Note from collector: Godfrey Hirst Diamond blankets from the mid-1950s are always delight to find. Some of these were found in the Geelong area but one came back with me from an op shop road trip around Tasmania, another from the St Pauls op shop in Romsey. I love this pattern and find the lemon and grey colourway particularly special.Note from collector- "For more than 100 years blankets were made all over Australia in over 100 woollen mills. My aim, is to preserve 100 examples of these wonderful pieces of history. Ten years ago I started collecting the iconic Onkaparinga travel rugs, so that on movie nights at home there would be plenty to go around. Everyone had their favourite; even the cat had his own – a small red tartan one. Keeping an eye out for those travel rugs at op-shops and markets, collectable stores and bazaars, led to noticing vintage blankets. I'd never really thought about them before or paid much attention though of course I had grown up with them at my grandmother's. When I discovered my first Laconia cream blanket with blue stripes, my eyes just went gaga. Well that was it, I was hooked and since then over 500 blankets have passed through my hands. These common, everyday items, found in all households for so many decades, were traditional engagement gifts. Pairs were prized wedding presents turning into family heirlooms. They were fashionable dressers of beds, givers of warmth, bestowers of security and reliability. The comfort found in these objects resonates with almost all of us; we grew up with them ourselves or fondly recall them in a grandparent’s home. There is no modern replacement with the integrity of these old blankets, many of them now older than most of us. They are romantic, sensible, special, familiar, nostalgic and nothing else feels so appropriate in so many situations. No offense to the great Aussie doona, but from hippie to hipster, at a music festival, picnic, campsite or couch, a vintage blanket is something coveted by all. This industry that employed tens of thousands and must have been such a huge contributor to the economy is almost completely lost now. Blanket Fever is an ode to everything that came before: the land, the sheep, the shearers, the hands, the mills, the weavers, the designers, the distributors, the department stores. To the grandparents that gave them, the people that received them, the families that kept them; thank you. I’m passionate about my collection of Australian blankets manufactured in mostly Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania from the 1930s to the end of the 1960s. The collection has blankets from each of these four decades representing the styles and fashions of their time and includes dated advertisements which help determine the eras the blankets are from." King-sized, pink and mint diamond blanket, ribbon edgedName tag 'O'Malley' sewn above label/"An All Wool Blanket" /By Godfrey Hirst of Geelong/100% Virgin Woolwool, blanket, blanket fever, diamond blanket, godfrey hirst, geelong

Collector says: Godfrey Hirst Diamond blankets from the mid-1950s are always delight to find. Some of these were found in the Geelong area but one came back with me from an op shop road trip around Tasmania, another from the St Pauls op shop in Romsey. I love this pattern and find the lemon and grey colourway particularly special. Note from collector- "For more than 100 years blankets were made all over Australia in over 100 woollen mills. My aim, is to preserve 100 examples of these wonderful pieces of history. Ten years ago I started collecting the iconic Onkaparinga travel rugs, so that on movie nights at home there would be plenty to go around. Everyone had their favourite; even the cat had his own – a small red tartan one. Keeping an eye out for those travel rugs at op-shops and markets, collectable stores and bazaars, led to noticing vintage blankets. I'd never really thought about them before or paid much attention though of course I had grown up with them at my grandmother's. When I discovered my first Laconia cream blanket with blue stripes, my eyes just went gaga. Well that was it, I was hooked and since then over 500 blankets have passed through my hands. These common, everyday items, found in all households for so many decades, were traditional engagement gifts. Pairs were prized wedding presents turning into family heirlooms. They were fashionable dressers of beds, givers of warmth, bestowers of security and reliability. The comfort found in these objects resonates with almost all of us; we grew up with them ourselves or fondly recall them in a grandparent’s home. There is no modern replacement with the integrity of these old blankets, many of them now older than most of us. They are romantic, sensible, special, familiar, nostalgic and nothing else feels so appropriate in so many situations. No offense to the great Aussie doona, but from hippie to hipster, at a music festival, picnic, campsite or couch, a vintage blanket is something coveted by all. This industry that employed tens of thousands and must have been such a huge contributor to the economy is almost completely lost now. Blanket Fever is an ode to everything that came before: the land, the sheep, the shearers, the hands, the mills, the weavers, the designers, the distributors, the department stores. To the grandparents that gave them, the people that received them, the families that kept them; thank you. I’m passionate about my collection of Australian blankets manufactured in mostly Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania from the 1930s to the end of the 1960s. The collection has blankets from each of these four decades representing the styles and fashions of their time and includes dated advertisements which help determine the eras the blankets are from." King sized Diamond blanket, pink, mint and lemon Mothproofed/Godfrey Hirst/Pure Wool Pelage Blanketwool, blanket, blanket fever, diamond blanket, godfrey hirst, geelong

