HOW fascinating it can be to look at photographs taken over a century ago.
Our photo this week is from the archives of the Bathurst District Historical Society and shows “Market Day”, which was an annual event in those days. Just look at the sea of hats, on both men and women, young and old. Most men are dressed in their full suits and ladies in their finery.
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It was 1915 and now that the Great War was in progress there were ongoing events and activities in Bathurst to raise money for the soldiers in the trenches.
The Market Day was held in King’s Parade and had the appearance of a country fair with rides, entertainment and numerous stalls, including one called “Diggers House” which can be seen in the photo.
There were many canvas tents and marquees erected, which covered all types of second-hand articles, food, vegetables and farm produce, jams, cakes, other various goodies and activities and games.
Yards of home-made coloured cloth bunting was strung around to decorate the area to give it a festive look.
Others organised regular dances and euchre tournaments, including one that raised £20/0/6. The function took place in the Masonic Hall in Keppel Street and it was expected that the funds would be expended on the purchase of comforts for the troops at the front. The Red Cross Society also held regular events to raise further funds.
Surrounding villages such as Georges Plains, Perthville, Cow Flat, Vittoria, Rockley, Wattle Flat and Sunny Corner were doing their bit. For example, a patriotic social was held in Sunny Corner by the School of Arts and Public School in aid of the Soldiers' Travelling Kitchen Fund, raising around £10.
Raglan residents were regular supporters of raising money. They organised several concerts. One raised £16/14/3 and another concert held in conjunction with other games and competitions brought forth £50.
Then there were individuals who made generous donations, such as Fred Toole of Tarana, who had a good crop of pears and apples of delicious flavour and colour. He supplied a dozen boxes of each from his orchard to make up an exhibit at the Bathurst show, after which they were auctioned off, with the proceeds going to the local Patriotic Fund.
While there was great support for the Market Day, there was a division within Bathurst and district as to the need for army conscription. Britain had been talking about it and it would inevitably be proposed in Australia.
Many thought it wasn’t necessary, though at this time many thought that the war wouldn’t go that long and the eventual high attrition rate wasn’t predicted.
Some felt that schoolboys between the ages of 12 and 14 could be taught all the elementary drills, even elementary shooting. Then young men between 18 and 20 could be made into efficient soldiers by means of three months’ field training.
Such a system would produce the foundation of an army. The necessary arms, equipment and other material of war for these men should be made and kept in readiness.
The Allies were facing some 120,000 German soldiers on a front of four or five miles, so the Allies were already worried about how they would get enough troops trained, equipped and ready to fight.
In April 1915, the Defence Department placed contracts with NSW woollen mills for the supply of 1,687,000 yards of khaki cloth, and large quantities of flannel. These supplies were to be used to make military outfits.
Crossbred wool from around Bathurst was exclusively required for the manufacture of khaki, and merino lamb fleece and skirtings for the flannel.
Local manufacturers had already recently paid very high prices for wool bought in Sydney, and up to this time had absorbed 10,051 bales of wool.