Thousands of elderly people at this centre have contributed much. Published: Nillumbik Now and Then /​ Marguerite Marshall 2008; photographs Alan King with Marguerite Marshall.; p161 Thousands of elderly people, who have contributed much to Nillumbik and beyond, have made their home in the treed Eltham Retirement Centre. The centre, which opened in 1956, has housed the disadvantaged in particular, through good times and hard, including floods, fire and even burglaries. As part of the Melbourne Citymission, a non-denominational Christian organisation that cares for people living with disadvantage, the centre was built to celebrate 100 years of the Melbourne Citymission’s work since 1854. Standing on a former poultry farm called Willandra (Still Waters), the centre includes independent units, hostel, nursing home accommodation and a Day Therapy Centre, which is available for non-residents as well. Despite being metres from the busy Main Road and railway station, the centre provides a quiet oasis on 6.8 hectares bordered by the Diamond Creek to the west, and the railway line to the east. The centre was originally named Judge Book Memorial Village after Judge Clifford Book, Deacon of the Collins Street Baptist Church. Book was also President of the Baptist Union of Victoria and Grand Master of the Masonic Lodge. He was so respected that, at his death, several Pentridge prisoners asked to attend his funeral. In 1993 the centre’s name was changed to clarify that it was part of the Melbourne Citymission. However Judge Book’s name continues in the Judge Book Memorial Garden, opened in 2006. The Diamond Creek has flooded the centre several times, however rarely causing serious damage. Volunteer Alan Field recalls a flood in 1974 when the resident manager Reverend Norman Pearce and his wife, were rescued by boat from their home with their budgerigar. On February 3, 2005, when the creek almost flooded Metzner Hall, 35 ambulances evacuated residents to nearby nursing homes, hostels and local homes. Residents were also evacuated during the 1965 bush fire, but fortunately a change of wind direction saved the centre. Residents have also endured several burglaries. Despite much rebuilding and modernisation over the years, traces of the original farmhouse remain in the administration areas. In 1991 the Willandra Hostel was built and in 2001 the Eltham Lodge Nursing Home with each room having a garden view. Several buildings are named after people who have given special service to the centre including the Norman Pearce Day Hospital after general manager and pastor Rev Pearce. Metzner Hall was named after the Metzner family who had been active in the auxiliary since it began and had donated generously to the Recreation Hall fund.3 A bridge was named after Sister Lila Murray who had worked at the village for 42 years in various capacities including as relieving manager. Field remembers Sister Murray as ‘the Mother Teresa and soul of what the village aspired to, with love and care’. Since 1957 the Eltham Auxiliary, later called the Residents’ Association, has worked to improve the residents’ quality of life by volunteering and raising funds. An outstanding volunteer, Field, who was drawn to the centre in 1971 with his wife Chris, has held positions on the early Eltham boards, auxiliaries and Residents’ Association. Much of his work has been supporting people with no family and those of limited means. He says he and his wife look at their work as having shared ‘our lives with amazing people’. The wealth of experience and wisdom in the Retirement Village has benefited many people, including local school children. Residents have acted as proxy grand-parents at local schools, by assisting small learning groups or telling their life stories. Conversely, students from local schools have visited to perform, or to assist in programs like craft activities. Resident Val Bell, whose mother Rose Bullock lived at the centre before her, sums up the centre’s most important attribute for her: ‘The Christian care. They could not be more caring’.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, diamond street, eltham, eltham retirement centre, eltham retirement village, judge book memorial village

A 'Sailors & Soldiers Christmas Fund' created by Princess Mary had overwhelming response and so it was decided to give every person 'wearing the King's uniform on Christmas Day 1914' the brass tin along with a Christmas card and a picture of the princess, and items such as pipe, lighter, tobacco, and 20 cigarettes. Non-smokers and boys received a bullet pencil and a packet of sweets. Indian troops often received sweets and spices, and nurses received chocolates. Many of the items were sent separately from the boxes because of lack of space. Not all the tins could be sent out by Christmas and so those sent in January 1915 contained a New Year card. Shortage of brass meant that many did not received their tins until summer 1916, however by January 1919 some still did not receive them. After using up the contents many service people then used the tins to store small items. The brass tin, bullet pencil, and medals belonged to Pte George Nutting of the 2nd London regiment, and regimental number 2080/230442. After World War 1 George Nutting sailed for Melbourne on June 1, 1922 aboard the S.S. Borda. He then lived at several addresses in the Sunshine/Albion area including Dawson St, 32 King Edward Ave, and 15 Kamarooka St. At one stage he was involved in a window cleaning and gardening business, and both he and his wife Janet were very good dancers. George Nutting was also involved in the loyal Sunshine Lodge and was presented with a Past Grand's Collar in 1943. He lived at 15 Kamarooka St until he passed away on March 20th 1979 at the age of 85. The above information was sourced from http://www.kinnethmont.co.uk/1914-1918_files/xmas-box-1914.htm (accessed 1/3/2014), and from http://museumvictoria.com.au/collections/items/1329146/tin-princess-mary-s-Christmas-gift-1914 (accessed 1/3/2014), and from research work done by Eva and Marie of S&DHS.The Tin and Medals provide a visible historical record of the Christmas gift, and the awards that the average WW1 British service person received about 100 years ago. The bullet pencil may indicate that Pte G. Nutting was probably a non-smoker, at least around circa 1914.Brass rectangular box with an embossed and hinged lid. The lid features the profile of Princess Mary with an 'M' on each side, and the names of Britain's allies in 1914. The pencil fits into the brass bullet casing to give the appearance of a bullet. The WW1 British medals are: 1. 1914 - 1915 Star, 2. British War Medal 1914 - 1918 (Silver), 3. Allied Victory Medal.TIN: Imperium Brittanicum, Christmas 1914, Belgium, France, Servia, Japan, Russia, Monte Negro. MEDALS: 2080 Pte G. Nutting 2 - Lond.R g. nutting, princess mary tin, christmas 1914, bullet pencil, british ww1 medals, 1914 - 1915 star, british war medal 1914 - 1918, allied victory medal

