Written by E Barcs, a correspondent for a firm of Hungarian newspapers, expelled from Mussolini's Italy in 1938. Came to Australia. Was Interned after Pearl Harbour.Hard cover, navy blue, book gold gold on spine. Red dustcover, navy printing. Sketch of 2 army officers and 2 men on front cover. Copy of photo of a man on back of dust cover. 227 pages.

Written by E Barcs, a correspondent for a firm of Hungarian newspapers, expelled from Mussolini's Italy in 1938. Came to Australia. Was Interned after Pearl HarbourHard cover, navy blue, book gold gold on spine. Red dustcover, navy printing. Sketch of 2 army officers and 2 men on front cover. Copy of photo of a man on back of dust coverbarcs e, gohl e, camp 4, tatura, ww2

Jewellery box presented to Vincent Villarroya, an Army Guard/Interpreter for Italian POW's, by POW Vincenzo LongoEight sided wooden jewel box with paneled lid of light and dark wood with a small round knob on top. Lid is lined with blue material. Box is padded and lined with blue materialjewellery box, villarroya, camp 13, tatura, ww2, handcrafts, woodwork, italian pow's

Image depicts a group of 3 soldiers who served with the 2/24 Battalion VX32810 William John McKILLOP DOB 23/11/1914 POW May 1941 Italy- 2/24 Battalion VX31847 George Cecil OLLEY DOB 14/7/1917 - 2/24 Battalion. The 2/24th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army, which served during World War II .A unit of all-volunteers, it was formed in July 1940 from primarily Victorian volunteers and was known as "Wangaratta's Own" because of the time the battalion spent in the town during its formative period prior to deployment overseas. It served in North Africa in 1941–1942 as part of the 26th Brigade, which was assigned to the 7th Division, before being reassigned to the 9th Division. In early 1943, the battalion returned to Australia and later took part in campaigns against the Japanese in New Guinea in 1943–1944 and Borneo in 1945, before being disbanded in 1946. The 2/24th suffered the highest number of casualties of any 2nd AIF infantry battalion. The Unit was granted the Freedom of the City by the Rural City of Wangaratta in 1990 and one of the first, if not the first, to receive this type of honour.Original black and white photograph of 3 soldiers standing Handwritten on rear - Geo Olly centre, McKillop R & L, Frankston, 2/24 Btn2/24th battalion, wangaratta, george cecil olley, william john mckillop

Made by Vincenzo Longo, an Italian POW, in Murchison Camp 13, Graytown POW Camp and Tocumwal and presented to Vincent Villarroya, an Army Guard/Interpreter for Italian POW'sWooden framed, embroidered picture of "Head of Christ" worked in shades of red, blue, brown and cream cottons. Face and hands have been drawn. A bronze plaque in a small plastic bag is stuck on the back of the pictureDonated by the daughters of Vincent Villarroy 7/12/2007head of christ, embroidery, longo v, villarroya family, camp 13, tatura, ww2 camp 13, graytown pow camp, tocumwal, handcrafts

