It’s a collection of about 120 sepia photos from the last century that Blue Mountains historians want to return to their rightful owners.
An airman from World War II, a soldier from the Great War, a stunning 1930s wedding picture and a family shot from the 1940s complete with a baby and its toy. But nobody knows who any of them are.
The collection of beautiful old photos was bequeathed to the Blue Mountains Historical Society by their member, a Blue Mountains council draftsman called Geoffrey Sadler, when he passed away in 2007 aged 68. He had never married.
Blue Mountains Family History Society member Jan Koperberg said Sadler “bequeathed his estate to the Historical Society and this enabled them to build their research centre in the grounds of Tarella, their 1820s cottage. Joan Edwards and I rescued the photos that BMHS did not want and Pauline Hincksman and myself catalogued them and kept them in an acid free album. Even though we did not know who the people were, the photos were too good not to save.”
They’ve ended up in safe keeping in a cupboard belonging to the Blue Mountains Family History Society at Springwood Library. President Yvonne Wright thought it was time they saw the light.
“It was a great opportunity doing Family History Month in August,” she said “It’s a good few years since we came by them. Geoffrey didn’t have anyone to leave them to, it was really very sad. They are all beautiful photos but we don’t know who they are.”
The Blue Mountains Family History Society hopes that people in the images can one day be identified and need the help of the public. Even a slight clue could solve a few photographic mysteries, Mrs Wright said.
“That’s what being a family historian is all about,” Mrs Wright added. “ It’s a bit like being a detective. We are always sleuthing.”
The collection will be on display at Springwood Library during the week of Monday August 27 to Friday August 31 from 10am to 1pm. Volunteers from the Blue Mountains Family History Society will also be on hand to assist.
Mrs Wright said with very little markings on the photos it is a timely reminder for amateur historians to write the names and places in pencil on the back of photos.
The display is being run during National Family History Month by Blue Mountains Family History Society and library staff. Mrs Wright said the BMFHS volunteers also work throughout the year –Tuesday and Thursdays at Springwood library and some Tuesdays and Saturdays in Katoomba helping residents answer their family history questions.
