A remarkable exhibition on display in the Rylstone Memorial Hall this week paints a picture of the people of the township during World War I.

“Stitches in Time – Stories of the WWI Rylstone Autograph Quilt 1915” explores the stories of local people who paid to have their signatures embroidered onto a quilt in 1915 to raise funds for the war effort and the relief of the wounded at the Dardanelles.

Publicans and saddlers, butchers, bakers and bootmakers, shop keepers, soldiers, siblings and sweethearts all signed the quilt Rylstone, along with almost every town in the country, celebrated the first “Australia Day” on July 30, 1915, with a huge procession, fundraising auction, speeches and a concert.

The Rylstone Autograph Quilt was just one of the items auctioned, sold to local ironmonger, draper and grocer E. H. Nash.

The quilt was found in a collection of linen purchased at auction in Sydney in the 1970s and was donated to the War Memorial in Canberra for safekeeping.

Historical society president, and curator of the exhibition Helen Marsonet said the discovery six years ago that there was a Rylstone autograph quilt in the collection of the War Memorial led to a massive project researching the signatures.

Using the quilt signatures as the starting point, the exhibition features biographical vignettes, photographs, uniforms, badges, flags, and other items to tell the social history of the district at the outbreak of World War One.

There will be demonstrations of embroidery in the manner of the quilt, army sock knitting, and table loom weaving. War poetry will be recited daily at 2 pm.

The exhibition will be open at the Rylstone Memorial Hall in Louee Street from 10 am to 4 pm daily from now until Friday, September 11.

Owain James with part of the “Stitches in Time” exhibition at the Rylstone Memorial Hall. The exhibition, inspired by Rylstone’s Autograph Quilt, is one display throughout this week.

Source: Mudgee Guardian, newspaper article [http://www.mudgeeguardian.com.au/story/3330466/amazing-stories-from-wwi-quilt-revealed/]

Re-enactment of the 1915 recruiting marches honouring the Tooraweenah ‘Kookaburras’ along the Castlereagh Highway in 2015. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for rural communities along the Castlereagh Highway from Tooraweenah, to Dunedoo, Mudgee, Portland and Bathurst to re-invigorate their volunteer spirit, celebrate their heritage and reconnect with descendants of local families. Overview – While the snowballing marches of 1915 focussed on recruiting members to the Australian Defence force, the re-enactment events of 2015 will focus on recruiting modern Australians to community service. On the ’Kookaburras’ route the average marching distance between overnights stops is about 25km. At Bathurst the ‘Kookaburras’ will link up with the Parkes/Forbes ‘Boomerangs’ where they will all board a train for Sydney. The total march event will cover thirteen days. The tentative march timetable will see the ‘Kookaburras’ arrive on Friday 6th November, they will march via Lue to Rylstone camping in the showground overnight, continuing onto Ilford via Kandos and Clandulla and will camp at the Ilford hall on the 7th November. Major Bill Duncan OAM will be co-ordinating the ‘Kookaburra’ march and for general information you can contact him on i.mentor@me.com or phone 9654 0525 or mobile on 0488 999 177. General enquiries to info@cooeemarch.org.au or the website on www.cooeemarch.org.au.

One hundred years ago tomorrow on July 30, 1915 Rylstone and every other rural centre was in a fever of preparation for a nationally declared ‘Australia Day’ to collect funds in support of the war effort and for the relief of the wounded in the Dardanelles.

H. A. Phipps, who wrote his memories of the day stated, “Australia had been pledged to support England and France in the First World War to the last man and the last shilling by Prime Minister, Billy Hughes. Hughes named July 30, 1915 Australia Day and called on every person in the Commonwealth ‘to do their bit’, to raise funds for the war and help our troops then fighting in Gallipoli and other places overseas.”

In Rylstone, almost every man, woman and child responded to the call. On the day a huge procession made its way from Rylstone Railway Station to the Horticultural Hall.

The march was led out by the mounted police, followed by the Rylstone Brass Band. Motorcars were decorated to the hilt representing the Allied Countries of Belgium, Italy, Britain, and Russia with drivers in costume.

