This semester at school, the kids have been looking at history. Over the past few weeks they've investigated some local history of our quite old little town and school.
Luckily one of the kids at school has grandparents that have lived here for quite a long time, and are bits of local historians. She was able to provide some old photos and maps, which were fascinating. And some googling also produced some very interesting results.
In 1947 someone obviously decided that there needed to be a pictorial record taken of the township, I found quite a few images of buildings. This one is of our house in its previous existence of post office and telephone exchange. Very little has changed, except in the 1960's two rooms were added on the left hand side as living quarters for the postmaster of that era. I believe the fence on the right (not the white one, the posts in the background) is the one still half standing that I am wanting to pull down. And the gates on the far right are STILL the same front gates!!
A few years earlier, in the 1930's, and obviously prior to a coat of white paint. Local kids all getting a ride on a travelling cameleer.
Note the windows: white in this photo and green in the previous. (I know its green as I've met the layers in a window sanding exercise).
A 3D style map of the houses that are/used to be around our township, fascinating, especially when compared to some of the photos I have discovered!
For example, this was the church that was right next door to our house, as indicated on the map. Sadly white ants did their best and the building was pulled down in the early 80's. The school kids scrounged around on the site one afternoon, but all they could find of its existence was some green fragments of glass from the windows, a roofing nail and a scrap of lead roof capping, and one building stump (at ground level). Georgie spent several afternoons excavating that stump from the ground, hoping to find some other "treasure" under it. All that came out of that exercise was a leg breaking hole left in the ground that needs to be backfilled before horses enter the paddock again, and a kid that was kept muddy and occupied for a week of after school afternoons! (and a whole pile of implements that needed to be returned to the shed!)
This is our school in 1947. Same building still stands....
and as it is today.
I don't know about you, but I love history and comparing then and now! Watch this space. I feel a project coming on. Must make time to visit the local historical society to see if I can find more photos!
Its a lovely walk through time isn't it Sharon...the kids completed their History units a few weeks ago and it was so interesting...although not it wasn't quite so focused on our local area which is always nice.
ReplyDeleteMe too........I love that old "then and now" - you should have done Ali Edwards "yesterday and today" course!! ha ha. Keep the old photos and history coming, I find it fascinating. Regards Kathy
ReplyDeleteI love local history too Sharon. And lovely to have some oldies around to question, I think they love sharing the information too. We've enjoyed having Matthew's mum visiting the past few days and I particularly enjoyed learning a little more about her childhood in northern New South Wales and the wonderful historical properties she has much knowledge of. I suggested that she should start jotting some of it down, as it's information I'm sure her grandkids would love to read one day down the track.
ReplyDeleteOur home was moved here, once a railway house in town. Would love to find some photos of it, but really don't know where to start.
Good luck with your continued fossicking.
Quite fascinating Sharon - how has the population changed over the years? What has affected how people have moved through the area?
ReplyDeleteThe old photos are such a hoot - I find so many have entrenched scowls on their faces - it's amusing - though, a photo would have been such a novelty back then.
Oh wow that is really interesting. I love a bit of history and seeing how places have changed.
ReplyDeleteYeah mate,local history is great until you realise that you are becoming part of it .......bugger!
ReplyDeleteHow amazing, nothing better than local history. Really enjoyed your post - thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful record for your family x
ReplyDeleteThat must have been quite special to see your own home in its previous incarnations and realise that some of it was still in existence! And I love the 'aerial' map which someone has done of the area at a time when an aerial view would not have been possible to record, probably. Wonderful post, and so glad your children are finding out about their own local area.
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