RAHS - Afflilated Societies - News & Events

 Reminder!

Tuesday 30 October

Evening Lecture: Restoring a Historic Mural at Rylstone  

The Bridge View Inn in Rylstone in mid-West NSW contains a rare mural painted in the late 19th Century by an unknown artist, depicting the second Rylstone bridge, elaborately framed by decoration and nudes. The mural is in an extremely unstable condition, and painting conservators Matteo Volonte and Adam Godijn from International Conservation Services recently travelled to Rylstone to commence stabilisation and remove the layers of overpaint that had been discovered to be covering the top third of the image. The journey to Rylstone turned into one of discovery in many different ways.

Adam Godijn graduated in 2000 as a paintings conservator and has led an exciting career in Australia and abroad. Adam is based in Sydney with International Conservation Services as a Senior Paintings Conservator and has worked on many of the most important private and public collections.

Virginia Hollister moved to Rylstone in 2004 after a career working as a lecturer at Sydney College of the Arts, then arts administrator for the Australia Council and the NSW Ministry for the Arts, then freelance arts and museum researcher and writer. In Rylstone she is deeply involved with the Rylstone and District Historical Society, who own and manage the Bridge View Inn.

A joint activity of ASHET and the RAHS

Venue: History House, 133 Macquarie Street, Sydney

Time: 5.30 for 6 pm

Cost: $8.00 Includes light refreshments on arrival.

Fabric Conservation Workshop, conducted by CTC MA(NSW)

All attention being paid to a testing to decide on what fabric the thread came from

Photo: CTC MA(NSW) collection

Kay Söderlund conducted a very interesting and informative work shop on basic fabric conservation The workshop was funded by a Skills Initiative grant of $1350 from Museums and Galleries NSW.
 
Ten members of the Central Tablelands Chapter had a good day, learning much about objects that they brought for assessment. They ranged from early Victorian lace objects to modern doilies.
 

The  highlight was the lovely Victorian small umbrella  from Mudgee Museum. Little was known about this dainty sun umbrella and it had not been opened  for a long time as there was damage and splitting along the ribs.
 
Kay, as very concerned people watched, skilfully opened and supported  this delicate object. It was revealed that it had an accession tag inside the umbrella. After testing the fabric that was thought to be silk was found to  be  fine polished cotton, the fringing was silk.

Ref: Report by Elaine Kaldy

Central Tablelands Chapter MA(NSW) - GREAT EVENTS

    From:     Phil Stevenson <ibiswines@bigpond.com>
    Subject:     ctcma   GREAT EVENTS  Lithgow SAf  museum centenary talks 20-21st October Book Launches Orange Library 24th Oct 21st November
    Date:     12 October 2012 9:03:19 PM AEDT


 Hello all,
 
Just to let you know of  three very interesting historical events coming up.
 
First is a weekend of fabulous talks relating to Australian military n industrial history to be held at the Lithgow small Arms factory Museum next weekend . The war cut us off from normal supplies and we had not only to manufacture munitions and aircraft etc but also spares for specialty everyday items like surgical instruments projectors and even shearing handpieces. The speakers are just the best and the cost is very reasonable. Unbelievably there  has only been a small response and the event is in danger o being cancelled. 

I believe it is a chance that is not to be missed so if you would like to attend please contact Kerry Guerin straight away on the numbers /emails below.
/

 Email: lithgowsafmuseum@ozemail.com.auPO Box 564. Lithgow 2790
Ph: 02 63514452
Fax:  02 63514511


The other two events are book launches to be held at the Orange City library.
 
See further details

Cheers
Phil Stevenson
0402 412 188
  

Hartley Historic Site celebrates a Double Anniversary.

Courthouse

Back to Hartley – 28 October 2012.
A full day of fun and festivities for the whole family
 

Hartley Historic Site located at the base of Mt Victoria and just off the Great Western Highway is undergoing a major revitalisation program over the next several years to enhance the sites tourism potential and to provide enhanced facilities and services to the broader community. Total cost of the revitalisation is approximately $3.2 million dollars funded by the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service.
 

Steve Ring, Manager of Hartley Historic Site said this year we are very excited to be commencing what we anticipate will be an annual event called “Back to Hartley” which will be in partnership with the local community to raise awareness of the site and its history, to raise funds for three local charities and to promote the wonders of the Central West.
 
This year the targeted charities will be: 

Cancer Support Croup Inc. – Lithgow and Districts,
 
Lithgow Prostrate Cancer Support Group, and
 
Lithgow Community Projects Incorporated
 
This year is particularly important for us as the event will also mark the 40th anniversary of the gazettal of Hartley Historic Site and the 175th anniversary of the construction of the Mortimer Lewis designed Courthouse.
 
Event goers will be encouraged to walk around Hartley Historic Site and experience the beauty and vibrancy of the historic village, and celebrate everything that’s wonderful about the Local district and Central West. “Back to Hartley” will provide an outstanding opportunity for locals and visitors alike to access the large number of cultural and community groups which operate in the region, as well as finding out how to become more involved in community life.
 
The Event will showcase a variety of arts, crafts and produce from our region, plants, entertainment, vintage cars and bikes, live music, a selection of food and drinks including Devonshire teas and a sausage sizzle showcasing local “Shogun waygu - meat”, Come and meet some of our native animals up close at the Taronga zoo mobile, Australian Museum – park in a box, sheep shearing, wood chopping or even try your hand at Archery, self guided tours of the Courthouse and much more.
 
