Royal Historical Society of Queensland facts for kids
| Founded | 1913 |
|---|---|
| Type | Historical society; state peak body; charitable organisation |
| Registration no. | CH |
| Location |
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Area served
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Queensland, Australia |
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Formerly called
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Historical Society of Queensland (1913 – 1959) |
The Royal Historical Society of Queensland (RHSQ) is a group that studies history. It was started in Brisbane, Australia, in 1913. The society helps people learn about the history of Australia, especially Queensland and nearby Pacific islands.
The RHSQ has a large collection of historical items and research materials. They also put on exhibitions to show these items. The society holds meetings, talks, and conferences where people share their historical research. They publish these talks and other important papers in their own journal. The RHSQ also works with other history groups to support and guide them. It is the main group for historical societies in Queensland.
Contents
The Historic Commissariat Store
The RHSQ has its main office and a resource center in the "Commissariat Store." This is one of Brisbane's oldest buildings. It was built by convicts in 1829 and is one of only two buildings left from the old Moreton Bay penal colony.
The first two floors were built using local stone and convict workers between 1828 and 1829. A third floor was added in 1913. The building was used by the government until 1960. Later, the Queensland State Archives used the ground floor. Other government offices used the upper floors until 1976.
The Royal Historical Society of Queensland was given permission to use the building in 1976. After a lot of repair work, it opened as the society's headquarters in 1978. In 1998, more work was done to fix changes made in the 1970s. Today, the building holds the RHSQ museum and the Welsby Library.
The Welsby Library Collection
From the very beginning, the society started collecting books, old papers, and magazines. They also gathered photos, maps, and newspaper clippings. Thomas Welsby was one of the first members of the society. He gave many letters, newspaper clippings, and copies of his books to the society. In his will, he left his library of over 2,000 books to the society.
The society's own collection was combined with Welsby's books. This new library was named the Welsby Library and opened on March 15, 1947, at Newstead House. The Welsby Library is now located on the second floor of the Commissariat Store.
The Commissariat Store was badly damaged during the January 2011 flood. Because of this, the society had to move to a temporary location for a while.
How the Society Began
Other historical societies were formed in Australia before Queensland had one. The Australian Historical Society started in Sydney in 1901, and the Historical Society of Victoria began in 1909. In Queensland, a group of people decided to create a similar society. They wrote down rules, found members (limited to 100), and asked the Governor to be their patron.
In August 1913, the first meeting of the Historical Society of Queensland was held at the Albert Hall. The Governor, Sir William MacGregor, led the meeting. A paper about how to research history, especially in Australia, was read. The society's rules were approved, and its first leaders were chosen.
Some of the first members included:
- Henry Alcock, a history professor at the University of Queensland
- Frank Cumbrae-Stewart, a founder and professor of law at the University of Queensland
- William McGregor, who was the Queensland Governor
- Alexander Melbourne, another history professor at the University of Queensland
Awards and Recognition
Fellowship and the MacGregor Medal
In 1963, when the society turned 50, they created a special award called a Fellowship. This award is for people who have greatly helped to improve our knowledge of Queensland history. People who receive this award can use the letters "FRHistSQ" after their name.
In 1999, the society started giving out the Sir William MacGregor Medal. This medal is for amazing service in promoting Queensland history. It is named after Sir William MacGregor, who was the society's first patron.
The John Douglas Kerr Medal
Since 2005, the society has worked with the Professional Historians Association (Queensland) to give out an annual award. This award is called the John Douglas Kerr Medal for Distinction. It honors great work in writing, researching, and studying history.
The medal is named after John Douglas Kerr (1942 – 2003). He was a statistician, a fan of railways, and a historian. He joined the society in 1967 and helped as a council member, editor of the Journal, and honorary librarian.
The Clem Lack Oration
In 1973, the society started an annual talk series named after Clem Lack. Clem Llewellyn Lack (1900–1972) was a long-time member of the society from 1949 to 1972. He served as a council member and editor of publications. He became a fellow in 1962.
With Sir Raphael Cilento, the society's president, Clem Lack helped write a history book for Queensland's 100th birthday called Triumph in the Tropics (1959). He also edited Queensland, Daughter of the Sun (1959) for the 100th anniversary of Queensland's self-government. He wrote many articles for the society's journal.
See also
