Community
30 October, 2024
Historical society welcomes three life members
COBDEN and District Historical Society have honoured three long-standing members with prestigious life memberships.
Jennifer Kripp, Judith Gribble and Elizabeth Wilson were all surprised to receive life memberships earlier this month in appreciation for their decades of dedication to ensuring the history of Cobden and surrounds is carefully preserved.
Mrs Kripp, who was among the founding members of the Cobden and District Historical Society when it formed in 1985, said she had simply wanted to be part of something in which she could pursue her interests in history while building close friendships along the way.
“I always loved history,” she said.
“Joan Dunstan decided to call a meeting to start a historical society.
“Everyone was invited - the Cobden Timboon Coast Times put together an article to promote the forming of the group, so I came in from where I lived in Glenfyne and we decided to form a historical society.
“Joan Dunstan became our first president, and I was the first vice president.
“Jack Morris was secretary, Ray Baker was treasurer, and Joy Bateman was our librarian and recorder.
“We formed and started having meetings, but had nowhere to go – we started off in a room at the hospital but then we started going to people’s homes.”
Judith Gribble said she had joined soon after the society had formed, as she was already active in various historical groups and jumped at the chance to be part of something closer to home.
“I was in the Heytesbury Historical Society before I joined Cobden,” she said.
“When Cobden started up I felt there was not much point in being part of both, but I was closer to Cobden, so I made the switch.
“It was set up early on – all we’d do is come along, research for a little bit and talk to people.”
Mrs Kripp said she was humbled to be recognised.
“It’s great,” she said.
“It is nice to be acknowledged as I’ve been doing it 39 years.”
Mrs Gribble said she was grateful for the recognition, but was quick to acknowledge the dedication of younger members of the Cobden and District Historical Society.
“It’s great to be recognised but we’re only a very small group,” she said.
“The younger ones have come in and so much has been done – it’s booming because of the young ones.
“Alan Hart, the first Cobden and District Historical Society life member, presented us with our certificates.”
Elizabeth Wilson, who was also among the inaugural founding membership, is the oldest in the group but continues to amaze with her deep knowledge of Cobden.
“She’s got a lot of knowledge of Cobden, a really good memory,” Mrs Kripp said.
“Her husband joined when he retired and he was also a wonderful member – he was a handyman who put up the flag pole for us.
“Elizabeth has been a wonderful member, and was even secretary for about 15 years.”
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