On our open days we are often asked what is the meaning of the latin on the Walker crest – “Per Varios Casus”.
An approximate translation would be “Through diverse (or various) opportunities”, which would appear to be an indication of how his wealth was acquired. It’s not known if this was an old crest or whether it came about with our Thomas Walker.
We are missing out on the Olympic Games for 2020, so we thought we’d bring you some trivia to think about while we wait for next year. In 1896 the American Olympic Team almost missed the Athens games because Greece was still on the Julian calendar. (The modern Gregorian calendar is 13 days ahead) Some…
Last drinks for 150-year-old Concord pub, hosted by three generations of the one family Following hot on the heels of the demolition of Parramatta’s historic Royal Oak Hotel, the NSW Government is about to raze another of Sydney’s landmark pubs in the name of public transport infrastructure. With much controversy and media attention, the Royal…
Wax Match Holders A match holder, a vesta case, or simply a “vesta” is a small box made to house wax, or “strike anywhere” matches. The first successful friction match appeared in 1826, and in 1832 William Newton patented the “wax vesta” in England. It consisted of a wax stem with embedded cotton threads and a tip of…
“Jingle Bells” was written for Thanksgiving, not Christmas. The song was written in 1857 by James Lord Pierpont and published under the title “One Horse Open Sleigh”. It was supposed to be played in the composer’s Sunday school class during Thanksgiving as a way to commemorate the famed Medford sleigh races. “Jingle Bells” was also the first song to…
Ceramic Cheese Dish In the 19th century, before the days of plastic containers and refrigerators, these dishes (also known as cheese-keepers) kept cheese from drying out. These covered dishes also kept the odour of the cheese from spreading through the room. They always had a small hole in the top to discourage mould. Several different…
Jean’s story continues about her experiences as a Voluntary Aide at the Walker Hospital in 1919 Brother dear, your expression has several times saved my life already. When the milk boiled all over the clean floor and I was fit to weep about it, I merely stood still and said, #^&%*@#. No, I won’t write…
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