February 2025 General Meeting - Saturday 15 February

                   

Guest Speaker:
Greg de Moore

Join us in Gordon Library Meeting Room 1
at 2 pm on Saturday 15 February 2025 for

Tom Wills: An Australian Story

On Saturday 15 February 2025 after our first General Meeting for the year, Greg de Moore presents Tom Wills: An Australian Story.

Now in its third edition, Tom Wills: An Australian Story is the biography of a flawed genius – our first great cricketer, and the man most credited with creating what we now know as Australian Rules football. Not just for the sports-minded!

Books will be available for sale at the special price of $20 (cash only).

About Greg de Moore

Associate Professor Greg de Moore is a psychiatrist, historian and author. He is based at Westmead Hospital in western Sydney. His four books include Tom Wills: the insubordinate life of an Australian sporting legend, which blends mental health and Australian history, winning numerous awards and being short-listed for the National Biography Award.

He is also co-author of Australia’s Game, which documents the history of Australian Rules football from the mid-nineteenth century to the present; and, as you will recall from his previous presentation to KHS, Finding Sanity: John Cade, lithium and the taming of bipolar disorder, the biography of John Cade and Australia's greatest mental health achievement, which is the discovery of lithium for the treatment of bipolar disorder.

As always, please keep an eye on our website in case of any last-minute changes.

The venue is Gordon Library Meeting Room No. 1, in the Old Gordon Public School, which adjoins the Gordon Library, 799 Pacific Highway, Gordon (corner Pacific Highway and Park Avenue).

It’s just a 5-minute walk from Gordon Station.

For a map and parking information, see our Contact page.

February German SIG Meeting - Monday 10th February 2025

Join us at 1.30 pm on Monday 10th February 2025 for the next meeting of our

German Special Interest Group (SIG)

Join us at 1.30 pm on Monday 10th February 2025 for the next meeting of the KHS German Special Interest Group.

Our German SIG is a fantastic way to explore your heritage and connect with like-minded locals researching their Germanic background in friendly discussions. We share information on researching your Germanic ancestors, including resources, techniques, history and customs.

Coming up at our February meeting will be a number of topics of interest to anyone with Germanic ancestors or researching their German family history, including an update on online German family history activity, a briefing on recent activity on Artificial intelligence (AI) for Genealogists, and an open discussion on items of interest to persons researching their family tree.

Whether you’re a seasoned researcher or just starting your family tree, you’re warmly invited to attend. Come and join us for the discussion and stay for afternoon tea and a convivial chat - guests welcome!

Date: Monday 10th February 2025

Time: 1.30pm

Location: Old Gordon Public School building, 799 Pacific Hwy (cnr Pacific Hwy & Park Ave)

Parking: Subject to time limits in Council’s Wade Lane carpark (entry via Park Ave or St Johns Ave)

Train: Our rooms are a short walk from Gordon Station.

For a map, please see our Contact page, https://khs.org.au/contact-us/#hours

For more details, see our website, https://khs.org.au/german-sig

Please keep an eye on our website's Events page in case of any last-minute changes. https://khs.org.au/events/

December German SIG Meeting - Monday 9th December

Join us at 1.30 pm on Monday 9th December 2024

for the next meeting of our

German Special Interest Group (SIG)

Our German SIG is a fantastic way to explore your heritage and connect with like-minded locals researching their Germanic background in friendly discussions. We share information on researching your Germanic ancestors, including resources, techniques, history and customs.

Coming up at our December meeting will be a number of topics of interest to anyone with Germanic ancestors or researching their German family history, including an update on online German family history activity, an open discussion on items of interest, and a presentation entitled An Introduction to Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Family History. Whether you’re a seasoned researcher or just starting your family tree, you’re warmly invited to attend.

Come and join us for the discussion and stay for a Christmas themed afternoon tea and a convivial chat - guests welcome!

Date: Monday 9th December 2024

Time: 1.30pm

Location: Old Gordon Public School building, 799 Pacific Hwy (cnr Pacific Hwy & Park Ave)

Parking: Subject to time limits in Council’s Wade Lane carpark (entry via Park Ave or St Johns Ave)

Train: Our rooms are a short walk from Gordon Station.

For a map, please see our Contact page, https://khs.org.au/contact-us/#hours

For more details, see our website, https://khs.org.au/german-sig

Please keep an eye on our website's Events page in case of any last-minute changes. https://khs.org.au/events/

November 2024 General Meeting - Saturday 23 November

                    

After our GM at 2pm on Saturday 23rd November, join us in Gordon Library Meeting Room 1, to...

Jingle & Mingle!

🎉 Jingle & Mingle with Us! 🎉

Following a brief general meeting at 2pm on Saturday, 23rd November, you’re invited to join us in Gordon Library Meeting Room 1 for our annual end-of-year gathering!

This is the perfect opportunity to relax, enjoy a festive afternoon tea, and connect with fellow members as we celebrate another wonderful year together. Don’t miss this chance to wrap up the year in good company and conversation!

✨ Special Screening ✨

We’re also excited to present a short, nostalgic 20-minute film from the NFSA’s Film Australia Collection, Life in Australia: Sydney, produced by the Commonwealth Film Unit in 1966. Originally created to promote Australia to newcomers, this film paints a picture of Sydney’s vibrant lifestyle, work, and leisure offerings in the 1960s - a charming look back to an era just after the founding of our very own Historical Society!

🎁 Celebrate with a Touch of Tulkiyan 🎁

In honour of the 20th anniversary of the Friends of Tulkiyan, we’ll also have a limited number of beautiful linen tea towels that were originally produced for sale at Tulkiyan house openings, featuring original artwork by our own botanical artist and member, Marion Farley. These quality tea towels are a perfect gift for the holidays - available for just $10 each (cash only). Get yours while they last!

