Cancelled: July 2021 Family History Group Meeting

  Please Note

Our 3^rd July Family History Group Meeting has been cancelled
and our Research Centre is closed to visitors for the time being

We were to have presented a Forum after the 3rd July meeting, "My First Ancestor to Step onto Australian Soil", but due to the situation with the Bondi COVID cluster and the the current rules regarding the size of indoor events, regretfully we have decided to cancel the July Family History Group Meeting and Forum. We hope to present the Forum at a later date instead.

Kindly note that our Research Centre is also closed to visitors for the time being.

Please keep an eye on our Events page for further information on upcoming meetings.

Calling all old Aberfeldyans!

Help us to catalogue a new collection of historical material from Aberfeldy Preparatory School, Turramurra!

Ku-ring-gai Historical Society is fortunate to have received an extensive collection of memorabilia from the estate of the late Margaret Kennett.  

Margaret was first a teacher, then Principal, at Aberfeldy from 1974-1997. Originally employed by the redoubtable Mrs Rollinson, Margaret saw the transition through to Pittwater House schools in 1978.

Margaret wrote a history of Aberfeldy, “They Came to Aberfeldy” in 2002, and her research notes and ‘behind the lines’ insights for her book are part of the collection.

The collection also includes a testimonial book presented to Margaret at her retirement dinner in 1997.  The many letters from parents, students and staff speak volumes of her inspiration and devotion to Aberfeldy, and the deep regard and respect they held for her.

The collection also includes newsletters, plus hundreds of photos of students and events spanning her 23 years.

Unfortunately many of the photos are not accompanied by names or events – so… we are hereby putting out the call to any old Aberfeldy students and staff to assist us by filling in the blanks!

Here we present a sampling of the photos in the collection, and as we scan more, we'll add a few more here as well.

Do you recognise anyone, or any of the events? If so, then do let us know, either in the Comments below, or by email or via the Contact Us form on our website!

You can also help by coming into our Research Centre at Gordon, where you can look through them to see if you recognise anyone – please contact us to arrange a suitable time.

So get sleuthing – and help us to keep the memories of this historic local institution alive!

1980 School Photo

1981 School Photo

1982 School Photo

1983 School Photo

1984 School Photo

Margaret Kennett wrote on this one 'My first class at Aberfeldy' (c1973)

1982 Year 2

1983 Year 2T

1984 Year 2

1985 Year 2

1987 Staff

1987 Year 2

1988 Staff

1988 Year 2

1989 Hills District Eisteddfod (won fourth place)

1989 Some of Year 2 Sports Day

1989 Staff

1989 Year 2

1990 Staff with Rex Morgan

1990 Year 2

1991 Staff

1991 Year 2

1992 Staff with Rex Morgan

1992 Year 2

1993 Staff with Rex Morgan

1993 Year 2

1994 Staff with Rex Morgan

1994 Year 2

1995 Staff with Rex Morgan

1995 Year 2

1996 Staff

1996 Year 2

1997 Staff

1997 Year 2 (Margaret wrote on it 'My last Year 2 class' with 'the Boss' Rex Morgan)

1985 School Photo

1896 School Photo

1987  School Photo

1988 School Photo

1991 School Photo

1992 School Photo

1993 School Photo

1994 School Photo

1996 School Photo

June 2021 General Meeting

 Come along to our General Meeting

Held on the 3rd Saturday of each month at 2pm
(January - November)

Our next General Meeting is
Saturday 19th June 2021

Following our meetings we present our Speakers Program. Non-members are most welcome to come along to join us for our short meeting - or if preferred, just for the speaker's presentation, which normally starts around 2.20pm, followed by afternoon tea.

This month's General Meeting guest speaker will be

John Brooks

John will tell us all about...

"The Hassall Family in Australia"

Fleeing to Sydney in 1798 from hostile Tahitians – who seemed more interested in muskets than the Gospel – missionary Rowland Hassall thrived in his calling in the infant colony.

With his wife Elizabeth, the Hassalls went on to prosper and multiply, counting the City of Sydney Historical Society’s John Brooks among their many descendants.

John is a retired engineer, and a direct descendant of Jonathan Hassall, the third son of Rowland Hassall.

Currently, John is Treasurer of the City of Sydney Historical Association and has been a member of the Committee for fifteen years. He is also Treasurer of the Hassall Family History Association, whose objectives are to research and foster interest in the pioneering work of the family.

John is also Convenor of the Blackwattle Cove Coalition, which was formed to work in consultation with the Wentworth Park Sporting Complex Trust, the City of Sydney, and the various State Government Departments involved in planning the future of Wentworth Park and the Blackwattle Bay foreshores.

Read more about the Hassall family in our June Newsletter – then come along and hear John’s fascinating story!

See our Events page for further information.

Visitors welcome – afternoon tea will be available

No need to book – just turn up!

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.