To All Members - Season’S Greetings for 2018-2019!
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History West, December 2018 December 2018 To all members - Season’s Greetings for 2018-2019! In the summer of 1897-1898 the colonial Post and Telegraph Department was so proud of its contribution to Western Australia’s development and prosperity that it produced an extensively illustrated season’s greetings souvenir to celebrate its grand new offices around the colony and its leading staff members. This pamphlet, together with so many other glimpses of past life in Western Australia, is to be found in the Library’s pamphlets collection (PR899 Box 7). While we still value our postal service, these technologies have been largely superseded, the grand post office buildings sold off and turned to other purposes. The arrival of the digital age has transformed our lives again. The pamphlet highlights some of the interesting features of a time when Coolgardie was ‘The Johannesburg of the West’, Albany the chief port of the colony, the pearling fleet the pride of the North, and the telegraph our chief communications link both within Western Australia and with the rest of the world. A E Williams Western Australian History Prize 2018 Prize Winner Congratulations to the winner, Gillian Lilleyman, awarded for her book Pioneer Daughter the Diary of Frances Louisa (Fanny) Brockman (nee Bussell). Gillian is pictured here receiving her prize from vice president Steve Errington. And congratulations also to John Norman for his highly commended entry — Broome 1910: companion publication to 'A Pearling Master's Journey' in the wake of the schooner 'Mist'. Both books are splendid additions to Western Australian historical writings, and you can read full reviews exploring their riches in the book review section of this issue. Holiday Closure The Society will close at 4pm on Wednesday 19 December & re-open on Monday 7 January. History West, December 2018 Council News History in the City At its meeting held on 8 November business Kayleen Poon, speaking on the history of the Chinese included the following where Council in Western Australia, was our November presenter. Her talk brought back memories for the audience, • welcomed new members – Christopher Black, many of whom remembered the Chinese presence in Neville Garrity, Julian & Lesley Grill, Dr Rupert Northbridge and other districts. Many of the Chinese Johnson & Elaine Johnson, Nicole (Nicky) who settled in WA made their homes near Jones Lake and Lake Monger as well as in South Perth, Maylands McDaniel, Douglas Sellick and Bassendean. Among the misconceptions about the Chinese was that concerning their names. Not only did • applauded the completion of a five-year the Western Australians find it difficult to pronounce Remembering Them; Centenary of Service Joint their names, but also they did not realise that the family Project with Museums Australia WA and the WA name came first. For example, an early Chinese family Museum supported by Lotterywest with 32 regional in WA was the Yuan family who arrived in May 1894. partners to create exhibitions telling local histories They became the Hoy Poy family because the head of relating to World War I and a century of service the family introduced himself as Yuan Hoy Poy. Quite • recorded gratitude and best wishes to Dr Kerry a number of the family names mentioned by Kayleen Smith AM for her contribution as a Councillor and were known to the audience, memories were stirred convenor of the Tours Events, Promotions and and the audience enjoyed the talk. Marketing Committee since her retirement from History in the City is held on the first Wednesday of Curtin University in 2013 each month from March to December. Our first talk • congratulated Councillor Nick Drew elected for 2019 will be on Wednesday 6 March at the convener of the Affiliated Societies committee Citiplace Community Centre on the Perth Railway station concourse, Donation $5 entry with afternoon • agreed to close the Society for the festive season tea, all welcome. at 4pm on Wednesday 19 December and reopen on Monday 7 January 2019 at 10.00am Lorraine Tholet • noted the successful day tour by coach to Greenhills and York • endorsed a budget to support generous donations from Castledex for shelving and MKDC for new Grateful thanks from office furniture for the foyer refresh project History West! • welcomed members’ contribution of over 1000 Thanks to everyone who helped create hours of voluntary work in October this year’s eleven issues of History • reported news of a successful Lotterywest West. We couldn’t produce a monthly organisational grant for the development of a newsletter without the involvement of feasibility study and business plan on a proposed you all – authors and book reviewers; building development for the History West photographers; Library, Museum, Community Centre Bookshop, and Tours and Events volunteers, Affiliate contributors, and • welcomed the president of the Federation of the distribution team. Many thanks to Australian Historical Societies, Associate