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| News from Public Record Office Victoria |
April/May 2009 |
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rEsearch is a bi-monthly update of Public Access News from PROV ISSN 1449-0323 Copyright © 2009 Public Record Office Victoria |
Still from a performance of 'An Aboriginal Moomba’ at the Princess Theatre Melbourne between 23–27 June 1951.
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1. Minister announces $350,000 to preserve Victoria's local history On 31 March 2009, Arts Minister Lynne Kosky announced the recipients of funds for the 2008–2009 Local History Grants Program (LHGP). Ms Kosky said of the winning entries, 'These projects tell some fantastic stories that show the diversity of Victoria and reflect our everyday life, our triumphs and our struggles.' The recipients represent a wide range of community groups, from scout clubs to local historical societies, landcare groups to churches. This round also provides support to the Kinglake and Marysville historical societies whose many items of cultural and historical importance have been damaged or lost due to the recent bushfires.
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In total, eighty-seven Victorian community groups will share in $350,000 of Brumby Government funding to help preserve and share their local stories. The LHGP is managed by PROV. To see a full
list of grant recipients, visit the Local
History Grants Program page on PROV's website.
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2. PROV building works As part of a program of building works being conducted by PROV to improve its facilities there will be some disruption to all PROV services from 1 June 2009. As a result of the building works the Victorian Archives Centre in North Melbourne, including the Reading Room, will be closed on Mondays and Saturdays from 1 June 2009 to February 2010. To bring PROV services into alignment during this time the Ballarat Archives Centre (BAC) will also be closed on Mondays from 1 June 2009 to February 2010. BAC, including the Reading Room, will now be opened on Tuesdays AND Wednesdays (in lieu of Mondays) during this time.
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This necessary work will ensure that the archival collections of both PROV and the National Archives of Australia stored in the Victorian Archives Centre continue to be preserved in state-of-the-art facilities. Please note that on Tuesdays to Fridays PROV will conduct business as usual, including the reading rooms. For Reading Room opening times please refer to the Contact Us page on the PROV website. We apologise for any inconvenience experienced during these closures. If you have any concerns regarding PROV Building Works please email buildingworks@prov.vic.gov.au. |
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3. Review of PROV services In the last issue of rEsearch we mentioned that in 2008 PROV conducted a staff-led review of the services that it provides to researchers at the Victorian Archives Centre (VAC) Reading Room. The review identified that since the VAC Reading Room opened in 2004 considerable change has occurred in the way researchers use PROV's services, especially in relation to the provision of online services.
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PROV has been examining the recommendations of this review and how, if implemented, they will impact upon the provision of services to all researchers. Public users will be advised as more information becomes available
regarding any proposed changes to the service delivery model in
the near future.
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4. Bendigo Regional Archives Centre now open On 1 April 2009, the Bendigo Regional Archives Centre (BRAC) was opened to the public for the first time. BRAC is the result of a partnership between PROV, the City of Greater Bendigo and the Goldfields Library Corporation, established to permanently preserve public, private and business records in their place of origin and make them accessible to the public. The first researcher to enter through the BRAC doors was Prue Hawkey from City of Greater Bendigo. Following her were Heritagecare Conservation Volunteers Merrilee Edwards and Eileen Lowther who came to BRAC to access the Heathcote rate books. Researchers will be able to delve into records that document the history of the Greater Bendigo region and its people by accessing the many local government records in the BRAC collection, which include rate books and council minutes. The collection will continue to grow as public and community records are transferred to the Centre. Information about public records located at BRAC can be searched via the PROV website at http://www.access.prov.vic.gov.au BRAC Reading Room For further information visit the BRAC website.
