Blackwood Bicentenary Celebration, 2000

And thank goodness that I'm back here in this wonderful country there. For the advice itinerary committee in your Blackwood that we have got quite a bit of functions on over the weekend. Uh, I'd like to thank the committee for their endeavours as well as it may be, especially to Elia McCall, uh, who has done or she would have been the top organiser with her. different. It, it is a pity, as I say, the weather has turned out the way it is, but, uh, at least in the hall here we're lucky that we have got some time. And without further ado, uh, I think I've said really enough, uh, as I say, I can't emphasis enough on the, on our, uh, on our forebearers. And in the future because what a wonderful company is and how privileged we are to be here celebrating the 200. Good. And without further ado I can clearly The price of nations are back open and I hope you have all a pleasant afternoon with us as pleasant as it can be with the in terms of weather, uh, I guess the, the, uh. I would like you to join us some afternoon tea and the list of people you who are willing to have a look around and uh have a talk with us after the formal ceremonies are over. Now I'd like to introduce you now our local historian who has uh a little, uh, something to say. It is regarding history the place it's appropriate that she's uh she does Margo. Thank you very much. I the Coming here and helping us make this weekend that we hope will be a big success. Especially like safe and. And uh all you play. who Like this. As historian of the historical society, it's been a great pleasure for me to. of their final. And today I'd like to. We launched this little booklet. Second edition, but it is enough. I Yeah I'm also doing along a lot of, uh, the research that I've been. Have written one book um and The place So you To be a more complete. It I lost. to good. But the award. We have both So So Yeah That That the Oh. Yeah. Thank you ladies and gentlemen, just be free to uh. and talk so sorry about the weather but but that's black. It That's right. He's one of your old boys. Yes. Uh, the only reason I did this probably because it's, it's better for what's going in here if you recall it rather than say the thing that I think so but I've still got to remember something. Well, we're gonna try when you get to my age, you've gotta be really trying and trying. Mm. I got some good. Hm, the new salty. Yeah Sorry, hang on. Well, uh, my father. I think it was my uncle Nick. Please Doctor please requested that they go up in the bush and with him to a Chinaman and old China prospect that died, yeah, and uh he was in a very difficult gully somewhere. Doctor had to go and recover the body and my father said. Get him out of there. I don't worry, boys, he says. I've lightened him down. In other words, he's gutted him gutted him. How long ago was that? Oh, a long, long time ago. Well, probably before my father was married and been a. of 1900. Uh I was the school in that uh they do Jewish Blues and they nicknamed Jewish Blues Doctor Blues Joy. George, please. Oh George, yeah, he's got to cancel my name. No, I saw George fairly often, but I'm raised a lot of Augusta. You can get out of here. No. We've done very well. The Georgia still need that. It's the big Thompson Thompson stadium. Well, it does, because that, that would be the original last place. And that's taken off the photo, but they've sort of softened it to granny. I used to take the milk there in my time. So while asleep. Homestead and grannylo is uh. And she'd been almost in her 90s I think when she died. Mary saying they don't think that. There's another cousin, her name was Mary first too. That place said her mother that's Ada done it they for Northland down. Still quite a few of the day you remember I know I know well yeah yeah I might try and get you. I try and clean up the story. Well, when my sister died. I think one of the greatest challenges of my life, uh. My sister died. We, we were, uh, all around the area and this, uh, Perry tombstone was on the ground. There's only a small one about board, and I do consult now that's only gonna be broken up or something and I'll put it in there and close it out, yeah, so that it wouldn't get smashed or something. I went back to Melbourne that girl night and he's a relation in Perth from Queensland, wondering if I could enlighten them. Perry, she's yours and you didn't know you were related to the Perry's coincidence should get in touch with Melbourne. The headstone was in the corner of your family's put it there. Bruce, I didn't see it last time I was up there. No, I wondered myself. I wonder whether some of those relations have come over from, but they on she kept for a while, she kept in touch with. She's good yeah thanks and find out what has happened to that but I don't think there's anyone probably no one in Victoria. Did you know anything about Thomas Perry? Did she tell you anything? Uh, probably I did I pass the letter on to you, I think Neil got it. Neil Madison got it. I thought she wrote to me. How can I have the worst memory ever. Did you know, did you be. Uh, which was his father. Hm. It's exciting, isn't it? Not many people in fact would have one of those. No, no, that's probably why it's been removed, nobody would know. It was easy enough to lift up and I I know it had been. The date on it when he died and I can't look I can't even wouldn't be sure what relationship there was, but Perry would be cousins somewhere along the line on the cans side, I think it's all there and Cheryl was quite interested in. She was trying to work out where the yards fitted in. Yes, we were, I think Perry's and yards could have been I think Cheryl and I worked out one of the Terry Hi, she married twice. She married maybe. Mhm. Pretty mind boggling, isn't it? Oh father. And what's your name. Did you see that um that article I've got about when he was present at the dinner for Burke and Will when they went through Castlemaine, yes, yes, yeah, and it said what ship he came out of do you need that? How's it going? Good, good. In Northern Ireland where they all came from and before that France France and the origins of the suffering family at home I can find you as a bear. I love it. Tell me about it. I'll send it to. It's just that this is the only copy I'm carrying with me you could give me in return a photocopy of the sawmill Have you written it in the book but I'll send it to you, Margot Hitchcock Historical Society, Blackwood. add anything to that. Unless you send it to my home address, which is um 18 Devon Avenue, D E V O N. Thanks a lot. Yeah, peace. Avenue, he's not.