Commenting on the day in the Mudgee Guardian of August 5, 1915, the reporter remarked “Dr Hansard’s car, representing Great Britain, was decorated from stem to stern in red, white and blue, with the national ensign supporting a British aeroplane on the centre of the windscreen, and on the back of the car a splendid model of a British Dreadnought (the Queen Elizabeth) was elaborately set out with a submarine at its stern.

The effort must have cost the doctor much thought and hard work, and he fully deserves the expressions of admiration that the public expressed.”

Fourteen young men enlisted on the day. Young people were deputised to collect donations, with many performers showered with coins. Items auctioned varied from a cauliflower to flags, fowls, pictures, livestock and the Rylstone Autograph Quilt.  Mr E. H. ‘Ted’ Nash paid £17.10.0.

The creator of the quilt was Mrs Dawson, of ‘Henbury’ who had two sons at the front lines in Gallipoli, one of whom was killed on August 6.  She and her many daughters worked very hard during July to complete the quilt in time for Australia Day. Signatures and attached donations were collected by members of her family, through the Red Cross, and by Mrs. Fletcher and Mrs. Farrer. The Rylstone Autograph Quilt raised £95.0.0 in total, and total donations from Australia Day in Rylstone exceeded £700.0.0

During the ‘Stitches in Time’ exhibition, the Rylstone and District Historical Society will be paying tribute to the more than 900 local citizens of the district who paid to have their names stitched onto the Rylstone Autograph Quilt 100 years ago.

‘Stitches in Time’ is an official History Week Event and will be at Rylstone Memorial Hall from September 4 to 11. The Quilt is in Canberra in safekeeping at the War Memorial and will not be on display, but every signature has been photographed and these will be projected on a screen running continuously.

The exhibition will be open to the public every day from 10 am to 4 pm and a program of songs, poetry and demonstrations will make this a unique and special event.

Source: Mudgee Guardian, newspaper article [http://www.mudgeeguardian.com.au/story/3240737/rylstone-autograph-quilt-was-auctioned-100-years-ago/]

April 18, 2014

The Rylstone & District  Historical Society’s conservation of the 19th Century mural at The Bridgeview Inn is a finalist in the 2014 National Trust Heritage Awards.

The Rylstone & District Historical Society has commissioned International Conservation Services Pty to conserve the mural.

The work is being undertaken in stages over three years.

According to the National Trust, the mural was “almost certainly” the work of travelling artist Augustus Pierce.

Although Pierce painted widely in NSW, hardly any examples of his work remain.

The project was carefully planned to ensure best practice conservation methodologies were followed, including documentation and treatment.

The painting is also a rare example of a mural in a rural public building.

The mural depicts a scene of the Rylstone Bridge, with a fisherman and cows in the foreground.

“This project was driven by the local historical society who realised the importance of the mural and its value to the community,” said the award submission.

“Throughout the project the historical society ensured community awareness of the treatment and ran regular talks and ‘show and tell’ sessions.”

“The project was carefully planned to ensure best practice conservation methodologies were followed, including documentation and treatment.

“Vitally important to this was dividing the treatment up into stages that could be executed within the funds available at the time.”

Source: Mudgee Guardian, newspaper article (http://www.mudgeeguardian.com.au/story/2226680/rylstone-mural-renovation-an-award-finalist/)

May 21, 2014

Rylstone and District Historical Society has been recognised for its outstanding contribution to heritage conservation in NSW with a 2014 Heritage Volunteer Award.

At a recent ceremony at the Justice and Police Museum in Sydney, president of the local historical society Helen Marsonet was presented with a framed certificate in recognition of the group’s outstanding work over the past years.

Mrs Marsonet was among a large group of other representatives of various organisations from across the state and she said it was a great thrill to be part of this prestigious gathering.

Source: Mudgee Guardian, newspaper article (http://www.mudgeeguardian.com.au/story/2294623/heritage-award-for-rylstone-and-district-historical-society/)

This article, with a slightly misleading title, was recently published in the Mudgee Guardian. The original Rylstone Autograph Quilt will not feature in our upcoming exhibition; however, it has been photographed fairly extensively. The quilt remains in the collection of the Australian War Memorial in Canberra although is not displayed in public galleries.

