renovations during the week, and it had been left on the lawn to die!

Total despair.

One member picked it up, took it home, potted it up and mollycoddled it. Surely, since it had survived that long, it had to be tough.

And it was - it is in flower

Closing for Christmas

2011-12-15T08:46:00.003+11:00

The Stratford and District Historical Museum is now closed for Christmas.

We will be reopening on Tuesday, 10 January 2012

We hope everyone has a Joyous and Safe Christmas and New Year.

Over the break, some members will be working on a new database of biographical information on some of our early residents - stay tuned for an announcement in a few days.

We hope you enjoy the Christmas card, on the left, from the collection. Our New Year's resolution is to unwrap it and photograph it properly!

Baptisms by the Rev John Roberts

2011-11-20T20:41:00.000+11:00

The Society has recently received a copy of the baptismal register for the Rev John Roberts, who came to the Maffra Presbyterian Church in late 1865, later moving to Stratford. Overall, he spent fifty years ministering to the people of Gippsland from the two towns, carrying out 1,240 baptisms in the process.

The Rev Roberts often travelled to Lindenow, and obviously had a close relationship with the Scott family at Delvine. In all, he performed 32 baptisms at Delvine. Some other figures are: Briagolong 94, Nuntin 38, Roseneath 14, Stratford 119, Yeerung 30.

Stratford names include Barker, Beecher, Gilmour, Hardy, Hazlett, Johnson, Keddie, Light, Little, Manning, Mitchell, Poole and Weir. Yeerung names include Bartlett, Blake, Carroll, Gray, Martin, Orchard, Sibbald, Tweedie and Walkden. Nuntin names include Stothers and Wrigglesworth.

The different makeup of the Stratford community is also shown – from 1891, itinerant families of line repairers, working for the railways, began to have children baptised. However the majority of children in Stratford were from families of farmers and labourers, with only an occasional storekeeper, shoemaker or other occupation.

The Rev Roberts was born in London in 1829, and arrived in Adelaide in 1849. He worked as a lay preacher in various Adelaide suburban missions, until being appointed to the new charge of Goolwa the following year. He remained there for ten years, but maintained strong links, often returning there for holidays. He was returning from a holiday there in December 1915, to celebrate his fifty years of continuous service to the Presbyterian Church in North Gippsland, when he died suddenly on the train at Camberwell. He had carried out two baptisms in South Australia several days previously.

After Goolwa he relocated to Melbourne, spending time at missions at Footscray and Maidstone, before moving to Stratford and Maffra in 1865. Ill-health forced his retirement from full-time ministry at Stratford in 1897, but he continued to baptise children, often the children of those he had first baptised many years before. In retirement, he lived in Maffra.

The records now held by the Society have been organised by surname, making it easy to check for those interested in their early family history. They are currently on open access in the museum as part of small exhibition on the Rev and Mrs Roberts. The portraits that form the centrepiece are on loan from the Uniting Church at Stratford, and previously hung in the Presbyterian Church at Valencia Creek.

Much Happening

2011-11-19T20:01:00.011+11:00

Lots of things are happening. It is hard to work out what is the most exciting, especially for the first two items.

It is a close run between the sills being finished, and the doors in the shed.

You can see what the sills used to look like HERE.

They were fairly awful!

This is what they look like now.

You can check out the whole restoration in our set on Flickr.

Then, there is the door through to the extension in the shed - George at Work again. It beautifully finishes off the far wall - and even succeeds in making the display space look bigger.

It is George's own design - the whole framework will come out if we ever, heaven forbid, need to take the Sunshine Harvester out (or bring anything else like it in)

We are also in the process of mounting a small exhibition to mark the release of the Baptisms by the Rev John Roberts. We have received portraits of the Rev and Mrs Roberts, that previously hung in the Presbyterian church at Valencia Creek.

Further details to be posted soon.

And the large street map of historic Stratford is out on the table again - we are working on our walking tour.

The Bulletin is out

2011-11-09T08:51:00.002+11:00

Bulletin #20 is out - well done Martin, who has been chugging along with it for all those twenty issues.

This one contains a tribute to our president, Wemyss Struss, on the presentation of her RHSV Award of Merit, a building report (you should see the bricks and foundations!), a report on the baptisms by the Rev John Roberts, a listing of names on the 1855 Map of Stratford, and a continuation of names in the index to Kelly, the grocer of Stratford (P-W). And a photo of a nasty-looking trap.

Full abstracts for articles will appear soon on our newsletter blog.

Hotel Advertisement

2011-10-29T02:52:00.000+11:00

Here's a bit of fun from the research into the hotels book. Glance at this advert, gain an impression, and then read it, very carefully.
From the Gippsland Times, 21 June 1873.

It is here!

2011-10-18T13:22:00.002+11:00

John Benson (left) and Wemyss Struss (centre) take delivery of Ron Martin's scale model of the Shakespeare Hotel.

Tune in to ABC Gippsland just after ten on Friday morning to hear Linda talking about History Week, the Shakespeare model and hotels in general.

Then you can come and visit us between 1pm and 4pm on Sunday 23rd or between 10am and 2.30pm pm on Tuesday 25th to see the model and pick up a book. The book is $9.00, plus $1.20 postage - orders to Box 145 Stratford 3862.

If you have a spare minute, you can call in to the Stratford Library between 10am and midday on Monday 24th for personal tuition on on reading the Gippsland Times online.

History Week will be busy.

Catherine Maguire's side saddle

2011-10-15T21:39:00.003+11:00

Today, during the Wellington Shire Heritage Network meeting at Dargo, Stratford and District Historical Society returned Catherine Maguire's sidesaddle to Dargo. It will now be held in the Dargo Museum.

Everyone was most impressed with this museum - more photos as soon as your blogger gets a chance.

Hotels - Now there is a Book

2011-10-10T18:27:00.005+11:00

It all started because we were needing a bit more information on the Shakespeare Hotel for the scale model unveiling on the 23rd, for History Week.

We found more than we expected - did you know that Stratford was the first Licensing District in Victoria to successfully vote, in 1886, to reduce the number of local hotels? You didn't? Neither did we.

But we do now - the Shakespeare, two at Nuntin, one at Yeerung, the Sir Walter Scott at Delvine, Gees at Cobannah, one at Iguana Creek and one each at Newry and Heyfield were closed.

So now we have a book, ready to launch on the 23rd. Oh, and yes, we have a comb binder as well. Who knows, we may soon be producing more than just this book.

Although it may be a misnomer to call it a book - it is really 47 pages of notes, the first step in a journey researching our local hotels. And seeking photographs of those where we have none. Does anyone have a photo of the hotel at Yeerung, near the Munro turnoff? It was closed at the same time as the Shakespeare.

We will post details of availability here, closer to the time.

Stratford in 1884

2011-10-05T19:23:00.003+11:00

There is a really excellent article HERE, that appeared in the Gippsland Times in 1884. Although it appears the reporter has a little bit of trouble with his points of the compass, so read with care.

There are a few interesting points in there - did we know the architect and builder for the courthouse complex before? It is another J.W.H. Pettit building - he was one of Gippsland's prominent early architects.

More History Week in Stratford

2011-09-30T17:48:00.004+10:00

A second History Week function has now been listed for Stratford.

Maffra and District Historical Society is running an information session in the Maffra Library on Monday afternoon, but has now joined forces with Wellington Library Service to offer a similar session in Stratford. This will be a demonstration of the Gipspsland Times online through Trove, from 1861 to 1954. It will take place at the library from 10am to midday on Monday 24 October.

Find out just how easy it is to research your family, organisation or locality. Pick up tips that also apply to hundreds of other local newspapers online from throughout Australia.

The Shakespeare and The Shed

2011-09-29T10:42:00.006+10:00

The Shakespeare Hotel, some time after it was delicenced in 1886,
and became a "Temperance Hotel"

For History Week, we are having a special opening on Sunday 23 October, 1pm to 4pm, The Shakespeare and The Shed. Ron Martin's exciting scale model of the Shakespeare Hotel will be on public display for the first time (we have worked out how to get it through the door!), and The (Extended) Shed will be open, with access to our usually restricted storage area.

We are a bit excited about the storage area - George has been inventing/building again. We are also excited about having the scale model on display - the Shakespeare disappeared many years ago, and this will give people an opportunity to gain some understanding about size of the complex.

You can see an 1855 plan of the site HERE.

We will also be open, as usual, on Tuesday 25th October, 10am to 3pm.

Newspapers Online

2011-09-05T20:44:00.003+10:00

The Maffra Spectator is now online at Trove, from 1882 to 1920. You can access it HERE. Just put the word/s for which you are searching in the box at top right, and click on the "Limit to issues of this title" immediately below that box.

The same applies for the Gippsland Times, both carry articles on Stratford.

There are now a number of other Gippsland newspapers online - you can see the full list for Victoria HERE.

This is wonderful, wonderful news for local researchers, as although Stratford had two newspapers, they have not been microfilmed, so it will be a long time before they are online. The Stratford Sentinel and Briagolong Express operated from 1911 to 1916, and the Stratford Progress from 1925 to 1939.

