From its beginnings in 1958, the Society has mounted exhibitions and/or displays, in early days in shop window and in community spaces located in the Kew City Hall (later Kew Library), and since 2010 at the Kew Court House. Exhibitions typically coincided with the annual Kew Community Festival in March, but after 2013 evolved into three new exhibitions yearly at the Kew Court House. Smaller displays continue to be mounted in the Kew Library.Very faded photographic colour positive of a christening gown and four Victorian-era dresses displayed at the 1976 Festival of Kew exhibition mounted by the Kew Historical Society. This picture is one of the earliest showing items from the Coombs Collection on display. The collection had been donated to the Society in 1961. Dresses displayed: L-R blue silk 2-piece fitted day day dress with long train; cream satin parasol; gold taffeta wedding dress with long train; blue silk 2-piece day dress with applied later lace at neck and waist; duck egg blue quilted afternoon dress with buttons at front. Inscribed verso: Kew Historical exhibition 1976festival of kew 1976, kew historical society -- exhibitions, coombs collection

From its beginnings in 1958, the Society has mounted exhibitions and/or displays, in early days in shop window and in community spaces located in the Kew City Hall (later Kew Library), and since 2010 at the Kew Court House. Exhibitions typically coincided with the annual Kew Community Festival in March, but after 2013 evolved into three new exhibitions yearly at the Kew Court House. Smaller displays continue to be mounted in the Kew Library.Display of antique' objects owned by members of the Kew Historical Society, exhibited during the Festival of Kew in 1979Inscribed verso: " Society's display of family treasures during Festival of Kew, April 1979. kew historical society -- exhibitions, festival of kew -- 1979

From its beginnings in 1958, the Society has mounted exhibitions and/or displays, in early days in shop window and in community spaces located in the Kew City Hall (later Kew Library), and since 2010 at the Kew Court House. Exhibitions typically coincided with the annual Kew Community Festival in March, but after 2013 evolved into three new exhibitions yearly at the Kew Court House. Smaller displays continue to be mounted in the Kew Library.Display of objects and costumes owned by members of the Kew Historical Society or derived from the collection, exhibited during the Festival of Kew in 1979. Recognisable items include a Chinese black evening jacket embroidered with chrysanthemums in satin stitch belonging to Dione McIntyre.Inscribed verso: " Society's exhibition Festival of Kew / Donated by Janet McDermott 1979"kew historical society -- exhibitions, festival of kew -- 1979

From its beginnings in 1958, the Society has mounted exhibitions and/or displays, in early days in shop window and in community spaces located in the Kew City Hall (later Kew Library), and since 2010 at the Kew Court House. Exhibitions typically coincided with the annual Kew Community Festival in March, but after 2013 evolved into three new exhibitions yearly at the Kew Court House. Smaller displays continue to be mounted in the Kew Library.This photograph confirms that the purple ballgown is/was part of the Coombs family donation of Victorian era costumes made to the Society in 1961. Therefore it is important for establishing the item's provenance. Display of costumes from the collection of the Kew Historical Society, exhibited during the Festival of Kew in 1979. Recognisable items include from left the 1890s purple ball gown, the 1860s white satin wedding dress and the blue two-piece 1880s outfit. All items are clearly from the Coombs donation of 1961, there being no other record of costumes occurring before 1979. Inscribed verso: "Taken during Festival of Kew 1979 / Kew Hist contribution / Exhibition of Family Treasures / Donated by Janet McDermott 1979"kew historical society -- exhibitions, festival of kew -- 1979

From its beginnings in 1958, the Society has mounted exhibitions and/or displays, in early days in shop window and in community spaces located in the Kew City Hall (later Kew Library), and since 2010 at the Kew Court House. Exhibitions typically coincided with the annual Kew Community Festival in March, but after 2013 evolved into three new exhibitions yearly at the Kew Court House. Smaller displays continue to be mounted in the Kew Library.Ken Silcock and Jill O'Brien (KHS members) with a display of items from the collection of the Kew Historical Society at an unnamed and undated Kew Festival. Recognisable items include from left on the floor the large photograph by JE Barnes of Kew Becomes a City (1921), two completed and framed bicentennial tapestries (1988), the MUIOOF honour board, and the 1860s white wedding dress (part of the Coombs collection).Inscribed verso: "Jill O'Brien & Jen Silcock"kew historical society -- exhibitions, jill o'brien, ken silcock

Kew Historical Society has a large costume collection, including examples of formal wear, day wear, underwear, and protective clothing. As the Society has been located at the Kew Library since 1987, it uses display space within the library to mount small displays such as this display of aprons and pinafores. Larger exhibitions are typically held at the Kew Court House. Displays and exhibitions are mounted by the collections group; on this occasion, by Margaret Robinson, Robert Baker, and Jan Walker. Display of nine aprons and pinafores at Kew Library, 2024. The items date from the 1940s to the 1960s and are drawn from a large collection of protective wear in our collection.costumes, protective wear, clothing, aprons, pinafores

While the end of World War II heralded a new era, postwar restrictions on resources affected what could be built, how people worked, and the everyday lives of men and women. The decade beginning in 1950 included monumental shifts in the social and cultural fabric of life in Australia more widely, and also in Kew. This exhibition explores how life changed by exploring the memories of people who lived in Kew during these years, the development of notable private and public modern architecture, and the ways that innovation transformed the lives of Kew’s residents. Set of five photos of artefacts and photographs of the main exhibition room of the Kew Historical Society at the Kew Court House. The secondary room includes images of 1950s and 1960s architecture. Also included in this file is the exhibition flyer.kew -- history -- postwar, kew historical society -- exhibitions