Darrell Jones is shown cleaning a Bills horse trough at Griffith Pioneer Park Museum
Showing posts with label Pioneer Park. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pioneer Park. Show all posts
Bills horse trough
Griffith during WWII
June McGrane (30 June 1932 – 21 May 2021) shares details about life in Griffith when the second world war raged, 1939-45
She remembers the trenches dug at the high school and air raid drills, as well as a bomb shelter built in the site now known as Memorial Gardens.
One remarkable recollection is the concern of locals for the real possibility of an invasion by the Japanese after the bombing of Darwin, because there was only one place in Australia where they grew rice!
June was a long-serving volunteer at Griffith Pioneer Park Museum, where this interview was filmed during February 2017.
Night At The Museum
Griffith Pioneer Park Museum's first night time event in living memory was an explosion of colour
The Museum's historic and replica buildings were bathed in large-scale animations with a variety of styles and materials.
Locals Andrew Keith and Bernard Gray were joined by regional artists Jason Richardson and Greg Pritchard.
The group of eight also learned skills in design and event management for the public outcome on Saturday night.
An audience of over 160 people from all ages attended and were able to appreciate the diversity of projection art techniques.
The opportunities for night time events at the Museum offers a range of possibilities at a venue traditionally used during the day.
Night At The Museum
Griffith Pioneer Park Museum will be seen as never seen before at a night-time event on Saturday 7 September
The line-up will include Griffith’s Bernard Gray and Andrew Keith, whose live-coding skills have been a feature of events in Banna Laneway and the local Art Gallery.
Dr Greg Pritchard will be returning to town and he is arguably one of the earliest proponents of projection art in Griffith, when he exhibited his skills while working as the inaugural Regional Arts Development Officer for Western Riverina Arts.
Joining them will be a full class of emerging talent gaining experience under Scott Baker’s tutelage as part of the Bioluminescence Project that has been touring NSW this year.
“It’s also wonderful to add new colours to the landmark location of Pioneer Park Museum.”
Mr Richardson has been active in the Riverina, from adding a projection event to the first Leeton Art Deco Festival in 2011 through to coordinating the InFrequency tour that played events in Yanco and Tanja with many of the same artists involved in workshops and performances.
“I helped establish Red Earth Ecology as an artist-run not-for-profit to develop opportunities in the region,” said Jason Richardson.
The Night At The Museum event will be Jason’s final activity at Griffith Pioneer Park Museum as he leaves the role of curator.
“It’s wonderful to bring colour to this exceptional community-based organisation and I hope everyone will join us in seeing the Museum in a new light,” said Mr Richardson.
“You can bring a torch to add your own light and it will assist families with exploring the event.”
Entry to the event from 7-9pm on Saturday 7 September is by gold coin donation and attendees are required to wear suitable footwear to navigate unsealed pathways at night
Snacks, refreshments and soup will be available for purchase.
Night At The Museum is supported by Griffith Pioneer Park Museum, Red Earth Ecology, Western Riverina Arts and Create NSW through funding from the NSW Government.
Are you being served?
David Henry Taylor recently returned to the counters at Taylor Brothers Store in Griffith Pioneer Park Museum
It's a reminder of the times before self-service supermarkets and a recent visitor shared their recollection of working downstairs to package stock for sale.
Everything exists in history
As I neared the end of my first degree, it became obvious that I'd missed an opportunity
Many of my friends at ANU were majoring in History and I began to realise the scope it provides.
My favourite major at the time was Cultural Studies (it was the 1990s!) and that subject was liberating for the breadth of analyses and interests, yet history encompasses all subjects.
"Everything exists in history," I said to my mates and it's a realisation that few seem to have noted.
(I recently googled the phrase and there was only one mention other than my own.)
Now that I work within a museum, I often wonder why more institutions don't act on the opportunities available to reflect this broad scope.
So yesterday I took the opportunity to present the Southern NSW Heritage Group with a survey of creative projects from around our region.
These are public outcomes that engage with history in various media, both inside and outside of museums.
I began with some context by outlining my background and interests, particularly a key lesson from my career working in public relations that human interest stories are effective and often affecting.
A lot of my work as a curator at Griffith Pioneer Park Museum involves putting a human face on history.
People can't help but look for faces and it will often bring into focus experiences as a way of giving context for an item.
