The Thomas and Jane Rose Family Society was conceived by two brothers, Roy and George Rose, who were descendants of Thomas and Jane's third child, Joshua.

 

George initially travelled to England to gather official documents to help verify a proposed history of the family.  Lindsay Rose, a cousin, actively encouraged the research.

 

In 1975, Roy and George officially set up the Society and planned a reunion for 1982. A committee was formed and the Society set two targets:

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• Conservation of Rose Cottage

• Publication of the family's history 

 

The Society has since added a further two targets:-

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• Open Rose Cottage as a Museum depicting early colonial life

• Envisage maintaining a Resource Centre for the display of donated descendants memorabilia, research and meeting place for the Society

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Rose Cottage, built in 1811, is the oldest slab timber dwelling on its original site in Australia. The Society and its dedicated volunteers open the Cottage each Sunday between 10am and 4pm and to School and Community Groups on Tuesdays and Wednesdays by appointment.

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The Society also acts as an information source for members scattered far and wide and promotes its activities and aims via media, printed materials, and social media.

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The Society has also published an 800+ page book "The Rose Family of the Bellona" which lists over 30,000 descendants

 

Regular reunions of family members and an annual picnic are held on the grounds of the Cottage. These draw descendants from far and wide - and help the Society update the growth and expansion of the Rose family.