Presentation to Wemyss Struss

2011-09-03T21:38:00.003+10:00

Today we had a wonderful afternoon function, at which a RHSV Award of Merit was presented to our much-loved president, Mrs Wemyss Struss. Wemyss is shown above with the president of the RHSV, Dr Andrew Lemon, who is the latest recipient of a jar of marmalade from Wemyss. Wemyss started this tradition (as she says she could not cook a sponge) of presenting homemade marmalade to all guest speakers, when she became president of the society in 1990. There was no way she was going to miss handing one to him.

Wemyss has done much more than present marmalade to speakers, and a presentation was launched today outlining her work leading the society as it restored the museum building.

Congratulations Wemyss, from us all.

Stratford in 1855

2011-08-26T18:35:00.002+10:00

The Society recently received a copy of what is believed to be the first map of Stratford, printed by the Surveyor General’s Office in Melbourne on 15 May 1855. It clearly states it was surveyed by William Tennant Dawson in April 1852, which is two years earlier than the date previously given by historian John Wilson.

This map shows the printed names of those who purchased land at the first auction – which was obviously some time before May 1855. Our copy comes from one in the National Library in Canberra, with names added in red ink at what was presumably a second auction after that date.

It also shows those buildings that were already in place when Dawson carried out his survey in 1852. There are some surprises.

The buildings already in place were the Shakespeare Hotel (no surprises there), but also Duncan’s store, S.Reeves (stockyard), a tannery, and buildings for Cliff, Slater and Haslett. A Mr Hobson had a large garden on the flat. And that was what made up Stratford.

Those who bought blocks at the first auction were a mix of settlers and speculators. W.O. Raymond bought the land on which stood the Shakespeare Hotel. The other purchasers were:

Roman Catholic Church, J. Welsh, J. Scott, J. Aitken, I. Buchanan, T. Smith, T. Aitken, S. Reeves, J. King, A. Orr, Wm Raymond (who also bought Duncan’s store), John Jones, J.A. Stratton, J.B. Stone, W.McFarlane, Jas Scott, E. Slade x 3, J. Herbert, L. Mason, R. Thomson x 3, J. Medley, B. Latham, P. Manley, J. Lightfoot, S.Reeves, L.Mason, I. Buchanan, W. Wood, J. Johnson, R. Bennison x 3

At that time, the track from Sale to Bairnsdale came across the river at the Shakespeare, and basically went straight up the middle of the blocks between Raymond and Dawson Streets, so most of the speculative purchasers were in that area. Most of the blocks behind the Catholic Church were taken up, but Tyers street was not at all popular. There was also a small group was away from the main group, in the blocks between McMillan and Macalister Streets. They were

T. Blacker, J. Scott, J. Wheildon, Jas Timmins, J. McCallum Wilson

We know from the Gippsland Guardian newspaper that there was a land sale at Stratford in January 1856, so this may be the one for which the names appear in red. Those who purchased next were:

W.T. Dawson, J. King, R.Haslett, W.O. Raymond x 2, H.C.Orchard x 2, John King, Elizabeth Haslett, C.J. Tyers, D.McColl, T.Blacker, J.LeM Carey x 2, D. Clarke x 3

At the end of this time, about 80% of the blocks between Tyers and Merrick Streets had been taken, but less than 50% of those between Tyers and McFarlane Streets. The town stopped at Dawson Street.

Want to see where people were? Drop into the Museum and have a look at a copy of the map.

Brickwork finished!

2011-08-23T20:17:00.002+10:00

Much excitement! The brick repairs are finished at the Museum. If you look at the first photo, you can see the parlous state of the bottom of the buttress at that corner. It was similar right around the building.

George finally went to Melbourne, when he could not source bricks in the local area, and found enough at brickyards. He then called in two very professional bricklayers, who cut new faces on the bricks, removed the old bricks, and inserted the new.

The same corner now - it looks brilliant

Then the crew cleaned down the brickwork.

This is a notoriously difficult building to photograph, but this is a view down the side today, with all repairs on the footings done, but still some final work to be carried out on window sills.

If you would like to see the whole restoration process, you can see it in a set on Flickr. There are a lot more photographs of the brickworks at the end.

An Invitation to All

2011-08-12T10:42:00.000+10:00

Stratford & District Historical Society Inc.
Invites you to attend the Presentation of an

Award of Merit

To

Wemyss Struss

President of Stratford & District Historical Society Inc.

By Dr. Andrew Lemon,
President of Royal Historical Society of Victoria

On

Saturday 3rd September, 2011

At

Stratford Mechanics' Hall, Hobson Street, Stratford

Commencing at 2 p.m.

Please join us for Afternoon Tea afterwards.

This is also an opportunity to visit the Museum (opposite the Mechanics Hall in Hobson Street) to see the restoration work that has been completed over recent years and to view the Society’s latest exhibitions. The Museum will be open between 1 – 2 p.m. and after Afternoon Tea.

Please RSVP to Judy Richards Phone: 5145 6836, Email: jmr_llowallong@hotmail.com
or Marion Stothers Phone: 5145 6270 by 28th August, 2011

It's a Cold and Wet Job

2011-08-10T18:24:00.003+10:00

It's a bit wet and cold of mornings these days. So when most of us get to the Museum on a Tuesday, it is a case of getting inside quick to get the heaters on.

Not George and Martin though.

It really takes a special sort to be out at 9.30am on a cold and wet winter morning, washing down concrete and brickwork.

We don't know how long since it has been done (and our ancestors definitely didn't have pressure washers), but the mould and grime is gone, and the the colour in our sandstone footings is just beautiful.

PS At last reports, they didn't find the foundation stone under the grime, either. But we didn't really expect it then, did we?

August Meeting

2011-08-10T10:43:00.000+10:00

Stratford Mechanics' Institute - one building on the database

Next Meeting is Monday 22 August. Linda will be talking about the Society's database on old buildings, and asking members to adopt a building.

So far it holds details of 44 buildings and structures in and around Stratford, and one in Dargo - the pub.

We meet at the Library at 7.30pm, and all are most welcome.

Check out our Bulletin

2011-08-01T18:03:00.003+10:00

Some details of our Bulletins are slowly being put online, in a special blog. You can see it HERE.

Martin has been doing a brilliant job with these, and they are building into a very solid set of information. So the idea is that we are putting extracts from the main articles online, to provide some idea of the contents. These blog posts are a direct copy from our cataloguing data, so a little formal.

They do not mention every time a family appears in the Bulletins, but still may be useful to help people find their links to Stratford. It is amazing what you can find these days searching on the net.

The abstracts are hosted on blogger. If you subscribe there, and then subscribe to the blog (and maybe this one as well), you get to hear all our news, but also when a new Bulletin is published. And what is in it.

Much activity in the Shed

2011-07-12T18:13:00.003+10:00

There is much activity in the Shed. There is a new bay at the back, behind the peppercorn tree in this photo. You can just see where it starts if you look at the slightly newer roofing.

Inside the shed, there is chaos. But only in the front section, where George is working his usual miracles as he sorts. The new bay is the other side of the internal roller-door.

In the new section, the shelving is slowly going up, and our storage boxes are going into order. These contain objects only, as they are not archivally safe, so we are slowly moving paper-based items into better boxes, and hopefully soon the textiles as well. But these have been wonderful for sorting.

And the chairs! Aaah, the chairs. To have them in order like that is heaven! And will be even better when we hang labels off them with large numbers written on them. Next step - issue a letter to each bay, and stocktake the items on the lower levels.

New Cataloguing Year

2011-07-03T16:09:00.002+10:00

Happy New Cataloguing Year!

We keep our figures according to the financial year - it is too busy at the end of the year.

This is one of the latest items catalogued:

This toy dog was recently donated by Peter Vranek of Stratford, in response to our call for loans and donations for our current display of toys. Peter carried him away from his home as a displaced person, aged four, during WWII, taking it on a long walk through the mountains, and had it with him in the DP camp, and on his final journey to Australia. It has now found a new home at Stratford Historical Society. We are still working on the final catalogue entry - as we have to obtain details of his country of origin, how far he was carried, and on what ship he arrived.

Looking at our figures, Stratford now has 3257 items in its catalogue, 2093 have photos attached (625 are scans of archival photos, 161 of them are digital photos only).

We haven't posted our stats for a while - the last time was on 14 November 2009, when we had 2808 items in the catalogue - an increase of 449 entries for the year, which is pretty good.

Congratulations to Wemyss Struss

2011-05-10T16:11:00.003+10:00

We are delighted to announce that our president, Mrs Wemyss Struss, has been awarded a Royal Historical Society of Victoria Award of Merit at the RHSV Annual meeting today.

Wemyss is seen here with out new gate, brand new path and brand new lamp. over many years she has led the society with grace and warmth, growing it to one of the most vigourous and active in the region. During that time Wemyss was instrumental in the Society gaining freehold ownership of the church building it now occupies, then constructing a shed for storage and display. The team she led then totally rejigged the exterior, first with a side fence, then a magnificent front fence, and most recently with paving and features such as a period lamp.

The Award of Merit is a great honour, but very well-deserved.

She will be delighted to see as many of our friends as possible for the Stratford Village Faire this coming Sunday. Come along and join us for our exhibition of children's toys, Shire of Avon items and "Old Photos in the Back Room".

