Seeking the past for the future

By Bridget Brady
A LONG-TIME Cranbourne resident is collecting the eulogies for departed residents to preserve and document the town’s history.
Graham Facey, whose family has lived in Cranbourne since the 1860s, is hoping residents will provide him with the eulogies or obituaries for family and friends for the Cranbourne Memories Collection.
Mr Facey, 71, is a member of the Cranbourne Shire Historical Society and is concerned the history of the old Cranbourne community is disappearing quickly.
“Each time you go to a local funeral there is a bit of interesting local history that you may not have known,” Mr Facey said. “If we could collect these eulogies it would be great. It helps to give you an idea of what happened.”
Mr Facey said people’s eulogies and their stories would add colour and character to local history.
He said he would welcome anyone’s eulogies, and that it would be great to collect those of influential or prominent residents who were large contributors to the town. Their contributions meant a great deal, he said.
“As Cranbourne becomes a suburb it has lost a lot of its character, I suppose. When it was smaller there were individuals that were the colour of the community. We’ve got plenty of history. It really was a country town.”
Mr Facey said he would love to see some older obituaries of people who died many years ago.
“I’m sure some families have kept copies of them,” he said. “If you don’t record it, it’s gone.”
The local history officer with the Casey Cardinia Library Corporation, Heather Arnold, said Mr Facey’s idea was a great initiative.
“It’s definitely pleasing and a great way to record history. You will get all of those little personal details about people that you may not get otherwise,” she said.
If anyone wants to contribute to the Cranbourne Memories Collection call Graham Facey on 5996 0381.