New Farm Park: NEW FARM & Districts HISTORICAL SOCIETY INC

DECEMBER MEETING POSTSCRIPT:

Already much has been written and read on the final acts of the Society’s 2009 year. There have some wonderful memories and appropriate commentary coming out it all. We move on to 2010 and President Ross has crafted his Welcome Note to what will be another stellar year for the Society.

The format of the February Meeting has now been put in place with a themed day of discussion centred around a New Farm icon, the beautiful, the intriguing and the exotic Abbott Street. Well known to many people throughout Brisbane, even for the many post-wedding pics being taken on most weekends, the Abbott Street Meeting promises to deliver much. There is a well researched history on people and events involved in this Street, and a list of eminent presenters will tell their tales on the day. Led by prominent Brisbane Architect, Robert Riddel, the team looks like turning on something quite special. You can find out more of this afternoon must “….all about Abbott Street”, further into this Newsletter.

SOCIETY SNIPPETS

Over the Festive break, in some rare moment of solitude and reflection, one invariably finds oneself flicking pages of Gerard and Gloria’s masterpiece. And almost on cue, you’ll pick up a snippet that eluded in both your first and second reads of the Book. The scribe had not taken in the few back pages before. The Sections Acknowledgements, the Contributors and the Compilers just remind us of the depth and extent of the resourcing and research that had gone into the previous 159 pages. It truly is a gem. All are amazed but not surprised at the continued interest the book generates.

It is the intention of The Society to video record the upcoming February Meeting. It is planned to have one fixed point of selective filming of the day’s proceedings. We are hoping to be able to establish a visual permanent Library of all of our Meetings, available for all to see at any future time. The delights of Abbott Street should be a wonderful start point. Further details and options will be explained to Members and Guests on the day, to accommodate those who may not want to be featured.

Sadly, we advise members of the passing of recently appointed life member Elsie Broadrick seven weeks short of her 98th birthday. Elsie contributed many memories to the books on New Farm and Teneriffe. She lived in her home in Harcourt St for 70 years. As Councillor David Hinchliffe reflected, Elsie was in the true tradition of Teneriffe legends. She had no airs or pretensions. She possessed a delightful sense of humour and a great respect for humanity. Elsie was a repository of local history -- no one knew the local area better than the wife of the milkman! She is among the last of her generation who grew up during the first World War, reached adulthood during the Great Depression and endured the Second World War.

She has seen the rise and fall and rise again of a very proud suburb. There is no doubt she is a local icon and her wisdom, humour and perspective will be sadly missed.

There are confirmed reports that a Steering Committee has assembled on matters of the Teneriffe Festival, essentially set up to celebrate the re-birth of Teneriffe the suburb. Local, high profile and committed seemed to collectively describe them. Enthusiasm is high with a Saturday, 3^rd July, 2009

date being locked in just last week. Weekly Meetings are already in place and you’ll find regular updates here.

There was a delightful and most comprehensive Article appearing in the January Edition of the Village News, featuring Society President, Ross Garnett and his wife Desley. There have been many Society membership enquiries since the Article was published.

Sunday, the 28th February provides for the perfect end to the weekend , when the Brisbane History Group gathers at the Mercy Heritage Centre to launch the much awaited Tom Hurstbourne or A Squatter’s Life; a piece with a charming link to the already well known New Farm historical establishment. Further details, of what will be a riveting afternoon, are included at the tail of this Newsletter, with phone and email booking facilities being available. The Mary Ryan NF Store and New Farm Editions will stock signed copies.

COLLECTOR’S CORNER

ITEM 1 :

The Society’s work in the development of formal archiving and processing of our existing material is well advanced.The Committee is conscious of the fragile nature of the materials we have in the archives and have begun a programme to digitally back up our treasures. Many of the oral histories have already been transferred from tape or video cassette to disc and at present we are working in collaboration with the New Farm State School to archive a large range of materials which have come from this source. Copies of the materials are to be held at both the school and in our records.All materials can be viewed at the Society on Thursday afternoons between 2pm and 4pm. Private copies of materials are available for a small fee.

Our first digital archiving work involves these two gems below, with great memories being tugged as we sift through our files and records.

COMMITTEE CHATTER

The February 2010 Committee Meeting outcomes included:

Ongoing logistical and marketing arrangements concerning “Tides of Teneriffe” were discussed, with confirmation that a formal launch, likely at the local Mary Ryan outlet, would be put in place before the end of March.

All are thrilled at sales levels for “Tides”, from an increasing number of outlets, with the great news also, that “Reflections” and “Tides” continue to hold appropriate and well deserved places during January at Mary Ryan, regularly swapping places at the top of the table.

We keep in mind, as well, that “Reflections” was officially launched back in late 2008. Both have contributed greatly to this region.

We celebrate with the residents of Teneriffe, that after a couple of years of intense and committed lobbying, their suburb has been officially re-instated. They are no longer a locality within Newstead, but have their own suburb identity. The July Festival will be the inaugural celebratory activity. It will be very, very good !