Aprons and More Aprons

2011-02-24T15:51:00.003+11:00

Sometimes there are photographs that you come across that just knock your socks off. This is one of them.

You can see the largest size HERE.

This is part of a group of women who ran a bazaar in the Stratford mechanics' Institute in 1899. The photograph is mounted on cardboard, on which has been professionally printed:

Stratford Mechanics' Institute Bazaar / Group of Stallholders / [back] Mrs WEBSTER, Mrs BREMNER, Mrs SEATON, Mrs MAYHEW, Mrs MILDENHALL. /[Middle Row] Miss HAZLETT, Miss M. MAYHEW, Miss REEVES, Miss KELLY / [Front Row] Mrs REEVES, Mrs KELLY (Treasurer), Mrs REFSHAUGE (President), Mrs DERBYSHIRE, Mrs DUCRET. Mr HOLT (Bazaar Sec). /
Presented to Mrs FREITAG. / By the Committee of the Mechanics' Institute Stratford, as a Memento of the Bazaar so successfully carried out by the Stallholders on the 12th, 13th, 14th and 16th October, 1899, whereby the sum of [pounds]400 was raised - an amount sufficient to clear the cost of building the additional rooms to the Institute. Absence from the district or illness prevented the group being complete. Mesdames Freitag, Wrigglesworth, Roach, J.Little, Brodie, Collins, Garden, Daniel and Misses Baylis, and McBain, were absent from one or other of the causes mentioned.
COMMITTEE [on side] Messers J.H.REFSHAUGE (President), J.A.DARBYSHIRE, S.McBAIN, W.BRODIE, J.MILDENHALL, J.GARDEN, A.LLOYD (Secretary).

The thing that has always taken our eye has been the aprons. What was going on here? Was it a status thing to have the most ornate apron as you stood behind your own stall. Because this would have to be the most wonderful collection of aprons that we have ever seen.

Getting rid of Vermin

2011-02-15T17:52:00.004+11:00

We have been thinking a bit about vermin eradication. George has just finished rebuilding the Briagolong Rabbit Suppression League poison cart. It came to us with all the wood except the shafts rotted out, and some of the metal needing replacement (and then there is the story about finding just one more link of agricultural chain...)

This is it when it came in today. We were left with no choice from having new looking wood - but at least that way you can see what was original. George matched all the same sizes from old wood - and even made the stand out of left over fence bits! The work on this refurbishment is stunning. Thank You George!

The other thing that is quite unusual, is that we have access to the minutes of the Briagolong Rabbit Supression League - not only do we have the cart, we know also how it was managed. So we can tell you exactly what dates this was in operation - just as soon as Linda unpacks the box in which she put them. [Late Note - she has found them. The cart was bought in late 1923, then the minutes stop]

These Rabbit Suppression Leagues (or Associations) operated just after 1900, probably until about the 1920s. For example, the Gippsland Rabbit Suppression Association was formed about 1904, once the Shires of Maffra and Avon managed to settle some personal differences. Later the local leagues were formed (there was one at Stockdale, and probably many others), and with them came the poison carts, whose schedule was determined by a local committee.

And, while we are talking vermin - we were delighted to receive last month the register/finance book for the Sparrow Club that operated from Craigielee, opposite the Nuntin Cemetery. This apparently met at 6pm on a certain day of the week, and went and shot sparrows - a quick check of the net assures us that the men of Stratford were not alone in this pursuit.

If you want to try and read the names, there is a larger copy HERE.

The club operated from 1899 to 1913 - when it probably closed as there were other more pressing matters on the minds of people - and all the good shots went off to war. But before that, men were paid a fee (we are still working on it, it may have been a penny, it may have been 4d per sparrow), and your quota in sparrows was important. And there were pigeons mentioned in there too.

This book definitely requires detailed analysis - and a transcription of names.

Stratford Football Team parades

2010-11-02T15:35:00.002+11:00

Sometimes, photographs come along that absolutely zing. This is one such photograph, that has just come in. The Stratford Football Club was one of many groups in the parade in 1965 to celebrate the Centenary of the Shire of Avon, and to formally open the new highway bridge across the Avon River.

Can anyone name anyone? Or even give us the make of the car? Which may have never been the same again.

There is a slightly larger copy HERE.

We Have Gates!

2010-10-19T20:54:00.002+11:00

It all happened today. We now have gates. This is the pedestrian one, above. The one below is for car entry. They are the work of Gate-Maker Extraordinaire, Bill Stothers. That is him on the left, with George.

All this fencing has meant that the Bills Trough also has to be moved - it is now well inside the fence, on its own concrete base, with supports similar to that which it would have had originally.

The somewhat incredible outdoor team, are now turning their minds to paths.

Knife Polishers

2010-10-01T13:49:00.003+10:00

Over at the Powerhouse Museum [Sydney] blog, they have a Mystery Item. They know what it is (a Knife Polisher), but were having a bit of fun to see if people could guess what it is. Theirs is a bit more upmarket than ours - maybe from a grander home. I have seen one like it in the store at Scienceworks as well.

This is ours:

I'm not sure that ours would have originally been silver, though.

But what we have, which I think is a little more unusual, is that we have the Knife Polish that went into it as well:

You can even see the hole on ours where the polish was popped in. So I wonder if this was used for the old steel knives, or for the plate silver? Anyone know?

Absolutely Beautiful Front Fence

2010-09-14T19:30:00.002+10:00

Where do we start? Our front fence is almost finished, and we are very excited.

We are spending a lot of time standing in the middle of the street looking at it.

And it is absolutely beautiful. There is only a little bit, on the left, out of sight, still to be finished.

There are more photos in our Flickr set.

Work has been funded by ESSO and the Wellington Shire, with work on the building being funded by Heritage Victoria. The front fence is an exact duplicate of the fence photographed there in the 1930s.

Show Us Your Centrifuges

2010-08-27T07:47:00.003+10:00

Over in blogland, there is a little interest in Herd Testing Centrifuges. This is the early Babcock Tester, that we hold at Stratford.

There are also centrifuges at Bega (which started this thread - they are on the bottom shelf of the Milk Can Stand in the photo), Maffra and Old Gippstown.

Anyone else got any Herd Testing Centrifuges? We've shown you ours - will you show us yours?

Cataloguing Continues

2010-08-09T18:36:00.002+10:00

Cataloguing continues. We were recently chuffed to reach the three thousand items in the database milestone.

One of the items recently received and catalogued is a framed portrait of Charles Christie STEWART, who was killed in action in Belgium in 1917. The portrait is especially poignant to us as it came from the family of Jim STEWART, his nephew, who himself recently passed away. Jim was a councillor at the first meeting of the Society.

And the Society already hold C.C. STEWART's personal effects, returned to his family from Belgium.

A seminar for those researching soldiers of World War I, will be held at Old Gippstown on 11 September.

We are on Facebook!

2010-07-14T09:18:00.002+10:00

Stratfird Museum is on facebook! Too busy running off to training to post more, but you can see Jen's pictures over there of the latest exhibition. Ooops, soon - they are not there yet. But you can see them on Volunteer Run Australian Museums.

Volunteer Museums on Facebook

2010-06-22T11:29:00.002+10:00

If you are reading this blog because you are involved in a volunteer-operated museum in Australia, there is a new Facebook page for you. Loretta from the Farmer's Arms Hotel Museum at Euroa has started a Facebook page Volunteer run Australian Museums.

Do drop over - it is spot for a chat about whatever comes to your mind about volunteer-operated museums, and hopefully will be a good place to pick up ideas.

In the meantime, our 1918 Signature Cloth is out on display for a limited period - so if you missed it last time, now is your chance to see it. The names (and more photos) are HERE.

Although Reminder - we are only open Tuesdays during winter.

Stratford Primary Turns 150

2010-06-06T09:38:00.001+10:00

The Cahill Autograph Albums

2010-06-01T21:26:00.002+10:00

We are having a delightful time at Stratford, working our way through the autograph albums belonging to Ruby and Amy Cahill from Dargo. These sisters, born in 1890 and 1895 respectively, collected autographs, sayings and small artworks from their friends from 1910 until about the start of World War I. Many of these friends were from Stratford.

Collecting autographs was a popular pastime, and people struggled to perform their best penmanship, as well as having something meaningful to write. Some were more profound than others.

The autograph books were with a collection of photographs (167 of them), which came from their brother Ernie Cahill, in a suitcase many years ago. Although many are unidentified, it is going to be interesting to work through to locate the photographs that we think are there, of Ruby and Amy. Ruby did not marry, and was postmistress at Dargo for many years. Amy we have yet to chase up.

Then, there is all the fun of identifying the contributors. Would anyone like to claim this one?

J.Watters contributed a number of very competent drawings to both albums.

Spanners and Tongs

2010-05-27T15:41:00.002+10:00

This is a late post to celebrate that, on Tues 18th May, World Museums Day, George mounted the installation of spanners and Blacksmith's Tongs above the forge in the shed.

It looks rather spectacular, especially as he cleaned and treated them first.

The piece below isn't up on the wall, but is your correspondent's favourite item from this cataloguing run. It seems to be a hammer, made from one piece of steel in a local forge somewhere.