World War I quilt to return to Rylstone

By BRENT BARLOW

An autographed quilt created by Rylstone residents 100 years ago to raise money for the war effort during World War I will return to the town for a History Week exhibition September.

The Rylstone Autograph Quilt owes its existence firstly to a group of dedicated women and their community that supported them in 1914-15 and secondly to an incredible piece of luck in the 1970s.

The Rylstone WWI Autograph Quilt was the result of efforts by Mrs James Dawson, supported by Mrs Fletcher, wife of the Rylstone Shire President, and Mrs J. W. Farrar 100 years ago. Individuals signed the quilt in pencil, and then paid to have their signatures embroidered over.

It was completed for July 30, 1915, called “Australia Day” – a special day where the Australian community raised money to support the war effort. Most of these funds were collected for the Australian Division of the Red Cross.

Its makers and all those who signed it would probably be surprised that it still exists 100 years later. Its preservation has been a miracle.

A Mrs Simpson found the quilt in a collection of linen purchased at auction in Sydney in the 1970s and recognising its significance, sent it to the War Memorial in Canberra where it is now in safe-keeping.

In September during History Week, Rylstone and District Historical Society will present an exhibition at the Rylstone Memorial Hall celebrating the stories of soldiers and local families linked to the Rylstone Autograph Quilt.

Historical society president, and curator of the exhibition Helen Marsonet said the discovery six years ago that there was a Rylstone autograph quilt in the collection of the War Memorial has led to a massive project researching the signatures.

“Information has been pouring in which will contribute substantially to the Rylstone family history archives. There are over 900 autographs embroidered in white embroidery thread on a white sheet in stem stitch and chain stitch, with decorative motifs of grape leaves, flowers, stars, sun rays and circles,” Mrs Marsonet said.

“The decorative motifs reflect the period.

“Grape vines were probably chosen as a sign of mourning. Similarly the sun and stars dotted over the quilt may symbolise the heavens.”

Images of the rising sun featured prominently leading up to and following the Federation celebrations of 1901. With the surge of national pride, the emblem as a symbol of an emerging nation began to appear on buildings and in the brands of many commodities.

The first rising sun hat badge was issued to Australian troops serving in South Africa, and was later adopted as the official emblem for all military forces within the Commonwealth of Australia – and a variant is still in use today.

“The quilt contains the names of at least 75 soldiers from the Rylstone district who enlisted between August 1914 and July 1915. Two stitched circles bear the names A.C.Robbins, A.H.Freeman and J.D. Sandstrom. All three were early Gallipoli casualties. A central circular shape bears the cipher of King George V and For Our Dardanelles Australian Wounded 1915.

“Two circles bear the names of well-known Australian commanding officers also killed on Gallipoli in the first days – General Bridges and Colonels MacLaurin, Braund and Onslow-Thompson.”

The Stitches in Time exhibition in Rylstone celebrating 100 years since the quilt was created will feature the signatures from the quilt in the form of large projections. There will be stories and photographs and a memorial to the recently identified soldier Athol Kirkland given to the family by the residents of Pinnacle Swamp.

Other items will include WWI objects, uniforms, and other attractions. During the exhibition, embroidery in the style of the quilt and sock knitting will be demonstrated. The exhibition will be open daily from 10am to 4pm from September 4 to 11.

Anyone curious to know if the signatures of their forebears are on the quilt, or who can provide further family history information, are urged to contact Helen Marsonet at Rylstone and District Historical Society at rylstonehistory@westnet.com.au or PO Box 66 Rylstone 2849.

Source: Mudgee Guardian, newspaper article (http://www.mudgeeguardian.com.au/story/3186511/world-war-i-quilt-to-return-to-rylstone/?cs=1485)

Volunteers from the Rylstone District Historical Society have been visiting museums around the region, picking up ideas to revitalise the society’s Cottage Museum.

