My Recollections of Eltham Past by Margaret Joy Harding (nee Joy Chapman.) My family of Elizabeth and Alec Chapman moved to Eltham in 1946 into a cottage on the opposite side of the Diamond Creek from where the little train now operates in the Lower Park. At that time Eltham truly was a country town and the Pub was the main meeting place for most inhabitants on a Saturday afternoon in the beer garden. I attended Eltham Primary School where I started as a 4-year-old (my birthday being slightly after the mid-year intake) that happened then. My mother spent a lot of days taking me back to school when I had dismissed myself and walked the one kilomtre home alone. Bremner's Common (now Wingrove Park) was a big attraction with its dam and tad poling which I found much more entertaining than school. (Mrs Bremner ran a Service Station on the site of the current one). Another attraction at this site was the circus that came a couple of times a year. Watching them put up the circus tent was very interesting and even more of an attraction was the feeding of the Lions in cages and the monkeys and elephants among the other animals that are not found in a circus these days. At school then we were provided with hot chocolate at morning recess where the mothers would prepare it in the shelter shed. The only form of classroom heating was an open fire. Worse was the warm milk given in the summer months. By the time I was near finishing at Primary school we used to be able to walk along the Main Road at lunchtime to Mrs. Mitchell's shop to a delicious hot pie. As I recall there was no supervision for this departure from the school grounds. It is interesting that some of the other children I started school with I still have contact with, in fact one is a very good friend although now living in Perth. That is the other thing about Eltham; many who grew up here continue to live in the area. Following primary school, the natural progression was to Eltham High School. There was only the main building at that time and I can remember our first assembly at the front entrance. During the time I was at High School several new class rooms were added and the school hall. I remember the musical plays such as HMS Pinafore and other classical musicals being performed. I also remember countless hours doing marching practice. The main street shops when I was young consisted of the Blue Gum milk bar at the far end, a Grocery store and a shoe maker where Coles currently stands. Opposite there was Lyon's Garage. They also provided a bus service and when we got off the train this little bus would tour the back streets taking each individual to their home, sometimes this could take quite considerable time. There was also a Black Smith next to the Chiropractic Practice opposite Alistair Knox Park, another Milk Bar/General Store on the comer of Bridge Street/Main Road where a shop currently still operates. There was also a Butcher's shop down from the pub opposite Franklin Street. The only doctor was next to the courthouse on the other side of Brougham Street. On Saturday afternoon I was occasionally allowed to go the movies in the Town Hall which also stood on the site of the Coles centre. Often the Fire Alarm would sound and everyone would run outside to watch the fire truck leave with the volunteers clutching on the back. The other attraction during summer of course was the swimming pool which was a small concrete pool filled with water pumped from the Diamond Creek, sometimes it was like a mud puddle so for me the nearer to home Yarra/Diamond Creek junction was a much better option. We swam in the water hole which was quite deep and with fallen trees and sometimes carcasses of cows and kangaroos floating past. As recreation, the churches were another attraction for the Sunday school picnics to Mordialloc in the back of the moving van with benches tied into the back for us to "sit" on. Too bad when we went around a corner! In the early days we had an Ice Man deliver the ice once a week for "refrigeration". The green grocer came around in a horse and cart as did the milkman and the bread was delivered but I constantly got into trouble for eating the middle out on the way from the box it was delivered to in Mt Pleasant road across the paddock. The milkman finally would not come down our street after his horse bolted one morning and took off across the paddock. We also had the "Pan Man" come weekly and whose visit I would avoid. Our nearest shop was where the flower stall is located opposite the Lower Park. It consisted of a Tea Room and Milk Bar. There was a Public Telephone there which was the only contact to anyone else. We were a one car family so my mother’s movements were very limited as the Eltham Station was a couple of kilometres away and a trip to the city was an event. Being an only child growing up was a little lonely however rambling along the creek with my Mum, picking mushrooms and picking cherry plums for jam and the dogs catching rabbits which we ate if we could get them away from the dogs. We also liked to go into the Lower Park during school holidays when the Greek people came to camp and they would sing and dance around the camp fire and it all seemed so different to us as this was early days of immigration. Childhood was relatively simple and carefree and I wish the kids of today had the freedom of my youth and the healthy outdoor lifestyle of the "olden days".   SHOW GIRL COMPETITION In 1965 Eltham was more like a country town than the suburb it has become today. People knew each other, if not personally then certainly of the family name. The big event for the year was a Gymkhana or show at Lower Eltham Park. I can remember marching as a teenager from the town centre to the park in the marching girls with the decorated floats. In 1965, just on a whim on the day, I decided to enter the Miss Eltham Show Girl which was a part of the festivities at the park. I seem to remember that the show mainly consisted of horse events, cattle judging and dog show. As I had not given any serious thought to entering the competition, I wore a suit that I had for work which was brown wool, with a coffee coloured shirt under, black shoes, bag, and gloves but no hat. I duly paraded for the judges and much to my surprise I was announced the winner. I eventually went on to compete at the Miss Victoria Show Girl competition which was held at the Royal Melbourne Show. There I met many country girls who were representing their rural Victoria home. I made it into a final round of judging but I think justice prevailed when someone from a country background was crowned. It was fun to go into the show as I had not really been before and to see the displays of handcraft, cooking and wood chopping events was great as well as the judging of farm animals interesting. It is hard to remember the Eltham I grew up in. The Lyons Garage company bus that actually drove you home (or close to it) when we got off the train at night. The Eltham Hotel on a Saturday afternoon a usual social meeting place where people just sat and chatted. The pictures held in the Town Hall and when the fire alarm sounded all the men just jumped up and ran to help. Suburbia has now swallowed most of that life but thankfully we at least do have the trestle bridge and parkland. Digital file only - Black and white photo print on loan for scanning by EDHSalec chapman, annie bremner, blacksmith, bremner's flat, brougham steet, bus services, circus, diamond creek, dianne bell, doctor bradbury, easter gymkhana, elizabeth chapman, eltham high school, eltham hotel, eltham lower park, eltham public hall, eltham state school, eltham trestle bridge, general store, grace mitchell, ice man, joy chapman, lyons garage, margaret harding, milk bar, miss eltham 1965, miss victoria show girl, mount pleasant road, pan man, rodda parade, shops, show girl competition, swimming pool, water hole, yarra river

