Ashfield & District Historical Society

Research Rooms Open
2020-07-25 11:00 - 16:00, 2020-08-08 11:00 - 16:00 (Australia/Sydney) | Thirning Villa, 40 Arthur, Ashfield, NSW, 2131, Australia
Our Research Rooms will be open for Members of the Society to conduct their research. Non-members are welcome to use the facilities and expertise of the people supervising the rooms for a small donation. We have an enormous volume of information available in Thirning Villa in both digital and hard copy.

Research Rooms Open
2020-08-08 11:00 - 16:00, 2020-08-29 11:00 - 16:00 | Thirning Villa, 40 Arthur, Ashfield, NSW, 2131, Australia
Our Research Rooms are open for Members of the Society to conduct their research. Non-members are welcome to use the facilities and expertise of the people supervising the rooms for a small donation. We have an enormous volume of information available in Thirning Villa in both digital and hard copy.

Research Rooms Open
2020-09-12 11:00 - 16:00, 2020-09-26 11:00 - 16:00, 2020-10-10 11:00 - 16:00, 2020-10-31 11:00 - 16:00 | NSW

Victoria Street Walk
2020-09-20 14:00 - 16:00 | NSW
A Guided Walk Along Victoria Street, Ashfield
Mark and others will introduce you to various aspects of history and built heritage along Victoria Street so put on your walking shoes and come and join us for the afternoon.

Opening of the New Ashfield Acquatic Centre
2020-10-17 10:00 - 14:30 | NSW
The Society has been advised that new Ashfield Aquatic Centre is to open on 17 October 2020. The Council will be organising tours of the new complex, please visit Council’s website. https://www.innerwest.nsw.gov.au/explore/aquatic-centres/ashfield-aquatic-centre

Talk by Bob Irving: Australia's Oldest Building
2020-10-18 14:00 - 16:00 | Pratten Park Community, Sports and Bowling Club, 42 Arthur Street, Ashfield, NSW
A presentation by Robert Irving OAM will be held on Sunday on 18 October 2020. The esteemed architectural historian and author Bob Irving (a member of our Society) has a wealth of knowledge on history and heritage will present a talk to the Society on Australia’s First Real Building.
Bob’s presentation will illustrate one of the least-known historical events in the early history of Australia. It was the arrival on the First Fleet in 1788 of the portable house that Governor Arthur Phillip brought to Sydney Cove for his occupation until what is now known as the (long-gone) First Government House could be erected for him. The assembled portable house became Australia’s very first prefabricated building —a remarkable example in the New World of the burgeoning industrial revolution in Britain.
The talk is the product of new research showing for the first time the nature and origin of this important part of our architectural history. Professor Max Freeland called it ‘Australia’s first real building’.

Research Rooms Open
2020-11-14 11:00 - 16:00, 2021-02-27 11:00 - 16:00, 2021-03-13 11:00 - 16:00, 2021-04-10 11:00 - 16:00, 2021-04-24 11:00 - 16:00, 2021-05-08 11:00 - 16:00, 2021-05-29 11:00 - 16:00, 2021-06-12 11:00 - 16:00 and 2 more dates | Thirning Villa, 40 Arthur, Ashfield, NSW, 2131, Australia

LAUNCH OF PRESERVING THEIR NAMES
2020-11-15 14:00 - 16:00 | Mungo Scott Building, Flour Mill Way, Summer Hill
The Society’s journal commemorating those from Ashfield and district who served in WW1. is now ready to be distributed. The research began with the work of Kerry Ann O’Reilly and Peter Byron recording the names on as many local WW1 Honour Boards as they could find. Then more searches of a variety of sources by a dedicated team added to the list and we ended up with over 3,000 names. Detailed stories from 19 entries were explored and in the process some surprises were found. One story is about the five Jones brothers, from 156 Liverpool Road Ashfield.
Preserving Their Names was compiled and edited by Bernadette Williamson and Carolyn Carter, with contributions from the Committee. The publication is free for financial members of the Society.
GUEST SPEAKER – BRAD MANERA
We are delighted that Brad Manera, the CEO and Senior Historian at Sydney’s Hyde Park Anzac Memorial, will launch Preserving Their Names. Mr Manera is described by the NSW RSL as a “war history guru”. His life-long passion for military history and battlefield archaeology has transcended both pastime and vocation. Mr Manera was a member of the editorial team writing the official history of NSW in the Great War.
There is a limit of 40 people at this COVID 19 aware event. BYO mask. A waiting list will be established in case places become available closer to the day or restrictions are further eased.
Please email to reserve a place at this event: events@ashfieldhistory.org.au