Come along and jingle & mingle with us! We’d love to see you there.

As always, please keep an eye on our website in case of any last-minute changes.

The venue is Gordon Library Meeting Room No. 1, in the Old Gordon Public School, which adjoins the Gordon Library, 799 Pacific Highway, Gordon (corner Pacific Highway and Park Avenue).

It’s just a 5-minute walk from Gordon Station.

For a map and parking information, see our Contact page.

AGM + Members' Forum: Saturday 26 October 2024

AGM + Members' Forum

History in Five

Join us in Gordon Library Meeting Room 1
at 2 pm on Saturday 26 October 2024

On Saturday 26 October 2024, we hold our Annual General Meeting. Following the brief AGM will be our Members’ Forum, with this year’s topic being… "History in Five".

Our Members’ Forum is an opportunity to get to know other members and share historical interests!

Members who have already pre-registered to speak will share their interest in a historical topic, and it’s called History in Five because each talk is for a maximum of five minutes. There will be time for questions after each one.

Talks will include the Tulkiyan story from two former Friends of Tulkiyan:

Beverley Dunstan (Tour Guide) who will speak on the house, the family and the source of their wealth; and

Jocelyn Brennan-Horley (Convenor) who will speak on the work of the Friends of Tulkiyan from 2004 to 2012.

To commemorate 20 years since the formation of the Friends of Tulkiyan group, we will also be selling the remaining stock of good quality linen tea towels that were originally produced for sale at Tulkiyan house openings.

At only $10 each, and featuring artwork by botanical artist and KHS member Marion Farley, these would make an ideal Christmas gift!

Limited numbers will be on sale at our October and November meetings (stock permitting) – cash only, please.

As always, please keep an eye on our website in case of any last-minute changes.

The venue is Gordon Library Meeting Room No. 1, in the Old Gordon Public School, which adjoins the Gordon Library, 799 Pacific Highway, Gordon (corner Pacific Highway and Park Avenue).

It’s just a 5-minute walk from Gordon Station.

For a map and parking information, see our Contact page.

October 2024 German SIG Meeting - Monday 14th October

  

Join us at 1.30 pm on Monday 14th October 2024

for the next meeting of our

German Special Interest Group (SIG)

Join us at 1.30 pm on Monday 14th October 2024 for the next meeting of the KHS German Special Interest Group (SIG).

Our German SIG is a fantastic way to explore your heritage and connect with like-minded locals researching their Germanic background in friendly discussions. We share information on researching your Germanic ancestors, including resources, techniques, history and customs.

Coming up at our October meeting will be a number of topics of interest to anyone with Germanic ancestors or researching their German family history:

“DUNERA Stories of Internment” is the theme of one presentation;

Along with “Personal Reflections on My Family Tree”;

An update on the activities of the IGGP and GAGHA (German-Australian Genealogy & History Alliance);

And, by members, “My best family tree research source”.

Whether you’re a seasoned researcher or just starting your family tree, you’re warmly invited to attend. Come and join us for the discussion and stay for afternoon tea and a convivial chat - guests welcome!

Date: Monday 14th October 2024

Time: 1.30pm

Location: Old Gordon Public School building, 799 Pacific Hwy (cnr Pacific Hwy & Park Ave)

Parking: Subject to time limits in Council’s Wade Lane carpark (entry via Park Ave or St Johns Ave)

Train: Our rooms are a short walk from Gordon Station.

For a map, please see our Contact page, https://khs.org.au/contact-us/#hours

For more details, see our website, https://khs.org.au/german-sig

Please keep an eye on our website's Events page in case of any last-minute changes. https://khs.org.au/events/

September 2024 General Meeting - Saturday 28 September

                   

Guest Speaker:
Kyra Geddes

Join us in Gordon Library Meeting Room 1
at 2 pm on Saturday 28 September 2024

The Story Thief

Ku-ring-gai Historical Society member Kyra Geddes has resided in Gordon for more than twelve years and, after many years of research and writing, published her debut novel, The Story Thief https://kyrageddes.com/the-story-thief-book in May 2024 - a historical fiction largely set in Gordon and its surrounds, during the period 1916 to 1946.

It was in reading Henry Lawson’s iconic 1892 story The Drover’s Wife that Kyra was struck by how the female characters were not deemed worthy of a name or title beyond their relation to the men in their lives. This injustice became the inspiration to write The Story Thief.

Part fiction, part fact, the story follows Lillian, who was born in 1892. When she reads The Drover’s Wife at school, she quickly becomes convinced that it is based on her own family’s story and is determined to prove it. We follow Lillian over the course of her life across monumental points in Australia’s history - including women’s suffrage, the two world wars and the birth of nuclear warfare - as she must decide what is more important: holding onto the past or embracing the future.

Kyra’s historical research shines throughout the novel, beautifully depicting the North Shore and featuring numerous real people and places, including local historic houses Eryldene and Carinya in Gordon; Killarney Castle (which was used during WWII for air raid drills); and Ravenswood (where the protagonist Lillian teaches).

Copies of The Story Thief will be available for purchase.

(Please note, Kyra replaces our previously advertised September speaker, Dr Richard White, who is unable to attend on this date.)

As always, please keep an eye on our website in case of any last-minute changes.

The venue is Gordon Library Meeting Room No. 1, in the Old Gordon Public School, which adjoins the Gordon Library, 799 Pacific Highway, Gordon (corner Pacific Highway and Park Avenue).

It’s just a 5-minute walk from Gordon Station.

For a map and parking information, see our Contact page.