Bowral Mittagong Berrima Moss Vale BERRIMA DISTRICT HISTORICAL & FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY Inc. Founded 1960 Located in the Wingecarribee Shire, NEWSLETTER Southern Highlands of NSW No 527 May 2020 ABN 29 362 616 937 From the President’s Desk Who would have predicted the turn of In less than a year more than events that have occurred during the 12,000 Australians lost their lives. past six months, culminating in the The NSW State Archives website current COVID-19 pandemic which has states that a total of 6387 deaths nearly paralysed the world. Fortunately, quick and occurred in NSW between January decisive action by the Australian Government and and August 1919. A total of medical authorities has mitigated the effects and kept 22,000 cases were reported in our fatalities to a world-class low. NSW, although the actual figure COVID-19 is not the first pandemic to cause havoc in was suggested to be closer to our country. During the final months of World War 1 290,000 people infected. an influenza pandemic took hold in Europe. Many Restrictions, however, were placed on the people of countries embroiled in the war suppressed early news NSW during 1919, including the closure of racecourses of the outbreak. This led to the false assumption that and hotels, and the banning of public meetings. neutral Spain, whose press freely reported on the Medical practitioners were given the powers to restrict scourge, was the origin of the virus. After the King of the movement of individuals, especially those who had Spain contracted the virus, the name Spanish Flu stuck. come into contact with infected patients. Fines of £20 It quickly spread across the globe with reputedly up to or more were applied to those in breach of restrictions. 50% of the world’s population affected and deaths Did this influence the formulation of the current somewhere between 50 and 100 million people. restrictions to COVID-19? Ships returning to our shores at the conclusion of the And what an uncanny co-incidence is the image (shown war carried the virus. The first ships returning with on page 2) of health workers during the Spanish flu infected passengers on board were safely confined at period, kitted out in their protective clothing and the North Head quarantine station in Sydney but, masks, that was included in the travelling exhibition – unfortunately, other ships returning to Australia were Windows into Wartime – displayed at the Berrima not subject to the same restrictions and the disease District Museum from December 2017 to February quickly spread throughout the country. Spanish Flu was 2018. Our Society hosted the exhibition which featured also known as the purple pandemic due to the purple a collection of historical images taken on fragile glass- cyanotic skin colour which was a distinctive tell-tale plate negatives by government photographers during sign that death was near. the war, giving insights into happenings in Australia during and immediately ALL GENERAL MONTHLY MEETINGS POSTPONED TILL FURTHER NOTICE after the Great War. MAY 2020: Thursday 28 May at 2:00pm NO MEETING On page 3 are details about how to view this JUNE 2020: Thursday 25 June – our annual June Lunch, to be advised fine exhibition online. We will advise when the Family History Interest Group can meet again. Ian Mackey Moore Memorable Musings Berrima District Museum A DAY TOO LONG THE STORY CENTRE IN LOCKDOWN 1a Market Place cnr Bryan St, 2020 being a leap Berrima 2577 year, we always OPEN WEDNESDAY TO SUNDAY knew there would be 29 days in 10.00am to 4.00pm throughout the February, but this year. This includes during school and year we had 300 days in March and public holiday periods. Closed 10 years in April. Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. The big day is here. Excitement and The performance over for another Groups welcome at other times by tension mounts in our household as week, I cheerfully bow and wave arrangement. Ph: Lyn 02 4862 1626 we anxiously await the arrival of the farewell to my new-found friend, the or John 0434 623 402. WEDNESDAY GARBAGE PICKUP. household waste collector. Museum: Phone 4877 1130 or Breakfast over, washing up done so Bruce Moore email [email protected] now looking forward to the morning, rewarding ourselves with a steaming Managed and operated by members hot cup of coffee. Membership Details of our Society who volunteer their Rubbish has been accumulating over time and expertise. Please note that all membership the past seven days and has been PLEASE NOTE stored ever so thoughtfully in their enquiries and changes of address respective coloured containers. It’s details should be addressed to: Our Museum at Berrima and the time to take out the bins. The Membership Secretary Mittagong Archives/Research Centre I decided to get dressed