A silver centrepiece with links to bushranger Ben Hall will become one of the most important exhibits at the Orange Regional Museum.
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The ornamental antique, known as the Campbell Epergne, was given to farmers Amelia and David Campbell by the Forbes and Eugowra communities in 1864 to recognise their bravery after they came under attack from Hall’s gang at their property Goimbla, near Eugowra, in November 1863.
Mr Campbell fired back at the gang with the help of his wife and one of the gang, John O’Meally, was shot dead before the others fled.
Museum manager and heritage co-ordinator Alison Russell said about 93 people from the community were so thankful for the Campbell’s bravery they raised funds for gifts, including paying 105 pounds for the epergne, from a store in Sydney.
The 72 centimetre-tall epergne, made in England in 1862, stayed in the family until a few years ago when it was bought by a collector.
Now, federal government funding of $90,000 plus $25,000 raised by the museum has enabled it to be bought for public display.
Ms Russell said the centrepiece was intended to be placed on a dinner table with glass bowls for holding fruit and food.
“We think it is one of the most significant acquisitions by a regional museum,” she said.
Orange Regional Gallery director Brad Hammond said it would go on display at the museum from February 1 alongside historical information explaining its importance and would be on exhibition for about five years.
Member for Calare Andrew Gee said the epergne recognised the Campbells’ heroism at a frightening time for country people.
They were basically two farmers in 1863 and a gang of bushrangers coming and opening fire on them.
- Andrew Gee, Member for Calare
“That’s a fairly big statement of the community feeling that somebody had stood up to the bushrangers,” he said.
“It must have been very significant at the time. [The attack] quite polarised feeling against the bushrangers.
“They were basically two farmers in 1863 and a gang of bushrangers coming and opening fire on them. You can say that story captured the imagination.”
Orange mayor Reg Kidd said it helped change public attitude to bushrangers.
“The debate about whether they were popular Robin Hood characters or dangerous criminals had a turning point when Ben Hall’s gang attacked a farmhouse and fired on a woman,” he said.
“The reality is these people were crooks.”
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