Gunning & District Historical Society

Gunning to Newnes and Beyond: Roy Irwin Alchin by Garry Smith Roy Irwin Alchin with Grandson Garry Norman Smith 1949 Roy Irwin Alchin (1897-1976) was born in Gunning on 23 January 1897, the son of Edward Alchin (1863-1941) and Elizabeth Ann Alchin (nee Bailey) (1872-1964). Roy’s great grandfather, Ambrose Alchin, had come to the Gunning district in the late 1840s with his family - wife Ann and their children. The British Parliament approved the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act in 1901. In that same year Roy was a four-year-old boy playing around the family home near the common in Gunning. Little is known about Roy’s childhood but it is known that in the year of Federation, Roy made the newspaper when he badly fractured his leg while running around the house. “ Goulburn Evening Penny Post”, Saturday 16 March 1901, 7 (via TROVE) Roy grew up in a strictly Methodist household; at the age of ten years Roy and his sister Myra took par...

Bailey's Garage, Gunning NSW. Photo by Mattinbgn via Wikimedia  ( CC BY 3.0 ) GUNNING SENSATION  Brush in Council  Councillor G. E. Ardill Resigns The matter of erecting iron buildings in the town of Gunning - twice prohibited by resolution of the Shire Council during the past year - has been before the public a good deal lately, and a climax was reached at last Tuesday's meeting of the Council when Cr. Ardill resigned his seat, on principle, rather than sit on a Council that failed to enforce its resolutions. The discussion was brief but warm. After the breach in the regulations had been referred to Cr. Ardill said that there was an excuse for a second mistake.  The President: I don't like a man to stand up and defy me.  Cr. Ardill: Neither do I. As a man told me, we might as well have six clothes pegs instead of councillors here. The Council should stand by its resolutions. I, for one, am not prepared to stay in the Council. If we do...

The Australian Star, 23 February 1891, If you get the chance to enjoy a beer or wine at the Gunning Show, spare a thought for the patrons at the 1891 show. It would seem, from the above article, that the showground committee had a strong contingent of Temperance "Brothers" who were successful in declaring it an alcohol-free zone. The impact was not as significant as initially suggested - the article notes that the show was " on the whole a success " with " nearly 800 entries " and daily attendance of " between 700 and 800 ". (I have found no records to compare with other years of the period.) The Temperance movement was quite strong in Australia in the late 19th century. The Gunning Division of The Sons of Temperance was formed in 1874 and when the Temperance Hall was opened in 1882 (cnr Warrataw St and Biala St) there were 73 members. There is also mention of the Independant Order of Good Templars (Eureka Lodge) from 1883 and a bran...

Commercial Banking Company of Sydney, Gunning. Photo via CBC Officers Club Inc website GUNNING.  (From our Correspondent.) On Friday afternoon about twenty-five gentlemen met at the new premises of the Commercial Banking Company, invited by the manager, Mr. W. T. Busby. The gentlemen made a start to inspect the building, first viewing it from Yass-street, from where it presents a pleasing aspect, the private residence having a verandah running the full length of the building facing both Yass and Waratah streets. The whole is enclosed by a neat batten fence. On entering the building we first enter the hall, which is wide and lofty, being thirteen feet in height, as are also all the rooms. Six rooms in the private residence are gone through and are all found fitted with grates for coal-the three front ones fitted with handsome marble mantle-pieces. At the rear we find a kitchen fitted with a splendid cooking range, a pantry, two servants' rooms, a bath-room fitted...