Covered in pigeon droppings and dust, an artefact relating to Barrier Teachers Association has been discovered in the loft of Broken Hill’s Trades Hall.
But Barrier Teachers Association President Maureen Clark, who found the wooden banner while in the loft during roof repairs, said its origins are unknown.
“We want to know who made it, why and when,” she said.
“We think it might have been painted for a campaign, but we really have no idea.”
Keen to sleuth out the origins of the banner, Ms Clark approached the local newspaper, the Barrier Daily Truth, which ran an article asking readers if they knew anything about it, but to no avail.
By coincidence, at the time Ms Clark found the banner, a conservator was in the city on behalf of Unions NSW looking at union archives.
Unions NSW subsequently arranged for two fabric banners to be created, with the design taken from a photograph of the wooden banner — one for Barrier Teachers Association and one for Sydney’s Trades Hall collection.
Both the wooden and fabric banners have been shown to members of the Association and are on display in Broken Hill’s Trades Hall.
Unions NSW’s Barrier Teachers Association fabric banner has been displayed in Sydney Trades Hall’s atrium, but is not always on display as the banner collection is bigger than the space available to hang them all.
Unions NSW librarian/historian Neale Towart said four permanent banners and a changing display can be seen in the atrium during office hours.
Five large banners and about 30 smaller banners hang in the banner room, which can be viewed by appointment by phoning (02) 9881 5999 or via Sydney Trades Hall on Facebook or Instagram.
Do you know anything about the banner? Please contact [email protected].
— Kerri Carr