Published: Nillumbik Now and Then /​ Marguerite Marshall 2008; photographs Alan King with Marguerite Marshall.; p175 It’s Saturday morning and thousands of people are visiting St Andrews Market at the corner of Heidelberg-Kinglake Road and Proctor Street. It’s hard to find a park. Cars are banked up along the narrow road and crammed in a nearby parking area. Yet, at the market, people look relaxed and happy amongst the yellow box gums on the site where the Wurundjeri people used to gather. Stone artefacts unearthed there by Koorie researcher, Isabel Ellender, indicate the site was once a Wurundjeri meeting place, according to Aboriginal Affairs Victoria. Acoustic sounds mingle with quiet conversations. A guitarist blows a mouth organ while his bare toes tickle chimes. A tiny busker, perhaps five years old, plays a violin while sounds of a harp emerge from the hall. One stallholder, selling delicious-looking pastries, chats to another in Spanish, then to me in broad Australian. ‘I was born in Fitzroy but my mother came from Mexico and my dad from Serbia,’ she smiles. A New Zealander fell in love with Mongolia and now imports their hand-made embroidered clothes and Yurts (tents) and runs adventure tours. A young woman visited Morocco and when friends admired the shoes she bought, she decided to import them and sell them at the market. Oxfam sells Fair Trade toys and clothes and displays a petition to Make Poverty History. Other stalls sell Himalayan salt, jewellery made from seeds from northern Australia, glass paper-weights from China as well as locally grown vegetables, flowers and organic freshly baked bread. A woman sits in a state of bliss under the hands of a masseur. Another offers Reiki or spiritual healing. A juggler tosses devil sticks – ‘not really about the devil,’ he smiles. This skill was practised thousands of years ago in Egypt and South America he says. At the Chai Tent people lounge on cushions in leisurely conversation. The idea for the market was first mooted among friends over a meal at the home of famous jazz and gospel singer Judy Jacques.2 Jacques remembers a discussion with several local artists including Marlene Pugh, Eric Beach, Les Kossatz, Ray Newell and Peter Wallace. ‘We decided we wanted a meeting place, where all the different factions of locals could meet on common ground, sell their goodies and get to know one another,’ Jacques recalls. They chose the site opposite another meeting place, St Andrews Pub. A week later Jacques rode her horse around the district and encouraged her neighbours to come along to the site to buy or sell. On February 23, 1973, about 20 stallholders arrived with tables. They traded ‘second-hand clothes, vegetables, meat, cheese, eggs, chickens, goats, scones, tea, garden pots and peacock feathers’. Now around 2000 people visit each Saturday. People usually linger until dusk. The market – with around 150 stalls of wares from a wide variety of cultures – stands alongside Montsalvat as the most popular tourist attraction in Nillumbik. By the 1990s St Andrews Market was in danger of being loved to death, as the site was becoming seriously degraded. The market was spreading in all directions and the degradation with it. A local council arborist’s report in 1994 noted exposed tree roots from erosion and compaction. The Department of Sustainability and Environment threatened to close the market if the degradation was not rectified. After many months of research, discussions and lobbying by a few residents, the council formed a Committee of Management, with an Advisory Committee, and introduced an Environment Levy. The State Government, the council and the market, funded terracing of the site to stop erosion, and retain moisture and nutrients. Vehicles were excluded from some sensitive areas and other crucial zones reserved for re-vegetation. Volunteers planted more than 3000 locally grown indigenous species. The old Yellow Box trees fully recovered and are expected to give shade for many years to come.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, didgeridoo, jesse tree, st andrews market, swiss hang drum

Alice McGREGOR Born: 1908; unknown parents. Possibly adopted by the Salter family? Electoral Roll 1936: Highland Terrace Kangaroo Flat. Alice Mary Salter and William Robert Salter living together; presumed to be sister and brother. William Robert Salter was killed in a MVA in Bendigo in 1937 aged 26. In Victoria in 1938, Alice Mary Salter married James Thomas McGregor (born Victoria 1917, died Victoria 1983, buried Fawkner Cemetery) Lived: 1968; 22 Wade Street Golden Square Alice McGregor Died: 1999 aged 91 at Anne Caudle Centre, Bendigo Buried: Kangaroo Flat Cemetery See additional research. Postcard Album of Alice McGregor contained 86 post cards.Postcard Album of Alice McGregor containing 86 post cards. See 1400 Colour photo of Hay St and Town Hall, Perth, W.A 2 horse-drawn vehicles parked at side. People walking on road and pavement. Sign advertising 'Pollard's Comic Opera Co' Addressed to Miss A. Stapleton, Arcade, Bendigo, Victoria Sender - Emmie PO Dated 5 July 1905 postcard, collector, alice mcgregor

Alice McGREGOR Born: 1908; unknown parents. Possibly adopted by the Salter family? Electoral Roll 1936: Highland Terrace Kangaroo Flat. Alice Mary Salter and William Robert Salter living together; presumed to be sister and brother. William Robert Salter was killed in a MVA in Bendigo in 1937 aged 26. In Victoria in 1938, Alice Mary Salter married James Thomas McGregor (born Victoria 1917, died Victoria 1983, buried Fawkner Cemetery) Lived: 1968; 22 Wade Street Golden Square Alice McGregor Died: 1999 aged 91 at Anne Caudle Centre, Bendigo Buried: Kangaroo Flat Cemetery See additional research. Postcard Album of Alice McGregor contained 86 post cards.Postcard Album of Alice McGregor containing 86 post cards. See 1400. B&W photo of a young girl in a white dress and head dress sitting on a lawn with 2 dolls. Below is 'Australian Series. Possums' Undated. Addressed to Miss Shatford, Black Rock, Via Sandringham Sender with message J G D, Emu Park, 19/11/1906 postcard, collector, alice mcgregor

Alice McGREGOR Born: 1908; unknown parents. Possibly adopted by the Salter family? Electoral Roll 1936: Highland Terrace Kangaroo Flat. Alice Mary Salter and William Robert Salter living together; presumed to be sister and brother. William Robert Salter was killed in a MVA in Bendigo in 1937 aged 26. In Victoria in 1938, Alice Mary Salter married James Thomas McGregor (born Victoria 1917, died Victoria 1983, buried Fawkner Cemetery) Lived: 1968; 22 Wade Street Golden Square Alice McGregor Died: 1999 aged 91 at Anne Caudle Centre, Bendigo Buried: Kangaroo Flat Cemetery See additional research. Postcard Album of Alice McGregor contained 86 post cards.Postcard Album of Alice McGregor containing 86 post cards. See 1400. Colour photo of The Lower Terrace, King's Park, Perth. W.A. Swan river in middle ground, man standing at bottom of steps. Early years of Perth in background Addressed to Miss A. Stapleton, Arcade, Bendigo, Victoria Sender not given Undated postcard, collector, alice mcgregor

The Temperance Society was formed in 1857 and in 1862 the foundation stone was laid for a public drinking fountain and reading room in View Street, Bendigo. In 1864, building additions saw the inclusion of a free library. The fountain, made of Buckeye Creek granite, featured 4 or more taps with drinking cups attached by chain. In 1895 further extensions on the site resulted in the current façade, leaving no room for the fountain. In 1896 the fountain was moved to its current site in Rosalind Park between the sound shell and the school.Newspaper detailing the history of Bendigo's oldest fountains.fountains, temperance hall, malcolm fraser, d buchan

Notes, 2 pages, has been pinned together, giving a sketch of the intersection of Rathdowne and Elgin St intersection and details of Rathdown St terminus at Park St. From survey books. Items 2064 to 2075 within box 72.3 in a brown folder marked "MT&O Co." red pencil on the front cover.trams, tramways, mto co, cable trams, drawings, reports, surveys, rathdowne st, elgin st