Collector says: Godfrey Hirst Diamond blankets from the mid-1950s are always delight to find. Some of these were found in the Geelong area but one came back with me from an op shop road trip around Tasmania, another from the St Pauls op shop in Romsey. I love this pattern and find the lemon and grey colourway particularly special. Note from collector- "For more than 100 years blankets were made all over Australia in over 100 woollen mills. My aim, is to preserve 100 examples of these wonderful pieces of history. Ten years ago I started collecting the iconic Onkaparinga travel rugs, so that on movie nights at home there would be plenty to go around. Everyone had their favourite; even the cat had his own – a small red tartan one. Keeping an eye out for those travel rugs at op-shops and markets, collectable stores and bazaars, led to noticing vintage blankets. I'd never really thought about them before or paid much attention though of course I had grown up with them at my grandmother's. When I discovered my first Laconia cream blanket with blue stripes, my eyes just went gaga. Well that was it, I was hooked and since then over 500 blankets have passed through my hands. These common, everyday items, found in all households for so many decades, were traditional engagement gifts. Pairs were prized wedding presents turning into family heirlooms. They were fashionable dressers of beds, givers of warmth, bestowers of security and reliability. The comfort found in these objects resonates with almost all of us; we grew up with them ourselves or fondly recall them in a grandparent’s home. There is no modern replacement with the integrity of these old blankets, many of them now older than most of us. They are romantic, sensible, special, familiar, nostalgic and nothing else feels so appropriate in so many situations. No offense to the great Aussie doona, but from hippie to hipster, at a music festival, picnic, campsite or couch, a vintage blanket is something coveted by all. This industry that employed tens of thousands and must have been such a huge contributor to the economy is almost completely lost now. Blanket Fever is an ode to everything that came before: the land, the sheep, the shearers, the hands, the mills, the weavers, the designers, the distributors, the department stores. To the grandparents that gave them, the people that received them, the families that kept them; thank you. I’m passionate about my collection of Australian blankets manufactured in mostly Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania from the 1930s to the end of the 1960s. The collection has blankets from each of these four decades representing the styles and fashions of their time and includes dated advertisements which help determine the eras the blankets are from." Godfrey Hirst diamond blanket in pink, grey and lemon"An All Wool Blanket" /By Godfrey Hirst of Geelong/100% Virgin Woolwool, blanket, blanket fever, diamond blanket, godfrey hirst, geelong

