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NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER 1999

NOVEMBER MARKET DAY

Well, it’s that time again! Market Day – November 20 at the Rotunda Park from 8.00am. We have tried a couple of new things for this occasion, hoping to create a different, bright, attractive atmosphere. We have invited two bands to come to play, the Maldon Band from 10.00-11.00am, and then the Thompson’s Foundry Band until 12 noon. We have also made touch with the man with the inflated bouncer who visited us at the March Market Day. We have decided to have the Christmas Hamper Raffle once again - Giselle presents it so well - and we would be most grateful for donations of suitable items for inclusion. We are hoping to have tickets on sale well in advance of November 20 so that we reap the maximum benefit of our high quality hamper. We will send tickets out with our October Newsletter. Please come and join us on the day; it is always such fun and a great opportunity to catch up with folk you haven’t seen for a while!

THE MOVE

Thanks to the men from NAPE the furniture has been rearranged: the computers, filing cabinet, table, map cabinet, reader and associated paraphernalia are now in the room on the western side of the courthouse close to the security room and the room on the eastern side contains the large table and long bench seats for meetings. Presently, Steve Walter is in the process of adapting the two iron framed tables for mobile computer use.

ACQUISITIONS

Carol Boag has given us information on Welshmans Reef and a photo of her great grandfather Peter Roberts. Nancy Frankling of Cohuna has sent us a photo of Jack Stewart, a soldier from Newstead in WW1. Doug Martin has provided us with photos of his grandfather Thomas Martin, his wife and five sons. We also have a plaque from Heritage Victoria giving credit to the architect John James Clark and the courthouse as being a fine example of early Victorian Public Works architecture of the period.

OUTING TO THE DEMO TRACK MINING SITES

Again a band of seven people set out along the demo track to investigate the Thornhill Reef mine area. Armed with David Bannear’s book the 2 large roasting kilns were located and with some difficulty, at least some of the partly buried kilns were found. As we had the company of Jack Polinelli, his offer to show us more sites in the area was taken up with enthusiasm. A stop at the deep shaft of the Blowmine was chilling and then we followed further into the bush to an as yet unnamed site with a deep shaft, an adit? (An entrance into the side of a hill), another roasting kiln or water storage and a puddling site. Our next excursion, on October 11th, will be to look at the sites of the Lord Byron mines and the Captains Gully road area ending up at Knowles and Beverley Gray’s place, the former Strathlea school. We will meet at Mingus Crossing at 1.30.

NEWSTEAD HERITAGE WALK

Just about a month ago we received news of a Local History Grants Program. As with many of the Grants that become available we didn’t get much notice, but the August meeting voted to try to get funding for our new walk. You may remember the walk that is in photographic form on the display board at the Courthouse! Well, the application went in – we applied for professional Titles Office searches; a component for audio tapes so that we can embark on some ”oral history” visits to some of the older folks in the town; a little slice for a few births, deaths and marriages searches, and a big slice to have the eventual product professionally produced. Keep your fingers crossed!

THE COURTHOUSE

We have just had a visit from Michael Taylor from Heritage Victoria, the Shire’s Heritage advisor. Michael came specifically to look at plaster that is lifting off the wall in the courtroom and was generous in his praise for our maintenance of the property. He was particularly pleased that we have sub-let, making the building available to the community, and in particular, increasing the number of people available to continue to keep it trim. He suggests that we should move fairly quickly to repair the present cracks, caused, he says, by the building at that point moving in two different directions.

NEXT YEAR ALREADY

We have been invited by Castlemaine Historical Society to a social evening on Monday February 7 at 6.00pm at the Former Court House in Goldsmith Crescent. Mary O’Toole, in her letter of invitation, has said that Castlemaine will provide a barbecue and the meat to go on it. She asks that each of us who attends take a salad and a sweet to share, and our own drinks and glasses. Tea and coffee will be provided. They have also asked Maldon Museum and Archives, Harcourt Valley Heritage and Chewton Town Hall Sub Committee Domain Society. Would you please let Dawn Angliss know by the November meeting if you would like to come and we will pass on the number to Mary. It would be lovely to meet and socialise with others in the area with similar interests.

CHHA FAMILY HISTORY EXPO – November 6 & 7

Do you remember that the theme for this Expo is Homes & Gardens? And do you remember that last month we asked if you had any photos that would help with our display? We are taking the computer with all our data files to help people with their research, and we hope that we will have a really good display. Can you help us with photos, old or new, and anything special that might add to our presentation? Please let us know!

RESEARCH

Information has been requested for the following –

McEvoy/McAvoy family of Yandoit

Laurance children whose parents died in 1853

George Annand soldier in WWI

Two small children, Campbell family, buried in Franklinford cemetery c 1865.

CALENDAR

October 2 & 3   ”Allunga” Muckleford forest – Bush Month

October 8 & 9, 15 & 16   COURT IN THE ACT 8.00pm Bookings essential Bev Foreman - 5476 2211

October 11   Excursion to Lord Byron mine sites, Captains Gully and Strathlea school - meet at Mingus Crossing at 1.30. Bring a cup.

November 6 & 7   CHHA History Fair – House and Garden at Ballarat

November 15   Meeting 8 pm. Guest speaker John Tully

November 20   Market Day - Newstead Rotunda Park

For any queries about the Newsletter itself, or articles included, or if you would like to contribute something of interest to others, please phone Dawn Angliss on 5476 2006.

 

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