Many displaced people who migrated to Australia after World War 2 brought similar tubs with them as part of their luggage. The tubs were valued by the migrants because they were used for washing clothes and other laundry items, and for bathing children and even adults. The tub in our possession was brought out to Australia in 1950 by the Pierzak family who eventually settled in North Sunshine, Victoria. The following story about the Pierzak family has been provided by the daughter Halina Wlodarczyk (nee Pierzak). The father Stanislaw Pierzak was born on the 26th of July 1916 in Zbrza, and the mother Teodozja (Teodozia) Szalas on the 5th of March 1919 in Goleciny, both villages in the Kielce district of Poland. In 1940 they were both taken by the German Army to work as slave labour on farms in Germany. Stanislaw worked in the Saxonia area and Teodozja near Dillingen. The work was hard, and when Teodozja contracted pneumonia she was told that she would not be given any food if she did not work. After the war the displaced persons, as they were called, were settled in various barracks and camps organised by the United States Army. Stanislaw and Teodozja married in Gablingen, Bavaria, Germany, and Halina was born in the camp at Gablingen in 1949. The displaced people were given the choice of several countries if they wanted to migrate from war torn Germany, and so the Pierzak family chose Australia. The Pierzak family set sail from Naples, Italy aboard the ship General M. B. Stewart and arrived in Sydney on the 17th of April 1950. The men and women had to stay in separate quarters, and many passengers were so sick that they did not think they would survive the journey. In Australia they lived in migrant camps in NSW at Bathurst, Orange, Parkes and Cowra. To pay off their fares to Australia migrants were required to work under contract for 2 years. Stanislaw Pierzak worked in Broken Hill NSW returning to visit his family every 3 to 4 months. The son John was born in the Red Cross building at the Parkes camp in 1952. In 1953 the whole family moved to Melbourne and lived in a converted garage in Victor Street, North Sunshine. In 1954 the family bought a bungalow on a block of land in Compton Parade, North Sunshine, where eventually they built a house. Stanislaw Pierzak worked at Steelweld in Ashley Street, Braybrook travelling there on his bicycle, while Teodozja Pierzak found work at Smorgon in West Footscray. Stanislaw and Teodozja Pierzak lived in North Sunshine for the rest of their lives, and Mrs Pierzak always said that Sunshine was the best place in the world.Tubs like this which belonged to displaced people were highly valued possessions and are of historic significance. They were brought out to Australia after World War 2 by many migrating displaced families. The tubs were used for washing activities in the camps in Germany, and the migrant camps in Australia, and also when people lived in bungalows in Australia before they built houses with laundries and bathrooms.Oval shaped galvanised iron tub with two rigid handles, one at each end. The top of the tub is larger than the base. The galvanising is deteriorating in some parts which show a whitish appearance. There are some small dents, and a few chips in the galvanising where surface rust has appeared.The number 70 is stamped on both sides.washing tub, galvanised tub, laundry, bath, displaced persons, immigration, general m. b. stewart, galvanized tub, pierzak, galvanised wash tub

