THE MUSEUM             154 Welsford Street

 Greetings to all Members and Friends!

     Quite a lot has been taking place since our last Newsletter: our Monthly Meetings are well attended, our business and administration attended to by a capable Committee, our Museum is open on a regular basis thanks to a select group of volunteers, and Social Activities at our Meetings are proving very popular, and very informative.
Extracts from our Minute Book tell it better:

SOCIAL ACTIVITIES:
             We have been treated to self-composed poetry, learnt about the activities of the Darwin Defenders, and the role they played Up North, heard of activities about Caniambo and Gowangardie c.1912, followed research into the presentation of horse troughs to deserving towns and cities, and been given an inside look at what may be the truth behind the activities of the Kelly Gang (could the Northern Republic really have been declared if Glenrowan had gone the other way?  Was Ned's trial the convenient avoidance of a charge of Sedition? - after all in 1880, the Eureka rebellion was only 26 years ago...
DONATIONS:
               We are grateful to those members of the public who have given us items to care for.  These range from early coloured postcards, an extensive collection of cameras from the 1950's onwards, a Teletype machine, 1920's school magazines, a set of weights, to a c.1880's handmade pioneers blanket of hessian core surrounded by linen, a shooting stick, and a History of the Shepparton Police.
PUBLIC ASSISTANCE:
                Our Society placed a display within the Shepparton Library, and, at time of writing, now has a second one on show, We also assisted Key Enterprises and the Library with the writing of their just published History, a copy of which has been presented to us. Member Margaret Babidge received an invitation to the Official Release from Key Enterprises as an appreciation of her work in our Archives, while member Peter Ford received a letter of acknowledgement from the Library, and mention within the book, for supplying background to the Shepparton Mechanic's Institute, the forerunner of today’s library service.

                 We have also helped out RBA Architects and Conservationists with their work on the recently relocated Shepparton Showgrounds Grandstand, brought into town all those years ago from the second of our racecourses at Shepparton Park, approx. opposite the Cemetery, and helped out the Shepparton Returned Soldiers League Sub Branch with their recent Anzac Day observance. This was a special occasion, as our friends, the crew of the Second War H.M.A.S. Shepparton, returned in company with crewmembers from H.M.AS. Maryborough, and the crew of the current H.M.A.S. Shepparton - a survey vessel based at Cairns.  We have loaned the R.S.L. the captured Japanese anti-tank gun, the ship's bell, manufacturers plate, and display case - all items associated with the Second War Shepparton.

RESEARCH:
Our Society also assists with general research enquiries, and has made available material for Andrew Furphy in connection with his forthcoming book on the Furphy Water cart.  We have refurbished our display on Joseph Furphy, and this was utilised by Genevieve Dunn, of Australian Postcard, during her research on the author following the recent unveiling of a statue in his memory in Welsford St.



 Sometimes our research combines with the interests of a particular member - the following is the result of an enquiry received about the formative years of the Shepparton Red Cross, which is believed to have commenced in 1914, and disbanded in 1930, when it was felt there was no longer the need for its services. As can be seen, a different story might be the case - did the Shepparton Red Cross adopt this name from c.1919? Any reader assistance would be welcome.

                                        SHEPPARTON RED CROSS, 1914 - 1918

      I was asked by our mutual friend Bruce Manson to see if the Heritage Centre could help out with any information on the Shepparton Red Cross during the above time.
      Unfortunately, I don't think that we can, although I'm still checking parts of our Archive.  Our Society was not formed until 1962, which means we rely on the well-known local histories for much of our early knowledge.
However, through friends in my collecting circle, I was once given the loan of a small paperback book titled VOLUNTARY WAR WORKERS RECORD:
     Compiled for the benefit of the Australian Comforts Fund: 1918.
This gave a full list of all Victorian Patriotic Leagues during the First War, with, in some cases, additional details.
      At the risk of being long-winded, the multitude of Victorian Patriotic Leagues came under the umbrella of the Lady Mayoress's Patriotic League, which was formed in August 1914, and, in turn, became the Victorian Division of the Australian Comforts Fund from September 1915.

       Under the heading Red Cross Branches, I noted the following existing locally:

                            Balmattum; Beechworth; Bonnie Doon; Cobram; Cooma; Devenish;
                            Goorambat; Invergordon; Kaarimba; Kialla West; Nathalia;
                            Tatura-Harston; Wangaratta.

    There is no mention of Shepparton having a Red Cross Branch. All the above were mostly concerned with packing and sending parcels to the Central Depot, these containing clothing, foodstuffs, stationery, books, etc.
     In short, they were more of a Comforts from Home set up. A clue to where Shepparton Red Cross fits in might be found at Kaarimba, who, in Sep 1917 decided to form a separate branch of the Lady Mayoress's Patriotic League, (L.M.P.L.), and work one month for it, and the other for the Red Cross.

    Sure enough I find Shepparton listed as a Branch of the L.M.P.L., one of nine such in the country.

     I made a list of the 54 Shepparton members of the L.M.P.L., the names including
A. Bennett, M.J. Furphy, A. McNamara, L.S. Palling, A. Vibert, G. Muntz, Isabel Sadler, Bertha Chessells, etc.  Does any of this help you out?

 All I can add is that Red Cross Societies during this period were capable of being sub-divided into

 V.A.D. Committee (Voluntary Aid Detachment); War Savings Committee; Mens Section; Girl's Section; and Junior Branch.

SUBSCRIPTIONS:

     All members are advised that Subscriptions are due by the 30th June 2005.  They remain at $12.00 per member, this amount mostly being absorbed by the member insurance we take out for you through the Royal Historical Society of Victoria.

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING:

         All members are informed the Annual General Meeting of the Shepparton Heritage Centre Inc. will take place at the Centre on Wednesday 3rd. August 2005.  Business will include confirmation of the Minutes of the 2004 A.G.M., receivel of the Annual Report and Financial Statement for the 2004105 financial          year, the election of Office Bearers, and the transaction of any special business.

                                                                                     Peter Ford



MEETING  and  OPEN  TIMES

Meetings:                First Wednesday of each month at 7.30 pm, Heritage Cottage, Cnr Welsford & High st

Heritage Cottage:   Open on even dated Sundays  1.00 pm to 4.00 pm or by appointment.
                               (Contact Margaret 58212305 or Peter 58217717)

Post:                       P.O.Box 137  Shepparton. Vic .3632

Museum Roster:    Volunteers are needed for our Museum Sunday Afternoon Roster .

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