Mary Tolhurst M&DHS - March 29th Dunvegan Willows Park Melton 1992 Ladies Oral History Day Graham Minns President Ray Radford MC Sound recording transfer to CD 2011 by Tom Wood Edited typescript by Wendy Barrie 2013 I was born in Rockbank, and when I was five years old moved to Toolern Vale and started and finished school there. Toolern Vale only consisted of the Store, Post Office and shop, where you could buy your fodder, and pollard supplies, the Hall, the little Church and the bluestone School. The School changed shape three times from the 1800s[1869] til the time I went there. There was four generations of my family that went there and it was destroyed by fire in 1965. Marjorie nee Myers Butler. Yes, I remember along with it your lovely Ronisch piano. Mary, quite true! Marj what you say about the Ronisch piano. When I came the age to learn music my mum and dad couldn’t really afford it, but still what parents do for their children. They had Marj go along with them and pick this lovely Ronisch piano. It was known round the district. Everyone commented about the loss that lovely piano. After leaving school it was war time, 1939, then it was work, When I was 7 year old I was put out into the cow yard. In 1940 when the soldiers were going away our milk was confiscated it had to go to Bacchus Marsh. It used to go the Sunbury to be brine cooled and then go to Melbourne. Then they took it then to the Lifeguard Milk Factory at Bacchus Marsh. It had to go as condensed milk to the soldiers. This year is 50 years of the Land Army. I was an unofficial Land Army but they still kept check on me. I went onto married life and I followed the cows right through [howls of laughter] and we went on until the 1965 fire. That’s when we got out of the cows. Marjorie asks, was Granny Watts your grandmother or great grandmother? Mary: She was my great grandmother, the midwife of Melton. The 1965 fire started ¾ of a mile above our place, Frank Ryan’s sheds were burnt and his house was saved, then it wiped the School out, the Hall, the Church the Post Office and Store and little house that was Charlie Charlton’s in the early days. Mrs Wilson’s place was saved by the Fire Brigade by pulling boards off the side, and from there it went over the hill and it was stopped at the Rockbank Railway Station. If it had of got over the railway they said it would have gone into Werribee. A lot was burnt out in that strip. Mary nee Nixon Collins: 18 houses burnt that day. Audience question, did Melton get burnt that day? Ray: No. It came down through the Toolern Vale road and cut across about a mile and a half from the cross roads at Toolern Vale from north westerly to the south east and cut through over the Keilor road. Mary: It came in across the creek at Funstons in Toolern, then through Jim Minns. Dorothy was it your place then [nee Knox Beaty] to Ken Beatty’s and from there it went through to Doug McIntosh’s and to Cockbills and the wind changed and it came across to the railway line, and that is where they stopped it. [the cause of the fire was controversial, they had been burning off the night before and there was some talk of someone starting it. It was very hot and very strong wind, it was a terrible day] Ray: When the fire went through McIntosh’s they had a haystack on the north side of their house and the haystack got caught and the fire burnt a hole through the side of the house and the boys pyjamas on the bed. The house was saved. It came through like and express train roaring at you, I was at McIntosh’s when it went roaring past. You couldn’t see, dust and ash and tremendous heat. The fire started about 12 o’clock Jack [husband] said to me, fire, I said where, where? Just up the road, what have I got to do? and he went out and he had gone to the fire and left me. I tried to get the animals and I put out buckets of water, putting the buckets of water out saved my life. Chas Jones and another friend of his came in and they picked up the buckets of water, I thought I had better get out because the fire was on the haystack up the paddock and when I went to go out through the north side of the house and couldn’t get out, I’ll go through the front gate so I went around the other side of the house. I got caught there and Chassy Jones and his friend came round carrying the bucket of water and I panicked. He threw the bucket of water over me. Well that is what saved my life because I was damp, whenever we tried to leave the ball of fire came over me and over my shoulder and my hair was scorched. Chassy Jones lost his truck and Keith Watt his big truck because he had the water tank on it and they couldn’t get out of the yard. Granny Watt’s house, the first private hospital had condemned and Jack and I pulled it down and had it moved up to Toolern and had it in the yard a fortnight and it was all burnt and we didn’t get the shed we wanted. Every 13 years right up until Ash Wednesday fires, there has always been fire close at hand. The 1952 fire went down the back of the house, the 1965 fire took the house, and the house that I live in now, it is the third house that has been on that spot. When the Hunters owned it, Mrs Hunter was nearly burnt in her bed. They had a 13 roomed house. In 1924 the house burnt down, and there was another house was built there and that was the one that burnt down. Edna: So Mary built a brick veneer house. Marjorie: like the three little pigs [laughter] Mary Tolhurst member of the Melton & District Historical Society in the Melton and Moorabool Leader local identities, local special interest groups