This includes poetry and it's a style that provides an example of how writing in museums could be done differently.
There are many layers of meaning available in poetry and I often think back to this quote from Harrison Young.
(As an aside I noted that not many people have heard of Mr Young, who left the Board of the Commonwealth Bank and no longer gets mentioned in the Australian Financial Review for writing erotic fiction. I think the latter is great because everyone should have a creative outlet!)
One project that brought creative writing to regional museums was the Encounters program run by Orana Arts.
They recruited a group who were mentored by Ruth Little to produce a book that includes a range of styles, from an essay to poetry.
Ruth crammed a huge number of consideratons into our heads during a two-day workshop at Port Macquarie and the photo shown here was taken by project coordinator Andrew Glassop.
I thought it would be easy to write about Pioneer Park, having worked there for a couple of years, and my creative non-fiction piece led me back into the role of curator.
Another project I shared was Leeton Memories, which I developed for the not-for-profit organisation Red Earth Ecology.
Shown here is Cynthia Arel, better known for her work as a designer for stage and screen, who interpreted the memories of Julie Maytom.
You can sorta see the sign in the lower left-hand corner that showed the QR code which linked to the recording of Julie.
I was surprised how often I'd pass the Leeton Memories displays and find people were listening to the recordings at these links, but it's clear that audiences are more familiar with this technology since COVID-19.
This used the Cut-up Technique to investigate hidden histories, providing an interactive exhibit that blurred the line between artist and audience while gently questioning perspectives.
The latter presented images from the past in the present day locations around the Park's grounds and coincided with Griffith's centenary celebrations.
Kate made an observation that it can be a challenge for museums to engage audiences:
“Maybe we read a little about it and think about that object’s place in history but putting an artist’s perspective on it adds a different layer.
“It can make us think about some deeper themes, some deeper connections to history, and I think that’s what this exhibition does through the stories it tells us.”
It was fortuitous that on the morning of my presentation I read that people will spend "around 27 seconds" reading the information accompanying an exhibit.
And it was wonderful to be introduced at that time to this cartoon by Lynda Barry that I quickly incorporated to conclude my presentation.I think it shows a connection that can be rewarding when visiting an exhibition and believe this is something that curators should aspire to achieve.
There were lots of questions afterwards and I had an opportunity to tell the crowd from regional museums to "embrace the freak" when a weirdo like me comes along with an idea.
And, any artists reading this, please consider reaching out to your local history group as you might find it advantageous to have the support of an incorporated community group when preparing a funding application.
Birdlife at the Museum
One of the things that surprises me most about working in Griffith is the variety of birds
As someone who grew up among the Brindabellas, there's a deep sense of satisfaction about seeing the hills rise around me on the drive to work.
It starts with three gentle crests along Irrigation Way after one turns north past Whitton.
Scenic Hill is another of these increasing landmarks and from there I can see they become mountains like Binya, Bingar and Brogden in the nearby Cocoparra National Park.
Griffith Pioneer Park Museum's grounds on the Hill feature a mix of older grey box trees and younger cypress pines, which provide shade for the gardens maintained by a group of volunteers.
On these branches and among the flower beds I get glimpses of communities of birds.
There's a family of magpies and over recent months I've watched as they teach an offspring to be wary of me.
Mallee ringneck parrots have also been breeding and they used a hollow in the grey box near the Goolgowi Train Station for a while.
Earlier this year I observed a parent showing their bird where to find a meal from a succulent, which might've been a pigface.
In previous years a college of noisy apostle birds could be heard making a mess by tearing off plant limbs.
This season might be the first that the Museum has been visited by white-browed babblers.
My manager Jenny reckons she'd never seen them at Pioneer Park before and it was good to have assistance from Jo and her bird books to identify them.
These babblers seem to share their call with the grey-crowned variety, which Wikipedia notes has earned them names like dog-bird, barker and barking-bird.
They will share a cute "ruff" sound excitedly with each other, so I found myself describing it as a canine-esque noise.
You can hear it in this short video I made when a babbler got lost in the Wine & Irrigation Museum building
Another recent observation was a trio of tawny frogmouths sitting in a cypress pine near the Griffith Hospital building.
