Judy Files
Les Pitt has been a contributing member of the Daylesford and District Historical Society for over twenty-five years. He was awarded Honorary Life Membership of the Society earlier this year.
He was the prime mover in establishing a team to catalogue the Museum’s large photo collection and entering details on a database, making it possible to find photographs easily.
He gathered a team to begin indexing the Society’s oldest newspapers onto a searchable database, a three-year task which now helps users to find thousands of entries from our 1860s newspapers.
He has contributed all these years to the research work that the Society undertakes.
He was an integral part of the WW1 research project, helping to build up extensive files on all soldiers and nurses with a connection to our district. This large body of information led to publication of “Letters from the Front”.
He spent many years accumulating knowledge, ultimately writing his book “Mud, Blood and Gold” which is an asset to our district’s history.
He worked with a team for many years accumulating information about local cemeteries and burials, leading to publication of a booklet about notable graves in the Daylesford cemetery.
Les pictured after receiving his honorary life membership certificate. Growing up playing football in the streets of Richmond, Les thought a Brownlow medal would be nice. However, he was clearly honoured to receive this recognition as football notoriety eluded him.
For a number of years, he and other Society members gave talks at the “Words in Winter” annual literary festival, with stories of historical interest.
He wrote many researched articles for the Society newsletter.
He has been a Society committee member almost continuously since 2007, holding both senior and junior Vice-President positions, only stepping down this year.
He has organised and participated in many excursions with the Society’s volunteers.
He spent many years as a doorkeeper, a vital role to keep the Museum’s doors open to the public.
On occasions he led informative town walks for visiting groups.
He has contributed to many local historical issues: research and acknowledgement of Daylesford’s Avenue of Honour; lobbying for changes to street names that have been incorrectly spelled; and getting markers or repairs done to some graves in the Daylesford cemetery.
Les is always happy to share his knowledge, is welcoming with new volunteers and is part of the glue which holds the Society team together.
He is a much-valued and esteemed contributor to the fabric of the Daylesford community.
Caption: Les pictured after receiving his honorary life membership certificate. Growing up playing football in the streets of Richmond, Les thought a Brownlow medal would be nice. However, he was clearly honoured to receive this recognition as football notoriety eluded him.
Judy Files is the Treasurer of the Daylesford and District Historical Society.
