Around 1977, a St Andrews local, Reg Evans, made a wooden cradle for his friends’ baby. The cradle is built from 200 year old cedar collected from a forest in New South Wales (which no longer exists) and more recent Victorian timber. Beautifully carved antique chair backs form part of the cradle. Other carvings are Reg’s handiwork.
The wooden cradle was once kept at the St Andrews general store, with a book to record the names of local babies of families to whom the cradle was lent for use. Carved on the front of the cradle are the names of every baby who has slept in it.
Names were carved on the sides of the cradle as the front became full. In October 2008 as St Andrews prepared to celebrate its 150 year anniversary a call out was made for the missing cradle. It was found on loan to a family in Canberra.
In Feb 2009, the Black Saturday fires devastated the local area and actor Reg Evans and his wife were sadly lost. But the cradle had remained in Canberra and so remained safe.
The cradle is still used by local families when not residing at the St Andrews Community Centre. The book has unfortunately been lost, so a complete record of families who have used it no longer remains but this wonderful heirloom and Reg Evans’ legacy to the St Andrews community remains.
Updated September 6, 2018
Sources
St Andrews; A Village Built on Gold. St. compiled by St. Andrews Primary School Council 1998. Reissued with index 2008. p. 135 ISBN 978 0646 353753
Solve cradle mystery Diamond Valley Leader, October 8, 2008
Helen Kenny President, St Andrews Queenstown Historical Society
Photo: Queenstown Community, 1918. Shire of Eltham Pioneers Collection Yarra Plenty Regional Library in partnership with Eltham District Historical Society