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Image: Prue Hawkey from City of Greater Bendigo is being helped by Michelle Matthews, BRAC staff member. In the background are Merrilee Edwards and Eileen Lowther |
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5. PROV Wiki launched On Tuesday 31 March 2009, Minister for Women's Affairs Maxine Morand officially launched the PROV Wiki website at a function at Queen's Hall, Parliament House, Melbourne. Minister Morand welcomed the PROV Wiki as an exciting, interactive resource that provides a fresh opportunity for the Victorian Government to capture the state's family and community history. She said, "Victorians have already contributed a range of material collected from the community during our suffrage centenary celebrations last year. PROV’s new wiki offers a meaningful and permanent home for this valuable historical information." The date for the launch was chosen as it was the last day of Women’s History Month and the centenary of the granting of Royal Assent to the Adult Suffrage Act 1909 which brought the right of women to vote into Victorian law. One of the main areas of the PROV Wiki pertains to the 1891 Women's Suffrage Petition, where the public can search through the 30,000 names listed on the petition and add or read information on those who signed. Other areas of the PROV Wiki cover the Ned Kelly documents, Victorian Railways and the 1956 Melbourne Olympic official press photographs. Gymnast Wendy Grant (nee Nicholls) who competed at the 1956 Olympics was present at the launch and eager to add her recollections to the Wiki. The PROV Wiki originated from the idea of giving researchers the opportunity to provide comments and extra information on records held by PROV. Just like the online encyclopaedia Wikipedia, anybody can log into the PROV Wiki, contribute their own information, including photos, and edit the entries created by others.
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Kavisha Mazella and her choir singing the anthem 'Love and Justice' commissioned by the Victorian Women's Trust to mark the Centenary of Women's Suffrage celebrations.
The PROV Wiki is already proving to be popular having received, on average, one hundred hits per day. There are also some interesting stories being added, such as a confession from an Olympian who had a romance during the 1956 games, and observations about Australian culture and the abundance of food from athletes who arrived from war torn Europe. Click here to visit the PROV Wiki and add your comments or read those made by others. |
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6. Koorie Records Unit new webpage The Koorie Records Unit (KRU) at PROV has updated its webpage on the PROV website. The new webpage is easier to navigate and features information about the KRU, its services and products and an in-depth look into the KRU’s past and present projects. The webpage features the KRU newsletter which keeps readers up to date with the latest news and events involving the KRU, and also features information on accessing Koorie records and an exploration of Koorie stories. Click here to see the new KRU webpage on the PROV website.
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7. New PROV travelling exhibition – An Aboriginal Moomba: Out of the Dark PROV has developed a new touring exhibition based on the 1951 performance An Aboriginal Moomba: Out of the Dark. The exhibition features high quality reproductions of photographs held in PROV's collection and images reproduced from the personal scrapbook of political activist and filmmaker Bill Onus. An Aboriginal Moomba is the namesake of the Moomba street parade which is celebrated annually in March in Melbourne. The 1951 performance was an all-Indigenous theatrical display at Melbourne's Princess Theatre. It was developed in response to the absence of any Indigenous Australian content for the celebrations of the Centenary of Victoria and the fiftieth anniversary of Federation in Australia. The performance was enthusiastically received by audiences and highly acclaimed by the critics. The high quality photographs featured in the touring exhibition include stills of performances by Doug Nicholls and Bill Onus, opera singer Harold Blair, and renowned blues singer Georgia Lee. The exhibition will have its first display at the Victorian Archives Centre from July to August (dates to be confirmed) before being available to historical societies and community groups. It is free to borrow and has been designed to fit into the back of a station wagon for easy transportation. It also requires minimal effort to set up and disassemble. Included with the exhibition is a copy of the souvenir program from the performance for display. Also available is a painted backdrop, an impression by Melbourne company Scenic Studios of the original set for An Aboriginal Moomba generously donated for the exhibition by City Gallery, Melbourne Town Hall. A DVD, featuring the recollections of Eileen Dowling, Pam Pedersen and Lilian Tamiru, who were performers in the 1956 performance, will also be supplied for display with the exhibition.
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Still from a performance of 'An Aboriginal Moomba’ at the Princess Theatre Melbourne between 23–27 June 1951.
An Aboriginal Moomba: Out of the Dark is based on a 2008 exhibition entitled Making a Show of It, Indigenous Entertainers and Entrepreneurs in 1950s Melbourne which was developed by City Gallery, Melbourne, in partnership with PROV, and curated by Virginia Fraser and Destiny Deacon. For further information and bookings, contact the Online Exhibition Officer on (03) 9348 5600 or email ask.prov@prov.vic.gov.au
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8. Central Highlands Historical Association awards presentation On Saturday 28 February, Margaret Sawyers, Regional Archivist, PROV, attended an event at Creswick to present awards to the finalists of the Central Highlands Historical Association (CHHA) Family History Expo held in October 2008. PROV is a sponsor of the awards and provides the winners whose displays best fit the annual theme of the weekend with certificates and much-needed conservation supplies. The 2008 Expo’s theme was based on 'That's Entertainment - the Performing and Visual Arts 1850 to 1950'. Buninyong Historical Society was selected as the winner of the Best Display award. Information on the 2009 CHAA Family History Expo to be held on the weekend of 3-4 October at the Ballarat Specialist School. This year's theme is 'What's in a name: the origins of our towns and suburbs'.
