A free Hands-on History author talk will be held at Eskbank House Museum titled ‘Crying Hearts, Healing Hands’, the life journeys of James and Leo Bamber.
The History Week theme for 2022 – Hands-on History invites us to explore histories by or about people who do things with their hands, whether for work or play. (History Council of NSW, 2022)
‘Crying Hearts, Healing Hands’ follows the early roving life of solicitor, town clerk and coroner James Bamber and his wife Kate across Victoria and country New South Wales in the nineteenth century before ‘dropping anchor’ in 20th century Lithgow. It is a story marked with joy and sorrow spanning the Great Depression years. The weight of the economic collapse hurts Lithgow more than many other country towns. Into this mire the aging James takes on the role of Lithgow’s coroner.
Hand in hand with James’s journey is the story of his son Leo who was a footballer, doctor, World War One veteran and, a leader. The pair worked often ‘hand in hand’ in the coronial court system, and later Leo found his love bond with Lucy Boon. Leo fought for causes that affected the poor and disadvantaged in Lithgow. But Leo had another side. He was an entertainer. He had a touch of the entrepreneur, and he was a man who loved the Lithgow people, and the community loved him in return. The presentation is one family’s story of Australian country life – a hands on life journey. (Baker 2022)
Lithgow City Council invites you to Eskbank House Museum on Saturday 3 September 2022 at 2:00pm for a free talk by Peter Baker on the life journeys of James and Leo Bamber. Peter Baker is a retired lawyer who is married with five children and conducted a legal practice in suburban Sydney for about thirty years. He has an interest in creative nonfiction and family history, and more particularly the history of Lithgow. He has written a book on Lithgow rugby league and had several articles published in ‘Traces’ magazine.
Bookings are preferred but not required for this event and can made via Eventbrite, light refreshments will be provided.
This event will also be available online via Zoom as a live streaming event. To access the online event, you will need to have the Zoom App https://zoom.us/ on your device and details for joining online are part of Eventbrite ticket.
These events celebrate and increase community awareness of the cultural diversity and rich history and heritage of the Lithgow LGA.
This is an official event of History Week 2022, supported by the History Council of NSW.
Eskbank House Museum is looking to bring together a small group of gardening and history enthusiasts to participate in a project to develop and nurture a heritage garden.
Mary’s Garden is an imagined garden based on historic photographs, 19thc gardening practices, and the plant species known to be available in Australia during Mary Brown’s time at Eskbank House. It incorporates elements common in Australian and Scottish approaches to gardening during the mid-19th century.
The project will involve gardening workshops, field trips, talks and hands on gardening. The group will meet regularly for working-bees to establish the garden and for seasonal planting, and the garden will also be made accessible to participants 5 days a week so they can spend as much time pottering as they wish. Gardening workshops and working-bees, including establishing an edible garden and working with environmental challenges and risk, will be led by Jessica Lawn from Arborvitae. As a horticulturist and arborist experienced with heritage gardens throughout the Blue Mountains region, Jessica has cared for many gardens at risk and nurtured their recovery following periods of drought and fires.
The heritage garden project will create a new aspect to the museums role in providing the community access to local history as well as providing a unique educational resource to diversify the museums audiences. Participants in the project may also wish to contribute to a planned publication on the medicinal and everyday use of plants in the Victorian kitchen garden.
Registration closes Wednesday 12th May. The first group meeting is scheduled for w/c 17th May with specific dates reflecting participants availability. We are particularly interested in engaging fire affected or at risk residents.
This project is funded under the Bushfire Community Resilience and Recovery Fund
For further information or to register your interest please contact Summar Hipworth, Cultural Development Officer, 6354 9999 or summar.hipworth@lithgow.nsw.gov.au
Come by for a chat with one of Lithgow’s favourite sons John Barnes. He is an artist, author and historian whose extraordinary architectural drawings have featured in many exhibitions. With a wealth of knowledge about our local history and a new book in progress, John has many stories to tell. Our current exhibition includes his work and that of others who have captured our historic architecture. John will let us in on the fascinating histories behind the buildings represented in the exhibition. He’ll tell us about his life in drawing and inspire you to start creating work yourself. John will teach the secret of drawing perspective.
Enjoy access to Eskbank House Museum’s beautiful grounds and buildings. Complimentary tea, coffee and delicious scones from Bill’s Old Fashioned Cakes and Pies will be served.
John will be selling copies of his published works. This is a great opportunity to pick up a signed copy or get your existing copy signed.
Explore the historic grounds of Eskbank House Museum like a 19th century naturalist. Observe the trees, bushes, flowers and grasses. Look closely and enjoy the fine detail in the natural world. Draw these shapes and patterns to create a larger artwork or a series of cards.
Local artist and experienced teacher Prue Mogg will guide us through seeing and making in this relaxed, extended class. This fun drawing workshop is for everybody. Come and join us, no matter your skill level or age group. All materials are provided.
Our summer program The Drawing Room invites you to experience Eskbank House Museum differently. Use mirrors and lenses to look at and draw the world. Draw for hours on our paper-covered walls or enjoy some insect colouring in. These fun and calming activities are great for a hot day.
Thomas Brown, the original owner of Eskbank House was an entrepreneur as well as an amateur scientist and collector. Eskbank House held his amazing private museum. We celebrate and continue his legacy by bringing a little science and exploration back to Eskbank House Museum this summer with The Drawing Room.
Take advantage of these self-guided drawing activities and our facilities after your workshop. Enjoy our permanent exhibitions as well as complimentary tea, coffee and chilled water. There are chairs and tables in the shade for you to relax and picnic. Favourites like Possum are still here for all ages play. Our grounds are fully fenced and safe for little ones.
The community is welcome to the Eskbank House Museum summer program where it is cool in the house and there are chairs and tables under the shady trees for you to picnic, rest and enjoy. Complimentary tea, coffee and chilled water are available all day. Our grounds are fully fenced and safe for little ones. Favourites like Possum the engine are still here for all ages play.
Our summer program is great for the whole family. Draw with family or friends or rest and read on indoor seating with views of our gardens. The Drawing Room is designed to invite intergenerational drawing and exploration of science and art. Use mirrors and lenses to look at and draw the world differently. Draw for hours on our paper-covered walls or enjoy some insect colouring in. These fun and calming activities are great for a hot day. Everybody is welcome at The Drawing Room.
Thomas Brown, the original owner of Eskbank House was an entrepreneur as well as an amateur scientist and collector. He is thought to have created one of the first museums in the region at Eskbank House.
Mr. Brown has formed a fine museum at Eskbank, which though chiefly supplied with the geological wealth of New South Wales, contains many other objects of interest to the learned and refined – to the botanist, the anatomist, and the antiquary…
A Police Magistrate’s Museum in the Australian Mountains Empire Jun 16 1865
Brown had an incredible private collection which included fossils, live snakes, silk worms, Roman coins and Aboriginal and Pacific Islander artefacts. We celebrate and continue his legacy by bringing a little science and exploration back to Eskbank House Museum this summer with The Drawing Room.
