Pru Sanderson, in her groundbreaking ‘City of Kew Urban Conservation Study : Volume 2 - Development History’ (1988), summarised the periods of urban development and subdivisions of land in Kew. The periods that she identified included 1845-1880, 1880-1893, 1893-1921, 1921-1933, 1933-1943, and Post-War Development. These periods were selected as they represented periods of rapid growth or decline in urban development. An obvious starting point for Sanderson’s groupings involved population growth and the associated economic cycles. These cycles also highlighted urban expansion onto land that was predominantly rural, although in other cases it represented the decline and breakup of large estates. A number of the plans in the Kew Historical Society’s collection can also be found in other collections, such as those of the State Library of Victoria and the Boroondara Library Service. A number are however unique to the collection.Subdivision plans are historically important documents used as evidence of the growth of suburbs in Australia. They frequently provide information about when the land was sold on which a built structure was subsequently constructed as well as evidence relating to surveyors and real estate and financial agents. The numerous subdivision plans in the Kew Historical Society's collection represent working documents, ranging from the initial sketches made in planning a subdivision to printed plans on which auctioneers or agents listed the prices for which individual lots were sold. In a number of cases, the reverse of a subdivision plan in the collection includes a photograph of a house that was also for sale by the agent. These photographs provide significant heritage information relating house design and decoration, fencing and household gardens.An annotated subdivision plan for the Forres Estate, Kew East. The estate was advertised in 1919, the Melbourne Auctioneers being represented locally by Henry Kellett, Estate Agent of High Street, Kew. The name of the estate was derived from the mansion (demolished 2016) of the same name in Normanby Road, which was at one stage owned by the Mayor of Kew, Cr. J. S. Were.subdivision plans - kew, forres estate, argyle road, simpson street, hubert street, normanby road

Pru Sanderson, in her groundbreaking ‘City of Kew Urban Conservation Study : Volume 2 - Development History’ (1988), summarised the periods of urban development and subdivisions of land in Kew. The periods that she identified included 1845-1880, 1880-1893, 1893-1921, 1921-1933, 1933-1943, and Post-War Development. These periods were selected as they represented periods of rapid growth or decline in urban development. An obvious starting point for Sanderson’s groupings involved population growth and the associated economic cycles. These cycles also highlighted urban expansion onto land that was predominantly rural, although in other cases it represented the decline and breakup of large estates. A number of the plans in the Kew Historical Society’s collection can also be found in other collections, such as those of the State Library of Victoria and the Boroondara Library Service. A number are however unique to the collection.The Kew Historical Society collection includes almost 100 subdivision plans pertaining to suburbs of the City of Melbourne. Most of these are of Kew, Kew East or Studley Park, although a smaller number are plans of Camberwell, Deepdene, Balwyn and Hawthorn. It is believed that the majority of the plans were gifted to the Society by persons connected with the real estate firm - J. R. Mathers and McMillan, 136 Cotham Road, Kew. The Plans in the collection are rarely in pristine form, being working plans on which the agent would write notes and record lots sold and the prices of these. The subdivision plans are historically significant examples of the growth of urban Melbourne from the beginning of the 20th Century up until the 1980s. A number of the plans are double-sided and often include a photograph on the reverse. A number of the latter are by noted photographers such as J.E. Barnes.The East Kew Tramway Estate was a subdivision of two separate parcels of land between Adeney Avenue and Normanby Road. The larger section included 54 lots facing Adeney Avenue, Argyle Road, and Campbell, Hunter and Wishart Streets. [Hunter and Wishart Streets were created as part of the subdivision.] A further 17 allotments faced Normanby Road, Hubert and Campbell Streets. [The name of Hubert Street was later to be changed to Cecil Street.] The promotion of the sale referred to the advantages of living between two tram routes, in High Street and Cotham Road. On the plan, quaintly drawn trams mark these routes. Also on the plan is the route of part of the Outer Circle [Railway] Line.east kew tramway estate, subdivision plans - east kew

Pru Sanderson, in her groundbreaking ‘City of Kew Urban Conservation Study : Volume 2 - Development History’ (1988), summarised the periods of urban development and subdivisions of land in Kew. The periods that she identified included 1845-1880, 1880-1893, 1893-1921, 1921-1933, 1933-1943, and Post-War Development. These periods were selected as they represented periods of rapid growth or decline in urban development. An obvious starting point for Sanderson’s groupings involved population growth and the associated economic cycles. These cycles also highlighted urban expansion onto land that was predominantly rural, although in other cases it represented the decline and breakup of large estates. A number of the plans in the Kew Historical Society’s collection can also be found in other collections, such as those of the State Library of Victoria and the Boroondara Library Service. A number are however unique to the collection.The Kew Historical Society collection includes almost 100 subdivision plans pertaining to suburbs of the City of Melbourne. Most of these are of Kew, Kew East or Studley Park, although a smaller number are plans of Camberwell, Deepdene, Balwyn and Hawthorn. It is believed that the majority of the plans were gifted to the Society by persons connected with the real estate firm - J. R. Mathers and McMillan, 136 Cotham Road, Kew. The Plans in the collection are rarely in pristine form, being working plans on which the agent would write notes and record lots sold and the prices of these. The subdivision plans are historically significant examples of the growth of urban Melbourne from the beginning of the 20th Century up until the 1980s. A number of the plans are double-sided and often include a photograph on the reverse. A number of the latter are by noted photographers such as J.E. Barnes.Undated Plan of Subdivision of Crown Portion 84 in what is now Kew. The area shown is bordered by Burke Road, Harp Road, Arglye Road and Normanby Road.subdivision plans -- kew (vic), harp road, burke road, normanby road, lady loch's drive, gladstone street, second avenue, first avenue

While a later inscription suggests that the photo dates from 1908, by that stage, according to the Sands & McDougall Directories, the forge on the corner of Cotham and Mont Victor Roads had been taken over by H. Wright. F.G.A. Barnard in his Jubilee History of Kew (1910) records that the well known Sandhill Nursery, had been established by William Holt early in the 1850s. Presumably this was an earlier business as by 1888 it is recorded that the business had become a forge. The forge stood on what is now part of the grounds of Genazzano Convent. A rare photograph of a pioneering industrial business in Kew on the site now occupied by Genazzano Convent.The photo shows W. Holt, Wheelwright, Veterinary and General - Blacksmith, Cotham Road, Kew. Inscription front: "Uncle Will Holt, Cotham Road, Kew, opp Normanby Av [sic] 1908 [sic]"; Reverse: "KHS February 1990. Gift of Mr Panther - Manager Westpac Bank, Kew. Given to Kew Historical Soc."sandhill forge, genazzano convent (kew), cotham road (kew), william holt