On 6 February 1952, King George VI’s (1895-1952) died after a prolonged illness and, within a day, the news broke in Australia through newspaper stands and cinemas. In the dim light of the silver screen, filmgoers would learn about the passing of the throne through newsreels, like those compiled here, and then spread the news […]
Small metal numbers were once used to signify the badge numbers of police officers. Using the small holes or loops, the numbers were hand-sewn to the high, stiff, and uncomfortable collar of an officer’s tunic. These particular numbers —two fours and a six—were found in the desk of Albert Edward Wallbank (1887-1953), an officer at […]
Nancy Irene Wallbank (1910-1981) of Dudley, New South Wales, was in her early 30s when she became a registered National Emergency Service (NES) Warden. During WWII, as airstrikes began to feel like an imminent threat throughout Australia, the NES formed to prepare communities for possible air attacks on Australian soil and train volunteers to assist […]
This certificate, issued to Albert Arthur Robert Wallbank (1909–1975) gave him the right to mine under the 1906 NSW Mining Act. Albert lived in Dudley in the heart of the coal mining district of the Hunter Valley of NSW but it is unlikely that he was intending to mine for coal. Gold was his target. […]
Although this object may look like a giant’s bangle it is in fact an integral part of the mostly forgotten game of clay–end quoits which dates back to the 14th century and was most closely associated with mining regions. The game involved the throwing of metal rings, the quoits, up and down a pitch with […]
When we think of doomsday prepping, our imagination is likely to conjure images of eccentric characters in American documentaries, or, more recently, the stockpiling of food and supplies undertaken by many around the globe while we were cast into the initial throes of the COVID-19 pandemic. But here, in the Householders’ Handbook for Nuclear Warfare, […]
Like many Australian schools, Dudley Public School (est. 1892) has a motto— ‘Manners Maketh Man’. A school motto is a brief phrase, often selected from religious or classical literature, which acts as a vision statement to represent the school’s values. It represents both brand identity and an aspirational ideal for students. Australian school mottoes, […]
This collection of first-aid books was likely compiled and put together in the pictured hessian bag for distribution by a local Civil Defence Organisation, after WWII ended. These Civil Defence Organisations are considered something of a precursor to today’s State Emergency Services. There were intended to establish a local base of willing volunteers to serve […]
Twenty-four opportunities to dance were to occur at the I.O.O.F. Annual Ball in 1899, which meant twenty-four opportunities to dance with someone new. A dance card was a tool which meant partners could be pencilled in before the dance or to hurriedly jot down the name of someone found in the moment. When thinking of […]
Dudley School of Arts was one of hundreds of Schools of Arts (sometimes called Mechanics Institutes) that once operated across New South Wales. These organisations were part of a movement in adult education which originated in Great Britain but introduced throughout its colonies. Australia was one of the most enthusiastic adopters of the concept. The […]
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