Past to Present. Memory to Action
The Friends of Willow Court are again conduction an open day at Willow Court the Avenue New Norfolk on the 3rd March 2019. There are displays and a number of guided tours (3) throughout the day. Currently open days are held on the first Sunday of each month by the Friends of Willow Court who are a volunteer committee of the Derwent Valley Council. There is no need to book, just come along ready (closed shoes) at one of the times stated below. There are no facilities for eftpos, cash only.
Our friends at Willow Court are asking for Volunteers to assist them with the Lime Wash Project around the walls of Willow Court. The opportunity to gain some heritage skills and WH&S knowledge is on offer for those interested.
The second official Friends of Willow Court day of tours and display has past with great success. The group are running tours on the first Sunday of each month at 10 am, 12 mid-day and 2 pm. For those wondering where the takings of the tours go, “the entry fee goes to the Derwent Valley Council, GST and development of resources for future activities on site” according to ex Chair person of the friends of Willow Court.
Head over to our “events page” to see what is happening next and also see our “Open days and Events” under the “Gallery” tab to see what activities have been happening at the site.
This month there is an extra event as the Derwent Valley Players are again putting on two short plays “MEET THE MATRON” and “TEA AND CHARITY”, two historical plays written by Sharon Hutchison. They will be performed at The Barracks, circa 1830 WILLOW COURT on Sunday 14th. October, at 11 am and 1.30 pm, with a cream tea served between the two plays at each performance. $30.00 per head.
Bookings 0411 744 248.
We have two wonderful events coming to Willow Court this October, brought to you by the Friends of Willow Court and the Derwent Valley Players.
Bookings can be made on the contact details on each poster.
The Friends of Willow Court will be holding their Annual General Meeting this Friday and today have released a Press Statement about a new exciting event. Along with Hamish Maxwell-Stewart who is a Professor of Social History there will be a return of the 4th Light Horse Brigade medal to the family of origin.
Press Release:
12/09/2018
Friends of Willow Court locate family of 4th Light Horse Brigade medal
Friends of Willow Court were handed a 4th Light Horse Brigade medal during their Heritage Month event in May 2018. As part of the event FoWC called for artifacts to be brought to the site to be photographed and recorded.
By coincidence a friend of FoWC Chairperson, Anne Salt, mentioned he had found the medal forty years previously in ashes somewhere in the bush, but only this year recalled having the medal and mentioned it to Anne, who had been doing research on Willow Court history (formerly Lachlan Park Hospital), and who recognized the name on the medal matched that of a nurse at Willow Court.
A direct link between the medal and nurse was discovered through a service record search on the National Archives Australia website. Amongst the records was a letter written in 1956 by the nurse requesting that his outstanding service medals be sent to Lachlan Park Hospital, New Norfolk.
After much searching the family has been located and the medal will be presented to them at the Friends of Willow Court AGM, 7 pm on 14 September, at the Willow Court Barracks.
Anne Salt
Chairperson
Friends of Willow Court
Anne Salt
Chairperson
Friends of Willow Court
c/-92 Blair St
New Norfolk 7140
E. friendsofwillowcourt@gmail.com
M. 0419213232
The Friends of Willow Court are set to take off with a proposed calendar of events, a Facebook page and a dedicated website for Willow Court if all is approved at the next Derwent Valley Council Meeting.
Despite their small number, the Friends group have consistently arranged and been at Working Bee’s, Open Days, History Tours, History based drama performances, Heritage month activities and when called upon to do so. Recently I was able to offer some support with a tour for a couple of visiting Academics from Manchester University in the UK and two more tours, one for TasTAFE students who are all local Derwent Valley people currently studying Disability Support at the Derwent Valley Community House and are about to enter the local workforce, the second tour was a group of people from different backgrounds but many had a child with a disability. This was a very sensitive tour considering the very real connection these parents felt with such a close history.
None of this was possible without the Friends of Willow Court who promote the site in a sensitive and positive way to the community and the visitors to the site.
Below is the, yet to be approved, events list as per the public document in the DVC website:
DVC July Meeting Agenda Item 10.15 Senior Management Report (pg 209)
The Locations waiting for assessment and to be included on the National Heritage List states that the assessment process is not due for completion until mid 2019 for Willow Court and the local News Paper, the New Norfolk News reported that it was a “No go for Willow Court” a couple of days ago. New Norfolk News Article
The Derwent Valley Council, who are the custodians of the Heritage site, have received a 15 page report and will study the reasons given and distribute to Council and relevant Committees.
Heritage listings can take a couple of attempts according to other sites that have gone through this process, so even if the report has any truth, this is only another hurdle for the keen supporters to jump over.
Since the application in 2015, the support of the Universities of Manchester and Tasmania, plus the Archaeology Dept. at Flinders University have lent great support to the strong and ongoing calls for this site to be recognised.
Below is a letter of support from Eleanor Conlin Casella, Professor of Historical Archaeology at the University of Manchester UK after the Friends of Willow Court gave a tour on ANZAC Day this year.
I
It is clear from this letter that Willow Court is of National Heritage significance due to it’s current state of preservation, clear community support and strong advocacy.
Friends of Willow Court National Trust Heritage Festival Event 12 May 2018 –
Report from the Chairperson A Salt
The theme for this year’s National Trust Heritage Festival was My Culture My Story, with a focus on sharing the strengths of our local cultural identities.
The Friends of Willow Court invited the New Norfolk High School, the Derwent Valley Community House and the Derwent Valley Concert and Marching Band, Professor of History Hamish Maxwell-Stewart, Dr Helen Norrie and past Lachlan Park Hospital Education Dept. teacher Margaret Reynolds to participate in the event.
The displays included Willow Court artifacts loaned by DVC (Derwent Valley Council) and the HIC (History Information Centre), posters depicting various aspects of connections to Willow Court’s history, including a display depicting the establishment and activities of the Lachlan Park Hospital Auxiliary. New Norfolk High display included a portrait of 95 year old local identity Ken O’Brien who the students interviewed as part of a history project, and memorabilia from the high school.
Prof. Maxwell-Stewart presented talks on his research projects into Understanding Convict Records and Prisoners, Solitary Confinement and Psychiatric Admissions. Dr Norrie photographed Willow Court artifacts brought to the event by participants, and Margaret Reynolds talked about her experience as a teacher at Lachlan Park Hospital in 1963, and her actions that led to the establishment of a dedicated school building which is now the Community House.
History tours of the site were conducted throughout the day by Friends of Willow Court members with 133 people participating in the tours.
A total of 209 people attended the event
Visitors came from 27 different postcode districts in Tasmanian and three interstate
$1710.00 total takings
$1045 entry takings deposited in DVC Willow Court account.
$655 takings from tours deposited in Friends of Willow Court account.
Costs incurred by Friends of Willow Court have yet to be calculated, but will exceed the takings from tours.
Derwent Valley Council Agenda – 21 June 2018 Page 247
The Friends of Willow Court are on the search for memorabilia made in Occupational Therapy and Industrial Therapy at Willow Court/Royal Derwent/Lachlan Park Hospital.
They would like to photograph and record their source for future research projects. Garden gnomes, pegs, woolen rugs,bon bons, wooden stools with woven seats are amongst some of the items they would like to photograph.
They would love to see these items on 12 May at Willow Court.