up for the c/- the Society’s postal address are closed to the public for the duration of the pandemic lockdown. occasion. No more sloppy old trackies or email: [email protected] and slippers for me. Anyone with a question, a research I just might see someone! Archives’ opening hours inquiry, or who wishes to obtain What joy it gives me to hear the roar local or family history information, of the monster refuse machine Monday 10:00 am – 4:00 pm or order photos from our Image growling and groaning its way up the Tuesday 10:00 am – 4:00 pm Library (viewable via our website) hill. Its iron jaws agape as it takes up may do so by emailing the Society. its position alongside our humble Saturday 10:00 am – 1:00 pm garbage containers. Tension is palpable, coffee shaking in its cup as the giant machine completely dominates the skyline. So which bin will it choose today? Will it be the noisy bottle & can one, or the tiny red one? The red wheelie bin wins! Surprisingly, with the gracefulness of a trained ballet dancer its metal claws gently wrap themselves around the waist of the container and delicately tosses the load into the air. Miraculously the lid opens and the contents are spewed like a projectile into its dark void, never to be seen again. With a dramatic flourish of an orchestral maestro, the empty bin is daintily lowered into its rightful position on the driveway apron, empty of its innards. In the blink of an Medical staff and workers from Riley Street Depot, Surry Hills, April 1919. eye, the mechanical device releases An image related to the ‘Spanish’ influenza pandemic in NSW, used in the its grip and disappears back into the ‘Windows into Wartime’ exhibition curated by State Archives & Records NSW. mother vehicle. Digital ID: NRS4481_ST6679 Berrima District Historical & Family History Society Inc 2 Newsletter No. 527 May 2020 A reminder of a past epidemic Archie Homann of Bowral Windows into Wartime: Home front insights Painter, Designer and Artist The travelling exhibition ‘Windows into Wartime’, Long-time member and supporter of our society, Jill assembled and curated by State Archives & Records Lees, recently donated some memorabilia relating to NSW, was displayed at our museum in Berrima from the work of her grandfather, Harold Archibald December 2017 to February 2018. It provided Homann – known to all as Archie – who worked in insights into significant events and happenings in Bowral as a builder, painter and decorator. Jill has an Australia during and immediately after the Great encyclopaedic knowledge of people and places in the War, which were explained in accompanying text district, having spent the whole of her working life displays. Included in the exhibition were poignant from the age of 15 with Burton of Bowral, the well- images relating to the ‘purple pandemic’ or ‘Spanish known real estate office and auctioneer. Influenza’ of 1918-19. We regularly call on her knowledge if we have An abridged version of the now-closed exhibition is research questions about the district. On a recent provided online by NSW State Archives. View it at: visit to her home, she spoke to me about Archie and https://www.records.nsw.gov.au/archives/magazine/ his story of growing up and working in London as a galleries/windows-into-wartime young man and what an interesting story it is. The purple pandemic story is also available online at: Archie was born in https://www.records.nsw.gov.au/archives/collection London in 1882 to s-and-research/guides-and-indexes/stories/ Fanny and Henry pneumonic-influenza-1919 William Homann. He In summary: Between January-September 1919, was apprenticed to pneumonic influenza, commonly known as the his father Henry in ‘Spanish Flu’, killed 6,387 people in NSW, infecting as the family firm of W. many as 290,000 in Metropolitan Sydney alone. Homann & Son of Berners Street The pandemic threw the people and Government of London, designers the State into a community effort rivalled only by and house painters that of the then recent war, in an attempt to lessen who specialised in the spread, and impact, of a deadly disease. creating elaborate ‘Pompeian-style’ decorative schemes. Selections from early newspapers Their most prestigious commission came from Queen Victoria for Osborne House (c.1847-50), and Some curious snippets dug up by member Ros Dale throughout the 19th century they continued to from The Teetotal Advocate of 8 May 1843: design interiors for the grand houses of wealthy clients such as Lord Rothschild and the Duke of An inquisitive country gentleman, riding on his Roxburgh. William Henry Homann originally favourite gray, thus accosted a boy who was tending established the firm in the 1840s. His son, Henry pigs. “Boy, whose pigs are those?” “The sow’s sir,” William Homann was admitted to the Company of was the prompt reply.