My Recollections of Eltham Past by Margaret Joy Harding (nee Joy Chapman.) My family of Elizabeth and Alec Chapman moved to Eltham in 1946 into a cottage on the opposite side of the Diamond Creek from where the little train now operates in the Lower Park. At that time Eltham truly was a country town and the Pub was the main meeting place for most inhabitants on a Saturday afternoon in the beer garden. I attended Eltham Primary School where I started as a 4-year-old (my birthday being slightly after the mid-year intake) that happened then. My mother spent a lot of days taking me back to school when I had dismissed myself and walked the one kilomtre home alone. Bremner's Common (now Wingrove Park) was a big attraction with its dam and tad poling which I found much more entertaining than school. (Mrs Bremner ran a Service Station on the site of the current one). Another attraction at this site was the circus that came a couple of times a year. Watching them put up the circus tent was very interesting and even more of an attraction was the feeding of the Lions in cages and the monkeys and elephants among the other animals that are not found in a circus these days. At school then we were provided with hot chocolate at morning recess where the mothers would prepare it in the shelter shed. The only form of classroom heating was an open fire. Worse was the warm milk given in the summer months. By the time I was near finishing at Primary school we used to be able to walk along the Main Road at lunchtime to Mrs. Mitchell's shop to a delicious hot pie. As I recall there was no supervision for this departure from the school grounds. It is interesting that some of the other children I started school with I still have contact with, in fact one is a very good friend although now living in Perth. That is the other thing about Eltham; many who grew up here continue to live in the area. Following primary school, the natural progression was to Eltham High School. There was only the main building at that time and I can remember our first assembly at the front entrance. During the time I was at High School several new class rooms were added and the school hall. I remember the musical plays such as HMS Pinafore and other classical musicals being performed. I also remember countless hours doing marching practice. The main street shops when I was young consisted of the Blue Gum milk bar at the far end, a Grocery store and a shoe maker where Coles currently stands. Opposite there was Lyon's Garage. They also provided a bus service and when we got off the train this little bus would tour the back streets taking each individual to their home, sometimes this could take quite considerable time. There was also a Black Smith next to the Chiropractic Practice opposite Alistair Knox Park, another Milk Bar/General Store on the comer of Bridge Street/Main Road where a shop currently still operates. There was also a Butcher's shop down from the pub opposite Franklin Street. The only doctor was next to the courthouse on the other side of Brougham Street. On Saturday afternoon I was occasionally allowed to go the movies in the Town Hall which also stood on the site of the Coles centre. Often the Fire Alarm would sound and everyone would run outside to watch the fire truck leave with the volunteers clutching on the back. The other attraction during summer of course was the swimming pool which was a small concrete pool filled with water pumped from the Diamond Creek, sometimes it was like a mud puddle so for me the nearer to home Yarra/Diamond Creek junction was a much better option. We swam in the water hole which was quite deep and with fallen trees and sometimes carcasses of cows and kangaroos floating past. As recreation, the churches were another attraction for the Sunday school picnics to Mordialloc in the back of the moving van with benches tied into the back for us to "sit" on. Too bad when we went around a corner! In the early days we had an Ice Man deliver the ice once a week for "refrigeration". The green grocer came around in a horse and cart as did the milkman and the bread was delivered but I constantly got into trouble for eating the middle out on the way from the box it was delivered to in Mt Pleasant road across the paddock. The milkman finally would not come down our street after his horse bolted one morning and took off across the paddock. We also had the "Pan Man" come weekly and whose visit I would avoid. Our nearest shop was where the flower stall is located opposite the Lower Park. It consisted of a Tea Room and Milk Bar. There was a Public Telephone there which was the only contact to anyone else. We were a one car family so my mother’s movements were very limited as the Eltham Station was a couple of kilometres away and a trip to the city was an event. Being an only child growing up was a little lonely however rambling along the creek with my Mum, picking mushrooms and picking cherry plums for jam and the dogs catching rabbits which we ate if we could get them away from the dogs. We also liked to go into the Lower Park during school holidays when the Greek people came to camp and they would sing and dance around the camp fire and it all seemed so different to us as this was early days of immigration. Childhood was relatively simple and carefree and I wish the kids of today had the freedom of my youth and the healthy outdoor lifestyle of the "olden days".   SHOW GIRL COMPETITION In 1965 Eltham was more like a country town than the suburb it has become today. People knew each other, if not personally then certainly of the family name. The big event for the year was a Gymkhana or show at Lower Eltham Park. I can remember marching as a teenager from the town centre to the park in the marching girls with the decorated floats. In 1965, just on a whim on the day, I decided to enter the Miss Eltham Show Girl which was a part of the festivities at the park. I seem to remember that the show mainly consisted of horse events, cattle judging and dog show. As I had not given any serious thought to entering the competition, I wore a suit that I had for work which was brown wool, with a coffee coloured shirt under, black shoes, bag, and gloves but no hat. I duly paraded for the judges and much to my surprise I was announced the winner. I eventually went on to compete at the Miss Victoria Show Girl competition which was held at the Royal Melbourne Show. There I met many country girls who were representing their rural Victoria home. I made it into a final round of judging but I think justice prevailed when someone from a country background was crowned. It was fun to go into the show as I had not really been before and to see the displays of handcraft, cooking and wood chopping events was great as well as the judging of farm animals interesting. It is hard to remember the Eltham I grew up in. The Lyons Garage company bus that actually drove you home (or close to it) when we got off the train at night. The Eltham Hotel on a Saturday afternoon a usual social meeting place where people just sat and chatted. The pictures held in the Town Hall and when the fire alarm sounded all the men just jumped up and ran to help. Suburbia has now swallowed most of that life but thankfully we at least do have the trestle bridge and parkland. Digital file only - Black and white photo print on loan for scanning by EDHSalec chapman, annie bremner, blacksmith, bremner's flat, brougham steet, bus services, circus, diamond creek, dianne bell, doctor bradbury, easter gymkhana, elizabeth chapman, eltham high school, eltham hotel, eltham lower park, eltham public hall, eltham state school, eltham trestle bridge, general store, grace mitchell, ice man, joy chapman, lyons garage, margaret harding, milk bar, miss eltham 1965, miss victoria show girl, mount pleasant road, pan man, rodda parade, shops, show girl competition, swimming pool, water hole, yarra river

