CLEARING SALE SJ & JA PEREIRA

43 Ellis Road, Braunstone NSW

MACHINERY, FARM EQUIPMENT & BUILDING SUPPLIES

By Helen Trustum

The frst residents in the Wyan district were A. and E. Smith. They were graziers and later established a store. In 1894 St. Aiden’s Church was built on land given by Mrs George Clark.

The Wyan Public Hall was built in the early 1900’s, not sure of the exact year. The frst recorded minutes date back to May 8 1933. At a meeting in November

1933, it was decided to add extensions to the hall. The Secretary, C. Godbee, was asked to see the Commonwealth Bank for an advance on money to cover costs of one hundred pounds. The supper room was also extended. This was carried out with great diffculty as the sawn timber was 4 inches in width and the existing boards were 6 inches.

At the annual meeting held on February 7

1934, the following offcers were elected: President A. J. Burnett, Vice President O. Small, Secretary C. Godbee, Treasurer W. Lollback. Committee; W. Puxty, P. Kingsley, E. Williams and Mrs Williams.

Final arrangements were made for the Annual Ball on February 9 1934 to coincide with the offcial opening of the hall extensions. For the raffes – Mr Kingsley donated a bag of corn,

Miss Burnett a cushion cover and Kipenduff P & C a guinea (21/-). A blue ribbon was to be placed across the new portion of the hall and Mrs Katherine Lollback was asked to cut the ribbon and declare the portion open. The Mallanganee Band was asked to play for fve pounds with Miss Meg Everson as pianist.

At the September 1934 meeting the Wyan School teacher Mr Leslie

McPherson asked if the hall committee would grant permission to the school children for the use of the hall paddock to graze their horses while they were at school.

A farewell social and presentation was organized for Mr and Mrs Godbee. The committee presented them with a wallet of notes. Miss Ruth Sweeney provided the music.

Those present at the Annual Meeting on March 1 1946 were: N. McDonald, W. Lollback, P. Seery, H. Jaggers, J. McDonald, O. Small. Mesdames Seery, Ellem, Townsend, Rapp, Burnett, McDonald and Jaggers.

On June 16 1947 a ball was held in the Wyan Hall in honour of the King’s birthday. A storm hit the Wyan District on December 6 1947 (Election Day)

By Helen Trustum

tearing the roof off the Wyan Hall. Crops were fattened in the area.

During the day the hall was used as a polling booth for the election.

Mr Ray Johnston was asked to repair the roof of the hall.

A kitchen tea was held on June 28 1948 for Miss Marjorie Lollback prior to her marriage to Mr Ned Ford.

Ford Brothers donated timber to line the stage on November 7 1953.

Mrs E.D. Blackadder and R. D. Olive donated paint for the roof of the hall. Entertainment in the hall over the years has been provided by

Hoults Orchestra: J. Wall, Leeville: Realto Orchestra: Reg Farr and Bill Marsh: Celebrities Orchestra: Betty Cole and Brian Hoult. Owing to overhead costs and upkeep of the hall the committee found it hard to hang on to their hall. On March 5 1961 the Hall Committee decided to write to the Chief Secretary’s Department and withdraw the hall’s licence. On April 4 1961, trustees were asked to see a solicitor regarding the future of the Wyan Hall. The hall and piano were sold to Cec Davis for two hundred and four pounds. Money from the sale was given to the Progress Association. The frst application for a school at Wyan was made in 1897, however this was not approved. The next attempt in 1903 faired a little better with the Inspector recommending that a subsidy be offered to parents to set up a Subsidised School. By September 1903 a school was set up in a local barn with Maggie Booth as the teacher. In 1904 a request was made for a Provisional School for Wyan. This was approved. The parents arranged to move the former Deep Creek School building to Wyan. The two acre land site was cleared for the school. The teacher, Mr Stanley Allen, opened the school on November 1 1904. In October 1907 the school’s status was raised to a Public School. A proposal was made to move the now Fiddle Creek School to Wyan at a cost of sixty fve pounds. The question of a teacher’s residence was raised several times. It was knocked back in 1912 so the teacher William O’Neill and his wife moved into the old Wyan School building. The walls were lined with hessian and pasted over the hessian with newspaper to make it more comfortable. This remained their residence until 1921.

Mr Grandville (Bill) Marsh taught at the school from 1940 to 1961 where he provided good teaching and stability to the school. In 1984 the school was to close but not before an organized celebration of the schools 80 years old service to the community was held on September 30 1984. This was the fnal year of the Wyan School. The school was closed and the building was transferred to Modanville, the tank with it’s distinctive mural went to Lowanna and the weather shed was moved to Leeville Public School where it was refurbished to begin a new career as a staff room.

Ref: Wyan Public Hall Minute Book held by Betty Hannah: Keith Cole, Busby’s Flat, Nov. 1997: Primary Schools of the Casino District by John Selwood: Centenary of Education in Leeville 1888 – 1988 by Bruce Reineker.