Joseph Butterworth COOMBS (1842-1901), was an accountant who founded a successful mercantile trading company. At the time of his marriage to Caroline Mary MICHEL in 1869, Coombs had already purchased ten acres of Studley Park. The acreage included land on the west of Fenwick Street that extended along lower Stawell Street to the corner of Yarra Street, all of it connected directly to the Yarra environs. A right of way to Studley Park Road was on the title, though Coombs went on to purchase more land, some of which faced Studley Park Road. In addition to owning the Studley Park acreage, Coombs later acquired 1,201 acres of land abutting the Acheron River. While retaining the Kew property he became a Taggerty Councillor and was Shire President for a time. J.B. Coombs died at Acheron Station in 1901 (aged 59 years). A few months after, tenders were called to repair the Kew dwelling, the Fenwick Street property now appearing in records with the name ‘Hope Mansell’. Caroline Coombs remained at Hope Mansell until she died in 1924, survived by three sons and five daughters. Not long after her death, advertisements appeared for the sale of the Studley Park land. The sale seems to have been a mechanism for distribution of the Estate, as the following year the original ten acre holding was transferred to members of the family. The eldest daughter Mabel married William Younger who, with his brother Alexander, developed Younger and Mackie Courts, both south of Studley Park Road. [Research: Kerry Fairbank]In 1961, the granddaughter of Joseph and Caroline Coombs, Mabel Isola (Younger) Grattan, donated ten 19th century dresses and parasols to the Kew Historical Society. The costumes, now known as the 'Coombs Collection', are the earliest recorded items of clothing to enter the Society's collection. Each of the items in the Coombs Collection, of which this item forms a part, is historically, aesthetically and socially significant. As a collection, the costumes includes outstanding examples of morning wear, day dresses, wedding dresses, and clothing accessories, providing evidence of outstanding dressmaker skills in Victoria during the mid to late Victorian period. One-piece, floor length blue silk day dress with a bell skirt that is slightly longer at the back. The dress is joined, centre-front with hooks and eyes. It is probable that the 19th century cream-coloured lace on the bodice and cuffs is a later addition. The lace extends in a long loop at the font of the skirt. The bodice has a high round neck, later modified to a V-shape. The dress must at one stage have been reconfigured or strengthened at the join of the bodice and skirt, as there is evidence of the use of new machine stitching. The dress is fully lined with a stiffened cotton lining fabric. Apart from minor staining, the dress is in excellent condition. The dress is the earliest complete costume in the collection. Measurements - 145.0 cm (centre back) 25.0 cm (waist, flat)Nilcoombs collection, fashion - 1860s, women's clothing, costumes, daywear

Frank Wright was a renown resident of Smeaton, where he was born on 2 August 1901. He lived at Laura Villa, and attended Smeaton State School. His father William was a gold miner and his mother's name was Sarah. Their family won many singing and instrumental awards. Frank was tutored by Percy Code and was awarded a gold medal for the highest marks in the ALCM examinations in the British Colonies at the age of seventeen years. He became the Australian Open Cornet Champion by the age of eighteen. A year later, Frank conducted the City of Ballarat Band, and later the Ballarat Soldiers’ Memorial Band. He formed the Frank Wright Frisco Band and Frank Wright and his Coliseum Orchestra. These bands won many South Street awards, and Frank as conductor won many awards in the Australian Band Championship contest. In 1933 Frank Wright sailed to England to conduct the famous St Hilda’s Band and was later appointed Musical Director of the London County Council, where he organized many amazing concerts in parks, in and around the London district. He was made Professor of Brass and Military Band Scoring and conducted at the Guildhall of Music and Drama. Frank was often invited to adjudicate Brass Band Championships around Europe, in Australia, including South Street and in New Zealand. The Frank Wright Medal at the Royal South Street competition is awarded to an individual recognized as making an outstanding contribution to brass music in Australia.Black and white photograph of a woman dressed in a hat, skirt and jacket, holding gloves and a fur stole. She is standing on a brick porch in front of glass paned doors. The woman is Laura Ritchie and the town is Ballarat.Written in pen on back - Ballarat, October 1956frank wright, laura ritchie, ballarat

Army WRAAC Corporal Green jacket (U379a) trousers (U379b),skirts (U379c&d) Belt (U379e) shirt (U500) scarf(U500a)needs pale green gloves,shoes,socks) Hat 178uniform, 1979, army

Black & white photo of three women. Two are wearing long coats and one a short, striped jacket and skirt. All are wearing hats. The older lady in the centre has a fur around her neck.Progress Studio, Midway Arcade, 256 Collins St., Melbourne. C.3516.photograph, portrait, female group, foster & wilson collection, photograph of 3 ladies

