History

The first 26 years of committee meetings since the library began in 1863 were recorded in a single volume. Somehow, this first minute book survived when fire destroyed the library’s original wooden building in 1934. It’s possible the book didn’t perish in the blaze because it was at someone’s home after a fire six months earlier when, according to The Age newspaper, ‘a large number of books were saved by the efforts of citizens’.

Almost thirty years later, the first minute book is mentioned in a letter dated 30 March 1963 from Alf Edhouse, who was library president at the time. In the letter he wrote, ‘Last night I had a stroke of luck in finding the first minute book amongst some old papers in the reading room.’ It was a ‘stroke of luck’ because Edhouse was intending to ‘compile a brief but accurate outline of the activities of the institution over the past century’. Sadly that history was not completed as he died the following year. But the letter was sent to Albert Williams, who pasted it into a scrapbook entitled ‘Picturesque Maldon’, which he then presented to the library as a ‘record of interest for future generations’.

Forty years later, in 2005, the library committee discussed the restoration and preservation of the first minute book, recognising that it was an important document not only for its historical value for Maldon but also as a record of the development of the Mechanics’ Institutes Movement on the Victorian goldfields.

Not surprisingly after 90 years, the binding of the book was showing signs of wear, so advice was sought from the book restorers SB Libris in Bendigo. The marble-patterned front and back cover papers for the book were reproduced in England and sent back to the restorer. The restoration was made possible by a grant from the Department of Victorian Communities.

Questions then arose. Should the Athenaeum Library keep the first minute book or was it too valuable? Where would it best be kept to maintain its condition?

Another nine years passed until 2014 when John Pollard, a Maldon resident, retired professional photographer and Fellow of the London Photographic Society, offered to make a facsimile. In order to handle the delicate pages and binding as little as possible, rather than scanning the pages, he photographed each one individually.

The State Library Victoria was then asked if they would like the original minute book. In July 2015 the President (Joy Leneaux-Gale), the Secretary (Elizabeth Pollard) and the Treasurer (Winsome Strickland) travelled to Melbourne to officially hand it over. The book was accepted by Dr. Kevin Molloy, Manager of the Manuscripts Collection. He expressed delight with its historical significance and preservation and stated that there was nothing like it in the State collection.

Joy Leneaux-Gale
on behalf on the Maldon Athenaeum Library
2024

References

(All books are available at the library. Find them in our catalogue)

Library minutes held in the Maldon Athenaeum Archive Collection. For use within the library only.

Maldon Athenaeum Library (compiler) (1863−1889) The First Minute Book: 26^th January 1863 to 9^th January 1889. Facsimile held in the Maldon Athenaeum Archive Collection. For use within the library only.

Williams, Albert (1965) Picturesque Maldon. Manuscript held in the Maldon Athenaeum Archive Collection. For use within the library only.

Newspapers

National Library of Australia Digitised Newspapers − trove.nla.gov.au

The Age (Melbourne) August 2, 1933, page 13.

The Weekly Times (Melbourne) February 24, 1934, page 8.