State Heritage Convention

Ms Lennie McCall
Chairman of Council, Royal Western Australian Historical Society Inc.
"Heritage and our Community"

Historical Survey of the Royal Western Australian Historical Society

In the mid nineteen twenties, community awareness and appreciation of history and heritage was growing in Perth and the metropolitan area when Ivor Birtwhistle, Edith Cowan, Mary Farrelly, Paul Hasluck, Sir James Mitchell and Professor EOG Shann founded the Western Australian Historical Society in 1926. The minutes record that the inaugural meeting was held on Thursday 23 September 1926 courtesy of Dr JS Battye in his room in the Public Library.

The Royal Western Australian Historical Society Inc. as it later became, has earned a reputation as a learned body and authority on Western Australian History. It has played a pioneer role in the conservation and interpretation of the State's social history since European exploration and settlement. It continues to do so, and also supports recognition and research of Aboriginal history and culture.

The Society, which is a non-profit organisation has been and continues to be supported by membership subscriptions, general fundraising, private donors, sponsorship and essential yet limited government support as well as its many volunteers. These combined efforts have resulted in an accumulation of a rich collection of heritage items including: costume, artworks, porcelain and furniture. Also, it has an extensive reference library of Western Australian historical documentation and photographs.

Affiliated Historical Societies

A network of 70 Affiliated Historical Societies comprising more than 2000 members has been developed across Western Australia. (It is interesting to note that one of the original objects of the Society proposed formation of state branches). These Societies support a growing community awareness and appreciation of local history and heritage. The Royal Western Australian Historical Society provides support for an annual conference, the State History Conference of Affiliated Societies to enable opportunities for members to meet, share ideas and gain valuable knowledge from guest speakers. The conference venue alternates between country and city locations and is hosted by one of the affiliated Societies. This year the Conference will be held in West Perth at the Constitutional Centre of Western Australia.

Achievements

Listed among the more tangible achievements by the Society over the years have been successful community campaigns which ensured:

the establishment of the State Archives in 1945 and the JS Battye Library of West Australian History in 1956 (a close liaison exists today);
the retention of the Old Mill. South Perth;
popular support for the defence of the Barracks Arch c 1960;
the organisation of the Palace Guards to lobby for the preservation of the Palace Hotel;
the recognition of the East Perth Cemeteries as an important heritage site and support for an annual memorial service since the 1950's to honour those who are buried there;
the placement of memorials across the State, frequently in partnership with local communities and historical societies, to provide information and recognition of many facets of Western Australian history of special interest for tourists; and
popular support for a secure home for the Army Museum in the Artillery Barracks, Fremantle, which you will recall last year.

It was largely because of the growing response in the 1950's to heritage issues such as the Old Mill and the Barracks Arch, that the Society supported the formation of a local branch of the National Trust of Australia. This support is recognised in the relevant legislation establishing the branch and granting the Society permanent representation on the Council of the Trust. The formation of the National Trust of Australia (WA) has relieved the Society of some of the responsibilities and thus enabled Society members to concentrate on the vital role of collecting, cataloguing, collating and conserving historical material to be researched and interpreted.
CURRENT SITUATION

Vision
The Society's vision is 'that present and future generations will have access to the history of Western Australia'. Included in the following objectives relating to heritage and our community are to:
- Foster interest in and enjoyment of Western Australian history within the community;
- Cooperate with all others in the field in the study and promotion of the history of Western Australia; and
- Be recognised as an advocate in the conservation and promotion of the State's cultural heritage.

Premises
The Society's headquarters, Stirling House on Broadway in Nedlands, is housed in inappropriate premises which restricts easy access to its resources. This is mainly due to the expansion of the collections and lack of space for storage and display.

The Executive Officer and Accounts Officer job share one position during the limited hours of opening. The property is totally owned by the Society and is a valuable asset. An informal alliance group formed over the past three years, between the National Trust, The Australian - Irish Heritage Association (WA), the WA Genealogical Society and the Historical Society, has actively lobbied and continues to do so for possible shared premises in a central and convenient location for the community to access their resources. So far this has been without success. Whether the East Perth Power Station development will assist this project is to be seen.

