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 […]
Founded in 1950 by Dulcie Beth Callinan (nee Koller, 1915-1991) OBE ‘to bring cheer and comfort to listeners,’ the Babaneek Ladies’ Choir regularly performed to audiences in the Hunter region of New South Wales for over 30 years. Reading their sheet music, you begin to get an understanding of the ladies who formed it – […]
When WWII began in 1939, the New South Wales government swiftly established a body known as the National Emergency Service (NES) to act as an air raid and civil defense service on the home front. All civilians, particularly government employees, were urged to join. One of the 115,000 people who heeded this call was Albert […]
Albert Wallbank served as a police constable in Carrington, Newcastle for seven years until March 1921, when he was transferred to Dudley, then a small seaside town. The ink stand pictured dates to the 1920s and is believed to have been gifted to Constable Wallbank. Perhaps it was a farewell gift from the Carrington community, […]
When Albert Edward Wallbank (1887–1953) joined the New South Wales Police Force in 1913 the role of a police officer was significantly broader than it is today. After serving at Carrington for seven years Albert was posted to Dudley Station in 1921 where he was to remain for 27 years until his retirement in 1947. […]
This envelope yields a range of stories about how work and company practices have changed over time. The John Darling Colliery at Belmont, the employer, opened in 1925, with the first coal recovered in 1927 but ceased production only 60 years later in 1987. The employee, F. Heaney is thought to be either Frank snr. […]
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