Visit to Walhalla

2010-05-16T15:38:00.002+10:00

Yesterday was the annual meeting of the GAAHS (ie the Gippsland Association of Historical Societies Affiliated with the RHSV - almost an acronym within an acronym!)

It was good to catch up with the societies from all over Gippsland, and to have a wander around the town in the afternoon.

Above is one of our favourite discoveries - the Walhalla Heritage and Development League are now running their Saturday night Ghost Tours with ........

Scroll down .......

Further ........

Yep - Solar-Powered Hurricane Lamps! A local invention of Brian Brewer (pictured above).

Items uploaded to CAN

2010-05-11T18:07:00.003+10:00

We have just been advised that we have been successful in loading a small number of items from our catalogue to CAN (Collections Australia Network).

It is only a sample of the most significant items from our collection - but you can go to the CAN catalogue and search by "Stratford", and most of them come up. Plus items from elsewhere about Stratford.

Sarah Rhodes, the CAN outreach officer, also took the time to discuss our online strategy (which we share with Maffra and Old Gippstown), and her report on that can be found on the CAN Outreach blog.

Okay, members reading this - what other items should we list? What items do you consider important? Heck, why restrict it to members - what does anyone think we should upload?

The Other Sort of Tea Cosy

2010-05-03T12:09:00.002+10:00

There is another sort of Tea Cosy - there is a post about them over at the Old Gippstown Object of the Week blog. We haven't been offered any of that sort so far.

More Cosies

2010-05-02T20:47:00.003+10:00

Today was the Shakespeare Festival Village Fair. It was so busy there was no time to take photographs, except of the Tea Cosies, as we locked up. They were stunning. It was a busy day. For the first time, ever, we ran out of scones for the Avonshire Teas.

Everyone has different favourites in the Tea Cosies - here are three.

Moo Cow Cosy from Ross Smith

We did a lot of historical work as well - although looking at changing social customs, like the use of Tea Cosies is quite valid history. We launched our street walk, which we hope to have available soon. And picked up lots of information from people.

And a lot of people were fascinated to find what their ancestors bought in 1886 and 1890 at Kelly the Grocer (who also had a fair drapery section). We even found one grandmother buying her clothes for her wedding.

Ready for the Village Fair

2010-04-18T19:46:00.001+10:00

The Stratford Historical Society has a lot to offer at this year’s Stratford Village Fair on Sunday May 2nd.

At the Museum grounds in Hobson St, its famous Avonshire Teas will be served from 10am until 3pm, on the spreading lawns beneath the heritage- listed trees.

Inside the old Church building there will be a special exhibition of Teapots and Tea Cosies. Also, the indexes of Kelly’s Grocers - which was a Stratford store in the late 1800s - will be released, and will be joining the exhibition of school photographs and records that are out to celebrate Stratford Primary School’s approaching 150th anniversary.

Sunday will also see the first release of the Stratford Town Walk, which takes further work of local historian, the late Laurie Manning. The Walk is a work in progress and as additional information is uncovered, will evolve.

It includes photos and stories of historic buildings and sites, as well as interesting information about Stratford’s residents and culture in days gone by.

Copies of the Stratford Town Walk will be available during the Fair, pending a more general release once completed.

We have a Fence!

2010-03-13T05:17:00.002+11:00

We have our new fence! So we are very happy. George and the crew have done a stunning job - we didn't expect it quite this quick!

This means that now, when we look at the Museum, we are not also looking at all the backyards of the main street shops, occupied by very nice and neat people, but still back yards.

It looks so good, we can almost ignore that pole in front of us.

Because the next step, apart from structural work on the building, is to reinstate the front fence.

Next Meeting - Talbotville

2010-03-09T19:06:00.003+11:00

Talbotville under Snow (Society Collection)

Next meeting of the Society is at 7.30pm on Monday 22 March, in the room off to the left of the Stratford Library.

After a short business meeting, Mrs Glad Tatterson (nee Traill) will talk about the time she spent living in Talbotville with her grandparents, Martha and Albert Stout.

There is nothing left today at Talbotville (out from Dargo and Grant), except a cemetery and some earthworks.

Everyone is welcome at the meeting

Clydebank School Roll

2010-03-08T19:11:00.001+11:00

The Society is delighted to have received the school roll from Clydebank for copying. The school opened in 1874, and this roll goes from 1914 to 1945, after which the school closed.

More details will be available once the roll has been indexed.

Much Excitement

2010-03-06T20:46:00.002+11:00

There is much excitement inside and outside the Museum.

Firstly, we have our new internal doors.

These were partially funded by Building Better Museums, and are going to be brilliant for keeping out dust and flies when we are open.

Outside, the side fence is moving along nicely.

This fence, funding partially by ESSO and the Wellington Shire, will beautifully frame the building, so we will no longer be looking at the back entrances to the shops in main street.

There is so much happening that we go home each Tuesday with our heads whirling!

More from under the Floorboards

2010-02-21T09:51:00.002+11:00

We cannot wait until we have time to properly photograph and examine all the items that came from under Dr Backhouse's home - each one is fascinating in its own right. Here are a few more of the items:

A small piece of early china, with a perfect butterfly.

A tiny head from either a doll or an ornament

A plastic broach - which we have tested, and it is not luminous - although we remember ones like this from the 1950s.

And finally, we could not resist this one:

Yes - a better photograph of the fish head. Apart from the fact we think it looks a little like a mask from a Greek tragedy, and that we could now write a PhD thesis on how to photograph an item such as this with a cheap digital camera - we still need to know what sort of fish it is.

Can anyone help?

Next Meeting - The Knob

2010-02-16T19:50:00.002+11:00

Next meeting of the Stratford Historical Society is 7.30pm on Monday 22 February, in the room next to the Stratford Library.

After a short business meeting we will be hearing about the history of The Knob, the reserve above the Avon River on the outskirts of Stratford. Members will then pool their knowledge on the subject, and examine the photographs in the collection. The Knob was an important gathering place for the local Aboriginal people, and then important as a picnic site for Stratford townspeople. The New Year's Day picnic was a major event for many years.

Everyone is most welcome - there will be a cuppa at the end of the evening.

The Fence is getting Closer

2010-02-16T07:36:00.001+11:00

The fence is getting closer. This was one very impressive tractor, removing the old posts last week. We cannot wait.

On Display

2010-02-04T20:19:00.002+11:00

Two new items have been placed on display.

The first is Mack Ross' group of six sketches of historic Stratford buildings. We have them, and two earlier oils, out in conjunction with our mapping of the town's buildings.

The other is this overcoat, donated relatively recently by Beth Ripper:

This overcoat was made by Beth's mother, then Betty Taylor, in the 1940s. It was made from a blue blanket, as clothing was in short supply, as were coupons for them or fabric. It was worn by her mother, then Beth, and then Beth's daughter, before being donated.

As with all our clothing/textiles, it will be on display for about a month, then returned to store.

J.P. Nicholas, Chemist

2010-02-03T20:33:00.000+11:00

Some time ago we had the Nicholas folio out on limited display. There are posts about it HERE and HERE.

Since then, Old Gippstown has located a photograph of the shop of J.P. Nicholas at Trafalgar - taken just after the family left there to move to Stratford.

Dr Backhouse and Historical Stratford Buildings

2010-01-27T21:22:00.002+11:00

We are rather excited. Beth Ripper, who lives in Dr Backhouse's old home and hospital, has brought in a lot of the items found under the building during her renovations. In a way, they are a time capsule of the life and times when they were discarded/lost. If you look at the LARGE PHOTOGRAPH of the items above, you can find all sorts of interesting things. Like the little green broach of two dogs. Can you see it? Just above the marbles? Probably not a good photograph - must post a better one.

Can you pick the piece that fascinates us in this view? Do you know what it is?

Yep - it is a very grumpy fish head!

So, after we cleaned these items up, we wondered how to display them.

Would most people know where Dr Backhouse lived? Probably not.

So that inspired us to come up with this installation. It is a work in progress.

There are bottles in the small showcase on the left, and the items you have just seen are in the one on the right.

In the centre, in a highly technical operation, we have drawn a map of Stratford on the back of some rubberised curtain material. We are in the process of adding details of where Dr Backhouse lived, and other historic Stratford buildings. The idea is that people will walk around the map, and maybe talk about other buildings, and their importance.

And that we will then bring it together in a street walk, for future publication.

You can already see a flip book that has been started, sitting on the map.

Not bad for the first day's work.

Stand by for a New Fence

2010-01-21T19:52:00.002+11:00

Stand by - we are about to have a new side fence - just as soon as we can get the Planning Permit!

Here goes the old one off to the tip - we were very glad to wave it off.

The new fence is being made from the corrugated iron from our roof (waste not, want not), with assistance from ESSO and the Wellington Shire Council. The new front fence will follow a short time later.

School Index Finished.

2010-01-13T07:41:00.003+11:00

In November last year we announced the index to the Stratford School Rolls was almost finished.

*Drumroll*

It is now complete from 1894 to 1966, has been printed off, and is available with the rolls for visitors to the museum.

