Times Bakery & Produce Store, Gulgong, 1884
This building now houses the Gulgong Pioneer's Museum.
Times Bakery & Produce Store, Gulgong, 1897
Opening of the Gulgong Pioneers Museum, 1962
These buildings were given to the people of Gulgong for use as a pioneer museum by a descendant of William and Mary Hutchinson of Springfield. William Hutchinson was one of the first selectors in this district.
Plaque at Gulgong Pioneers Museum
Source: Scotty Poll
The establishment of this museum was made possible by a gift from Mr W H (Tom) Lewis and his wife Bethel of Springfield. The people of this district will always remember their generosity. Bethel Lewis died 14 June 1963 and Tom Lewis died 22 August 1964.
Plaque at Gulgong Pioneers Museum
Source: Scotty Poll
OBJECTS OF GULGONG HISTORICAL SOCIETY
1. To encourage the study of the history of Australia and of the Gulgong and adjoining districts.
2. To promote the compilation of historical records.
3. To acquire, either by purchase, donation or otherwise and preserve for the Society, books, manuscripts, newspapers, records, coins, stamps, prints, pictures, lantern slides, relics and all and any such objects, minerals and materials of any description as may be considered to have a bearing on Australian History of the history of Gulgong and the surrounding districts.
4. To use its influence to secure the preservation of places of interest such as homes, buildings, cemeteries, etc.
5. To foster the interchange of information among members of the Society by readings, discussions, exhibitions of historical interest or value, and excursions.
6. To print publish and hold copyright and circulate such journals, periodicals, books and any other literary productions and undertakings as may be conducive to any of the objects of the Society.
7. To affiliate and co-operate with other Societies and institutions having objects similar to those of the Society.
8. To foster and maintain interest in and the study of the history of the settling and development of the Gulgong and surrounding Districts and to provide facilities for this study.
9. To encourage, undertake and co-ordinate research into all aspects of the history of Gulgong and the surrounding districts.
10. To collect, collate and make available for reference, records, documents and other data relating to the history of Gulgong and surrounding districts and to foster the preservation of objects of historic interest.
11. To commemorate with suitable plaques and monuments, important events and places in district history.
12. To control and administer the Gulgong Pioneers’ Museum.
NEWS ITEMS
Source: Education : journal of the N.S.W. Public School Teachers Federation. Vol. 59 No. 04 (15 Mar 1978)
Maureen Pearce and Lynda Sills
Dressed for the occasion
Gulgong teenagers, Maureen Pearce (left) and Lynda Sills donned period costume for the Opening Ceremony of the "Reedy Creek Inn" at the Gulgong Pioneers Museum on Sunday and are pictured here with Miss Rowan Dorrell, before they presented her with a bouquet of flowers and a memento of the occasion. Miss Dorrell donated the 130-year-old building which has been known latterly as the Stone House at Ulan, to the Museum.
Source: Libby Sills
Skips from mine.
Rhett Robinson, Sharon Farley? Brian Flannery, Mandy Taylor, Lynda Sills, Maureen Pearce, Damien Holding.
Pictured above is Mr Brian Flannery, Project Manager for Ulan Coal Mines Ltd, talking to members of the Pioneer Museum Junior Committee. In the background is the larger of the skips donated by Ulan Coal Mines Ltd to the Pioneer Museum recently. The skip was once used to pull rock out of the Sandy Hollow Railway tunnel in the 1930s.
Source: Libby Sills
Golf mining exhibit, Gulgong Pioneers Museum, 1966
Gulgong Pioneers Museum, 1966
Pub Display, Gulgong Pioneers Museum, 1966
MUSEUM ROLL OF HONOUR
Mrs J Loneragan
B Spencer-Brown
Mrs E Crossley
Mrs Marie Ahearn
C R E (Reg) Wright
F McNally
Mrs Theresa Lane
J B McEwen
J K (Keith) Curry
R Bowman
D[onald] C[live] Curry
H R Adams
J Rogers
A B Barton
Mrs Daphne Dempsey
Mrs Ethel McEwen
Mrs Deirdre Wright
Mrs R (Lucy) Watson
Don Lewis
B H Pepper
Mrs Nola Bridger
A[ubrey] M[axwell] (Mick) Pickett
Mrs E[velyn Lillian] M[adge] Pickett
C Cook
Mrs Ruby Gossage
Mrs Lorna Farr
W J Hensley
Mrs Rona Pepper
Mrs D Campbell
Barry Seis
RECOLLECTIONS
Source: Marion Hughes, Vivian's daughter-in-law.Among the men who started the Museum, were Tom Lewis and his sone Don Lewis, also Don Dougan, the local chemist, Bill Dempsey and Tom Cox. Harry Seis was the first President.
