In Australia, particularly in regional or isolated communities, pharmacists were some of the most trusted and respected people as they applied their knowledge to keep their community healthy. Pharmacy in Australia was largely based on practices that had been established in England, where pharmacies were separate from doctors and held sole dispensing rights for prescribed […]
We know Ethel May Snow (née Lynn) (1900-1965) of Glen Innes in northern NSW, preferred to be called May because, in her portrait, she wears a brooch with that name at her throat. In the studio photograph, May is impeccably dressed in the idealised fashion of the 1910s. It was a style that would soon […]
Established in Glen Innes in 1886, Kwong Sing & Co was more than a store — it was a sensory experience. Visitors were met with the clatter of horse-drawn carts, the aroma of sawdust on wooden floors, the soft chime of tonic bottles and coins against shop counters. The emporium supplied everything from medicines and […]
There are ‘few better loved women’ in Glen Innes, northern NSW, than Miss Kate McCann. As the longest-serving teacher at Glencoe Public School just south of Glen Innes, McCann (also known as Biddy) had a ‘kindly heart’ and ‘sterling character.’ McCann was born in Ireland in 1865 and emigrated to Australia with her family. At […]
Lucky number 160? The Glen Innes Salvation Army Corps may think so! In 1887, they became the 160th Salvation Army corps to be established in Australia. The corps (church) was opened by first officer Captain Ernest Booth, who some believe was a relative of the founder of the Salvation Army in London, General William Booth. […]
When food was first canned in the early 1800s, manufacturers spent a long time working out how to preserve the contents while giving little thought to how one might get to the goods inside. Early cans were thick and heavy, sometimes weighing more than their contents. Made from wrought iron and lined with tin, the […]
Where do you expect to find a mortar and pestle? Most people would immediately recall the grinding up of fragrant spices in a familiar kitchen. However, for pharmacist John Tregurtha (d. 2009), he likely thought of hours spent grinding fine powders to make medications for his community. John began working as a pharmacist at Emmaville […]
Growing up, it might have seemed unlikely that Loo Loo Ruth Amesbury (1885-1961) could truly follow in her father’s footsteps. After all, Edward Percy Amesbury (1842-1912) was the local dentist in the town of Glen Innes, on Ngoorabul country, and becoming an apprentice dentist was not what most would consider ‘women’s work’ at the time. […]
It’s hard to imagine that we once relied on horses and bullocks to take bulky produce to market, move heavy loads, and travel long distances. Back then, saddlers were essential because they made and repaired harnesses and leatherwork. In the 1870s, John Priest (born c. 1851) was one of the first saddlers to open in […]
Hiding a fascinating story behind its deceptively simple appearance, this wooden shuttle was used during the Pacific War (1944 – 1945) to weave green camouflage netting, intended to be used by soldiers stationed in the Pacific. World War II placed an unprecedented demand on Australian communities. As men answered the call to fight, women increasingly […]
Museums & Galleries of NSW acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the lands that comprise the state now known as NSW.
We pay respect to them as First Nations people with a continuing connection to land, place, waters and community
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are advised that this site contains stories, images, voices, and video of people who have died.
Some material may contain terms that reflect common usage of the period in which it was written or recorded but may not be considered appropriate today. Such terms do not reflect the views of Museums and Galleries of NSW and are provided only to reflect historical context.