My Recollections of Eltham Past by Margaret Joy Harding (nee Joy Chapman.) My family of Elizabeth and Alec Chapman moved to Eltham in 1946 into a cottage on the opposite side of the Diamond Creek from where the little train now operates in the Lower Park. At that time Eltham truly was a country town and the Pub was the main meeting place for most inhabitants on a Saturday afternoon in the beer garden. I attended Eltham Primary School where I started as a 4-year-old (my birthday being slightly after the mid-year intake) that happened then. My mother spent a lot of days taking me back to school when I had dismissed myself and walked the one kilomtre home alone. Bremner's Common (now Wingrove Park) was a big attraction with its dam and tad poling which I found much more entertaining than school. (Mrs Bremner ran a Service Station on the site of the current one). Another attraction at this site was the circus that came a couple of times a year. Watching them put up the circus tent was very interesting and even more of an attraction was the feeding of the Lions in cages and the monkeys and elephants among the other animals that are not found in a circus these days. At school then we were provided with hot chocolate at morning recess where the mothers would prepare it in the shelter shed. The only form of classroom heating was an open fire. Worse was the warm milk given in the summer months. By the time I was near finishing at Primary school we used to be able to walk along the Main Road at lunchtime to Mrs. Mitchell's shop to a delicious hot pie. As I recall there was no supervision for this departure from the school grounds. It is interesting that some of the other children I started school with I still have contact with, in fact one is a very good friend although now living in Perth. That is the other thing about Eltham; many who grew up here continue to live in the area. Following primary school, the natural progression was to Eltham High School. There was only the main building at that time and I can remember our first assembly at the front entrance. During the time I was at High School several new class rooms were added and the school hall. I remember the musical plays such as HMS Pinafore and other classical musicals being performed. I also remember countless hours doing marching practice. The main street shops when I was young consisted of the Blue Gum milk bar at the far end, a Grocery store and a shoe maker where Coles currently stands. Opposite there was Lyon's Garage. They also provided a bus service and when we got off the train this little bus would tour the back streets taking each individual to their home, sometimes this could take quite considerable time. There was also a Black Smith next to the Chiropractic Practice opposite Alistair Knox Park, another Milk Bar/General Store on the comer of Bridge Street/Main Road where a shop currently still operates. There was also a Butcher's shop down from the pub opposite Franklin Street. The only doctor was next to the courthouse on the other side of Brougham Street. On Saturday afternoon I was occasionally allowed to go the movies in the Town Hall which also stood on the site of the Coles centre. Often the Fire Alarm would sound and everyone would run outside to watch the fire truck leave with the volunteers clutching on the back. The other attraction during summer of course was the swimming pool which was a small concrete pool filled with water pumped from the Diamond Creek, sometimes it was like a mud puddle so for me the nearer to home Yarra/Diamond Creek junction was a much better option. We swam in the water hole which was quite deep and with fallen trees and sometimes carcasses of cows and kangaroos floating past. As recreation, the churches were another attraction for the Sunday school picnics to Mordialloc in the back of the moving van with benches tied into the back for us to "sit" on. Too bad when we went around a corner! In the early days we had an Ice Man deliver the ice once a week for "refrigeration". The green grocer came around in a horse and cart as did the milkman and the bread was delivered but I constantly got into trouble for eating the middle out on the way from the box it was delivered to in Mt Pleasant road across the paddock. The milkman finally would not come down our street after his horse bolted one morning and took off across the paddock. We also had the "Pan Man" come weekly and whose visit I would avoid. Our nearest shop was where the flower stall is located opposite the Lower Park. It consisted of a Tea Room and Milk Bar. There was a Public Telephone there which was the only contact to anyone else. We were a one car family so my mother’s movements were very limited as the Eltham Station was a couple of kilometres away and a trip to the city was an event. Being an only child growing up was a little lonely however rambling along the creek with my Mum, picking mushrooms and picking cherry plums for jam and the dogs catching rabbits which we ate if we could get them away from the dogs. We also liked to go into the Lower Park during school holidays when the Greek people came to camp and they would sing and dance around the camp fire and it all seemed so different to us as this was early days of immigration. Childhood was relatively simple and carefree and I wish the kids of today had the freedom of my youth and the healthy outdoor lifestyle of the "olden days".   SHOW GIRL COMPETITION In 1965 Eltham was more like a country town than the suburb it has become today. People knew each other, if not personally then certainly of the family name. The big event for the year was a Gymkhana or show at Lower Eltham Park. I can remember marching as a teenager from the town centre to the park in the marching girls with the decorated floats. In 1965, just on a whim on the day, I decided to enter the Miss Eltham Show Girl which was a part of the festivities at the park. I seem to remember that the show mainly consisted of horse events, cattle judging and dog show. As I had not given any serious thought to entering the competition, I wore a suit that I had for work which was brown wool, with a coffee coloured shirt under, black shoes, bag, and gloves but no hat. I duly paraded for the judges and much to my surprise I was announced the winner. I eventually went on to compete at the Miss Victoria Show Girl competition which was held at the Royal Melbourne Show. There I met many country girls who were representing their rural Victoria home. I made it into a final round of judging but I think justice prevailed when someone from a country background was crowned. It was fun to go into the show as I had not really been before and to see the displays of handcraft, cooking and wood chopping events was great as well as the judging of farm animals interesting. It is hard to remember the Eltham I grew up in. The Lyons Garage company bus that actually drove you home (or close to it) when we got off the train at night. The Eltham Hotel on a Saturday afternoon a usual social meeting place where people just sat and chatted. The pictures held in the Town Hall and when the fire alarm sounded all the men just jumped up and ran to help. Suburbia has now swallowed most of that life but thankfully we at least do have the trestle bridge and parkland. Born digitalalec chapman, annie bremner, blacksmith, bremner's flat, brougham steet, bus services, circus, diamond creek, dianne bell, doctor bradbury, easter gymkhana, elizabeth chapman, eltham high school, eltham hotel, eltham lower park, eltham public hall, eltham state school, eltham trestle bridge, general store, grace mitchell, ice man, joy chapman, lyons garage, margaret harding, milk bar, miss eltham 1965, miss victoria show girl, mount pleasant road, pan man, rodda parade, shops, show girl competition, swimming pool, water hole, yarra river

