Room for Improvement

One Thursday evening, in 1860, the Reverend James Robert Thackery (1827-1902) was surely pleased to present to his committee this revised edition of the West Maitland School of Arts Rule Book and library catalogue. The Reverend took great interest in this organisation for almost two decades. He believed deeply in its aims, which included the […]

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Stitching Together the Story

While Elizabeth Broadhead (1822–1894) was stitching this sampler, little could she imagine that she and her sampler would soon emigrate to New South Wales. Elizabeth was born in Barnside, Yorkshire to David (1799–1872) and Ann (nee March) (1802–1875) and the family emigrated in 1842 aboard the William Sharples. The family settled at ’Inverary Parke’ near […]

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That’s for Spirits

While the clay was still wet, a potter carefully impressed a stamp with the words ‘JAMES TAYLOR / MORPETH’ into the medallion on the collar of this two-gallon (3.8 litre) stoneware bottle. It was probably just one in a large batch of identical bottles that were fired in the kilns that day. The bottle was […]

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