It's great to see such a variety of birds and so different to those at home in Leeton, although I'm often frustrated by my inability to get a good photo using the mobile phone supplied by Council.
However, this iphone has been great for recording my duets with pied butcherbirds.
You can see more of my photos at https://shotwildlife.blogspot.com/
Birdsong
One of the fun things about working in an open-air museum is the opportunity to be outdoors
I get to observe the changing seasons through shadows playing on fog, deafening cicadas, the puffs of pine spores and the songs of birds.
I've started a playlist for my favourite avian videos, see here.
Lend a hand
One of the fun things about working in a museum is exploring storage areas
Encounters
Last year I joined a project writing about regional museums
Orana Arts ran this project and the mentorship was stimulating, then they asked if I'd design a cover.
I thought the image of a telephone switchboard worked as a metaphor for the connections being formed.
Historic cars
Action Day
One of the best things about working at the Museum is the people
There are so many passionate individuals who have contributed to the Park. You can scarcely look around without noticing a human touch, from the wear and tear to the gardens and plaques.
Many of the people who visit have their own connections or remember family members who were involved. This is what makes Action Day so special, as there are volunteers who appear and suddenly an old engine is running.
On Good Friday I observed one of those moments.
It was nearly time for the gates to open and a car was loitering near the Tractor Shed. I checked they knew and was told by the driver that he'd park at the top again.
Then a woman indicated an older man in the front seat and told me they had brought him to see the T-20 tractor. I don't know much about tractors but the T-20 is distinctive for its caterpillar tracks and I know the Museum has three of them.
Continuing to talk about the older man, she said something like "we haven't seen him smile for months and thought he'd like to see the tractor he restored."
I recognised the opportunity and started filming the tractor roll past, then panned toward the older man as he sat in his wheelchair. It wasn't clear if he was smiling, so I walked forward.
"How does the engine sound?" I asked.
His voice was a mumble among the engines that were running, but he seemed pleased.
By now the bloke who'd been driving both the car earlier and now the T-20 had parked the tractor and walked over. He explained the older man was born in 1935, the same year the tractor was released.
Post Your History
Griffith Pioneer Park Museum is seeking out those who remember the old Post Office in Griffith, as part of their new display
The Post Office was on the site of the current building, but an older style with red brick and grand arched windows.
Pioneer Park Museum has a recreation of the original Griffith Post Office which was operational from 1925 to 1979 with staff keen to talk to those who have stories to tell about the original building.
“Do you have memories of the Griffith Post Office? Maybe you received an important telegram, or worked behind the counter? We would love for you to share any stories you might have.”
Postal services at that time included technologies not seen today, like telegraph operators communicating through the percussive messaging of Morse Code. Aside from parcels and letters, the building also housed the switchboards used to link telephones in the region.
“Those who lived on farms might remember the distinctive ringing of their party line, which indicated when a phone call was for their household rather than another that shared the connection,” said Mr Richardson.
There are many ways the Post Office connected Griffith and it’s surprising to discover what services were provided in the building.
“Phyllis Bell recently recalled working as Phonogram Operator for seven years and says her colleagues were the nicest people,” he said.
“She remembered that as she progressed to being a senior staff member, her role included liaising with the CSIRO to update weather reports placed at the front of the Post Office.”
Memories like these will help the new display to reflect how important services within the community have changed.
“It’s details like these memories that help Pioneer Park Museum to share the experiences of the local people who shaped our history,” said Mr. Richardson.
If you have a recollection of the Griffith Post Office, please contact Pioneer Park Museum.
Free to Morrow
One of the earliest examples of 'free to Morrow' was nearby around a century ago outside Tango Joe's at the settlement called Bagtown.
A cemetary is all that remains of Bagtown, between Hanwood and Griffith.
'Tango' Joe Burgess sold cordials at a time when alcohol was prohibited in the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area.
However, according to an interview with a former Bagtown resident, Burgess also sold an early McWilliam's wine known as 'Pinky'.
As for the sign, legend has it that one day a bloke asked 'Tango' Joe for a drink and, because the bloke's name was Morrow, free drinks were supplied.
A replica of 'Tango' Joe's store housing actual cordial-making equipment owned by Burgess can be seen at Griffith Pioneer Park Museum.
Warangesda closes this weekend
The exhibition is open a few more days at the Narrandera Arts Centre.
