One of the oldest homes in Surrey Hills. The photo was taken in 1924 when the property was purchased by Mr John Francis Evans, father of Mrs Lillian Austin. The Evans family came from Gembrook. John Evans was born in Wales; he and his wife Mary had 3 children, 2 daughters and one son. Mary Evans pre-deceased her husband, who died on 23 October 1924 at Hillsborough, 6A Thistle Street. The first owner of the property was Mrs Rachel Sweetnam (nee Lewis) who married Thomas Edward Sweetnam on 24 September 1884 at St John's Church, Camberwell. REF: THE ARGUS 4 Oct 1884 Thomas second eldest surviving son of Matthew Sweetnam married to Rachel (Ray) third eldest daughter of Captain T.D. Lewis, Culm Haven, Camberwell. Thomas was active in land sales and variously described as a land agent, real estate agent and auctioneer. The property - Hillsboro or Hillsborough - was originally a house on a farm of 10 acres owned by her. It became 6A Thistle Street. According to the Alan Holt property register Rachel Sweetnam owned the property prior to 1890 and a family tree on Ancestry.com has that it was owned by her in c1886. It is likely that at this stage the property was an investment rather than the Sweetnam's family residence. Other property owners or residents are: 1890 Selina Gaylor 1900 Stephen Pullen 1910 William Murray (draftsman) 1920 George C Hughes 1930 Arthur Leslie Austin (tram driver) 1980 Mrs Lillian Evelyn Austin Lillian Austin died on 19 August 1983 and the property was sold that year for $87,000. The house is still extant (January 2025). Note that we also have material / photos regarding George Hughes and family.Black and white photo of a timber home with brick chimneys and a (?) corrugated iron roof. There are sheds and outbuildings attached to the house. The garden looks untended. In the background a mature eucalypt tree can be seen.houses, hillsboro, timber houses, mrs lillian austin, hillsborough, selina gaylor, stephen pullen, william murray, george hughes, arthur austin, john francis evans, thistle street

The railway was commenced in 1900 and passed through the middle of the Shillinglaw farm. The line to Eltham opened in 1902. This view shows the the new Catholic Church, St Mary's in Henry Street (near Main Road, then Maria Street) and Shillinglaw Cottage visible in background past where Eltham Town Park and later the Eltham library (1994) was built. The church site had been relocated from further south along Main Road (near Wingrove Cottage) in order to be more central to the congregation following the shifting of the township away from Little Eltham and closer to the railway station. It was subsequently destroyed by fire in 1961.Black and white photographeltham, trestle bridge, bridges, catholic church, henry street, bridge, shillinglaw cottage, shillinglaw trees, shillinglaw farm

Malcolm Cameron, came from Scotland to Australia with his wife Isabella in 1862. From late 1862 they lived in Bacchus Marsh and remained there for the rest of their lives. After working as a shepherd for some time, Malcolm Cameron was able to acquire land for a farm a few kilometres north west of Bacchus Marsh. The farm was called Glen View but this was later changed to Grand View. It is known to have been a wheat farm. Malcolm Cameron died aged 89 in 1922. His wife died in 1926. Mrs Cameron is presumed to be the woman seated in the photograph and the younger people the Cameron children, Catherine (b.1863), Marion (b.1864)), Mary (b.1867), John (b.1870) and Isabella (b.1872). Small sepia unframed photograph on card with gold border framing photograph. Housed in the album, 'Photographs of Bacchus Marsh and District in 1883 by Stevenson and McNicoll'. The image shows a family group, the Cameron family of Bacchus Marsh, standing and sitting in the garden in front of their farm house. The group comprises four women, a girl, a boy and an elderly man, who is presumed to be Malcolm Cameron. The woman seated in the middle of the group is likely to be Mrs.Cameron. To the left in the picture is a dog. In the background is the weatherboard farm house, a simple construction with two large chimneys and a skillion extension.On the front: Stevenson & McNicoll. Photo. 108 Elizabeth St. Melbourne. COPIES CAN BE OBTAINED AT ANY TIME. On the back: LIGHT & TRUTH inscribed on a banner surmounted by a representation of the rising sun. Copies of this Portrait can be had at any time by sending the Name and Post Office Money Order or Stamps for the amount of order to STEVENSON & McNICOLL LATE BENSON & STEVENSON, Photographers. 108 Elizabeth Street, MELBOURNE. stevenson and mcnicoll 1883 photographs of bacchus marsh and district, farmers, farms, wheat farms, cameron family bacchus marsh