Wedding ceremony on 14th October 1950 at Congregational Church Kew1950's Magnolia satin, vee neckline with collar, button and loops to vee shaped waist. Long sleeves buttoned at wrist, coming to points. Skirt is ankle length at front. Back falls to a train.costume, female

Samples of door handles and fittings used in the Station Master's House at Mitcham Railway StationDoor handles, locks, skirting board, picture rail architrave, light connections, early wiring nails, number - all mounted on large board.|Every Railway House had a number - this one was DR.buildings, fittings

Summer wedding - 17th January 1942 Norman Stanley Garden and Ida Victoria Goods Methodist Church, Box HillExample of wartime wedding dress.1942 Pink silk satin dress with fitted bodice ruched into bow shape v shaped into skirt and neckline has v neck with a train, gathered sleeve at shoulder narrows to point over hand pale pink wedding dress

A sepia photograph with a cream border printed on very thin paper of three ladies dressed in long skirts and white long sleeved blouses with dark ties. They are standing in a valley with a hill and trees behind them. Written on the back in ink: WITH FONDEST LOVE/FROM MURIEL/I FORGOT TO PUT IT IN/MY LETTER.

Photograph is dated 1909 by inscriptions on front and reverse. According to its inscription, the photograph was taken on a holiday at "Inverleigh" (=property name rather than town name?), during which an afternoon was spent "on the Honeysuckle". "Mrs James Wishart" (who in 1909 was still Miss Ethel Bersey) is identified in black marker pen on the back of the photo as one of the people in the photo. Ethel Bersey/Wishart may be the woman in a dark dress, standing in the foreground on the rhs. Early LDHS index to photographs suggests that the woman in the white hat may be Millie Allen, née Bennett.Black and white photograph of three ladies wearing long skirts and hats, and two men in shirtsleeves, with spades, in foreground beside a creek. Two other ladies similarly attired standing on the opposite side of the water.Handwritten beneath photograph, on card mount: "On Honeysuckle Creek (Nov 1st 09)" Handwritten on back of photo: "To Dear Auntie / with love from Harold / as a memento of the holiday at / "Inverleigh" & of the afternoon on the / Honeysuckle 11.11.09 - (27.11.09)". Also, in marker pen, not part of original inscription: "Mrs JAMES / WISHART". Note: In 1909, Mrs James Wishart was still Ethel Bersey. She married James Wishart in 1910.ethel bersey, ethel wishart, mrs james wishart, millie allen (née bennett), honeysuckle creek

This doll, from which this dress was removed, belonged to member Allan Blain's sister. It was donated to WDHS and then recently returned after an extended loan.This doll's dress is significant as it shows the style of dress of the c1860s as worn by both dolls and young girls and the fabrics available at that time. It would be a party dress.Remnants of the [VC02599] wax head doll's dress. The dress is made of pink gauze with coffee coloured lace trim and coffee and pink ribbons. The skirt is relatively intact; the bodice has fragments of the neckline and sleeves.dolls, doll's clothing, toys, blain

This afternoon dress was owned and first worn in 1875 by Alice (Henty) Hindson, the daughter of Francis Henty and Mary Ann (Lawrence) Henty. The outfit was worn in the same year as Alice's marriage to John Hindson at Trinity Church, East Melbourne, and may have formed part of her trousseau. Alice's father, Francis Henty, was the youngest son of Thomas Henty, who with his family, their retainers and property moved to the Australian colonies between 1829 and 1832. In 1834, Francis’ older brother, Edward, sailed from Launceston in Van Diemen’s Land to what was to become Portland in the western part of Port Phillip District [Victoria]. Francis, together with the first flock of Merino sheep [in Victoria], followed some months later. The first and second generations of the Henty family established vast pastoral properties in the Western part of the Port Phillip District. Francis Henty managed ‘Merino Downs’ near Casterton, while also living in his retirement at ‘Field Place' in Kew. The Henty Collection of nineteenth and twentieth century clothing, including outerwear and underwear, was collected, stored and exhibited over time by female family members descended from Francis and Mary Ann Henty. During the twentieth century, items from the collection were modelled in two fashion parades by various descendants [1937, 1959]. The items in the collection are historically and aesthetically significant, with provenance provided by oral and written tradition within or held by the family. A number of the items in the collection are very rare survivors, and provide researchers with the evidence needed to reconstruct the lives of notable women in the Port Phillip District [later Victoria] during the nineteenth and early twentieth century.Alice (Henty) Hindson's afternoon dress is a two-piece, two-toned pink ensemble made of silk taffeta. The detailing is done with fine knife-pleated trims piped in ivory satin and decorated with ivory silk moiré bows on the bodice and skirt. The panelled peplum jacket is boned and the front button closure has hand-embroidered buttonholes with handmade covered buttons. The gathered full buttoned skirt falls into a train. The skirt is decorated with rows of ivory tulle corded lace and the hemline is edged with crisp fluted organza and tatted lace. Measurements (mm): BODICE: Girth - Neck 355.6, Chest 863.6, Waist 685.8, Hip 787.4, Cuff 304.8, Hem circumference 1422.4. Vertical - From neck to hem 546.1, Front waist to hem 241.3, Back neck to hem 609.6, Back waist to hem 355.6, Sleeve length 330.2. Horizontal - Neck to sleeve head 60, Underarm to underarm 419.1. SKIRT Girth - Waist 558.8, Hip 1473.2, Hem circumference 3911.6. Vertical - Front waist to hem 1092.2, Back waist to hem 1524. fashion -- 1870s, afternoon dresses, alice (henty) hindson, women's clothing