Collector says: Godfrey Hirst Diamond blankets from the mid-1950s are always delight to find. Some of these were found in the Geelong area but one came back with me from an op shop road trip around Tasmania, another from the St Pauls op shop in Romsey. I love this pattern and find the lemon and grey colourway particularly special. Note from collector- "For more than 100 years blankets were made all over Australia in over 100 woollen mills. My aim, is to preserve 100 examples of these wonderful pieces of history. Ten years ago I started collecting the iconic Onkaparinga travel rugs, so that on movie nights at home there would be plenty to go around. Everyone had their favourite; even the cat had his own – a small red tartan one. Keeping an eye out for those travel rugs at op-shops and markets, collectable stores and bazaars, led to noticing vintage blankets. I'd never really thought about them before or paid much attention though of course I had grown up with them at my grandmother's. When I discovered my first Laconia cream blanket with blue stripes, my eyes just went gaga. Well that was it, I was hooked and since then over 500 blankets have passed through my hands. These common, everyday items, found in all households for so many decades, were traditional engagement gifts. Pairs were prized wedding presents turning into family heirlooms. They were fashionable dressers of beds, givers of warmth, bestowers of security and reliability. The comfort found in these objects resonates with almost all of us; we grew up with them ourselves or fondly recall them in a grandparent’s home. There is no modern replacement with the integrity of these old blankets, many of them now older than most of us. They are romantic, sensible, special, familiar, nostalgic and nothing else feels so appropriate in so many situations. No offense to the great Aussie doona, but from hippie to hipster, at a music festival, picnic, campsite or couch, a vintage blanket is something coveted by all. This industry that employed tens of thousands and must have been such a huge contributor to the economy is almost completely lost now. Blanket Fever is an ode to everything that came before: the land, the sheep, the shearers, the hands, the mills, the weavers, the designers, the distributors, the department stores. To the grandparents that gave them, the people that received them, the families that kept them; thank you. I’m passionate about my collection of Australian blankets manufactured in mostly Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania from the 1930s to the end of the 1960s. The collection has blankets from each of these four decades representing the styles and fashions of their time and includes dated advertisements which help determine the eras the blankets are from." Godfrey Hirst Diamond blanket in pink and grey"An All Wool Blanket" /By Godfrey Hirst of Geelong/100% Virgin Woolwool, blanket, blanket fever, diamond blanket, godfrey hirst, geelong

Collector says: Godfrey Hirst Diamond blankets from the mid-1950s are always delight to find. Some of these were found in the Geelong area but one came back with me from an op shop road trip around Tasmania, another from the St Pauls op shop in Romsey. I love this pattern and find the lemon and grey colourway particularly special.Note from collector- "For more than 100 years blankets were made all over Australia in over 100 woollen mills. My aim, is to preserve 100 examples of these wonderful pieces of history. Ten years ago I started collecting the iconic Onkaparinga travel rugs, so that on movie nights at home there would be plenty to go around. Everyone had their favourite; even the cat had his own – a small red tartan one. Keeping an eye out for those travel rugs at op-shops and markets, collectable stores and bazaars, led to noticing vintage blankets. I'd never really thought about them before or paid much attention though of course I had grown up with them at my grandmother's. When I discovered my first Laconia cream blanket with blue stripes, my eyes just went gaga. Well that was it, I was hooked and since then over 500 blankets have passed through my hands. These common, everyday items, found in all households for so many decades, were traditional engagement gifts. Pairs were prized wedding presents turning into family heirlooms. They were fashionable dressers of beds, givers of warmth, bestowers of security and reliability. The comfort found in these objects resonates with almost all of us; we grew up with them ourselves or fondly recall them in a grandparent’s home. There is no modern replacement with the integrity of these old blankets, many of them now older than most of us. They are romantic, sensible, special, familiar, nostalgic and nothing else feels so appropriate in so many situations. No offense to the great Aussie doona, but from hippie to hipster, at a music festival, picnic, campsite or couch, a vintage blanket is something coveted by all. This industry that employed tens of thousands and must have been such a huge contributor to the economy is almost completely lost now. Blanket Fever is an ode to everything that came before: the land, the sheep, the shearers, the hands, the mills, the weavers, the designers, the distributors, the department stores. To the grandparents that gave them, the people that received them, the families that kept them; thank you. I’m passionate about my collection of Australian blankets manufactured in mostly Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania from the 1930s to the end of the 1960s. The collection has blankets from each of these four decades representing the styles and fashions of their time and includes dated advertisements which help determine the eras the blankets are from." Godfrey Hirst diamond blanket in pink and cream"An All Wool Blanket" /By Godfrey Hirst of Geelong/100% Virgin Woolwool, blanket, blanket fever, diamond blanket, godfrey hirst, geelong

