THE TRARALGON & DISTRICT HISTORICAL SOCIETY INC |
EXTRACTS FROM THE TRARALGON
"JOURNAL" - 1937
Taken by John W. Davidson
January 1937 |
| Mr. S.E. Cowley took charge of the Traralgon Post Office on 4th January, from Mr. J. Hill. |
| Mr. S.R. Kelson and Miss L. Nickoll became new High School teachers and Mr. W.H. Hall senior assistant at Grey Street Primary School. There were 105 pupils are the H.E.S. and 285 at the Primary. The school committee comprised Messrs. W. Skeels, D. MacCubbin, F. Anderson, Les Davidson, W. Plant, R. Flower, and C.H. Ford. |
February 1937 |
March 1937 |
| Work commenced using winches, to haul willows from the Traralgon Creek, starting at the Stock Bridge, in March. |
| April 1937 |
| 1st April - Tenders were called for a new Band Hall 33ft. x 22ft x 11 ft high. |
| Rev. W.C.H. Brenton left the Methodists on 4th April and Rev. Newton took his place. Pastor Leith of the Baptist Church left 4th April and Mr. M.A. Brewer took his place, 9th May. |
| May 1937 |
| Dave Gilmour met Eddie Barbor, London, Coronation Day, he first time since the Great War, and two Traralgonites greeted each other. (A coincidence that 3rd time Bruce Scott and I met up at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth, in 1953, in London. J.W.D.) |
| The coronation of George V1 was celebrated in Traralgon, Wednesday 12th May; medals were presented to school children. A combined Coronation Service was held by the Church of England on the morning of 12th May. Businesses closed and children attended a free picture show with Laurel and Hardy (can you remember ??) |
| A local chap was charged for driving a motor vehicle to carry goods on a Sunday; he was fined £5 plus 7/6d costs. |
| Fencing commenced at A.P.M. with 15 men at work on the site. They paid 18/- a week for house rent. One horse team was engaged at work and provision was made for work on the railway system to begin. |
| The new bridge was opened at Cowwarr's Swing Bridge on Thursday 6th May. It was originally known as the "Ford" at the top end of the 42nd, used by bullock teams etc., on their way from Heyfield, Red Gum Flat, and Seaton, to Walhalla, and was first opened in 1909 but torn down by the great flood in 1934. |
| Dr. Rees practice was taken over by Dr. McTeigue in May. |
| The Traralgon Band rendered selections outside the Town Hall before the Empire Day service on Sunday 23rd May. |
| June 1937 |
| Mr. S.R. Kelson, member of the H.E.S. staff, gave a demonstration to adults of one of the latest methods of education, that is, by means of a small "picture machine" (projector) with possibilities of the latest forms of visual education. (I was a pupil of Rex and if he were alive today, he would be astounded at the progress in 50 years, to video etc. I have films of Hitler, Stalin, and Mussolini from those school days J.W.D.) (THS Webmaster further comments: As I transcribe these notes to the Internet pages - I ponder too on what my earlier counterparts who provided the substance for the material Mr. Davidson has used, would have thought of the Internet, and their inclusion in these historical pages.) |
| William Scales died, in Melbourne, in June. He was in charge of the Traralgon Police Station in 1926. |
| On 6th June, there was an anti cancer Pleasant Sunday Evening Concert in the Town Hall, with Band items. |
| Colin Anderson was farewelled at a Band night; he joined the permanent Military forces on 3rd June. |
| A bus is now running daily to the Paper Pulp Mill, conveying 14 men and 1 woman (Miss Chrissie Bissett) 10th June. |
| 35 music lovers formed a Music Club 3rd June. President Mr. R. Topp, Secretary Mrs. R. Kelson, Vice President Mr. A. Feiglin, Treasurer Mr. G. Littleton, and Assistant Secretary Miss Enid McLean |
| The State School Mothers' League held a fancy dress ball in the Hall, 11th June. |
| Houses for A.P.M. employees could be built for £430 with land, in June, and on 16th June, Mr. Cooper took the first photos at the Mill. |
| July 1937 |
