At the Dural and District Historical Society’s May meeting, two speakers covered the same ground from different angles: member Jenny Bradley and Murray Wilton, General Manager of the Royal Easter Show, both speaking about agricultural shows, local and statewide.
Bradley’s family trophies, won by her grandfather, made the point about how agricultural skill used to be honoured. Wilton gave the Show’s backstory and its standing in the state’s history, and left with everyone holding a copy of its bicentennial book. Tea and coffee followed, and so did the stories.
The Society exists to research and record the history of what was once called The Durals, and that’s only possible because local families keep handing over their records.
The Hayes family’s latest contribution covers agricultural development, the library, the community hall, the cenotaph, land subdivision and sale, education, dances, and shows. Read it cover to cover, and the district’s whole formation is right there on the page.
History Cottage is open on the last Sunday of every month, 1 to 4 pm, for anyone wanting to start digging into family or local history, with members on hand to help. The last one was on 28th June.
Member Judy Horton OAM spoke on 13th June about stonemason Joseph Aaron Booth, whose work remains visible on memorials and in homes across the area. Her research, she said, went down more than a few rabbit holes before things connected.
That meeting was held at Galston Uniting Church, School Road, Galston, 2 pm Saturday, 13th June. Free entry, gold coin donation for afternoon tea. Enquiries to Michael Bell, 02 9653 1365.