Fred looks back; Report: Linley Hartley, Picture: Ron Grant Teaching himself German again after 70 years is just one of the many tasks Fred Golgerth, of Greensborough, has undertaken and succeeded in during his lifetime. As the two year old tenth child of a German descendent, Fred learnt to speak German from an Aunt. But World War 1 was raging. Fred’s older brother had gone to Europe with the Australian forces, changing his name … to ….. to sound less German. “I used to get my bottom slapped for speaking German at home,” Fred said. Even his name was changed from Otto to the more anglicised Frederick. Fred claims his involvement with Eltham started two years before he was born! His sister, two years older than him, was a babe in arms when his parents bought a piece of grazing property in Mount Pleasant Rd. “It was about 24 acres on a spur of Mt Pleasant,” Fred said. “My parents bought it from Mr and Mrs Hughes. There was a two-room mud hut in wattle and daub that we lived in from time to time. “My parents had a dairy farm and dairy in West Coburg, and they bought the Mt Pleasant land to put the dry stock on. “At one stage my mother got very ill and my older sister took my younger sister and myself to Eltham for four or five months. I went down to Eltham Primary School then.” That wasn’t the only time Fred stayed in Eltham. His sister, Wilhemina, known as Willa, married Jim Watson who had the Eltham hotel for some years from the end of World War 1. Pillar to post living was the way Fred described his youth, when he stayed with one married sister after another. “After a while Will and Jim lived in the big house at the top of Pitt St, next to the Council depot, and the hotel was managed by Fitzsimmons who had a big place near the river down there on Fitzsimons Lane. There was no bridge in Fitzsimons Lane but we used to cross the river at a ford, rolling up our trouser legs so they wouldn’t get wet, and carrying our shoes. I’d o down to visit some friends I had in Templestowe. And sometimes Jim Watson took his horse drawn lorry across the ford on his way to the brewery, instead of going don through Heidelberg.” “The bridge across the Yarra in Fitzsimons was not built until 1961.” Fred Golgerth, was only a teenager when he was rolled off his pushbike under a car on the bend between Mt Pleasant Rd and the Diamond Creek bridge. He was hospitalised in the little hospital on the east side of Eltham village that served the district in those days. He still carries the scars of the burns he received from the exhaust pipe and recent x-rays have revealed several broken vertebrae. At the time of the accident he was treated for a dislocated neck and was in plaster from his hip to the base of his head for about seven months. But nothing daunted Fred. Bouncing back he began work as an apprentice to a motor mechanic in Bell St, Preston, a man who is still living (at 90) in Queensland and who still communicates with Fred frequently. “He was like a father to me,” Fred declared. He was a marine engineer as well, so I …. that as well as blacksmithing. They taught us properly then.” After finishing his apprenticeship, Fred bought himself a 30 hundredweight Fargo truck and began his own contract carting business, doing most of the work for a firm called Carnegie’s and a subsidiary of that, Howard Radio. It was in the office Fred met his wife. “He taught me to drive the truck giving me lessons in my lunch hours up the Bourke St and Flinders St extension,” she said. “After work I’d have a driving lesson and all the girls from the Howard Radio would pile in the back to get a lift to Richmond Station.” In the 1939 bushfires, the Mt Pleasant Rd property was burnt out and the hut raised. Two years later, Fred and Dorothy were married. Fred paid £7.15.0 ($15.50) for the suit in which he was married. Dorothy had pulled out of the Women’s Air Training Corps to be married. Others with whom she trained went to Darwin and were in a convoy that was bombed. Fred went into the garage business in Brighton and continued his cartage business for a while. His company was employed to do all Brown Gouge’s motor repairs and factory maintenance. Because Fred had a certificate to do steam repair work he often got jobs maintaining industrial boilers. While he was in Brighton, Fred bought an eight-seater 1925 Silver Ghost Rolls Royce from Sir Keith Murdoch. When the couple moved to Rosanna in about 1943, it became a delivery van for the dairy they operated. “I thought I’d like to get back into a dairy business” Fred said. “We used to deliver the milk in the Rolls. “But it was hard work. We couldn’t get the labour and we’d drive to the farm and pick up the milk cans, take them back to the dairy, cool the milk, bottle it and deliver it. The inspectors would come regularly and the walls for bacteria.” Fred was exhausted. The couple gave up the dairy and moved to Eltham to live on the old property where a weatherboard house had now been built. It wasn’t a big house and the glassed in Rolls Royce limousine became the daytime nursery for the Golgerth’s second daughter. We’d put her in there to sleep during the day.” “Dorothy Golgerth was known to drive the Rolls at breakneck speed along Mt Pleasant Rd. Fred took some time off work then began driving a little local bus run by the Lyon Brothers before taking a maintenance job at the Athenaeum Club in the city. He’d ride an old Harley-Davidson to the station and travel into the city by train. Later, when the family moved to Pryor St. (their house stood where McEwans car park is now) Fred could walk to and from the station. “There was no resident doctor in the early days of Eltham,” Fred said. “Dr Cordner used to come from Greensborough to a room in the old house next to the old grocery shop on the corner of York St and Main Rd, Eltham (the grocery shop is now the Eltham Feed and Grain Store). The Golgerths lived in Eltham until “Dollar Day” – the day decimal currency became official. They eventually moved to Greensborough, when they have lived since. Fred has had his share of interesting jobs since then, retiring at 65 seven years ago when he was working in the engineering department at Larundel. Recently, two of his older sisters and a brother died, within a month. They were all in their 80s. They all had a profound influence on Fred, especially during his youth. His sharp wit and amusing anecdotes are the richer for his having been the youngest of a family that made the best of every circumstance. And now, as he enjoys his retirement, he is concentrating on relearning the language of his infancy; teaching himself German from tapes and a ‘teach yourself’ manual. He is fiercely proud of his German ancestry and treasures the diary, written in German in Gothic script, kept by his grandparents during their journey to Australia. On the inside in blue pen: "To Sadie, Wal Margaret & Elizabeth with lots & lots of love & best wishes from Mother"marg ball collection, eltham hotel, herbert james watson, otto (fred) golgerth, wilhemina watson (nee golgerth)

