In the days before broadcast television, and even before phones and radio, the number of community groups to be found in newspaper reports is just stunning. I wonder if today’s young people have any idea how short a time ago it was since many Australian families – our (great) grandparents - were sitting in silence around a kerosene lamp and hearth fire each evening. Just the sound of the wind and the crackle of the fire. Not even a century ago for rural areas.
I reckon that such quiet evenings and long days labouring in paddocks and working in and around the house, year after year, made people appreciate socialising more. Modern city dwellers sometimes wish they could get away from their neighbours and our noisy and lit up society. So much noise and light, virtual people, hyperactive drama at the push of a button now. And you can be lonely amid all that.
The number of groups of all sorts in early Lilydale is evidence of tremendous communal activity and community building. Electronic wizardry they did not have, but they had each other.
Besides the official councils, there was an amazing number of leagues and lodges, associations, friendly societies, church groups and sporting clubs. Often the building of community halls and churches (in which to hold further social activity) was the motive for early committees, such as the Karoola Hall Committee of 1901 whose image can be seen below from Linc Tasmania's digital archive of the Weekly Courier, 7 September 1901 [Insert2] or Carol Brill’s Facebook photo album. These chaps are: Top row (left to right): Messrs. T. Windsor, B. P. Bourke, M.T. Cheek (Secretary), W. Youl, J. McKenna, M. O'Loughlin. Bottom row: Messrs. R. McKenna, W. McKenna, J. O'Loughlin, R. McCarthy, M. Breen
The Farmers and Fruitgrowers Association in Lilydale took over from a “Branch of the Agricultural Society”, it seems. Over at Pipers River they had an “Agricultural and Pastoral Society” to organise an annual show. How many thousands of hours must those men and women have put into organising the show year after year from 1897 through to ……I don’t know what year was the last? What made the local shows dry up? Was it loss of population? Was it motorised transport so that amalgamating all in one big Launceston Show was possible and seemed more sensible? If you read the reports that take up three full columns in the newspapers, it looks like every man, woman and child in the district took part, showing their display apples, vegetables, eggs, calves, cooking, stitch work, leatherwork, chopping skills, horse racing, to name a tiny sample. It was a great communal endeavour that year after year played chicken with the weather.
FRIENDLY SOCIETIES. ODDFELLOWSHIP
A special meeting of the Loyal Pride of Lefroy Lodge, I.O.O.F., M.U., was held at Lilydale on the occasion of the official visit of the Cornwall district officers- P.G.M. Bro. Pollard and P.C.S. Bro. Bowen. There was a large attendance of the brethren, and a pleasing evening was spent. The N.G. Bro. Kirkham, extended a hearty welcome to the visitors on behalf of the members assembled. Bro. Pollard (who had some years previously been a resident of the district) expressed the pleasure he felt in paying a visit to Lilydale, and in renewing old acquaintances. He spoke at considerable length on various matters appertaining to the Order, and of the effect of the war thereon. Much information on the financial situation of the district was imparted to members by the P.C.S. Bro. Bowen. On the motion of P.G. Bro. Sulzberger, seconded by P.G. Bro. Dornauf, a hearty vote of thanks was accorded the visiting officers for their instructive addresses. FRIENDLY SOCIETIES. (1916, May 16). Daily Telegraph (Launceston, Tas. : 1883 - 1928), p. 2. Retrieved May 26, 2015, fromhttp://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article152760014.
The Ancient Order of Druids had their own hall at Lilydale (still there, alone and unloved), used for many other purposes, too. We can read about the Imperial League, the Masons, Oddfellows Lodge and Buffalo Lodge. My cousin Dan Mahnken used to love his “beer and Buffs” at Rocherlea, according to his brother Martin. And why not? Life can be lonely for unmarried country men; these lodges provided companionship, warmth, music, yarns and laughs over drinks with friends.
An article of 15 July 1903 reports on Lilydale’s Parliamentary Debating Society? Messrs. Olson, Orr, Somerville, Bostock and others took it seriously with men voted in as Ministers of the Government and loyal opposition and arguing out the issues of the day. That same article mentions that “On Monday, in the Lilydale Military Hall, an enjoyable concert and dance were given by the Lilydale Cricket Club.” Military training itself was, like football, a way to get together - in serious activity and play.
During the wars, there was intense activity in support of the Red Cross and the war effort. The Lilydale branch of the Red Cross Society “has as its secretary Mrs. W. Wilson, who is a trained nurse” [Examiner, 2 Oct 1939]. “There was a large attendance at a concert held by the Pipers River branch of the Red Cross Society in the Coronation Hall on Wednesday night’ [20 April 1940]. The Nabowla Anglican Guild is mentioned on that same page, in the same article as a Nabowla C.W.A. dance for ambulance funds [Trove 20-04-1939].
Alf Kerkham the Lilydale postmaster published a local newsletter during WW2 that was sent to men at the Front to remind them of loved ones and amuse them with stories of home events and community.
Wars leave their terrible mark. They also leave people dedicated to the memory of those lost to the community and to the living in need of care and comradeship. The Returned Sailor's & Soldier's Imperial League (RSSILA) branch in Lilydale was formed soon after WW1. See an interesting 1925 report which shows how deeply meaningful it was to returned service men and they were almost all men at that time. It mutated into the R.S.L. and is now the Lilydale (Tas) Sub Branch of the Returned and Services League of Australia (R & SLA), Lilydale, Northern Tasmania.
Part 2 will be about community building through Church activities, Part 3 on Women’s roles in the community, and Part 4 on Sports and my conclusion.