Voices and Pictures from the Past
The Balmain Association, a community not-for-profit organisation housed in the historic sandstone Watch House at 179 Darling Street, will be sharing stories from the donated collection of family history books and presenting a photographic display of where these stories evolved from.
Amongst these stories are depicted in Gourlies Corner – growing up in Balmain, a story about the activities that occurred in a corner grocery store during the 1950s; in contrast the very large Nicholson Brothers family history is about a large-scale family boat/ferry building operation where their boats were named with the prefix “Pro” for example, The Providence, The Protex. Of special interest is the lovely My Kid Sister story about a family whose children went to Nicholson Street School, known as the University of Painters and Dockers, and how their education had different outcomes. These stories will evoke memories of products bought at the corner store such as lollies from glass jars, ice-cream in cardboard boxes and biscuits that were retrieved from a large Arnott’s tin, weighed and given to you in a brown paper bag.
Gourlies Corner and Jack’s Story are available for sale at the Watch House or on our website at www.balmainassociation.org.au