Source: Kate Dollisson, Tom Lewis ' granddaughter
Vivian Charles Hughes was also one of the founding members. He donated some "cradles " for washing and sifting the gold from the soil. My brother-in-law, Hillary Hughes, was also a keen fossiker,and lived in Gulgong all his life, and was keen to help the Museum get started. The last time I visited Gulgong, the name, Vivian Charles Hughes was on a plaque above the entrance to the Museum.
As a pre-teen, I attended the original meeting to assess the community's thoughts and level of commitment to the project! The meeting was held in the Country Womens Association Hall and was very well attended, both by those who were willing to undertake an administrative role and by the general community. - The hall was full!
The self - appointed members sitting at the table (on the moveable stage) were the then newly appointed School Headmaster, Mr. John Neubauer, Bill Dempsey and wife / Mother, Daphne.) As far as I recall, seated along the table were:
- Mr. Paul Khoury (local Councillor),
- Mr. Robbie Bowman, who offered to display an amazing collection of firearms, gathered from many historic wars, European, Civil, and World wars.
- Mr. Phil Crossley,
- Mr. Donald Dougan, (Pharmacist)
- Mrs. Motty Londergan,
- Mrs. Theresa Lane,
- Mr. Ray Archer, (now passed)
- Mr. Lewis, Snr. (Who most generously donated the entire "Bluestone" building, the original corner building and primarily, the entire Museum).
There were several other community members.
There used to be a small room behind the original entrance, which was referred to as "the office", dedicated to monthly meetings and storage of documents. By now, the number of meetings and minutes, and volume of documents re. the general management, would require far more space than that little room might accommodate, even with the advantage of electronic management of same. I do hope these records have been securely stored, as they are indeed the recorded growth and development of various sections of the institution. There is a wealth of history within the actual repairs and growth and display developments, along with the enthusiastic participation of some of our Countries heroes, and example being one Brigadier McCallister McKenzie, an aged gentleman who once lived neat the Cudgegong River on a property then called "Morawalga", on the Gulgong side, and not far from the original Yamble bridge. Brigadier was a member of the "Light Horseman" in the battle of Beersheba.
Bill Dempsey, was nominated Curator of the Museum, and held that position for many years. He was supported by many of the local community members, not least, the McNally family, Betty and Frank, the Ellery Brothers, Don Curry, and Don Lewis, along with many others who gave freely and enthusiastically of their time and labour! They were great times, prior to the official opening of the Museum. The volunteers would work diligently on their various tasks, and about mid-afternoon, dear Betty Mc. would "put the Billy on" and call "Time for a cuppa"! Everyone would gather and discuss the progress of their individual tasks, - what needed to be the next stage of development, what was required for the various jobs at hand! It was great fun and everyone worked as a team. I greatly miss those days when the concept was evolving.
Source: Louise Thurling
1980 - GULGONG PIONEERS MUSEUM and HOW IT GOT STARTED
This Easter 1980 marks the 18th anniversary of the opening of the doors of the Gulgong Pioneers Museum for the first time. Here is the story leading to its establishment, which has proved such a big attraction for tourists to the Gulgong—Mudgee districts, as told by the foundation president, M. D.H. Dougan.
The story of the Gulgong Pioneers’ Museum and its success could be due to matters of chance, coincidence or just plain luck in that special events took place and the right people were in the right place at the right time.
It began in 1961 when Gulgong held a Back to Gulgong festival to raise money to build an Olympic Swimming Pool. One of the money raising means was an exhibition in the CWA rooms of antique firearms [R.E. Bowman collection], Holtermann photographs of Gulgong by Kodak [Dougan’s Pharmacy] and numerous agricultural implements and household and personal items collected by Mr. Bill Dempsey, who organised and supervised the whole effort.
This exhibition was so outstandingly successful and caused such favourable public comment that the idea of organising a permanent display was born.
Involved in the original discussion were R.E. Bowman, D.H. Dougan, W. Dempsey and S. Moffitt. All favoured the proposal and everyone was aware that a large building would be required such as the vacant ‘Times Bakery’, diagonally opposite the CWA rooms. When everything was considered it seemed that the task of acquiring suitable premises was so enormous that no further action was taken.