Joan, who has undertaken such a monumental job to complete them, has now turned her attention to the 1890 ledger from Kelly the Grocer. It is already on the computer up to the letter Q, so is going to take much, much less time than the school rolls.

Funding Announced for Brickwork.

2009-12-10T02:25:00.002+11:00

We have two wonderful pieces of news this week.

Heritage Victoria have announced announced funding for projects across Victoria, including

Repair and conservation of heritage places and objects
Interpretation of heritage places and objects
Local government heritage studies and advice
Community collections management

Stratford has been most fortunate to receive a grant of $14,000 for "Building repair works to brickwork, windows & repairing structural cracks".

We appreciate very much this support from Heritage Victoria.

In a second piece of news, we can announce that the root barriers to protect the building have been installed with assistance from Wellington Shire Council.

Although we were delighted to have this happen, and equally delighted to have the worthwhile rain on Tuesday, it did serve to remind us that planning for (minor) disasters should include having a good supply of tarps and bags handy, as there was no way to enter the building without making a bridge across the very wet and sticky clay on the surface that resulted from the work.

But survive we did, and it was a minor inconvenience compared to the thrill of seeing the works progress. Thanks Martin, Tim and Team.

Indian Hawkers

2009-12-05T10:15:00.003+11:00

Does anyone out there have any stories about Indian Hawkers? Because they were obviously a problem in the Avon Shire in 1892-1893. Or the council thought so.

When a new database comes out, it is always worth checking local place names. In this case it is the new Museum of Victoria online collection database. There are two search boxes, use the one on top right, as it brings in more results.

In this case, a notice from the Avon Shire in 1893, sent to all councils in Victoria, asking them to support a move to control licences for hawkers.

"[T]he 'Indian Hawker' nuisance should be put a stop to, as it is an increasing source of terror to females and children, and grave anxiety to heads of families whose avocations take them from their homes in the daytime, and thus leave their families unprotected from the growing insolence of these Hawkers'."

A copy of the notice, sent to an inner-Melbourne council, is in the Museum of Victoria Collection. We don't have anything about Indian Hawkers in our own collection.

Stratford Rifle Club Score Book

2009-11-27T15:54:00.000+11:00

From the stats on Flickr, where I post the photos for this blog, it looks as if someone is trying to read the Stratford Rifle Club Score Book.

Unfortunately the one posted there isn't big enough, so I have put this one up there. You can see a larger size HERE.

This is for a match between the Rifle Club and the local Light Horse in 1932. Some of the men in the Light Horse can also be recognised as Stratford men, so it might just be the local troop.

Competition would probably have been fairly intense.

Who is Ned?

2009-11-26T14:07:00.003+11:00

The photograph, above, is from our archives, and we have never been able to find out who he is. There is a slightly larger version HERE.

On the back, he signs himself "Ned", and refers (incorrectly), to the death of Jack Phelan of Dargo.

The card has been sent in July 1915 from Cairo, to Ruby Cahill, one of the ten children of Thomas Cahill and Alice Kenny, born at Grant and then Dargo. Ruby never married, and died at Traralgon in 1969 aged 79. Her brother, Ernie Cahill, died at Bairnsdale in 1980 aged 94, and a large collection of his photographs came to the museum in Stratford. This is one of the few with identifying information.

John Thomas (Jack) Phelan was a butcher from Freeburg when he enlisted, but after being invalided out in 1916, was living at Dargo. He married Margaret Catherine (Katie) Hurley in 1924, and lived at Dargo until his death in 1963.

So we suspect this is a Dargo man. Can anyone help???

Late edit: Lenore has asked for Dargo onour Rolls. They are HERE.

Unknown Briagolong Wedding

2009-11-21T21:00:00.004+11:00

Today a number of us went to the inaugural meeting of the re-formed Wellington Shire Heritage Network. It was wonderful to meet up with others involved in similar activities - both those we have not seen for a while, and those we have not met before.

The meeting was at the wonderful and historic Briagolong Mechanics' Institute. Where this photo was on display, as they were asking for help. When reframing some of their collection of historic photos, this was found as a backing board.

The largest size is HERE.

We would really appreciate any suggestions as to the date the photograph was taken. We suspect the bride and the attendant on the right are sisters - and possibly of European heritage. Two families from Briagolong who fit that profile are the Wuillimins and the Estoppeys - both from Switzerland.

But it would make it easier if we could date the photo. How does just after World War I fit?

(Did you spot the groom has a top hat, and the the "flower girl" has a kewpie doll? These dolls were produced from 1913 onwards)

School records now accessible

2009-11-20T07:19:00.002+11:00

Joan has been working away for some considerable time indexing the Stratford Primary School rolls. They are now on the computer from 1894 (the first available), until well into the 1940s.

The photocopies of the rolls are on open access in the museum, as we are all getting quite excited about the approaching 150th Anniversary of the school next year. The information given is guardian (often not the father), address, how far from the school they lived, the school they transferred from and to (if appropriate). Sometimes you can see whole family groups moving around. Or children coming to stay with grandparents or other relatives for a time.

The indexes are still only available on the computer, but we hope that by the time we reopen next year, that they will be there beside the rolls for people to do their own checking. After that we will work out a process for doing look-ups for those who cannot visit in person on a Tuesday.

New Accessions

2009-11-19T19:20:00.002+11:00

New Accessions for this week include:

04044 Stratford Rifle Club Score Book 1930-1937. The names of competitors are given, and their scores. (Shown above)

04043 Four Minute books for the Stratford Methodist Church Ladies Auxilliary, each an exercise book, plus three page typescript history of the organisation, plus notes.
Years: 1926 to March 1927, 1960 (reformed) to1968, 1968 to 1973, 1973 to 1977 (end)

04047 Minute Books and papers for Stratford Infant Welfare Centre. Minute book 1928 to 1937; Typescript of history of Centre (3 pages), Minutes 1949 to 1964, 1964 to 1971; Building Committee 1953 to 1983 (with 1983 being final meeting); Building Committee Financial Statements 1953 to 1979, 1980 to 1983.

04048 Minute Book of the Stratford Tennis Club, 1953 to 1963.

The Society holds Minute Books for 13 different organisations for the town and surrounding district. There is, for example, the Minute Book of the Llowalong Hall Committee from 1928 to 1940. It is proud to now be able to offer storage for organisations wishing to use it as a central repository for Minute Books - especially for those organisations that are no longer active.

Christmas Closing Hours

2009-11-19T16:31:00.002+11:00

Card in the collection.

Christmas is coming. So we are doing all sorts of planning for the break.

The last day Stratford Historical Museum will be open is Tuesday 15 December, 10am to 3pm.

There will be no last Sunday of the month opening for December.

We will reopen Tuesday 5 January, 10am to 3pm.

This blog may well keep going through the break, and we will be extending wishes closer to the time - this is just so we can all plan!

And get a Christmas Card off early.

Spring Cleaning

2009-11-18T21:07:00.002+11:00

Sometimes, one of the things we fail to do is document our own progress - we spend so much time documenting that of everyone else.

This week we got a bee in our bonnet, and started to clean up the office. We were really trying to find the last sets of minute books waiting to be catalogued, before the Significance Assessment was finished. (Major finds - they will be in the next post)

We were so proud of the tidy reference shelf (which also has multiple "In Trays") that we took a photo:

We don't usually get to see it this neat!

Then, when it was being filed with the other Collection Management photos (yes, we classify our digital photos too - but don't enter them in the catalogue), we realised we had this pair:

This is our President, Wemyss, in the office in January 2006, when we reopened the museum after the major, major refit.

And this is a similar view, just over two years later:

(I was going to say that Wemyss was in it too, but you just cannot see her. But she isn't).

It really is good when you regularly document your own progress - everyone should go out at the start of each quarter and do a photographic survey - or at the start and finish of daylight saving. Or at some other point that reminds you. Because it really does build up to an interesting history of your own.

Time for some Stats

2009-11-14T14:32:00.002+11:00

We haven't had a statistics session for a while. So here are some figures:

There are currently

2808 entries in the Catalogue

1325 are for objects

1472 are for reference materials

1160 of the reference materials are photographs

Recent reference material that has been catalogued includes:

04036 Eight telephone books for Gippsland: 1958, then 1969 to 1974. These include the iconic 1972 phone book. (Remember it? The one above with the pink cover and fungus?) This was the last Gippsland phone book where subscribers were listed by town, not in overall alphabetical order for the whole region. Historians will be eagerly using these in the years to come.

04034 A set of 53 letterheads for various Stratford, Sale and Briagolong businesses, from the 1890s through to the 1960s. Any enquiries against these names will now come up in our catalogue.

00600 Edmund Cahill of Briagolong's Day Book. It commences in 1874 and runs to at least 1897, with records of his payments to workers (he ran a cheese factory) and suppliers. It is an invaluable record for the Briagolong of the time.

While we prefer those wishing to undertake serious research in our Archives to make an appointment (0418 573 828), they can usually be consulted on a Tuesday from 10am to 3pm.

Researching them at other times could prove difficult - it will require payment of an out-of-hours opening fee ($20, and only if staff are available), and at least seven days' notice of the records required, so they can be retrieved on a Tuesday and left available for your visit.