Notes 6 pages, pinned together, giving details, opening dates, terminals, depot entries, sheave pits, curves, for the Domain Road, Park St, Toorak Road and Chapel St lines. Second set of notes 4 pages for the Port Melbourne and South Melbourne beach lines via City Road and Victoria St respectively. Single page sketches for both the Flemington Road via North Melbourne and Spencer St to North Melbourne lines - no dimensions or survey notes. Items 2064 to 2075 within box 72.3 in a brown folder marked "MT&O Co." red pencil on the front cover.trams, tramways, mto co, cable trams, drawings, reports, surveys, toorak rd, chapel st, south melbourne beach, port melbourne, city rd, victoria st, north melbourne, flemington rd

Set of papers, handwritten concerning the development and timing of the "South Melbourne" - three sheets. Prepared largely by H. S. McComb, with notes dates, track layout, lengths, the Act and dates. Item contained within box 72.3 in a brown folder marked "South Melbourne" in red pencil.trams, tramways, south melbourne, mmtb, st kilda, albert park, opening

Set of papers - 28 sheets giving extracts from the HTT Annual reports - hand written in ink on plain quarto paper. - Notes the closing date of the horse tramway as 31/1/16 - whether to delegate operation to PMTT - Wattle Park - Metropolitan Tramway Park - Riversdale Road extension - Construction of the tramway, contracts and issues - Opening of the Line - extension of the depot - New tramcars - Burwood Accident - Report of Engineer and Manager - Permanent Way issues - Overhead Items 2037 to 2041 within box 72.3 in a brown folder marked "Hawthorn Tramway Trust" in red pencil. See Reg Items 2364 to 2367 for copies of the original reports.trams, tramways, htt, hawthorn, reports, annual reports, pmtt, wattle park, riversdale rd, construction, hawthorn depot, track, overhead

Set of papers - 12 foolscap and some quarto sheets - hand written in ink and pencil giving details of the Hawthorn system, distances, running times, streets used. Notes on Straun Robertson, depot layout, notes on track mileage, Wattle Park, construction, loop locations, sketches of track, the authorising Act, track lengths and calculations. Items 2037 to 2041 within box 72.3 in a brown folder marked "Hawthorn Tramway Trust" in red pencil.trams, tramways, htt, hawthorn, reports, routes, track, hawthorn depot

Original and five carbon copies of the three pages extracted from the Victorian Government Gazette - 14/9/1888 authorising the construction of a tramway in the City of Northcote, giving details of routes, railway crossing of the proposed Clifton Hill and Royal Park lines, depot, motive power, speed, time, passengers only, safety, tolls and charges and governance. Each of the three page sets have been clipped together using a paper clip. Items 2053 to 2057 within box 72.3 in a brown folder marked "Northcote CC" in red pencil.trams, tramways, northcote, cable trams, electric traction, horse trams, railways

Eight page A4 document, photocopied, stapled in top left hand corner, titled "Trams and Tourism", looking at the use of trams for tourist purposes in Melbourne, bath tickets, walks, beaches, connecting services with paddle steamers, royal park zoo, Beaumaris tramway, circular tickets, Doncaster, round trip tickets, St Kilda, Wattle park chalet, tourist tickets, tourist tours, tourist trams, Melbourne Pageant-Salute to Australia, V214, L and Y class trams, Melbourne Tourist Tram in June 1992 that did not eventuate. Has references and illustrating of tickets. Written by Robert Green 1994. See Reg Item 5675 for a sample cable tram round trip ticket.trams, tramways, tourist trams, tourist ticket, mmtb, the met, zoo tram, beaumaris, wattle park, doncaster

Ron Setford and his wife Grace Setford lived in Tanner Avenue, East Kew, from c.1946 to c.1995. A keen photographer, he recorded the changing face of Kew over a 20 year period. Apart from 30 photographs of built structures and places in Kew dating from 1960 and 1961, 145 of his 35mm colour slides chronicle the development of the F19 (later renamed Eastern) Freeway through the Yarra Valley in Kew over a five year period from c.1972 to c.1977. This important collection was donated to the Society by his granddaughter in 2025.This collection of 175 35mm slides is of local and statewide significance, owing to its subject matter, particularly the major development of road transport infrastructure during the 1970s with the construction of the Eastern Freeway. The photographer also took care to annotate and date most of his slides which enable the researcher to pinpoint temporal and spatial locations.Kilby Rd, Willsmere Park on left"Eastern Freeway / Kilby Road / Nov 72"ron setford, eastern freeway, f19 freeway, willsmere park, kilby road

Ron Setford and his wife Grace Setford lived in Tanner Avenue, East Kew, from c.1946 to c.1995. A keen photographer, he recorded the changing face of Kew over a 20 year period. Apart from 30 photographs of built structures and places in Kew dating from 1960 and 1961, 145 of his 35mm colour slides chronicle the development of the F19 (later renamed Eastern) Freeway through the Yarra Valley in Kew over a five year period from c.1972 to c.1977. This important collection was donated to the Society by his granddaughter in 2025.This collection of 175 35mm slides is of local and statewide significance, owing to its subject matter, particularly the major development of road transport infrastructure during the 1970s with the construction of the Eastern Freeway. The photographer also took care to annotate and date most of his slides which enable the researcher to pinpoint temporal and spatial locations. Kilby Rd, Willsmere Park on left Kilby Rd, Willsmere Park on left" E Freeway Nov 1972"ron setford, eastern freeway, f19 freeway, willsmere park, kilby road

Ron Setford and his wife Grace Setford lived in Tanner Avenue, East Kew, from c.1946 to c.1995. A keen photographer, he recorded the changing face of Kew over a 20 year period. Apart from 30 photographs of built structures and places in Kew dating from 1960 and 1961, 145 of his 35mm colour slides chronicle the development of the F19 (later renamed Eastern) Freeway through the Yarra Valley in Kew over a five year period from c.1972 to c.1977. This important collection was donated to the Society by his granddaughter in 2025.This collection of 175 35mm slides is of local and statewide significance, owing to its subject matter, particularly the major development of road transport infrastructure during the 1970s with the construction of the Eastern Freeway. The photographer also took care to annotate and date most of his slides which enable the researcher to pinpoint temporal and spatial locations."Eastern Freeway 6/72 / Willsmere Park flood underpass"ron setford, eastern freeway, f19 freeway

This is a booklet giving the names and addresses of voters for the local Council in Levy’s Ward in the City of Warrnambool in 2002. At that time the Warrnambool City Council was divided into seven Wards with one Councillor representing each Ward. The seven Wards at that time were Levy’s, Botanic, Cassady, Pertobe, Proudfoot, Sherwood, and Wollaston. In 2004 the Wards were abolished and seven Councillors then represented the whole City of Warrnambool. In October 2024, the Warrnambool municipality covered 120sqkms and returned to a seven ward council. In 2024, the wards were Botanic, Central, Hopkins River, Pertobe, Platypus Park, Russells Creek and Wollaston. In 2002 Glenys Phillpot was the Councillor representing Levy’s Ward. This booklet is of interest as it contains the names and addresses of those enrolled in Levy’s Ward in Warrnambool in 2002. It will be a useful booklet for researchers. This is a booklet of 22 pages containing the names and addresses of voters in the Levy’s Ward of Warrnambool in 2002. The cover is yellow and the booklet is bound with black taping. The printed list of names is in black type. Front Cover: ‘Warrnambool City Council’ ‘Levy’s Ward’ ‘Voters’ Roll’ ‘Certified Roll Entitlement Date: 17 December 2001.’ ‘February 2002 Victorian Electoral Commission’. warrnambool city council, city of warrnambool wards, history of warrnambool, levy’s ward, warrnambool city council, glenys phillpot

