SWAN Hill Genealogical and Historical Society Inc celebrated its 40th birthday on September 15 at Swan Hill Racecourse Bowls Club.
Of the 35 people in attendance, seven had become members of the society in its first year, and five of those were at the very first meeting.
Joy Roy from the Bendigo Regional Genealogical Society Inc, and Fellow of the Genealogical Society of Victoria, was the guest speaker.
Joy’s topic was Scottish Witchcraft and Superstitions.
The first meeting of the society was held on the September 14, 1984 at Dowling House.
By the end of the first year, the society had 35 members.
Membership grew quickly and in early June 1989, the society welcomed its 100th member, Mrs Joyce Dawes.
A peak membership of 170 members was achieved in the society’s 2001-02 year and numbers stayed relatively stable for many years but have slowly decreased.
The onset of COVID-19 also took a toll on membership, with a total of 88 members for the 2023-24 year.
Early meetings were initially held at Dowling House; then the Latter Day Saints Meeting House; then the Swan Hill Education Centre, Beveridge Street; then the Swan Hill Technical School which later became the Junior Campus, Secondary College; and finally within the Swan Hill Regional Library.
The society aims to encourage and assist members in the study of genealogy and also to promote the study of Swan Hill’s history and the preservation of objects of historical significance.
The society’s collections have grown considerably over the years, and now includes extensive holdings of microfiche, CD’s, USB’s, local and district histories, cemetery records, shipping records, local parish maps, how-to books, newsletters from other Victorian and interstate groups and much more.