Warangesda details the history of the Mission at Darlington Point with responses from local artists, including AMS Woman Group’s artwork Murrumbidgee Yellow Belly, Treahna Hamm’s Murrumbidgee Yabby and Rodney Simpson’s Greed all shown and all created this year for the exhibition.
This Mission was significant for maintaining Wiradjuri in the region, first as a Christian mission and then an Aboriginal station:
Peter Kabaila is a historian who's written on this area in various publications and has provided the text for the informative panels. His honours thesis was an archeological survey of the Mission site and many of the artifacts he found are now in the collection at Griffith Pioneer Park Museum.
The Warangesda exhibition was an opportunity for me to develop my skills "hanging" the show. I'd been fortunate to get a role working alongside Ray from Griffith Regional Art Gallery and Hape Kiddle, as well as Derek and Liana from Western Riverina Arts.
This experience was rewarding and I was encouraged to contribute ideas, which flowed freely after my initial suggestion to place on the floor the modesty screens that had been decorated with Warangesda history through a project run by Kerri Weymouth.
This Mission was significant for maintaining Wiradjuri in the region, first as a Christian mission and then an Aboriginal station:
The historic Aboriginal occupation of Warangesda was characterised by a relatively self sufficient Aboriginal community that participated in the economic maintenance of the wider community by the provision of labour to local agriculture. The people also maintained a culturally distinct Aboriginal lifestyle firmly based on the maintenance of family connections over the wider region.
Warangesda is rare in that it is one of only 10 missions established in NSW. It is unique in NSW, as it is the only mission or reserve site in NSW to retain a suite of original 19th century building ruins and archaeological relics.
The place is significant for its association with the last great inter-group burbung (initiation) in Wiradjuri country which was held at or near Warangesda in the 1870s.
Peter Kabaila is a historian who's written on this area in various publications and has provided the text for the informative panels. His honours thesis was an archeological survey of the Mission site and many of the artifacts he found are now in the collection at Griffith Pioneer Park Museum.
The Warangesda exhibition was an opportunity for me to develop my skills "hanging" the show. I'd been fortunate to get a role working alongside Ray from Griffith Regional Art Gallery and Hape Kiddle, as well as Derek and Liana from Western Riverina Arts.
Put man back in jail
One of my final activities in the role of curator at Pioneer Park Museum was to promote the return of the man in the jail.
It's a simple thrill and one that the volunteers added to their list of projects.
The video embedded above also nicely rounded off my time representing Pioneer Park Museum on Instagram, marking the 300th post.
Spicy light and sound
Around 3000 people visited Pioneer Park Museum last Good Friday but only a few dozen saw the sound-activated projections I ran during the afternoon.
Enzo Ceccone's motorised mincer
In recent years the Italian tradition of making salami has gained increasing attention in Griffith as a result of the Festa della Salsicce (Festival of the Sausage), which is held at Pioneer Park Museum.
It is a laborious process to mince pork and then pack the meat into salamis. Usually it requires a full day, including butchering a pig before dawn.
Enzo Ceccone contributed to the preparation of hundreds of salamis, an activity which increased when he commissioned Yoogali Engineering to build an electric meat mincer during the mid-1970s.
“Dad used to do all his own salami-making,” remembered Nevio Ceccone. “Usually the machines are hand-cranked and he had one converted to electric. It saves a lot of time.”
“He used to go out and help others during the salami season,” which is during Autumn and early Winter. “Every weekend it was usually one or two” appointments to assist other families to prepare their salamis.
“As far as I know, he was they only person to have an item like this designed and made.”
On Facebook Denis Faganello remembered the machine “making salami with my dad”.
“He made salami for us year after year,” recalled Wal Snaidero. “I remember that mincer as a young kid.”
Nevio Ceccone recalled that his father Enzo would be “booked out for a month and a half” to make salamis in the region. His role in assisting other men to cure meat developed from the late 1950s and into the early 1970s, when the hand-cranked machine would be used.
The Ceccones had a routine that involved loading two tables onto the back of the EH Holden utility, as well as an array of knives and the meat mincer.
The collection of knives donated to the Musuem includes three which were replaced after many years of sharpening, as well as a homemade sharpening stone wheel that was used to hone the blades.