Collector says: I can still recall one of my earliest childhood memories, of my nana's bright aqua shoes against the checks of our family travel rug on summer picnics.Note from collector- "For more than 100 years blankets were made all over Australia in over 100 woollen mills. My aim, is to preserve 100 examples of these wonderful pieces of history. Ten years ago I started collecting the iconic Onkaparinga travel rugs, so that on movie nights at home there would be plenty to go around. Everyone had their favourite; even the cat had his own – a small red tartan one. Keeping an eye out for those travel rugs at op-shops and markets, collectable stores and bazaars, led to noticing vintage blankets. I'd never really thought about them before or paid much attention though of course I had grown up with them at my grandmother's. When I discovered my first Laconia cream blanket with blue stripes, my eyes just went gaga. Well that was it, I was hooked and since then over 500 blankets have passed through my hands. These common, everyday items, found in all households for so many decades, were traditional engagement gifts. Pairs were prized wedding presents turning into family heirlooms. They were fashionable dressers of beds, givers of warmth, bestowers of security and reliability. The comfort found in these objects resonates with almost all of us; we grew up with them ourselves or fondly recall them in a grandparent’s home. There is no modern replacement with the integrity of these old blankets, many of them now older than most of us. They are romantic, sensible, special, familiar, nostalgic and nothing else feels so appropriate in so many situations. No offense to the great Aussie doona, but from hippie to hipster, at a music festival, picnic, campsite or couch, a vintage blanket is something coveted by all. This industry that employed tens of thousands and must have been such a huge contributor to the economy is almost completely lost now. Blanket Fever is an ode to everything that came before: the land, the sheep, the shearers, the hands, the mills, the weavers, the designers, the distributors, the department stores. To the grandparents that gave them, the people that received them, the families that kept them; thank you. I’m passionate about my collection of Australian blankets manufactured in mostly Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania from the 1930s to the end of the 1960s. The collection has blankets from each of these four decades representing the styles and fashions of their time and includes dated advertisements which help determine the eras the blankets are from." Standard sized fringed plaid blanket in red and blue with black and yellow accentsMothproofed/Godfrey Hirst/100% Pure Wool Rugwool, blanket fever, travel rug, godfrey hirst, geelong

Note from collector- "For more than 100 years blankets were made all over Australia in over 100 woollen mills. My aim, is to preserve 100 examples of these wonderful pieces of history. Ten years ago I started collecting the iconic Onkaparinga travel rugs, so that on movie nights at home there would be plenty to go around. Everyone had their favourite; even the cat had his own – a small red tartan one. Keeping an eye out for those travel rugs at op-shops and markets, collectable stores and bazaars, led to noticing vintage blankets. I'd never really thought about them before or paid much attention though of course I had grown up with them at my grandmother's. When I discovered my first Laconia cream blanket with blue stripes, my eyes just went gaga. Well that was it, I was hooked and since then over 500 blankets have passed through my hands. These common, everyday items, found in all households for so many decades, were traditional engagement gifts. Pairs were prized wedding presents turning into family heirlooms. They were fashionable dressers of beds, givers of warmth, bestowers of security and reliability. The comfort found in these objects resonates with almost all of us; we grew up with them ourselves or fondly recall them in a grandparent’s home. There is no modern replacement with the integrity of these old blankets, many of them now older than most of us. They are romantic, sensible, special, familiar, nostalgic and nothing else feels so appropriate in so many situations. No offense to the great Aussie doona, but from hippie to hipster, at a music festival, picnic, campsite or couch, a vintage blanket is something coveted by all. This industry that employed tens of thousands and must have been such a huge contributor to the economy is almost completely lost now. Blanket Fever is an ode to everything that came before: the land, the sheep, the shearers, the hands, the mills, the weavers, the designers, the distributors, the department stores. To the grandparents that gave them, the people that received them, the families that kept them; thank you. I’m passionate about my collection of Australian blankets manufactured in mostly Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania from the 1930s to the end of the 1960s. The collection has blankets from each of these four decades representing the styles and fashions of their time and includes dated advertisements which help determine the eras the blankets are from." In Love for a Lifetime (loving couple)In Love for a Lifetime!/Godfrey Hirst of Geelong/This is the Label to Look For!blankets, blanket fever, wool, godfrey hirst, advertisement, geelong, woman magazine

