History Notes - Round Ruler

History Notes

History notes this week is likely to test the memories of some of our older folk. We have a number of street names honoring people who have contributed to Barraba e.g. Spencer, McDouall, Cambridge to name a few. Weigall Street is probably named after Francis Weigall, his daughter married Ted Garske, and he lived in Barraba for some years but I cannot find out what brought him to Barraba. Perhaps someone can help with some information about him and his wife Anne - they are both buried here.

Last week, one of our society members found a round ruler in the collection and did not know what it was-the only clue being it was with some old station records. I named it, much to her surprise, a ruler for keeping lines straight on plain paper in the last century. The ruler is usually round and the old ones are a shiny black. A quick check of the internet confirmed "a polished ruler'' and there are a couple of pages telling the writer how to use it.

I don't remember my father or grandfather using the ruler to make lines for writing but it was always used at the bottom of a column of figures. It would also make a handy weapon as it is quite heavy and very strong.

The Dunnee one is 37 cms long and the Mayvale one about 30 cms although I have not measured it. Hopefully there may be a photo of the short one with these notes.

Recently the Goldman family notes have been updated and a few dates and names added. A copy of the photo of a grave which is probably on the south side of Mount Kaputar has been added to the folder. The inscription is for a Samuel Goldman born in Hesse, North Germany in 1842 and died on 2ih May, 1898 at Thornfield. Could he have been the origin of the Goldman family in Australia or at least one of them. Andrew Goldman was the young man who 'lost it' when his wife died in childbirth on Mount Lindsay in 1864. Please let someone know if you can help especially with the original family.