History group presents practices of yesteryear

AN upcoming event is aiming to highlight the tools and trades of the past.

On Sunday, 25 September, members of the Meredith History Interest Group will host the Meredith of Yesterday and it’s all about lost businesses and trades of Staughton Street.

Secretary, Kerrie Kruger, said it’s important for people to remember the commercial history of the street and its role in the town.

“We’ll be displaying the businesses from the 1850s to 1950s because when Meredith was established in 1854, Staughton Street was the main drag,” she said.

“You drive up this road now and there’s barely anything here, so it’ll be good to show to people what used to be here, what businesses and who they were and what they did.

“It’s bringing history alive. To be able to look at the items, look at them, touch them, and ask questions about them.”

The event will feature about 20 displays each with a presenter detailing trades like shoemaking, coachbuilding and wheelwrighting.

Spinning tops and Knitting Nancy toys made by the Bannockburn Men’s Shed will be provided for children to play with alongside other old-fashioned games and activities.

A self-guided walk down Staughton Street will also feature in the event, and community members will display their collections of shearers, rabbit traps and farming equipment.

Peter Kruger, owner of Krugers Sheetmetal will lead a display on blacksmithing and tinsmith equipment with items he’s collected over about 40 years.

“One of the oldest pieces is about 190 years old. I’ll be bringing things like a hand-crafted megaphone, a wiring machine and bucket, a leg vice, and tin scoops,” Mr Kruger said.

“One of the demonstrations I’ll give will be doing some wired edges on some of the buckets so people can get an idea of how they did it by hand.

“When I use these machines, I’m going back in time. It’s no different to like it was 150 years ago, and a lot of people don’t know about this sort of thing so many of them are lost trades.”