The Excelsior Woollen and Worsted Mills were controlled by Godfrey Hirst & Co. Pty. Ltd. The Excelsior name originated from the union in the one enterprise of two of the earliest mills established in Victoria, the Old Victorian Mill, and the Old Barwon Mill. Godfrey Hirst combined his expertise with the capital of Charles Shannon to purchase the Barwon Mill in 1890 and the Victorian Mill in 1899. They commenced production of high-quality flannels in readiness for an anticipated lifting of tariff barriers in 1901, the year of federation. These were the first flannels to be produced in Australia rather than imported from England. In April 1912 the No.2 Excelsior Mill burnt down during the installation of electricity and was rebuilt. The No.1 Excelsior Mill was closed in 1930, with most hands moving to the No.2 Mill. In 1966 the firm changed ownership and became a subsidiary of the McKendrick family and commenced manufacturing of tufted carpets. Godfrey Hirst has since emerged as Australia’s leading manufacturer of tufted carpets. It has also expanded into hard flooring, including timber, laminate, and other surfaces. In 2018, the Godfrey Hirst business was acquired by Mohawk Industries, the world’s largest flooring company. Brown blanket featuring a design of four lines of cream, and a single line of orange, spanning the blanket vertically and horizontally, to form a plaid pattern. At the vertical ends, the blanket ends in a fringe.Label. Stitched. "The Atlantic Rug / Excelsior/ Guaranteed Product / Australian Manufacture"godfrey hirst & co. pty. ltd., excelsior mill, the atlantic rug

The Padbury family were early pioneers of Kew, running for over a century a funeral parlour in Cotham Road. The photograph of Mr Whitman can be reliably dated to 1914 or later due to an article on the establishment of Godfrey Roberts' atelier at the rear of Mr Chenoweth's in Glenferrie Road (Source: 'Godfrey E Roberts Photographic Studio', Hawthorn Kew Camberwell Citizen, 5 June 1914, p. 2)This, and other photographs of members of the Whitman-Padbury families was donated by Mrs Clarrie Thomson, a descendant of the families, and a member of the Society. Mrs Thompson lived at 58 Charles Street, Kew. The donation was made in 1982.Cabinet card, produced by Godfrey E Roberts of Glenferrie Road (Glenferrie), of Mr Whitman, a relative by marriage of the Padbury family. "Whitman" "G E Roberts / Glenferrie Rd / Glenferrie" (photographer)whitman - padbury, pioneer families -- kew

Armitstead's woodyard was on the site later occupied by the Chandler Room of the Surrey Hills Neighbourhood Centre. Stephen Godfrey Armitstead started the woodyard in 1921, taking over from Long's woodyard. Taken over by Stephen's son, Leo Godfrey, it closed in the 1970s. After Leo's death it was managed by Hec Whitworth. The Armitstead family lived at 79 Croydon Road. 1931 electoral roll: Catherine Isobella, Ellen Florence, Leo Godfrey (woodworker), Stephen Godfrey (wood merchant) and William Ginchrist (joiner) at this address. Leo later lived at 75 Croydon Road. Stephen Godfrey Armitstead birth - Father's Name: Stephen Armitstead; Mother's Name: Emily Benbow; Birth Place: Hotham, Victoria; Registration Year: 1879; Registration Place: Victoria; Registration number: 23856. Spouse Name: Isabella Jane Cath Miller; Marriage Place: Victoria; Registration Place: Victoria; Registration Year: 1904; Registration number: 4534. Stephen Godfrey Armitstead death - Surrey Hills, Victoria; Age: 90; Father's Name: Stephen; Mother's Name: Emily Benbow; Registration Year: 1969; Registration Place: Victoria; Registration number: 27747. Geoffrey Armitstead, grandson of Stephen, visited the site in 2002 whilst in Melbourne from Brisbane. He recalled that during his summer school holidays that he delivered ice to household icechests. His cousin Marcia Davis, daughter of Ellen Armitstead, accompanied him and provided the family photos for copying and related her knowledge of the family history. The weighbridge and scales were moved in 2023 from their original position when the forecourt of the Neighbourhood Centre was upgraded by Council. The carved poles were also moved; they were repositioned as a group adjacent to 151 Union Road.Colour photo of Geoffrey Armitstead standing next to the scales in the Armitstead Courtyard of Surrey Hills Neighbourhood Centre. In the foreground is the weighbridge that was also part of the woodyard operated by his grandfather, Stephen Armitstead. In the background is part of the Chandler Room of the Centre and two of the carved poles which illustrate elements of the history of Surrey Hills.union road, armitsteads woodyard, surrey hills neighbourhood centre, businesses, timber merchants, timber yards, stephen armitstead, geoffrey armitstead, weighbridge, long's woodyard, leo armitstead, hec whitworth