My Recollections of Eltham Past by Margaret Joy Harding (nee Joy Chapman.) My family of Elizabeth and Alec Chapman moved to Eltham in 1946 into a cottage on the opposite side of the Diamond Creek from where the little train now operates in the Lower Park. At that time Eltham truly was a country town and the Pub was the main meeting place for most inhabitants on a Saturday afternoon in the beer garden. I attended Eltham Primary School where I started as a 4-year-old (my birthday being slightly after the mid-year intake) that happened then. My mother spent a lot of days taking me back to school when I had dismissed myself and walked the one kilomtre home alone. Bremner's Common (now Wingrove Park) was a big attraction with its dam and tad poling which I found much more entertaining than school. (Mrs Bremner ran a Service Station on the site of the current one). Another attraction at this site was the circus that came a couple of times a year. Watching them put up the circus tent was very interesting and even more of an attraction was the feeding of the Lions in cages and the monkeys and elephants among the other animals that are not found in a circus these days. At school then we were provided with hot chocolate at morning recess where the mothers would prepare it in the shelter shed. The only form of classroom heating was an open fire. Worse was the warm milk given in the summer months. By the time I was near finishing at Primary school we used to be able to walk along the Main Road at lunchtime to Mrs. Mitchell's shop to a delicious hot pie. As I recall there was no supervision for this departure from the school grounds. It is interesting that some of the other children I started school with I still have contact with, in fact one is a very good friend although now living in Perth. That is the other thing about Eltham; many who grew up here continue to live in the area. Following primary school, the natural progression was to Eltham High School. There was only the main building at that time and I can remember our first assembly at the front entrance. During the time I was at High School several new class rooms were added and the school hall. I remember the musical plays such as HMS Pinafore and other classical musicals being performed. I also remember countless hours doing marching practice. The main street shops when I was young consisted of the Blue Gum milk bar at the far end, a Grocery store and a shoe maker where Coles currently stands. Opposite there was Lyon's Garage. They also provided a bus service and when we got off the train this little bus would tour the back streets taking each individual to their home, sometimes this could take quite considerable time. There was also a Black Smith next to the Chiropractic Practice opposite Alistair Knox Park, another Milk Bar/General Store on the comer of Bridge Street/Main Road where a shop currently still operates. There was also a Butcher's shop down from the pub opposite Franklin Street. The only doctor was next to the courthouse on the other side of Brougham Street. On Saturday afternoon I was occasionally allowed to go the movies in the Town Hall which also stood on the site of the Coles centre. Often the Fire Alarm would sound and everyone would run outside to watch the fire truck leave with the volunteers clutching on the back. The other attraction during summer of course was the swimming pool which was a small concrete pool filled with water pumped from the Diamond Creek, sometimes it was like a mud puddle so for me the nearer to home Yarra/Diamond Creek junction was a much better option. We swam in the water hole which was quite deep and with fallen trees and sometimes carcasses of cows and kangaroos floating past. As recreation, the churches were another attraction for the Sunday school picnics to Mordialloc in the back of the moving van with benches tied into the back for us to "sit" on. Too bad when we went around a corner! In the early days we had an Ice Man deliver the ice once a week for "refrigeration". The green grocer came around in a horse and cart as did the milkman and the bread was delivered but I constantly got into trouble for eating the middle out on the way from the box it was delivered to in Mt Pleasant road across the paddock. The milkman finally would not come down our street after his horse bolted one morning and took off across the paddock. We also had the "Pan Man" come weekly and whose visit I would avoid. Our nearest shop was where the flower stall is located opposite the Lower Park. It consisted of a Tea Room and Milk Bar. There was a Public Telephone there which was the only contact to anyone else. We were a one car family so my mother’s movements were very limited as the Eltham Station was a couple of kilometres away and a trip to the city was an event. Being an only child growing up was a little lonely however rambling along the creek with my Mum, picking mushrooms and picking cherry plums for jam and the dogs catching rabbits which we ate if we could get them away from the dogs. We also liked to go into the Lower Park during school holidays when the Greek people came to camp and they would sing and dance around the camp fire and it all seemed so different to us as this was early days of immigration. Childhood was relatively simple and carefree and I wish the kids of today had the freedom of my youth and the healthy outdoor lifestyle of the "olden days".   SHOW GIRL COMPETITION In 1965 Eltham was more like a country town than the suburb it has become today. People knew each other, if not personally then certainly of the family name. The big event for the year was a Gymkhana or show at Lower Eltham Park. I can remember marching as a teenager from the town centre to the park in the marching girls with the decorated floats. In 1965, just on a whim on the day, I decided to enter the Miss Eltham Show Girl which was a part of the festivities at the park. I seem to remember that the show mainly consisted of horse events, cattle judging and dog show. As I had not given any serious thought to entering the competition, I wore a suit that I had for work which was brown wool, with a coffee coloured shirt under, black shoes, bag, and gloves but no hat. I duly paraded for the judges and much to my surprise I was announced the winner. I eventually went on to compete at the Miss Victoria Show Girl competition which was held at the Royal Melbourne Show. There I met many country girls who were representing their rural Victoria home. I made it into a final round of judging but I think justice prevailed when someone from a country background was crowned. It was fun to go into the show as I had not really been before and to see the displays of handcraft, cooking and wood chopping events was great as well as the judging of farm animals interesting. It is hard to remember the Eltham I grew up in. The Lyons Garage company bus that actually drove you home (or close to it) when we got off the train at night. The Eltham Hotel on a Saturday afternoon a usual social meeting place where people just sat and chatted. The pictures held in the Town Hall and when the fire alarm sounded all the men just jumped up and ran to help. Suburbia has now swallowed most of that life but thankfully we at least do have the trestle bridge and parkland. Digital file only - Black and white photo print on loan for scanning by EDHSalec chapman, annie bremner, blacksmith, bremner's flat, brougham steet, bus services, circus, diamond creek, dianne bell, doctor bradbury, easter gymkhana, elizabeth chapman, eltham high school, eltham hotel, eltham lower park, eltham public hall, eltham state school, eltham trestle bridge, general store, grace mitchell, ice man, joy chapman, lyons garage, margaret harding, milk bar, miss eltham 1965, miss victoria show girl, mount pleasant road, pan man, rodda parade, shops, show girl competition, swimming pool, water hole, yarra river

My Recollections of Eltham Past by Margaret Joy Harding (nee Joy Chapman.) My family of Elizabeth and Alec Chapman moved to Eltham in 1946 into a cottage on the opposite side of the Diamond Creek from where the little train now operates in the Lower Park. At that time Eltham truly was a country town and the Pub was the main meeting place for most inhabitants on a Saturday afternoon in the beer garden. I attended Eltham Primary School where I started as a 4-year-old (my birthday being slightly after the mid-year intake) that happened then. My mother spent a lot of days taking me back to school when I had dismissed myself and walked the one kilomtre home alone. Bremner's Common (now Wingrove Park) was a big attraction with its dam and tad poling which I found much more entertaining than school. (Mrs Bremner ran a Service Station on the site of the current one). Another attraction at this site was the circus that came a couple of times a year. Watching them put up the circus tent was very interesting and even more of an attraction was the feeding of the Lions in cages and the monkeys and elephants among the other animals that are not found in a circus these days. At school then we were provided with hot chocolate at morning recess where the mothers would prepare it in the shelter shed. The only form of classroom heating was an open fire. Worse was the warm milk given in the summer months. By the time I was near finishing at Primary school we used to be able to walk along the Main Road at lunchtime to Mrs. Mitchell's shop to a delicious hot pie. As I recall there was no supervision for this departure from the school grounds. It is interesting that some of the other children I started school with I still have contact with, in fact one is a very good friend although now living in Perth. That is the other thing about Eltham; many who grew up here continue to live in the area. Following primary school, the natural progression was to Eltham High School. There was only the main building at that time and I can remember our first assembly at the front entrance. During the time I was at High School several new class rooms were added and the school hall. I remember the musical plays such as HMS Pinafore and other classical musicals being performed. I also remember countless hours doing marching practice. The main street shops when I was young consisted of the Blue Gum milk bar at the far end, a Grocery store and a shoe maker where Coles currently stands. Opposite there was Lyon's Garage. They also provided a bus service and when we got off the train this little bus would tour the back streets taking each individual to their home, sometimes this could take quite considerable time. There was also a Black Smith next to the Chiropractic Practice opposite Alistair Knox Park, another Milk Bar/General Store on the comer of Bridge Street/Main Road where a shop currently still operates. There was also a Butcher's shop down from the pub opposite Franklin Street. The only doctor was next to the courthouse on the other side of Brougham Street. On Saturday afternoon I was occasionally allowed to go the movies in the Town Hall which also stood on the site of the Coles centre. Often the Fire Alarm would sound and everyone would run outside to watch the fire truck leave with the volunteers clutching on the back. The other attraction during summer of course was the swimming pool which was a small concrete pool filled with water pumped from the Diamond Creek, sometimes it was like a mud puddle so for me the nearer to home Yarra/Diamond Creek junction was a much better option. We swam in the water hole which was quite deep and with fallen trees and sometimes carcasses of cows and kangaroos floating past. As recreation, the churches were another attraction for the Sunday school picnics to Mordialloc in the back of the moving van with benches tied into the back for us to "sit" on. Too bad when we went around a corner! In the early days we had an Ice Man deliver the ice once a week for "refrigeration". The green grocer came around in a horse and cart as did the milkman and the bread was delivered but I constantly got into trouble for eating the middle out on the way from the box it was delivered to in Mt Pleasant road across the paddock. The milkman finally would not come down our street after his horse bolted one morning and took off across the paddock. We also had the "Pan Man" come weekly and whose visit I would avoid. Our nearest shop was where the flower stall is located opposite the Lower Park. It consisted of a Tea Room and Milk Bar. There was a Public Telephone there which was the only contact to anyone else. We were a one car family so my mother’s movements were very limited as the Eltham Station was a couple of kilometres away and a trip to the city was an event. Being an only child growing up was a little lonely however rambling along the creek with my Mum, picking mushrooms and picking cherry plums for jam and the dogs catching rabbits which we ate if we could get them away from the dogs. We also liked to go into the Lower Park during school holidays when the Greek people came to camp and they would sing and dance around the camp fire and it all seemed so different to us as this was early days of immigration. Childhood was relatively simple and carefree and I wish the kids of today had the freedom of my youth and the healthy outdoor lifestyle of the "olden days".   SHOW GIRL COMPETITION In 1965 Eltham was more like a country town than the suburb it has become today. People knew each other, if not personally then certainly of the family name. The big event for the year was a Gymkhana or show at Lower Eltham Park. I can remember marching as a teenager from the town centre to the park in the marching girls with the decorated floats. In 1965, just on a whim on the day, I decided to enter the Miss Eltham Show Girl which was a part of the festivities at the park. I seem to remember that the show mainly consisted of horse events, cattle judging and dog show. As I had not given any serious thought to entering the competition, I wore a suit that I had for work which was brown wool, with a coffee coloured shirt under, black shoes, bag, and gloves but no hat. I duly paraded for the judges and much to my surprise I was announced the winner. I eventually went on to compete at the Miss Victoria Show Girl competition which was held at the Royal Melbourne Show. There I met many country girls who were representing their rural Victoria home. I made it into a final round of judging but I think justice prevailed when someone from a country background was crowned. It was fun to go into the show as I had not really been before and to see the displays of handcraft, cooking and wood chopping events was great as well as the judging of farm animals interesting. It is hard to remember the Eltham I grew up in. The Lyons Garage company bus that actually drove you home (or close to it) when we got off the train at night. The Eltham Hotel on a Saturday afternoon a usual social meeting place where people just sat and chatted. The pictures held in the Town Hall and when the fire alarm sounded all the men just jumped up and ran to help. Suburbia has now swallowed most of that life but thankfully we at least do have the trestle bridge and parkland. Digital file only - Black and white photo print on loan for scanning by EDHSalec chapman, annie bremner, blacksmith, bremner's flat, brougham steet, bus services, circus, diamond creek, dianne bell, doctor bradbury, easter gymkhana, elizabeth chapman, eltham high school, eltham hotel, eltham lower park, eltham public hall, eltham state school, eltham trestle bridge, general store, grace mitchell, ice man, joy chapman, lyons garage, margaret harding, milk bar, miss eltham 1965, miss victoria show girl, mount pleasant road, pan man, rodda parade, shops, show girl competition, swimming pool, water hole, yarra river

