How fortunate we are to live where we do; for most of us it has not meant being confined indoors. There has been plenty to do in the garden, time to read and to shop locally. Our thoughts go to those who have not been able to meet with family and who could not participate in those events that are part of life’s journey. Our thanks go to people who did make a sacrifice and thought of others in the community, by following the guidance of those better able to judge the severity of damage possible during the Covid pandemic. History of earlier similar events was often quoted so lessons have been learnt.
The Society is preparing its programme for 2021 in the hope that permitted numbers for gatherings will allow the return of the monthly meeting of members. Hopefully these will begin with that on Saturday the 13th February, starting at 2.00pm in History Cottage. Future meetings are on the second Saturday of each month. The June Roughley Memorial Lecture, in the Arcadia Community Hall, will be on Saturday the 14th August with a widely recognised historian and academic as guest speaker.
The remaining nine meetings will include Christine Erratt, an expert on Australian silver, interesting research on AW Scott, a Galston connection to the early days of the NRMA and motor cycling, and our ever popular Show and Tell, when members bring along items of interest from their own collections. Some of our members are also guest speakers to other organisations and as the result of their research is always of interest to our own members, we are pleased to add them to our list of guest speakers.
Plans are also underway for the Society tours. In recent years there have been three oneday trips to easily accessible historic locations and a two or three days trip to places of farther afield. They are very reasonably priced and are always a most enjoyable and interesting time together.
The experience of the past year has shown that there is much to be gained by participating locally. Rather than just returning to “normal” there are benefits in thinking local. Such activities as shopping locally, joining a local organisation, walking in our wonderful bushland, employing a local tradesman and learning about its history to better understand our place in it. Hornsby Shire Council is currently examining the public response to their recent survey of the Rural Lands. It is a chance to shape the society in which we want to live and gaining a better knowledge of what is here will assist them and us in those deliberations.
The research facilities of the Historical Society are available to members and to the general public, by appointment.
Please consider joining and using the Society as a means of gaining a better understanding of our community and to have knowledge based discussions as we emerge from the current pandemic.
