AUGUST 2001 NEWSLETTER

THE PERFORMANCE OF THE WRITINGS OF THOMAS MARTIN

The night at Boots cafe was well attended and appreciated. It was interesting to hear Steve Walter express his opinion that the atmosphere was different to the performances in the courthouse – less reverent! We decided to photocopy Thomas Martin’s letter and with an added explanation, bind it into a booklet and sell it. We sold a few at the performance and intend to have more for sale at the Family History Expo in Ballarat in October. The booklet is for sale at $10 but for members of our society it is $5. Thanks to the school

who help with our photocopying and this time, with the binding as well. We gave them a copy to show our appreciation. NAPE have made a video of a performance and in the next newsletter there will be details of how to obtain a copy. They are also going to make an audiotape of the show and propose to tape it at the courthouse. They will need a willing audience to provide the laughter and applause. I’m sure we can arrange that! It will be a valuable asset to have for our collection.

EXCURSION TO FRENCHMAN’S MINE

On Monday July 30 a group of about 20 went into the Muckleford forest to see the Thornhill reef area where the roasting kilns will be restored, thanks to the recent grant from Parks Victoria. Then in convoy, we followed Derek Reid to Frenchman’s mine. David Bannear described this area in his book ”Historic Mines in the Maldon Mining Division” and it was just as David said. On the south side of Tunnel Track is an impressive tunnel into the hillside, with the entrance now covered by a grille. Further up the hill are an airshaft and 3 deep shafts – remains of the quartz period of mining. On the other side of the track there was evidence of earlier alluvial mining. Shallow diggings, a puddler and stone fireplaces were found thanks to efforts of several members. The usual ”cuppa” was enjoyed. It is very encouraging to have so many members and others partaking in these little trips into our local area and also to have people suggesting other sites for us to explore. Thank you.

AT THE COURTHOUSE

John Neall is continuing to replace and restore the mortar around the sandstone footings and has sprayed the weeds around the building. The workroom is abuzz on a Monday morning. Janet Trudgeon works on indexing The Echo on the old reader and Di Reid is now doing the same thing on the new reader-printer. Bev Gray and Lynn Wallace, our ”typists extraordinaire”, work at the old Mac computers entering the entries from the Mount Alexander Mail supplied to us by Margaret Di Fiore and the count is now over 15,000 for the 2 papers. As well, on the PC, Brian Dieckmann is entering in ”In Magic, indexing done by Derek Reid, John Neall and Dawn Angliss on the Family History files. This process will also apply to the photos that are to be catalogued. There is a spare computer waiting to be used and pen and paper work on indexing needed to be done. It is not all work though – a break is always taken at 11am to have a chat over a cuppa!

FAMILY HISTORY EXPO

Central Highlands Historical Association runs this every year in Ballarat. Our society has been represented at this event in the past and intends to be there again this year. It is on October 30 and 31 at St Aquinas College, Ballarat.

”A SOCIETY GET-TOGETHER”

Over recent months, as we have been successful in obtaining yet another grant, I have often expressed the wish that we should celebrate our achievements. We have decided to do so and also to extend to Liz Coady who has sold her house and moves on, a suitable thankyou for her efforts in organising the society in the direction we are heading today. The arrangements are to have an evening at our courthouse at 7.30pm on Saturday September 15. Could you please bring a plate of food and a bottle of what-ever-you- like and join us? As well as a general get together, if you have an item of interest that you might like to show us and speak about for a short time, please bring it along Do come - bring you partners – bring the kids! If you know of former members please invite them as well. And it would be great if any of our members that we correspond with but do not get to see very often, could manage to come and meet us as well. (The local motel has reopened and it’s a great time for a weekend in Central Victoria!’)

To help us with arrangements could you let us know if you are able to attend? Ring me – Dawn Angliss 0354762006 – or fill in this form and return it to us by September 13.

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