ON SUNDAY 14 NOVEMBER 2021, SOME ESA MEMBERS JOINED WITH THE NAGAMBIE HISTORICAL SOCIETY TO TALK ABOUT EPHEMERA AND OTHER COLLECTABLES. What do historical society members collect?
Well, they were limited by what they could transport to the Nagambie Golf Club – so Rhonda who collects many things, brought part of her smallest collection – beautiful compacts. Bill brought the clock that used to remind him to set off to school; his father wound it faithfully each day. It chimes on the hour and half hour. His wife Robyn brought postcards.
Kevin F. spoke about his collections and the collecting bug – he began with frequent visits to an army recruitment centre in Flinders Street; he brought a poster about badges that he had on his bedroom wall in the late 1960s; and the badges that he has since collected including during an army career. He was inspired to start other collections: when he moved to Nagambie (brought early postcards and a newspaper poster); when they got a cocker spaniel; and marking his support for Hawthorn.
David Harris, well-known ESA member, showed material relating to his family in Bendigo – the panorama is a series of photographs of a view, mounted on a Weet Bix box!
There were displays of collections on both sides of the dining room; others spoke about one or two items from their seats – a German/English dictionary; a clock in the shape of a milk churn; money boxes; a young girl’s correspondence to and from the Sun Pictorial’s Corinella envelopes and badges; a sailor’s sewing palm; a series of 1956 Olympic stubs, photographs and newspaper articles about running the Myer’s ticket booth on the fourth floor of the Bourke st store.
Russell brought a sample of tools, showing the wear and tear and the art of sharpening saws. Russell mentioned that there remains in town a house entirely built without electrical tools – no power to the site.
This shot shows Peter B. his series of paintings of railway stations; he is commissioning a painting of the now destroyed Nagambie Railway Station. This brought some lively memories from the floor about playing in the silos near the station – also gone. On the side we can see part of Valda’s quilt. She also mentioned the crochet sample book made for her illiterate great grandmother.
Was there more?
Yes – a great country generous lunch and afternoon tea. We were privy to some wonderful mainly art deco lamps, collected by another Russell.
We ended the afternoon with a great selection by Rod about police hats, badges and other ephemera – colonial to current.
Thanks to the ideas’ guy and organiser Bobo McMaster and Judy Macdonald. Looking forward to going back to Nagambie and maybe elsewhere….
David Harris says
The Beehive panorama displayed is a copy of the original which is from a single negative circa 1930. The photograph includes both my father and mother’s older sister. My maternal grandfather Joseph Button also worked in the store for a time.
The souvenir publication THE BEEHIVE Bendigo : OUR first 100 YEARS of PROGRESS 1852 -1952 mentions “one of the oldest in years of service … still on the staff, in the person of Mr A.J. Harris, with 53 years of continuous service.” Grandpa Harris is in the 1952 staff photo.
The recently renovated building depicted was designed by Charles Webb in 1872 “ a prominent Victorian architect who also designed the Royal Arcade, the Windsor Hotel and the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne.” Mike Butcher, Bendigo Historic Buildings, National Trust of Australia (Victoria) Central Victoria Branch 1987.
I also referred to Zachariah Button my maternal Great Grandfather who was a carpenter and building contractor noted for work on the Bendigo Town Hall, St. Kilian’s Church and my personal favourite the California Gully Primary School on Belltopper Hill. All still standing and used for their original purpose.