Past meets present at the Memorial Hall
Published on 01 October 2023
The phone rings, “My name is Gwen Eichmann and I’d like to know if the elderly people of the district could come and have look around the Memorial Hall.” A pause. “We had a lot to do with the hall when we were young.”
I’m intrigued to say the least. I had been in the Venue Coordinator role for less than a month and, aside from browsing public historical records and chatting with members of the previous hall management committee, I’d yet to hear firsthand recollections of the sorts of events the hall had hosted in yonder years.
Gwen is part of a generation who marked their coming of age at debutant balls which, in an era well before the advent of dating apps, served as a key opportunity for young men and women to mingle and seek out a potential match.
Community members would spend weeks making elaborate decorations, an activity that served both to strengthen community bonds and publicise the grand occasions for which they were preparing. Gwen’s debut, at 17, took place in 1954, the decorations for which were praised in an article in the Don Dorrigo Gazette.
I asked how many friends Gwen thought would come. “Oh, about a dozen,” she responded. Righto, I thought, that’s doable. We set a date and I went back to work. The following week Gwen called again. “Word has gotten around and a few more of us would like to come.” How many? “Oh, about 25.” Still no problem. By the following Monday, the phone tree (remember those) had really kicked into gear; “I think there will be 40 of us now.” Understood. I think this warrants a morning tea.
On the day, I enlisted the assistance of council colleagues and invited our librarian to help capture oral histories using tools provided by the State Library. This was a golden opportunity to hear stories about how the hall was used years ago. Many of our guests had attended debutant balls and other dances throughout the 1950s and 60s. Several had served as ushers when the hall operated as a picture house. We learnt that a dental practice once occupied the 1st floor office space at the front of the building.
This unplanned and ultimately delightful happening originated from the community’s interest in their Memorial Hall. “Everyone was thrilled to bits,” Gwen informed me on the phone the following day. While we are working on a new website for the hall and I’m already posting events on social media, it seems the old dog and bone is as reliable as ever in spreading the message that the hall is open for business once again!