Friday October 12, 2007
Colleen Godsell and the million dollar barn
Over a five year fund raising frenzy, Colleen Godsell raised more than one million dollars to preserve the Mosman scout hall which otherwise would have become yet another block of townhouses in the harbourside suburb.
But Colleen’s steely resolve in the many battles with governments and other authorities has meant the home of Australia’s oldest scouting troupe – known as the “The Barn” – has been fully restored and is back on the community assets list. This is the story of a woman who firmly believes in preservation of our heritage.
ABC Sydney has Colleen Godsell’s story.
Thursday September 13, 2007
Can you tell us anything about this photo?
This black and white photograph was found in the Mosman Library Local Studies Photograph Collection. Unfortunately we do not have any information available about this image and would appreciate help in identifying the location.
We would also be interested to know anything about the artillery gun in the photograph. Was it used during the First World War or the Second World War? Would it have been used by Australian troops?
A larger version of the photo is available here at Mosman Library’s Flickr account.
If you have any information please leave a comment or email library@mosman.nsw.gov.au
Monday September 3, 2007
What's the history of your house?
Mosman Library recently updated its free brochure entitled Mosman House Hunt – a guide to searching the history of a house in Mosman.
It suggests some resources that’ll help you answer questions like How old is my house? Did my house have a name? Was my house designed by an architect? Are there any photographs of my house? Who lived in my house?
You can view the brochure online at www.mosman.nsw.gov.au/library/local-studies/house-hunt
Tuesday June 19, 2007
Mosman's Built Heritage
Mosman Council has produced four short programs about architecture in Mosman with well-known architectural historian Robert Irving OAM.
Whether you are planning to carry out building work, or own a heritage property, or are just interested in Mosman’s beautiful buildings and landscape, you will enjoy and learn from viewing Mosman’s Built Heritage.
The four part presentation can be viewed online.
See Mosman’s Built Heritage on Mosman Council’s website or go to Google Video:
- What do we value about Mosman’s Heritage?
- Mosman’s Federation Past
- Mosman Between The Wars
- Today’s Buildings: Tomorrow’s Heritage
You can also download the programs to your hard drive to view later.
Mosman’s Built Heritage is also available on DVD from Mosman Council for $8.95.
Tuesday March 6, 2007
Mosman’s oral histories now online at www.mosmanvoices.net
This is the latest project in Mosman Library’s ongoing commitment to the collection and preservation of Mosman’s history.
We are pleased to announce that Mosman Voices: oral histories online is now live at www.mosmanvoices.net.
This site provides quick and easy access to Mosman Library’s extensive oral history collection which continues to expand since its beginnings in the early 1980s.
Excerpts have been selected from a number of interviews covering a variety of topics and have been placed on the web.
Each excerpt consists of sound and text. It is now possible to listen to recollections of the night the Japanese submarines entered Sydney Harbour; how residents obtained household supplies; the Dairy at Beauty Point; riding billy-carts down Mosman’s treacherous streets; tempting sharks by swimming at Sirius Cove.
We plan to continue to add excerpts with a view to building a wonderful resource on Mosman from the personal viewpoint of those who live or have lived here
This project was made possible by a Library Council of New South Wales Library Development Grant in December 2005.
For any further enquiries, please contact Donna Braye, Local Studies Librarian on 9978 4101/4090.
Friday December 15, 2006
Listen to stories of The Depression & the 1930s in Manly, Mosman, Pittwater and Warringah
Balmoral Beach in the 1930s showing Awaba Street cutting a swathe straight through the hill.
On A Shoestring: The Depression & 1930s in Manly, Mosman, Pittwater and Warringah is an oral history project undertaken between January 2000 and October 2001.
72 people were interviewed who had been living in Manly, Mosman, Pittwater and Warringah during the 1930s.
The outcome of this project was a rich archive of interviews. From this, Paula Hamilton (Associate Professor of History at University of Technology, Sydney) has written Cracking Awaba: Stories of Mosman and Northern Beaches communities during the Depression.
The On A Shoestring website has been developed to provide information about the project and insight into some of the stories recorded during the project.
A selection from these stories can be listened to online.
Friday November 3, 2006
Mosman memorabilia for National Trust Heritage Festival
Mosman Council is inviting residents to get involved in a local celebration for the annual National Trust Heritage Festival next March.
Mosman Library celebrates the Heritage Festival with exhibitions and various events and our next contribution is the From the Bottom Drawer exhibition to be held from 3-18 March 2007.
Residents, both past and present, are invited to participate by lending the library personal memorabilia to be displayed in this extraordinary and innovative exhibition about the heritage of Mosman.
The are many different materials that could be shown such as an artwork or pottery, photographs, postcards, newspapers clippings or a magazine article, a concert program, medals or trophies or anything else that is evocative of your Mosman.
To accompany these exhibits we ask you to give us a few sentences explaining the significance of your piece of Mosman history.
This promises to be an exciting event and we look forward to your participation. In order to ensure that the exhibition is a success we need to hear from people before Christmas.
Thursday November 2, 2006
Desperately Seeking Doreen
We received this email from Steve in the UK. Can you help?
I run a website devoted to the history of Marks & Co the shop made famous in the book by Helene Hanff. More details at www.84charingcrossroad.co.uk
I am trying to trace a former member of the shop staff who had emigrated to Australia in the 1950’s.
She was living in the Mosman area in the early 1980s and was invited to attend the Australian premiere of the play of 84 Charing Cross Road at the Marian Street Theatre. The actress Elaine Lee remembers her being introduced to the cast. Her name was Doreen (Maiden name possibly Wellsbury, Wellsberry or even Wells) – her character in the play is named Megan Wells.
Someone must have been aware of Doreen’s association with the shop/play and someone must have issued the invitation. If anyone is able to assist me in my quest or knows of any other person or organisation that may be able to help I’d be pleased to hear from them.
Many thanks – steve [at] maggs.co.uk
Friday October 6, 2006
Captain John Hunter RN - his contribution to the early development of Australia and the memorials that honour his life and work
Mosman Council’s General Manager, Mr Viv May PSM, gave the following presentation at a luncheon in the wardroom of HMAS Penguin on Tuesday 29 August 2006 to celebrate Hunter Day, the birthdate of Captain John Hunter. The luncheon was attended by representatives of all the local schools.
Saturday May 20, 2006
Coal ship wrecked off Chinamans Beach?
Mosman Council’s Senior Environment Officer asks:
"I’ve often been told of the sinking of a coal ship off Chinamans Beach – which explains the fine coal that always gets washed up on the sand there. But there is no record in Local Studies of such a ship ever sinking there. Now I am wondering if it is just a robust Mosman myth, or if other people actually have more detailed information about it?"
Do you know this story?