History

A public meeting was called for like minded people interested in family history in late 1985 to meet at the Leeton Library.  More than forty people turned up to that meeting with the convening group gauging the depth of interest from those present who wanted to form a Leeton Family History Group.

The first meeting was held on the 20th February 1986 at the Leeton Library and those present were called upon to form a committee. The new group was to be called Leeton Family History Society after the name Leeton Family History Group was first put forward.  It was felt by some that calling it a Society would result in more success when it came to applying for Grants.

The in-augural President was John Bryant with Lindsay Bramell the Secretary/Treasurer and several other members forming the committee. We became an Incorporated Society and Charity in 1990. In July 2001 our name changed to Leeton Family & Local History Society Inc to incorporate the local history that we were collecting more of. Since the year 2000, we have published a Historical Photograph Calendar for the enjoyment of the public and in 2012 published a 344 page book to celebrate Leeton’s Centenary.

In the Leeton Shire Council acquired the Heritage listed WC&IC Building in Chelmsford Place Leeton and Granted use of the ground floor to us. The first floor is now the Leeton Museum & Gallery. Membership has fluctuated over the years and at present we have a strong group interested in maintaining our standing within the local community. 

We have recognised two long serving members with Life Membership – Dorothy Eurell in 2011 for 24 years as the Research Officer and Custodian of our Collection, & Wendy Senti in 2019 - for holding an executive position for 31 years & working tirelessly for the Society.

2021 and beyond presents challengers to our group as we phase into the electronic storage age. Our Society has been formulating plans to digitise our whole collection, but this will be a mammoth undertaking and something that will take many months and possibly years to complete.

Time Line of our History Society

1985 Public Meeting called

1986 Leeton Family History Society formed

1986 First Newsletter circulated

1987 Our new Home –Ricegrowers E D Department Wade Ave

1990 Firstly Incorporated and Charity Status

1990 First display at the bi-annual SunRice Festivals

2000 First LF&LHS Historical Photograph Calendar published

2001 Name Officially changed to Leeton Family & Local History Society Inc

2011 First Life Membership Awarded – D Eurell Research Officer for 24 years.

2012 Our most ambitious project – 344 page photographic book ‘Leeton 100 Years – Thanks for the Memories’ published in time for Leeton’s Centenary,  launched January 2013

2015 Book ‘Leeton Lads of the First World War’ published

2019 Life Membership Awarded to – Wendy Senti – Executive Positions held for 31 years

2019 Partnered with Leeton Shire Council providing information on the Water Story & Settlement of MIA

2019-20 Book ’50 Years of the Rice Festivals and the Ambassador Entrants’ published

2020 Covid 19 interrupts our planned events/moving into our new home at the WC&IC Building.

2020-21 Finally we have moved all our collection into our new home and getting ready to open again to the public    

2021 Covid 19 is still interrupting our lives and livelihood. A state-wide lockdown in August.