October 2016

The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute Newsletter

Jenny Greenbank (and her siblings Julie, Trevor & Paul) responded to the story in The Courier showing some images from our Max Harris collection with much excitement. Here is what she had to say:

“The picture is of my wonderful, hard working, amazing Dad, Henry Alexander Hill. Dad was born on the 14 of March 1934 and passed away January 2001. He met my mum Irene in about 1954 and Dad was driving taxis occasionally when they were going out. He married my mum on the 28th of June 1958. Dad continued to drive taxis in his spare time as he worked at the Vimma (Ballarat Abbatoirs). Mum remembers that one of the first taxis that Dad drove was a little Vanguard which looks like it may be like the one in the picture. Eventually dad bought his own taxi: car number 35. I remember it was a black Valiant and many weekends he would polish it up and put a white ribbon on the front and white tule in the back windscreen and it was used for weddings. It was so lovely to see his picture in the Courier and to see his beautiful smile.”

We have loved all the responses to our exhibition of Ballarat photos from ‘In the Picture: Ballarat through Time’. The Max Harris area in the lending library continues with revolving displays. November will see a floral theme linking in with our ‘Gardens in Print’ exhibition in the Reading Room as part of the Ballarat Gardens in Spring program.

Radio Cabs Driver Identified!

Get Spicy at the BMI!

Songstress set to delight

You’re invited to a fundraising morning tea with Your Inspiration at Home Products: hand blended, all

natural dip mixes, spice blends & chocolate powders.

Friday, 14th October, 11am Humffray Room

For catering purposes, please contact Rosemary on 5331 3042 or email library@ballaratmi.org.au

Please note, cash sales only.

Local songstress Tessa Marshall celebrates female singers from the 1920’s to today, resulting in a compilation of wonderful songs covering a variety of genres, appealing to all ages.Billie Holliday, Ella Fitzgerald, Dusty Springfield, Kate Bush, Amy Winehouse, Lana Del Ray, Rihanna & more.

Join Tessa in the relaxed ambience of the Humffray Room7.30pm, Saturday November 5th. Tessa will be donating 20% of each ticket sale to WRISC, Family Violence Support, that assists women and children who may be involved in domestic violence situations.For enquiries & bookings, call Ron & Tessa 53387696 or 0404341051 or Rosemary 5331 3042. $15 Adults: $12 Concession Card Holders, BMI Members, & Students

Spring season of Twilight Talks

announcedMore details back page

Twilight TalksWe have a very interesting series of talks planned from Friday 7 October until Friday 2 December, and the program is advertised elsewhere in this Newsletter. Members are urged to ‘spread the word’ about the guest speakers and to advertise the talks with any other organisations to which they belong. Most talks will be held in the Humffray Room although due to bookings of the Humffray Room for South Street clients, the talks on 7 and 21 October will be held in the Hooper Room.

Official Opening of the Façade works and the Finishing KitchenAll BMI members are welcome to attend the Opening that is to be held in the Minerva Space on Wednesday 16 November at 2.30pm. The program will include a new Erin McCuskey film about the Institute and will be followed by afternoon tea in the Humffray Room. If you are able to attend please inform us by phoning 5331 3042 or letting Rosemary McInerney at the library desk know – this will assist us in catering for the afternoon tea.

Max Harris Prints and Haymes BooksWith Christmas around the corner, prints for gifts or home decoration are available from the BMI library. The cost ranges from $30 for a 20 x 25 cm print to $100 for a 50 x

70cm print. Books are available for sale including, as a Christmas special, the Haymes book Paint Flowing Through the Veins for $40 when the recommended retail price is $50. There is a Nina Valentine review about this book in this Newsletter – in particular, chapter ten has a fascinating story.

Heritage Weekend 2017We have received a letter from the City of Ballarat stating that a change has been made to the timing of the Heritage Weekend. Instead of the usual Mother’s Day second weekend of May it has been shifted to the final weekend of May (in 2017 it is on the 27-28 May). As usual the BMI will have a full program over the Heritage Weekend.

Phil RobertsPresident 2016-17

News from the President

Recommended Reads

The Black WidowDaniel Silva

Gabriel Allon, The art restorer, spy and assassin is poised to become the Chief of Israel’s secret intelligence on the eve of his promotion, events conspire to lure him into the field for one final operation ISIS has detonated a massive bomb in the Marais district of Paris, and a desperate French government wants Gabriel.

How Not To Start An OrphanageTara Winkler

Tara Winkler first arrived in Cambodia to join a tour group in 2005 and was taken to visit a small orphanage in Battambang. The children were living in extreme poverty, and Tara was determined to raise money to help them.In this compelling, poignant and funny memoir, Tara shares the many joys and the terrible lows of her journey.

Daughters of Castle DeverillSanta Montefiore

This is the follow up to Love and War.It is 1925 and the war is long over. But much as been lost and life will never truly be the same again.Castle Deverill, cherished home to the Deverill family in the west of Ireland for hundreds of years, has burned to the ground. But young and flighty Celia Deverill is determined to restore the sad ruin to its former glory.

