Swan Guildford Historical Society

Swan Guildford Historical Society is a not-for-profit dedicated to preserving and promoting the rich history of Guildford and the Swan region.

Tours

Come on a guided tour to hear stories about law and order in Guildford. The perfect day out for the family, our tour includes the Colonial Gaol, Taylor’s Cottage, the prison exercise yard and lastly the Wash House.

Attractions

Monthly Events

People

Donated art deco cigarette lighter

Donate

Swan Guildford Historical Society collects objects that are linked to key moments, people and places, showcasing the history of Guildford and the Swan Valley.

We appreciate offers to donate items that fit the following criteria:

Does the item have a link to Guildford and surrounding areas?
Does it fill a gap in the museum collection?
What is known about the history of the item?
How did the object come to be in the donor’s possession?
Is the item already represented in the collection?
Is it in a good or stable condition?
Does the Society have the resources to store the item properly?

We recommend you contact us first to discuss donating objects. Phone (08) 9379 1829 OR email sghs@swanguildfordhistoricalsociety.org.au. The Curator will then advise if the object is suitable for donation. The next step it to sign a Donor / Deed of Gift Form. The object would then become the property of the Swan Guildford Historical Society.

Our headquarters: Judy Hamersley House

About

Swan Guildford Historical Society was founded in 1962 thanks to the foresight of Judy Hamersley, granddaughter of pioneers Charles and Fanny Harper of Woodbridge.

Judy understood the importance of the area, firstly to Aboriginal people who had met in the area for generations, in the area they know as Mandoon. With the establishment of the Swan River Colony in 1829, Guildford became a market town and a transport hub, the agricultural cradle of the new settlement.

Judy’s mission was to gather artefacts for a museum and record the history of the area for current and future generations. Today Guildford is a recognised historic town, classified by the National Trust, and the Swan Valley is one of Western Australia’s most visited tourism destinations.

From these early beginnings, the Society’s museum collection has grown to be a must see attraction. We display items from our collections in the Colonial Gaol and in Taylor’s Cottage. A display of farming machinery and a blacksmith’s forge are located in the Gaol’s exercise yard.

Upcoming Events

Monthly History Talk | 9 March 2026

Join us on Monday 9th March 2026 for our next general meeting with a guest speaker.

Venue: St. Matthews Anglican Church Hall, Stirling Square Guildford

Time: 7pm for a 7.30pm start

Guest speaker Sister Pauline Master RSM is a Western Australian whose colonial ties go back to the arrival of the Simon Taylor in 1841 with passengers James Doust and Susannah Hitchcock who married in 1846, and the arrival per the Minden in 1851 of Pensioner Guard James Whitely who had married Johanna Walsh in Ireland.

Sr. Pauline has had a varied work history, ranging from employment in a legal firm, prior to entering the convent to become a Sister of Mercy, to international postings. Following a primary and secondary school teaching career across the Goldfields, the South West, and Perth, Sr. Pauline worked in Papua New Guinea in Teacher Training Colleges in Mt. Hagen and Wewak. She has also worked in Kenya and East Timor.

Chaplaincy at Curtin and Edith Cowan Universities followed. Her diverse skill set also includes teaching English as a Second Language which she continues to do to help adult migrant women in Perth.

Her talk on 9th March, “Beginnings: the Sisters of Mercy in Western Australia” will trace some of the activities of the Sisters since their arrival 180 years ago under the leadership of Sr. Ursula Frayne.

At the conclusion of the presentation, join us for a light supper and networking.

Enquiries about Membership and volunteering with the Historical Society are welcome.