In 1950, “a ball for the badminton club raised £17. Miss M. Walsh was secretary.” For football, you cannot go past Lilydale Football Club, A Brief History written by Ross Smith and Brian Bardenhagen. Many of the humorous reminiscences make me laugh out loud. You can see the website of the present Lilydale Football Club.
I read about pigeon shooting in one article but pigeon racing was also hugely popular in pre-television days.
The Lilydale Homing Society arranged pigeon races.
HOMING. The Lilydale Homing Society flew a single-out race from Scottsdale on Saturday, and it was won by 0. Miller's Uncle Tom, time 20min. 47sec., making an average of 14440yds. per minute; P. Farrelly's Bluejacket, raced by J. Mahnken, was second (20min. 50sec.); and A. Miller's Starlight third (24min. 18sec.). The winner has three wins and one second out of four starts, and was bred by Mr. Ion, of Launceston. HOMING. (1913, November 12). Examiner (Launceston, Tas. : 1900 - 1954), p. 2 Edition: DAILY. Retrieved June 17, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article50732848
I know there was great interest in horses and dogs but I don’t know about any societies or clubs like “The Hobart Fox Terrier Coursing Club” which “held their Waterloo Cup meeting at Bellerive” in 1888 (Examiner Current Topics, 16 Sept 1888, p. 4.) Can’t you see it? Smaller than whippets. What a hoot!
I wonder if any of today’s horse and pony enthusiasts know any history of equine sports in Lilydale’s past? I only know there were sometimes informal horse races at the annual show but I need to research more. I would like to hear from readers who know the history of sports in Lilydale much better than I do.
MY CONCLUSION ABOUT COMMUNITY
These are the ways in which everybody knew everybody in a close knit society. They worked at it with pleasure, not least through Saturday night dances or dances and balls and socials for any fund raising, or welcoming or farewelling of community members.
Neighbours and relations lent each other tools and implements and labour, and recipes, knit patterns, clothing and babysitting time, and expected to get them back (and didn’t always).
In 2015, we still have the Lilydale District Progress Association, its monthly Progressive newsletter and the Heritage Lilydale group. I must pay tribute to the businesses which sponsor many of these associations and activities. Business premises themselves are of course, meeting points for community, the location of a thousand yarns and chats.
There is the Lilydale District School P&F which met the other evening, 26 May 2015. There is still an active football club in Lilydale and of course the wonderful CWA and the Lilydale RSL currently building a new memorial at the existing cenotaph to be finished in time for Remembrance Day in November.
There is togetherness across generations in membership of such organisations. There is a Lions Club, Land Care and the Village Market group. What else? Please tell me in Comments.
In 2015, even exiles from Lilydale can keep in touch through the internet. There are virtual communities with Lilydale interests at heart, such as the Lilydale, Tasmania, Community Noticeboard on Facebook, Lilydale Arts on Facebook and the Lilydale Tasnet maintained by the Lilydale Online Access Centre.
If you have details of leagues and lodges, guilds, clubs, assocs and socs of olden days, please let me know. I am always happy to take corrections, too. Phil Mahnken