20th Eltham Community Festival and last under the auspices of the Shire of Eltham. The Grand Parade focussing on the theme "Echoes of Eltham - Celebrating the visions of Eltrham from the past and into the future" was headed by Jock Read on his horse Lofty who had been filmed in an Anzac Day Parade on an earlier horse which had featured in the television show Matlock. The parade travelled north along Main Street to just past the Post Office then back south to Panther Place. Parade participants included 1st Eltham Brownies, 1st Eltham Venturers, 2nd Eltham Sea Scouts, 2nd Eltham Venturers, 3rd Eltham Brownies, Australian Democrats, Briar Hill Primary School, Circus Chaos, Country Fire Authority, Diamond Valley People for Disarmament, Diamond Valley Railway, Eltham Community Health Centre, Eltham District Horse and Pony Club, Eltham East Primary School, Eltham Fire Brigade, Eltham Junior Football Club (Panthers), Eltham Little Theatre, Eltham North Primary School, Eltham Playhouse Co-op, Eltham Pre-school, Eltham Roller Skating Club, Eltham South Pre-School Centre, Eltham Steam and Stationary Engine Society, Greenhills Neighbourhood House, Heidelberg Municipal Band, Hurstbridge Learning Co-op, Jocklebeary Farm, Kangaroo Ground Primary School, Learning Co-op Primary School, Lower Plenty Primary School, Main Road, Montmorency Gardening Club, Montmorency South Primary School, North Warrandyte Fire Brigade, Plenty Valley 88.6 FM, Research Pre-school, Research Primary School, Ron Sampson, Salvation Army Band (Briar Hill), Sherbourne Primary School, Shire of Eltham, State Emergency Service (Eltham) and Woodridge Pre-school. The parade commentary was provided by Plenty Valley FM 88.6 with guest commentator, Shire President Cr. John Graves. Following the parade is video footage from a helicopter of Alistair Knox Park, displays along Main Road and activities in Alistair Knox Park and the Rugby oval along with stationary engines, helicopter joyrides, Eltham People's Choir, music entertainment. Scenes also from the Diamond Valley Railway at Eltham Lower Park and finishing with the fireworks display. At the end of the video is a promotional video for Dynavision Video Production, a local video production company that produced the video and Diamond Photos (Kodak Express). One of the highlights of the festival was a tree planting ceremony in Alistair Knox Park to celebrate 123 years of the Shire of Eltham led by Shire President Cr. John Graves and representatives of the Wurrundjeri, traditional land owners of the area.VHS Video cassette (poor quality) Converted to MP4 file format 45:01, 535MB DVD copy of VHS cassette (better quality)1st eltham brownies, 1st eltham venturers, 2nd eltham sea scouts, 2nd eltham venturers, 3rd eltham brownies, 1994, aerial photographs, alistair knox park, arthur street, australian democrats, briar hill primary school, circus chaos, country fire authority, diamond valley people for disarmament, diamond valley railway, eltham community health centre, eltham district horse and pony club, eltham east primary school, eltham festival, eltham fire brigade, eltham junior football club (panthers), eltham little theatre, eltham lower park, eltham north primary school, eltham people's choir, eltham playhouse co-op, eltham pre-school, eltham roller skating club, eltham south pre-school centre, eltham steam and stationary engine society, grand parade, greenhills neighbourhood house, heidelberg municipal band, hurstbridge learning co-op, jock read, jocklebeary farm, john graves, kangaroo ground primary school, learning co-op primary school, lofty (horse), lower plenty primary school, main road, matlock police (tv show), montmorency gardening club, montmorency south primary school, nicholaus lauder estate, north warrandyte fire brigade, plenty valley 88.6 fm, research pre-school, research primary school, ron sampson, salvation army band (briar hill), sherbourne primary school, shire of eltham, state emergency service (eltham), video recording, woodridge pre-school

Two Compact Discs produced by 88.6 Plenty Valley FM Disc 1 Tracks 01 Introduction; MP3 file, 01.02MB; 0.44 02 Epping District (written and spoken by Felicity Williams, Head of English, Mill Park Secondary College); MP3 file, 9.94MB; 07:14 03 P. E. Cook (wriiten and spoken by Liz Pidgeon, Local and Family History Librarian, Yarra Plenty Regional Library); MP3 file, 10.5MB; 07:38 04 Research Honour Board (wriiten by Jim Allen of Eltham District Historical Society and spoken by Daniel Polombi of Plenty Valley FM; MP3 file, 7.52MB; 05:28 05 Will Longstaff (wriiten by Bill McGililvray, Plenty Valley FM and spoken by Daniel Polombi of Plenty Valley FM; MP3 file, 9.01MB; 06:33 06 Robert Smith (wriiten and edited by Bill McGillivray, Plenty Valley FM and spoken by Shelley Carpatharcus and Daniel Polombi of Plenty Valley FM; MP3 file, 9.55MB; 06:57 07 Stanley Addison (wriiten and spoken by Jim Connor of Eltham District Historical Society; MP3 file, 9.25B; 06:43 08 Bessie Gallagher (wriiten by Maureen Jones and and spoken by Geraldine Ishken of Plenty Valley FM; MP3 file, 12.3MB; 08:58 Disc 2 Tracks 09 George Muir Letter 1 (wriiten by Maureen Jones and and spoken by Geraldine Ishken of Plenty Valley FM; MP3 file, 9.32MB; 06:47 10 George Muir Letter 1 Part 2; MP3 file, 9.17MB; 06:40 11 George Muir Letter 1 Part 3; MP3 file, 8.50MB; 06:11 12 George Muir Letter 2; MP3 file, 4.91MB; 03:34 13 George Muir Letter 3; MP3 file, 7.25MB; 05:17 14 George Muir Letter 4; MP3 file, 5.59MB; 04:04 15 George Muir Letter 5; MP3 file, 4.63MB; 03:22 16 George Muir Letter 6; MP3 file, 3.38MB; 02:27 17 George Muir Letter 7 (introduction by Jim Connor of Eltham District Historical Society, original letters by George Muir, commentary written by Helen Mann and Bill McGillivray of Plenty Valley FM, spoken by Romero Callaghan and Stephen Pidgeon); MP3 file, 4.36MB; 03:10 18 George Muir Letter (introduction by Jim Connor of Eltham District Historical Society, original letters by George Muir, commentary written by Helen Mann and Bill McGillivray of Plenty Valley FM, spoken by Craig Wright of Planty Valley FM); MP3 file, 12.4MB; 09:02alan marshall, anzac stories, audio cassette, audio recording, bessie gallagher, bill mcgillivray, community radio, craig wright, daniel polombi, eltham district historical society, epping district, felicity williams, george muir, geraldine ishken, helen mann, jim allen, jim connor, liz pidgeon, maureen jones, mill park secondary college, p.e. cook, plenty valley 88.6 fm, research honour board, robert smith, romero callaghan, shelley carpatharcus, stanley simpson addison, stephen pidgeon, victoria's anzac centenary, will longstaff, yarra plenty regional library

transport - aviation and aerodrome

The City of Moorabbin Historical Society was formed c 1960 by a group of Moorabbin residents who were concerned that the history of the area should be preserved. A good response to a call for items related to the historical area of Moorabbin Shire brought donations of a wide variety of artefacts which are now preserved by the current members of CMHS at Box Cottage Museum . Helen Stanley, Secretary of CMHS, began producing a Newsletter for members in April 2007 to provide current information and well researched items of historical interest. Helen Stanley has produced a bi-monthly Newsletter, 2007 - 2013, for the members of the City of Moorabbin Historical Society that contains well researched interesting historical items, notification of upcoming events, current advice from Royal Australian Historical Society , Museums Australia Victoria and activities of Local Historical Societies. The Newsletter is an important record of the activities of the CMHS. Tom Sheehy, past President of CMHS, was an Historian and Author of 'Battlers tamed a Sandbelt'.A4 paper printed both sides x1. Issue 4 of the bi-monthly, City of Moorabbin Historical Society Newsletter produced by Society member and Secretary, Mrs Helen Stanley in October 2007 Dr G Whitehead’s talk on October 28 has been cancelled because the official ‘Re-opening of Joyce Park’ will be at 2pm that day and large crowds are expected. More volunteers at Box Cottage will also be needed that day. The excerpt from the CMHS Newsletter of March 1963 by Tom Sheehy, President, continues with ‘Higinbotham and the reshaping political scene of 1890’s’ CITY of MOORABBIN HISTORICAL SOCIETY / OCTOBER 2007 NEWSLETTERcity of moorabbin historical society, stanley helen, melbourne, moorabbin, brighton, cheltenham, ormond, bentleigh, market gardeners, pioneers, early settlers, moorabbin shire, sheehy tom, whitehead dr graham, lawson bob, bent tommy, higinbotham george, deakin alfred, box cottage museum, joyce park ormond