Professor Dr Lesley without whom the publication Don Garden OAM, and interstate delegates for their would not appear on time and to order, annual meeting; and thanked board member Dr and very special thanks to formatter Bernadette Flynn for conducting a useful succession and designer Barry who is responsible planning workshop which RWAHS councillors attended for the clever and attractive layouts • endorsed the combination of the A E Williams every month. Thanks also to Marvi at Essay Prize and the Lee Steere history prize to offer iPrintplus. History West could not an annual prize exist without you all. Your involvement is much appreciated! • welcomed support from Robert Manford’s business COMPU-STOR Information Management Lenore Layman, Editor Solutions following a special tour of its Belmont premises • received a report on progress of the secondhand book sale from coordinators Pamela and Nick Drew who reported that so far over 300 boxes of books Early Days have been donated towards the sale planned for the Your journal is available for collection at the weekend of 6 and 7 April 2019. Christmas Party or at Stirling House. We hope you Lennie McCall Chairperson enjoy reading its many interesting articles. 2 History West, December 2018 New members’ visit Correction October’s History West contains an article on Jonah New members were welcomed to Stirling House by Smith Wells Parker and a photograph that we said representatives of all sections of the Society, including was of him. Member Barbara Sewell has since New Members’ Liaison Christine Foulkes Taylor and pointed out that the image in fact shows Jonah Community Officer Lesley Burnett. Smith Wells not Jonah Smith Wells Parker. Jonah Smith Wells Parker was named in honour of his Bookshop volunteer Marie Francoise Scott introduced great uncle Jonah Smith Wells, his mother being the Bookshop where a wide range of WA history Mary Henrietta Wells before her marriage. The publications were on view for sale, including local photograph of Jonah Smith Wells was gifted by history, guides, indexes, Indigenous history, Misses Flora and May Parker who were Jonah exploration, biography, commerce and industry, Smith Wells’ great grand nieces and Jonah Smith maritime history and sociology. Details of all the Wells Parker’s daughters. publications, including the contents of issues of Early Days journal can be found in the Bookshop catalogue. Orders can be placed online via the Shopping Cart. Also shown were the Archival Products available for purchase in the front foyer —acid-free paper, boxes, photograph albums and a new copper product range offering long-term safe storage for photos, garments and other important family treasures. Members receive a 10% discount. Library volunteers Hilaire Natt and Mike Taylor introduced the group to the Society’s extensive collection of books, periodicals, maps, articles and photographs. Hilaire provided a glimpse of the Here is a photograph of the real photograph albums, including an image of Paddy Jonah Smith Wells Parker. Hannan in a white suit. Mike explained the internet We apologise for this error. web page and demonstrated how the collections could Apart from the photograph, our history of Jonah be searched from either the Services or Collections Smith Wells Parker’s life is correct. buttons on the public home page. New members were Barbara wrote The House of Northbourne Parkers. invited to contact the Library for any assistance they Pioneers of Western Australia 1830-1983 (1983), a might need. copy of which is in the Library. Artist in Residence, Councillor and Museum volunteer Wendy Lugg gave a glimpse behind the scenes in the Bill Henderson (1928-2018) various museum storerooms and explained a little We record with sadness the death of our member, about how we manage and care for our collection. The volunteer, former Councillor and Treasurer. Bill museum tour ended in the large meeting room where helped the Society wherever there was a need with the group was introduced to the current exhibition skill, good cheer and gentlemanly kindness. The Western Land and shown some of the treasures support he provided was invaluable, most notably awaiting their investigation in the pull-out display when he stepped in as Treasurer at a difficult time. drawers. Wendy detailed the room’s varied uses as William George Henderson LS, FISA, was born in exhibition space, workroom and meeting room, and West Perth and undertook his survey cadetship under F G Medcalf in Albany. As a surveyor in the encouraged new members to come along to some of WA Lands and Surveys Department he carried out the many events held there. many surveys across the State, his career The visit ended with morning tea giving everyone the culminating in the position of Surveyor General from 1984 to 1986. He made a significant opportunity to chat with volunteers and each other. contribution to the mapping of Australia and will be particularly remembered for the part he played in pinpointing the desert triangle where the Northern Territory, South Australia and Queensland meet.