"Rocknall" Eltham is a Pise house designed and built by John Harcourt. A mud brick extension was added in 1970 and was designed by John Pizzey Black and white photographInscribed on back with publication notes for Diamond Valley News DVN-2A: Neville Emerson 28 x 16 Eltham "Rocknall". Stamped 15 Oct 1979. Inscribed with name Ross. houses, neville emerson real estate, diamond street, diamond valley news, eltham, rocknall

Article on the award to Diamond Valley News for best Australian suburban newspaper 1994Newspaper clipping text and colour group photograph of newspaper staffdiamond valley news

Article on the award to Diamond Valley News for best Australian suburban newspaper 1995.Newspaper clipping, group colour photograph of newspaper staff diamond valley news

Article from Diamond Valley News regarding walking group from Greenhills Neighbourhood Centre 1991Newspaper Clipping, text and black and white image.greenhills neighbourhood centre, diamond valley news, walking groups

12 page newspaper cover wrap of news, events and information concerning the 1993 Eltham Festival including advertisementsNewsprint1993, 1993 eltham fun run, alistair knox park, australian automotive paint supplies pty ltd, body glove, cathy poussard, circus of chaos, classic fireplaces & bbqs, code one, comfyhome, dauphine, diamond valley and eltham community orchestra, diamond valley community hospital, diamond valley news, diamond valley nursery, doncal heating & cooling, eltham and district woodworkers association, eltham arts council, eltham bookshop, eltham circus of chaos, eltham community centre, eltham festival, eltham health foods, eltham high school, eltham hotel, eltham motor inn, eltham town park, eltham wildcats basketball club, eltham wiregrass gallery, forward auto salvage, gibson's menswear, hanglider lounge, inside out, integrity paint company, kristina jenkins, lancome beauty therapy, leo scott, lizzy tumbri, lower plenty hotel, mgs eltham, montsalvat garden nursery, mr milky's, murrundindi, naomi crowe, north riding living and learning centre, pam sladden, papua new guinean cultural promotion dance group, peter glass, senior citizen's hall, shire of eltham, shire president, shoestring youth theatre, sonya's health foods, steam train, the dancing bares, the eltham bookshop, the landscape factory, the ridge healthclub, the year of indigineous people, tony hicks trio, tony hicks, valley engineering, valley vision, victoria police rock band, vox bandicoot conservation theatre company, yarra yarra aboriginal dancers

Local newspaper (complete); 12 pagesnewspaper, local newspapers, rosanna diamond valley news

Local newspaper (complete); 40 pagesnewspaper, local newspapers, diamond valley news

Local newspaper (complete); 56 pagesnewspaper, local newspapers, diamond valley news

Local newspaper (complete); 52 pagesnewspaper, local newspapers, diamond valley news

Local newspaper (complete); 80 pagesnewspaper, local newspapers, diamond valley news

Local newspaper (complete); 104 pagesnewspaper, local newspapers, diamond valley news

Local newspaper (complete); 104 pagesnewspaper, local newspapers, diamond valley news, the heidelberg news

Also "Display for Heritage Week"Digital image onlyeltham library, ruth newton, shire of eltham historical society, heritage week, russell yeoman, diamond valley news

The article was published as a part of the Australia Remembers 1945 - 1995 Commemoration.The article is about Robert Anderson, a founder member of the Diamond Valley Arts Society. Robert served in WW2 and was selected to paint the portrait of Captain Lionel Colin Matthews, a decorated Signals Corps member.An A3 sized photocopy of a Diamond Valley News article. Nilcaptain lionel colin matthews, robert anderson, signals corps, australia remembers, ww2, daimond valley arts society