Family recipes for salami are guarded secrets. Nevio reveals only his father made pork salami with salt and some herbs, “but we don’t talk about them.”
Around six to seven pigs would be slaughtered to make salami for personal use, with another one to two each weekend slaughtered while assisting others.
It is a laborious process to mince pork and then pack the meat into salamis. Usually it requires a full day, including butchering a pig before dawn.
“Dad used to do all his own salami-making,” remembered Nevio Ceccone. “Usually the machines are hand-cranked and he had one converted to electric. It saves a lot of time.”
“He used to go out and help others during the salami season,” which is during Autumn and early Winter. “Every weekend it was usually one or two” appointments to assist other families to prepare their salamis.
“As far as I know, he was they only person to have an item like this designed and made.”
On Facebook Denis Faganello remembered the machine “making salami with my dad”.
“He made salami for us year after year,” recalled Wal Snaidero. “I remember that mincer as a young kid.”
Nevio Ceccone recalled that his father Enzo would be “booked out for a month and a half” to make salamis in the region. His role in assisting other men to cure meat developed from the late 1950s and into the early 1970s, when the hand-cranked machine would be used.
The collection of knives donated to the Musuem includes three which were replaced after many years of sharpening, as well as a homemade sharpening stone wheel that was used to hone the blades.
Family recipes for salami are guarded secrets. Nevio reveals only his father made pork salami with salt and some herbs, “but we don’t talk about them.”
Around six to seven pigs would be slaughtered to make salami for personal use, with another one to two each weekend slaughtered while assisting others.
History in the air
More than 80 years after the Gibbs brothers flew their homemade glider over Warburn near Griffith, it continues to generate interest.
Many have wondered what it would be like to fly and it’s been a pilot who has focused on how Gibbs flew. Dennis Buck recently visited the glider at Pioneer Park Museum and initiated correspondence to learn more about the aircraft. Captain Buck is a pilot who flew for the RAF and British Aerospace and also trained pilots for Australian airlines East West.
"Looking at William Lionel Gibbs' glider I wondered what inspired him to build and fly this aircraft,” explained Dennis Buck. “As he worked his farm he would have heard of the youth of Germany taking to the air in great numbers in primitive gliders. Forbidden by the Treaty of Versailles to have an Air Force, from this nucleus of partly trained glider pilots would grow the mighty Luftwaffe of World War Two.”
If it was this phenomenon of German youth taking flight, then it is ironic that William Lionel Gibbs would be killed over Holland fighting in World War II.
William Lionel Gibbs’ brothers Aswald and Harold assisted in the construction of the glider, which was an undertaking after supper over three years. In an interview in 1991 Aswald would recall the glider was built based on plans in a book titled ‘Primary Glider’.
“The fact that the glider flew would confirm that a set of plans was used otherwise the chance of getting the centre of gravity right would have been pure chance,” agreed Captain Buck.
“The aircraft itself must have been extremely well-made, suggesting William had exceptional woodworking skills. To tow a glider behind a car to launch it would certainly not have been recommended as the forces on the aircraft at even 20km/hr would have been immense.”
Fortunately the structure remained intact and the glider flew. “Had the framework been covered with linen and dope instead of silk and later linen and paint, greater things might well have been achieved,” speculated Captain Buck.
Lionel Gibbs’ diary records a total of 13 minutes airborne achieved over five flights in 1936, reaching an altitude of around 100 feet.
Captain Buck’s interest has been spurred on by questions from a glider pilot and former colleague in the UK, who is keen to know more about the aircraft. “I have a very interested glider pilot in the UK asking questions. I should not have mentioned it to him!”
So far the design of the Gibbs' glider remains a mystery. “There were magazines especially from the USA in the 1930's on how to build and fly a basic glider. It would seem that he considered flying lessons perhaps too expensive and like many glider pilots of that era learned by taking small hops and then mastering turns.”
“One thing that is interesting is that William was not selected for pilot training in the RAF. This would suggest that he had no formal training before attempting to fly.”
When the glider was donated to Pioneer Park Museum in 1972, Harold Gibbs was recorded by The Area News as saying Lionel was a self-taught pilot.
“He was the only glider owner in the district at the time... First he read books on ‘How To Be a Pilot’, then he practised flying by balancing the glider on a roller, in this case a small galvanised iron tank, facing into a sufficiently strong wind to give him soggy control. Then, with the aid of a motor tow, he took to the air.”
