ABOUT THE EXHIBITION
How do you tell the story of Liverpool in just 60 items? Well, no one said it was easy! Inspired by the British Museum’s ‘The History of the World in 100 Objects’ and motivated by the fact that the Liverpool Historical Society would be celebrating its 60th birthday in 2019, it’s a challenge I set myself and what a fascinating journey of discovery it has been curating it.
With the society having a less than desirable display space and a diaspora of Liverpudlians spread around the country, it was always the intention to place the 60 items online to our website. Funding was obtained in 2019 from the Royal Australian Historical Society and thanks to our webmaster Jeab, the fruits of our labour can now be seen from anywhere around the world!
One of the challenges in curating the 60 items was the strength of our collection. How do you narrow down 10 000 items down to just 60? The objects selected had to best reflect the social development of Liverpool throughout its long timeline. From an Aboriginal grinding stone to a convict made brick recovered from the 1830s Sophienburg Estate. An entry token to the Liverpool Memorial Olympic Pool to the very personal of items such as Merv Pickering’s Liverpool Bowling Club hat or Pam Valentine’s Girl Guide uniform. They each tell their own story of Liverpool’s Governmental, educational, business, sporting, religious and social institutions.
While 2019 saw us celebrate our 60th birthday as a society, 2020 will see Liverpool celebrate its 60th birthday as a city. So the big SIX O will still resound this year, a year that has now thrust unforseen challenges upon us all.
We are proud to make some of our most prized, intriguing and interesting possessions available to peruse for all who are interested in the history of Liverpool N.S.W.
Glen op den Brouw
President
April 2020