The MUIOOF Lodge was located in Union Street, Kew. The Lodge was established in 1863. It was demolished in the early 1990s.The Lodge Board lists the names of representatives of many of Kew's pioneering families. The Board was donated to the Society when the Hall was demolished. MUIOOF Lodge Board - Yarra Yarra District, Loyal Kew Lodge No. 5093 Port Phillip District till 1888 / Yarra Yarra District from 1888 Past Grands [listed] W.Woolard 1864 to A.E. Martin 1990 Maker marks - [Painted on back panel] "Lodge Board - Written by Bro. J. Kleiner, Signwriter 432 Burwood Rd. Glenferrie March 1930".[Engraved on pediment] "G.E. Gosbell, Woodcarver 1955". muioof (kew), yarra yarra district, port phillip district, j. kleiner, manchester unity independent order of oddfellows, w. woollard, d. gray, g. taylor, d. dannock, e.g. backwell, s. conder, j.h. joyce, r. summers, r. clulow, w. morris, f. fanhauser, j. waters, w. butson, a. dalton, t.g. jellis, j. watson, w. howieson, a.h. alexander, w.h. perry, a.r. studd, t. greenhill, w.a. hunt, w. maslen, t. eakins, h. ellis, a. geoffrey, j. priestman, t.e. morrisjamieson, c.h. bryan, g. hinchcliffe, t. foley, a.j. conder, s. clapham, a. cornish, f.j. fauvel, e.m. bond, h. co, j.g m. moller, e. hillier, w. finucane, w.e. bristow, v. geoffrey, a. hill, j.t. studd, h. de c. kellett, a.j whittaker, e. foley, e.f. fordred, p.j. ridgeway, j. barnard, h.a. ingham, h. woollard, j.w. fuller, e. mclean, p.g. pearce, f. walsh, h. fryar, h. salisbury, h. woolard, h.c. cox, a.j. watson, w. holt, f.t. james, e.c. parry, g. lees, h.o. ada,s, g.c. barclay, g.h. mockridge, g. philpott, j. corser, a. lilburn, w.p. wheeler, t.e. morri, r.r. clarke, h.d. sisson, w.r. harle, w.g. gray, j.d. newman, c.w. laidler, e.a. rae, a.a. homes, a. mcconachie, h.f. woollard, p.g. gallop, h.c. nelson, l.n. graebe, e.w. firth, n. rae, r.j. kelly, j. donaldson, f.t. jmes, c. till, t.j. doyle, s.m.f wills, w.l. smith, h. mcallan, h.a. morgan, a. kinns, w.r. adams, c.h. jones, g.h. carter, m. prout, a.w. bishop, k.c. hemmings, e.k. sparls, l.m. harle, j.m. prout, l.e. watts, d.b. adams, f.u. woolard, a. macrae, n.l. gration, d.h. vickers, m.h.m. alister, t.a. till, r.w. bent, j.w. woolard, a.e. woolard, r.h. harle, jean harle, l.o. adams, d.h. lloyd, k.w. harle, d.g. mclean, p.s. pearse, v.l. profitt, f.c. marks, m.h. mcalister, j. newman, e.m. savory, a.f gration, c.g. teasdale, e.k. sparkes, a.j. scott, w.h. savory, t.r. holland, g.t. smith, d. adams, s. rowe, t. bentley, l.e. fegan, m.j. fiander, g.n. bentley, j.l. oakley, h. brierley, b. oakley, m. j. fiander, w. humphries, a. weingardt, c. nunn, d.a. adams, s.p. clark, s. evans, g.n.bentley, s. clugston, d.c. mitchell, a.e. martin, g.n bentley, l.b. murrell, t.b. will, d. murrell

BHS CollectionPhotocopies of entertainment tickets. There are two different tickets, one for a Grand Euchre & Dance held at the Manchester Hall, Long Gully on Wed February 25rh. MC Mr E Rosewall. Ticket No 324. A Truscott and H Dennis, Supervisors. James, Printer, Eaglehawk. The other is MUIOFF Loyal Albert Lodge No 4774. The Anniversary of the Lodge was celebrated by a Soiree & Concert at the Manchester Arms, Long Gully on Friday 7th October 1891. Ticket no 388. J Brockley, Printer. This ticket has a ribbon and bouquet border. There are two pages of three copies of each ticket and an enlargement of each on lemon paper with a piece of white paper with Concert Tickets printed on it stuck to it.bendigo, history, long gully history group, the long gully history group - entetainment tickets, manchester hall, mr e rosewall, a truscott, h dennis, james, muioof, loyal albert lodge no 4774, manchester arms, j brockley