No 1: Matron Eagleton with Nursing Staff, Ballarat & District Hospital. Priscilla Wardle, far right - trainee nurse 1905-1908. No 2: This could be a group of trainee nurses at Ballarat Hospital. Circa 1906/1907. The nurses with the grey looking sleeves in this black and white photograph may be wearing the lilac uniform of Trainee nurses. The sitting nurse on the far right may already be qualified because she appears to be wearing the white of a trained nurse. Sitting in the middle with the cheeky grin could be Priscilla and the standing nurse on the far left could be Edith Popplewell. No 3: This photograph is labelled 1907 and Priscilla would have just commenced her training. She appears to be “fanning” a female patient presumably to cool her down. This could be upstairs in the Queen Victoria’s Women’s Ward. Priscilla graduated as a nurse in 1908. In this photograph Priscilla was at age 23 years. No 5: Sheila Kelly (left) and Priscilla Wardle. This photograph is labelled 1909 and shows Priscilla in an all white uniform indicating she has qualified as a nurse. Sheila Kelly appears to have darker sleeves/blouse (lilac) and may still be a trainee. No 6: There is a very good chance that this photograph is Edith Popplewell, standing left, Lily MacKenzie , standing on the right and Priscilla seated. Writing in her album is very hard to read but it appears to be “Pop McK & I”. The arm bands with the St John Cross denote they are “charge nurses” maybe in charge of a ward. Taking all this into account the photograph could be circa 1909/1910. No 8 & 9: Priscilla painting what appears to be a gate while wearing her nurse uniform. She has a big grin on her face. Together with Lily MacKenzie they were the principals in the Mount Stuart Private Hospital at 18 Duke Street. Daylesford. This property is now known as Mount Stuart House. Priscilla appears to be on Central Spring Road with the Daylesford Post Office in the background. Photograph 9 is labelled 1914 which would make it near the end of their tenancy between 1911 and 1914. No 10: This photograph raises some questions. Priscilla appears to have darker sleeves /blouse (lilac) which may indicate she is still a trainee however Priscilla is also wearing a “charge nurse” arm band. While my research shows trainee nurses can be a “charge nurse” this is not common practise. The scene appears to be at the door of a house/home. I am not sure if the children’s ward/orphanage at the Ballarat Hospital at this time was in such a building. It could be that it is at the Mount Stuart Hospital but this would mean Priscilla and Lily have duplicated the wearing of the “charge nurse” arm band. The St John’s logo looks different too. Priscilla Isabel “Pearl” Wardle (1884-1967). The armband indicates Priscilla is a Charge Nurse at the Ballarat Hospital. Nothing else known. No 11: Mary & I at Mount Stuart – House Daylesford – This is probably the nursery at the Mount Stuart House Private Hospital being run by Priscilla Isabel “Pearl” Wardle (1884 – 1967) and Selina Lily (Lil) MacKenzie or McKenzie (1882 – 1975) between 1910 and 1914. Mary is certainly Mary Young MacKenzie or McKenzie (1865- 1942) Lily’s stepsister who trained at Ballarat Hospital as “Mary Young “at the same time as Priscilla and Lily. Mount Stuart House still stands at 18 Duke Street Daylesford. Photo date 1912. No 12: Priscilla wearing her distinctive Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service Reserve cape and badge. Possibly while nursing in London for a month in 1919 after the war. No 12A: Priscilla Wardle - WW1 Diary, OCR enabled. No 13: Priscilla and friends at No. 7 General Hospital, Malassises, Saint Omer, France in July 1915 The old monastery being used as a hospital can be seen in the background. The tents are the nurses quarters. This photograph may have been taken at the same time as the group photograph on page 250 of the diary transcription. Priscilla is thought to be the nurse at the centre in the QAIMNSR uniform. The nurses quarters at the No 7 General Hospital in Saint Omer in France where Priscilla worked for most of the first year of her Diary. Their Monastery (Hospital) at Malassises can be seen in the background. No 15: Priscilla is an Acting Sister working at the 2nd General Hospital for Officers in Havre, France, between March and July 1918. The nurses were enjoying their “tea party”. (see also page 253 of the Diary transcription) No 17: Priscilla at Havre - at 2nd General Hospital (Officers Hospital) in Havre., France Friday 29 March 1918 to Monday 29 July 1918 note the two dark bands on her right sleeve denoting that she is an “Acting Sister”. Priscilla is 34 years of age in this picture and in the three weeks prior to this posting she met Cyril Terence Charles Kirby (1892-1968) her future husband at the 42nd Stationary Hospital in Flixecourt while he was serving with the British Army during the battle and evacuation of Amiens. No 18: Priscilla Wardle at No 8 Stationary Hospital Wimereux, France - from Saturday 24 June 1916 to Tuesday 18 September 1917, Priscilla worked at this hospital for 15 months her longest time in one hospital. during the war. While at Wimereux on Sunday 1 July 1917 she was appointed an Acting Sister. Priscilla once said she disliked nursing in her cape and badges and here she is in her favourite “uniform” for work “the robe” as she called it. She may be leaving the “operating theatre” at Wimereux in this photograph. No 19: Priscilla worked in various operating theatres throughout France. This could be after she became an anaesthetist in 1918 and worked with this team. She is wearing her favourite uniform which is more comfortable. She did not like the collars and capes that were required to be worn. No 20: Priscilla and Sister Michael Meeke? (details not found) are having a quiet drink at the 2nd General Hospital for Officers in Havre, France. Note the dark bands on their sleeves denote their rank as nursing “Sisters”. While it looks like they are smoking look more closely they are in fact holding a “flute” style probably “cocktail” glass. Tea parties and cocktails, Havre could almost have been fun. No 22: 1913 – Ballarat nurse Priscilla Isabell “Pearl” Wardle (1884-1967) in Cannes on the French Riviera during leave from between Friday 20 February 1918 and Friday 6 March 1918.Priscilla is second from the left wearing her distinctive QAIMNSR cape of grey with dark “wine” coloured border. The other nurses are wearing their “travelling” army uniform. They were rudely called “Salvation Army Lassies” by American nurses for the way they were dressed. (see page 232 of Priscilla’s War Diary) The description of 1913 on this photograph is confusing. No 23: Priscilla with her best friend Edith Victoria Donaldson somewhere in the “mysterious far east” on their trip on the Orontes. Priscilla is second from left - this may have been taken at Durban during Priscilla's return to Australia in 1919. No 25: Priscilla Wardle, Ballarat nurse in her Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service Reserve (QAIMNSR) uniform. Notice the distinctive grey cape with “wine coloured” border Priscilla is also wearing her QAIMNSR qualification badge (medal) on the right side. Because she has no dark (wine coloured) bands on her sleeves so this photograph may be before 1 July 1918. No 26: Priscilla met her husband to be English army Lieutenant Cyril Terrence Charles Kirby during the battle and subsequent evacuation of Amiens in France. As an army nursing “Sister” Priscilla also held the rank of Lieutenant. Priscilla was stationed at the 42nd Stationary Hospital between 7/3/18 and 23/3/18. She had just completed a fortnight break at Cannes on the French Riviera. They were married at Priscilla’s home “Waverley" at 215 Dawson Street Ballarat on Saturday 15 November 1919. Nov 15, 1919 – Mr and Mrs Kirby. The bride Priscilla Isabell “Pearl” Kirby (nee Wardle) (1884-1967) and the groom Cyril Terence Charles Kirby (1892– 1968) on their wedding day. Priscilla was 34 years of age and Cyril 27 years of age however their marriage certificate states that they were both 34 years of age. Their marriage certificate states they were married at Waverley, Dawson St, South, Ballarat in a Presbyterian service conducted by the Rev. John Walker, a Minister of the Presbyterian Church of Australia and the Moderator General of the Church we think for Victoria. Was it in an outdoor setting as the surrounds in this photograph seem to indicate. Their witnesses were Robert and Olive, Priscilla’s brother and sister. Cyril signed as C. Terence. C. Kirby and Priscila signed as Priscilla I. Wardle. The certificate lists Cyril (Terence) as a Bachelor, Born at sea on a British ship and his occupation as Sailor. His father interestingly is listed as Charles John Kirby, of independent means and his mother as Emily Newman. Priscilla is listed as a Spinster, born in Ballarat with occupation as a Nurse. Her father is listed as Henry Thomas Wardle, Timber Merchant and her mother as Isabella Allan. They are both resident at 215 Dawson St. Ballarat which was Waverley the Wardle family home. No 28: Reverse in Poppy’s handwriting: “Lovingly yours Poppy, Dec 1908” Taken the year after Poppy qualified at BBH. No 29: Reverse in Poppy’s handwriting: “With much love to you Cilla, Poppy 1915” This picture was taken in the same year as the Marquette sinking incident. Edith Catheina Popplewell RRC (1884-1972) in her New Zealand Army Nursing Service (NZANS) Uniform. Poppy is at age 29 years in this photograph. Poppy was awarded the Royal Red Cross (RRC) medal for her heroism during the sinking of the Marquette transport ship. She lost her best friend NZ nurse Lorna Ratray. No 30: Taken in Cairo. Poppy is in the centre and wearing her New Zealand army badge and cape. The two nurses on either side are Australian nurses probably wearing their unique silver Australian Army sunrise badge and cape. No 31: Reverse in Poppy’s handwriting: “Ward 7 on Xmas day 1917, with my love, Poppy, A Happy New Year to you – had the sweetest letter from Bobbie”. (Bobbie is Priscilla’s brother Robert). It is thought the nurse in the centre of the three on the left is Poppy. It is 1917 two years after the Marquette sinking. Poppy appears to be a “sister” note the two dark bands on her sleeve. The uniform also matches that of Poppy 2. This photograph is in Post Card form very common during WWI. Edith Popplewell RRC is the “Sister” in the middle of the group of three nurses on the left. She is a sister not a general nurse because of the two bands on her left wrist denoting her rank. She was in fact the Charge Nurse ( in charge) of Ward 7 at this time. Note the Christmas decorations. Poppy is at age 33 years of age in this photograph.Bobbie is Priscilla’s brother Robert Norman “Bobbie” Wardle (1895-1979). No 32: Lilly MacKenzie & Poppy – Otaki - Australian nurse Selina Lily (Lil) MacKenzie sometimes McKenzie (1882– 975) grew up and trained as a nurse in Ballarat Victoria. After completing her training Lily and Priscilla Isabell “Pearl” Wardle (1884 – 1967) conducted the Mount Stuart House Private Hospital in Daylesford Victoria. In late 1913 Lily travelled to Otaki, 32 kms north of Wellington in New Zealand and worked at the Otaki Cottage Hospital with close friend Edith Catheina Popplewell “Poppy” (1884-1976) who also grew up and trained as a nurse at the Ballarat Hospital. In 1914 Lily was matron of a private hospital in Taihape 150kms north of Wellington. Both Lily and Poppy volunteered for New Zealand but as New Zealand were not accepting Australian trained nurses she returned to Australia and enlisted in the Australian Army Nursing Service (AANS) in October 1915. Lily went on to serve in Egypt, England, France and Italy where she was awarded the Royal Red Cross (RRC) medal for her service. This photograph is while Lily and Poppy were working at Otaki Cottage Hospital in New Zealand. Circa 1914. trainee, charge sister, ballarat, hospital, 1905, 1908, ww1, mount stuart house, sleeman, wardle, popplewell, mackenzie, military, queen alexandra's imperial military nursing service reserve, daylesford, nurses, private hospital, edith popplewell, france, cairo, diary, ww1 diary, havre, lily mackenzie, eagleton, matron, otaki, new zealand, donaldson, malassises, kelly, young, kirby

