The society meets on the first Monday of each month - February to December (except October) at the archive, upstairs in the Yass Soldiers' Memorial Hall at 7.30pm.

Members are encouraged to participate in a variety of activities related to the work of the society. Occasional working bees are held the museum and volunteers are frequently required to assist with short term projects in both the museum and archive.

Annual activities include Beyond the limits of location on the last weekend of March.

News

Beyond the limits of location 26 - 28 March 2010

Yes folks - it was on again! And what a success it was!

If you missed out this year please mark it in your diary 25 to 27 March 2011 when we will hold a special Golden Jubilee event to celebrate fifty years of recording and preserving our local history and heritage.was!

You are assured of a group of experienced speakers, country hospitality and great company at the society's major fundraising event of the year and we encourage members, friends and acquaintances to join us for a memorable autumn break.

Details of the 2010 program are available on this website just to let you know what you missed.

Heritage award for Yass

Members were especially pleased to hear of their nomination for a NSW Heritage Volunteers Award in recognition of the formidable body of research that they have carried out in recent years. The successful nomination was made by Peter Kabaila Heritage Advisor to the Yass Valley Council. For a number of years the volunteers at the Society's archives have diligently worked in conjunction with the council, consultants, local and family historians to compile a database of buildings of heritage value within the local government area. Twenty-two individuals and representatives of cultural organisations from throughout the state were presented with certificates in recognition of the work that has been undertaken within their communities. The presentation was made by the then Minister for Planning Kristina Keneally at a ceremony held at the Police and Justice Museum in Sydney on 16 November 2009. The Minister (now Premier of NSW) spoke of the commitment of all involved in the work of preserving heritage sites and historical information and in particular the unstinting dedication of volunteers at a local level who are involved in the onerous task. The ceremony was followed by a buffet luncheon and the opportunity to view the current exhibitions at the museum.

President Gloria Carlos was presented with a NSW Heritage Volunteers Award on behalf of the volunteers of the Society's archive by the then Minister for Planning Kristina Kenneally at a ceremony in Sydney on 16 November 2009. [Image Cheryl Mongan]

The Google Settlement

No! It is not the home of that ancient race known as the Googlians awaiting a team of archaeologists to excavate, reveal and fathom their findings but authors might well wish it were!

The Google Settlement is a recent decision of the US District Court of New York that will affect the rights of authors and publishers - worldwide!

The decision was made as the result of a class action against the giant Google Corporation when it was found to have digitised whole libraries without the permission of the individual copyright holders. Huge numbers of publications (some in their entirety) are available through Google Book Search. Google will have the right to digitise publications printed on or before 5 January 2009 and onsell their digital files to institutions, advertisers and individuals who will pay for access. There is a small compensation fee being offered to authors who register before 5 May 2009.

If you are an author or copyrightholder it would be prudent to visit the websites of the Copyright Agency Limited and www.googlebooksettlement.com for further details.

Victorian Bushfires

Following the recent devastating bushifres that have ravaged much of Victoria a call has gone out from the Association of Eastern Historical Societies (AEHS) asking for assistance in gathering historical material of the communities of Marysville and Kinglake. Many of you will have visited the area and have fond memories of what special places these towns were.

The collection of the Marysville Historical Society was lost despite the valiant attempt to save it from the fires and that of the Kinglake Historical Society is believed to have suffered some damage.

Glen Turnbull, president of the AEHS, has urged the public and organisations to make available family histories, postcards, photographs and ephemera that relate to these areas. If you do not wish to donate original materials digital copies will be a tremendous boost to the new collection. Please spread the word to anyone who may be able to assist.

Proceeds of our society's raffle at the Beyond the limits of location seminar (27-29 March) will be donated to assist these historical societies in their efforts to reclaim what was so savagely taken on Black Saturday.

For further information see the association's newsletter, flyer or contact Glen by email gaturnbull@yahoo.com.au

Beyond the limits of location 27 - 20 March 2009

We have been fortunate to have assembled a great line up of speakers who have much to offer to local and family historians - their collective expertise is phenomenal!

Knowledge of everything from theatre, movie making, archaeology, heritage wars, notorious strumpets (!!!), biographies, convicts and Aboriginal trackers to educating the masses, bad boys in uniform, the high country and even game of footie all served up with the odd verse or two!

