Author: Steven Cooke

What to do with our statues and monuments?

A Policy Statement from the Royal Historical Society of Victoria

23 June 2020

The Black Lives Matter protests have highlighted the ways the past impacts heavily on us today. Our predecessors’ values were in many respects appalling. Attitudes we would describe as racist, misogynist or anti-Semitic were embedded in past cultures. We are beginning to question them but we have a long way to go.

Heartfelt congratulations to our affiliated society member Helen Gobbi, of History Monash, who was awarded an OAM for service to community history. Helen is a very worthy recipient and last year was awarded an RHSV Award of Merit. Her citation for the Award of Merit can be read on our website here.

And to Arthur and Lurline Knee who were both awarded OAMs for the service to the community of Tatura. 

Caroline Webb had a great article in today’s The Age (Fri 29 May) about the demise of local newspapers and the loss to historians. Wonderful quotes (and photos) from Heidelberg Historical Society secretary Janine Rizzetti, Camberwell Historical Society president George Fernando and our own President, Richard Broome.

https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/scrapped-newspapers-were-communities-heart-and-soul-say-historians-20200528-p54xei.html

At our AGM on Tuesday 26 May 2020, the RHSV membership elected two new Fellows, Elisabeth Jackson and Dr Rosalie Triolo.

We also honoured some high-achieving volunteers who work for historical societies across Victoria – from Ouyen, Bendigo, Malmsbury, Knox, Richmond & Burnley, East Melbourne and Croydon –  and from the RHSV itself.

The citations for all our 2020 awards can be read on our website (the menu is at the bottom of our Home Page) or use these links:

Fellows,

Before we all break into a chorus of  Do wah diddy diddy dum diddy do click on the link below to read Cheryl Griffin’s latest article in CBD News.

And there she was, just riding down the street …

The lastest CBD News has hit Melbourne streets and it contains another corker of an article from Cheryl Griffin. Inspired by a photograph, taken in about 1924, which represents a time capsule of Melbourne as it was just after World War One – and on the cusp of great change. The old Myer buildings in Lonsdale St just about to be demolished to make way for the Myer we know today. Read Cheryl’s article here.

Elisabeth Jackson, RHSV Vice President and member of the RHSV Heritage Committee reports on a successful heritage outcome opposing a development application which went before VCAT. The development site in question was on the corner of Sydney Rd and Park St, Brunswick.

Elisabeth says, “Heritage concerns were only one aspect of the objections to this proposal which involved a huge tower overshadowing Princes Park and building on a very contaminated site. The main heritage concern related  to the proposed removal of a 1920s electrical substation. 

On Friday 3 April the RHSV submitted two objections to Heritage Victoria regarding the relentless push to destroy the culture of Queen Victoria Market. The two objections were for

• Permit Application Number P30767 (Trader Shed)
• Permit Application Number P32629 (Northern Shed)

The objections in full can be read here on our website.

Our thanks to Ian Wight and Judith Smart who prepared these two submissions.

Closing date 31 July 2020

Grants of up to $2,000 are available for the publication of any specific or general local history or natural history in rural and regional Victoria. The Grant is intended for small organisations with an interest in publishing works of historical value, even where the organisation has little or no experience of self publishing work. Joint projects encompassing several groups or annual/special edited journals incorporating submitted historical articles from a wide community are encouraged.

The Victorian Community History Awards are proudly presented by the Royal Historical Society of Victoria and Public Record Office Victoria.

The Awards recognise excellence and originality in historical storytelling. The range of award categories reflects the variety of formats that can be used to enrich the lives of Victorians through history.

Please read the conditions of entry carefully before entering.

Entries close 5pm Wednesday 8 July 2020.

The Awards Ceremony will be held in October 2020 coinciding with History Month.