History Notes - the Christmas Markets are on
History Notes
To Begin with there is a reminder that the Museum Christmas Markets are taking place on Saturday 18th December – the advertisement appears elsewhere. Please stall holders make contact with Jenny Botha to book your stall, email is best, as you could miss out by just arriving on the day.
The museum has returned to its usual opening times so do call in if you notice the Open sign or the side gate open – we like to welcome visitors.
This week’s notes have come about after a request for some simple information about the Museum buildings. The first was the age of the front building and it is very hard to get anything exact re our century old buildings.
The original building had a verandah on it and C.G. Williams, the owner in 1894, came out onto the verandah to see what all the fuss was about over at the Commercial Bank, now the Victoria Hotel, when the Bank was robbed.
It is possible that the C.G. Williams & Co building was built in the late 1880’s and we know that the early saleyards were down behind the building. The signpost at the front of the Museum yard should supply any further information.
The next building, The Dean Room, has taken a little more research as it was tied up with the beginnings of the Clay Pan. The school history revealed that the school needed a manual training room in the 20’s and 30’s and the Education Department were not willing to assist. Mr Dean, well known storekeeper, and president of the Parent & Citizens Association for many years, kept the pressure on the Department by a guarantee of 40 pounds from the P & C if they built the building.
The Manual Training Room was completed in November, 1933, and the Association named the building, The Dean Room, with a suitable plaque placed in the room. Thirty years later when the room was known as the art room it was offered to the pottery group who were just getting started and needed somewhere to conduct classes.
The pottery group moved to another venue, late in 1971, and the Dean Room remained usually vacant until it was donated to the historical society in 1975. The Dean Room was finally moved to its present site in 1982. I am sure there would be a photo or two of the event although I do not think the museum has one.
Hopefully, in a later notes I will be able to provide more on Mr Dean of Dean & Smith and a couple of other well-known townsmen.