Map of Main Road with listings of all properties (shops/homes) from Mount Pleasant Road through to Pryor Street from the 1930s on to about the 1970sandrew store, andrews newsagency, arthur street, babe taylor house, bakery, barbers blue gum store, blue gum, boarding house, bootmakers cottage, bottle shop, bradford butcher shop, bradford house, bradley house, brdbury house, bridge street, brooker, brougham steet, brown blacksmith, browne's grocer, bryant, burgoyne post office, burgoyne's shop, capewell butcher shop, catholic church, catholic school, chandlers lolly shop, cheddar black, chiropractor, cockcroft, commercial bank of australia, copelands chemist, copelands dairy, d. hall house, dave lyon house, david lyon house, dr cordner, dr loosli, dr r. bradbury, dudley street, eltham, eltham bakehouse, eltham courthouse, eltham fire brigade, eltham living and learning centre, eltham pre-school, eltham railway station, eltham shire office, eltham station masters house, eltham war memorial, f. collis store, feed store, fountain hotel, franklin street, gadd's blacksmith, gahan house, garnet burges, george bird grocer, gollings, grant house, harry hawker, headmaster's resience, henry street, hepburn house, hills house, isherwood house and shop, jack ryan, jack shallard, james house, jarrold cottage, jim ryan, john lyon house, kilpatrick, le brocq, leather and harness, len parsons, lock-up, lyon bros garage, main road, map, mathews house, mclean's produce store, mechanics institute, methodist church, methodist hall, milkbar, mills bootmaker, miss george, monteith house, mount pleasant road, mrs bradbury, mrs davis house, mrs jewell, mrs mbremner store, mrs morris shop, napoleon street, obelisk, panther place, peter gahan, pitt street, plumber, police residence, poultry and market garden, pryor street, railway house, rains newsagency, real estate agent, reeves general store, s. bradbury, shillinglaw cottage, staffs general store, stones mixed shop, tennis court, timber yard, w. walker, w.b. andrew corn store, warren's general store, water trough, watsons hotel, websters house, whitecloud cottage, whites general store, williams bootmaker, wingrove cottage, wingrove park, woodyard, york street, franco and co

Eltham Gateway, Gennaro's Pizza Restaurant, 720 Main Road, Eltham - now Franco & Co, on the corner of Brougham StreetTomorrow's history documented todayeltham, jim connor collection, main road, eltham gateway, avenue of honour, gennaro's, restaurants, brougham steet, franco and co

Eltham Gateway, View looking north to intersection of Brougham Street from near 725 Main Road - replica former Police Station at Local History CentreTomorrow's history documented todayeltham, jim connor collection, main road, eltham gateway, avenue of honour, brougham steet, local history centre