It is known that William later flew in a Tiger Moth but by then it would seem the glider made no more flights.
William would later join the RAF but being too old to be a pilot he was selected as an Air Gunner and died in a Lancaster crash while serving with 83 Pathfinder Squadron.
“Now is the time to recognise the Gibbs brothers' achievements by determining the origins of the design of the glider and restoring it to its former glory,“ enthused Dennis Buck.
Councillor Eddy Mardon, Chair of the Pioneer Park Museum Working Group, said Mr Buck’s comments highlight there are many remarkable stories in Griffith’s history and on display at the Museum.
“Exhibits such as the Gibbs Primary Glider contribute to telling the story of pioneering life in the MIA so that future generations can continue to learn about the can-do attitude that can still be seen today,” he said. "It seems incredible that a young man yearning to fly achieved his dream without leaving the family farm."
Visit the Museum and discover other great local stories from 9.30am to 4pm each day.
Many have wondered what it would be like to fly and it’s been a pilot who has focused on how Gibbs flew. Dennis Buck recently visited the glider at Pioneer Park Museum and initiated correspondence to learn more about the aircraft. Captain Buck is a pilot who flew for the RAF and British Aerospace and also trained pilots for Australian airlines East West.
"Looking at William Lionel Gibbs' glider I wondered what inspired him to build and fly this aircraft,” explained Dennis Buck. “As he worked his farm he would have heard of the youth of Germany taking to the air in great numbers in primitive gliders. Forbidden by the Treaty of Versailles to have an Air Force, from this nucleus of partly trained glider pilots would grow the mighty Luftwaffe of World War Two.”
William Lionel Gibbs’ brothers Aswald and Harold assisted in the construction of the glider, which was an undertaking after supper over three years. In an interview in 1991 Aswald would recall the glider was built based on plans in a book titled ‘Primary Glider’.
“The fact that the glider flew would confirm that a set of plans was used otherwise the chance of getting the centre of gravity right would have been pure chance,” agreed Captain Buck.
“The aircraft itself must have been extremely well-made, suggesting William had exceptional woodworking skills. To tow a glider behind a car to launch it would certainly not have been recommended as the forces on the aircraft at even 20km/hr would have been immense.”
Fortunately the structure remained intact and the glider flew. “Had the framework been covered with linen and dope instead of silk and later linen and paint, greater things might well have been achieved,” speculated Captain Buck.
Lionel Gibbs’ diary records a total of 13 minutes airborne achieved over five flights in 1936, reaching an altitude of around 100 feet.
Captain Buck’s interest has been spurred on by questions from a glider pilot and former colleague in the UK, who is keen to know more about the aircraft. “I have a very interested glider pilot in the UK asking questions. I should not have mentioned it to him!”
So far the design of the Gibbs' glider remains a mystery. “There were magazines especially from the USA in the 1930's on how to build and fly a basic glider. It would seem that he considered flying lessons perhaps too expensive and like many glider pilots of that era learned by taking small hops and then mastering turns.”
“One thing that is interesting is that William was not selected for pilot training in the RAF. This would suggest that he had no formal training before attempting to fly.”
When the glider was donated to Pioneer Park Museum in 1972, Harold Gibbs was recorded by The Area News as saying Lionel was a self-taught pilot.
It is known that William later flew in a Tiger Moth but by then it would seem the glider made no more flights.
William would later join the RAF but being too old to be a pilot he was selected as an Air Gunner and died in a Lancaster crash while serving with 83 Pathfinder Squadron.
“Now is the time to recognise the Gibbs brothers' achievements by determining the origins of the design of the glider and restoring it to its former glory,“ enthused Dennis Buck.
Councillor Eddy Mardon, Chair of the Pioneer Park Museum Working Group, said Mr Buck’s comments highlight there are many remarkable stories in Griffith’s history and on display at the Museum.
“Exhibits such as the Gibbs Primary Glider contribute to telling the story of pioneering life in the MIA so that future generations can continue to learn about the can-do attitude that can still be seen today,” he said. "It seems incredible that a young man yearning to fly achieved his dream without leaving the family farm."
Visit the Museum and discover other great local stories from 9.30am to 4pm each day.
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