While the Covid 19 restrictions have prevented members meeting other aspects of its work have continued, almost as usual.
The Society is the repository of the records of various community organisations, of family genealogy and the reminiscences of long time residents who see the importance of such material for our unique local history.
The Galston Chamber of Commerce gave us their complete collection. These are now to be sorted and will be available to researchers. They will join the papers from the Arcadia Brass Band, the Arcadia School of Arts and the Arcadia Field Days and high school projects, to name but some. These are available to researchers and in this regard the Society was pleased to assist the University of New South Wales with their research into agriculture during the decades between 1950 and 1990. Aerial photographs and farm records from early farmers were copied for them.
Readers of earlier editions of this paper will remember segments by “Patsy”. They gave the stories of our community as recalled by Phil. Fishburn. A former neighbour of Mr Fishburn also recorded him and these tapes have been given to the Society. The Fishburn Family came on the Sirius in the First Fleet and the tapes are of great value, being more revealing and covering social history from the very beginning of European contact with the Aboriginal people.
The Society continues to receive research requests via its web site. Members have dealt with these using the resources so generously donated, donations such as those mentioned.
How to preserve organisation records is often a problem, so keep the Society in mind should such a problem arise.
