Honouring Keith Brown

Keith Brown - What an Achievement!

by the President, GDHS

At our AGM last Sunday 18th October 2020, I had the privilege of bestowing upon Keith Brown Life-time Membership to the Gunning & District Historical Society for his unwavering dedication since he joined in 2008. I also had the esteemed honour of presenting Keith with a Certificate of Achievement and pin from the Royal Australian Historical Society. 

There are only a handful of these awards given out each year and to those whose contribution is significant and noteworthy to both their society and community. Usually this would take place at the RAHS Conference in Sydney but had to be cancelled due to Covid. I was asked to bestow this distinction within our own Society. His achievement will be announced in an upcoming issue of the society’s History Magazine. 

Keith’s grace and benevolence are qualities that make him a very valued member of our team. We congratulate him on his well-deserved Achievements.

Deputy Mayor John Searl, Keith Brown with his RAHS Award
and ULSC General Manager Colleen Worthy

KEITH LYNDEN BROWN L.V.O. B.A. Th.L.

Keith Brown has written four books of local history since he became a Gunning resident in 2008.  Applying rigorous scholarship to his research, Keith first shone “new light on old events” in “The Day that Dunkley Died: Murder and Retribution in Colonial Gunning.”  He has the knack of placing our district’s history in its regional (and national) context as shown by his histories of the ‘Inns and Innkeepers of early Gunning’, the ‘Churches of the Upper Lachlan’ and ‘Crookwell Aged Care’.  He always gives generous credit to those who precede him and notes where further research would be fruitful.

Keith has been a member of Gunning & District Historical Society since 2008 and a committee member in the position of Research Officer until 2019.  Indefatigable in researching and sharing local history, Keith always responded generously to requests for assistance, often escorting enquirers to the locality within our area.  Keith readily shares his knowledge with members who take the “difficult” questions to him. He is a wonderful volunteer guide to visitors, young and old, to the Pye Cottage Folk Museum, run by GDHS.

Keith has very generously supported the Society, by donating all sales revenue from his local history books to GDHS. This has been a very important way of funding the setting up of our Research Centre.  

A very delighted and humble Keith with his daughter Karilyn