Forster Library and Friends of the Great Lakes Library Service Forster, Tuncurry by NOTA - April 23, 2015 Great Lakes Council’s Forster Library and the Friends of the Great Lakes Library Service (FOGLLS) are holding a special event to commemorate that significant period of time. The program will be held on Monday 27 April, starting at 10.30am and features two wonderful guest speakers. Frank Brady, President of the Forster-Tuncurry RSL Sub-Branch, will be speaking about the evolution of the ANZAC tradition. Charmain Williams will be talking about the battlefields of France and will include photographs of military cemeteries and memorials from many countries. “It’s important that the Library helps to community to remember and celebrate these significant events from our history,” said Council’s Library Manager, Chris Jones. “Thanks to the FOGLLS we’ll be doing exactly that. It’s sure to be a great program as both Frank and Charmain are highly knowledgeable on their subject and are engaging presenters.” As well as the speakers you’ll be able to see an extensive display of military memorabilia, courtesy of Forster resident John Bonventi. On top of all of this the FOGLLS will be providing a delicious morning tea. Not bad for a free event. Bookings are appreciated, phone 6591 7256. The Tea Gardens Library, along with Tea Gardens Sub-Branch RSL, Myall Coast Historical Society, Tea Gardens Family History Group and various other organisations will be offering the community a rare opportunity to take a step back in time. The display, which will be open from Monday 13 April until Friday 8 May 2015, commemorates 100 years since the Great War and focuses on the local environment back in 1914. It covers the military service of numerous local enlisted men, the theatres of war, an archival presentation and range of artefacts and memorabilia. “We’re very excited to be hosting such a major event, and the organisers must be praised for their vision and drive,” said Council’s Library Manager, Chris Jones. “More and more our libraries are becoming important community spaces and we also have a role in celebrating and capturing the nature of our local areas. This is a highly significant display and it’s great to see the Library being able to play its part.” So, if you’re interested in how the world was shaped by the Great War and how it affected our local communities, then seeing this wonderful collection, together for the first and possibly last time, is a must. An official celebration will be held on Friday 24 April. This will be a private function for family members of those who served from the area, along with significant community representatives. To avoid any disruption to the public the Library will be open for normal operations during this time. It’s clear that ANZAC Day has a very important place in our history.
I am researching a photographer/photographic company that operated from a Forster, Cape Hawke address in the 1950s. The company name was Pan American Studios/ Pan American Mobile Studios, Voice Recording Unit (Australian Unit No 6). The address of this company/person was Box 18. Forster Cape Hawke NSW. All of this wording appears on a folded paper covering over a 3.5″ x 5.5″ (9cm x 14cm) black and white photograph. The photograph I have is of a house in the suburb of Penshurst (Sydney) – my parents’ house. My understanding is that the above company took photographs of Sydney suburban houses and sold them to the owners. The number on the photograph I have is G37 30. Does your museum have any records of the above mentioned company? If not, can you suggest a course of action I could take to find any details of this company? I am writing a history of my childhood street – Austral Street, Penshurst – in the 1950s. It would be a great discovery if I could fined the negatives of the photographs of the houses in ‘my street’ from that time!!! I would appreciate any assistance you could provide. David Nelson Reply