My Recollections of Eltham Past by Margaret Joy Harding (nee Joy Chapman.) My family of Elizabeth and Alec Chapman moved to Eltham in 1946 into a cottage on the opposite side of the Diamond Creek from where the little train now operates in the Lower Park. At that time Eltham truly was a country town and the Pub was the main meeting place for most inhabitants on a Saturday afternoon in the beer garden. I attended Eltham Primary School where I started as a 4-year-old (my birthday being slightly after the mid-year intake) that happened then. My mother spent a lot of days taking me back to school when I had dismissed myself and walked the one kilomtre home alone. Bremner's Common (now Wingrove Park) was a big attraction with its dam and tad poling which I found much more entertaining than school. (Mrs Bremner ran a Service Station on the site of the current one). Another attraction at this site was the circus that came a couple of times a year. Watching them put up the circus tent was very interesting and even more of an attraction was the feeding of the Lions in cages and the monkeys and elephants among the other animals that are not found in a circus these days. At school then we were provided with hot chocolate at morning recess where the mothers would prepare it in the shelter shed. The only form of classroom heating was an open fire. Worse was the warm milk given in the summer months. By the time I was near finishing at Primary school we used to be able to walk along the Main Road at lunchtime to Mrs. Mitchell's shop to a delicious hot pie. As I recall there was no supervision for this departure from the school grounds. It is interesting that some of the other children I started school with I still have contact with, in fact one is a very good friend although now living in Perth. That is the other thing about Eltham; many who grew up here continue to live in the area. Following primary school, the natural progression was to Eltham High School. There was only the main building at that time and I can remember our first assembly at the front entrance. During the time I was at High School several new class rooms were added and the school hall. I remember the musical plays such as HMS Pinafore and other classical musicals being performed. I also remember countless hours doing marching practice. The main street shops when I was young consisted of the Blue Gum milk bar at the far end, a Grocery store and a shoe maker where Coles currently stands. Opposite there was Lyon's Garage. They also provided a bus service and when we got off the train this little bus would tour the back streets taking each individual to their home, sometimes this could take quite considerable time. There was also a Black Smith next to the Chiropractic Practice opposite Alistair Knox Park, another Milk Bar/General Store on the comer of Bridge Street/Main Road where a shop currently still operates. There was also a Butcher's shop down from the pub opposite Franklin Street. The only doctor was next to the courthouse on the other side of Brougham Street. On Saturday afternoon I was occasionally allowed to go the movies in the Town Hall which also stood on the site of the Coles centre. Often the Fire Alarm would sound and everyone would run outside to watch the fire truck leave with the volunteers clutching on the back. The other attraction during summer of course was the swimming pool which was a small concrete pool filled with water pumped from the Diamond Creek, sometimes it was like a mud puddle so for me the nearer to home Yarra/Diamond Creek junction was a much better option. We swam in the water hole which was quite deep and with fallen trees and sometimes carcasses of cows and kangaroos floating past. As recreation, the churches were another attraction for the Sunday school picnics to Mordialloc in the back of the moving van with benches tied into the back for us to "sit" on. Too bad when we went around a corner! In the early days we had an Ice Man deliver the ice once a week for "refrigeration". The green grocer came around in a horse and cart as did the milkman and the bread was delivered but I constantly got into trouble for eating the middle out on the way from the box it was delivered to in Mt Pleasant road across the paddock. The milkman finally would not come down our street after his horse bolted one morning and took off across the paddock. We also had the "Pan Man" come weekly and whose visit I would avoid. Our nearest shop was where the flower stall is located opposite the Lower Park. It consisted of a Tea Room and Milk Bar. There was a Public Telephone there which was the only contact to anyone else. We were a one car family so my mother’s movements were very limited as the Eltham Station was a couple of kilometres away and a trip to the city was an event. Being an only child growing up was a little lonely however rambling along the creek with my Mum, picking mushrooms and picking cherry plums for jam and the dogs catching rabbits which we ate if we could get them away from the dogs. We also liked to go into the Lower Park during school holidays when the Greek people came to camp and they would sing and dance around the camp fire and it all seemed so different to us as this was early days of immigration. Childhood was relatively simple and carefree and I wish the kids of today had the freedom of my youth and the healthy outdoor lifestyle of the "olden days".   SHOW GIRL COMPETITION In 1965 Eltham was more like a country town than the suburb it has become today. People knew each other, if not personally then certainly of the family name. The big event for the year was a Gymkhana or show at Lower Eltham Park. I can remember marching as a teenager from the town centre to the park in the marching girls with the decorated floats. In 1965, just on a whim on the day, I decided to enter the Miss Eltham Show Girl which was a part of the festivities at the park. I seem to remember that the show mainly consisted of horse events, cattle judging and dog show. As I had not given any serious thought to entering the competition, I wore a suit that I had for work which was brown wool, with a coffee coloured shirt under, black shoes, bag, and gloves but no hat. I duly paraded for the judges and much to my surprise I was announced the winner. I eventually went on to compete at the Miss Victoria Show Girl competition which was held at the Royal Melbourne Show. There I met many country girls who were representing their rural Victoria home. I made it into a final round of judging but I think justice prevailed when someone from a country background was crowned. It was fun to go into the show as I had not really been before and to see the displays of handcraft, cooking and wood chopping events was great as well as the judging of farm animals interesting. It is hard to remember the Eltham I grew up in. The Lyons Garage company bus that actually drove you home (or close to it) when we got off the train at night. The Eltham Hotel on a Saturday afternoon a usual social meeting place where people just sat and chatted. The pictures held in the Town Hall and when the fire alarm sounded all the men just jumped up and ran to help. Suburbia has now swallowed most of that life but thankfully we at least do have the trestle bridge and parkland. Digital file only - Black and white photo print on loan for scanning by EDHSalec chapman, annie bremner, blacksmith, bremner's flat, brougham steet, bus services, circus, diamond creek, dianne bell, doctor bradbury, easter gymkhana, elizabeth chapman, eltham high school, eltham hotel, eltham lower park, eltham public hall, eltham state school, eltham trestle bridge, general store, grace mitchell, ice man, joy chapman, lyons garage, margaret harding, milk bar, miss eltham 1965, miss victoria show girl, mount pleasant road, pan man, rodda parade, shops, show girl competition, swimming pool, water hole, yarra river

