Psssst! Want to see our Rates Books????
As part of National Family History Month, Wellington Shire Library Service will be hosting the Maffra and District Historical Society at the Maffra Library, Johnson St, Maffra, from 1.30pm to 3pm on Thursday 22 August.
We will be taking the opportunity to show a range of examples of the types of information to be found in the Rates Books from the former Maffra Shire, recently copied. And, if time permits, we will also update people on our work on photographs of the first block in our Johnson Street research.
Please RSVP to Maffra Library on 03-5147 1052 for catering purposes.
And, just as a teaser, we showed a section of an early rate book page HERE, when we started.
We thought you might just like to know how it ended up - here is a random shot (in other words, not specially chosen) of the book from 1948-1952. Enjoy!
(Late Note, for those becoming excited about Margaret Pendlebury, above, a carpenter. In 1943, when the previous book was compiled, this property was owned by Kenneth Pendlebury, carpenter. It was transferred, probably some time in 1946, to Margaret Pendlebury. At the same time land in the same street, in the name of Charles Matthew Pendlebury was transferred to Thomas Edwin Cyril Pendlebury. So when this roll was compiled in 1947, the term "carpenter" was probably incorrectly carried over. Would have made a good story!)
We did think, however, that this is the best pick of the miscellaneous pieces of information we found randomly inserted. The Heyfield and District Co-operative Butter Factory was a progressive and important part of Heyfield. But even in 1951, it would have been unusual for the all-male directors of a company to decide to give votes to which they were entitled in council elections, so that a woman had the opportunity to vote.
We will be taking the opportunity to show a range of examples of the types of information to be found in the Rates Books from the former Maffra Shire, recently copied. And, if time permits, we will also update people on our work on photographs of the first block in our Johnson Street research.
Please RSVP to Maffra Library on 03-5147 1052 for catering purposes.
And, just as a teaser, we showed a section of an early rate book page HERE, when we started.
We thought you might just like to know how it ended up - here is a random shot (in other words, not specially chosen) of the book from 1948-1952. Enjoy!
(Late Note, for those becoming excited about Margaret Pendlebury, above, a carpenter. In 1943, when the previous book was compiled, this property was owned by Kenneth Pendlebury, carpenter. It was transferred, probably some time in 1946, to Margaret Pendlebury. At the same time land in the same street, in the name of Charles Matthew Pendlebury was transferred to Thomas Edwin Cyril Pendlebury. So when this roll was compiled in 1947, the term "carpenter" was probably incorrectly carried over. Would have made a good story!)
We did think, however, that this is the best pick of the miscellaneous pieces of information we found randomly inserted. The Heyfield and District Co-operative Butter Factory was a progressive and important part of Heyfield. But even in 1951, it would have been unusual for the all-male directors of a company to decide to give votes to which they were entitled in council elections, so that a woman had the opportunity to vote.
posted by Linda | 12:02 AM
4 Comments:
It always interesting to see the occupations of women in the Rate Books - is Margaret Pendlebury listed as a carpenter on the page you have displayed? Very unusual. In the nineteenth century Shire of Berwick and Cranbourne Rate books most women are listed as 'Lady' and from 1900 to the 60s usually as 'Home duties'.
Hi Heather - it is a good question. Someone else pointed it out to me last night, and I have been meaning to go back and look at that block in the previous year. I suspect it was previously owned by another person who was a carpenter, and it is a mistake
But you never know. Annie Meagher (Maher in the ratebooks), took over from her husband when he died in 1879, and was listed as a butcher until well after 1900. Even though we were reasonably sure she was running an accommodation house at The Springs. But then, in her case we have also sighted a slaughtering licence in her name.
And I should add - quite a few of our early women were listed as graziers or farmers, when they owned the farm after the death of their husband. So the value jusdgements are always interesting. I have not seen any described as "Lady", which is the equivalent of a "Gentleman", which is someone of independent means - although there is one I must go back and check.
What is also interesting is the progress of people from "selector" (ie not paid off yet), to "farmer" then "grazier". Although farmers often grew crops, a grazier, who was a substantial person, usually only ran stock.
Hi Linda,
I have added your blog to the Blog List on the RHSV Newsblog.
http://rhsvnews.blogspot.com.au/
Perhaps you would consider having a similar roll on your blog, to encourage networking.
Best wishes,
Lenore Frost
Royal Historical Society of Victoria
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