The cottage museum is positioned at the rear of the Bridge View Inn grounds, a property which belongs to the Historical Society and also includes an old slab structure and a kitchen block, along with the inn itself, “the gem of our collection”.

The cottage was moved to the site and stocked with memorabilia and items of local historical interest from the late 1800s to the 1920s.

The Rylstone District Hospital Cottage Museum think tank is strategising “how to make the most of the opportunities we’ve got up there.”

The group visited Mudgee and Gulgong museums in recent weeks, to see how other groups managed, what issues they had faced, and how they overcame them.

The group will report back to the whole Historical Society by the middle of the year, with ideas for making the Cottage Museum more accessible and sustainable in the long term.

“We might all be passionate but I think we’ve got to pass that on, make it easy for people to step into our shoes,” said think tank member Jeannette McCarthy.

Ideas include expanding the family history resources, finding the stories that connect to items in the collection, and involving more members in the museum’s operation.

Ms McCarthy said one of the challenges faced by the Cottage Museum was that its curator was an outstanding source of local knowledge, but the knowledge was not stored anywhere for a time when the curator was no longer around.

The think tank members said sometimes problems faced by historical societies seemed insurmountable, but talking to other groups who faced them, either successfully or unsuccessfully, allowed the issues to be either resolved or accepted and let progress continue.

Ms McCarthy said different groups approached museum management differently, depending on their interests and passions, but all were united by “that shared passion for preserving what we’ve got and sharing it about.”

Source: Mudgee Guardian, newspaper article (http://www.mudgeeguardian.com.au/story/2046917/museums-share-passion-for-preserving/)

In September during History Week, Rylstone and District Historical Society will present an exhibition at the Rylstone Memorial Hall celebrating the stories of soldiers and local families linked to the Rylstone Autograph Quilt.

The Rylstone WWI Autograph Quilt was the result of efforts by Mrs James Dawson, supported by Mrs Fletcher, wife of the Rylstone Shire President, and Mrs J. W. Farrar 100 years ago. Individuals signed the quilt in pencil, and then paid to have their signatures embroidered over.

It was completed for July 30, 1915, called “Australia Day” – a special day where the Australian community raised money to support the war effort. Most of these funds were collected for the Australian Division of the Red Cross.

This quilt is now in safe-keeping at the War Memorial in Canberra. Its preservation has been a miracle. A Mrs Simpson in Sydney found the quilt in a collection of linen purchased at auction in Sydney in the 1970s and recognising its significance, sent it to the War Memorial. Its makers and all those who signed it would probably be surprised that it still exists 100 years later.

Rylstone and District Historical Society President, and Curator of the exhibition Helen Marsonet said she was very excited when she first found out six years ago that there was a Rylstone autograph quilt in the collection of the War Memorial.

“It has led to a massive project researching the signatures and information has been pouring in which will contribute substantially to the Rylstone family history archives.”

There are over 900 autographs embroidered in white embroidery thread on a white sheet in stem stitch and chain stitch, with decorative motifs of grape leaves, flowers, stars, sun rays and circles.

The quilt contains the names of at least 75 soldiers from the Rylstone district who enlisted between August 1914 and July 1915. Two stitched circles bear the names A.C.Robbins, A.H.Freeman and J.D. Sandstrom. All three were early Gallipoli casualties. A central circular shape bears the cipher of King George V and For Our Dardanelles Australian Wounded 1915.

Two circles bear the names of well-known Australian commanding officers also killed on Gallipoli in the first days – General Bridges and Colonels MacLaurin, Braund and Onslow-Thompson.

Rylstone citizens donated varying amounts to have their names or the names of loved ones, embroidered, which raised a total of £95. On completion, the quilt was auctioned and Mr E H Nash was the final purchaser paying £17.10 for it. The total raised was £112.10 – a substantial amount in 1915.

The “Stitches in Time” exhibition in Rylstone celebrating 100 years since the quilt was created will feature the signatures from the quilt in the form of large projections. There will be stories and photographs and a memorial to the recently identified soldier Athol Kirkland given to the family by the residents of Pinnacle Swamp.

