THE TRARALGON & DISTRICT HISTORICAL SOCIETY INC |
DOCUMENTED EXTRACTS FROM THE TRARALGON
"JOURNAL" - 1947
Taken by John W. Davidson in 1968
January |
| Major C.R. Lewis elected as R.S.L. President, and Captain Alf Rimington as Secretary. |
| Traralgon Fire Brigade carried off the honors at Eastern District Demonstration at Mornington. |
February |
| Miss B. Day replaced Miss McInerney when school started with new teacher, Miss Harris. |
| Thorpe McConville held buck-jumping show in Seymour Street, opposite J. Roger's home (Journal office today - J.D.) |
| Colonel Tom Williams O.B.E. left the S.E.C. office after 13 years. |
| Legion of ExServicemen elected Ray Bell as President to replace L. Waldron. |
| Senior Constable J.E. Guthrie replaced retiring Constable Hindson. |
| Railway picnic at Cowwarr "Swing Bridge". (Click here to read about the Cowwarr Swing Bridge) |
| War trophy that came to Traralgon War Memorial in about 1922, "Big Bertha", captured by Australians in France 1914-18, has slipped to greater degradation from its site at the Memorial, and later dumped at the "Switchback" rubbish tip. (What a place for an historical gun to end - J.W.D.) |
| Traralgon Tourist League formed. |
| Salvage Committee moved to build a waste paper shed; paper first collected in 1939 at Purvis Stores, then Roland Hill Used Car depot for 6 years, then a shed on Shire property behind the Band Hall. |
March |
| April |
| Mr. A Ross, of State Savings Bank, left after 6 years. Rodeo and Bushman's Carnival was monster success with over 6,000 present and gate money for Recreation Grounds improvement. Dance held at night, gave a combined profit of £640. |
| Mr. Dempsey from Morwell succeeded Mr. A. Sloan as Licensee of Grand Junction Hotel. |
| Final meeting of Shire Patriotic Committee after 6 years of hard work, handed over £5,864 to War Memorial Committee. |
| "Between The Centuries", the first 100 years of the history of Traralgon, commenced in the Journal 17th April. |
| May |
| Miss Muriel Welch was Belle of the Ball at annual Fire Brigade Ball. |
| The 52nd Housing Commission home was completed, west of Mr. Percy Lindsay's, in Gordon Street, with another 59 well under construction. |
| Traralgon Legion held first Ball in the Town Hall. |
| Pine trees "outlived their usefulness" at the "Maryvale Motors" end of Franklin Street, and were cut down. |
| Empire Day concert celebrated at Town Hall. |
| R.S.L. started a Saturday morning street stall and spinning wheel at Jeffery's Corner, for club room funds. |
| Maryvale axemen's club disbanded and reformed as Maryvale Picnic Club, to supply toys to members' children. |
| Greater Traralgon League discussed proposal for Community Hotel. |
| June |
Mr. and Mrs. Sydney Allan Johnson left Traralgon for Melbourne, by pony and jinker. |
| .11 Debutantes at 3.T.R. Club Ball. |
| Old dam at the Kay and Mabel Streets corner filled in and site prepared for new town tennis courts. |
| .Harry Moller replaced Les Davidson as Scout President with Keith Chenhall as Secretary, Rev. Lovegrove as Vice-President, Building Committee - Davidson, Blythman, Cameron, Lay and Bill Hore; Site Committee - Harrison, Scott, and Rev. Orton. |
| 38 T.H.E.S. pupils journeyed to Melbourne by train for educational excursion at Melbourne Town Hall. |
| July |
| After 12 years as Licensee of the Traralgon Hotel, Mr. Amby Ryan aquired the Freehold of hotel and property from Miss Hore, on 4th July. |
| .700 dancers attended the Catholic Ball. |
| Manager of S.E.C. Gippsland Branch, Mr. J.M. Harrison,left Traralgon and Mr. H.W. Linaker returned to take his place. |
| August |
| Miss A.M. Clark, aged 84, laid aside the quill and retired from free-lancing for Traralgon and Morwell papers, after writing since the early days of John Guest. |
| .Scout Master Tilbury now has Alan Carter and Ivan Taylor as Assistants. |
| Cycle Club formed in Traralgon with Pres. A.F. Lloyd; Sec. H.W. Lindner and Treas. Don J. Wallace. |
September |
| Miss Fairlie Hill chosen as Belle of Hospital Trust Ball, partnered by Frank Jennings; she represented Glengarry R.S.L. and over 1300 dancers were present. |
| A Tiger Moth plane, piloted by R. McKay/Irving, who was unhurt, crashed when it hit a power line on road leading to the stock bridge. |
| Legion of Ex Servicemen formed dance band with Eric Watt (piano), Reg. Gladman (drums) and Keith Nadenbusch (saxophone) and made their first appearance at Tyers. |
| Ron Gilmour transferred to Numurkah State Savings Bank. |
| Mrs. Robert Farmer (1st Akela) when wolf cub pack celebrated 16th anniversary. |
| W.A. Purvis held Annual Ball |
| Council made Order "changing name of Old Melbourne Road to Kay Street, between Loch Park Road and Grubb Avenue. |
| October |
| "Gags and Gaiety" show held in Town Hall on behalf of Miss Traralgon and Mr. Roy Bayley made generous offer of £140 towards a Youth Centre. |
| Australia's first "Motel" opened on Cup Eve, "Pine Lodge" at Inverloch, manager by Mr. C.W. Wyeth. |
| Traralgon Branch of Victorian Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals formed when 15 boys under 18 assembled at Housing Commission "School of Music" run by Madame Stapleton: Pres. William Hackett and Sec. Ray King. |
| Mr. Jim Cantwell, Royal Hotel Licensee and only Life Member of the Racing Club, after conducting the publican's booth during the past 2 years, handed entire profit of £539 back to the Club. |
November |
| Armistice Day commemorated at the Fallen Soldier's Memorial. |
| Diggers and Band members held picnic at Gormandale. |
| Harry Breed, on holidays from Western Australia, brought with him an inscribed trowel which his late father, Henry, used to lay the Foundation Stone for Traralgon Shire Hall, on 19th July 1881. |
| 90 Guides, Brownies, Scouts and Cubs, went by bus to Melbourne Showgrounds to Meet Lady Baden Powell, G.B.E. |
| R.S.L. donated prismatic compass to Boy Scouts. |
| 59th Traralgon Show had gate of £404. |
| Mr. Woodruff retired after 45 years with Union Bank and 13 years in Traralgon for the second time (first time when bank was in south-west block in Franklin Street where Wally Mathieson was). |
December |
| After 14 years in Traralgon, Mr. W.J. Cuthill, Clerk of Courts, transferred to Northcote-Preston circuit. |
| After several tenders called and difficulty in obtaining logs for Scout cabin, motion passed to proceed with available timber, under permit. |
| 12 buses and private cars took 400 adults and 500 children to Maryvale Christmas picnic held at Glengarry. |
| School Speech Night held in Town Hall. |
| Graeme Barnard won the Richard Canfield prize. |
| The Merit Certificate was abolished that year. |
| Later learnt that our favorite teacher, Sydney Rex Kelson, was killed in car accident at Beechworth. |
| Postal Department notified A.M. Ryan that it was their intention to compulsorily acquire 130 feet of his land in Grey Street. |
| Torrential rain on Saturday and Sunday 20th and 21st, with two of the most severe electrical storms for years, and 261 points of rain. |
| Traralgon H.E.S. teachers, Mr. F.G. Seymour and Miss.G.M. Taylor, left after 2 years. |