We would like to acknowledge and show our appreciation to all our sponsors for helping to make this event happen and therefore benefit our targeted charities. (A full list of sponsors will be displayed on site at the event, as our list continues to grow as this goes to print)

“Back to Hartley” will be at Hartley Historic Site, Old Bathurst Road, Hartley NSW 2790 on Sunday 28th October 2012 from 9am – 3 pm.
For further information please contact Hartley Historic Site, NPWS on PH. 6355 2117 FAX: 6355 2118

Book now for these events in November

Workshop: Telling stories – developing exhibitions for small spaces
2 November, 10am – 3 pm
Venue TBC (Orange district)

Contact: Alison Russell, Sustainable Collections Project, Orange City Council, ph (02) 6393 8170


Regional Services Stakeholders Day
9 November, 10.30am – 4 pm
Powerhouse Museum, 500 Harris St, Ultimo

Annual forum for regional museums and galleries to assist planning of regional services and programs in NSW. Suggestions for topics or any issues for discussion welcome!

Contact: Rebecca Pinchin, Powerhouse Museum, freecall 1800 882 092 , ph (02) 9217 0220, email rebecca.pinchin@phm.gov.au

Ref: Regional services newsletter, October and November 2012

Another chance to view Orange’s 1927 silent movie

A bread van leaving Bruce and Tonks Bakery Peisley st in August 1927.
Modern for its time they continued to use horse drawn carts as well.

Photo: Orange and District Historical Society collection

     Orange residents will have one more chance to see the outstandingly popular 1927 silent
movie about the city.
     Orange and District Historical Society will screen the movie for the fifth time at 7pm on
Sunday, October 14 at the Odeon Cinemas in William Street.
     Society president Phil Stevenson said the further screening was due to popular demand.
“We have been overwhelmed with requests from people to show the movie again,” he
said.
     “Some people missed the previous screenings while others enjoyed it so much they want
to see it again.”
     People wanting to see the movie should contact Phil Stevenson on 0402 412 188 or Julie
Sykes on 6362-1682, and pick up their tickets before the screening on Wednesday between
10am and 4pm at Heritage Cottage, 148 March Street, if possible. Those who cannot get to
the cottage may pick up their tickets at the cinema on the night. Tickets cost $15 per person
and include a souvenir program and tea, coffee and biscuits after the screening.
     Phil Stevenson will give a brief talk about the movie before the movie and Ross Maroney
will answer questions afterwards.

Ref: ODHS Press Release

RAHS E-News - 4 Oct 2012

Welcome to this edition of the RAHS e-newsletter. As usual, there is a lot happening at History House and in the history community, and we are happy to share that news with you.


If you receive this newsletter as a representative of an RAHS affiliated society, we encourage you to share this with your members via email or at your meetings, as we seek to provide information of interest to all members of the history community.




Dr Susan McClean, Chair of the Affiliated Societies Committee, has contributed a new article with updates about the State History Conference, which is fast approaching on the weekend on 20-21 October. If you have not yet reserved your space at the conference, we encourage you to do so, and if you have been unsure about attending, download the draft conference program to see what an exciting weekend of events the Committee has arranged.


State History Conference News

Affiliated Societies Committee members rear (L to R): Brian Madden, Leonie Knapman, Susan McClean (Chair), Judith Dunn, Robert Hutchinson; front (L to R) Carol Liston, Lesley Gent, Angela Phippen. Absent David Craddock.

Above is your hard working Affiliated Societies Committee which is bringing you the RAHS State History Conference in just 2 weeks time! Registrations are coming in considerable numbers. Don’t delay as your bookings need to be in by 14 October. You can download the Registration Form here or fill out the hard copy posted with History. The draft schedule of events and speakers is now available and you may view it here. 

For full e-newsletter click.

Sculpture in and around Rylstone-Kandos

VISION

The long-term goal of the Rylstone Sculptures Inc is to oversee multiple and diverse installations of permanent and site-specific of sculpture along the banks of the Cudgegong River at Rylstone and in and around the environs of Rylstone and Kandos. An already existing footpath winds it way along part of the riverbank, and passes through part of the iconic Rylstone Showground. Works of the highest artistic calibre will be sought to enrich the towns to create an exciting collection of sculpture for the region. The collection will understandably be assembled over many years; it should become a long term element of the culture of Rylstone and Kandos

To bring attention to this goal, and to stimulate community appreciation for public sculpture, an exhibition of sculptural works will again be displayed over two days at the annual Rylstone-Kandos Agricultural Show, on Friday 22nd and Saturday 23^rd of February 2013 at Rylstone Showground. The Agricultural Show attracts more than 3000 visitors.

The 2012 SCULPTURES ON THE HILL was enthusiastically received. Kent Buchanan Curator of Dubbo Cultural Centre opened the exhibition with some thoughts about what he thinks he learnt by growing up the country (in his case Dubbo).  “Living in the country taught me how to hunt, I had to explore and find the things I was interested in”. Over time he came to realise that ‘Living in the country’ gives artists the opportunity to be both connected to the land and to express emotion in their physical work; so that they can be an intersection of understanding.

“Art offers the opportunity for reflection. A Gallery or Museum is a shelter from commerce, a space outside of the normal world in which we can stop and ruminate on beauty, ideas, feelings without an outside agenda; it is just you and the artwork. Similarly it creates conversations; dialogue between opposites and similar”. In this way a healthy balance is created that nourishes the sense of self.
Sculptures on The Hill is as much an expression of this as any bricks and mortar gallery and demonstrates “the care and love for the built environment is evident and is an acknowledgment of the continuation of culture and heritage breathing life into the soul of Rylstone.”

See http://www.rylstonesculptures.wordpress.com/