Armidale turned 170 today and the local historical society staged a play, or rather a series of six replica events, to mark the event before a large crowd of admirers. The scene was Armidale's McDonald Park, the precise spot where in 1839 the naming event took place. The NSW government's Commissioner sent out to survey the frontier area was George McDonald, who named his tent (there were no permanent buildings) Armidale after the castle of Armadale on the Isle of Skye - the seat of the Clan McDonald. The misspelling, we are now told, was deliberate because the Commissioner was highly literate and a poet. He would have known the exact spelling. He even rustled up a bottle of champagne to celebrate the event, though how that got here in drinkable fashion is anyone's guess. At the time there were no roads or railways and the Commissioner's party, including police, took weeks (May to September) to make the journey from the Hunter Valley.
The pictures show a local farming family and carriage; Sir Arthur Hogbin (grazier, L) taking to Commisioner McDonald (R); Governor Sir George Gipps (who gave Mcdonald his commission); John Everett (grazier, L) arguing with McDonald (R); and Ms Annabella Boswell. You can also the two-piece 'band' which played period music and the large number of school-kids of all ages in front. The whole event was very well done, all the way down to the costumes made locally, the acting, the research needed for historical authenticity, and its overall direction. Well done, and entertaining.
AS
1 comment:
It looked a very impressive celebration.Also, you were not covered in the cloud of red dust that UK TV showed blanketing Sydney!The pictures from Sydney reminded us older folk of the famous film shot half in black and white and half through an orange filter and called either The Day the earth caught Fire or The day the earth stood Still or something similar (the memory fades). Does anyone else recall that film? here in the UK Jean and I had two grandchildren in quick succession: Tim &Llaura had their second child Martha Rose on the 16th September and Helen and Ian had Jenson Daniel on the 27th September.I bet it will be a jolly Christmas this year. Richard Snow.
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