SDHS’ collection for our historical community archive is growing. Contributions can be made as photos, videos, brochures, newsletters, personal journal entries, observations, voice recordings, school projects etc to our collection.  Currently we can only accept digital copies but please retain and hard copy for later.

Photographs of children’s activities have been popular so far, such as bear hunts and rainbows sketched on footpaths. Imagine the local children of today searching through this archive in years to come and reviving memories to share with their own young children and grandchildren!

Grandparents have offered their reflections on the impact of physical separation from their family and how they have developed new IT skills to keep in touch.  Zooming is the new skill set as work, education, worship, community activities, friend and family get togethers all go on line. No doubt Zoom will seem laughably archaic to future generations accessing this archive

Online school learning has meant brushing up on some old skills too as one Black Rock resident told us.

“During physical and social isolation we have had to become more adept at using technology because of wishing to see our grandchildren or to attend pre-existing groups. We can now use WhatsApp on the mobile phone and Zoom and Jitsi meet conference sites on the Internet…………..It is a delight to be included in the grandchildren’s online school learning – such as for Grade One being asked about our favourite food as a child and whether there was any war during our time. We use WhatsApp for this. We understand we will also be asked questions about Grade Three Literacy and that means brushing up on the meaning and purpose of adverbs, prepositions and other grammatical terms.” 

Nick from Beaumaris has shared his poem reflecting on the personal impact of Covid 19

Which side of the mirror?

Silent, invisible stalking the Land;
Coronavirus, cruel sleight of hand.

No touching, hugging, being too close.

Family abroad we miss the most.

What can we do in the face of it all?
Keep calm, exercise, give friends a call. 

Flights to get home, prices sky high, 

Homeward bound somehow by ‘n by.

Churches closed, sport and theatre too.

Panic buying -even toilet paper for the loo!

The worst and the best we show ourselves to be.

Which side of the mirror is reflecting me?

Kate from Hampton offered care to her elderly neighbour Joyce.

“I’d like to introduce you all to Joyce. We have been neighbours since 1989. Since before we were married. Before we had a dog. Before we had children. She turned 90 in February and is very independent. A week or so after her party, she came down with a cold so she stayed at home. Then along came the pandemic. She has not left home for 5 weeks now.

Between us and another neighbour, Ann, we keep an eye on her. Get her shopping and check up on how she is doing. Today, I went and visited with her. Delivered a Fish Pie that Leeanne from Deco Dishes made for her and had a drink through the window. She had a Dr Pepper (blergh) and I had a Pepsi Max. We chatted for an hour or so, the dogs got a scotch finger biscuit through the window and we had a laugh or two.

This is why we are taking isolating seriously. To protect her. And us.”

And what about all the wonderfully creative and humorous memes on social media, the on line performances and tours that the arts and entertainment industries are making available to us all, the inspiring fundraisers. These things may not be specific to our area but do make up a picture of the times we live in so do let us know what you have particularly enjoyed. 

When social distancing restrictions lift, we hope to conduct video interviews with those involved in key services within our Community such as our health workers.

A few important points to note:

Items from the SDHS Covid-19 collection will be made available to researchers and the general public at the SDHS Centre and via its online catalogue published on eHive or successors. Items may be used in future SDHS exhibitions, publications or in other ways that become available in the future.  In donating an item to the Covid-19 collection, you are granting Sandringham & District Historical Society an irrevocable, worldwide, non-exclusive and royalty-free licence to use, display, publish, copy, modify or adapt, or otherwise disseminate the work (in whole or in part) for any purpose.

As a historical society, we hold an important archive for future research. For this reason, we ask that you provide some information that will enable future researchers to zone in on their particular interest.  If appropriate, we would like to tag your contribution as being say from a primary school student, a family with school aged children, an elderly long-term resident, a cafe, sports group etc.  Please provide background information of this type.  For photos and videos please be sure to state photographer, date and location.

SDHS covers Sandringham, Black Rock, Beaumaris, Hampton and the portion of Highett and Cheltenham west of the railway