It is not all talk either - country hospitality, pre-dinner drinks at sunset, dinner in an historic house and fabulous Australian music! All served up on your doorstep and a pleasant 35 minute drive from Yass. With no parking meters to feed, peaceful surroundings to relax in and great company why not give yourself a well deserved autumn break.

If you cannot manage a full weekend why not take advantage of the Saturday talks and lunch package and/or the dinner package.

This is the society's major fundraising event of the year and we encourage members, friends and acquaintances to attend this weekend.

The details of the seminar are now available on the website.

End of year gathering

The society's end of year gathering was held at the Black Swan Restaurant, Binalong on Sunday 7 December. The luncheon was attended by a group of about twenty-five members and guests who enjoyed a relaxed meal in the historic ambiance of the old inn. Member Robert Lehane, a direct descendant of the inn's builder and first owner Miles Murphy, gave a short talk on the history of the inn.

Faces from a war

Brendon Kelson speaking during the official launch of 'Faces from a war', the society's online gallery of more than 300 images of local World War One service personnel. [Image Cheryl Mongan]

An exciting addition to the website is an online gallery of over 300 images of local servicemen and women who enlisted during World War One. The images are mostly from a collection of glass negatives from the studio of local photographers Howard and Shearsby, supplemented by photographs taken in other studios in Sydney and Melbourne and even far-off Belfast, Northern Ireland.

The gallery was officially launched by Brendon Kelson, a Canberra photographer and author; and former Director of the Australian War Memorial, at the Yass Library on Tuesday 11 November 2008 following the Remembrance Day service. Many of those gathered for the commemorative service attended the launch.

President Gloria Carlos presented Brendon Kelson with a gift following the launch of the society's online gallery at Yass Library. [Image Cheryl Mongan]

Mr Kelson spoke of the importance of local collections and how they can be used to interpret the national experience of war and its repercussions long after the firing has stopped.

As a photographer he has an interest in the quality and types of images in the galleries and commented that he found them to be quite compelling as none of them were contrived.

Some 100 images and further information will be added to the galleries in the coming months.To view the galleries follow the links on the Faces from a war page. Copies of the images may be purchased as a either a printed or digital image. Refer to our Archives and Research pages for full details on how to order and costs involved.

Jointly hosted by the society and the Friends of Yass Library the morning commenced at 9.30am with a presentation for family and local historians on researching World War One service personnel by Cheryl Mongan from the Department of Veterans' Affairs. It was a practical guide to Internet research that can be undertaken very quickly in the comfort of your own home or local library.

After the launch many of those present took the opportunity to view the images on the library computers and to partake of the morning tea prepared by library staff and society members.

Beyond the limits of location

Participants at our annual talkfest at St Clement's Retreat and Conference Centre in late March expressed the opinion that it was the best weekend seminar that we have ever held. First time attendees were pleasantly surprised at the quality and variety of the presentations that touched so many aspects of local and family history and firmly placed them in the broader national story. Participants came from Sydney, Canberra, Orange, Southern Highlands, Cooma, Kiama, Adaminaby, Corowa, Harden, Picton and Thirlmere to share a weekend of interesting papers and good company served up with lashings of country hospitality.

We will host the sixth Beyond the limits of location from Friday 27 to Sunday 29 March 2009. Details will be announced in early December.

Anzac Day 2008

For some years the Society has laid a floral tribute in memory of the fallen at the cenotaph in front of the Yass Soldiers' Memorial Hall during the Anzac Day service. A selection of images taken during the service are available.

New Publication

Congratulations to Society member Robert Lehane on the publication of his new book William Bede Dalley: Silver-tongued pride of old Sydney. Dalley, a convict's son became the first Australian Privy Councillor before his death in 1888. The Bulletin described him as 'a man of many splendours, both of intellect and heart', and 'in many respects the most notable man Sydney has given birth to'. Nine years later some ten thousand people gathered in Hyde Park for the unveiling of a statue of him funded by public subscription, Sydney's first of a native-born colonist. This book is Robert's third publication and is hailed as a very good read.
For further information visit Robert's website.

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This page last updated: 6 April 2010