Chance encounter unlocks history of Bundanoon Pottery and Gallery property

It was the Willamurra Guest House in the 1920s and 1930s, a nightclub known as the French Inn or affectionately as "Pierre's" in the 1950s where the owners would "poke food through the hole" to give to customers, as well as Hickling's Flats.

The late potter Wendy Smith then bought the property in 1980 where she constructed kilns in other rooms and sold her items in the front room.

Mr Pryor then continued the legacy with pottery and has been at the home on Railway Avenue for 35 years, and his daughter even operated the Two Brown Cats Bookshop there in the 2000s.

Those who go there will also find the White Room Gallery.

While he has been there, people have dropped by and been curious because were connected to the home.

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Once there was a man who asked if his mother could come and look because she lived there as a child.

"It's really sweet because when I have been in the front gallery over the years, there are a variety of people come here and youngsters," he said.

The most recent interaction was in October when he noticed two women outside who were trying to see inside.

Once he invited them in, he discovered they were Heidi Tamlyn and Erika Southam - the great-granddaughters of Iris and Rudolf Schneider, who lived there from 1916.

Initially from Mosman, the Schneider family had to relocate to Bundanoon due to the War Precautions Act 1914, which imposed restrictions on Germans in Australia, with Rudolf the only one born overseas.

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German men in Australia were held in camps, including in Berrima.

"They had to live over 100 miles from Sydney or risk arrest," Heidi said.

"Rudolf arrived in Sydney in 1882, ceased being a German subject in 1884 and became a naturalised NSW citizen in 1896.

"But that was no protection, his civil rights were taken away which affected all the family."

Although he had a successful trading business with Pacific-based colonies, Rudolf was interned before the Christmas of 1915 in Holdsworthy and was not released until 1920.

He was not charged with any disloyalty to Australia.

Bundanoon became a pivotal place for the family, where many locals helped them through the anti-German propaganda which at one point was so severe, the children did not go to school.

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George John Freeman from the Bundanoon Police Station at the time even provided a signed character reference to Rudolf as he successfully fought to remain in Australia.

"My grandmother and her siblings grew up loving the beauty and freedom of the Bundanoon countryside," Heidi said.

"The local police, located next door, befriended the family despite the heavy toll of war casualties throughout the Southern Highlands."

The two eldest girls stayed in the town when the family moved to Rose Bay in 1922.

"My grandmother and all her siblings often shared happy memories of their childhood in Bundanoon," Heidi said.

"We are so grateful to Bruce for opening his doors to our family so we could step back in time to experience the lives of our ancestors."

Mr Pryor said he has enjoyed showing others the home.

"It's quite pleasant to have that interest - in one sense it's lovely to allow someone to enter the space and experience it," he said.

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