The City of Moorabbin Historical Society was formed c 1960 by a group of Moorabbin area residents who were concerned that the history of the area should be preserved. A good response to a call for items related to the historical area of Moorabbin Shire brought donations of a wide variety of artefacts that are now preserved by the current members of CMHS at Box Cottage Museum. Helen Stanley, Secretary of CMHS, began producing a Newsletter for members in April 2007 to provide current information and well researched items of historical interestHelen Stanley has produced a bi-monthly Newsletter, 2007 - 2013, for the members of the City of Moorabbin Historical Society that contains well researched interesting historical items, notification of upcoming events, current advice from Royal Australian Historical Society , Museums Australia Victoria and activities of Local Historical Societies. The Newsletter is an important record of the activities of the CMHS.4 x A4 paper printed on 1 side Issue 29 of the bi-monthly, City of Moorabbin Historical Society Newsletter produced by Society member and Secretary, Mrs Helen Stanley in October 2012. Notice of AGM October 28th , and Box Cottage Museum will be Open on 27th and 28th for History Week. Jessica Bennett, Reporter for The Leader Newspaper, has been asked to promote the History Week Open Days, volunteers have distributed fliers, and Glen Eira CC Parks and Gardens officers have removed the dead tree. Volunteer photographers from Caulfield Photography Group have helped our members to catalogue the Museum artefacts and we are progressing well.. An unfortunate electricity account was referred to GECC for advice. Helen has given an essay, of 3x A4 pages, about The Lees Family pioneer market gardeners as researched by Jan Rigby, a descendant. CITY of MOORABBIN HISTORICAL SOCIETY / OCTOBER 2012 NEWSLETTERcity of moorabbin historical society, stanley helen, melbourne, moorabbin, brighton, cheltenham, ormond, bentleigh, market gardeners, pioneers, early settlers, the moorabbin roads board 1862, city of glen eira, city of kingston, moorabbin shire, parish of moorabbin, brighton east, south brighton, bent tommy, mair william, jessse morleys hotel, lees james, lees william, convicts, jamison john, bent james, lees james henry, lees joseph, lees jack allen,

The Orford family, a pioneer family remained continuously living and working in Eltham for 170 years from 1854 to 2024. James and Sarah Orford arrived in Sydney in 1839 aboard the ship “Orestes”; they had several children there before settling in Eltham in 1854. Three children, James Mathias, Sarah Amelia and Thomas Henry initially remained in the Eltham area. James eventually moved to Brunswick. Sarah married Arthur Butler Young and finally lived in Bunyip. Thomas who was six years old when the family arrived in 1854 remained in Eltham, married Helen Logan who died, leaving a large family. They lived in a slab hut by the Yarra at Laughing Waters and Thomas managed the Panton Park Estate, a selection owned by Magistrate Thomas Panton. Thomas’s son, Ernest Orford was born 1892 at Pitt Street, Eltham and also lived his entire life in Eltham working as a labourer, orchardist and later as a gardener and grounds keeper for Sir William Irvine, a former Chief Justice and Premier of Victoria. Ernest married Kate Thomas; their two sons Ron and Doug stayed in the area. Another of Thomas' sons, Arthur, also lived in Eltham. Four Orford generations attended Eltham schools. Doug Orford was born on the kitchen table (reference, son Ted Orford) of the family home at the corner of Reynolds Road and Mount Pleasant Road. Doug married Gwen and they established a family however Gwen died at a young age from cancer. Doug eventually remarried another Gwen and they lived for several decades in Napoleon Street, Eltham. Doug was actively involved in EDHS over many years, including serving as a committee member and vice president. Contributions by Doug and Gwen (Treasurer/Membership Secretary), his wife, assisted EDHS to continue to develop as a not-for-profit group intent on promoting and preserving our local history. Both Doug and Gwen were made Life Members of EDHS. They also acted as EDHS delegates to the Eastern Region of Historical Societies. His significant work with assisting to establish our valued Local History Centre helped develop our home base and supported the continued growth of our society. Doug’s local knowledge, suggestions and family connections were highly valued, Until recent times, he continued to regularly attend our Collections Team workshops providing his insights and historical information about photographs and society records. Doug died peacefully July 8, 2024, and represents the last link in the Orford Eltham chain which spanned 170 years. His funeral was held Thursday, July 18, 2024, at Le Pine Funerals, 848 Main Road, Eltham. Contents: Typed notes, no date: Memories of Ernest Orford [taped 1979] about his school days. Handwritten notes, no date: History of Ernie Orford Typed notes, no date: History of Thomas Henry Orford and family. Photocopy: Shire of Eltham General Rate Receipts. Received from D Orford 7 June 1923 and Received from E F Orford, 4 August 1924. Letter, no date: Nillumbik Shire to Russell Yeoman, Gwen Orford to receive Volunteer Recognition Award. Newsletter article: "The Orford Family, Eltham", Shire of Eltham Historical Society, No.80 September 1991. History of Orford family. Handwritten notes: 21 March 2011, genealogy of George Orford. On reverse Melways map makred with Orford and other land ownerships. Newspaper advertisement, 21 March 2011: "264 Reynolds Road, South Eltham", property for sale [land in ownership of Orford family]. Letter: St Margaret's Anglican Church Eltham to Doug Orford, 17 November 2011, Extracts from church records relative to Orford family. Newspaper article: "Timely facelift at war memorials', Diamond Valley Leader, 30 April 2024, Nillumbik war memorial will have some work and a bronze plaque will be installed at the Eltham Avenue of Honour, Wingrove Park; photograph of Doug Orford Newsletter item: "Welcome home medal", Eltham District Historical Society newsletter no.216 May 2014, World War I two 'Welcome Home Medals' in ownership of local men, being Harry Gilham and Doug Orford. Order of Service, Le Pine Funerals (Eltham), In Loving Memory of Douglas Frederick Orford 22nd August 1929 - 8th July 2024 Doug Orford Reminiscences (2002) in conjunction with Jock Read and Peter Bassett Smith; 4 pages - 3 typed, 1 handwritten possibly transcribed from an audio tape recording (location unknown). New word file and associated pdf created [\Dropbox\EDHS DATA\DOCUMENTS\COLLECTION CATALOGUE DOCUMENTS AND PDFs\2-2 Family Folders\EDHS_06110-2 Doug Orford reminiscences 2002.docx - 1 April 2025]Newspaper clippings, A4 photocopies, etcdoug orford, harry gilham, welcome home medal, eltham avenue of honour, nillumbik war memorial, wingrove park, henry dendy, alfred armstrong, james orford, 264 reynolds road south eltham, george orford, george joseph orford, maryanne george joseph, thomas henry orford, ernest orford, e f orford, eltham cemetery, helen orford, joseph panton, panton park, gordon lyon, banyule estate heidelberg, james matthias orford, wurundjeri, constable peter lawlor, george hill, franklin street eltham, ronald orford, eltham primary school, john brown, robert gamble school inspector, sarah orford, mary ann orford, james mathias orford, sarah amelia orford, james peet, arthur butler young, watsons creek victoria, kangaroo ground victoria, helen logan, william orford, jane orford, arthur orford, frederick orford, florrie orford, victor orford, chem orford, sunnymede eltham, panton hill estate, sir william irvine, gordon lyons, kate thomas, north eltham gospel church, harold clapp, eltham cricket club, research primary school, dalton street school eltham, keith banks, betty banks, benjamine boyd, laughing waters road eltham, freddie gilsinen, douglas frederick orford, eltham district historical society, funeral service, le pine funeral home, life member, order of service, 1934 flood, 1939 bushfires, alcock & pierce, ansell, associated schools sports, blacksmith shop, boakes, bridge street, bryce family, bullock track, butcher, catholic church, cliff lester, cliffy green, daisy smith, dave lyon, diamond creek, diana bassett smith, dick tooth, dr. frank may, eltham higher elementary school, ernie andrew, fire station, flower stall, fodder business, fruit shop, furniture store, gahan family, garni burges, greensborough, harold norman, harry hawker, hat factory, hawker & owen, hay and com store, henry hawker, henry street, j .harry butherway, jack burgoyne, jack ryan, jock read, john lyon, junk yard, kevin gahan, kilpatricks, len parsons, lyon family, machine factory, mc leans, memorial, metery road, miss reynolds, monteith 's bus, mr. gadd, mrs. bird, mrs. morrison, napoleon street, peter bassett smith, peter's gahan, plenty river, plumridge, produce store, public hall, rechabite hall, reynolds road, roger bird, rutter family, ryan family, shoe factory., staffs produce store, studley cairn gahan, sweeneys lane, swimming pool, taylor street, tennis court, warren family, wooden bridge, yarra brae road

