9675417
- TitleBeatrice Austin photographs of Cummeragunja Station
- Creator
- Call numberPXA 7699
- Level of descriptionfonds
- Date
1928-2012, predominant 1928-1933 - Type of material
- Reference code9675417
- Physical Description1 album (147 photographs) - 29 x 19 cm
20 photographic prints - 22 x 17 cm and smaller - ADMINISTRATIVE/ BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
Beatrice Hilda May Austin (nee Chamberlain) was born on 13 December 1900 in Walgett, New South Wales. She was appointed as an assistant teacher at the Cummeragunja Aboriginal School in 1928, and, on 4 September 1930, she married Thomas Henry Austin (1892-1956), who was appointed principal at the school that same year. She died on 7 September 1973 in Beecroft, New South Wales. - Collection historyBy descent from Beatrice Austin to grandson Deryk Andrew.
- Scope and ContentThis collection contains 1 album of 147 photographic prints, clippings and letters compiled by Beatrice Austin between 1928 and 1933. It also contains 19 loose photographic prints, a memo and photograph from Government House, Canberra, and 8 loose newspaper clippings, all relating to life at Cummeragunja (also Cumeroogunga) during its period as a station.
ALBUM
INSIDE COVER
[Man and woman, Thomas and Bea Austin?]; [groups of children, one group in fancy dress]. 5 photographs.
PAGE 1
Some of the boys, 1928; Public Aboriginal School Cummeragunja, 1928; [Group of children outside school]; Some of the girls, 1928. 4 photographs.
PAGE 2
Cummeragunja School garden, 1930. 4 photographs.
PAGE 3
[missing photograph] Les & Phyllis; Mr & Mrs Jonathan Jackson, 1928; Annie Jackson & Annabella Jackson; Dorrie, Lily, Florrie & Irene. 3 photographs.
PAGE 4
Harold; Harold Javi Bux, Billy Muir 1929; Harold & Billy; Sarah Nicholls, 1930. 4 photographs.
PAGE 5
Sarah Nicholls, 1930; Harold & Sarah, 1930; The W.G. Charles family, 1930; [young boy with cat]. 4 photographs.
PAGE 6
Front view of school, 1933; Section of the school; End view of school, 1933; [School children standing in lines]. 4 photographs.
PAGE 7
Tilly Walker’s wedding, 29th Dec. 1932; The bride’s home; [Bride and groom]. 3 photographs.
PAGE 8
Cummeragunja Homes; Mrs Theresa Morgan’s; Mrs Dowie Nicholls; Annie Briggs’; Mrs William Charles’. 4 photographs.
PAGE 9
Cummeragunja School Concert, 1930; Empire Tableaux; “Waltzing Matilda”; “Red Riding Hood”. 4 photographs.
PAGE 10
Cummeragunja School; Empire Day, 1930; Some of the infant room. 4 photographs.
PAGE 11
[Decorated cars]; [Children on a float]; [Children standing on back of a lorry]. 4 photographs.
PAGE 12
[Adult male band members]; [Children with decorated bicycles]; [Children in toy soldier uniforms]. 3 photographs.
PAGE 13
Cummeragunja footballers, 1928; [Footballers with banners “C.F.C Premiers”] 1932; Doug Nicholls, 1932 [wearing “Jimmy Sharmans Troupe” outfit]. 3 photographs.
PAGE 14
Harry Solomon, Native Missionary, 1932; Interior of church, Anzac Day; Church Street, Cummeragunja; [Headstone, “In loving memory of our dearly beloved daughter Betty Nicholls who passed away 3.1.1931”]. 4 photographs.
PAGE 15
[View of street, like no. 56]; [Man outside front of house]; Church Street; [Water tanks and shed, illegible caption]. 4 photographs.
PAGE 16
[Single portraits and groups of girls knitting and displaying artwork]. 6 photographs.
PAGE 17
[Group of boys]; [Display of metal work and handicrafts]; [Inside classroom]; [Group of girls wearing aprons]. 4 photographs.
PAGE 18
[Group of boys displaying woodwork]; [Groups of girls wearing aprons]. 4 photographs.
PAGE 19
[Display of metalwork and handicrafts]; [Two boys in fancy dress, Native American Indians]; [Groups of girls]. 4 photographs.
PAGE 20
[Groups of girls wearing aprons]; [Doll’s house]; [Two boys with display of artworks]. 5 photographs.
PAGE 21
[Boys displaying woodwork]; [Groups of girls standing and sewing on verandah]; [Display of handicrafts]. 4 photographs.
PAGE 22
[Decorated motor vehicle and bicycles]; [Group of boys in fancy dress]; [Parade float “God Save the King”]. 4 photographs.
PAGE 23
[Boys displaying artworks]; [Group of girls]; [Handicrafts display]. 5 photographs.
PAGE 24
[Two boys with a sheep and a dog]; [Schoolchildren in playground]; [Five children on horses]; [Boy sitting on steps]; [Group of children with horses and dogs]. 5 photographs.
PAGE 25
[Boys displaying artworks]; [Large group of school students]; [Girls standing in lines]. 4 photographs.
PAGES 26 and 27
[Bride and groom]; [Bridal party]. 5 photographs.
