Retiring president and vice president of the Society, Mr Antony Davies, who has held the offices for the last 10 years, has been instrumental in leading the development and updating of the museum’s collections and exhibitions.

The very active retiring committee members, with the help of much appreciated volunteers, have met the challenges of diminishing membership, rising costs and limited grant funds with an energy and commitment resulting in the funding of many improvements in the Museum and its collections. The hardworking and passionate efforts of past committee members were acknowledged including the remarkable work done by Netta and Nevin Ellis, Peter McAdam, Olive & Dick Royds, Ros Maddrell, Christine Wright and Pip Creasy.

The members at the AGM welcomed the new committee a and office bearers as: President: Peter Smith, Vice President: Bronwyn Richards, Secretary: Neil White, Treasurer: Scott Hart. Committee Members Laurie Riley, Janine Collins, John Stahel, Kim Pacheco, Olive Royds, Ros Maddrell and Samantha Maher.

Outgoing President’s Report

By Antony Davies

The last twelve months have been highly successful for the Braidwood & District Historical Society. Work has been done to help move the Society into the future – with more improvements in information and communication technology (computers are all being brought up to date with new software and some new machines donated by the Bendigo Bank), better associations with tourism groups in and outside of our District, further development of strong links with the National Museum of Australia and the Powerhouse Museum, and with the students and staff of the Museum Studies Department of the ANU. 

Tours and visits have been conducted for groups interested in local history, building repairs have been made, great progress with conservation matters and book sales is evident. Time has been spent with Museum computers and systems organizing ways of making documentary and photographic history available to a wider audience, and also facilitating information and training sessions with our new members. Help has been provided to dozens of families with genealogical history research and efforts made arranging the publication of the Araluen book sales of which have contributed strongly to the Society’s income this year.

The highly popular Exhibition of Braidwood Films arranged upstairs by Paris Sylvester has stayed up and is still attracting visitors, and the Chinese displays are completed with new lighting, display cases, a huge Chinese ceremonial archway from the National Museum, new light diffusing window panels, new antique Chinese screens, the clearing of the old upstairs storage room to make a new Chinese family history room, a new staircase to that, new paint and magnificent new display panels featuring some beautiful 18th century Chinese Export wallpaper designs..

There have again been some important acquisitions – a beautiful pair of 1860s cedar armchairs which once belonged to Netta and Nevin Ellis, and an important 1860s Tranter Pistol, believed to have been issued to the Police and stolen by bushrangers, probably the Clarke Brothers.

“Among the things I’m very proud of are our involvement with the Cultural Gifts Program, which has allowed us to receive numerous important historical objects. Also the acquisition and restoration of the Braidwood Gold Escort, the building of the Gold Rush displays, securing Dr Braidwood Wilson’s Writing Desk and archive, the gift of the Quong Tart Chinese Export Spoon, the Perseverance Wool wagon which was used to carry Braidwood wool to the South Coast steamers, getting a grant and reconstructing the Museum’s two storey verandahs, moving the huge 1920s display cases upstairs and creating the new Chinese exhibition, and recently the CGP gift of the cedar chairs and the Tranter pistol, have all been highlights.”

The Museum committee and volunteers made major progress rearranging the Museum’s collection, opening more spaces for the public to see, new bookcases in the meeting room, a repaint and rearrangement of the entrance hall. Most of the Museum has excellent new lighting.  The old Kitchen has had a major rearrangement and refocus, as has the Dairy. A large quantity of display material was acquired from the National Museum in Canberra and recycled into other displays. The historic Maddrell horse drawn Landau was acquired under the CGP and is ready for restoration in the future.

The Society has remained advocates for conservation in Braidwood being closely involved with Council matters like the Police Paddock development and the pedestrian crossings, as well as helping people doing research on historic buildings and family history.The Historical Society has a popular website (www.braidwoodmuseum.org.au) and facebook page which has widened its audience, and connected the Historical Society to the internet and the benefits of email.

The Society has completed Statements of Significance, and an inventory of Icon Objects, important administration items for museums to have, and quantified the values of our  the buildings and collections. The photographic collections have been digitized as have the 19th century newspapers. The Museum has attracted regular study visits from Museum Studies students at the ANU which have helped with ongoing conservation matters, and breathed life into the museum with the presence of many young ANU students. And every year, the Society has fulfilled its roles in conservation, preservation and heritage tourism. 

Generous supporters of the Museum include the Bendigo Bank, the Mulwarree Trust, the ANU Museum Studies Department, the National Museum of Australia, and lots of individuals – among them the descendants of the Wilson family and several other Braidwood pioneering families.

The incoming president Peter Smith is the author of The Clarke Gang - Outlawed, Outcast and Forgotten. His other books include Tracking Down the Bushrangers, My America’s Cup Adventure and The Deua River Track, but his main field of study extending over a nearly fifty years has been the Clarke gang and their associates. In 1980, Peter was awarded a Fellowship in Australian Institute of History and Arts for his contribution to furthering knowledge of the Australian heritage.

During this time he was also busy running his successful printing and display business. He served a term as president of an international group of companies, Global In-store Communication (GIC) and in 2003 was awarded Life Membership in Point of Purchase Advertising International (POPAI) for his work as founding Secretary of the Australia and New Zealand Chapter.