The wooden door was salvaged from the wreck of the sailing ship Eric the Red, which was a wooden, three masted clipper ship. Eric the Red was the largest full-rigged ship built at Bath, Maine, USA in 1871, having had a 1,580 tons register. She was built and registered by Arthur Sewall, later to become the partnership E. & A. Sewall, the 51st ship built by this company. The annually-published List of Merchant Vessels of the U.S. shows Bath was still the home port of Eric the Red in 1880. The vessel was named after the Viking discoverer, Eric the Red, who was the first European to reach the shores of North America (in 980AD). The ship Eric the Red at first traded in coal between America and Britain, and later traded in guano nitrates from South America. In 1879 she was re-metalled and was in first class condition. On 10th June 1880 (some records say 12th June) Eric the Red departed New York for Melbourne and then Sydney. She had been commissioned by American trade representatives to carry a special cargo of 500 exhibits (1400 tons) – about a quarter to a third of America’s total exhibits - from America for the U.S.A. pavilion at Melbourne’s first International Exhibition. The exhibits included furniture, ironmongery, wines, chemicals, dental and surgical instruments, paper, cages, bronze lamp trimmings, axles, stamped ware, astronomical and time globes, samples of corn and the choicest of leaf tobacco. Other general cargo included merchandise such as cases of kerosene and turpentine, brooms, Bristol's Sarsaparilla, Wheeler and Wilson sewing machines, Wheeler’s thresher machine, axe handles and tools, cases of silver plate, toys, pianos and organs, carriages and Yankee notions. The Eric the Red left New York under the command of Captain Z. Allen (or some records say Captain Jacques Allen) and 24 other crew including the owner’s son third mate Ned Sewall. There were 2 saloon passengers also. The ship had been sailing for an uneventful 85 days and the voyage was almost at its end. On 4th September 1880 the Eric the Red approached Cape Otway with a moderate north-west wind and hazy and overcast atmosphere. Around 1:30am Captain Allen sighted the Cape Otway light and was keeping the ship 5-6 miles offshore to stay clear of the hazardous Otway Reef. However he had badly misjudged his position. The ship hit the Otway Reef about 2 miles out to sea, south west of the Cape Otway light station. He ordered the wheel to be put ‘hard up’ thinking that she might float off the reef. A heavy sea knocked the man away from the wheel, broke the wheel ropes and carried away the rudder. The sea swamped the lifeboats. The mizzenmast fell, with all of its rigging, then the mainmast also fell and the ship broke in two. Some said that the passenger Vaughan, who was travelling for his health and not very strong, was washed overboard and never seen again. The ship started breaking up. The forward house came adrift with three of the crew on it as well as a longboat, which the men succeeded in launching and keeping afloat by continually bailing with their sea boots. The captain, the third mate (the owner’s son) and others clung to the mizzenmast in the sea. Then the owner’s son was washed away off the mast. Within 10 minutes the rest of the ship was in pieces, completely wrecked, with cargo and wreckage floating in the sea. The captain encouraged the second mate to swim with him to the deckhouse where there were other crew but the second mate wouldn’t go with him. Eventually the Captain made it to the deckhouse and the men pulled him up. At about 4:30am the group of men on the deckhouse saw the lights of a steamer and called for help. At the same time they noticed the second mate and the other man had drifted nearby, still on the spur, and pulled them both onto the wreck. The coastal steamer Dawn was returning to Warrnambool from Melbourne, its sailing time different to its usual schedule. Captain Jones sent out two life boats, and fired off rockets and blue lights to illuminate the area. They picked up the three survivors who were in the long boat from Eric the Red. Two men were picked up out of the water, one being the owner’s son who was clinging to floating kerosene boxes. At daylight the Dawn then rescued the 18 men from the floating portion of the deckhouse, which had drifted about 4 miles from where they’d struck the reef. Shortly after the rescue the deckhouse drifted onto breakers and was thrown onto rocks at Point Franklin, about 2 miles east of Cape Otway. Captain Jones had signalled to Cape Otway lighthouse the number of the Eric the Red and later signalled that there was a wreck at Otway Reef but there was no response from the lighthouse. The captain and crew of the Dawn spent several more hours searching unsuccessfully for more survivors, even going back as far as Apollo Bay. On board the Dawn the exhausted men received care and attention to their needs and wants, including much needed clothing. Captain Allen was amongst the 23 battered and injured men who were rescued and later taken to Warrnambool for care. Warrnambool’s mayor and town clerk offered them all hospitality, the three badly injured men going to the hospital for care and others to the Olive Branch Hotel, then on to Melbourne. Captain Allen’s leg injury prevented him from going ashore so he and three other men travelled on the Dawn to Portland. They were met by the mayor who also treated them all with great kindness. Captain Allen took the train back to Melbourne then returned to America. Those saved were Captain Z. Allen (or Jacques Allen), J. Darcy chief mate, James F. Lawrence second mate, Ned Sewall third mate and owner’s son, John French the cook, C. Nelson sail maker, Clarence W. New passenger, and the able seamen Dickenson, J. Black, Denis White, C. Herbert, C. Thompson, A. Brooks, D. Wilson, J. Ellis, Q. Thompson, C. Newman, W. Paul, J. Davis, M. Horenleng, J. Ogduff, T. W. Drew, R. Richardson. Four men had lost their lives; three of them were crew (Gus Dahlgreen ship’s carpenter, H. Ackman steward, who drowned in his cabin, and George Silver seaman) and one a passenger (J. B. Vaughan). The body of one of them had been found washed up at Cape Otway and was later buried in the lighthouse cemetery; another body was seen on an inaccessible ledge. Twelve months later the second mate James F. Lawrence, from Nova Scotia, passed away in the Warrnambool district; an obituary was displayed in the local paper. The captain and crew of the Dawn were recognised by the United States Government in July 1881 for their humane efforts, being thanked and presented with substantial monetary rewards, medals and gifts. Neither the ship, nor its cargo, was insured. The ship was worth about £15,000 and the cargo was reportedly worth £40,000; only about £2,000 worth had been recovered. Cargo and wreckage washed up at Apollo Bay, Peterborough, Port Campbell, Western Port and according to some reports, even as far away as the beaches of New Zealand. The day after the wreck the government steam ship Pharos was sent from Queenscliff to clear the shipping lanes of debris that could be a danger to ships. The large midship deckhouse of the ship was found floating in a calm sea near Henty Reef. Items such as an American chair, a ladder and a nest of boxes were all on top of the deckhouse. As it was so large and could cause danger to passing ships, Captain Payne had the deckhouse towed towards the shore just beyond Apollo Bay. Between Apollo Bay and Blanket Bay the captain and crew of Pharos collected Wheeler and Wilson sewing machines, nests of boxes, bottles of Bristol’s sarsaparilla, pieces of common American chairs, axe handles, a Wheelers’ Patent thresher and a sailor’s trunk with the words “A. James” on the front. A ship’s flag-board bearing the words “Eric the Red” was found on the deckhouse; finally those on board the Pharos had the name of the wrecked vessel. During this operation Pharos came across the government steamer Victoria and also a steamer S.S. Otway, both of which were picking up flotsam and wreckage. A whole side of the hull and three large pieces of the other side of the hull, with some of the copper sheathing stripped off, had floated on to Point Franklin. Some of the vessels yards and portions of her masts were on shore. The pieces of canvas attached to the yards and masts confirmed that the vessel had been under sail. The beach there was piled with debris several feet high. There were many cases of Diamond Oil kerosene, labelled R. W. Cameron and Company, New York. There were also many large planks of red pine, portions of a small white boat and a large, well-used oar. Other items found ashore included sewing machines (some consigned to ‘Long and Co.”) and notions, axe and scythe handles, hay forks, wooden pegs, rolls of wire (some branded “T.S” and Co, Melbourne”), kegs of nails branded “A.T. and Co.” from the factory of A. Field and Son, Taunton, Massachusetts, croquet balls and mallets, buggy fittings, rat traps, perfumery, cutlery and Douay Bibles, clocks, bicycles, chairs, a fly wheel, a cooking stove, timber, boxes, pianos, organs and a ladder. (Wooden clothes pegs drifted in for many years). There seemed to be no personal luggage or clothing. The Pharos encountered a long line, about one and a half miles, of floating wreckage about 10 miles off land, south east of Cape Otway, and in some places about 40 feet wide. It seemed that more than half of it was from Eric the Red. The ship’s crew rescued 3 cases that were for the Melbourne Exhibition and other items from amongst the debris. There were also chairs, doors, musical instruments, washing boards, nests of trunks and fly catchers floating in the sea. Most of the goods were saturated and smelt of kerosene. A section of the hull lies buried in the sand at Parker River Beach. An anchor with chain is embedded in the rocks east of Point Franklin and a second anchor, thought to be from Eric the Red, is on display at the Cape Otway light station. (There is a photograph of a life belt on the verandah of Rivernook Guest House in Princetown with the words “ERIC THE RED / BOSTON”. This is rather a mystery as the ship was registered in Bath, Maine, USA.) Parts of the ship are on display at Bimbi Park Caravan Park and at Apollo Bay Museum. Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village also has part of the helm (steering wheel), a carved wooden sword (said to be the only remaining portion of the ship’s figurehead; further research is currently being carried out), a door, a metal rod and samples of wood. Much of the wreckage was recovered by the local residents before police and other authorities arrived at the scene. Looters went to great effort to salvage goods, being lowered down the high cliff faces to areas with little or no beach to collect items from the wreckage, their mates above watching out for dangerous waves. A Tasmanian newspaper reports on a court case in Stawell, Victoria, noting a man who was caught 2 months later selling tobacco from the wreckage of Eric the Red. Some of the silverware is still treasured by descendants of Mr Mackenzie who was given these items by officials for his help in securing the cargo. The gifts included silver coffee and tea pots, half a dozen silver serviette rings and two sewing machines. The wreck and cargo were sold to a Melbourne man who salvaged a quantity of high quality tobacco and dental and surgical instruments. Timbers from the ship were salvaged and used in the construction of houses and sheds around Apollo Bay, including a guest house, Milford House (since burnt down in bushfires), which had furniture, fittings and timber on the dining room floor from the ship. A 39.7 foot long trading ketch, the Apollo, was also built from its timbers by Mr Burgess in 1883 and subsequently used in Tasmanian waters. It was the first attempt at ship building in Apollo bay. In 1881 a red light was installed about 300 feet above sea level at the base of the Cape Otway lighthouse to warn ships when they were too close to shore; It would not be visible unless a ship came within 3 miles from it. This has proved to be an effective warning. The State Library of Victoria has a lithograph in its collection depicting the steamer Dawn and the shipwrecked men, titled. "Wreck of the ship Eric the Red, Cape Otway: rescue of the crew by the Dawn". “The Eric the Red is historically significant as one of Victoria's major 19th century shipwrecks. (Heritage Victoria Eric the Red; HV ID 239) The wreck led to the provision of an additional warning light placed below the Cape Otway lighthouse to alert mariners to the location of Otway Reef. The site is archaeologically significant for its remains of a large and varied cargo and ship's fittings being scattered over a wide area. The site is recreationally and aesthetically significant as it is one of the few sites along this coast where tourists can visit identifiable remains of a large wooden shipwreck, and for its location set against the background of Cape Otway, Bass Strait, and the Cape Otway lighthouse.“ (Victorian Heritage Database Registration Number S239, Official Number 8745 USA) Door from the wreck of the ship Eric the Red. The wooden singular rectangular door includes three insert panel sections. The top section is square shaped and is missing its panel or glass. The centre timber panel is about a third of the height of the top panel and the bottom timber panel is approximately equal in height to the total height of the two upper panels. The door fastenings include both a metal door latch and traditional door bolt. They are both attached to the front right hand side of the door. The bolt is just below the top panel, and the door latch is in approximately the centre of that side. The door latch has a round mark where a handle could have been attached. The wood of the door has scraping marks in a semi-circle around the door latch where the latch has swung around on its one remaining fastening and grazed the surface. There is a metal hinge at the top section of the door on the opposite side to the latch. The painted surface has been scraped back to expose the wood. The door is shorter than the average height of a person. On the reverse of the door there are lines on the panels, just inside their edges, is what appears to be pencil. The door is not aligned straight but is skew to centre.warrnambool, flagstaff hill, flagstaff hill maritime village, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, great ocean road, shipwreck artefact, eric the red, jaques allen, sewall, 1880, melbourne exhibition 1880, cape otway, otway reef, victorian shipwreck, bass strait, eric-the-red, door

