Behind the scenes of the RHSQ archival collection: A glimpse at some of the treasures

It would seem appropriate in this centenary year of The Royal Historical Society of Queensland [RHSQ] to highlight some of the treasures that are hidden behind the scenes in the library and museum at the Commissariat Store. While there are articles outlining the history of the Society, such as that written by Peter Biskup in 1988, 75 years after the birth of the RHSQ, there does not appear to be a great deal of published information on the actual treasures that have been collected and/or donated over the years. Two authors have reflected on the collection: FWS Cumbrae-Stewart in 1920, in noting the gift of John Watts' 1901 reminiscences to the Society, and Jean Stewart, who described a chance meeting which led to her accessing the typewritten Diary of Emily Caroline Creaghe which had 'remained filed away in the Society's collection' since 1976. There is also a Library Report by Mamie O'Keeffe in 1967 in which she states 'Like all libraries which have accumulated treasures over a long period we do not know everything we have'. The impetus for locating these treasures, which often are unknown to the researchers, usually stems from a research query by a member of the public and to the joy of the research team, recent inquiries have led to some wonderful discoveries that are worth sharing with readers of the Queensland History Journal.