The



The

Muriel Project Epistle No: 3 (September 2009)

Thanks to all who have already joined The Society. Your membership card should be enclosed, so please let us know if it isn’t! If you’ve not already joined, please formalise your interest as it’s necessary for us to demonstrate strong participation to obtain funding to progress our agenda. And please, recommend us to others!

Interstate chapters are starting, so if you have friends around Australia who may be interested, please pass on details and let them know.

There is a special need for all to consider Life Membership – we are asking for recommendations of people who the Committee could approach for this level of support. Our aim is a minimum 10 Life Members in our foundation year.

Invitation

The next function you are invited to attend (please see the enclosed flyer) is

Muriel’s Birthday Morning Tea at

Tiffin’s on the Park

176 Greenhill Road, Parkside.

(cnr George Street. Parking at rear)

10.30am – Noon on Sunday 15 November, 2009.

A Birthday Cake will be provided, attendees are asked to purchase their own tea/coffee or other beverages.

Progress Continues

Trip to the UK - Frances has returned from Hastings and London with a wealth of new material and contacts. The Hastings Library (through the wonderful Zoe) has established a Muriel Matters Archive.

Research - The Society has been greatly assisted by Mr Steven Anderson, who has come to us via the University of Adelaide’s Intern Program and has provided much new information. He will also be writing a paper which will be available shortly and incorporated in the 1910 re-enactment program. We are grateful to Steven for adding wonderful articles on Muriel and Violet Tillard to Wikipedia.

2010 Performance – a grant has been secured to develop a script. We have been fortunate to receive assistance from Lisa (Community Arts Network) and Claire (Arts SA) through whom we have been ‘adopted’ by significant people in the Adelaide performing arts area. We are indebted to all who have contributed to the progress of this event. The Executive continues to investigate ways to ensure the best possible production.

Follow Ups

*Have met with Tom and Fairy Matters. There is much to follow up with this Adelaide branch of the family.

* The ACC Archives continues to be a wonderful source of photos and information.

*Steph and Frances travelled to Canberra to introduce MM to Federal colleagues and meet with PH Library staff.

*Frances’ UK Trip Report - did go in August! It was not possible to meet MM’s surviving family thru her brother, Leonard (Lenore and her now adult children Hugh and Patricia) but hopefully this will occur next trip. Hastings, the place where Muriel spent her last years, was wonderful. Made many great contacts and visited the Cemetery, thanks to and through the kind help of The Cooper’s friend Freda Barrows.

Met Zoe at the Hastings’s Library (Brassey Institute) where a MM Archive has now been established.

Through Hastings’s Rotary Club have contacted local historians and hope to be in a position soon to place a blue heritage plaque on MM’s home at Pelham Crescent.

Hastings Observer reporter Richard Morris was very generous with his time and effort on our behalf. He wrote up a great story and we have found another person – Pamela Haine, who remembers MM. A second story has not resulted in further contacts to date.

Visits to the Fawcett Library and Museum of London have resulted in scans of great ephemera and photos of MM’s belt from the Grille Incident and Prison Brooch.

The Visit to House of Commons resulted in tour and time spent with Member for Hastings (Hon Michael Foster) and a meeting with the House of Lords Archivist, who introduced me to other great contacts. House of Commons contacts were also very generous with their time and advice.

*Mark is Chairing and overseeing work on the Dirigible Committee. He has also undertaken responsibility for the Program Committee.

*Marie Maddocks remains on standby for the next flurry of activity, concentrating on finding more out about William Arnold Porter.

Exciting Finds

Steven has located new material in MM’s handwriting - including a tribute to Violet Tillard. Other material, information and several new photos have also come to light.

Exciting Presentation

Frances and Mark visited Lord Mayor Michael Harbison and arranged for Frances to present to Adelaide City Council on Monday 28/9. Funding looks hopefully likely to become available for our June 2010 presentation. Cr Susan Clearihan, supported by other councillors, advised naming of a significant sight in Bowden should be possible.

Significant Current Lines of Investigation

*Still to organise a meeting with Hindmarsh Historical Society and our contact at the Lands Titles Office (LTO). Need to do LTO work in UK, too.

*Still to visit Pt Augusta - MM’s brother Charles’ birth place. MM and 4 other siblings would have lived there for at least 2 years. Still hope to have leads on schooling and MM’s dad John’s mining exploits thru this avenue.

Work to Do

*Still to plotting shipping passage details and Muriel’s trips – home to Australia and beyond.

*Still to work on discovering more about William Porter’s life and professional work in the field of dentistry.

*Still need to know a lot more about MM’s theatrical and music life – before and after arriving in London. Rejected by ABC TV’s ‘Can We Help’ but hopeful Elaine Mariner (owner of Melbourne’s Princess Theatre) may be able to assist.

*Still need to organise a web site.

Please Add to Your Diaries

Tuesday February 16, 2010 – Balloon Flight Anniversary - function concept to be confirmed, probably ‘launch’ of the Dirigible Committee’s work to date.

Sunday June 13, 2010 – Performance at Adelaide Town Hall. Work is well underway for the Centenary of MM’s 1909 Season, which will be re-enacted at the same venue. Frank Hatherley’s original concept is being developed, so let’s keep the day free and be there!

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