| The Traralgon Anglers Club was first formed in 1908 and 2 years later renamed the Fish & Game Society with B.K. Coates as first secretary. |
| The drinking fountain in front of the Town Hall was a gift from Mr. Hopkins who was the architect. |
| August 1937 |
| Flames destroyed the St James Parish Hall on Sunday morning 22nd August. |
| It was suggested in August that a memorial to Pioneers of Gippsland be built on Mount Wirth. |
September 1937 |
| When replacing the floor at Jeffery's new shop in Franklin Street, a 6 ft well was found. Mr. Jim Rogers said that Mr. Marriage had built the original shop and rented it to Mr. Hewitt, a saddler, and most shops had under-floor wells. |
| Mrs. Powell, senior, who had lived in Traralgon South since 1877, cut the ribbon at Traralgon South on Thursday 2nd September, on the occasion of the introduction of electricity to the district. |
| Pine trees were removed from in front of the old Shire Hall in Franklin Street, in September, and the hall became the Baby Health Centre. |
| The new Band Room was opened 13th September by Councillor E. Sanders. The State School closed 16th September because of the Infantile Paralysis epidemic; the A.P.M. Sports Club was formed; 15th September was a red letter day for Frank Healy who beat Maurie Connor at the first wood chop, and later Bob Curran outplaced Jimmy Musgrove. |
| On Monday, 27th September, A.P.M. Chief Engineer, Mr. Meggs, told the Journal that there were 2164 names of men seeking employment, but there are no vacancies. |
| October 1937 |
| Messrs,. A. Leach and A. Owens stacked the first billets of pulp wood at Maryvale on 5th October. Maryvale held its 1st Annual Ball on 18th October; double 7/6d., with Mrs. Straker, Secretary, and Hunter's Orchestra to play for the 400 dancers. |
| The first Sunday train ran on 17th October. |
| The gates of the Kaye (sic) Street gardens were locked at night, in October, because of vandals. (From Franklin to Church Street was fenced at that time and was full of garden beds and footpaths - JWD) |
| November 1937 |
| "Lookback" : 40 years ago, in 1897, there was a private school in Hotham Street where Wyeths Dry Cleaning is. Prior to this pupils learnt their "A.B.C." opposite the Royal Exchange Hotel in Church Street. The next move was east of Traralgon creek. |
| The Rev. David Millar, former Moderator of the Presbyterian Church, died in November; he was a brother of Mrs. Le-Batt and Nurse Millar who ran the Private Hospital in Henry Street. |
| Mr. J. Pilkington's house in Berry Street was burnt down at 3 a.m. on 18th November. |
| A meeting was held on 23rd November to form a Speed Coursing club. |
| Joseph Patrick Bolger was killed at the Maryvale Gravel Pit on 30th November. |
| December 1937 |
| A Public Meeting was held on 2nd December regarding the proposal to sewer the town for £40,000, when the Traralgon population was 2300 odd. |
| The Presbyterian Minister, Rev. G.G.Robertson, after an operation at Cumnock Hospital, had 102 visitors on one day. |
| The Coursing Club purchased land at £19 per acre. |
| The A.P.M. Pilot Mill furnace was tested; fire first lit 9th December. |
| First Military Smoke night held by 13th Light horse and the 52nd Battalion, at the Mechanics, 16th December. |
| Wheels of new industry turn over at Pulp Mill - trial run on 22nd December. |
| Mr. J.M. Sutherland, Traralgon Manager S.E.C., left after 6 years, replaced by Mr. Hugh Linaker, from Castlemaine. |
| Ray Tadman and Jack Maskrey received Junior Technical Certificates at Yallourn. |
| Christmas Eve Ball held at Town Hall, 24th, and New Year's Eve, 31st. Town Hall Talkies for Christmas-New Year, "Ship Mates For Ever", "Man Hunt", "Theodore Goes Wild", "Counterfeit Lady", "Smartest Girl in Town", "You Can't Buy Luck", "Isle of Fury" and "Brides are Like That". |
| Boxing Day sports were held at Yallourn. Three shillings was paid for wombat scalps. |
| "Lookback" -15 years ago, when Mr. T.E. Spowatt (1922) was State School headmaster, pine plantation commenced at Switchback Road, but on 23rd December, 1937, a fire destroyed, half of the pines. |