MYSTERYMurder in the Marais | Cara BlackMurder in Belleville | Cara Black

The Jealous Kind | James Lee BurkeBlack Water Lillies | Michel Bussi

The Forgotten Room | Lincoln ChildLocal Girl Missing | Claire Douglas

The One Man | Andrew GrossKiller’s Countdown | Wendy H Jones

As Time Goes By | Mary Higgins-Clark The Malice of Waves | Mark Douglas-Home

Don’t Stand So Close | Luana Lewis Dear Mother | Angela MarsonsOut of Bounds | Val McDermid

Bullseye | James Patterson/Michael Ledwidge

The Couple Next Door | Shari LapenaDevour | L.A.Larkin

Never Never | James Patterson

Only the Brave | Mel SherrattSomewhere to Hide | Mel SherrattThe Black Widow | Daniel SilvaA Climate of Fear | Fred Vargas

All is Not Forgotten | Wendy Walker Watching Edie | Camilla Way

For Reasons Unknown | Michael WoodOutside Looking In | Michael Wood

NOVELSThe Last Photograph | Emma ChapmanThe Heavenly Italian Ice Cream Shop |

Abby ClemmentsAmour Provence | Constance Leisure

Last Voyage of the Valentina | Santa Montefiore

Daughters of Castle Deverill | Santa Montefiore

Vinegar Girl | Anne TylerEscape to the Riviera | Jules Wake

ROMANCEThe House on Sunset Lake |

Tasmina Perry

AUSTRALIANThe Grazier’s Wife | Barbara Hannay

The Honeyfield Bequest | Anna Jacobs

SCANDANAVIANNight Blind | Ragnar Jonasson

Blood Wedding | Pierre LemaitreFatal Headwind | Leena Lehtolainen

NON FICTIONWool Away Boy | Alan Blunt

Labour of Love | Shannon GarnerFreeing Peter | Greste

The Death of Holden | Royce KurmelovisQuicksand | Henning MankelThe 15-17 to Paris | A. Sadler

A story of love, death and the law | Matt Vickers

How (not) to Start an Orphanage | Tara Winkler

Clare Mackintosh

Clare spent 12 years in the UK Police force, including time on CID – she left the Police Force in 2011 to become a freelance journalist and social media consultant, and now writes full time.

Ballarat writer, Phil Roberts, has done justice to the Ballarat business of Haymes Paint in the handsome volume. It is really a celebration of a business and its vicissitudes down the years until it comes to its zenith in the present day.Henry Haymes established the paint making business in 1935, but Roberts takes us back to the arrival from Devon in 1857 of James Haymes, who was a baker on the turbulent goldfields, and to his son, Thomas, who was a house painter and the owner of a small hardware store. This is all illustrated with early photographs of Devon and Ballarat. The trams running in our city at that time are worth a look on their own.With careful research, the author takes the fascinated reader down the years, through the establishment of the firm, the many changes which had to be weathered, the publicity needed to make sure its name was recognised, and the dedication from the family to ensure its future success.Added to this is a chapter named “was chosen”, which details David Haymes’ adoption, and this proves remarkable indeed. David is descended from the Balcombe family, who befriended Napoleon Bonaparte, when he was exiled to the island of St Helena. This exotic story is beautifully told in a book by Anne Whitehead, entitled Betsy and the Emperor (published by Allen & Unwin: rrp $32.98). It makes an extra enthralling read to this fine chapter about David Balcombe / Haymes, and an intriguing

Authorof the month

Bookof the month

Alison JosephGwen Archibald

Graeme CartledgeJulie Doyle

Ron SouthernMarshall & Jill Sutherland

Leigh TweedieKristen Stewart

Anthony Rowlands

New MembersWelcome on board

connection for Ballarat to the Emperor Napoleon.Aglow with photographs of the family and of the business, here is a book of interest to all Ballaratians, and to anyone further afield, interested in successful family businesses in general, and in the paint industry in particular.When you purchase a copy from the Mechanics’ Institute, your $40 goes to the Institute to help in its ongoing restoration.

Well done Haymes family! Well done Phil Roberts!

Paint Flowing Through the Veins

Phil Roberts

reviewed by Nina Valentine

Les Quatre Cents Coups (Fra)

Thursday October 13, 7:30pm in the Minerva Space.Jean-Pierre Leaud plays 12 year old Antoine Doinel: a young outcast with an emotionally chaotic family life that lets him drift into a life of petty crime. 400 Blows is an unsurpassed example of the New Wave creative spirit. Source: Umbrella Email Meg at m.tasker@federation.edu.au or telephone Carolyn on 5327 9585 for membership details.

Ballarat Film Society’s October screening:

New Releasesfor October

October 7: Gordon Morrison, Director, Art Gallery of BallaratThe 2016 Archibald Portrait Prize Exhibits

November 18: Neil Huybregts, Writer & Historical ResearcherDr William Otway, Gold Pioneer in Ballarat

October 14: Dr John Garner, Ballarat practitionerAdvances in Medicine During 1900-1950

October 28: Danny Spooner, Folk SingerMusical Halls and their Importance Through Songs

November 11: Ross McMullin, Writer & Historical ResearcherFarewell Dear People: Biographies of Australia’s Lost Generation

Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute117 Sturt St Ballarat, Vic 3350

www.ballaratmi.org.auP: (03) 5331 3042e: library@ballaratmi.org.au

Library hours:Mon - Fri: 10am - 4pmSaturday: 9:30am - 12pm

For venue hire enquiriese: bookings@ballaratmi.org.auP: 0419 677 713

Spring season of Twilight TalksSo many great stories to be told!

Twilight Talks have been held at the BMI since 2001, providing a great opportunity to hear some fantastic speakers and meet up with friends over drinks and nibbles.

Participants arrive at the Humffray Room from 5pm for drinks, cheese and conversation, followed by a 30 to 40 minute talk commencing at 5.30pm.

For more information visit ballaratmi.org.au/the-arts/twilight-talks or call 5331 3042.

October 21: Roger Burrows, Avid camera collector, BMI volunteerCameras Through the Ages

November 4: Dr Jill Blee, Writer & Historical ResearcherDiptheria & Other Childhood Illnesses on the Goldfields

November 18: Dr Joan Hunt, Writer & Historical ResearcherFrom the Northern Pennies to Ballarat

December 2: Yvon Davis, Former SBS Radio Executive ProducerJan Vennik: The Dutchman at Eureka