PAGE 28
[Groups of girls standing in lines and with handicrafts]. 4 photographs.
PAGE 29
[Reed-tex + papier maché handwork]. 1 photograph.
PAGE 30
[Handicrafts display]; [Single portraits and groups of girls]. 5 photographs.
PAGE 31
[Bride and groom]; [Couple with child on train platform “Churchill”]; [Woman with three young children]. 3 photographs.
PAGE 32
[Single portrait and group of girls]; [Boy with a toy boat]. 3 photographs.
PAGE 33
[Bride and groom, wedding party, flower girls]. 5 photographs.
PAGE 34
[Girls sewing and displaying clothing to give to WWII service personnel]. 1 photograph.
PAGE 35
[Girls in school uniforms]. 1 photograph.
PAGE 36
[Boys displaying woodwork and wirework]. 1 photograph.
PAGE 37
[Boys and girls displaying knitting and artworks]. 4 photographs.
PAGE 38
[Group of girls]; [Bride and groom, man in military uniform]; [Two unidentified girls]. 3 photographs.
PAGE 39
[Woman with four children]; [Triple wedding, three brides and three grooms]; [Groups of girls]; [Three young children on lawn]. 5 photographs.
PAGES 40-41
BLANK
PAGE 42
[Group of children in fancy dress]. 1 photograph.
PAGES 43-72
BLANK
PAGE 73
Essay on School Concert Tableau submitted by Mrs Teresa Morgan
PAGES 74-75
[News clippings relating to Cummeragunja (also spelled Cumeroogunga) and to Douglas Nicholls and Harold Blair]
PAGE 76
[Handwritten farewell letter from L. Charles to Mrs Austin]
PAGE 77
[Handwritten letter to Mr & Mrs Austin from E. & W. Walker]
LOOSE PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTS
1. Mr and Mrs Ron Bull; Lin Bull
2. Billy Muir. This is the chap who made those brooches I sent you. Aborigine School Cummeragunja. “Individual Effort”.
3. [Group of girls knitting]
4. [Girls sewing and displaying clothing to give to WWII service personnel]
5. Reed-tex + papier maché handwork made by school girls; Aboriginal School Cummeragunja
6. [Group of young girls in floral dresses]
7. Frederick Stewart of Lake Boga tribe. Last full blood Aborigine on Cummeragunja. A very fine old man.
8. Ration store & meat house (with bell-gong on porch)
9. [Group of girls sitting and sewing on verandah]
10. [Two girls posed standing and smiling]
11. Boys with some of their wood & wire work
12. Wedding 4 September 1930; Thomas Austin ; Beatrice Chamberlain
13. Wedding 4 September 1930; Thomas Austin ; Beatrice Chamberlain
14. To Mr & Mrs Austin with best wishes from Merle & Alick Jackomos
15. Zea Austin; John Austin; Delse Austin + 3 children
16. This was taken when the Coonawarra was on its trial run, and I haven’t got the whole boat into the photo. It was not quite finished, now instead of being so plain & having the paddles showing a big black swan covers it. The “Coonawarra” is aboriginal for ‘Black Swan.’
17. [Group of children posed standing]
18. Hilton Walsh & Billy Muir with collection of their artwork
19. [Paddle steamer] Burnt on November 29th ‘48
Memo reads "Forwarded by direction of Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester."
8 newspaper clippings relating to the purchase of a house by Aboriginal artist Ronald Bull; a tribute following the death of Bill Onus, president of the Aborigine Advancement League; an article about the Barmah muster; Kevin Atkinson and his life as a farmer on the Cummeragunja estate; Aboriginal athlete and pastor Sir Douglas Nicholls and an article about his knighting in London; the release of the film The Sapphires and notable figures to have lived and worked on Cummeragunja; world champion Aboriginal sprinter, Lynch Cooper. - Language
- Copying ConditionsCopyright restrictions may apply:
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales and Courtesy copyright holder - General note
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders are advised that this collection includes images and names of people who are deceased.
Cummeragunja Reserve, also known as Cummeragunja Station and sometimes as Cummeragunja Mission (alternatively spelt Coomeroogunja, Coomeragunja, Cumeroogunga and Cummerguja), was a settlement on the New South Wales side of the Murray River, on the Victorian border near Barmah. It was established between 1882 and 1888 as an alternative to the strictly religious Maloga Mission when its residents, predominantly Yorta Yorta Aboriginal Australians, petitioned to the Governor for a new reserve. After 1909 and the passing of the Aborigines Protection Act, the government assumed increasing control over the residents and it operated as a station. In 1939, the residents protested the poor conditions and treatment in the Cummeragunja walk-off. The station was closed in 1953, and, on 9 March 1984, the land was passed to the Yorta Yorta Land Council. - Signatures / Inscriptions
Many of the photographs are captioned or otherwise annotated, and some are dated. - Date note
Date range taken from photograph captions and newspaper clippings. - SubjectAboriginal Australians--New South Wales--Social conditions.
Yorta Yorta (Australian people)
Government policy - Assimilation - 1926-1950
Settlement and contacts - Government settlements, reserves
Education - Schools - Community schools
Art - Crafts - Education
Sport - Football - Australian rules
Nicholls, Doug, 1906-1988 - Place
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