Soldiers’ Memorial World War 1. Two black & white photos of World War 1. memorial. Granite base with rising sun army emblem 1914 -1919. with a statue of a soldier holding a Banet. The statue is enclosed in a cyclone fence. Houses can be seen in the background. The memorial is situated in the center of Main Street. The memorial is a tribute to all who paid the supreme sacrifice and to all who served. The figure of the soldier was imported from Italy in 1922. The cost of the memorial was 643 pounds. A number of donations were made to the Girls' Remembrance League Soldiers Memorial. Two black & white photographs of the World War 1 memorial. The memorial has a tiered granite base and a soldier on the granite column. Enclosed within a cyclone fence. "4x2 3/4 soldiers memorial" written in pencil.stawell ww1

Leaflet with personal message from the Army Commander, B.L.Montgomery, Christmas 1943. ( to be read to all troops Christmas Message) Italy 1943

From Italian General's Mess, Benghazi.ephemera, army

Prelude to conflict -- Blitz in the West -- Britain alone -- Italy falters -- Hitler strikes South -- Enter Rommel -- Barbarossa -- The War against Japan -- The onslaught continues -- From Moscow to the Crimea -- Turning point in the desert -- Stalingrad to Kursk -- Victory in the desert -- The Convoy battles -- Hitting back against the Japanese -- The Italian armistice -- To the Gustav Line -- Approaches to the Philippines -- War over the Reich -- The invasion of France -- Destruction of the Army Group Centre -- The Seine to Arnhem -- The Empire's last throw -- Victory in Italy -- The end in Europe -- Victory over Japanhard cover non-fiction book maps and diagramsInscription on the first page "To Dad Happy Birthday, with love Jenny xxx 1987" Glued into the same front page is an article cut from the AFR Dec 22-27 2011.

A photo of a mural in Libya painted by a South Australian Sapper of a bottle of Abbots Lager. The photo, and two others, were sent to Melbourne Legacy in 1979 by Legatee Syd Wilson of Yamba NSW. He thought Melbourne Legacy might be able to use them to generate money by selling them for advertising or publicity. He said they were enlargements of snapshots he had found in his old army trunk. The text says 'Keep Going. Fill up in town, but a good drink is bloody hard to get'. Legatee Wilson's letter says the murals were: 'painted on three walls of a white concrete Italian block house (Police Check post I think), some 18/20 miles west of Tobruk, between Tobruk and Derna, and near a captured Italian airfield, somewhere about February 1941. Obviously they were painted by a Victorian Sapper. They were very well done, by a competent Sign-writer/artist, in correct and excellent colours (captured Itie paint no doubt - there was plenty in their Naval Stores at Tobruk).' (NB Itie was slang for Italian) From the AWM website the signs were painted by South Australian painter, SZ538 Sapper Leslie John “Doc” Dawes, 2/3rd Field Company, Royal Australian Engineers. There are several photos on the AWM site including the building the three murals were on.Photos taken by a Legatee when on active service in Libya in World War 2. They were donated to Legacy when it was thought they could be used for fundraising, which shows that Legatees were conscious of that Legacy needs to generate funds to continue its work.Black and white enlargement of a photo taken in Libya of Abbots Lager mural.tobruk, soldiers, lager, beer, abbots lager, murals