A&DHS Annual General Meeting followed by ‘Baron, Soldier, Engineer, Mercenary’: the life of Augustus Alt, first Surveyor-General of New South Wales.
2021-02-21 14:00 - 16:00 | Pratten Park Community, Sports and Bowling Club, 42 Arthur Street, Ashfield, NSW
The Society’s AGM will be held at Pratten Park Community, Sports and Bowling Club. We welcome nominations to join the Committee in a nominated position or to assist as a general Committee Member.
The AGM be followed by a presentation by our Committee member David Morgan on ‘Baron, Soldier, Engineer, Mercenary’: the life of Augustus Alt, first Surveyor-General of New South Wales.
David has extensive experience working as a public historian, both at a professional level and in a voluntary capacity. Some of his work has been with the City of Sydney’s History Unit, the Dictionary of Sydney, the First Fleet Project – St John’s First Fleeters and Old Parramatta. He is also a published author and a quiz question writer.
If you are going to attend, please contact Lois at events@ashfieldhistory.org.au. This will help us comply with the Covid-19 restrictions/regulations applicable at the time.
The Pratten Park Bowling Club

Frederick Clissold – Was He Ashfield’s Richest Man in the Nineteenth Century? A Presentation by Chris Pratten.
2021-03-21 14:00 - 16:00 | Pratten Park Community, Sports and Bowling Club, 42 Arthur Street, Ashfield, NSW
Chris Pratten Joined the A&DHS in the early 1980s and his articles on a wide range of topics have appeared in various Society publications over the intervening years. He was Secretary of the Society from 1993 to 2001. Chris has led a full life as a farmer and grazier, a part-time lecturer and a conservation advocate. In 2005 he was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia for his work for various conservation organisations.
Registration essential. RSVPs to be provided by 19 March.
$5 entry members; non-members $10 entry

Research Rooms Open
2021-03-27 11:00 - 16:00 | Pratten Park Community, Sports and Bowling Club, 42 Arthur Street, Ashfield, NSW

Victoria Street Ashfield Walk (Part 1) as Part of the Australian Heritage Festival
2021-04-18 13:30 - 15:00 | Outside No 1 Victoria Street, 1 Victoria Street
This walk is the first of two events proposed for this year’s Festival theme of ‘Our Heritage, Our Future’.
Leader – Mark Sabolch.
Meeting Place – Outside No. 1 Victoria Street.
Numbers will be limited to 20. Those who have not previously attended this walk will be given priority.
$5 fee.
Registration essential. RSVPs to be provided by 16 April

“Managing Local Heritage - Applying the Burra Charter” An activity of the Ashfield and District Historical Society In association with the Australian Heritage Festival
2021-05-16 14:00 - 16:00 | Pratten Park Community, Sports and Bowling Club, 42 Arthur Street, Ashfield, NSW
Members and the Public are invited to join us for an engaging afternoon discussing the process of managing our built heritage.
Members of our discussion panel:
Susan Jackson-Stepowski, giving an introduction to the Burra Charter using visual examples
Alan Croker, Design 5 Architects, applying the principles of the Charter to built heritage
Alex Lofts, personal experiences and lessons learned from the former Ashfield Council
After the panel discussion, the meeting will open up for discussion with the audience.
(Susan and Alan have been members of the Australian ICOMOS National Executive)
Please RSVP by 14 May, email address: events@ashfieldhistory.org.au
Venue: Pratten Park Community Sports and Bowling Club, 42 Arthur Street, Ashfield, NSW.
Members $5, Non-members $10.

The Other Pandemic – the Spanish Flu in the Inner West: - Patricia Skehan, author of Frontline of the Pandemic Australia 1919
2021-06-20 14:00 - 16:00 | Pratten Park Community, Sports and Bowling Club, 42 Arthur Street, Ashfield, NSW
Patricia Skehan will talk about the pandemic that touched the Inner West after WW1. She will reveal aspects of how this played out using firsthand accounts from the time. Her book, Frontline of the Pandemic, is about this so-called “Spanish Flu”, which reached Australia in 1919.

Research Rooms Closed
2021-07-31 11:00 - 16:00, 2021-08-14 11:00 - 16:00 | Thirning Villa, 40 Arthur, Ashfield, NSW, 2131, Australia