This medal for bravery, for rescue of the crew from the shipwreck “Eric the Red” on 4th September 1880, was awarded to one of the crew of the steamer S.S. Dawn by the President of the United States in July 1881. The medal is engraved with the name “Nelson Johnson” (the anglicised version of his Swedish name Neils Frederick Yohnson). It was donated to Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village in 2013 by Nelson’s granddaughter. Nelson had migrated from Sweden to Sydney in 1879. The next year in 1880, aged 24, he was a seaman on the steamship Dawn and involved in the rescue of the survivors of the Eric the Red. Nelson Johnson was a crew member of the S.S. Dawn and was one of the rescue team in the dinghy in the early morning of September 4th 1880. Medals were awarded to the Captain and crew of the S.S. Dawn by the President of the United States, through the Consul-general (Mr Oliver M. Spencer), in July 1881 “ … in recognition of their humane efforts in rescuing the 23 survivors of the American built wooden sailing ship, the Eric the Red, on 4th September 1880.” The men were also presented with substantial monetary rewards and gifts. The city of Warrnambool’s care of the survivors was also mentioned by the President at the presentation, saying that “the city hosted and supported the crew ‘most graciously’. Previously, a week after the shipwreck, the Australian Government had also conveyed its thanks to the Captain and crew of the S.S. Dawn “Captain Griffith Jones, S.S. Dawn, The Hon. Mr Clark desires that the thanks of the Government should be conveyed to you for the prompt, persevering and seamanlike qualities displayed by you, your officers and crew in saving the number of lives you did on the occasion referred to. The hon. The Commissioner has also been pleased to award you a souvenir in commemoration of the occasion, and a sum of 65 pounds to be awarded to your officers and crew according to annexed scale. I am, &c, W Collins Rees, for and in the absence of the Chief Harbour Master.” The Awards are as follows: - Crew of DAWN'S lifeboat-Chief Officer, Mr G. Peat, 15 pounds; boat's crew-G. Sterge, A.B., 5 pounds; T. Hammond, A.B., 5 pounds; J. Black, A.B., 5 pounds; H. Edwards, A.B., 5 pounds. Dinghy's Crew-Second Officer, Mr Christie, 10 pounds; boat's crew -F. Lafer, A.B., 5 pounds; W. Johnstone, A.B., 5 pounds; Mr Lear, provedore, 5 pounds; Mr Dove, purser, 5 pounds. Captain Jones receives a piece of plate. (from “Wreck of the ship Eric the Red” by Jack Loney) The medal’s history, according to the Editor of ‘E-Sylum’ (the newsletter of The Numismatic Bibliomania Society “… appears to be an example of an 1880 State Department medal, catalogued as LS-3 (page 322 of R. W. Julian's book, Medals of the United States Mint: The First Century 1792-1892). The reverse is mostly blank for engraving, surrounded by a thin wreath. It was designed by George Morgan, chief engraver for the Philadelphia Mint, and struck in gold, silver and bronze. The one pictured here (in The Standard newspaper, 2nd July 2013) appears to be silver.” The following is an account of the events which led to the awarding of this medal. The American ship Eric the Red was a wooden, three-masted clipper ship. She had 1,580 tons register and was the largest full-rigged ship built at Bath, Maine, USA in 1871. She was built and registered by Arthur Sewall, later to become the partnership E. & A. Sewall, the 51st ship built by this company. The annually-published List of Merchant Vessels of the U.S. shows Bath was still the home port of Eric the Red in 1880. The vessel was named after the Viking discoverer, Eric ‘the Red-haired’ Thorvaldsson, who was the first European to reach the shores of North America (in 980AD). The ship Eric the Red at first traded in coal between America and Britain, and later traded in guano nitrates from South America. In 1879 she was re-metalled and was in first-class condition. On 10th June 1880 (some records say 12th June) Eric the Red departed New York for Melbourne and then Sydney. She had been commissioned by American trade representatives to carry a special cargo of 500 exhibits (1400 tons) – about a quarter to a third of America’s total exhibits - for the U.S.A. pavilion at Melbourne’s first International Exhibition. The exhibits included furniture, ironmongery, wines, chemicals, dental and surgical instruments, paper, cages, bronze lamp trimmings, axles, stamped ware, astronomical and time globes, samples of corn and the choicest of leaf tobacco. Other general cargo included merchandise such as cases of kerosene and turpentine, brooms, Bristol's Sarsaparilla, Wheeler and Wilson sewing machines, Wheeler’s thresher machine, axe handles and tools, cases of silver plate, toys, pianos and organs, carriages and Yankee notions. The Eric the Red left New York under the command of Captain Zaccheus Allen (or some records say Captain Jacques Allen) and 24 other crew including the owner’s son third mate Ned Sewall. There were also 2 saloon passengers on board. The ship had been sailing for an uneventful 85 days and the voyage was almost at its end. As Eric the Red approached Cape Otway there was a moderate north-west wind and a hazy and overcast atmosphere. On 4th September 1880 at about 1:30 am Captain Allen sighted the Cape Otway light and was keeping the ship 5-6 miles offshore to stay clear of the hazardous Otway Reef. However, he had badly misjudged his position. The ship hit the Otway Reef about 2 miles out to sea, southwest of the Cape Otway light station. Captain Allen ordered the wheel to be put ‘hard up’ thinking that she might float off the reef. The sea knocked the helmsman away from the wheel, broke the wheel ropes and carried away the rudder. The lifeboats were swamped, the mizzenmast fell, with all of its riggings, then the mainmast also fell and the ship broke in two. Some said that the passenger Vaughan, who was travelling for his health and not very strong, was washed overboard and never seen again. The ship started breaking up. The forward house came adrift with three of the crew on it as well as a longboat, which the men succeeded in launching and keeping afloat by continually bailing with their sea boots. The captain, the third mate (the owner’s son) and others clung to the mizzenmast in the sea. Then the owner’s son was washed away off the mast. Within 10 minutes the rest of the ship was in pieces, completely wrecked, with cargo and wreckage floating in the sea. The captain encouraged the second mate to swim with him to the deckhouse where there were other crew but the second mate wouldn’t go with him. Eventually, the Captain made it to the deckhouse and the men pulled him up. At about 4:30 am the group of men on the deckhouse saw the lights of a steamer and called for help. At the same time, they noticed the second mate and the other man had drifted nearby, still on the spur, and pulled them both onto the wreck. The coastal steamer SS Dawn was returning to Warrnambool from Melbourne, and its sailing time was different to its usual schedule. She was built in 1876 and bought by the Portland and Belfast Steam Navigation Co. in 1877. At the time of this journey, she was commanded by Captain Jones and was sailing between Melbourne and Portland via Warrnambool. The provedore the Dawn, Benjamin Lear, heard cries of distress coming through the portholes of the saloon. He gave the alarm and the engines were stopped. Cries could be heard clearly, coming from the land. Captain Jones sent out crew in two boats and fired off rockets and blue lights to illuminate the area. They picked up the three survivors who were in the long boat from Eric the Red. Two men were picked up out of the water, one being the owner’s son who was clinging to floating kerosene boxes. At daylight, the Dawn then rescued the 18 men from the floating portion of the deckhouse, which had drifted about 4 miles from where they’d struck the reef. Shortly after the rescue the deckhouse drifted onto breakers and was thrown onto rocks at Point Franklin, about 2 miles east of Cape Otway. Captain Jones had signalled to Cape Otway lighthouse the number of the Eric the Red and later signalled that there was a wreck at Otway Reef but there was no response from the lighthouse. The captain and crew of the Dawn spent several more hours searching unsuccessfully for more survivors, even going back as far as Apollo Bay. On board the Dawn the exhausted men received care and attention to their needs and wants, including much-needed clothing. Captain Allen was amongst the 23 battered and injured men who were rescued and later taken to Warrnambool for care. Warrnambool’s mayor and town clerk offered them all hospitality, the three badly injured men going to the hospital for care and others to the Olive Branch Hotel, then on to Melbourne. Captain Allen’s leg injury prevented him from going ashore so he and three other men travelled on the Dawn to Portland. They were met by the mayor who also treated them all with great kindness. Captain Allen took the train back to Melbourne then returned to America. Those saved were Captain Zaccheus Allen (or Jacques Allen), J. Darcy chief mate, James F. Lawrence second mate, Ned Sewall third mate and owner’s son, John French the cook, C. Nelson sail maker, Clarence W. New passenger, and able seamen Dickenson, J. Black, Denis White, C. Herbert, C. Thompson, A. Brooks, D. Wilson, J. Ellis, Q. Thompson, C. Newman, W. Paul, J. Davis, M. Horenleng, J. Ogduff, T. W. Drew, R. Richardson. Four men had lost their lives; three of them were