Full length cream synthetic fabric wedding dress with long sleeves and a train. Front and back have a yoke of lace. Three quarter length sleeves are made of the same lace with roulette trim at hem. Inner and outer edges of sleeves ruched for 3 cm. High round neck at back. V neckline at front. Front of bodice has two side darts and two under bust darts. Bodice at waist line has three decorative scallops at front and back. Synthetic fabric of bodice has woven fabric backing. Side opening on left hand side is fastened with nine press studs. Full length skirt of lighter weight opaque synthetic fabric has centre seams at front and back. Fabric is cut on the bias to form a 360? full circle skirt with a train at centre back. An additional section of fabric is attached at either side to complete the circle. At centre back of the skirt is an inverted pleat to create fullness for the train. Hemline is edged with lace with four rows of tucks above the hem, 1 cm apart. Separate petticoat of heavier woven synthetic fabric attached at waist. Petticoat cut on the bias to create 360? full circle skirt with inverted pleat at centre back to create fullness. Narrow turned over hem. Petticoat skirt dips to a V shape at centre front and back seams. Machine stitched.costume, female ceremonial, wedding dress

Scarlet wool doublet with yellow stand collar and cuffs and Inverness skirts. Lower edge of collar, left front of doublet, cuffs and Inverness skirts all edged with white piping. Cuffs and skirts are decorated with three rows of doubled, twisted white wool braid; each row completed with a large whitemetal coloured metal "King Edward VII Australian Commonwealth" button of the period 1901-1911. Shoulder straps are scarlet wool with MISSING whitemetal 'VSR' title, a MISSING whitemetal 'letter' title, a small ERVII Australian Commonwealth button on left shoulder, and a small silver coloured metal Victorian Military Forces button on the right shoulder. Seven large buttons at front of tunic (one missing), and two at back waist. Two large brass belt hooks at side waist of doublet. Lower front skirt flaps have welt pockets lined with linen. Body of tunic lined with a white wool mixture, lightly padded around the underarms. Lower skirt flaps lined with a medium weight cream wool twill and upper smaller flaps lined with a finer cream wool twill. Sleeves lined with cream cotton twill and printed in black ink on the centre back lining is '5/8 38'. Collar lined with red wool and neck fastened with a single brass hook and eye over a black patent leather tab.Printed in black ink on the centre back lining is '5/8 38'

Officer's full dress scarlet wool doublet with yellow stand collar and cuffs, and Inverness skirts. Left front of doublet, cuffs and Inverness skirts all edged with white piping. Lower edge of collar, cuffs and skirts are decorated with three rows of doubled, 1/8” silver Russian braid; each row completed with a large whitemetal coloured metal "King Edward VII Australian Commonwealth" button of the period 1901-1911. 5/8” silver lace around top of collar, and top and seam of gauntlet cuff. Silver braid shoulder straps and screw buttons MISSING. Five large buttons at front of tunic (three missing), and one at back waist (one missing). Two large brass belt hooks at side waist of doublet. Lower front skirt flaps have welt pockets lined with linen. Body of tunic lined with a white wool mixture, lightly padded around the underarms. Lower skirt flaps lined with a medium weight cream wool twill and upper smaller flaps lined with a finer cream wool twill. Sleeves lined with cream cotton twill and written in blue ink on lotter right opening lining is '5-7 37'. Collar lined with red wool and neck fastened with two brass hook and eyes. No black patent leather tab at collar.blue ink on lotter right opening lining is '5-7 37'

