National Trust Open Day: Woodford Academy

Visit Woodford Academy on 18 June. Built as an Inn in the early 1830's, it later became a gentleman's residence with additions to then cater for a boarding house, and later a boy's boarding school. See the water pump in the courtyard, check out the breakfast room and the Chapel dining room.

Saturday 18 June

10am - 4.30pm
Contact: Marilyn Wright on (02) 4758 7809

Book pays homage to our coal heritage

From the Maitland Mercury report:
More than 1900 working coal mines have been established in NSW since European settlement. Some had as few as two workers, and the mines had names such as Cramp and Folly.
But regardless of the size of the operation, or the length of time they operated, all are listed in the Coal Mines of NSW Index book to be launched today.
Coalfields historian Brian Andrews has spent 20 months on behalf of Coal Services, formerly the Joint Coal Board, trawling through dusty record books at the Department of Primary Resources’ headquarters in Maitland, as well as newspapers and other sources, to track down a definitive list of all of the coal mines in the state.

Full article by Briony Snedden available at: Maitland Mercury, 02 Jun, 2011.

18th Australasian Irish Studies conference - Canberra

The National Museum of Australia is hosting the 18th Australasian Irish Studies conference: The Irish in Australia 1788 to the present
Explore the impact of Irish culture, religion, language and music in shaping Australian identity at the Irish Studies Association annual conference.

Speakers from across Australia and Ireland will spend two days at the National Museum in Canberra, which is hosting the exhibition Not Just Ned: A true history of the Irish in Australia.

Friday 1 - Sunday 3 July 2011
More information at: Irish Studies Conference 

Recording the past: Harry Boyle and Andrew Burg collections

From the Maitland Mercury report:
The research and papers of historians Harry Boyle and Andrew Burg represent a lifetime of work. The Harry Boyle and Andrew Burg memorial collections were launched at Maitland City Library on Saturday after “a number of years” had been spent sorting and cataloguing the material for easy access and use.

The extended Boyle and Burg families joined a who’s who of local historians, including representatives from Maitland Historical Society, at the event. The mayor of Maitland, Cr Peter Blackmore, who launched the collections, said the information contained within the folders would be integral to the Maitland local studies collection.

Full article by Briony Snedden availabe at Maitland Mercury, 30 May, 2011.

Coalfield Heritage Group: Tumblebee journal

The June 2011 edition of Tumblebee features a number of in-depth local history articles covering bushrangers as well as a focus on East Maitland:

• Bushrangers - reminiscences of Charles T. Clifton
• Relics of the Jewboy gang of bushrangers
• Captain Thunderbolt's revolver mystery solved
• Recollections of Thunderbolt
• Something of Mrs. Thunderbolt
• Thunderbolt and the Tenterfield Races
• Days of horse and cattle stealing
• 1870 - East Maitland
• Alexander Dodds - leading East Maitland citizen

'Obituaries Australia'

'Obituaries Australia' is a new digital repository of obituaries published in newspapers, journals and magazines. Recently launched, you will already find a great collection of stories about various Australians from the earliest times to present. The website is hosted by the National Centre of Biography at ANU. The 'Obituaries Australia' site will focus on published obituaries, which will be great for family and local historians. Easy to use, there is a Quick Search as well as Advanced Search and you search place names, occupation, dates etc. The organisers are keen for community participation by sending copies of obituaries of people you have researched.

National Archives of Australia plays vital role in returning lost war medals

The British War Medal and World War I Victory Medal that turned up in a garage sale in the Sydney suburb of Kogarah last year have a proud tale to tell. First, there’s the story of Australian soldier Private Murray Thomas who was awarded the medals. Then there’s the story of how the medals were reunited with Private Thomas’ family via the Lost Medals Australia initiative.
Read the full story at the National Archives web site.