Eltham Gateway, Gennaro's Pizza Restaurant, 720 Main Road, Eltham - now Franco & Co, on the corner of Brougham StreetTomorrow's history documented todayeltham, jim connor collection, main road, eltham gateway, avenue of honour, brougham steet, gennaro's, restaurants, franco and co

Eltham Gateway, View looking north at intersection with Main RoadTomorrow's history documented todayeltham, jim connor collection, main road, eltham gateway, avenue of honour, brougham steet

Eltham Gateway, Michael Wilson Diamond Jewellers, 725 Main Road, Eltham at the corner of Brougham StreetTomorrow's history documented todayeltham, jim connor collection, main road, eltham gateway, avenue of honour, brougham steet, michael wilson diamond jewellers

Eltham Gateway, Michael Wilson Diamond Jewellers, 725 Main Road, Eltham at the corner of Brougham StreetTomorrow's history documented todayeltham, jim connor collection, main road, eltham gateway, avenue of honour, brougham steet, michael wilson diamond jewellers

Eltham Gateway, Michael Wilson Diamond Jewellers, 725 Main Road, Eltham at the corner of Brougham StreetTomorrow's history documented todayeltham, jim connor collection, main road, eltham gateway, avenue of honour, brougham steet, michael wilson diamond jewellers

Eltham Gateway, Local History Centre, 728 Main Road, Eltham at intersection of Brougham Street Tomorrow's history documented todayeltham, jim connor collection, main road, eltham gateway, avenue of honour, brougham steet, local history centre

Eltham Gateway, Gennaro's Pizza Restaurant, 720 Main Road, Eltham - now Franco & Co, on the corner of Brougham Street Tomorrow's history documented todayeltham, jim connor collection, main road, eltham gateway, avenue of honour, brougham steet, gennaro's, restaurants, franco and co

Eltham Gateway, Local History Centre, 728 Main Road, Eltham at intersection of Brougham Street Tomorrow's history documented todayeltham, jim connor collection, main road, eltham gateway, avenue of honour, brougham steet, local history centre

728 Main Road, cnr of Brougham Street, Eltham, May 1988. Former Police House (1859) which at time of photo was the offices of the Shire of Eltham Parks and Environment. This photo was taken prior to the building of the replica Police Station to serve as a lunch room. The origional timber weatherboard building had been relocated around the rear of the residence years earlier but had since been demolished due to termite infestation. Ten years later (1998) the residence was made available by Nillumbik Shire Council for occupation by the Eltham District Historical Society (former Shire of Eltham Historical Society) to be used as their Local History Centre.35mm colour positive transparency (1 of 36) Mount - Kodak KodachromeProcess Date MAY 88Meltham, infrastructure, main road, brougham steet, eltham justice precinct, local history centre, parks and environment, police residence, shire of eltham

35mm colour positive transparency (1 of 23) Mount - Kodak EktachromeProcess Date MAY 88Mbrougham steet, eltham, main road, marcella's, restaurants, 1988-05, franco and co, mount - kodak ektachrome, scan - 35mm positive

35mm colour positive transparency Mount - Black and Whiteavenue of honour, brougham steet, main road, marcella's, 1988, franco and co, mount - black and white, scan - 35mm positive

35mm colour positive transparency (1 of 28) Mount - Kodak KodachromeProcess Date MAR 89Mbolton steet, brougham steet, eltham, southernwood

35mm colour positive transparency (1 of 15) Mount - Kodak Kodachrome Cardbible street, brougham steet, eltham, houses, infrastructure, roads

Lot 6 L.P. 9499 at eastern most end of Brougham Street Property has since been subdivided and this access end is now 146 Brougham Street Photo taken by Russell Yeoman, Planning Department, Shire of Eltham In the 1954 Electoral Roll Ella Dunkel was listed as living in Diamond Street, Home Duties. In the 1963/1967/1968/1972/1977 electoral rolls she was listed at 19 Rockcliffe Road, Home Duties. Probate was granted 18 July 1979 (Wills and Probate Records. VPRS 28 (Probates) and VPRS 7591 (Wills). Public Record Office Victoria, North Melbourne, Victoria.)Polaroid photographPolaroid Manufacturer Code K603831 #7brougham steet, houses, rockcliffe street, eltham, ella dunkel

Lot 5 L.P. 9499 at eastern most end of Brougham Street Property has since been subdivided and this access end is now 146 Brougham Street Photo taken by Russell Yeoman, Planning Department, Shire of Eltham Polaroid photographPolaroid Manufacturer Code K603831 #6brougham steet, houses, rockcliffe street, eltham