Education Awareness Programs

Public Talks
A program of public talks is presented each year to promote the study and appreciation of Western Australian history. There are two meetings held per month, each of which provides a guest speaker and is open to the general community. One meeting is held at Stirling House. The other is an afternoon 'History in City' Program of talks and hosted by the Society's Women's Auxiliary at Citiplace in the Perth Railway Station complex.

Research papers presented at the meeting in Stirling House are the basis of the Society's annual journal 'Early Days'. This is a prestigious publication providing an excellent reference resource on WA history. It is sold to educational and professional institutions throughout Australia and overseas. The Centenary of Federation fund supported a federation project by the Society which was to publish a book entitled 'Towards Federation; Why Western Australia joined the Australian Federation in 1901 edited by Lyall Hunt. The grant included money to produce a lively, illustrated Exhibition on WA's role in Federation which is travelling to Regional centers throughout the State this year. The book has sold well and there are still copies available. Again, this is a valuable research resource.

The essays of the Lee Steere Research Award and the AE Williams Essay Award are other ways by which the Society encourages research and the writing of Western Australian history. Both of which offer cash prizes.

Tours
The Society provides the opportunity for interpretation of history through its tours and walks program which enable members and friends to visit properties and places of historical significance not normally accessible to the public, as well as providing published tour notes. Other features of these tours and heritage walks include interaction with Affiliated Historical Societies raising awareness of heritage values within the metropolitan area, and across the State, enriched by the benefit of their local knowledge.

Access to collections and services
The Society's manual records of resources are gradually being automated into the 'Collections Mosaic 'software database but it is an entirely voluntary team who are helping to do this after an intense training program kindly supported by staff at Curtin University of Technology. The valuable work of the volunteers is greatly appreciated. However the project is an extended and ongoing one and it will take several years to complete. It is thanks to the generosity of the Lotteries Commission and Museums Australia (WA) through successful grant applications which have made it possible to bring the Society's technology up to date.

Web site
The Society's website provides further information about its current activities and collection including on line ordering from the Bookshop and archival supplies catalogues and membership facilities. Its address is http://www.git.net.au/~histwest

Bookshop and Archival supplies
The Society's Bookshop at Stirling House deals exclusively with publications of WA history including a range of subjects such as local history, guides, indexes, biographies, maritime history, commerce and industry and sociology. While many of the titles are published by the longstanding UWA Press and other local publishers, private publications in limited print runs are carried in stock.

Basic archival products including boxes, folders, mylar, tyvec, tissue, acid free photo albums and other items to ensure the preservation of family photographs and other historical records, are sold. These are available in small quantities which the public require and cannot obtain from suppliers as suppliers generally require bulk orders.

Tax deduction
The Society is an endorsed tax deductible gift recipient for its Museum and Library Fund and is a recipient organisation for cultural heritage collections donated in accordance with the Commonwealth Cultural Gifts Program, as are the Battye Library, Art Gallery and Museum.

Current needs
While the Society has maintained an active role within the wider community over the past 75 years, it has not always been a well publicized one. This is changing as active alliances and working with other bodies, such as the WA History Foundation and the Heritage Council in planning new roles and lobbying for proposed changes to heritage legislation occur.

Volunteers
The Society could not function without its skilled and enthusiastic volunteers whose work is varied. A great emphasis is placed on and devoted to the management, recording, conservation and care of the heritage collections in the Museum and Library. They also contribute to the efficient running of the Bookshop and Archival product sales, develop programs for readings and publications, tours and events and monitor and implement the technology aspects of the Society to ensure that the resources are readily accessible to the wider community.

Future Directions
Last December the Council of the Society endorsed its five year Strategic Plan. The scope of this Plan identifies a broad goal, major objectives to address that goal and strategies. The broad goal is to raise the profile of the Society statewide and nationally so that it is recognised:

To be a potent force in the promotion of WA history; and
To have a collection of moveable cultural heritage that is an important resource for the study and enjoyment of WA history. It is critical that the Society is able to continue the initiatives of the founding members and develop new strategies to meet contemporary issues.

It also seeks to pass on a tradition of excellence in research, conservation and interpretation of history that will enable future generations both to treasure its cultural heritage and to draw upon it.