This was the wedding dress worn by Mrs Jessie McKinnon (nee Campbell). It has been made for riding side-saddle. Only highly-skilled tailors could produce the complex skirt required for riding side-saddle. It had to curve neatly over the rider’s knees.This dress reflects the fashion of the early 20th century as well as the needlecraft skills of the women at that time.A hand-made, long-sleeved wedding dress of beige satin. It is tapered at the waist and covered buttons from the collar to the waist. There are bows on the wrist. There is fringing at the waist and it is ankle length. There is a huge pocket on the left hand side. There are box pleats at ankle length and a frill of chiffon at the bottom.costume-female handcrafts-dressmaking dress-wedding

The name " Balmain " has been attributed to the photo, James Balmain and his wife, Amy Sophia [D'Alton} purchased a vacant school cottage from the area and moved it to their land and called it Bellfield. Amy died at age 37, James returned to Scotland with their 3 children.Photo shows 2 women sitting on a rock formation, both are wearing hats adorned with flowers and appear to be wearing long skirts and high buttoned blouses. They are both holding sticks which seem to be decorated with flowers,recreation, bush-walking

Long emerald green gown with long sleeves and a semi circular skirt. The material is jersey. Bodice - Gathering of material under the bust with a deep V neck. The dress has a straight semi fitted mid riff. ball gown, reid family

Frank Wright was a renown resident of Smeaton, where he was born. He lived at Laura Villa, and attended Smeaton State School. His father William was a gold miner and his mother's name was Sarah. Their family won many singing and instrumental awards. Frank was tutored by Percy Code and was awarded a gold medal for the highest marks in the ALCM examinations in the British Colonies at the age of seventeen years. He became the Australian Open Cornet Champion by the age of eighteen. A year later, Frank conducted the City of Ballarat Band, and later the Ballarat Soldiers’ Memorial Band. He formed the Frank Wright Frisco Band and Frank Wright and his Coliseum Orchestra. These bands won many South Street awards, and Frank as conductor won many awards in the Australian Band Championship contest. In 1933 Frank Wright sailed to England to conduct the famous St Hilda’s Band and was later appointed Musical Director of the London County Council, where he organized many amazing concerts in parks, in and around the London district. He was made Professor of Brass and Military Band Scoring and conducted at the Guildhall of Music and Drama. Frank was often invited to adjudicate Brass Band Championships around Europe, in Australia, including South Street and in New Zealand. The Frank Wright Medal at the Royal South Street competition is awarded to an individual recognized as making an outstanding contribution to brass music in Australia.Black and white photograph of two men dressed in suits and a woman dressed in a skirt and long sleeved top. They are standing beside a very high stone wall. The man on the right is Frank Wright and his companions are elderly.frank wright, conductor, stone wall

This white christening gown was possibly worn by the donor, Mrs. W.N. Barnard.This 18500s christening gown is representative of gowns worn for this ceremony in the 1850s.Child's long, white christening gown, capped sleeves. Hand sewn, inserted panel in bodice and skirt, embroidered and eyelets. Circa 1850's. Possibly worn by Mrs W.N. Barnard when she was christened.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, mrs w n barnard of portland victoria, robert barnard son of w n barnard, christening gown, 1850's christening gown, religious apparel, w n barnard

Choir at Tatura War Cemetery.Black and white photograph of the male and female choir in November 1993 at Tatura War Cemetery. The men in shirt sleeves and dark trousers, the ladies dark skirts and white tops. Back of the graves leading to the entrance gates.tatura war cemetery, german choir at war cemetry tatura

Worn by patients at the Sunbury AsylumInmate's dress in off-white canvas (?) with a blue stripe around the neckline with reinforcement panels. Neck-to-thigh back opening with three pairs of lacing eyelets, reinforced with brass rings. Bodice and skirt pleated into waistband.Nonecostume, sunbury asylum, george evans collection

Purchased in Swan Hill on behalf of the Society by Barbara Keene in February 2001All over lace dress. Sweetheart neckline lined in silk. Three petticoats, one silk, second one tuille with 17cm double flounce in front and third skirt stiffened cotton. The back 52cm train.costume, female ceremonial

Laundered 30/10/1999White cotton christening gown with short sleeves. White cotton broderie anglaise lace in rows on bodice and inset near hem of dress. Four rows of pin tucking above and below inset of lace in skirt.costume, infants'

1860 Black silk taffeta coat with long sleeves. Black lace around collar, fronts and hem. Appears to be fastened with large hook. Gored shaped coat and knee length. Worn over a wide skirt.costume, female