THE Gwydir Family History Society Inc. will roll down its shutters and close for good in December, bringing to an end an important chapter in Moree.
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Members of the society met last Saturday to discuss the future of the community group amid concerns for dwindling membership rates.
“It is unfortunate that it has come to this, but we have been battling on for four years,” Mr McNamara said.
It was only in 2014 that the community group celebrated its 30th anniversary with a guided tour through the cemetery.
“Whilst we track down our family trees and history of our families, we also enjoy researching the history of Moree so we thought a cemetery walk would be fitting during the celebrations,” Mr McNamara said.
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The society has been responsible for archiving and chronicling Moree’s history through their many publications.
In 2016, the society released ‘Moree’s Anzacs’, a book that contained the stories of men and women from the Moree district who enlisted in World War One.
“The 29 men who were killed at Gallipoli feature in the book, along with 18 randomly picked soldiers. A CD accompanies the book, which includes a further 330 names and stories,” Mr McNamara said.
While the society has been chronicling the town’s history, it has its own history to share with Moree.
The society was created in 1984 when Elli Cruickshank organised a public meeting on April 30, on the back of popular interest to form a family history society.
“There were 28 people at the meeting and eight apologies were made so a resolution was passed that the first meeting for the society would be held on May 14, 1984,” he said.
President Marcia Ritchie, secretary Elli Cruickshank and treasurer June Heffernan made up the first executive society.
The society has since held many homes over the years, but members most recently met in the research room of the library. The meetings were held on the first Saturday of each month at 12.30pm.
Mr McNamara said the society will end in time for its last book on Moree’s Anzacs 1916-1918.
“The Gwydir Family History Society will look into all enquiries until December. Afterwards, the Moree & District Historical Society Inc. will handle any Family History enquiries.”