Other items will include WWI objects, uniforms, and other attractions. During the exhibition, embroidery in the style of the quilt and sock knitting will be demonstrated. The exhibition will be open daily from 10am to 4pm from September 4 to 11.

Anyone curious to know if the signatures of their forebears are on the quilt, or who can provide further family history information, are urged to contact Helen Marsonet at Rylstone and District Historical Society at rylstonehistory@westnet.com.au or PO Box 66 Rylstone 2849.

Source: Mudgee Guardian, newspaper article (http://www.mudgeeguardian.com.au/story/3150600/soldiers-and-local-families-linked-to-rylstone-autograph-quilt/)

Rylstone and District Historical Society (RDHS) members are researching information on a fascinating quilt that has come to light at the War Memorial Memorial museum in Canberra.

The quilt contains around 1000 embroidered names, many of them from the Rylstone district.

The quilt is at the Australian War Memorial because it contains the names of 49 WWI soldiers – most of who have now been identified.

The other 950 or so names and embroiderers are the subject of the RDHS research.

RDHS president Helen Marsonet said she first learned of the quilt’s existence about five years ago when she was rummaging through old RDHS documents that were in a plastic shopping bag in the society’s office.

“I discovered a hand written letter from a Mrs Simpson giving information about the quilt and how it had been found,” Mrs Marsonet said.

“The letter had been sent to a former member of the RDHS, Meredith Taylor, following her enquiries.

“It appears that the lady had bid for a cupboard full of linen at a house auction in Sydney and had subsequently found the quilt.

“At the top of the quilt were the words ‘The Rylstone Autograph Quilt’ and it was embroidered all over with signatures in white thread.

“There was also reference to WWI and the names of soldiers who had enlisted in the military forces from the district.

“She subsequently sent the quilt to the Rylstone RSL, but as the members of the board had nowhere to keep it they sent it back.

“Thankfully, Mrs Simpson had the good sense to send it to the war memorial where it is today.”

Mrs Marsonet believes people paid sixpence (five cents) and then wrote their names or other family member’s names in pencil.

Women would then embroider the names later.

This was a fundraiser for the war effort at the time.

The Rylstone and District Historical Society are keen to identify all the names on the quilt and the names of the embroiderers.

Their aim is to put on an exhibition next year in History Week and they’d like to talk with anyone who may have further information on the names.

If you’d like to see if your ancestor’s name might be there, call into the cottage Museum, Rylstone on a Sunday or phone Helen Marsonet on 6379 0772 and ask for information on the quilt.

You can obtain a form and a guide to research which can be filled out.

There will also be workshops later in the year to help people.

Source: Mudgee Guardian, newspaper article (Rylstone Autograph Quilt – Mudgee Guardian)

Vandals in Rylstone have destroyed months of hard work by a local family to restore a 19th Century shepherd’s hut for public use.

Rod Leffley from Rylstone said he and his family had been restoring Birds Hut, a building that is next to Wollemi National Park, and had been in his family for five generations.

“It was built in 1880 and we were redoing it with the aim that campers would be able to use it for overnight stays. But we’re not sure that will be happening anymore,” Mr Leffley said.

Mr Leffley said that sometime in the past two weeks, vandals entered the property on the Olinda Road near Dunns Swamp and “went on a rampage”, destroying hand hewn slab walls and smashing windows.

“The building has been so severely damaged that, after receiving advice from professionals, we’re considering demolishing it,” Mr Leffley said.

Owners Ben and Jessie Leffley are great-great-grandchildren on the original pioneer and builder, Richard Bird, and have posted a substantial reward for the successful prosecution of the offenders.

Bird Hut was to be used as an exhibition space for the 2015 Kandos Cementa Art Exhibition but Mr Leffley said it was now doubtful that the space could still be used.

If you have any information about the vandalism, contact Mudgee Local Area Command.

Source: http://www.mudgeeguardian.com.au/story/2879416/hut-may-be-demolished-after-vandals-rampage/#slide=1

Rylstone Historical Society farewells Bob and Sally O’Neill, news article – Mudgee Guardian (11 June 2014)

SAYING FAREWELL: (Front row l-r) Historical Society members, George McDonald (Patron) with current and former presidents Helen Marsonet and Virginia Hollister, Sally O’Neill, (back row l-r) Peter Monaghan and Bob O’Neill.

