Sir Henry’s speech re-enacted

ELIZABETH MOORHEAD

KIAMA Courthouse was cast back to 1868 on Saturday for the re-enactment of an historic speech delivered by Sir Henry Parkes.

Kiama District Historical Society hosted the re-enactment.

Invited guests filled the gallery to participate in the drama from 1pm, including special guest Ian Thom, of Killara, who is Sir Henry's great-great grandson and who represented the Henry Parkes Foundation.

The afternoon opened with a formal welcome from Mayor Sandra McCarthy and historical background from Mrs Frances Whalan, of the Kiama District Historical Society.

A cast of 13 volunteer actors entertained the gallery with a lively rendition of the formal proceedings.

Ian Maurer, playing Sir Henry Parkes, Colonial Secretary and Member of Kiama, gave the historic speech.

He was interrupted by enthusiastic shouts of "hear hear" from the cast and the gallery audience.

Mr Thom was impressed with the re-enactment.

"I would encourage Kiama to hold on to the history," he said. "Today shows how this proud community can come together."

Every effort was made to ensure the re-enactment was historically accurate, from Sir Henry Parkes' facial hair to heckling from the gallery.

The audience of as many women as men was reminded that in 1868 the "fairer sex" would not have been so well represented in the gallery.

Cr McCarthy said that as Mayor of Kiama Municipality and as a woman she felt an immense sense of pride watching the historical recount of local government proceedings.

"The issues addressed in the speech are issues we're still addressing in local government today," she said.

"And in 200 years I hope there's still a local government. Today, tradition hasn't changed, there's still a lot more men."

Afterwards, the audience went to the Pilot's Cottage Museum where a display on Sir Henry Parkes was officially opened.

A booklet with the Kiama Independent's report on the speech from August 1868 was also launched.