John Gibson was a tea merchant in Warrnambool in the 1930's and later went on to run a clothing business in Fairy Street Warrnambool which also involved travelling to areas outside of Warrnambool and district farms with a range of clothing. His wife Mary was associated with the Nella Maris cafe in Liebig St where John Gibson was seriously wounded in a stabbing attack. He and his wife Mary were killed in a road accident in May 1965. It was not uncommon for items such as tea and other basic commodities to be purchased in large amounts. In an article on A common item from the early and mid 20th century with a link to a Warrnambool person and family businessRectangular metal tin with attached hinged lid.The front of the tin has a dark blue background with a white teapot and palm trees and buildings also in white. Text is in red.The tea of taste Renown Tea. J Gibson Warrnambool. Nett weight 12lbs.warrnambool, john alexander gibson, renown tea, j gibson warrnambool

William Ochiltree Lewers (1867-1943) was a son of LInton's first bank manager Samuel Lewers and his wife Annie. He farmed at “Hoyles Creek”, Mannibadar. He married Caroline Murrell (daughter of Ambrose and Mary Murrell) in 1910. They had two sons, William, b. 1910 and Samuel, b. 1911. Sepia photograph of a gentleman with moustache, wearing suit coat and trousers, seated with arms and legs crossed."Mr W.O. Lewers Snr."william ochiltree lewers

The original St Mary’s Roman Catholic Church (1865-1912) was built of clay brick with buttress walls and a slate roof on the corner of Fordhams Road and Maria Street (Main Road), Eltham South, opposite the present-day Wingrove Park. It was blessed on September 3, 1865. With the arrival of the railway in 1901 and the town centre moving closer to the station, the decision was made to relocate the site of the church to its present-day location on Henry Street at the corner of Main Road. A new timber weatherboard church, also called St Mary's was erected and blessed on October 13, 1912. The church and land cost £1,400 (Evelyn Observer). The original brick church was demolished in the 1920s and the bricks and windows were recycled to build a dairy on the Brinkkotter farm at Research. The timber church was destroyed by fire in 1961 and a new modern architectural (1960s) style church was erected in its place and named Our Lady of Help Christians Church.Colour photographresearch (vic.), brinkkotter, catholic church, eltham, roman catholic church, st marys catholic church

Mary Ann Charman was a pioneer settler in the Cheltenham area of the Parish of Moorabbin c1850 Stephen Charman , who emigrated in 1942 as a Henry Dendy employee aged 21 years, sadly lost his wife and child shortly after arriving in Brighton. When Dendy could not employ him he found other work. In 1850 he met Mary Gettens a widow with 5 children who supported her family by managing her late husband’s Inn in Collins St. Melbourne. Stephen purchased land in Spring Grove, now Cheltenham, in 1852 and the family moved to the wattle and daub hut after their marriage. Mary and Stephen worked very hard to establish a market garden, poultry and pork farm . They specialised in Marigolds which they sold to Martin & Pleasance Pharmacy , Melbourne for medicinal purposes. Mary and Stephen had 7 more children and Mary still managed to find time to sell the pork, poultry and vegetables from a horse drawn cart she drove around St Kilda. 1857 Stephen donated land to the Methodist Church for a School, burial ground and Chapel in Balcombe Road. Mary died 1870. Stephen remarried in 1878 and died aged 85 years 1906. Charman Road runs from Nepean Highway , Cheltenham through Beaumaris to the Beach Road at Mentone. Mr Les Jones was the Great Grandson of Mary Ann CharmanAn oval framed colour copy of a painting of the likeness of Mary Ann Charman, 1820 - 1870 pioneer settler in the Cheltenham area of the Parish of Moorabbinpioneers, early settlers, dendy henry, charman mary ann, jones les, cheltenham, moorabbin, brighton, market gardeners, dairy farmers, charman road