News from the newsletters – August 2016

This is a summary of the articles and events taken from the newsletters sent to the Secretary from SEHA Groups and Societies. August 2016. Compiled by Heather Arnold.

Chelsea & District Historical Society

  • The May 2016 newsletter has an article about the move into their temporary premises while the Court House Museum is being renovated. The August 2016 newsletter has a photo of the old level crossing gates at Bonbeach and accounts of visits from the local Scouts and information supplied to the Chelsea Walkers who were doing a walk around the historic landmarks of the area. Vale to Margaret Jacobs, a dedicated Historical Society member and community volunteer, who was ‘Chelsea, through and through’.

Friends of Cheltenham Regional Cemeteries    http://www.focrc.org/

  • The Autumn 2016 newsletter, Raves from the Graves, has some reports of past Cemetery tours; an article on Madame Agnes Greenwood, written  by Sue Beazley. Her parents operated Mackie’s Circus, an all female circus from New South Wales. When Agnes married William Greenwood they operated a circus school, Greenwood’s Acrobatic Academy in Melbourne. There is also another article by Sue Beazley on Thomas Gomm, a convict.

Hastings Western Port Historical Society      http://home.vicnet.net.au/~dromana/hastings/aHastingsFrontPage.html

  • The June newsletter has a history of Victoria Day commemorated on July 1 every year. There were also reports on the successful May Morning Coffee morning with Wendy Morrison, Antique Appraiser and a visit from the Werribee Half Battery who examined the 40lb Armstrong gun to gain information to restore their own gun. Vale to Leila Shaw, local historian and Stewart Watt, local orchardist, saddler and community volunteer.

Koo-Wee-Rup Swamp Historical Society

  • The May newsletter has an article (available on Trove)  reproduced from The Leader of March 14, 1868 entitled A day in the Fen Country: Mr Lyall’s Breeding Station, about William Lyall of Harewood; the June newsletter has a short history of Nar Nar Goon by Heather Arnold; the July newsletter has a history of Local Cemeteries by Heather Arnold and an article on the Leadbeater Possum by Libby Skidmore (one of these rare possums was found at Koo-Wee-Rup in 1915). The August newsletter has an article on the Colvin family of Koo-Wee-Rup written in 1990 by Olive Murray, a daughter of Pomp Colvin.

Lang Lang & District Historical Society        http://www.langlang.net/historical.html

  • The June 2016 newsletter reports that storyboard signage has been installed next to the Clay Bird Thrower on display. The Heritage Centre is in the old Infant Welfare Centre and the building has just turned 65 and is on the Cardinia Shire Heritage register.

Mordialloc & District Historical Society

  • The newsletters have reports of the Societies many activities. The Society hosted the Kingston City Council Historical Society Network in May. A note in the June newsletter says that they will discuss offering local schools membership of the Society. That’s a good idea.

Mornington and District Historical Societ         http://morningtondistricthistory.org.au/

  • The May newsletter has an article entitled  Mornington Memories of World War One of the Donnelly Brothers, Tom and Jack, written by Val Wilson. A plaque has been fitted to a seat outside the Museum dedicated to Margaret Grice, who passed away in 2013. Margaret was a enthusiastic supporter of the Historical Society and also the South Eastern Historical Association.

Narre Warren and District Family History Group      http://nwfhg.org.au/

  • Spreading Branches May 2016 has an article on Max Thomson’s memories of Narre Warren in World War Two and an article reproduced from The Weekly Times of January 22, 1910 (available on Trove)  by Annie Glismann telling the story of the Glissman family in Beaconsfield Upper.

Nepean Historical Society       http://nepeanhistoricalsociety.asn.au/

  • The June 2016 The Nepean has an article, by Bergliot Dallas, on the inventor of the Electric ball. The Society logo shows the Mechanics’ Institute and a big ball, which was part of a device deigned by Alfred Robshaw in 1908 to provide electricity to Sorrento by harvesting the power of the sea. The project was abandoned when Robshaw died in 1910.

Rye Historical Society           http://ryehistoricalsociety.weebly.com/

  • The Whitecliffs newsletter has part three of an article looking at road names in Postcode 3941 written by Noel Erbs. It also has an article on early land sales in the Rye township and  the naming of Capel Sound. There is a push by locals to rename Rosebud West to Capel Sound.

Somerville Tyabb & District Heritage Society       http://home.vicnet.net.au/~stdhs/

  • There are obituaries of locals Alan Ray Baker; Stewart James Watt, local orchardist; Keith White, market gardener and Leila Shaw, local historian. There is also a story by Evelyn Sage (nee Young) on sinking a bore on her parents farm in 1960, total cost was one thousand, two hundred pounds.

Wonthaggi and District Historical Society        http://www.wonthaggihistoricalsociety.org.au/

  • The essay in the May Plod, called Strange Visitors, by Kit Sleeman, looks at visitors to the house – the milkman, the bread man, the night man. The June Plod has an article on drains by Kit Sleeman, a light hearted look at the drains in the town. The July Plod has an article entitled Gravity, by Kit Sleeman, a look at gravity as it was connected to the recreation of billy carts.

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