This little green book of religious instruction has been cared for by generations of women. Wilson on the Lord’s Supper was first published in 1733 by a bishop from the Isle of Man. His words reached the small settlement of Morpeth in New South Wales, via the early St James’s Church of England parishioners. Among […]
When 20-year-old Lincolnshire born woman Sarah Ingall (1829-1902) married at Morpeth in 1849, she probably accepted, as did most brides of her era, that motherhood would be her natural occupation. During her life Sarah gave birth to nine children, spending over twenty-five years pregnant, breast-feeding babies and raising children. This fancy day cap, with its […]
Step inside Morpeth’s Commercial Hotel today and you’ll find distinctive Federation-era features throughout, with an upstairs balcony overlooking the Hunter River (Coquun) and the town’s celebrated white wooden bridge crossing. It’s a pub that’s stood the test of time, evolving to cater to contemporary tastes with a cocktail bar and a nano brewery onsite offering […]
Cloth is universally significant in every ritual that is part of the human experience, from the first swaddling of a newborn to the last garments worn in death, it is an expression and exploration of self, made physical and tactile. The Shroud is an evocative textile piece created by artist Lucas Grogan. Born the fifth of […]
Onboard the ship Eliza when she docked in Sydney on 25 June, 1828, were 158 convicts sent from Britain. Among them was James Redding, a man seemingly condemned for life, as he faced an uncertain future in an unknown land. In the years that immediately followed his arrival, James’ days were dictated by the tick […]
I stirred the sea to see if it was alive is a video artwork by Lottie Consalvo (1985-) shot in the early morning with the help of close friends. Jamieson Moore did the filming and Timothy McPhee made the composition and sound. The black and white production shows Consalvo enveloped in nature-struggling against a blustery […]
Bodyboards fished from the dam where they had spent hot summer days in Lovedale, on Wonnarua Country. Crutches collected and kept for safe-keeping after each broken leg or rolled ankle. A harness which had belonged to their donkey, Malcolm. Fireweed and wildflowers plucked from the bush surrounding their home. Thirty year-old carpet pulled from a […]
An unassuming piece of history stands on High Street, Morpeth. The once-thriving Astor Picture Palace and Ballroom was always alive with activity during its heyday in the 1930s. Locals gathered there for flower shows, choir practice, mid-week dances and the annual debutante ball, among other events. On quieter occasions the busy dancefloor gave way to […]
Headlie Taylor (1883-1957) was a great designer and innovator who, by 1915, had created the machine of his dreams. He just needed a manufacturer and finance to fully realise his ambitions. In January 1916, Australia’s biggest agricultural industrialist Hugh Victor McKay couldn’t make Headlie’s initial demonstration on the Taylor farm, so a follow up visit […]
A multi-instrumentalist, clown and busker, Rodney Walker is a retired Australian country music artist. His home-made eccentric musical contraptions combine as many as thirteen instruments, secured together with steel brackets. Carried on his head and shoulders, his instrument ensemble allowed Rodney to play guitar, sing, and use his feet to sound the percussion, all at […]
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