The Castlemaine Pioneers & Old Residents Association is thrilled to have had a small piece of its rich history returned.
The small medallion, which appears to be made of gold, was found in an antique shop in England. The buyer originally thought the intricate piece must have had a connection to Castlemaine in Ireland but soon realised this was not the case.
They forwarded to trinket to an acquaintance in Queensland, Roxy Wicherts, with the belief it may have been connected with Castlemaine, Australia.
Roxy conducted some research and discovered the piece was linked with the Castlemaine Pioneers & Residents Association and reached out to the local group to share news of the find.
The medallion belonged to the late Edward Taylor – who at one stage was the oldest living native to be born here in the town of Castlemaine and one of the original members of the local association.
Edward received the medallion in recognition of his role in assisting to organise the yearly Castlemaine Citizens & Pioneers Excursion on its 20th anniversary in 1905.
The association was established in 1880 and the annual trip to the seaside was founded in 1885 and was a source of joy to locals for many years.
The whole town would declare a public holiday and board trains for the trek down to Port Melbourne. At the height of these excursions the pioneers hired three seven carriage trains from Castlemaine to Port Melbourne and return and 2000 men, women and children from Castlemaine enjoyed a day out travelling by train to Melbourne, paddlesteamer to Sorrento Pleasure Gardens and then across to Queenscliff, back to Port Melbourne and return.
Edward went on to be part of the excursion committee for a total of 45 years. The excursions continued until 1942.
Castlemaine Pioneers & Old Residents Association treasurer Gary Hood was particularly excited to learn of the find having a personal connection to the family.
“He was the owner of the former Castlemaine Leader newspaper for some years and also ran a print shop here in Lyttleton Street for many years,” he said.
“His stepfather Theo Plowright also had the Freemasons Hotel at Taradale and we understand he may have been connected with the hotel at one stage.”
Gary’s family research uncovered various articles about the local community leader who was married to his wife Emma Eliza (Knight) for more than 60 years.
He eventually passed in September 1941 at the ripe old age of 87 an article in the Mail of the time detailing his extensive involvement the Castlemaine community as a member of the local Lodge, Pioneers, a former Castlemaine footballer and also former member of the Taradale Fire Brigade. He was laid to rest at the Castlemaine Cemetery at Campbells Creek and was survived by his wife and two married daughters.
Castlemaine Pioneers and Old Residents Association president Russell Sheehan said they are unsure how the artefact came to be in the UK.
“Perhaps someone took it with them into battle in World War I as a good luck charm. That was a popular thing to do back then,” Russell said.
Over the course of 144 years the local organisation based at the Old Telegraph Station in Barker Street has collected, purchased, and been gifted an incredible assortment of Castlemaine’s historic memorabilia that they now take pride in preserving, protecting, and promoting. Therefore, it is only fitting that this unique piece of CP&ORA history has found its way home.
