Members please double check the roster. We are a dynamic club and changes can occur!
Reminder: if you are rostered on and cannot make it, please find someone to cover you.
Key Dates ..
April 2024
Wed 24 April -no meeting
Thu 25 April alternative meeting this week is at Sydney Myer Place for the ANZAC BBQ Breakfast.
Fri 26 April farewell dinner for Barb Mitchell on Friday 26th of April at 6.30pm at the Emperor's Dragon Restaurant. RSVP John C.
May 2024
Fri 3 May Trivia Night- Eaglehawk & Sth Bendigo. Flyer with details below.
Camp Getaway: Opening of the courts.
The opening of the playing courts at Camp Getaway. In the photo are DG Ron Payne together with Wayne Smith and the CEO of the mining company that owns the Fosterville mine.
President's report
Co-Presidents Report – 21 April, 2024
The District Conference, held last weekend at the Ulumbarra Theatre and the Bendigo Senior Secondary College gymnasium, was a most successful event. Full credit must go to DG Ron, wife Deb, and their organizing team for a very well-planned, stimulating and impactful weekend for all attendees. There were a number of inspirational and entertaining speakers, covering a wide range of topics. Rather than mentioning some of them here, at our next meeting, some of our members who were present at the conference will give us their impressions of particular speakers and programmes that had meaning for them. All of the entertainers performed very well, and were much appreciated by an enthusiastic audience. Special mention must go to Lizzie Barrow, daughter of Linda, who sang three technical operatic compositions in superb fashion, as she always does. The Showcase aspect of the conference, held in the BSSC gymnasium, was very well organized and well-attended. There were a number of most interesting and impactful projects on display, showing some of the breadth and reach of Rotary in Australia and overseas. Again, at our next meeting, we would like to briefly discuss a few of these to see if our club would be interested in supporting them, or starting up our own programme. Our thanks again go to John Cannon and John Harkin for the power of work they did in organizing and supporting the Showcase prior to, and during, the conference. Also, by manning the Rotary Down Under stall on Saturday and Sunday, they made a significant contribution to RDU through their sales of Rotary apparel and regalia.
Last week, Margot Falconer, executive of the Australian Sheep & Wool Show, spoke to us of a fundraising opportunity through being involved in the Show this year for the first time. Doug Lougoon is meeting Margot again as soon as possible and putting together a more detailed description of the duties for which we would be responsible. Once this is done, the information will be circulated for members to evaluate and to subsequently vote upon whether we wish to be involved with the Show.
This week, our usual meeting at Peppergreen Farm has been cancelled in favour of cooking food at the Anzac DayGunfire Breakfast alongside the Soldiers Memorial Hall, Pall Mall. Our long-term involvement in support of the Bendigo RSL on this very solemn day is always appreciated by the RSL and members of the public who attend the Dawn Service.
Co-presidents Adrian and Ray.
Guest speaker: Phil Redmond
Guest Speaker- Phil Redmond
Phil shared with members the comprehensive research he has undertaken on his family tree. Phil is the sixth generation of the Doxford family (his mother's side) living in Bendigo. Phil's Great, Great, Great Grandfather, Thomas, was born in Northumberland and migrated to Australia when his Great Great Grandmother, Sarah, was two years old. The family eventually made their home in Ironbark Gully during the 1870's. Phil's Great Grandfather, Thomas William, was born out of wedlock to Sarah when she was 19. His Grandfather, Stanley, was born in 1896. Both Thomas William and Stanley served in WW1.
It is believed Stanley met Ada Pickard whilst he was convalescing in hospital in England. On his return to Australia Stanley was informed that Ada was going to have his child. Ada was granted free passage to Australia but sadly the baby died before her departure. On her arrival in Melbourne Stanley and Ada immediately married. Stanley and Ada had four children, the youngest of which is Phil's mother. Phil's research went along quite smoothly however he wouldn't be satisfied until he found the identity of the father of Thomas William, born out of wedlock to Sarah.
Phil's research involved extensive DNA matching which was well understood having been a Biology teacher (Phil was a teacher and Caravan Park owner before his retirement). DNA testing showed many matches with King and Brodie descendants. Adam King and his wife Isabella (Brodie) migrated from Scotland in the 1850's. Adam worked in the Oriental Bank in Eaglehawk. In all likelihood one of their children, William Elliot Minto King, is Phil's Great Great Grandfather. There is strong evidence of this including that he lived in Iron Bark Road near Sarah who lived close by in Iron Bark Gully.
It is very interesting that Phil had always had a love for the bagpipes. As a young boy, after watching “The Scotchies” at the Easter parade, he would pretend to be playing them using a pillow as a substitute. But he did not have any Scottish ancestry. Well not that he knew of. Having taken up the bagpipes after retiring he now proudly plays them with the knowledge of his Scottish roots. Resplendent in his kilt he now belts out a mean tune. He played in the massed bands at the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo in 2018.
The story shows again the plight of single mothers in these times. Sarah and her family were very poor. Thomas William was the only one of her four children, all born out of wedlock, who survived beyond childhood.
We thank Phil for being our guest and sharing with us his family history. This gave us further insights to the many struggles faced by the early settlers in Bendigo. As Rotarians we are acutely aware of the high incidence of poverty, albeit in different forms, which still exists in our city.
