Monday, January 26, 2015

Work at The Levee on target in Maitland

From the Maitland Mercury report:
Road construction is under way, with also pavers being laid and trees being planted on the southern side of the old mall.
Work on the northern side of the road between Bourke Street and Bulwer Street will continue in the coming weeks.

Full article available at Maitland Mercury, Jan. 21, 2015.

Top 100 Genealogy Websites for 2015

Gould Genealogy website announces:

Genealogy In Time Magazine’s Annual Top 100 Genealogy Websites list for 2015 has just been released, and what an amazing list it is.

With many changes among the Top 100, including those in the Top 10, there are a number of new players making it into the list for the first time.

Society of Australian Genealogists - Gallipoli Series

The Boer War: Curtain Raiser for the Great War
Thursday 5 February 2015: Richmond Villa - 120 Kent St, Sydney
10.30am - 12.30pm
The Boer War was fought between 1899 and 1902 and involved Australia fighting in its first overseas war as a nation. Approximately 23,000 Australian men and women served and about 1,000 never returned. In addition many soldiers in British units migrated to Australia post war. Personnel documentation is both sparse and erratic. This talk will focus on an overview of the war and a discussion of sources for family historians in locating the story of participants 

Presenter - David Deasey
Bookings essential.
Cost:  $20.00 members
Non members can attend for $30.                    Details

Oral History NSW/RAHS Workshop

Capturing Memories: Oral History in the Digital Age
A practical workshop for all interested in recording the experiences of family, friends, local community, history of museum items or any other project incorporating memories of the past.
History House  
Macquarie St  
Sydney

Sat 21 Feb 2015 

More information: Oral History N.S.W.

Thursday, January 8, 2015

Lochinvar School of Arts Hall restoration

From the Maitland Mercury report:
This is the catchphrase of a group of Lochinvar residents who have taken on the laborious task of restoring the community’s iconic school of arts hall.
Earlier this year, the community launched a campaign to attract a group of trustees to oversee the rejuvenation of the hall.
Since then, the small group of eight has rallied together to begin the restoration project and recently received a $33,000 grant – as part of the NSW government’s Community Building Partnership program – to continue its work.

Full article available from Maitland Mercury, Jan. 6, 2015,

Fund-raising efforts continue to restore historic Maitland grandstand

From the Maitland Mercury report:
The fight to save the Maitland Showground grandstand will continue, despite a significant state government grant application being knocked back.
Hunter River Agricultural and Horticultural Association launched a campaign to restore the ailing structure last year.
There is still time to own a piece of the historic Maitland Showground grandstand and help fund its repair.

Full article available at Maitland Mercury, Jan. 6, 2015.

The changing face of historic high street

From the Maitland Mercury report:
The old is making way for the new and sophisticated in Maitland’s historic High Street.
Pavers have come up in what was the 1988 Heritage Mall and have been replaced with porphyry stone blocks, while workers replace the road surface to reopen The Levee to one-way traffic.
Sydney-based company Landscape Solutions will complete the work on The Levee in January or February.

Full article available at Maitland Mercury, Jan. 5, 2015.

RAHS Open Day – Australia Day & Pot Luck with History

Royal Australian Historical Society
Open Day

When: Monday, 26 January 2015 to Monday, 26 January 2015 from 10:00 am to 04:00 pm
Where: History House, 133 Macquarie Street, Sydney
Cost: General Free
Contact: Royal Australian Historical Society, 02 9247 8001, history@rahs.org.au,                     


Call into History House between 10am and 4pm on Australia Day for a chance to visit our beautiful heritage house and hear various historians speak about the events, people and places that contributed to Australia’s history. There will be interesting ten‐minute talks every half hour between 11:30am and 3pm.

The speakers for the day will include:

Judith Dunn – 1. The Function of Colonial Inns 2. Crimes of Convict Women
David Carment – Walking through history between The Spit and Manly
Ian Jack – 1. The Paragon CafĂ© at Katoomba and its wall decorations by Otto Steen, 2. World War I and its effect on the College at the University of Sydney
Christine Yeats – The history of History House
Margaret Hogge – Fellowship of First Fleeters.