Grosey's Messages

Presbyterian Sunday School picnic at the 'Mill Paddock' C.1923
The boulder strewn paddock at the southern end of Grey Street was a popular venue for picnics and is now part of Craigieburn Tourist Park.
Called the Mill Paddock, it was the site of Patrick Heron Henderson's mill - Glen Innes' first flour mill, built in the 1850s.
Surveyor Henderson designed Inverell and assisted in the laying out of Glen Innes 
Notice that most of this Presbyterian Sunday School group, except for some of the dare devils perched on top of the rock (note there are no girls amongst that lot), are wearing hats.
Tie and jacket for the men - and look at all those white frocks!!
The second gentleman from the left at the back I think is the minister, the Reverend Archibald and Christina Cameron's son, the Reverend Archibald Peter Cameron.
His first assignment after his ordination was to a charge on the coast. He borrowed a horse to ride to a church outside the town where he had to preach.
He was very nervous, and after having taken the service was asked by the elder in charge to wait outside while the congregation decided if they would accept him as a minister,
When called back in he was told …" we don't think much of your preaching but you can ride a horse so we will give you the job".
He served at Maclean 1896 to 1902 and that year he was called to Glen Innes as colleague to his father the Rev Archibald Cameron at St Andrews Church. He became minister in charge when his father died in 1905.
In 1903 the Session Clerk reported that there were 1,000 Presbyterians in the district; 50 children were baptized, 16 marriages were performed and there were six funerals
Services, often in private houses, then were held at Glencoe, Red Range, Reddestone, Wellingrove, Waterloo (Matheson) Stonehenge, Mount Mitchell, and Dundee.
 By 1908 Blair Hill, Beaufort, Emmaville, Furracabad, Mt Slow, Fladbury, Shannon Vale, Grahams Valley and Kingsgate had been added to the list.
St Andrews Church was sold to the Department of Education after the Macquarie Street Cameron Memorial Church was opened in 1920.
The Christina Cameron Memorial Sunday School Hall opened three year later.
I remember the annual Daffodil Fair in the Hall – with the tartan covered stand in the centre carrying a multitude of vases of daffodils.

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