Recollections September 2020

September

Message from the President

Hello everyone
This is my first introduction to Recollections since being elected President. I thank all members and volunteers for your wonderful dedication to the Museum in some cases, over many years. This month’s edition highlights that we are coming back from the COVID19 lockdown with events and school holidays activities re-commencing. We have a fabulous new garage mural to amaze you and we have had the inaugural production for Theatre Redlands.

Enjoy!
Bruce Smith

NEW MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

A new Management Committee was elected at the Annual General Meeting on 1 September with Mayor Karen Williams officiating. The previous President, Tony Spinks, presented the Annual Report for FY2019-2020 and Treasurer, Doug Alexander, presented the Financial Statements for the year. New President, Bruce Smith, looks forward to a year building on the success of the past.

Above left:
Back row L to R: Doug Alexander (Treasurer), Mayor Karen Williams, Jan Spinks (MC member), Tony Spinks (Immediate Past President), Russell Dinte (MC member), Rick Thomason (MC member), Adelia Berridge (Redland City Councillor), Bruce Smith (President).
Front row L to R: Liz Blumson (Secretary), Suzanna Petrovic (MC member), Bev Shields (Vice-President), and Paul Bishop (Redland City Councillor).
Above Right: Mayor Karen Williams
Below Left: Bruce Smith (new President)
Below Right: General meeting held after the AGM with social distancing

WHAT'S ON

When the darkness moves...It’s time to be afraid...

Museums are full of memories. Memories that sometimes trickle out of the past into now. What’s hidden in the laundry? Who’s in the Cobb and Co. Coach? What’s the real story of the dentist’s chair? Just how much is whispering below the surface in this Museum?

Join us on a Redland Museum night walk to discover the things you didn’t know lived here…if you’re game. Halloween Museum tours are limited to small group bookings, with limited availability and age restrictions – this is not Trick or Treat.

A première production by Theatre Redlands created exclusively for the Redland Museum.

Bookings Essential - Click Here to Book

NEW EXHIBITION

The Lazaret on Peel Island

The Friends of Peel Island Association have generously donated books, artefacts, and other items relating to the Lazaret on Peel Island. Over 52 years, about 500 sufferers of leprosy, or Hansen's Disease, passed through the Lazaret. Some died, some went into remission and left, and some returned to the island for a second or a third time.
Redland Museum held an exhibition on 31 May 2007, exactly 100 years after the Lazaret was proclaimed. The book - Going to the Gums The Lazaret on Peel Island - is based on this exhibition. Patients referred to death as "going to the gums..."

Our talented Exhibition Officer, Rick Thomason OAM, will create a heartfelt exhibition from the donated items to be held in October and November 2020. You won't want to miss it!

Women of their Word - What a show!

Theatre Redlands' inaugural production of Women of their Word, directed by Museum member Jan Nary (below right), was a huge success with 185 guests attending 4 performances. Written and produced specifically for Redland Museum, it celebrated Australian women poets who captured their times and their experiences in verse. It included characters from Dames and Daredevils for Democracy by Phyl Lobl.
New President, Bruce Smith (right), introduced the cast and crew and welcomed guests.

Theatre Redlands is an autonomous group auspiced by Redland Museum. It comprises people rich in experience, skills, enthusiasm and determination. Its formation earlier this year was driven by a desire to engage in community theatre that would involve and develop individuals of all ages and skills and become a mainstay of theatre arts in the region. Redland Museum is an ideal home base for the group as museums are full of stories - and stories make theatre.

If you are a Museum member or volunteer, you are welcome to join this new theatre group and become involved in acting on stage and/or in the production of shows. No experience required. Come and have some fun! Contact the Museum on 3286 3494 if you are interested.

Fun on School Holidays

Six Quandamooka Heroes

by Ray Rowe, volunteer.
In March 1847, the paddle steamer "Sovereign" left Moreton Island bound for Sydney, but was swamped by waves and the tide while trying to cross the South Passage between Moreton and Stradbroke Islands.
Her deck cargo of wool bales broke free, making the vessel unstable, and then the recently salvaged and repaired engines failed.

