Item donated along with the collection of the Hoffman brothers memorabilia Photograph framed of Miss Anna Hoffman holding a photo of her father JacobOn self adhesive label attached to bottom left hand corner, with the words Miss Anna Hoffman and her father Jacob anna hoffman, picture framed

Five men in suits with high collars and bow ties pose with three ladies in evening dress. To the far left are Aaron Solomon and Annie Rose Drummond, and to the far right is John Irwin. Aaron Solomon (1870-1936) was enrolled at the RVIB school in 1878, after losing his sight at 6 years of age. He first began participating in concerts in September 1884, at an exhibition of talent that was held by the Institute and the Deaf, Dumb and Blind Institute, to raise awareness of their work and achievements. He then became a regular performer with the entertainment troupe and travelled around Victoria singing and playing piano, even after his discharge from the Institute in 1892. In 1894 he formed his own troop of players and toured around Victoria, Tasmania and New Zealand. This consisted of two females (Tilly Aston and Maggie Mulvogue) and three males (Charles Bartlett, John Irwin and himself). In 1896, Annie Drummond, Nellie Andrew and William Snell replaced the Aston, Mulvogue and Bartlett, and W.W. Spicer was appointed as manager with his wife acting as an assistant to the ladies of the group. In 1897-1898, H Forder replaced William Snell. On a return tour to New Zealand in late 1898, Thomas Andrews - brother to Nellie - joined the troop and Fred Hunter replaced H Forder. This was the first time the troop numbered eight people, who were also present when Annie Drummond married Aaron Solomon in Hamilton, New Zealand on Feb 3, 1899. This image could have been taken in 1898 before they left as a promotional card, or in 1899 when they returned, as a memento of the happy occasion.1 cardboard postcard size image with silver writingA. Marks & Co Elgin Street Carltonaaron solomon, annie rose drummond, w.w. spicer, nellie andrews, thomas andrews, fred hunter, john irwin, a. marks & co

Monash Bridge spans the Diamond Creek at Hurstbridge. It was built in 1917 for the Shires of Heidelberg, Eltham and Whittlesea. It is considered Nillumbik Shire's finest engineered bridge and was construced by the engineering company of Sir John Monash. Covered under Heritage Overlay, Nillumbik Planning Scheme. Published: Nillumbik Now and Then /​ Marguerite Marshall 2008; photographs Alan King with Marguerite Marshall.; p117 Monash Bridge is considered the Shire’s finest engineered bridge and was constructed by the engineering company of that great Australian, Sir John Monash.1 The bridge spans Diamond Creek on the Hurstbridge-Arthurs Creek Road, linking Hurstbridge with Yarrambat and Arthurs Creek. Monash Bridge, also called Hurst’s Bridge, was built in 1917, by the Reinforced Concrete and Monier Pipe Construction Company Pty Ltd, for the Shires of Heidelberg, Eltham and Whittlesea. Although Monash was probably in action overseas during World War One when the bridge was designed and constructed, he evolved the basic design in the 1900s and it was a standard design for the firm. However J A Laing, a designer at the firm, was probably the designer, as his initials are on bridge drawings held by the Eltham District Historical Society.2 The bridge is an excellent early Australian example of an open spandrel reinforced concrete arch bridge and has a single span of 29 metres. It is unusual in Victoria, but similar to many reinforced concrete arch bridges in Europe and America, built from the late 19th century. In Victoria, Monash pioneered the use of reinforced concrete – then a revolutionary construction material. His company, Monash & Anderson, had the exclusive licence for the Monier patent for the system of reinforced concrete construction for Victoria and New South Wales. A well-known example of the Monier arch bridge is the Morell Bridge in South Yarra. The sweeping arch of the Monash Bridge combines grace and utility and blends with the surrounding rural landscape. Its design and construction have allowed it to carry increasing volumes of heavy traffic, but in modern times the one lane is considered by some to prevent easy passage through Hurstbridge. However others consider this an asset to deter too much more traffic, which would diminish Hurstbridge’s charming rural character.3 This is the third bridge across the Diamond Creek at this site. The original bridge was a log bridge upstream, constructed in the 1850s by early settler, Henry Hurst, after whom Hurstbridge was named. The bridge spanned the creek, where it divided his family’s property. In the 1880s a timber bridge replaced it, known as Hurst’s Bridge. However a more permanent bridge was considered necessary when the new railway arrived in 1912, bringing with it expectations of growth in the town and the surrounding fruit-growing district. Monash Bridge’s official opening on November 3, 1917 was a gala occasion, which took place before about 1000 spectators. Two who attended the opening had a particularly sound knowledge of the locality. One was Fred Hurst, Henry’s brother, who used to ford the creek at or near the bridge’s site more than 50 years before. The other was John McDonald of Arthurs Creek, who had built the old wooden bridge over the creek about 40 years earlier.4 Although John Monash was a fine engineer, his fame came from his brilliant war career, rather than from his engineering or his many other achievements. Monash was Corps Commander of the Australian Forces. His brilliance was recognised with his awards: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St. Michael and St. George, and Knight Commander of the Bath. Monash was also decorated by the French, Belgian, and American Governments.5 After the war, Monash worked in many prominent civilian positions, the most notable as head of the Victorian State Electricity Commission. He was a leading and loved public figure, involved in many public and private organisations. He was president of the Australian Zionist Federation and involved in the Boy Scouts. Monash University is named after him. By the 1920s Monash was probably regarded as the greatest living Australian.6 Despite most of his life working as an administrator and leader, rather than a fighting soldier, he became integral to the ANZAC legend. Monash died in 1931.This collection of almost 130 photos about places and people within the Shire of Nillumbik, an urban and rural municipality in Melbourne's north, contributes to an understanding of the history of the Shire. Published in 2008 immediately prior to the Black Saturday bushfires of February 7, 2009, it documents sites that were impacted, and in some cases destroyed by the fires. It includes photographs taken especially for the publication, creating a unique time capsule representing the Shire in the early 21st century. It remains the most recent comprehenesive publication devoted to the Shire's history connecting local residents to the past. nillumbik now and then (marshall-king) collection, hurstbridge, monash bridge