My Recollections of Eltham Past by Margaret Joy Harding (nee Joy Chapman.) My family of Elizabeth and Alec Chapman moved to Eltham in 1946 into a cottage on the opposite side of the Diamond Creek from where the little train now operates in the Lower Park. At that time Eltham truly was a country town and the Pub was the main meeting place for most inhabitants on a Saturday afternoon in the beer garden. I attended Eltham Primary School where I started as a 4-year-old (my birthday being slightly after the mid-year intake) that happened then. My mother spent a lot of days taking me back to school when I had dismissed myself and walked the one kilomtre home alone. Bremner's Common (now Wingrove Park) was a big attraction with its dam and tad poling which I found much more entertaining than school. (Mrs Bremner ran a Service Station on the site of the current one). Another attraction at this site was the circus that came a couple of times a year. Watching them put up the circus tent was very interesting and even more of an attraction was the feeding of the Lions in cages and the monkeys and elephants among the other animals that are not found in a circus these days. At school then we were provided with hot chocolate at morning recess where the mothers would prepare it in the shelter shed. The only form of classroom heating was an open fire. Worse was the warm milk given in the summer months. By the time I was near finishing at Primary school we used to be able to walk along the Main Road at lunchtime to Mrs. Mitchell's shop to a delicious hot pie. As I recall there was no supervision for this departure from the school grounds. It is interesting that some of the other children I started school with I still have contact with, in fact one is a very good friend although now living in Perth. That is the other thing about Eltham; many who grew up here continue to live in the area. Following primary school, the natural progression was to Eltham High School. There was only the main building at that time and I can remember our first assembly at the front entrance. During the time I was at High School several new class rooms were added and the school hall. I remember the musical plays such as HMS Pinafore and other classical musicals being performed. I also remember countless hours doing marching practice. The main street shops when I was young consisted of the Blue Gum milk bar at the far end, a Grocery store and a shoe maker where Coles currently stands. Opposite there was Lyon's Garage. They also provided a bus service and when we got off the train this little bus would tour the back streets taking each individual to their home, sometimes this could take quite considerable time. There was also a Black Smith next to the Chiropractic Practice opposite Alistair Knox Park, another Milk Bar/General Store on the comer of Bridge Street/Main Road where a shop currently still operates. There was also a Butcher's shop down from the pub opposite Franklin Street. The only doctor was next to the courthouse on the other side of Brougham Street. On Saturday afternoon I was occasionally allowed to go the movies in the Town Hall which also stood on the site of the Coles centre. Often the Fire Alarm would sound and everyone would run outside to watch the fire truck leave with the volunteers clutching on the back. The other attraction during summer of course was the swimming pool which was a small concrete pool filled with water pumped from the Diamond Creek, sometimes it was like a mud puddle so for me the nearer to home Yarra/Diamond Creek junction was a much better option. We swam in the water hole which was quite deep and with fallen trees and sometimes carcasses of cows and kangaroos floating past. As recreation, the churches were another attraction for the Sunday school picnics to Mordialloc in the back of the moving van with benches tied into the back for us to "sit" on. Too bad when we went around a corner! In the early days we had an Ice Man deliver the ice once a week for "refrigeration". The green grocer came around in a horse and cart as did the milkman and the bread was delivered but I constantly got into trouble for eating the middle out on the way from the box it was delivered to in Mt Pleasant road across the paddock. The milkman finally would not come down our street after his horse bolted one morning and took off across the paddock. We also had the "Pan Man" come weekly and whose visit I would avoid. Our nearest shop was where the flower stall is located opposite the Lower Park. It consisted of a Tea Room and Milk Bar. There was a Public Telephone there which was the only contact to anyone else. We were a one car family so my mother’s movements were very limited as the Eltham Station was a couple of kilometres away and a trip to the city was an event. Being an only child growing up was a little lonely however rambling along the creek with my Mum, picking mushrooms and picking cherry plums for jam and the dogs catching rabbits which we ate if we could get them away from the dogs. We also liked to go into the Lower Park during school holidays when the Greek people came to camp and they would sing and dance around the camp fire and it all seemed so different to us as this was early days of immigration. Childhood was relatively simple and carefree and I wish the kids of today had the freedom of my youth and the healthy outdoor lifestyle of the "olden days".   SHOW GIRL COMPETITION In 1965 Eltham was more like a country town than the suburb it has become today. People knew each other, if not personally then certainly of the family name. The big event for the year was a Gymkhana or show at Lower Eltham Park. I can remember marching as a teenager from the town centre to the park in the marching girls with the decorated floats. In 1965, just on a whim on the day, I decided to enter the Miss Eltham Show Girl which was a part of the festivities at the park. I seem to remember that the show mainly consisted of horse events, cattle judging and dog show. As I had not given any serious thought to entering the competition, I wore a suit that I had for work which was brown wool, with a coffee coloured shirt under, black shoes, bag, and gloves but no hat. I duly paraded for the judges and much to my surprise I was announced the winner. I eventually went on to compete at the Miss Victoria Show Girl competition which was held at the Royal Melbourne Show. There I met many country girls who were representing their rural Victoria home. I made it into a final round of judging but I think justice prevailed when someone from a country background was crowned. It was fun to go into the show as I had not really been before and to see the displays of handcraft, cooking and wood chopping events was great as well as the judging of farm animals interesting. It is hard to remember the Eltham I grew up in. The Lyons Garage company bus that actually drove you home (or close to it) when we got off the train at night. The Eltham Hotel on a Saturday afternoon a usual social meeting place where people just sat and chatted. The pictures held in the Town Hall and when the fire alarm sounded all the men just jumped up and ran to help. Suburbia has now swallowed most of that life but thankfully we at least do have the trestle bridge and parkland. Digital file only - Black and white photo print on loan for scanning by EDHSalec chapman, annie bremner, blacksmith, bremner's flat, brougham steet, bus services, circus, diamond creek, dianne bell, doctor bradbury, easter gymkhana, elizabeth chapman, eltham high school, eltham hotel, eltham lower park, eltham public hall, eltham state school, eltham trestle bridge, general store, grace mitchell, ice man, joy chapman, lyons garage, margaret harding, milk bar, miss eltham 1965, miss victoria show girl, mount pleasant road, pan man, rodda parade, shops, show girl competition, swimming pool, water hole, yarra river