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Marg Sawyers presents to the Buninyong Historical Society. |
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9. Archival Support Program – 'Possums, leaks and floods: Protecting your collection from disasters big and small' Date: Wednesday 20 May 2009 The risks facing collections can include floods, leaky pipes and roofs, mould, insects and mice, or even vandalism and theft. Do you have a plan in place to limit the damage to your valuable collection? Do you know where or who to go to for help? Learn about the essential things that you need to know to help protect your collection, building and yourself.
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Program Session 1, 10:00 am – 12:30 pm – Planning and
Response Essentials Lunch 12:30–1:30 pm Session 2, 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm – Community Responses–
Shared Aims |
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10. PROV Volunteers identify the one millionth passenger to leave Victorian ports Volunteers at PROV have reached yet another milestone with their work of indexing inward and outward passenger lists of arrivals and departures from Victorian ports. At the end of March, PROV Volunteers were thrilled to have indexed the one millionth passenger from the outward passenger lists. Some research revealed that the passenger, Jim Blanch, was 9 years old at the time of travel. He accompanied his father, J Blanch and they left Victoria for Fremantle, Western Australia (WA) on 24 April 1897, in steerage on the Bullarra. The 1890s were afflicted by major economic depression with Victoria being particularly hard hit. It was also the time of the WA gold rushes. It could be assumed that Jim and his father like many Victorians were attracted to what the WA gold rushes could have in store for them.
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Among the 126 passengers on the Bullarra were a number of married women travelling alone with their children. This data further suggests that many Victorian men travelled to WA for the gold rushes, with their wives and children travelling at a later date to reunite with them. To view and search through PROV's indexes to passenger lists, visit
PROVguide
23 on our website. |
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11. Max Dupain on Assignment now showing Max Dupain on Assignment is the new National Archives of Australia touring exhibition currently on display at the Victorian Archives Centre in North Melbourne. The exhibition features over 60 eye-catching examples of rarely seen government and commercial work taken during the 1940s to 1970s by world-renowned Australian photographer, Max Dupain. Max Dupain on Assignment is supported by Visions of Australia and is on display at the Victorian Archives Centre, 99 Shiel Street, North Melbourne, until 22 May 2009. For further information, visit the Online Exhibitions page on the PROV website.
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12. PROV Environment Program – Helping out our
four legged friends As part of an environment program at PROV, shredded paper and newspapers are taken to the Lost Dogs' Home regularly, where they are used to provide bedding for homeless dogs and cats. Staff have also donated their old towels, sheets and blankets which are recycled for use at the home. Every day the Lost Dogs' Home rescues and cares for at least 30 dogs and 20 cats (or more than 20,000 dogs and cats each year), so they need a lot of bedding. The only difficulty is trying to hold back the PROV staffers who drop off the goods from adopting every cute face they see! To view further information on the Lost Dogs' Home, visit their website at http://www.dogshome.com/
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Residents of the Lost Dog's Home take possession of their new bedding.
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13. Records now available from PROV Visit http://www.prov.vic.gov.au/main/newrecords.asp to view new series that have been added to the online catalogue Access the Collection. The list is updated every two months to coincide with the publication of rEsearch.
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14. Staff speaking engagements Visit our events calendar at http://www.prov.vic.gov.au/events/calendar/default.asp for a list of upcoming PROV speaking engagements. Book now!
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15. Feedback If you would like to send feedback and suggestions on the content of this newsletter or if you know someone who would be interested in receiving rEsearch, please email ask.prov@prov.vic.gov.au.
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16. About this publication We have included you on our mailing list because you have indicated interest in receiving PROV information. However, if you do not wish to receive this newsletter, please email ask.prov@prov.vic.gov.au or phone PROV reception (03) 9348 5600 and we will remove you from our list. Back issues of this publication are also available at http://www.prov.vic.gov.au/publications/
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