Millicent has an indirect link with Sir Edmund Hillary who was a member of the two-man party who were the first to successfully climb Mount Everest 70 years ago.

The so-called conqueror of the world’s highest mountain and New Zealander became a household name across the globe.

It is little wonder that Michael Bleby, now of Millicent, was thrilled to acquire his signature on two occasions during his boyhood in Adelaide.

The fascinating back story of how he obtained the signatures for his book about the Everest expedition was told by Mr Bleby to the May monthly meeting of the South East Family History Group.

As the scheduled guest speaker could not be present, in his place was an evening of discussion about old books, school, children’s, favourites, autographs, historical interests, birds, animals, bibles etc.

In essence, a history group became a book club for one night only.

Around 12 other SEFHG members joined Mr Bleby in talking about their favourite books for 90 minutes.

The majority showed colourful picture books from their childhood.

New SEFHG member Selena Smith, now of Hatherleigh, quoted from a book about midwifery which was published in 1831.

She bought it for $1 and it is now valued at $150.

SEFHG newsletter editor Lucy Thompson was born and raised in the USA.

She brought along three books from her early childhood, school days and university era.

Ms Thompson explained that one book took her eye during the time of her tertiary studies

“I found it in a second-hand bookshop,” she said.

“It was a leather-bound edition of the poems of Alfred, Lord Tennyson.”

Noel Boyle displayed three different collections of the poetry of Adam Lindsay Gordon, John Nicholson paid a “record” price of $75 in 1991 for a book about wooden boats while John Trafford valued the hand-me-downs which were Meccano magazines.

Colleen Hammat showed the light-hearted book which was made for her by her colleagues on the occasion of her retirement from Millicent South Primary School.

Among the extensive personal library of “Fred” Smith are books once owned by his late forebears at Clare.

He displayed examples belonging to his great grandfather John Luckhurst Smith, his great aunt Jo Smith and his father Bob Smith.

The SEFHG next meets in Millicent on June 22 but the guest speaker has yet to be announced.