George Richard Oldfield was a butcher. Thomas Crouch Watts was born on March 7th. 1865, to Joseph and Susan Watts. Before the real estate business commenced, Thomas and his brother were in partnership as booksellers and stationers in a shop at View Point. Thomas lived in a fine house in Rowan Street, which was called 'Ottawa' Thomas started his real estate business in the early 1900s in a shop in View Street. His daughter Edna was the book keeper and typist, Stewart Watson was the salesman and Stanley Phipps (Edith Lunn's father) was the property manager and valuer. When Thomas Watts died in 1914, his daughter took over the running of the business. She married Stewart Watson in 1918. Eventually the name of the business was changed to Bishop and Earl. From a letter from Edith Lunn re T.C. Watts & Son. 'The firm of T.C. Watts & Son later became Bishop and Earl. When the firm of Bishop and Earl ceased to operate after the death of Edith Lunn's father, S.P. Bishop, Miss. June Parry, Secretary of the BHS was a member of staff. June rescued all the photos of properties listed for sale from the office and placed them into the custody of the BHS.' Black and white photograph mounted on rectangular grey board. House, weatherboard, corrugated iron roof, two chimneys. Dog at gate. Woven wire fence. Written on back of photo board " £850 Geo Oldfield, Cnr Somerville and Ellis St. Corner Somerville and Ellis Streets Bendigo, Cr ?on terms, Deposit required about £150' 2012 photo of house site attached to record for comparison.Frank A. Jeffree, Bendigoplace, building, residential, previous register no. ''mp12'' part of a collection of photographs used by estate agent t.c. watts and son

These are the Chinese robes that belonged to Forests Commission fireguard and builder of Moscow Villa - Bill ah Chow. Every organisation has a handful of colourful characters, and the Commission had its share, but Bill remains one of its enduring legends. After Bill's death in 1967, the robes were safely kept by Bill's daughter, Rose, until she died in 1993. The robes then passed to Bill's granddaughter, Janice, and were also highly prized. Janice wrote a book about Bill and Moscow Villa in 2019. After much deliberation, the family felt the retired foresters were better positioned to keep Bill's story alive. Bill loved to tell embellished campfire stories and often claimed to be a descendant of Chinese Royalty, but his family believes the robes were more likely picked up from a second-hand shop in Little Bourke Street in the 1940s. In 2018 the Chinese Museum in Melbourne gave this advice. Mr. Ah Chow is dressed in a way that imitates a Mandarin or official of the Qing Dynasty. His hat looks like a mandarin style hat, a Qing dynasty official’s headwear, although it’s quite unlikely that he was actually a Mandarin. The button atop the hat usually indicated the wearer’s rank. His robe fastens up to the neck with buttons, which is typical of Manchurian style men’s clothing of the Qing dynasty also. He is not wearing a rank badge, which denoted official status. This kind of garment was also normally worn with a separate collar, which Mr. Ah Chow is not wearing in any of these pictures.Chinese clothing including robes, bear skin hat, silk trousers and slippers

Thomas Crouch Watts was born on March 7th. 1865, to Joseph and Susan Watts. Before the real estate business commenced, Thomas and his brother were in partnership as booksellers and stationers in a shop at View Point. Thomas lived in a fine house in Rowan Street, which was called 'Ottawa' Thomas started his real estate business in the early 1900s in a shop in View Street. His daughter Edna was the book keeper and typist, Stewart Watson was the salesman and Stanley Phipps (Edith Lunn's father) was the property manager and valuer. When Thomas Watts died in 1914, his daughter took over the running of the business. She married Stewart Watson in 1918. Eventually the name of the business was changed to Bishop and Earl. From a letter from Edith Lunn re T.C. Watts & Son. 'The firm of T.C. Watts & Son later became Bishop and Earl. When the firm of Bishop and Earl ceased to operate after the death of Edith Lunn's father, S.P. Bishop, Miss. June Parry, Secretary of the BHS was a member of staff. June rescued all the photos of properties listed for sale from the office and placed them into the custody of the BHS.' Black and white original photograph mounted on rectangular grey board. House, weatherboard, corrugated iron roof, gableroof LH side, bullnose verandah, wooden fence, one chimney. On back of photo ' Ferguson, 21 Russell Street, Bendigo.£ 500. ' £525 for house, and £600 for whole of land through to Houston St. 24.7.34' Stamped with T.C. Watts & Son. Sticker attached to bottom of photo board ' April 1929, 21 Russell Street, Bendigo. £750'Frank A. Jeffree, Photo, Bendigo Victoria.place, building, residential, t c watts, real estate