And whilst we are talking about museums, why is there no Maitland History Museum? Of all places not to have a museum! Kurri Kurri has an excellent museum, which is brilliant for family history research if you have anyone who came from those parts. But Maitland, which was the largest NSW settlement outside of Sydney for most of the 19th century, does not have a museum. John Goswell

Agreed, John. And Singleton has a lovely museum too. I guess that it depends primarily upon having locals with the interest to persevere with such a thing, both to obtain and 'stock' one in the first place; and then to have a roster of willing volunteers to staff it when opened. And given the higher real-estate prices in Maitland, there is also a need for a very generous benefactor to provide the location. There used to be a Maitland Historical Society, but it seems to have now long become defunct, my GUESS is that this was due to the lack of active members. We should be grateful that we still have the active Maitland Family History Circle. Regards: Ray. ----- Original Message ----- From: <[email protected]> > And whilst we are talking about museums, why is there no Maitland History > Museum? > > Of all places not to have a museum! > Kurri Kurri has an excellent museum, which is brilliant for family history > research if you have anyone who came from those parts. > But Maitland, which was the largest NSW settlement outside of Sydney for > most of the 19th century, does not have a museum. John Goswell

Hello John & Ray I'm pleased to say that the Maitland Historical Society is in the process of establishing itself. I would suggest letters to the local council voicing your disbelief that Maitland does not have a museum, after all they managed to find very large amounts to purchase and renovate the art gallery. Community groups in the area have approached the council for assistance in finding premises but to no avail unless you are in a position to pay commercial rent. I must say though that the council does support the Morpeth Courthouse Museum but unfortunately they are only interested in anything Morpeth. Ann Campbell President Maitland Family History Circle Inc. http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ausmfhc/ [email protected]/au -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Ray Sent: Thursday, 10 September 2009 6:07 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [HV] Maitland History Museum Agreed, John. And Singleton has a lovely museum too. I guess that it depends primarily upon having locals with the interest to persevere with such a thing, both to obtain and 'stock' one in the first place; and then to have a roster of willing volunteers to staff it when opened. And given the higher real-estate prices in Maitland, there is also a need for a very generous benefactor to provide the location. There used to be a Maitland Historical Society, but it seems to have now long become defunct, my GUESS is that this was due to the lack of active members. We should be grateful that we still have the active Maitland Family History Circle. Regards: Ray. ----- Original Message ----- From: <[email protected]> > And whilst we are talking about museums, why is there no Maitland > History Museum? > > Of all places not to have a museum! > Kurri Kurri has an excellent museum, which is brilliant for family > history research if you have anyone who came from those parts. > But Maitland, which was the largest NSW settlement outside of Sydney > for most of the 19th century, does not have a museum. John Goswell ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Hello Ann. (I have left the 'history' of these messages attached below on purpose to keep it all together) Thanks for your reply on this topic. Good luck with the re-establishment of the Maitland Historical Society. On the acquisition of premises, I 'feel' (but do not know for certain) that in most local government areas where local museums are established, probably most of them have had the premises and the land on which the premises are located, DONATED by the local council. To my prejudiced mind that was in the days when local government was truly 'local'. These days it seems to me, they employ career professionals to run them, who are only interested in conforming to economic-rationalist approaches (as well as in their own power plays); and give only lip-service to truly LOCAL aspirations etc. Hence why they look to commercial rentals etc. And isn't it interesting how Art Galleries, etc. are 'acceptable' for council funding -- including frequently with full-time paid managers and other staff; whereas I think that it is very RARE to find any similar full-time staff funding to be provided to local museum staff. My feeling is that this is indicative of the snobbery and yuppishness of most of those involved in running local government councils these days. Sorry, I should get off my soapbox; but it is something which impresses itself upon me frequently these days. grrrr... BUT getting back to a Maitland Museum: there are so many wonderful buildings in Maitland, any one of which would make a wonderful location for a local museum. Oh well, maybe a generous local benefactor with no heirs might suddenly appear! Good luck with it all. Ray. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Maitland Family History Circle Inc." > Hello John & Ray > > I'm pleased to say that the Maitland Historical Society is in the process > of establishing itself. I would suggest letters to the local council > voicing your disbelief that Maitland does not have a museum, after all > they managed to find very large amounts to purchase and renovate the art > gallery. > Community groups in the area have approached the council for assistance in > finding premises but to no avail unless you are in a position to pay > commercial rent. I must say though that the council does support the > Morpeth Courthouse Museum but unfortunately they are only interested in > anything Morpeth. > > Ann Campbell > President > Maitland Family History Circle Inc. > -----Original Message----- > Agreed, John. And Singleton has a lovely museum too. > > I guess that it depends primarily upon having locals with the interest to > persevere with such a thing, both to obtain and 'stock' one in the first > place; and then to have a roster of willing volunteers to staff it when > opened. And given the higher real-estate prices in Maitland, there is also > a > need for a very generous benefactor to provide the location. > > There used to be a Maitland Historical Society, but it seems to have now > long become defunct, my GUESS is that this was due to the lack of active > members. > > We should be grateful that we still have the active Maitland Family > History > Circle. > > Regards: Ray. > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: <[email protected]> > >> And whilst we are talking about museums, why is there no Maitland >> History Museum? >> >> Of all places not to have a museum! >> Kurri Kurri has an excellent museum, which is brilliant for family >> history research if you have anyone who came from those parts. >> But Maitland, which was the largest NSW settlement outside of Sydney >> for most of the 19th century, does not have a museum. > > John Goswell