RAAF uniform worn by Squadron Leader Ian A. 'Joe' Lyons, Operations Officer for No. 77 Squadron. Part of the Ian A. 'Joe' Lyons MBE Collection. See Catalogue No. 5374P for details of his service record..1) RAAF uniform jacket, dark blue in colour. Black fabric inner lining. Gold coloured buttons. Coat has two button down breast pockets and two button-down side pockets. Dark blue fabric belt with metal buckle is threaded through two belt loops. Three rows of service ribbons including an MBE ribbon and pilot officer's wings on left hand breast. Rank insignia on the bottom of each sleeve. .2) Dark blue fabric trousers with two side pockets, belt loops and button fly. Buttons for braces on the inner waist band. .3) Dark blue fabric tie. Manufacturer's label on keeper loop..1) On label sewn into neck: 'M TX'. .2) On label sewn onto inside waist band: ' M TX'. .3) On keeper: Trent Nathan'.uniform, raaf, ian a. 'joe' lyons

Part of the Reverend Chaplain Major Thomas Bruce Williams, No 556101, Collection..1) Black woollen trousers with a purple stripe down the outside of each leg. Zipper fly. Calico manufacturer's label sewn onto the inside of the waist band. .2) White elastic braces with leather attachments for securing to trousers. .3) Black woollen waistcoat with four gold coloured buttons, each bearing a Christian Chaplain's insignia. .4) Black woollen mess jacket with purple lapels, cuffs and epaulettes. Black nylon fabric lining. Gold crucifix on each lapel. Major's insignia on each epaulette. Gold coloured buttons each bearing a Christian Chaplain's insignia. .5) Black fabric bow tie with clear plastic clips for fastening to a collar.Handwritten on trousers' manufacturer's label in black ink: '556101'army chaplain, uniform, mess dress, major thomas b. williams

The cards where distributed army personal to send home from the war. J.I. McIntyre was a member of the Lara RSL along with brothers Jim and Thonas Blue Card with white boundary, with card insert and red ribbon tying them together On the front page 58th Battalion Badge. Inside 1916-1917 inside a wreath of wheat .Going down on either side in a scroll like pattern is the names of battles on the left is Somme, Fromelles Sinai and on the right is Lagnicourt, Bullecourt, Polygon Wood. In the middle is written in script With Kindness Remembrances & all Good A.I.FWishes for Christmas & New Year From J.L McIntyre. Down the bottom is 58th Battalion A.I.F Xmas 1917 New Year 1918 christmas card, world war one, army, a.i.f, mcintyre

These cards were available to service personal while serving overseas to keep in touch with family and friends. This card was sent from France on the 31/10/17 by H.D.Sutherland to relay his best wishes to family and friends for Christmas and new year. Small rectangular greeting card. Cream in colour. Card has two small holes punched in it down one side with a red cord through them tied into a bow. Greetings from 3rd Australian Divisional Headquarters. Xmas1917. New Year1918.

Herbert Trangmar ALLAN, refer Cat No 2755.4 for his extensive service records and awards. .3) Taken during his appointment to Headquarters of the Command & Staff School, 2nd Military District. .7) Col H T ALLAN former commander of the Pacific Islands Regiment. .10) See newspaper articles 3046.52 & 3046.53 a., b., c. .11) - .14) See newspaper articles 3046.52 & 3046.53 a., b., c. .16) The flap staff was donated by the Royal Papua & New Guinea Constabulary. See newspaper articles 3046.52 & 3046.53 a., b., c. Th photos are of various sizes with an average as per the size field. .1) Black & white full length photo of Capt Herbert T ALLAN, 17th Battalion, in Australian Army uniform from WWI, location unknown. .2) Black & white studio portrait of Herbert T ALLAN in suit & tie. Photo is mounted on cream card with a khaki border. Photo is secured in a cream card folder. .3) Black & white photo of a group of Australian Army Officers in uniform. Front row seated, rear / middle rows standing. Herbert T ALLAN seated front row 2nd from right. Headquarters of Command & Staff School in background. .4) Black & white photo of a battalion of soldiers marching down a street with sloped rifles & fixed bayonets. Battalion led by an Officer most likely to be Herbert T ALLAN. Solder on horseback in foreground. Civilian observers line the street. .5) Black & white photo of an Australian Army Officer, most likely Herbert T ALLAN, standing in front of a tent in New Guinea. .6) Black & white photo of Col Herbert T ALLAN seated, taken in New Guinea. .7) Black & white photo of Col H T ALLAN talking to 3 New Guinea natives who are possibly former members of the Pacific Islands Regiment. .8) Black & white photo of Col H T ALLAN & his New Guinean driver in an Australian Base Command jeep. .9) Black & white photo of New Guinean spectators at the opening of the Rabaul Ex-Servicemen's Club. .10) Black & white photo of Col Herbert T ALLAN with a group of PNG Ex-Servicemen. All are wearing medals. To the immediate left of Col Herbert T ALLAN is Raymond Martin, Club President. On wall behind is a rifle donated by Capt R CLAMMER of Rabaul Police. .11) Black & white photo of a presentation table to the Rabaul Ex-Servicemen, by the New Britain Boy Scouts. Club President, Raymond Martin is receiving the table with Colonel Herbert T ALLAN looking on. .12) Black & white photo of Rabaul Ex-Servicemen's Club President, Raymond Martin making a speech at the Club's opening with Colonel Herbert T ALLAN, a Naval Officer & a group looking on. Group is in front of PNG Rabaul Branch of Native Ex-Servicemen's Association building. .13) Black & white photo of the parade of PNG Ex-Servicemen, Boy Scouts & spectators at the opening of the Rabaul Ex-Servicemen's Club. .14) Black & white photo of Colonel Herbert T ALLAN inspecting a parade of PNG Ex-Servicemen at the opening of the Rabaul Ex-Servicemen's Club. .15) Black & white photo of the official party at the opening of the Papua & New Guinea Rabaul Branch Native Ex-Servicemen's Club. .16) Black & white photo of Colonel Herbert T ALLAN raising the Australian flag in front of a parade of PNG Ex-Servicemen, Boy Scouts & spectators at the opening of the Rabaul Ex-Servicemen's Club. .1) Handwritten on back: Armistice Day Nov 11th 1918. Hence the smile. .2) Printed on folder front: Portrait study by Howard Harris. Handwritten on back: Blue Allan. .3) On front: Handwritten 'X' below H T ALLAN. On back: Stamp of S J Hood photographer detailing order No 1. .5) Handwritten in pencil on back: Return to I Marsh Woolgoolga. .6) Stamped in blue ink on back: Photograph No MH 75552 Supplied by Military History Section (SD?) General? LHQ For official purpose ONLY NOT TO BE PUBLISHED .7) Stamped in blue ink on back: Photograph No MH 75553 Supplied by Military History Section (SD?) General? LHQ For official purpose ONLY NOT TO BE PUBLISHED Handwritten in pencil on back: Return to I Marsh Woolgoolga. .8) Stamped in blue ink on back: Photograph No MH 75556 Supplied by Military History Section (SD?) General? LHQ For official purpose ONLY NOT TO BE PUBLISHED photographs, articles, pacific, new guinea

Brown pouch possibly used to protect pay book. Items relate to Clifford Alfred Cairncross RAAF. Refer 2108.7 for his service record..1) Brown oil cloth pouch with fold down flap .2) Calico cloth roll up pouch with material ties.1) “-1942 ***AC”stamped in black ink on inner section personal effects - containers, military equipment