Rylstone and District Historical Society members held a dinner at the Globe Hotel Shed Bistro on Tuesday, June 3 to farewell Bob O’Neill and his wife Sally who have recently sold their property Long Gully near Rylstone and are moving to Blackheath.

Mr O’Neill played a pivotal role in the local historical society when its future was in doubt and assets including the iconic Bridge View Inn were moved to be sold at a public meeting in 2003.

Following the dinner on Tuesday evening Peter Monaghan gave a history of that famous meeting. He described how Mr O’Neill moved that the motion to sell the BVI be rescinded. His motion was overwhelmingly supported by the packed venue.

An interim committee was then formed with Mr O’Neill as president, Carolyn Barlow vice-president, Peter Monaghan treasurer and Maryanne Johnson secretary.

With the financial situation in dire straits, Mr O’Neill discovered he had a week to submit a 100 page grant application for $100,000. The application was successful and this enabled a major refurbishment of the BVI including re-roofing the building and repairing the stone chimneys. The first President’s Report in August 2004 noted that they had “recovered from shipwreck.” Mr Monaghan told Mr O’Neill that the society had a great deal to thank him for.

During the evening current president Helen Marsonet also thanked Mr O’Neill and his wife for the incredible help and support they have given the historical society over the years, while current vice-president Virginia Hollister recited a humorous poem she had written for the occasion.

Mr O’Neill thanked everyone for the kind words and said it had given them both considerable satisfaction to have worked with the society.

“We shall be back. This has been too much fun to let it go,” he added.

Rylstone district rallies behind historical society, news article – Mudgee Guardian (14 September 2014)

STANDING ROOM ONLY: More than 60 people attended the special meeting to decide Rylstone District Historical Society’s future at a special meeting on Saturday.

The Rylstone District Historical Society has a new lease of life following a special meeting at the society’s iconic Bridge View Inn on Saturday afternoon. In a show of great support the community rallied behind the group with over 60 people present at the meeting and many new members signed up.

Within a couple of minutes of the welcome, President Helen Marsonet explained that the previous motion that The Rylstone and District Historical Society Inc. be voluntarily wound up and its assets be divested in accordance with Clause 43 of its constitution was in fact unconstitutional and that the society had now filled all executive and committee positions.

She advised that Eric Williams was vice-president, Deborah Bush, secretary and Lori Grabham, treasurer. The ordinary committee members are Virginia Hollister, Jeanette McCarthy and Shirley Tunnicliff who also doubles up as minute’s secretary.

Mrs Marsonet then asked past-president of the society, Bob Chrismas to chair the meeting. Mr Chrismas explained that there was no notice of motion and that the meeting was therefore being held to consider the future of the society.

Bob O’Neill, a former president who played a key role in the society’s reformation a decade earlier, moved that the society continue and that it be not wound up. The motion was carried unanimously.

In his address to the meeting, Peter Monaghan – also a past president and the proposer of the motion on notice, said he was extremely pleased to hear that RDHS now has a full crew on committee.

“I’m sure that Helen and her three not-so-ordinary committee members are equally relieved and pleased with the outcome. To all those who in the last month offered to serve on the committee and to the three who were appointed thank you and congratulations.

“Finally, thank you to those 15 members who attended the AGM and participated in the democratic process of taking decisive action when it was needed. Without that action being taken at the AGM I do not believe that the outcome announced today would have been achieved.”

Mr Monaghan added that he was set to propose that the motion on notice be withdrawn following the filling of all positions but that was no longer necessary.

After the meeting, which lasted just over half an hour, Mrs Marsonet said she was very relieved at the outcome.

“It’s been a very harrowing month. We’ve all worked so hard at getting grants, building up our resources and establishing a very successful asset for the community. I’m so grateful that the community rallied behind us,” she said.

Join us on the first Wednesday of each month in the BVI Dining Room

10am – 3pm