John & Elizabeth's Wedding Certificate

Among documents held in this museum's archives is the wedding certificate of John S. Maley and Elizabeth K. Waldeck. The couple were married at Gray's Store, Greenough (there being no churches at Greenough at that time) on 27 August 1862. The marriage ceremony was performed by the Resident Magistrate, Charles Symmons, as there was no priest or minister residing in the district. Witnesses to the ceremony were 2 Geraldton storekeepers, Henry Gray and Charles Crowther.
The certificate was in very poor condition when found and required extensive conservation by Corkhill Conservators of Perth. Fortunately descendants of John and Elizabeth donated funds to save this valuable document.

Can You Guess What This Was Used For?

This Cowry Shell is a recent donation, and at first glance not the sort of object you would associate with the pioneers of Greenough.
It is a however a lovely example of making-do, and originally came from the workbasket of Edith K. Clinch (nee Waldeck).
Arthur Clinch married Edith (or Topsy as she was more lovingly known) on 8 November 1892, and the couple went on to live at Mill Farm (the former Greenough Hotel). In those days, frugality prevailed, and as a farmer's wife, one of the skills Topsy would have learnt was how to mend clothes. This beautiful shell was used by Topsy as a darning mushroom for mending socks.
Unfortunately we do not know who gave Topsy the shell. There could be a lovely story there.
The shell has been donated to this museum by Topsy's grand-daughter, Joy.

January's Past

The Greenough Pioneer Museum has a large collection of original documents including letters, store orders, account books etc that were found in Maley’s Store. These documents are too fragile to be on permanent display, so the aim is to eventually scan them and so make them available to the public digitally.

In celebration of New Year's Day, here are 2 letters from January's past.

Greenough January
Mr J S Maley
Sir please send me one gallon of Brandy and oblige
Yours
J C Bone
Letter received by John S. Maley on 2 January 1869 from his brother-in-law, Henry Waldeck.

Dear John
Will you please send me a Bag of Sugar or if you cannot spare a Bag a half a one will do I haven’t got a bit to give to the men to take in the bush
Yours Truly
Henry Waldeck