In January Annerley-Stephen’s History Group (ASHG) moved into their new home at the brand new Community Plus+ Yeronga Community Centre.
The YCC had its official opening on Thursday 31 May at a packed event that started with a traditional smoking ceremony, followed by Welcome to Country, the ribbon cutting ceremony and a morning tea. Congratulations to Community Plus+ YCC and all who contributed to making this brilliant new centre possible.
ASHG are proud to be located in the YCC and were pleased to greet visitors in our room. The All Gauge Model Rail Group (AGMRG) also had their room open to visitors.
The outcomes of having a permanent home were apparent. On show were the current maps and documents display (thanks Mark Baker) and the Villa Street community project (thanks to the Villa Street project team and past and current residents). Visitors were introduced to our upcoming talks and walks, our publications and the opportunity to become a member. . Visitors were inspired and excited by the history room.
Thanks to the members who set up the history room and multi purpose room displays and all the members who were at the launch and who shared their knowledge and passion for local history with the visitors. Thank you Kate, Pauline and Kerry (and Brisbane Living Heritage) for the photos.
Aunty Debby Sandy gave the Welcome to Country. Mark Bailey conducted the Official Opening and the President of Community Plus+ was the MC.
The Smoking Ceremony was an invitation to all who came into the centre.
Guests listened intently at the launch held in the multi purpose room. The ASHG display is in the background.
A display of maps and documents available to local history researchers are on the display in the history room.
Proud ASHG members.
Villa Street community project …. the people, the stories.
Jim, Robin and Jeff. Enjoying the history on display. The painting on display is of 85 Villa Street. It was painted by Robin and Jeff’s daughter Sonia 35 years ago as a student at Yeronga High School.
The ASHG display window currently features a display recognising Reconciliation Week. We were pleased to be able to take Aunty Debby Sandy through the history room. Aunty Debby gave the Welcome to Country and began with Wai Bulka (welcome). She was delighted to see Wai Bulka in our displaying welcoming all to the history room.
More happy people talking history.
Talking publications – having at chat about the Women of Stephens.
Ever wondered about the changing Service Stations of Annerley. Find out more on Monday 3rd June at 7.00 pm when Mark Baker will presents The Rise and Fall of Service Stations in Annerley.
Mark Baker has worked in the heritage sector since the 1970s.
The event is free. Donations are welcome.
See you there for what promises to be another fascinating insight into our local history.
The talk will be preceded by the (optional) monthly meeting at 6.00 pm.
ASHG members dropped in to the history room today and had a wonderful morning exploring the basics of Trove, a wonderful resource for ‘doing history’.
Thanks Timna and Kit for setting it up and patiently taking us on a step by step introduction to Trove.
Members had come along with their laptops and some ideas about local history topics to explore which made it a very productive morning.
We look forward to another ”doing history’ day.
Remember you can drop in to the history room in the Yeronga Community Centre every Wednesday from 9.00-12.00. Bring your laptop if you wish and continue to explore local history, using Trove and other great research tools.
Visitors to the ASHG history room (Yeronga Community Centre, 62 Park Rd., Yeronga) can see a ‘petrol iron’ on display in the cabinet.
The petrol iron or gas pressure irons were manufactured as early as 1900. The types of fuel used included petrol, alcohol, methylated spirits and kerosene. The pump was used to build up pressure in the fuel tank. The petrol/kerosene iron is on loan from local resident Ros Watson who responded to a call out from ASHG.
ASHG has been engaging with residents and former residents of Villa Street, Yeronga to tell the history of the street. The petrol iron was mentioned in books written by two former residents of Villa Street.
Jessica Anderson nee Queale lived at 56 Villa Street in the 1920s and early 1930s with her parents Charles and Alice Queale. Jessica went on to become a well known Australian writer. Her collection of short stories Stories from the Warm Zone and her Miles Franklin Award winning novel Tirra Lirra by the River and Starting Too Late, Meanjiin, 2003 draw on her memories of life in Villa Street.
Ivy May Lidia Marsh (nee McDonald)lived with her family at 33 Villa Street for part of her childhood in the early part of the 20th century. She wrote a record of ‘some of her’ life for her family who have kindly agreed to her record being quoted from.
Both mention the ‘petrol iron’ in their writings. Ivy May Lydia Marsh (nee McDonald) explains why the petrol iron was seen as a great improvement by her mother and Jessica Anderson’s (nee Queale) recalls the petrol iron being seen as a risk by some.
“Saturday morning, I would help mother do the ironing with a petrol iron. This was a great improvement on the old Mother Pots irons. To get the old Mother Pots irons really hot we had to have the door shut and the stove very hot. Petrol irons were irons with a tank on the back which was filled with petrol. We would light a flame between the tank and the sole plate. The iron would get hot but we would not be sweltering in a hot room with the fire going Autobiography of Ivy May Lydia Marsh(nee McDonald)
“One of our (neighbours) coming to the house one day and seeing me ironing my school uniform with a petrol iron, gave a little shriek. ‘Alice, aren’t you afraid to let her use that thing? She could blow herself up.’ Why should she do that’ humorously enquired my mother. ‘She is not stupid. She has been taught how to use it….’Jessica Anderson, Starting too Late, Meanjin, 2003
Photos below: 56 Villa Street, Yeronga and 33 Villa Street, Yeronga
ASHG has been engaging with former and current residents of Villa Street, Yeronga to gather stories, photos and documents that tell the history of Villa Street.
It is a work in progress. On Tuesday 7 May at 7.00 pm the Villa Street team will share some of the early findings about this beautiful street.
The talk will follow the business meeting at 6.00 pm.