However if you e-mail a list of no more than five surnames to stratfordhs[at]ausvic.net, there will be no charge for a short response as to the occurence of those surnames in our catalogue. This is not research - we do not look up the phone books, for example. But we do let you know if there are items such as named photographs, manuscript material on the family etc.

Feel free to drop a note. It is good to know who is reading the blog.

Our Slide Show

2009-11-11T09:01:00.002+11:00

Our new screen on the back wall has been in place for a couple of months now - but we haven't had a chance to show it off here.

It was funded by ESSO Australia, through their employee involvement support program, as we have Martin, who works at ESSO, very much a member of the society. He and George installed the screen, which plays photographs (also scanned by Martin) from our collection.

At the minute we are just playing through all that have been scanned in the collection (including all the Wonnangatta ones), but one day we hope to have a range of CDs available, so people can request a slide show of the areas that are of particular interest to them.

Thanks ESSO - we think you are wonderful!

Disability Entry

2009-11-05T19:49:00.003+11:00

This happened a month or so ago now.

We were a little perplexed about how to put in disability entry without going through all sorts of planning scheme applications (as we have a Heritage Overlay on the site). Then the Shire Heritage Advisor came for a visit - and suggested this method. The ramp is not attached, so no permit is needed. It is reasonably unobtrusive, and is already weathering away to blend in with the building.

And we love it! Apart from making it easier for wheelchairs, walkers, and the frail visitors - it makes it really easy to wheel things in and out from the shed!

When we get time, we might start to think about just a little bit of planting around the front. We can get away with it while the men are distracted building fences.

Look out - here come the Agapanthuses!

Mending and Making Do II

2009-11-05T01:52:00.003+11:00

Speaking of Mending and Making Do, this item was overlooked in the collection for many years. We thought it was very degraded (with silver paper under silverfish damage), but somehow we couldn't throw it out. It was "quaint".

A few months ago they had a spot on Tramp Art on the ABC "Collectors" show. There was a very similar one - silverpaper under silverfish damage, similar frame. Apparently this is a very 1930s thing.

Glad we didn't throw it out. We have it on display at the moment in our Classroom display.

Anthony Hahn's Engines

2009-11-04T13:08:00.002+11:00

The Society is delighted that Anthony Hahn has chosen to allow us temporary custody of some of the engines he has been restoring. We currently have two on display in the shed - this is the 1937 Cooper, that spent its life powering a shearing plant.

And THIS is the condition it was in when Anthony first acquired it:

You can read Anthony's full description HERE. And you can see the engine itself (plus one other), any Tuesday from 10am to 3pm, or on the fourth Sunday of the month from 2pm to 4pm.

Welcome to the Maffra blog

2009-11-03T13:15:00.000+11:00

Maffra Sugar Beet Museum (and the Historical Society) has a new blog. You can find it HERE.

Ross Smith's Garage Stuff

2009-10-29T08:34:00.002+11:00

Society member Ross Smith has an impeccable Garage Pedigree - descended from a large early Warrnambool Garage (formerly a carriage maker), so it is no surprise he collects "Garage Stuff".

Ross has brought some of these items in to display for a few months - augmented by our very thin collection of the same sorts of things.

We have also been digging out material from our archives on our own legendary Garagie, Peter Thompson.

Agnes Hickman's wedding dress II

2009-10-23T07:38:00.002+11:00

We have had an enquiry about for more details of Agnes' dress - and for a pattern! The best we can do is above - the dress is in a very light crepe.

The wedding is of Agnes Welfare (Victoria) and Clarence Hickman (Tasmania) 11/09/1920 L. to R. George Welfare, Addie Nichols, bridegroom and bride, Alfred Welfare, Victoria Welfare. Took place at St Stephens Anglican church Richmond Vic.

You can see a bigger version HERE.

Agnes Hickman's wedding dress

2009-10-22T14:12:00.002+11:00

At the Museum, we do try to change over our textiles as often as possible - at the moment we are putting them out, one costume at a time, for a month. We have just put Agnes Hickman, nee Welfare's wedding dress out.

Agnes Welfare married Clarence Aubrey Hickman, at St Stephen's Church of England, Richmond, 11 September 1920. They were the parents of Peg Rule, who Stratford has only recently lost after a many, many years in our community. We miss her very much.

Unfortunately we do not have the train to go with the dress, or the beautiful head dress, but it is still fascinating to see the dress, light and simple, that was worn on the day.

Researching the Pews

2009-08-13T16:32:00.002+10:00

The Museum has five pews in the Collection - inherited from the former Methodist Church of 1873 that we occupy, and thought to possibly be the "good" pews ordered for the preceding Bark Church about 1865.

The photograph above is not a good one - just a quick snap in the shed so we have something on record. We need to get them out and do better.

Because, as we were looking at them the other day, this is what we spotted on two of them:

These little plaques are about the size of a 50 cent piece, in pressed tin or brass.

All the pews appear identical - next job is to crawl all over them and find if there are holes where there would have been plaques on the other three.

Jenny Coates, who is working on our Significance Assessment, is off on the hunt. So far she has researched the partnership, and believes they would have to be made between 1 March 1865 and 7 March 1884, which fits the time frame. The firm of Oldfield and Lindley had HUGE premises in Carlton before the partnership dissolved.

Has anyone else out there any pieces in their collection by Oldfield & Lindley?

Tracking Down a Waistcoat

2009-07-29T18:26:00.004+10:00

One of the really good things about carrying out a Significance Assessment is that we learn so much about our own collection. Here is an example. This waistcoat took the eye of Jenny Coates, who is carrying out our survey, funded by Heritage Victoria. Jenny is an experienced Historian and Genealogist.

We thought we had something special in this waistcoat:

On the inside of the collar, at the back, is an inscription: E. Sproule, Philadelphia, Sept 29, 1856.

The problem is - we didn't know anything about E. Sproule. Jenny was off and looking. She found an Edward Sproule whose daughter Edith was born at Denison (between Heyfield and Rosedale) in 1863. So sure was Jenny she had something special (yes, she had guessed correctly), that she ordered the birth certificate. Sure enough, Edith's mother and father were married in Philadelphia in September 1856!

So - how did we come to have it? We have since found that Edith (their only surviving child) married a Bolton. Their son Rothwell Roy Bolton served in WWI (enlisting from Heyfield), and on his return, married Eileen Stothers from Stratford. They did not have any children, but we are on the hunt. If only we had all known to keep better records in the 1970s, when so much was handed in to us.

We knew we had something special, but it wasn't until Jenny really pointed us in the right direction, that we realised just how special.

Stats for the Year / Big News

2009-07-11T10:33:00.004+10:00

Stats for the Year ending 30 June 2009. Well, not so much stats for the year (we don't keep them that accurately), more a snapshot of where we are at, for comparison next year.

There are 2695 items in the Catalogue

1211 are "objects", the rest are "archives": Photographs, reference books, manuscripts, files etc.

1098 of those objects have been photographed (the hunt is on for the 113 that have not been photographed)

355 of our archival photographs have been scanned - Martin has been having a tremendous attack on these

Because

We have our new big Plasma Screen on the wall, thanks to funding from ESSO. We are still setting up, but if you come in now, you can see rotating photographs of Dargo, Wonnangatta, Crooked River, Grant, Talbotville etc.

It is wonderful. Thanks ESSO!

What - you still want a photo???

Okay, how about this? We have just catalogued our heater. We have been using it for years (it has been checked out, new cord added etc). It is Bakelite, probably from the 1930s. And it keeps us very warm

How We Organise the Collection

2009-06-28T15:31:00.004+10:00

We have been asked by another local Society to talk about how we organise our collection. So this is just some brief pointers.

We catalogue on InMagic v.10, with one database that includes everything. Numbers are issued from a single register, with blocks being set aside in the register for certain types of items, such as photographs.

Basically, the collection is divided roughly into:

Three dimensional objects (includes books that are not about the local area, and any photographs that are framed)

Photographs - only those on photographic paper - not photocopies

Digital Photographs - where they initially only exist on the hard drive of the computer

Manuscript Files

Archives

Maps

Local Books / Reference Library

Three dimensional objects

These items are either on display, or in storage. For those on display we use a numerical location code: 01.02 is the second wall on the left in the first room, when you walk in the front door. This is backed up with a map. 01a is fixture (eg glass cabinet) in the first room, according to the map.

The great majority of our items are in storage, in boxes. These are either SB001 etc, or LB001 etc. SB is a Storage Box, LB is a Little Box (eg for coins, medals etc). Items too large for the boxes are on the shelves in the shed, with a shelf bay number. Things to big to go on shelves are just in the back of the shed (03.03), and are pretty easy to find.

This photograph shows our objects storage boxes in the shed. We know they are not archivally perfect, but they are better off than they were. We will work towards better boxes. This shelf is now temporarily curtained, to allow a backdrop for the display in front of it.

You might notice small framed photographs in an open box on centre bottom shelf. This just gets a SB number, and we know where to find them. It does take a little bit of management to always get light boxes on top - single depth shelves would be better thoughout, but this also lets us store some larger items.

