Paddington Then & Now

Using the Covid Pandemic lockdowns as an opportunity to start researching online, two locals created this online history hub for Paddington and surrounds, using a digital format, rather than the traditonal history group format.

When Kerry Forsythe discovered that her beloved suburb, Paddington, didn’t have a history group or anyone collating local history since the 1990s, she used social media to express her frustration. Her message was picked up by local writer, and accidental historian, Caylie Jeffery, who agreed that such a team was imperative, and offered to join forces to start Paddington Then and Now.

They’ve since received and shared thousands of photos and stories on social media (Facebook, Instagram and YouTube) and continue to call for stories from locals past and present, interviewing, filming, recording and editing their findings to share with the greater community.

They run family history workshops, house history training and memoir mentor sessions at the Briswest Centre.

The Paddington Then and Now Heritage Festival is on in August every year.