Date is approximate. Donor's connection with Armitstead's Woodyard was that Frank Foley was a long term employee. The Empire Day movement was instituted in England in 1904 and on 24 May 1906 a group of Surrey Hills residents pledged to make Empire Day a success. From 1932-1938 large Empire Day celebrations were held in Surrey Hills and business and commercial vehicles were decorated to take part in large processions held in May each year. These attracted large crowds from all over Melbourne. The truck is parked outside Nethercourt Hospital at 15 Barton Street. The Armitstead family had a business in Union Road which supplied wood in winter and ice in summer. Photos such as this one are evidence of the importance once attached to celebrating Empire Day, which was held on 24 May (Queen Victoria’s birthday). From 1905, a range of patriotic activities across Australia were performed on this day. There was a focus on schoolchildren, who were given a half-holiday, and the occasion was often highlighted with bonfires and fireworks in the evening - in this area at Beckett Park. The parade down Union Road was famous throughout Melbourne and attracted large crowds. Floats in the parade were often decked with British flags. The pro-Empire sentiment in the Surrey Hills area in part reflected the background and strong ties of many families.Black and white photo of a delivery truck with bunting and ferns over the cabin and back. The wheels have straws around the rims and more foliage is on the cabin roof and bonnet. The back of the tray is up and boxes, foliage and possibly a lion's head decorate the tray. Behind is a 2 storey (?) rendered building with an external timber staircase broken in 2 by a landing. The house sits behind a simple picket fence.On the cabin door of the truck: "S ARMITS ....[remainder in shadow] / Surrey Hills / phone 10X1816 / [undecipherable]" On back of the original in pencil in top centre left "446a" in Jocelyn Hall's handwriting; centre on a piece of paper stuck on with tape "Mrs D Foley / 39 Sunbury Cres., / Surrey Hills / Phone 8301163".empire day, festival and celebrations, woodyard, parades, processions, hospitals, nethercourt hospital, stephen godfrey armitstead, frank foley, mrs d foley, barton street

This plaque was made to commemorate the generous funds donated Mr A.M Nicholas in 1936 almost entirely funding the building of the new Mission to Seamen at Port Melbourne opened in 1937. Mr Nicholas died in Feb 1937. The new building was opened on the 4th of December 1937 by Lord Huntingfield, the plaque was dedicated and unveiled the same by his nephew Mr Nicholas Lightfoot. The plaque was removed from the building which ws demolished in 1995. The plaque is really similar to the memorial plaque made in memory of Ethel Godfrey (see item 2053).Mr Nicholas together with Mr HW Shmith organised rights to produce Aspirin aka ASPRO in Australia in 1915 during WW1. The Nicholas Family were significant philanthropists in Melbourne and Victoria and this plaque commemorates his gift to the Mission for visiting seamen between 1937 and late 20th C. The story of the donation is told in an unpublished autobiography by the then Rev'd Frank Oliver, based at 717 Flinders st. as senior Mission Chaplain 1930-1960.A heavy ceramic plaque with moulded metal alloy frame, polychrome glazed irregular ceramic tesserae design and memorial text in Gothic script in central lozenge set into a rectangular clay base.in each corner design features initials: "ihs" / IN central lozenge of design text reads: " To the Glory of God/ and in grateful memory of/ ALFRED MICHAEL NICHOLAS Esq / through whose generous gift/ the whole of this Institute / and Chapel were built./ Died February 26th 1937"1908, plaque, alfred m. nicholas, memorial, alfred michael nicholas, port melbourne, 1937, aspro