Article on the opening of the Greensborough Centre (now Plaza) on 14 November 1978.Newspaper article from Diamond Valley News with photo of ceramic mural.greensborough plaza

Three articles from 1964 on the history of suburbs in the new Shire of Diamond Valley - Greensborough, Watsonia and St Helena.Articles on the building of Greensborough, Montmorency and Watsonia Railway Stations, and establishment of St Helena.Pp. 28-30 of Diamond Valley News, 29 September 1964.greensborough railway station, montmorency railway station, watsonia, watsonia railway station, beale family, frank watson, shire of diamond valley, st helena

Construction of the Greensborough Bypass from Watsonia Road to the Civic Drive intersection with Diamond Creek Road was approved by the State government.Photocopy of article on page 1 of Diamond Valley News, 28 February1984.greensborough bypass

Article about the origins of what is thought to be the Batman Apple TreeBlack & white photocopy of newspaper articleFrom Diamond Valley News 29 September 1981 p. 4batman apple tree

List of Christmas services in 1995, 1999 and 2003 in Diamond Valley churches, including times and places.Three newspaper clippings from Diamond Valley Leader and Diamond Valley News, Text and illustrations.christmas services, greensborough inter church council

Publicity from Diamond Valley Leader of a Community Arts Project Kim Tarpey led at Judge Book. Also includes other stories: Part of history dies, Diamond Valley News, Tuesday, October 9, 1990, p26 Paintings, drawings on show, Diamond Valley News, Tuesday, October 9, 1990, p71 Motor Service Guide, Diamond Valley News, Tuesday, October 9, 1990, p72 Newsprint; double page spread from newspaper incorporating pages 25-26 and 71-721932 premiers, advertisements, art exhibition, banner project, banners, beverly madden, eltham community centre, marj shattock, eltham football club, glad offer, harold william weidlich, joan burton, judge book village, kim tarpey, lana hosking, lyn church, obituary, painters of nillumbik

Compilation of transcriptions of newspaper articles and photographs from The Argus 06/04/1923; Advertiser (Hurstbridge) 23/11/1923 and 25/071924 and Diamond Valley News 21/07/1967. The first Bundoora District Hall on the corner of Grimshaw Street and Plenty Road Bundoora was opened in April 1923; its replacement on Noorang Avenue Bundoora in November 1967.4 p. black and white text and colour photographsbundoora district hall, bundoora hall, grimshaw street bundoora, plenty road bundoora

Information about J.B. North and history of Meruka Estate, Meruka Park, Eltham "When life centred on a weekender" by Linley Hartley, Picture Ron Grant, Diamond Valley News, 25 September 1984 "Stalwart recalls the early days", by Sally McDonnell, Diamond Valley News, 30 September 1986 "A fine piece of Eltham history", Diamond Valley News, 1 March, 1997 EDHS Newsletter January 201222 pagesreminscences, marjorie north, montmorency, j. b. north, meruka estate, glen ellen estate

The Greensborough Gossip column in the local paper (Diamond Valley News), 1970. Includes a story about the Flintoff Street swing bridge and other local information.Digital copy of newspaper article.flintoff street greensborough, greensborough gossip

An article from Diamond Valley News, discussing the move of Watsonia Occasional Child Care to larger premises. The service will move from Knight Street to Gabonia Avenue Watsonia.Newspaper clipping, Black text and colour image.watsonia occasional child care., knight street occasional child care centre, gabonia avenue watsonia

Article by William Jackson published in the Diamond Valley News. Melbourne Citymission has dropped plans to sell Judgebook village retirement centre. In 2021, Judge Book is known as St Vincent's Care Services, Elthamjudge book memorial village, aged care, melbourne city mission, seniors, nursing home, aged care facility, chris white, william jackson, judgebook

This local news column details events, people and places of interest as they occurred in Watsonia in 1985.This column was a means of advertising for local community groups and gives a snapshot of the Watsonia area at the time.Spiral bound plastic binder with 20 pockets. Contains photocopies of selected articles from Diamond Valley News 1985watsonia, rosalie bray, diamond valley news

This local news column details events, people and places of interest as they occurred in Watsonia in 1987.This column was a means of advertising for local community groups and gives a snapshot of the Watsonia area at the time.Spiral bound plastic binder with 20 pockets. Blue title page. Contains photocopies of selected articles from Diamond Valley News 1987.watsonia, rosalie bray, diamond valley news

This local news column details events, people and places of interest as they occurred in Watsonia in 1990.This column was a means of advertising for local community groups and gives a snapshot of the Watsonia area at the time.Spiral bound plastic binder with 20 pockets. Blue title page. Contains photocopies of selected articles from Diamond Valley News 1990.watsonia, rosalie bray, diamond valley news