Photographs - only those on photographic paper - not photocopies

Photographs are divided into locations, and the sheets on which they are fixed have the number written on them in pencil. The Dargo photos, for example, start at P-DAR001, the next sheet is P-DAR002 etc. All localities have this three letter location, except Stratford, which is divided up again. P-STR-CHU003 is the third sheet in for Stratford Churches. If a photograph of the same church comes along after the first cataloguing, it goes in at P-STR-CGU003a etc.

Again - they get a Register Number when first catalogued, but are filed according to their location.

All these are in drop files, mounted on acid-free card, in appropriate clear covers, in filing cabinets.

Digital Photographs - where they initially only exist on the hard drive of the computer

They are given file names that correspond to their register number (yes, they are registered), and filed in the computer in that order. P03684VSFH.jpg is an example of the name of a Digital Photo. All our photographs of objects are named the same way, and it is important to have our four-letter identification code in there in case our material is ever filed in a database with others.

This not the digital copies of photographs that already exist in the collection, and have been copied.

Manuscript Files

Stratford already had an extensive Manuscript File when cataloguing started, with no organisation apart from a rough alphabetical series. There was also a "Miscellaneous File" for each letter of the alphabet.

The first thing we did was create one catalogue record in which we listed the name of all files, except the Miscellaneous ones. This means when we search the catalouge, we are immediately told there is, for example, a Wuillemin family file.

(Slight Digression Here: This form of cataloguing relies heavily on all family names and all place names appearing in the description field)

The next step was to catalogue each Miscellaneous File, one catalogue entry to each file, so we knew what was in each. This was a brief description of the contents, not a full listing of all names.

Some time in the future we need to start working through each of the named files, and describing the contents in them, giving each file its own catalogue record.

Archives

The Archives is a series of boxes in the shed. This is the Minute Books, cricket scores, shop day books, pasted newspaper clippings books etc etc - things too large to go in Manuscript Files. We created one catalogue record for the whole series, and roughly list the contents box by box (starting from AB001) in that. Although a few major items that have come in lately also have their own catalogue record. Some day each item in the boxes will have its own record.

This shows our Archives series, in the shed, with some framed items stored beside them. That spot in the shelves has a number designated to it (03.02.04). The boxes came to us from the Public Record Office, as we are a POD (Place of Deposit)

Maps

Maps are stored in the map drawers, and are not yet catalogued. We have rough-sorted them so the local ones are at the top of the top drawer. They may then get a Location Number like the photographs - only starting M-DAR001 etc

Local Books / Reference Library

We have roughly divided up our locations. We use books from the former Shire of Avon most, so that is one section. The next is "Rest of Wellington Shire", then there is "East Gippsland", "Rest of Gippsland" and "Gippsland General".

There is no sorting within these divisions, except small books with no spine go in Pamphlet Boxes (PB001), which also have their geographic area written on them.

The Catalogue location for each appears as "Bookshelf-Avon Shire" or "Bookshelf-PB001". No - the PBs are not in order.

This is our reference books (with some POD books from the Public Record Office top left), just after we moved back into the museum. It is now much fuller, with piles of items waiting to move on to their ultimate location. However newsletters will stay up on top, and the two top centre shelves remain as reference books.

The key to the whole system - have it written up on the wall somewhere what SB, PB, LB, AB, P- etc stand for.

It is also useful to have a list pasted up of what the Manuscript Files are, and what the Photograph areas are - especially as, for example, Perry Bridge photographs (P-PER) covers Ramahyuck and Strathfieldsaye.

It works for us - and the Maffra System is almost identical, except the Manuscript Files have been put together in a different way, and are just numbered from 1.

World War I Honour Rolls

2009-06-28T15:25:00.002+10:00

Sonia Young from the Stratford RSL and Lee from the Statford Primary School have been doing exhaustive research in the Primary School Honour Roll. So we have been thinking a little about who is on the various Honour Rolls and Cenotaphs around the place. The one above is in the Holy Trinity Anglican Church, as is the one below.

You can see a larger version of the one above HERE.

Thanks to Sonia for providing both photographs.

Nicholas Family at War II

2009-06-20T19:48:00.003+10:00

Lt Byron Nicholas was the second of the five Nicholas brothers to be lost at war. Bryon was a teacher at Gormandale East in 1912, and the two part-time schools at Carrajung South and Willung South in 1913. He enlisted on 10 March 1915 as a private and saw service at Gallipoli and in France, where he was promoted to officer rank and awarded the Military Cross on 5 April 1917. He was killed in action on 9 October 1917 in the attack on Daisy Wood.

Following the war, the Nicholas parents moved to Stratford, where John Nicholas was pharmacist until his death, aged 68, in 1924. He is buried in the Stratford Cemetery. A short time later his widow, Mary Ellen Nicholas, built the house that later became the Convent at Stratford, before selling it in 1926 and moving to Melbourne.

The only daughter of the family, Aileen, became Sister Ignatius at the Notre Dame de Sion Convent in Sale, until her death in 1949. The sketches of her brothers with other photographs and records were in the care of the Sion Sisters until the 1990s, when they were passed to the Stratford Historical Society.

The Nicholas Family at War

2009-06-16T19:48:00.002+10:00

Stratford Historical Society has started research on its Nicholas Collection. In this photograph Hilda Rix and Major George Nicholas leave Buckingham Palace on 4 October 1916 after the presentation of his DSO. On 7 October they were married. On the following Monday he returned to service.

Major Nicholas was killed in action in France on November 14 1916.

George Nicholas (and four of his brothers) enlisted while his parents were living at Trafalgar in Gippsland.

Hilda Rix was a prominent artist, and following the death of her husband, painted many gloomy wartime photographs.

This is her sketch of her husband, two days after their wedding, as he left for the Front. Similar sketches of his brothers are also held, along with other material.

Interested in Small Museums?

2009-06-05T18:39:00.002+10:00

Are you interested in small museums like Stratford, in Australia and New Zealand? I was reading a blog I will not name the other day, where a museum, with eleven staff, said it was small. Which set me to wondering, where do the totally-volunteer museums sit on the radar of professional museums. Obviously somewhere well out of sight.

So - if there are any other small Australasian museums out there, their friends or those who delight in visiting them - feel free to drop over to the Small Australasian Museums group on Flickr, and share your photographs. Like this one:

This is our book sales area. I have to admit I like zooming in on the detail in other museums, so I have loaded the full size HERE. It might be you might to look at our system of hanging cheap corkboards from $2 shops by fishing line to make quick temporary notice boards. Or using fishing line to hang stained craftwood (or MDF) to provide somewhere for labels under framed works. There is a picture rail above, out of sight, and we love our restored walls so much we don't want to stick anything to them.

So if there is anyone else out there that would like to give us a look inside their museum - please feel free to pop over to the Flickr link above, and join the group.

Mending and Making Do

2009-06-02T20:39:00.002+10:00

We have been exercising our minds about "Mending and Making Do". The objects in our collection (and that we have available on loan), that show the practice of repairing items for further use. Such as these cups, currently on loan from a private collection:

These cups both have replacement handles, one of wire, one of metal (possibly a Fowlers Vacola clip in a previous life), to extend their life.

We have had a preliminary look at our items. We have a mended rug, a roughly mended chair, an apron made of hessian (but not an old sugar bag), but little else. We are on a mission to see what else we can find.

In the discussion, one thing led to another with the older members of the Society talking about the unavailability of any form of china during the Second World War - which led us to realise the importance of this overlooked cup, saucer and plate in the collection. Glass crockery was apparently all that was available to purchase new during part of the war. These settings are becoming rarer. We are fortunate to already have some in the collection, but are keeping our eyes peeled for more - examples of "making do".

The Roof is Finished

2009-04-25T10:48:00.003+10:00

The roof is finished, and the scaffolding is gone. But the sun is permanently out whenever I am there. It is very difficult to get a good photograph when that happens.

We are rather busy - we will be reopening for the Avon Village Fair on 3 May. That happens all around us, and is a magnificent day.

Then we start planning to erect the side and front fence (Thanks to ESSO and Wellington Shire), and commission the Engineering Survey of the building (Thanks to Heritage Victoria).

We have saved the best of the corrugated iron from the roof for a side fence.

Oh, Yes. We are also about to have major maintenance work carried out on our trees - they are covered by the Heritage Overlay. We are funding that one ourselves - by selling a lot of scones and jam and cream on the Avon Village Fair day. Do drop in and join us.

Almost Finished

2009-04-12T13:55:00.002+10:00

The roof is almost finished. Well, it is finished. Just the scaffolding has to be taken away.

Just look at those vents!

Bigger picture HERE.

The small section at the back has also been finished - no news yet if there are any brands on that corrugated iron. But have you noticed the colour in the bricks, and the detail in that chimney?

Bigger picture HERE.

Powerhouse Museum blog

2009-04-12T13:53:00.001+10:00

There's a good new blog coming out of the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney. You can click on this link, or click on the link on the right hand side at any time.

Looks good - the first post was about a giant prawn on a bike.

More Photos

2009-04-08T03:04:00.000+10:00

There are too many photos now to post them all - check out the roof restoration, funded by Heritage Victoria, HERE.

Nearly Finished!

2009-04-07T18:12:00.002+10:00

This mob works very quickly.

The other side is already finished, apart from reinstatement of the roof vents - well, not that they go right through. That was one of the problems.