This apron was donated along with other well kept items of women's clothing. The clothing once belonged to members of a family who migrated from Faversham, Kent, England to Sydney, Australia in the late 19th - early 20th century and was passed down through the family. The items have been worn and have also been well cared for.This items is an example of ladies' clothing worn during the late 19th to early 20th century.Apron, ladies, machine made, cotton, Gathered waist, waist ties, small bodice with Brodery Anglais lace hand stitched onto it, neck ties. Would have been work for 'good' wear. C. 1900. flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, ladies garments 19th century, cotton garments 19th century, apron late 19th century, domestic clothing, domestic service, hospitality service, broderie anglaise, ladies’ clothing, hospitality clothing

This apron was donated along with other well kept items of women's clothing. The clothing once belonged to members of a family who migrated from Faversham, Kent, England to Sydney, Australia in the late 19th - early 20th century and was passed down through the family. The items have been worn and have also been well cared for.The apron is an example of late 19th century ladies' clothing for use in domestic service or hospitality.Apron, ladies size, cotton, machine made. Bodice has hand made Broderie Anglais lace trim and neck ties, skirt has gathered waist and ties, three pin ticks around hemline. Would have been worn for 'best' wear. C. 1900flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, ladies garments 19th century, cotton garments 19th century, apron late 19th century, broderie anglaise, handmade lace, apron, domestic clothing, domestic work, domestic service

This camisole was donated along with other well kept items of women's clothing. The clothing once belonged to members of a family who migrated from Faversham, Kent, England to Sydney, Australia in the late 19th - early 20th century and was passed down through the family. The items have been worn and have also been well cared for.Camisole, machine sewn, cotton with lace insert panels and lace trim around armholes and neck. Drawstring waist tie and button closure on back - 2 buttons. Inscription, handwritten in pencil on back opening "19428 - - - " c. 1900Handwritten in pencil "19428 - - - " flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, ladies garments 19th century, cotton garments 19th century, ladies undergarment, camisole c 1900, handmade lingerie

This try-pot is one of a set of three. Whalers used large iron pots, called try-pots to liquefy large chunks of whale blubber down into oil. Early on in the history of whaling, small whaling boats had no means to process blubber at sea and had to bring it into whaling stations for processing at shore-based try-works. Later, when bay whaling evolved and large scale vessel were utilised for hunting whales, try pots were mounted onto the top deck. This advance had its benefits as the processing facilities were mobile, whalers could move operations to follow whales and discover new whaling grounds. The deceased whale would be tied up alongside the ship, the crewmen cut away the blubber, or outer fat layer, in long strips. They hauled the strips aboard, cut them into smaller pieces, and tossed them into boiling cauldrons on deck to render the fat into oil. The whale oil was stored in barrels in the cargo hold, and brought to put for sale. The oil was much sought after as a good quality fuel tor heating, light and lubrication. Try pots were used in the whaling industry, one of the very early industries in Colonial Australia, including here on the southwest coast of Victoria. The high grade oil was a much sought after product and used for essential services such as fuelling the lights of the lighthouses. Commercial whaling ceased in Australia in 1979.Try pot, one of a set of three. A large cast-iron cauldron of about 200 gallons in capacity. Round metal container with rounded base and flat extended lip. flagstaff hill, warrnambool, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, try pot, trypot, cauldron, whale oil, whaling, fuel

This try-pot is one of a set of three. Whalers used large iron pots, called try-pots to liquefy large chunks of whale blubber down into oil. Early on in the history of whaling, small whaling boats had no means to process blubber at sea and had to bring it into whaling stations for processing at shore-based try-works. Later, when bay whaling evolved and large scale vessel were utilised for hunting whales, try pots were mounted onto the top deck. This advance had its benefits as the processing facilities were mobile, whalers could move operations to follow whales and discover new whaling grounds. The deceased whale would be tied up alongside the ship, the crewmen cut away the blubber, or outer fat layer, in long strips. They hauled the strips aboard, cut them into smaller pieces, and tossed them into boiling cauldrons on deck to render the fat into oil. The whale oil was stored in barrels in the cargo hold, and brought to put for sale. The oil was much sought after as a good quality fuel tor heating, light and lubrication. Try pots were used in the whaling industry, one of the very early industries in Colonial Australia, including here on the southwest coast of Victoria. The high grade oil was a much sought after product and used for essential services such as fuelling the lights of the lighthouses. Commercial whaling ceased in Australia in 1979.Try pot, one of a set of three. A large cast-iron cauldron of about 200 gallons in capacity. Round metal container with rounded base and flat extended lip. It was used to heat whale blubber to remove the oil.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, try pot, trypot, cauldron, whale oil, whaling, fuel

This try-pot is one of a set of three. Whalers used large iron pots, called try-pots to liquefy large chunks of whale blubber down into oil. Early on in the history of whaling, small whaling boats had no means to process blubber at sea and had to bring it into whaling stations for processing at shore-based try-works. Later, when bay whaling evolved and large scale vessel were utilised for hunting whales, try pots were mounted onto the top deck. This advance had its benefits as the processing facilities were mobile, whalers could move operations to follow whales and discover new whaling grounds. The deceased whale would be tied up alongside the ship, the crewmen cut away the blubber, or outer fat layer, in long strips. They hauled the strips aboard, cut them into smaller pieces, and tossed them into boiling cauldrons on deck to render the fat into oil. The whale oil was stored in barrels in the cargo hold, and brought to put for sale. The oil was much sought after as a good quality fuel tor heating, light and lubrication. Try pots were used in the whaling industry, one of the very early industries in Colonial Australia, including here on the southwest coast of Victoria. The high grade oil was a much sought after product and used for essential services such as fuelling the lights of the lighthouses. Commercial whaling ceased in Australia in 1979.Try pot, one of a set of three. A large cast-iron cauldron of about 180 gallons in capacity. Round metal container with rounded base and flat extended lip. It was used to heat whale blubber to remove the oil.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, try pot, trypot, cauldron, whale oil, whaling, fuel

This is a photo of Beth and Ida Johnson (now Ida Stanton).The photo shows two women posed for a photo. The woman on the right is standing; she is wearing what appears to be frilly, full length under-garments, a rough cloth jacket and a lace cap. She is wearing glasses, has blond wavy hair and is holding an open, folding fan. The woman on the left is seated; she is wearing a dark coloured dress or tunic with a frilly petticoat showing from the knees down. She also has a frilly cap on and is wearing glasses. She has long hair tied in two ponytails or plaits and she has a book on her knee. Behind them is a corrugated iron wall and a tree fern.people, johnson

Three men dressed in suits and ties posing with two women, one dressed in a dress with a scarf down the front standing, the other woman is sitting nursing a baby dressed in a layette . Two other children are in the photo, a girl standing with an older boy standing beside her.