A photo of a mural in Libya painted by a South Australian Sapper of a tea pot saying '9,256 miles to Griffiths Bros Tea Headquarters, Melbourne'. The photo, and two others, were sent to Melbourne Legacy in 1979 by Legatee Syd Wilson of Yamba NSW. He thought Melbourne Legacy might be able to use them to generate money by selling them for advertising or publicity. He said they were enlargements of snapshots he had found in his old army trunk. The text says '9,256 miles to Griffiths Bros Tea Headquarters, Melbourne'. Legatee Wilson's letter says the murals were: 'painted on three walls of a white concrete Italian block house (Police Check post I think), some 18/20 miles west of Tobruk, between Tobruk and Derna, and near a captured Italian airfield, somewhere about February 1941. Obviously they were painted by a Victorian Sapper. They were very well done, by a competent Sign-writer/artist, in correct and excellent colours (captured Itie paint no doubt - there was plenty in their Naval Stores at Tobruk).' (NB Itie was slang for Italian) From the AWM website the signs were painted by South Australian painter, SZ538 Sapper Leslie John “Doc” Dawes, 2/3rd Field Company, Royal Australian Engineers. There are several photos on the AWM site including the building the three murals were on.Photos taken by a Legatee when on active service in Libya in World War 2. They were donated to Legacy when it was thought they could be used for fundraising, which shows that Legatees were conscious of that Legacy needs to generate funds to continue its work.Black and white enlargement of a photo taken in Libya of a Griffiths Tea mural.tobruk, tea, murals, world war two

A photo of a mural in Libya painted by a South Australian Sapper of a bottle of Victorian Bitter Ale being poured into the Melbourne Cup trophy and horses racing. The photo, and two others, were sent to Melbourne Legacy in 1979 by Legatee Syd Wilson of Yamba NSW. He thought Melbourne Legacy might be able to use them to generate money by selling them for advertising or publicity. He said they were enlargements of snapshots he had found in his old army trunk. The text says 'A good thing for the Cup but better for the tonsils'. Legatee Wilson's letter says the murals were: 'painted on three walls of a white concrete Italian block house (Police Check post I think), some 18/20 miles west of Tobruk, between Tobruk and Derna, and near a captured Italian airfield, somewhere about February 1941. Obviously they were painted by a Victorian Sapper. They were very well done, by a competent Sign-writer/artist, in correct and excellent colours (captured Itie paint no doubt - there was plenty in their Naval Stores at Tobruk).' (NB Itie was slang for Italian). 'The photos were there when we were coming back from Western Libya sometime in March 1941, prior to the 6th Division going to Greece.' From the AWM website the signs were painted by South Australian painter, SZ538 Sapper Leslie John “Doc” Dawes, 2/3rd Field Company, Royal Australian Engineers. There are several photos on the AWM site including the building the three murals were on.Photos taken by a Legatee when on active service in Libya in World War 2. They were donated to Legacy when it was thought they could be used for fundraising, which shows that Legatees were conscious of the way Legacy needs to generate funds to continue its work.Black and white enlargement of a photo taken in Libya of Victorian Bitter Ale for the Melbourne Cup mural.tobruk, beer, victorian bitter ale, ale, horse racing, murals, world war 2

Letters regarding three photos of murals in near Tobruk in Libya. The photos were sent to Melbourne Legacy in 1979 by Legatee Syd Wilson of Yamba NSW. He thought Melbourne Legacy might be able to use them to generate money by selling them for advertising or publicity. He said they were enlargements of snapshots he had found in his old army trunk. Legatee Wilson's letter says the murals were: 'painted on three walls of a white concrete Italian block house (Police Check post I think), some 18/20 miles west of Tobruk, between Tobruk and Derna, and near a captured Italian airfield, somewhere about February 1941. Obviously they were painted by a Victorian Sapper. They were very well done, by a competent Sign-writer/artist, in correct and excellent colours (captured Itie paint no doubt - there was plenty in their Naval Stores at Tobruk).' (NB Itie was slang for Italian) From the AWM website the signs were painted by South Australian painter, SZ538 Sapper Leslie John “Doc” Dawes, 2/3rd Field Company, Royal Australian Engineers. There are several photos on the AWM site including the building the three murals were on.Photos taken by a Legatee when on active service in Libya in World War 2 and donated to Legacy when it was thought they could be used for fundraising, which shows that Legatees were conscious of that Legacy needs to generate funds to continue its work.Black and white enlargement of a photo taken in Libya of Abbotts Lager mural.tobruk, murals