Back soon with more photos - but just a "bad news" note. Linda was there, bright and early to find out what the brand was on this 1872 corrugated iron. Yes - it was the original iron.

And it is jolly well unbranded! She is desperately hoping that the smaller, back section, which is still to be done, and is a little younger, will feed her obsession for corrugated iron brands.

Work has Started

2009-04-03T17:26:00.001+11:00

We are all very excited. Work started today on the roof.

Closing until 3 May

2009-03-27T18:51:00.003+11:00

Stratford Historical Museum

will be closed until Sunday, 3 May

while we replace our roof

through a grant from

Heritage Victoria

Hopefully we will be open again in time for the Avon Village Fair on 3 May, with a brand new roof.

In the meantime, many thanks again to Building Better Regional Museums. As part of our grant to connect to the sewage system, we had to replace our old toilet. We were so impressed with the new one, the room was rapidly painted (it was previously awfully dark). One thing led to another - framed Victorian prints in storage (of low significance, don't want to risk significant items) moved in there to enhance the area.

Now everyone is invited in there to have a look! The photo below does not do it justice. This may not excite you, but it really excites us!

Heritage Victoria Grants

2008-12-16T19:16:00.002+11:00

Stratford Historical Society is delighted to receive news that Heritage Victoria has granted $30,000 for a new roof and engineering assessment of the Former Methodist Church; and $4,600 for a significance assessment of the Stratford Historical Society Museum collection.

The Significance Study will allow a detailed (and independent) examination of the whole collection, and drive future decisions on collection care. And we are delighted about the roof!

Building Better Regional Museums Grant

2008-12-06T19:52:00.003+11:00

Now this is one that it is really hard to find a photograph to go with this.

But we are delighted to announce that Stratford Historical Society has received a grant from Building Better Regional Museums to connect us to the sewage system.

We appreciate very much Museums Australia (Victoria) and Arts Victoria for the provision of the funds to carry out this desperately-needed work.

Photograph??? It is always good to have a photograph to illustrate what we are talking about.

I know.

If we had not received support from BBRM, we might otherwise have had to resort to using this home-made Commode Chair in our collection.

It is one of our better pieces, adapted from an early kitchen chair.

But maybe it makes you appreciate how much we appreciate the grant.

And we also appreciated very much the advice from Barbara Wels, of the BBRM program, who had some very useful suggestions for us on a range of issues.

.

Mystery Object

2008-11-16T12:14:00.002+11:00

We had a wonderful time at our 40th - the new Textile Display is up (six months only), and The Shed is getting more and more like a display area every day.

We currently have this item up as a "Mystery Object". Take a Guess and lift the flap to see if you are correct.

Here are a few more clues:

I won't give the game away yet - so if anyone wants to have a go, and see if you are correct, leave a comment on here, or on the Flickr page.

Coincidentally - there is also one of these in the Maffra Sugarbeet Museum collection - and it has nothing to do with sugarbeet. So it raises the question - is there one in every museum in Australia???

We are turning 40

2008-08-30T09:18:00.002+10:00

Stratford and District Historical Society

will celebrate its 40th Birthday on
Sunday, 19 October 2008

We would be delighted if you could join us at afternoon tea from 2pm to 4pm

Our new displays of tools in the shed, and textiles, will be unveiled.

Wemyss Struss Marion Stothers
President Secretary

RSVP Please, by 13 Oct for catering,
to 5145 6485
or kapana[at]netspace.net.au

Grocer's Records

2008-08-28T13:37:00.002+10:00

We were recently delighted to receive a gift of boxes from the Public Record Office - and have immediately put them to use. George and Judy have sorted our large quantity of grocer's records, from the Kelly Grocery in Stratford, into years. They are now boxed for ease of handling.

The records are one of the great sources that we know we have, that we previously couldn't even start to access. But now, as they are in small boxes, and sorted by year, we can start to use them.

They go from about (very roughly) 1884 to 1909, and often include details of exact purchases by families.

For example, this is part of the 1890 page for Michael Moriarty, publican of the Swan and Two Throttles hotel in Stratford.

You can see a larger copy HERE.

We were delighted to find this one, as we have been looking for more on this family, and were not totally sure when they arrived in Stratford.

We hope to have all names from the 1890 register transcribed in the near future - other records may take more time.

There also appear to be records from grocers by the name of M. McIlroy (in 1908), late C. Tueski. They appear to have followed Kelly.

In the meantime, they can be accessed by appointment only, on Tuesdays. Thanks to the PRO for making them more accessible.

Insite features Gippsland

2008-08-10T08:50:00.002+10:00

The latest copy of Insite, the magazine of Museums Australia (Victoria), of which we are a member, has an article on Alice Mitchell's sewing machine.

A large portion is dedicated to things Gippsland - Gippsland Heritage Journal, the galleries at Sale and Morwell, the Gippsland Maritime Museum at Port Albert, the Keeping Place at Bairnsdale, and a report on the Significance Forum at Briagolong.

The cover (above) is the hotel at Fish Creek.

So here, just to celebrate, are Wemyss (seated), Pat and Jan with Alice's sewing machine.

And the machine itself. A little battered and very well-used. That is what makes it so important.

The things we find

2008-08-01T10:27:00.002+10:00

The cataloguing team recently turned its attention to this framed watercolour in the collection.

It is the work of the Rev. Arthur A. Lyons, who was Methodist minister at the Stratford church immediately after WWII.

We do not know enough about the artist - there is an Arthur Ashley Lyons who dies in 1952 in Geelong aged 79, and another Arthur Ashley Lyons who dies at Mitcham in 1967 aged 71. This would make the first man in his late sixties at the time of the painting, and the second man about fifty. So as the artist was apparently known as "Pop" Lyons, we tend to favour the older man. But we are not sure.

The glass was broken on this years ago, and the obviously acidic matt around the picture (plus the highly acidic backing cardboard) were judged to be a threat to the picture.

So we decided to remove the picture, keeping the watercolour and frame, and store them more appropriately until we were able to have it reframed.

So, imagine our surprise when we took off the backing to find this:

Thankfully, the red tape just fell off, leaving little residue. This one is possibly unfinished, but still a beautiful piece of work. When the opportunity arises, we will have them both appropriately framed.

In the meantime, the full-sized photographs are HERE and HERE.

Update on storage

2008-07-26T10:53:00.000+10:00

Now, we know this may not excite everyone - but we are excited. Our storage is getting more organised.

While we know these are not archivally sound boxes, they are our next step in sorting. Our textiles are carefully wrapped in tissue while we work out how much we have, and we can store all the small kitchen items and, more importantly, find them!

This is the main storage stream. We also have an archival stream in our shed (which is really not a good enough name for our very dark and carefully insulated storage area).

You can see how this area looked a couple of months ago HERE.

This is the archival stream - where books and items unsuitable for our dropfiles, are stored.

The top boxes are archivally correct, and the bottom boxes hold the Grocers' records - just waiting for a chance to sort them and store them in more appropriate boxes.

Cataloguing Stats

2008-07-01T11:01:00.000+10:00

Just occasionally, it is interesting to look at stats, so we took this opportunity at the end of the financial year.

The Stratford Historical Society catalogue (where all items, be they photograph, document or object) are entered in the one database, has:

2506 entries in total

975 of these have an image associated with them (mostly of objects)

1136 of the entries are for archived photographs

We love our catalogue!

Significance

2008-06-16T18:25:00.000+10:00

Members of Stratford Historical Society have recently had a richness of Significance Training.

On Friday, 30 May, three members joined about thirty other people at the Briagolong Mechanics' Institute for an inspiring Heritage Victoria Significance Forum. It was an added delight on the day to know that the Briagolong Mechanics' Institute and its contents (including the library) have been added to the Victorian Heritage Register

Then, on Saturday 14 June, we held our last training day, funded by a Community Heritage Grant from the National Library. This time we were joined by Linda Young from Melbourne, who led us through the process of assessing the Significance at individual items. Everyone came away quite inspired (is your writer using that word too much?) and ready to look at items in the collection in a different way.

When we reopened the Museum in 2006, one of our first exhibitions was "Personal Choices", where various members chose their favourite item for display. One of these was W.T. Dawson's Theodolite.

William Tennant Dawson (c.1820-1873) was an early Victorian surveyor, who was responsible for laying out St Kilda Road in Melbourne. After that he was the first District Surveyor for Gippsland, where he died in 1873. His family were on Roseneath Station near Stratford, where the theodolite was extensively damaged when the homestead was destroyed in 1921.

The theodolite is therefore very degraded, but this is part of its significant story. Was it the one Dawson used for St Kilda Road? Certainly it was responsible for bringing order to the European occupation of Gippsland. And its condition, although it diminishes its ability to represent theodolites as such, adds to the richness of its history.

Storing items

2008-05-07T18:54:00.000+10:00

We got lucky recently. George (Team Leader - Maintenance and Facilities) and his team got their hands on some unwanted supermarket shelves, and this is the result.

We are still sorting after our move, but these shelves hold the boxes and larger items in the shed as we work out what is catalogued and what is not.

And as a bonus - they will form the moveable wall that divides the exhibition area in the front from the storage area at the back for the BIG items.