Red hardboard cover with gold and black embossing detail 'What shall I be or a boy's aim in life' 191 pages ; 18 cmHandwritten inscription first page 'Kilmore Diggings S School, Prize awarded to Herbert Chapman Jan 1883' Stamp on multiple pages 'Kilmore Mechanics Institute'chapman, kilmore diggings state school, kilmore mechanics institute library.

Faded purple hardcover book, A Handbook of the Destructive Insects of Victoria by C. French, F.L.S., F.R.H.S., with gold lettering for title and author. Delicate brown and white floral endpapers. Describes pest insects of Victoria. Coloured illustrated plates throughout as well as black and white illustrations.. Has an added yellow flap to title page - With the Compliments of the Secretary for Agriculture. non-fictionA non fiction handbook describing pest insects of Victoria published by the Victorian Department of Agriculture.insects, pest control, entomology victoria

Proposal to relocate the Stoddart collection of Statues indoors after vandalism. "Stoddart Collection to be Moved Indoors"_Courier, Thursday 11th July 2002, page 4.Impact of vandalism on the statues over the yearsHalf page article with photo of Statue, Leda in the BBG, taken 1884.The Courier, Ballarat, Thursday, July 11, 2002. Author: Andrew Eales, City Council Reporterstoddart collection, vandalism, statues in the ballarat botanical gardens, statue of leda., john garner collection, garner, dr, ballarat botanical gardens, ballarat, gardens, courier

Yarra Brae homestead, date unknown, probably in the 1960’s. [It would appear to be the Buruma family standing on the front steps.]

1979 - Mordialloc-Chelsea High School students standing in front of “Old Be-al” in Victoria’s Wyperfeld National Park, near Outlet Creek. It has been described as one of the most magnificent River Red Gums in the land. This glorious tree with foliage hanging to the ground escaped the fire of 1959 but not the fire of 1982 that damaged it badly. It lives on but has also suffered from lack of water and is now inaccessible to the public in a reference area. The MCAA has provided this image to the Friends of Wyperfeld National Park. Mordialloc-Chelsea High School students visited the Wyperfeld National park annually for the biology and geography Year 11 school camp.Example of a River Red Gum at Wyperfeld National Park.Digital image reproduced from colour slide.big desert fire 1959, mordialloc-chelsea high school camp, wyperfeld national park, fire 1982, old be-al river red gum

Image digitised from colour slide

A brown hardcover handbook with the title printed in gold lettering on the front cover Handbook of the Destructive Insects of Victoria Part II by C. French, F.L.S., F.R.H.S., Government entomologist with the price 2/6. at the bottom right hand corner. The spine has the title and author printed in gold. T. Sebire March 29th 1894 is written in black ink on the top right of the title and contents pages. There are coloured plates and black and white illustrations, an appendix and drawings of various pumps and equipment required for use. Loose pages, some tears, and tanning is noted. 222p. non-fictionA handbook of the destructive insects of Victoria with notes on the methods to be adopted to check and extirpate them with useful diagrams and illustrations of machines and pumps and the plants.agriculture, pest control, entomology

Unknown year

p.182.non-fictionThis memoir oscillates between pathos and humour, from life in a Limerick orphanage to eventual ordination as a Church of Ireland clergyman. This memoir celebrates determination to survive. church of ireland - clergy -biography, ireland - social life and customs