Some while later, Mr. R. E. Bowman attended a University Extension lecture in Coolah and discussed the museum idea with Mr. Campbell Howard of Armidale University. Being familiar with the historic background of the district, Mr. Howard supported the proposal with the greatest enthusiasm/ He asked for the name of someone in Gulgong whom he could approach to give further advice and stimulate further interest.
Mr. Bowman suggest D.H. Dougan, President of the Gulgong Progress Association. Within days, Mr. Dougan had received a letter from Mr. Howard seeking information and urging Gulgong people to go ahead with the establishment of a Folk Museum. He offered every assistance and to arrange for a visit by Mr E.W. Dunlop who had been responsible for setting up the very successful Armidale Folk Museum.
All this was very encouraging, but Mr. Howard had to be told that the museum was only a hazy idea in the minds of a few Gulgong people—that there was no historical society or body formed to undertake any action.
Mr. Howard was not to be deterred and asked if arrangements could be made for people to hear a lecture-slide show by Mr. Dunlop, who currently returned from a study tour of museums of Europe.
The Gulgong Progress Association organised for people to hear Mr. Dunlop who explained the mechanics of setting up a folk museum and its value to the community and nation. It was apparent that the proposition had reasonable public support and the Gulgong Progress Association elected a small sub-committee to handle the formation of a Museum Society with the necessary aims and objectives.
A successful meeting was held and the Gulgong Museum Society was formed. The officers were, D. H. Dougan, President, J. Nebauer, Hon Secretary, E. Walmsley, Hon Treasurer and W. Dempsey, Hon. Curator.
One of the first tasks was to find suitable premises and ways of raising money to purchase the property. This problem was solved to a major degree by Mr. Tom [W.H.] Lewis of ‘Springfield’ who had been in ill health for sometime but had been kept informed of the progress of the museum proposal by Mr. Dougan.. Mr. Lewis suggested that the trading banks be asked to finance the purchase of the ‘Times Bakery’.
The Bank of NSW agreed to help and this information was passed on to Mr. Lewis by Mr. Dougan, who next day was asked to see him on an urgent matter as soon as possible. On arrival at his home Mr. Dougan was handed a slip of paper on which was typed the following ‘These buildings were given to the people of Gulgong for use as a War Memorial and Pioneer Museum, by a descendant of William and Mary Hutchinson, of ‘Springfield’, William Hutchinson was one of the first selectors of land in this district.’ A thousand pounds.
If you will put that wording somewhere in the building if you go ahead with the idea was all Mr. Lewis said, except to ask if Mr. Dougan could arrange to have the amount made tax free and to treat the gift anonymously.
The slight doubt as to whether the amount was a gift or loan was resolved and the next day Mr. Dougan visited the Taxation Department in Sydney to ask for the concession. The Department was very helpful and suggested an appropriate resolution to passed at the next meeting. This was done and the Department agreed to treat the 1000 pounds as free of tax and also any gift of one or more thereafter.
The Museum Committee was elated with the gift and immediately began negotiations with the Spears Estate for the purchase of the ‘Times Bakery’ property. The Menchin family who were the benefactors were also very helpful.
As soon as possession of the building had been obtained Mr. E.W. Dunlop made a second visit to Gulgong to advise the Committee on museum lay-out, display and organisation. He was most impressed with the solid stone building, the large rooms and the design generally which was so adaptable for museum purposes.
The bake-house alone was historically valuable and the stables used when bread was delivered in horse drawn carts were intact. The original building ‘Times Bakery’ appeared on the ten dollar note in 1966. The Committee became active in cleaning, renovating and painting with in the building and Mr. Dempsey ranged far and wide collecting items as gifts or loan for exhibition.
The response from the town and district was most encouraging. Mr. Dempsey as curator built and arranged many of the displays, exhibiting skills as carpenter, plumber, bricklayer and painter as the need arose. He also received assistance from an interested band of members. On Easter Saturday, 1962 without sound or ceremony, Gulgong Pioneer’s Museum doors were opened with a charge of 2/- adults and 6d children. The Hours were 2 pm to 5 pm, Saturdays and Sundays, with supervision by members of the Committee.
The establishment and operation of Gulgong Pioneers’ Museum was on a voluntary basis and all funds used it its expansion have been generated by the Museum with the exception by the Committee of Loneragan’s Staff Ball in 1963.
Source: Mudgee Guardian, April 6, 1980 
Gulgong Pioneers Museum
Source: unknown
