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 | 13 April 2026

Join us for our next in the series of our “Making history matter” meetings with a guest speaker on Monday evening, 13th April 2026.

Guest speaker Richard Offen, President of the Royal Western Australian Historical Society (know called History West) will canvas some larger than life colonial figures. A popular broadcaster, author and bell ringer, Richard’s expose of the Swan Valley and Darling Range identities as featured in ‘Heroes, Villains and Vagabonds’ invites the audience to be the jury. He puts the Beaver back into Belvoir as given in Mary Durack and Nita Pannell’s dramatisation of Eliza Shaw’s life in Swan River Saga. Richard also draws on the Fenian John Boyle O’Reilly’s 1879 novel Moondyne based on Joseph Bolitho Jones. Further characters will emerge on the night.

Venue: St Matthew’s Hall, Stirling Square, Guildford.

Time: 7pm for a 7.30 pm start. Ample parking available.

After the talk, please join us for a light supper and networking.

Enquiries about membership, or volunteering are welcome.