With the establishment of the large heavy industrial zone at Hastings in the late 1960s, which included the BP oil refinery using the Port of Hastings at the north-western arm of Western Port, a number of environmental problems predicted by both scientists and conservationists arose. The main shipping channel on the western arm of Western Port was dredged, causing suspended particles affecting seagrass beds. With inadequate regulation around discharge of bilge water within the bay, and oil spillage, oil pollution affecting both seabirds and coastal areas was not uncommon. This report of 40 penguins actually known to have been killed by an oil spill event was typical of reports at the time. The 2 men quoted – Vernon Johnson and Ken Pound – were well known conservationists. Vernon and his wife Nora owned the Kingston Gardens picnic and zoo business where they cared for many injured wildlife. Ken was a Phillip Island counsellor for a few years, and instrumental in the establishment of the Phillip Island conservation Society. He also contributed various documents and newspaper cuttings to this archive.This article is significant for being a record of an exact number of penguins found dead from oil spill pollution in Western Port. Also as a record of conservationists in the early years of community and environment movements both locally and in Australia. The article further gives evidence of linking tourism with wildlife.Photocopy of newspaper cutting. Black print with very dark black and white photo of Fairy (Little) Penguin. Poor reproduction due to older photocopy machine.(indecipherable) - late/1960s.little penguins, fairy penguins, eudyptula minor, penguin behaviour, phillip island tourist attractions, phillip island conservation society, oil spills, bp refinery hastings, port of hastings, western port, marine pollution, oil tankers, vernon johnson, ken pound, phillip island promotion association

This is an example of Melbourne Legacy promotional material that was issued to inform the public on the work of Legacy. It includes the story of Legacy and what Legacy does. An example of promotional material issued by Legacy in 1965.Brochure x 4 pages to promote Legacy in 1965 with a black and white photo of a mother and two children surrounded by dark blue on the cover.legacy promotion, fundraising

This is an example of Melbourne Legacy promotional material. It is a poster from 2008 for Badge Week. The slogan "I miss my Dad, but with Legacy's help we won't be alone" was used with an image of a boy in a slouch hat. The main time of year for fundraising is September when Legacy holds 'Badge Week'. Similar to other marketing material from the 1990s to 2009, also see items 01240 to 01258. The collection shows the types of marketing materials that were produced and the celebrities that were helping Legacy.An example of promotional material from the 2000s. Marketing material and photos were compiled and released to newspapers, also printed as brochures and sometimes as stickers and collection tin wrappers.Colour A4 promotional leaflet for Legacy Week, featuring a boy in a slouch hat.legacy promotion, badge appeal, legacy week, marketing

This document from 1987 is an estimate of the number of widows to be in the care of Legacy from 1987-1995. Both WW1 and WW2 Widows are included in the study. The projected totals show a marked decline in WW1 Widows and a marked increase in WW2 widows.The figures show a dramatic decline in WW1 widows due to ageing, and a marked increase in WW2 widows due to their husbands deaths through ageing,war related injuries. This information would be helpful for planning into the future. White A4 paper with black type, 1 page of projections of widow numbers in 1987.widows, review, planning

Photos from 'This Will Be the Place' Melbourne Legacy revue held at the Garrick Theatre on Friday 9th November 1934, 28th - 29th November 1934. The revue was conceived, written and composed by Legacy Club and performed by junior legatees. It related five chapters in Victoria's history from the first 100 years following the career of a family of pioneers from 1835 through various generations. These are some of the earliest photos in this archive, the girls names are unknown. See item number 00156 for the programme. The performance on 9 November 1934 was for the delegates of the Legacy Annual Conference that was being held in Melbourne at the time. A record of junior legatees being involved with a gala performance that was for a fundraising event. It was attended by the Governor who was patron of Legacy.Black and white photo x 5 of young performers and an envelope.Handwritten in black pen "Two photos of a possum from the opening scene of "This Will Be the Place". Legacy Club Century Revue 1934, and 3 other photographs from the Revue."performance, annual demonstration, costumes

Index, ill, p.154.non-fictionNotes on the identification and elimination of insectsagriculture - victoria, insects - victoria

Yields information about the training of crews.Instruction or question sheet - foolscap carbon copy, titled "Questions to be answered by Birney Car Students", giving 18 questions, about electrical path, controllers, lighting, stopping the tram, faults, sand, leaving the tram, draw bar, purpose of the two trolley poles. Two copies - one copy dated 15/8/19245 - suggesting it was made for Geelong by MESCotrams, tramways, birney, mesco, instructions, training