Research Mondays

There is a committed crew working at the moment on Mondays at the Maffra Library, from 1pm to 3pm. Photos are catalogued, letterhead is sorted and books are indexed.

Here Ruth is working on letterhead while Carol, the Library Manager, is checking our database.

Now we know it is near Christmas, and Carol is an Angel, but we should point out that it is flash glare above her head, not a halo!

At the moment we are researching G.T. (George Thomas) Jones, Secretary of the Shire of Maffra from c.1882 to 1895. Before coming to Maffra he was a surveyor (working with Angus McMillan on the Alpine Track), and then Secretary of the Shire of Rosedale.

Jones was also an early photographer at Lucknow, involved in the discovery of the Yarra Track, and a shareholder in the Pioneer Claim as a result of the Alpine Track expedition. After leaving Maffra he went to administer a Shire near Ballarat. In his time in central Gippsland he designed the first Newry / Upper Maffra Mechanics' Institute, the pavilion at the Maffra Shwogrounds, and part of the Maffra Mechanics' Institute.

If anyone knows anything else about him - we would be interested to hear from you.