Town Talk

Thanks also to the people offering information about Isa Kelly. In this instance, I did say ‘Spell that please’ – but, hold your applause; one does not excuse the other.Below is the first email I received on publication day; with so much information – and a suggestion for SAM - that, with Bill’s approval, I’ve included it in full.Dear Marnie,

My name is Bill Brown and I do enjoy reading your weekly Town talk page. However I have noticed in today's issue your reference to a local (?) artist by the name of Alice (?) Rowan. Why the question marks you ask.

Well, first this artist was Ellis Rowan and secondly she was not a local artist but her father , Charles Ryan was managing the Katandra Run when Ellis was born in 1848.

So why am I interested in Ellis Rowan? Mainly because not only was she an absolutely fabulous artist but she was one gutsy woman who, in the latter stages of her life, travelled in to New Guinea where few white people had been. I first became aware of Ellis Rowan through Sylvia Godden, now passed, a Katandra historian.

I am not going to write pages about Ellis except to point out that she created quite a stir in 1888 when her art work was deemed to be the best at the Centennial International Exhibition held in Melbourne. These paintings were judged by a panel of 15 or 17 (depending on which historical publication you read) international experts. These worthy gentlemen (and you can bet they were all of my gender) agreed that Ellis was better than all others theses including, Streeton, Buvelot and Roberts plus many other top Australian artists. This caused quite a furore and members of the Victorian Arts Society did their best to overturn these awards. All to no avail.

I would suggest that you Google Ellis Rowan The Flower Hunter for more info on a truly remarkable woman who was treated rather shabbily when the Government of the day was deciding whether to buy her works just prior to her death.

Ellis is buried in the Macedon cemetery so my family have paid a visit and that was an eye opener as that area has been home to many artists and this is reflected in this cemetery. Lastly a few local fans of Ellis Rowan would like our new SAM to conduct an exhibition of her work and wouldn’t it be good if it coincided with the official opening of our Australian Botanic Garden? Three reasons for this – one, Ellis’s work was 90% Australian botanics. Secondly, our Botanic Gardens is 100% Australian and thirdly, Charles Ryan, Ellis’s dad, was local when Ellis was born and he and his family moved to Longwood after finishing with the Katandra Run. That’s all Marnie. Not a bad response to the misspelling of one name!!

Regards

Bill BrownI also received an email regarding Town Talk running a day later than usual. Roger was concerned that ‘the thought police’ had got me!This week I had a meeting unlike any other. It was the most informative, interesting and entertaining time. At one stage, I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry – so did both, at once.

My new friend, sitting across the table at an agreeable coffee shop (in that only two cups of coffee were purchased over a three-hour interval) was John Gribben. (Some of you may have heard John speak? He carries a book in his head, I kid you not.) I was interested in stories about the 16 Australian POW camps, but particularly about the local ones – three in Tatura, two in Rushworth and one in Murchison.In an age where teenage boys can be asked to stand up in class and admit to being privileged, white males – I wanted to find stories of which we can all be proud; whatever our origins, whatever our gender, whatever our skin colour - we are Australians.Here’s a short one as a teaser.During World War II, there was a young guard at Camp 13, 5 km from Murchison. His name was Clarrie McGilvray.

Approximately a decade after the end of the war, Clarrie went travelling – around Europe. One evening he was in Germany, at a bar, enjoying a drink, when he felt a heavy hand on his shoulder.

‘Clarrie McGilvray, come with me.’ He turned to see a large, well-built policeman – with a familiar face. The policeman took Clarrie home with him, for a two-week stay. He made him welcome and showed him around – because he wanted to say ‘danke schon’. Yes, you guessed it! The policeman had been a prisoner of war at Camp 13.John’s stories aren’t all about the war. They are about people and decency – and I think you’ll enjoy them.Here’s another short story which comes from the Murchison Historical Society.

One day in April of this year, a young German couple came to visit the local exhibition. They had been travelling around our country when COVID first raised its unwelcome head. The government contacted them and asked if they wanted to go home – cutting their visit short – or extend their visa. They chose the latter.

The young lady said that her grandfather was a prisoner at Camp 13 and had good memories of the place. Searching through the information on the wall, she found a photo. ‘There he is’. She was delighted and that’s not surprising. The photograph shows a sun-tanned, well-fed, smiling young man. A corporal in the German Army, a prisoner of war, content in our care.Her grandfather, Dietrich Kassner, was a well-educated man, with a doctorate in law, who taught at university. Perhaps he could have been an officer; perhaps he could have been housed more comfortably at Dhurringile. I’m only surmising here.

It is possible that he was not sympathetic to the Nazis. When he had no choice but to enlist, perhaps he did so quietly and maybe, at Camp 13, he was as content as he looks. One day we might find the answers because his granddaughter has promised to send a copy of his diary. The Murchison Historical Society can’t wait – neither can I.Hang in there, guys. Hopefully, the lockdown will be over soon. Hopefully!And, may it be easy, my friends.- MarnieEmail: towntalk@sheppnews.com.au

Letter: Town Talk. Shepparton News. P.O. Box 204. Shepparton 3631.

Phone: Send a text on 0418 962 507.