crew (Gus Dahlgreen ship’s carpenter, H. Ackman steward, who drowned in his cabin, and George Silver seaman) and one a passenger (J. B. Vaughan). The body of one of them had been found washed up at Cape Otway and was later buried in the lighthouse cemetery; another body was seen on an inaccessible ledge. Twelve months later the second mate James F. Lawrence, from Nova Scotia passed away in the Warrnambool district; an obituary was displayed in the local paper. Neither the ship nor its cargo was insured. The ship was worth about £15,000 and the cargo was reportedly worth £40,000; only about £2,000 worth had been recovered. Cargo and wreckage washed up at Apollo Bay, Peterborough, Port Campbell, Western Port and according to some reports, even as far away as the beaches of New Zealand. The day after the wreck the government steamship Pharos was sent from Queenscliff to clear the shipping lanes of debris that could be a danger to ships. The large midship deckhouse of the ship was found floating in a calm sea near Henty Reef. Items such as an American chair, a ladder and a nest of boxes were all on top of the deckhouse. As it was so large and could cause danger to passing ships, Captain Payne had the deckhouse towed towards the shore just beyond Apollo Bay. Between Apollo Bay and Blanket Bay, the captain and crew of Pharos collected Wheeler and Wilson sewing machines, nests of boxes, bottles of Bristol’s sarsaparilla, pieces of common American chairs, axe handles, a Wheelers’ Patent thresher and a sailor’s trunk with the words “A. James” on the front. A ship’s flag-board bearing the words “Eric the Red” was found on the deckhouse; finally, those on board the Pharos had the name of the wrecked vessel. During this operation, Pharos came across the government steamer Victoria and also a steamer S.S. Otway, both of which were picking up flotsam and wreckage. A whole side of the hull and three large pieces of the other side of the hull, with some of the copper sheathing stripped off, had floated onto Point Franklin. Some of the vessels' yards and portions of her masts were on shore. The pieces of canvas attached to the yards and masts confirmed that the vessel had been under sail. The beach there was piled with debris several feet high. There were many cases of Diamond Oil kerosene, labelled R. W. Cameron and Company, New York. There were also many large planks of red pine, portions of a small white boat and a large, well-used oar. Other items found ashore included sewing machines (some consigned to ‘Long and Co.”) and notions, axe and scythe handles, hay forks, wooden pegs, rolls of wire (some branded “T.S” and Co, Melbourne”), kegs of nails branded “A.T. and Co.” from the factory of A. Field and Son, Taunton, Massachusetts, croquet balls and mallets, buggy fittings, rat traps, perfumery, cutlery and Douay Bibles, clocks, bicycles, chairs, a fly wheel, a cooking stove, timber, boxes, pianos, organs and a ladder. (Wooden clothes pegs drifted in for many years). There seemed to be no personal luggage or clothing. The Pharos encountered a long line, about one and a half miles, of f locating wreckage about 10 miles off land, southeast of Cape Otway, and in some places about 40 feet wide. It seemed that more than half of it was from Eric the Red. The ship’s crew rescued 3 cases that were for the Melbourne Exhibition and other items from amongst the debris. There were also chairs, doors, musical instruments, washing boards, nests of trunks and flycatchers floating in the sea. Most of the goods were saturated and smelt of kerosene. A section of the hull lies buried in the sand at Parker River Beach. An anchor with a chain is embedded in the rocks east of Point Franklin and a second anchor, thought to be from Eric the Red, is on display at the Cape Otway light station. (There is a photograph of a life belt on the verandah of Rivernook Guest House in Princetown with the words “ERIC THE RED / BOSTON”. This is rather a mystery as the ship was registered in Bath, Maine, USA.) Parts of the ship are on display at Bimbi Park Caravan Park and at Apollo Bay Museum. Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village also has part of the helm (steering wheel), a carved wooden sword (said to be the only remaining portion of the ship’s figurehead; further research is currently being carried out), a door, a metal rod, samples of wood and this medal awarded for the rescue of the crew. Much of the wreckage was recovered by the local residents before police and other authorities arrived at the scene. Looters went to great effort to salvage goods, being lowered down the high cliff faces to areas with little or no beach to collect items from the wreckage, their mates above watching out for dangerous waves. A Tasmanian newspaper reports on a court case in Stawell, Victoria, noting a man who was caught 2 months later selling tobacco from the wreckage of Eric the Red. Some of the silverware is still treasured by descendants of Mr Mackenzie who was given these items by officials for his help in securing the cargo. The gifts included silver coffee and teapots, half a dozen silver serviette rings and two sewing machines. A Mr G.W. Black has in his possession a medal and a purse that was awarded to his father, another Dawn crew member who was part of the rescue team. The medal is similarly inscribed and named “To John Black ….” (from “Shipwrecks” by Margaret E. Mackenzie, 3rd edition, published 1964). The wreck and cargo were sold to a Melbourne man who salvaged a quantity of high-quality tobacco and dental and surgical instruments. Timbers from the ship were salvaged and used in the construction of houses and shed around Apollo Bay, including a guest house, Milford House (since burnt down in bushfires), which had furniture, fittings and timber on the dining room floor from the ship. A 39.7-foot-long trading ketch, the Apollo, was also built from its timbers by Mr Burgess in 1883 and subsequently used in Tasmanian waters. It was the first attempt at shipbuilding in Apollo Bay. In 1881 a red light was installed about 300 feet above sea level at the base of the Cape Otway lighthouse to warn ships when they were too close to shore; It would not be visible unless a ship came within 3 miles from it. This has proved to be an effective warning. Nelson Johnson married Elizabeth Howard in 1881 and they had 10 children, the father of the medal’s donor being the youngest. They lived in 13 Tichbourne Place, South Melbourne, Victoria. Nelson died in 1922 in Fitzroy Victoria, age 66. In 1895 the owners of the S.S. Dawn, the Portland and Belfast Steam Navigation Co., wound up and sold out to the Belfast Company who took over the Dawn for one year before selling her to Howard Smith. She was condemned and sunk in Suva in 1928. The State Library of Victoria has a lithograph in its collection depicting the steamer Dawn and the shipwrecked men, titled. "Wreck of the ship Eric the Red, Cape Otway: rescue of the crew by the Dawn". The medal for bravery is associated with the ship the “The Eric the Red which is historically significant as one of Victoria's major 19th century shipwrecks. (Heritage Victoria Eric the Red; HV ID 239) The wreck led to the provision of an additional warning light placed below the Cape Otway lighthouse to alert mariners to the location of Otway Reef. The site is archaeologically significant for its remains of a large and varied cargo and ship's fittings being scattered over a wide area. The site is recreationally and aesthetically significant as it is one of the few sites along this coast where tourists can visit identifiable remains of a large wooden shipwreck, and for its location set against the background of Cape Otway, Bass Strait, and the Cape Otway lighthouse.“ (Victorian Heritage Database Registration Number S239, Official Number 8745 USA) This medal was awarded to Nelson Johnson by the U.S. President for bravery in the rescue of the Eric the Red crew. The obverse of the round, solid silver medal has an inscription around the rim. In the centre of the medal is the head of Liberty to the left, hair in a bun, with a sprig of leaves in the top left of a band around her head. There is a 6-pointed star below the portrait, between the start and end of the inscription. There are two raised areas on the rim, horizontally opposite each other, from the edge to just below the lettering and coinciding with the holes drilled in the edge. Slightly right of the top is a round indentation in the rim. The reverse has a wreath of leaves as a border, joined at the bottom by a ribbon bow. In the centre of the medal is an inscription, decorated with 3-pronged design and dots. The edge is plain with 2 small, rough and uneven holes horizontally opposite to each other, as though they had been used for mounting the medal at some stage. The medal has a matte finish on both sides and is slightly pitted and scratched.“PRESENTED BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES” around the perimeter of the obverse of the medal. “TO / Nelson Johnson, / seaman of the British, / str “Dawn”, for bravery, / at risk of life, / in / rescuing the crew of / the American Ship / “Eric the Red.” “M” on obverse, truncation of the portraitwarrnambool, flagstaff hill, flagstaff hill maritime village, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, great ocean road, shipwreck artefact, eric the red, zaccheus allen, sewall, 1880, melbourne exhibition, cape otway, otway reef, victorian shipwreck, medal, nelson johnson, neils frederick yohnson, s.s. dawn, george morgan, hero

