Ivor Treharne Birtwistle

Birtwistle Local Studies Library is named after Ivor Treharne Birtwistle (1892 – 1976) who was an eminent WA journalist, editor of The Western Mail newspaper and founding member of the Royal Western Australian Historical Society.

Mr Birtwistle's personal collection of books were donated to History House Museum (Armadale) following his death in 1976 and later formed the core of the Local Studies Library collection. A selection of the many old and rare WA publications are kept on permanent display in the Library's foyer and his original photographs are also a fascinating and valuable foundation of the Library's image collection.

Upon retiring from journalism in the late 1950s, Ivor and his wife Kathleen moved to their property in Roleystone. He soon became an Armadale- Kelmscott Shire Councillor, showing a strong commitment to the district’s history and heritage, helping to form the Armadale-Kelmscott Historical Society (as he had done decades earlier with the Royal WA Historical Society).

Mr Birtwistle was also a driving force behind the building of History House Museum, which was a controversial and heavily-debated proposal in the 1970s. As a result of much perseverance, the custom-built museum was opened by Sir Paul Hasluck in April 1976. Mr Birtwistle passed away only two months later aged 82, on 15 June 1976.

The Birtwistle Local Studies Library strives to carry on the work of Mr Birtwistle and his friends and neighbours who founded the Armadale-Kelmscott Historical Society (now defunct) by documenting the history of the district with the same level of commitment and integrity of its namesake.