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General News

16 February, 2023

Restored photographs shine light on Clunes’ many mayors

Take a unique look at some of Clunes’ leaders from the 1800 and 1900s at the Clunes Museum this month, where a selection of restored photographs of the town’s mayors are now on show. Twenty five images feature the mayors of the Borough of Clunes...

By Christie Harrison

Portraits of some of of Clunes’ mayors, including these photographs of William Barkell and Arthur Lean, are currently on display at the Clunes Museum following a painstaking restoration process.
Portraits of some of of Clunes’ mayors, including these photographs of William Barkell and Arthur Lean, are currently on display at the Clunes Museum following a painstaking restoration process.

Take a unique look at some of Clunes’ leaders from the 1800 and 1900s at the Clunes Museum this month, where a selection of restored photographs of the town’s mayors are now on show.

Twenty five images feature the mayors of the Borough of Clunes from 1860-1965, a period where more than 50 mayors completed their terms.

The photographs have been copied and restored, and set back in their original frames which were also restored — a painstaking process according to Clunes Museum secretary and volunteer Peter Spark as many were oxidized and eaten by bugs — inspiring the museum to display them for the public.

“The original mayor photos once hung in the Clunes Town Hall. Over the years many were lost or at some point taken down and stored,” he said.

“The ones which remained came over to the museum some years back and many were damaged or in poor condition.

“The plan was to have them restored and re-hung back in the town hall after renovations had occurred and this may still happen in the future.”

In 1965 the Borough of Clunes became the Borough of Clunes and Talbot, and in 1995 Clunes became part of the Hepburn Shire (where it sits today).

“There are 18 large framed mayors along with seven smaller ones,” Mr Spark said.

“Each mayor had to pay for their own photo and frame hence why each frame is slightly different. It may also account for why there are not more photos around.”

The exhibition is running from now until February 28 at the Esmond Gallery at The Warehouse on 36 Fraser Street, Clunes. Entry is free.

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