Original 1908 Boulder Town Hall program a truly rare find

An original copy of the 1908 program to mark the official opening of the Boulder Town Hall was unearthed by chance in Perth more than 20 years ago.

Eighteen months after the death of his father Keith in Perth in 2001, Kalgoorlie-born Trevor Harvey made the unexpected discovery while sifting through some of the many belongings left behind.

In mint condition, the 1908 program was found among numerous clothing items and bookkeeping papers.

“What impressed us the most was the material used for the cover and the quality of the printing,” explained Mr Harvey, who is a retired letter press printer who plied his trade at Hannan Street’s old Jordan and Jackson store.

“It was some time later when we looked at it again that the date hit us.

“Having a black printer only, we copied it, then sent a copy each to the (Kalgoorlie-Boulder City) council and the (Eastern Goldfields) Historical Society.

“The cover is almost like a material — it’s beautiful.

“It has a velvet feel and the inside is like art paper, and there is not a crease on it.”

At the time of the find, the town hall centenary was still six years away.

Mr Harvey said further intrigue surrounded the program’s origins because his great grandparents did not arrive in Kalgoorlie from Broken Hill until 1917 — nine years after the Boulder Town Hall opening.

“Somehow, dad had inherited it from somewhere,” he said.

“From where or whom remains a mystery.”

The program was on loan for the 2008 centenary festivities, initially to the city council and then the Museum of the Goldfields.

An official handover at the time, however, was made on behalf of Mr Harvey by his younger brother Colin, who was visiting Kalgoorlie-Boulder from Adelaide.

During his working career, Trevor Harvey had two stints employed by Hocking and Co. at the Kalgoorlie Miner — initially in late 1969 for four months — before embarking on National Service.

After serving in Vietnam, Mr Harvey returned to Hocking and Co. in late 1971 through early 1972 before leaving the region.