Unfortunately, the stranded vessel broke apart in large waves breaking on the bar.
Seeing the tragedy unfolding, six Quandamooka men swam out to the stricken paddle steamer.

Risking their lives, they managed to rescue 10 people including the captain. Sadly, 44 people died. The marine pilot crew transported the survivors to Brisbane and conveyed the tragic news. A memorial monument at Amity Point, organized by the Minjerrabah moorgumpin elders in council, commemorates the "Sovereign" story and the aboriginal rescuers - Toompani, Woondu, Nuahju, Nuggan, Juckle Juckle and Poonipun.

In recognition of their bravery, the Quandamooka men were given a boat and brass breast plates.

Story and images courtesy of Queensland Maritime Museum.

Caravan, Camping, Boating & 4x4 Expo

Some 1037 people visited the Museum over the three day of this Expo (18-20 September). We implemented a COVID19 plan with visitors entering through one day and exiting through another with plenty of cleaning and sanitizing being done. We were very busy with our food and drink sales and the blacksmiths were a hit. Thank you to all the volunteers who helped.

New Garage Mural

We have a new mural. The garage was painted by Christian Griffiths from The Sauce Studio with funds from the Friends of Peel Island Association. We thank both Christian for his creative work and the association for enabling this to occur. Come in and see the finished product!

Harmonium

The Harmonium or Pump Organ was made by Boosey and Ching in England during the 1800s. It was donated by Mrs Mary Morton of Cleveland. It belonged to her grandfather, Dr Daniel William Colburn, one of Victoria Point's first settlers after whom Colburn Avenue was named. He was the second owner. The first owner was Captain Louis Hope, sugar pioneer of Ormiston. Both men grew sugar cane and became good friends. The harmonium was used for Anglican church services each Sunday at the Colburn home.
(Redland Museum Object No. R00794)

Push Up Piano Player - Aeriola

At the time that this instrument was donated in 1981 by Mr Rafe Billington, it was in pieces and virtually unrecognizable. Long-time members, Alf Pepper and Bob Nash restored it and got it working again.

In 1863, a Frenchman - Fourneaux - patented pneumatically operated piano players which became known as "push up" piano players. They were separate units that were pushed up to a piano. A row of wooden fingers extended over the piano keys.

With a perforated paper roll and a foot pumping action, they gave the world music that anyone could play. It was the forerunner to the Player Piano.
(Redland Museum Object No. R00881)

School Holiday Activity Packs

As the school holiday activity packs were so successful in the June - July school holidays, we have included them again these School Holidays to accompany the workshops to be held at the Museum. These wonderful activity packs can be purchased when booking a place at the workshop or on their own and collected from the Museum during the holidays. Each pack includes a "One child's free general entry pass" to the Museum. These packs are $6.00 each and can be purchased online or at Reception.

Create your own unique dot painted plaque or wand design, with 5 high-quality wooden plaque/wand designs to choose from:

Mini Surfboard plaque
Koala plaque
Fairy Wand
Oyster Shell Wand
Trident Wand

Each pack includes:

wooden plaque/wand
3 (variety) colour water paints
Cotton buds
Glitter
One free child's General Admission pass to Redland Museum

Fabulous Toys for Sale

Museum volunteer, Artie Rentoul, occupied himself during the COVID-19 lock-down by making wooden toys. He donated them to the Museum shop to sell, with all proceeds going back into the Museum. If you would like to purchase any, please see Jill at Reception.

Toys for sale
- Helicopter $14
- Cars large & small $13
- Money Boxes $15
- Trucks $18

Click the icon above to access our Facebook page!

Whether you have a Facebook account or not, you can still view all the wonderful posts on Redland Museum's Facebook page! If you do have an account, don't forget to like our page!

The editors, Sharon Vassallo and Sylvia McGarry, will endeavour to provide you with articles about items in our Collection and historical facts on the Redlands. But we would like to hear from members. What would you like for inclusion? Do you have a story to tell?

The newsletter will continue to be sent at the end of each month (except for December which maybe earlier). Editors can be contacted at recollections@redlandmuseum.org.au