Lot 5 L.P. 9499 at eastern most end of Brougham Street Property has since been subdivided and this access end is now 146 Brougham Street Photo taken by Russell Yeoman, Planning Department, Shire of Eltham 35mm colour positive transparency blue Agfacolour Service plastic mountSlide is marked 19 July 1967 but identical to Polaroid taken by Russell Yeoman at 3:30pm on 5 July 1967 Slide also inscribed E-B and Gp PSCbrougham steet, houses, rockcliffe street, eltham

Lot 6 L.P. 9499 at eastern most end of Brougham Street Property has since been subdivided and this access end is now 146 Brougham Street Photo taken by Russell Yeoman, Planning Department, Shire of Eltham In the 1954 Electoral Roll Ella Dunkel was listed as living in Diamond Street, Home Duties. In the 1963/1967/1968/1972/1977 electoral rolls she was listed at 19 Rockcliffe Road, Home Duties. Probate was granted 18 July 1979 (Wills and Probate Records. VPRS 28 (Probates) and VPRS 7591 (Wills). Public Record Office Victoria, North Melbourne, Victoria.) 35mm colour positive transparency blue Agfacolour Service plastic mountSlide is marked 19 July 1967 but identical to Polaroid taken by Russell Yeoman at 3:30pm on 5 July 1967 Slide also inscribed E-B and Gp PSCbrougham steet, houses, rockcliffe street, eltham, ella dunkel

The Shire of Eltham was introducing a number of speed humps throughout the shire around this time period and took a photographic record of various new installations.Colour photographeltham, streets, bolton steet, brougham steet, infrastructure, speed humps

35mm Colour positive transparency Mount - Agfacolor Service (Blue stepped)brougham steet, eltham, eltham courthouse, main road, mobil service station

Looking up to present day Cafe Zen Den then operated as a nursery35 mm colour positive transparency Mount - Agfacolor Service (Blue)brougham steet, cafe zen den, eltham, eltham courthouse, main road

Greeting card from Neville Emerson and Staff with sketch commissioned by Neville Emerson Real Estate. The image was also used on the Wiregrass Gallery calendar for 1983Christmas card 10.5 x 21 cmart, bill caldwell, walter withers house, artist, bolton steet, brougham steet, fay bridge collection, neville emerson real estate, sketches, walther withers, wiregrass gallery calendar

View looking northeast from present day Ely Street (near intersection of present day Cronus Court and Porter Street) across what will become the site of Eltham High School towards Main Road showing the Eltham Courthouse and Police station. View is very similar to the sketch of Eltham published in 'The Illustrated Australasian News', December 26, 1884, p212. Note the large bluestone cell block behind police house and stable. George Knapman's Shoeing Forge next to the courthouse and the concentration of buildings around the Evelyn Hotel and Watson's Eltham Hotel on opposite sides of Main Road at Pitt street. Also note George Stebbing's cottage (c.1860) on Pitt Street behind the courthouse and 'Sunnyside' (home of W.J. Taylor built c.1885) at the top of the hill on Bible Street. In the foreground are orchards running up to the main street, Maria Street and also between Brougham Street and Dalton Street bordered by Bible Street.This photo forms part of a collection of photographs gathered by the Shire of Eltham for their centenary project book,"Pioneers and Painters: 100 years of the Shire of Eltham" by Alan Marshall (1971). The collection of over 500 images is held in partnership between Eltham District Historical Society and Yarra Plenty Regional Library (Eltham Library) and is now formally known as the 'The Shire of Eltham Pioneers Photograph Collection.' It is significant in being the first community sourced collection representing the places and people of the Shire's first one hundred years.Digital image 4 x 5 inch B&W Negshire of eltham pioneers photograph collection, eltham, 1890, bible street, brougham steet, dalton street, eltham courthouse, eltham hotel, evelyn hotel, franklin street, grant house, knapmans forge, main road, maria street, orchards, police residence, police station, pre 1900, stebbing cottage, sunnyside, w.b. andrew corn store, watsons hotel, little eltham

Formerly used by Dr Bradbury, it became Marcella's Restaurant, later Gennaro's then Franco's Pizzeria now Franco and CoColour photographrestaurants, gennaro's, marcella's, brougham steet, franco and co, main road

Colour photographManufacturer's marks: Polarcolor 8, Batch #E65K753A.eltham, infrastructure, shire of eltham infrastructure, bridge, brougham steet bridge

Black and white photographeltham, infrastructure, shire of eltham infrastructure, bridge, brougham steet bridge