This "first reader" for children in a Victorian Primary school was fashioned by the period that it was printed in (1951), and the associated educational principles was applied by the Victorian Educators. It defines the role play of young children, at this point, in their educational development and contained within the(1950's) "society's" mores and expectations. This book was widely used by state schools in Victoria including Mt Beauty and Tawonga Primary Schools.This reader is significant to the Kiewa Valley because it demonstrates that there was still a very marked "one book" fits all school environmental approach by State educators which the local schools were apart of. This book is one of the KVHS children's school book collection, which many were donated by local families whose children went to Mt Beauty Primary School. Therefore this reader represents a social history significance for the period from 1950's and 60's. The book is in good condition, consequently making it suitable for exhibitions, and highlighting schools in the Kiewa Valley along with what local children read in these schools. This primary school reader has an orange cover with "John and Betty" printed in green. Below this is the green outline of a young boy leading his dog(Scottish Terrier) on a lead. Behind him is the red outline of a young girl (bow tied waist belt) in front of a cat(tail up). A thick green line is situated below the figures. The cover is 180 gsm thick. Inside the book are colored sketches of a boy and a girl playing well defined "boy" and "girl" activities (gender specific for the period of print 1951) Below these activities are simple descriptive words for the above activities.On the front page "John and Betty" below this "The earliest Reader for the Little Ones". Below this "Illustrations by Marjorie Howden" Further down the page and in smaller print is "Education Department of Victoria 1951". Below this and under a fine line "A.C. Brookes, Government Printer, Melbourne"first grader reader, primary education 1950's style

Mt Beauty High School commenced in 1953 as a Higher Elementary school as the need for a secondary college grew with the increase in population due to the Kiewa Hydro Electric Scheme. It became the Mt Beauty High School in 1964.Historical: Education in Mt Beauty commenced relatively late so there was less of a tradition. The decision to adopt a uniform is of interest to compare it with other schools and the times.Girls winter school uniform consisting of - Blazer x4 See KVHS 0019 Dark green blazer made from pure wool flannel. It has 3 pockets - 2 lower ones on each side and on the left pocket at chest height is the cloth badge 'Mt Beauty' at the top, colored scene of mountains and river in the middle and 'High School' at the bottom.... Shirt - x2 White long sleeved blouse with collar, buttons down the front and one button on each sleeve. Tie - 124 cm long with pointy ends and with a diagonal yellow stripe 0.5 cm wide on green 2.5 cm apart. Label: "Tee Dee" Made in Australia 90% wool 10% nylon Tunic - Grey pleated tunic (3 pleats on both the front and back) with a zip pocket on the right from the waist 14 cm long Also a 3.5 cm wide grey belt with grey plastic buckle and Label on centre back at neck: "Stamina / clothes/ Tailored by / Expert Craftsmen / Crusador Cloth" Size 46 uniform, mt beauty high school, school uniform

This is a complete uniform of the Warrnambool Urban Fire Brigade in the mid 20th century. The Warrnambool Fire Brigade, located today in Mortlake Road, Warrnambool, was established in 1863. The formation was prompted by a fire at the Flying Buck Hotel in Liebig Street. The Warrnambool Fire Brigade has a long proud history of service to the people of Warrnambool and district for over 150 years. The uniform belonged to John (Jack) Sizeland, a firefighter for over 37 years. He retired in 1977. This uniform is of some significance as it shows the type of uniform worn by Warrnambool firefighters in the mid 20th century. It is also of importance because it belonged to a local firefighter, Jack Sizeland. This is a Warrnambool Fire Brigade uniform consisting of:- .1 A black cloth single-breasted jacket lined with black and white material. It has four silver metal buttons down the front and two on the top pocket lapels. The buttons have the inscription ‘Country Fire Authority Victoria’. There are two red and black cloth tabs stitched on the top of the sleeves (‘Warrnambool Urban Fire Brigade’). The belt is stitched at the back and loose at the front. .2 Black cloth trousers with a red braid stripe down each leg. .3 Black leather belt with a silver-coloured buckle. .4 Black officer-type hat with red plastic lining, a plastic peaked front with a green backing, a red and black braid around the rim with two metal buttons and a silver-coloured metal badge of the Country Fire Authority. .5 Black cloth (polyester) tie with orange lining. Trousers: ‘C.F.A., I. L. Wise’ Tie: ‘Mark Andrew Made in Australia’ Hat: ‘Emerco, Melbourne, Registered Trademark, This is Your Guarantee for Quality, Made in Australia’ warrnambool fire brigade, jack sizeland, history of warrnambool

Hand sewn by Mrs Marjorie McKeown (nee Ford) who most likely also wore this garment. This item is an example of the fine needlework skills of women in the first half of the 20th century.A silk shirt front with silk collar and decorated with pearl buttons down the front. It has lace insertions on either side of the pearl buttons. The back of this garment is made of plain cotton and has narrow cotton laces which tie around the front. costume-female

A dead eye is a part of a vessel’s rig On board sailing ships, dead eyes were used in three different areas. Traditionally dead eyes are made of wood but they have different forms according to where they were used in the vessel rigging. The most common type of dead-eye is flat, with three holes and was used to tension the shrouds, the heavy lines which steadied the masts on each side. Each shroud had a dead eye at the lower end, which corresponded to a similar dead eye attached to the side of the ship. The two were connected with a rope called a lanyard, which was used to tighten the assembly. The stays, heavy lines running forward from the masts, were also tensioned with dead eyes. These are much larger and rectangular, with four or six holes. The third type of dead-eye was a two-holed version attached to an eye at the end of the parallel, which tied a yard to the mast. The loose ends of the parallel rope passed through the dead eye and then down to the deck, making it possible to tighten or slacken the parallel from the deck so that the yard could be more easily manoeuvred. It was especially important for the mizzen yard, which had to be shifted from one side of the mast to the other when tacking the ship.An item used on sailing ships rigging this item of ships equipment and its use has been used from the beginning of the invention of sailing ships going back to ancient times. Its use on sailing vessels had not changed in design or use until they went out of fashion and steamships took their place.Circular wooden ships rigging dead eye with three holes Noneflagstaff hill, warrnambool, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, sailing vessel rigging, dead eye, sailing equipment

The bed jacket, a woman's garment, is a waist-length robe worn to cover the chest, shoulders and arms while sitting up in bed. Its short length and cape-like cut allowed it to be put on (or removed) while in bed. Often made of sheer or lacy fabrics and displaying very feminine trimmings and details, it was often used more for seduction, rather than warmth or modesty. It was popularized in 1930s Hollywood films featuring glamorous settings and glamorous stars lounging languorously in their silken bedrooms. Ostrich feather tips, swan’s down, pleated tulle and shirred lace were just a few examples of the extravagant materials that could be used in creating these confections. These garments are currently very popular with people who have been hospitalized or recommended bed rest. (Source: http://www.wikipedia.com) Pale lemon coloured ladies silk bed jacket with silk lace edging. Figured silk bow tie at front neck.home, lace, female, ladies, silk, bed, jacket, bow, made

Digitised video (1.82GB). Duration: 38 minutes. Recorded September, 2019. (Video is available for viewing at Ringwood & District Historical Society Archives by appointment)Presentation: DNA testing is a very important tool for the family historian. It can help to verify your family tree and provide helpful clues to inform the future direction of your research. It can also sometimes help to break down those long-standing brick walls. In this talk, Peter Fry unravels the mystery of family ties using DNA.

Very formal fashion for men in the City of Moorabbin c 1960 was a tailor made formal 'white tie' tails dinner suit with cut away jacket and pleated trousers that have a satin stripe down the outer seams There are 3 large black plastic buttons on each side of silk lined jacket and 4 small black plastic buttons on each sleeve. Special occasions, events and ceremonies were when men wore this outfit. The full outfit comprised of a white dress shirt, white starched collar, white bow tie, white waistcoat, gold pocket watch, mother of pearl or white studs and cufflinks with black leather shoes. A white flower may have been worn of jacket.This formal 'white tie', dinner suit with tails, cut away jacket and pleated trousers was typical of that worn by men c 1960 in City of Moorabbin for very formal occasions.A tailor made formal 'white tie' tails dinner suit with cut away jacket and pleated trousers that have a satin stripe down the outer seams There are 3 large black plastic buttons on each side of silk lined jacket and 4 small black plastic buttons on each sleeve.professional tailor 4 buttons on sleevesclothing, formal wear, dress shirt, tails, dinner suit, tailors, bowtie white, bowtie black, tuxedo, waistcoat, cufflinks, maynard dennis, city of moorabbin, freemasons lodge, city of moorabbin historical society, early settlers, market gardeners, bentleigh, cheltenham, moorabbin,