TRIBUTE Spring  2005 FREE PUBLICATION

St Marys & District Historical Society Inc - Quarterly Newsletter

Lyn Forde greets our old member Charles Connelly	Members Lyn Forde, "Robin Hanstock", Norma Thorburn & Carol Volkiene

125 YEARS OF OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY PRIMARY SCHOOL

On Friday, 19th August, 2005, our members were invited to help at the Liturgy Celebration at Our Lady of the Rosary (OLOR) Primary School in Saddington Street, St Marys, by dressing in costumes of the era 1880.

The school was originally started by two Sisters of St Joseph who travelled from Queensland to Penrith on 9th January, 1880. They established the convent in a cottage on Putland Street, St Marys and during that year it was most likely that Mother Mary MacKillop stayed overnight. Two rooms of the cottage were used as a classroom and the first Catholic School in St Marys was known as St Joseph's Convent School.

Our members caught up with our former Research Officer, Charles Connelly, who came with his wife and daughter for the celebrations. The Society also mounted a display of old St Marys photos along with the dress owned by Robin Hanstock. Everyone enjoyed the celebrations on Friday which capped off a very successful week of celebrations for the school.

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Some of our members also helped celebrate the 70th Anniversary of the St Marys RSL Sub-branch by attending their excelleny dinner dance. Congratulations to all those involved on the night and our Society wishes them all the best for the next 70 years.

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We also helped out (in costume) at the Glenmore Park "Back to the Old Days" Celebration at the Community Centre. Our members spent the day talking to members of the public and school children from Glenmore Park about the "good old days" and how it was for children who grew up without TV, computers, Ipods, DVD's and VCRs. Our President, Norma Thorburn, was asked to give a talk to the children about what it was like to grow up in St Marys in the 1940's

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Another function attended by members to help celebrate the 20th Anniversary of Blackwell Public School was a formal assembly in the school hall on the 19th September, 2005. The original time capsule, placed in 1985 was opened and the contents placed on display and a new capsule is being buried with 2005 memorabilia. Two of our members, Robyn Goren and Colleen Kilgour are teachers at the school. Our members - President (Norma Thorburn), Treasurer (Joan O'Brien and Secretary (Lyn Forde), along with past students, teachers and principals of the school enjoyed the festivities and the lovely behaviour of the children at the dchool and congratulates all teachers and staff on a job well done.

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SPRING FESTIVAL CELEBRATIONS

This years theme for the parade, and the St Marys & District Historical Society was a "military" one, as a big thank you to all those men and women who volunteered in all aspects of the Australian Forces - and the reminder that it was 90 years ago the ANZAC's landed at Gallipoli, 60 years ago the end of World War 2 and 30 years ago the end of the Vietnam conflict. We are proud, once again, to win first prize as the "best walking group".

The St Marys & District Historical Society meets every 4th Saturday at 1 pm - at the St Marys Arts & Craft Centre 2 - 6 Mamre Road, St Marys.

ALL WELCOME

Website - www.stmaryshistoricalsociety.org

This Newsletter is a free publication. Articles in this Newsletter may be republished if permission is given by the Society.

Please contact:-

(While care is taken to ensure that all articles are accurate, the opinions expressed in this newsletter are not necessarily those of the Society) Any comments on this Newsletter are encouraged

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Information from the website
www.ww2roll.gov.au

This information includes WW1 as well as WW2
and is in no way complete.

A ST MARYS RESIDENT WITH A SENSE OF HUMOUR

   Spotted in the front garden of a St Marys
   home - a replica of the old outside "dunny".


   It was such a surprise to find in a front
   garden that we couldn't help but take this
   photo.


   Congratulations to the resident, it certainly
   got our attention.

PLEASE, DON’T THROW OUT AUSTRALIAN HISTORY. OLD PHOTOGRAPHS, BOOKS, LETTERS, RECEIPTS, DOCKETS, NEWSPAPERS & MAGAZINES.
IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU ARE NOT SURE ABOUT PLEASE CONTACT YOUR LOCAL HISTORICAL SOCIETY