Ron Setford and his wife Grace Setford lived in Tanner Avenue, East Kew, from c.1946 to c.1995. A keen photographer, he recorded the changing face of Kew over a 20 year period. Apart from 30 photographs of built structures and places in Kew dating from 1960 and 1961, 145 of his 35mm colour slides chronicle the development of the Eastern Freeway through the Yarra Valley over a five year period from c.1972 to c.1977. This important collection was donated to the Society by his granddaughter in 2025.This collection of 175 35mm slides is of local and statewide significance, owing to its subject matter, particularly the major development of road transport infrastructure during the 1970s with the construction of the Eastern Freeway. The photographer also took care to annotate and date most of his slides which enable the researcher to pinpoint temporal and spatial locations.Nilron setford, photographs -- kew (vic.) -- 1960s, willsmere park

Ron Setford and his wife Grace Setford lived in Tanner Avenue, East Kew, from c.1946 to c.1995. A keen photographer, he recorded the changing face of Kew over a 20 year period. Apart from 30 photographs of built structures and places in Kew dating from 1960 and 1961, 145 of his 35mm colour slides chronicle the development of the F19 (later renamed Eastern) Freeway through the Yarra Valley in Kew over a five year period from c.1972 to c.1977. This important collection was donated to the Society by his granddaughter in 2025.This collection of 175 35mm slides is of local and statewide significance, owing to its subject matter, particularly the major development of road transport infrastructure during the 1970s with the construction of the Eastern Freeway. The photographer also took care to annotate and date most of his slides which enable the researcher to pinpoint temporal and spatial locations."Willsmere Park underpass / Macdougal of Ireland contractors"ron setford, eastern freeway, f19 freeway