Built by noted artist Theodore Penleigh Boyd, father of architect Robin Boyd. Covered under National Estate, National Trust of Australia (Victoria) Local Significance and Heritage Overlay, Nillumbik Planning Scheme. Published: Nillumbik Now and Then /​ Marguerite Marshall 2008; photographs Alan King with Marguerite Marshall.; p111 The Robins at Warrandyte,* was once home to a member of a famous family and is also one of the first reinforced concrete houses in Victoria. The builder, Theodore Penleigh Boyd, born in 1890, was a talented painter1 noted for his works of the Warrandyte bush. He was the father of architect Robin Boyd, author of the Australian Ugliness and the uncle of painter, Arthur Boyd. Penleigh Boyd’s great grandfather was Sir William A’Beckett, Victoria’s first Chief Justice. Penleigh Boyd is considered by some to be an ‘unsung hero’ overshadowed by more famous members of his family. Mornington Gallery Director Andrea May said many believed Boyd ‘had never received the national acclaim that he deserved’.2 Classified by the National Trust3 and part of the Australian National Heritage,4 The Robins is set well back near the end of Kangaroo Ground – Warrandyte Road, unobserved by passers-by. Built in 1913, The Robins has some Art Nouveau influences and is a descendant of the Queen Anne style. It is covered in stucco and has a prominent attic, which Boyd used as a studio. Some parts of the house are up to 33 centimetres thick and built in part with pisé (rammed earth) and in part with reinforced concrete. Amazingly, Boyd built The Robins without an accessible driveway, and only a narrow track along which he had to cart building materials. The journey was uphill and Boyd terraced the land with Warrandyte rock5 without the aid of machinery. At only 33 years, Boyd was killed in a car accident in 1923. He was buried in Brighton near the home of his parents. Several people have since owned the house, including political journalist, Owen Webster. Boyd was born at Penleigh House, Wiltshire, and studied at Haileybury College, Melbourne and The Hutchins School, Hobart. He attended the Melbourne National Gallery School and in his final year exhibited at the Victorian Artists’ Society. He arrived in London in 1911 and his painting Springtime was hung at the Royal Academy. He painted in several studios in England and then worked in Paris.6 There he met painter Phillips Fox through whom he met artists of the French modern school and also his wife-to-be, Edith Anderson, whom he married in Paris in 1912. After touring France and Italy, the couple returned to Melbourne. In 1913 Boyd held an exhibition and won second prize in the Federal Capital site competition, then the Wynne Prize for landscape in 1914. In 1915 Boyd joined the Australian Imperial Force, and became a sergeant in the Electrical and Mechanical Mining Company. However he was severely gassed at Ypres and invalided to England. In 1918 in London Boyd published Salvage, writing the text and illustrating it with 20 black-and-white ink-sketches of army scenes. Later that year he returned to Melbourne, and, despite suffering from the effects of gas, he held several successful one-man shows, quickly selling his water-colour and oil paintings. In his short career Penleigh Boyd was recognized as one of Australia’s finest landscape painters. He loved colour, having been influenced early by Turner and McCubbin. His works are in all Australian state galleries, the National Collection in Canberra as well as in regional galleries.7 His wife Edith was also an artist having studied at the Slade School, London, and in Paris with Phillips Fox. After her marriage she continued to paint and excelled in drawing. In later years she wrote several dramas, staged by repertory companies, and radio plays for the Australian Broadcasting Commission, in which she took part. She was the model for the beautiful red-haired woman in several of Phillips Fox’s paintings and the family hold three of his portraits of her. *Possibly named after the Aboriginal words warran, meaning ‘object’ and dyte, meaning ‘thrown at’.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, kangaroo ground-warrandyte road, north warrandyte, the robins