The Kew Elder Citizen's Association was formally established in 1952. During its initial years it met at South Esk in Cotham Road. Later the Club moved to its current headquarters in High Street.Framed photograph of a theatrical performance of 'Cinderella' by the Kew Elder Citizens' Club in 1976. Handwritten insert below photograph: "Cinderella - Cast, 1976 / Arthur Sharpe; The Prince - Hec Camm; Fairy Godmother - Bill Humphries; Step-sisters - Wally Tustin, Ralph Preston, George Driver; Compere - Alma Westcott".kew elder citizens' club -- association, community groups -- kew (vic.), kew senior citizens, theatre -- kew (vic.)

This book, an Irish spelling book with a strong religious tone, is in a very tattered state but has the name ‘Freckleton’ on it and it may have come with the first Freckleton immigrants to Australia. In the 19th century there were Freckleton families in the Warrnambool district at Port Fairy, Cooramook, Mailors Flat, Woolsthorpe, Woodford and Wangoom. The provenance of this book is unclear but it is kept because of its early printing (1844) and because of its association with the Freckleton families. This is a soft cover book of 240 pages. The cloth cover is brown with no visible markings on the front cover or spine. The pages are bound together with string and the material on the spine is almost worn away. Some of the pages are torn and very dirty and all are dog-eared. There is a grey and white illustration on the first page. The inscriptions on the first and second pages, barely legible, are handwritten in pencil and in black ink. ‘W. Freckleton, landed (?) 1857….1875….1888’ ‘…May landeth….’ freckleton families,, western district, history of warrnambool

This book, an Irish spelling book with a strong religious tone, is in a very tattered state but has the name ‘Freckleton’ on it and it may have come with the first Freckleton immigrants to Australia. In the 19th century there were Freckleton families in the Warrnambool district at Port Fairy, Cooramook, Mailors Flat, Woolsthorpe, Woodford and Wangoom. The provenance of this book is unclear but it is kept because of its early printing (1844) and because of its association with the Freckleton families. This is a soft cover book of 240 pages. The cloth cover is brown with no visible markings on the front cover or spine. The pages are bound together with string and the material on the spine is almost worn away. Some of the pages are torn and very dirty and all are dog-eared. There is a grey and white illustration on the first page. The inscriptions on the first and second pages, barely legible, are handwritten in pencil and in black ink. ‘W. Freckleton, landed (?) 1857….1875….1888’ ‘…May landeth….’ freckleton families, western district, history of warrnambool

This is a paper back book with a plasticized cover. It has 76 pages and an index. The cover is olive-green in colour with images of a life boat and a lifeboat service certificate. The book contains printed material, diagrams, maps, photographs and other illustrations.non-fictionHistory of lifeboats and their crews in Victoria from 1856 to 1879lifeboats, shipwrecks, port fairy lifeboats, warrnambool lifeboats, history of warrnambool

MEMBERS OF THE FORD FAMILY, TAKEN IN FRONT OF TOTTY TREMBATH'S HOUSE IN 1910, FROM LEFT VIV, NELL, NELLIE, (MOTHER) DULCIE, FRONT ROW - ESME, HARRY, AND TOM WITH THOMAS (FATHER) SITTING IN CART, VIV IS HOLDING A WHALE'S BACK BONE, THEY HAD PICKED UP IN PORT FAIRY.1 FRAMED WITH GLASS PHOTOGRAPH OF THE FORD FAMILY IN 1910, WITH HORSE AND BUGGY. .2 HANDWRITTEN NOTE OF THE PEOPLE IDENTIFIED IN THIS PHOTOGRAPH, SEE BELOWTHIS PHOTO WAS TAKEN OF THE FORD FAMILY IN 1910. THEY CAME FROM DUNACH NEAR TALBOTlocal history, photography, photographs, trembath, perry

Hot water sea baths established in 1889 in Bank Street Port Fairy for separate men and women bathing. The bathes were closed in 1916. One bath was taken by Leo Brady when baths were demolished and used in his home until 1939. These items are from this bath.1. Metal bolt used to clamp slabs of marble for bath , from hot water baths. Bolt tapers from top to bottom and round knob on top. 2. Piece of white marble used in the sea baths - roughly triagular in shape. 3.Large piece of marble from the base of a sea bathlocal history, buildings, fittings

Used primarily for shipping freight between Port Fairy and Melbourne, the Coramba was lost off Phillip Island during a storm on 30th November 1934. Her location was not discovered until 29th May 2011. This photograph is unique because it shows the ship using the turning basin in the Moyne River.B&W photograph ship, boat, sea, river

This cash book contains entries relating to the farrier business of W M McCullough in Fairy St Warrnambool. It lists names and numbers of shoes replaced. It dates from January 1917 to march 1919 and contains many local names such as Sheldrick, Selby, Skuse, Horne and Saltau, to name a few.Listing many local people and being associated with a local business, it has social and historical significance. Green cloth covered card cover with maroon binding. Blue, maroon and white patterned inside covers. White paper label edged in floral design, pasted to front cover. 92 pages double numbered to page opening. Hand written entries to page 32 warrnambool farriers, w mccullough warrnambool, farriers of warrnambool, 1915 farriers

Tait collection: item 40 of 62 This document gives the details of the Will and Probate of Edward Jones, an engine driver who died in Warrnambool in January 1895 at the age of 69. He had previously been a resident of Port Fairy. He left real estate to the value of £640 and personal estate to the value of £187. The beneficiaries of the will were his daughters, Margaret and Mary Jones. The lawyers connected with this document were Ernest Chambers and the legal firm of Fletcher and Mackay. Ernest Chambers had legal offices in Port Fairy, Koroit and Warrnambool at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century and the signatures of two of his law clerks, Thomas Goodall and John White are included in this document. James Fletcher had a legal office in Port Fairy and in Warrnambool in the 1870s and in Warrnambool in the 1880s (Koroit Street). In the late 1890s he commenced a partnership with George Mackay who had previously had his own practice in Warrnambool. In the 1920s the firm became known as Mackay and Taylor and later Mackay Taylor (Kepler Street). This document was in the possession of Ernest Chambers and was passed down to successive lawyers occupying the Kepler Street premises. It was located in 2014 with other documents in these premises last occupied by the firm of Mackay Taylor. This document is of some interest as it gives details of the Will and Probate of Edward Jones who had been a resident of Warrnambool in the late 19th century. It will be useful for researchers. This is a cream-coloured piece of parchment paper folded in two and containing handwritten material on three sides of the paper. It gives details of the Will and Probate of Edward Jones of Warrnambool who died in 1895. The pages have printed red lines on the edges of three pages. The written material is clean and readable.In the Supreme Court of the Colony of Victoria In its Probate Jurisdiction in the Will of Edward Jones late of Warrnambool and formerly of Belfast in the County of Villiers in the Colony of Victoria Engine driver deceasedfletcher and mackay, lawyers,, warrnambool, ernest chambers,, edward jones, tait collection

W J Taggart was a tailor who operated from Fairy Street at the time near Russell’s and Powell’s. This is near The Caledonian Hotel and in the current RSPCA shop. They had moved to this shop around 1884. A notice in the local paper in 1922 states that he was re- opening his business in the same premises.Provides a link to one of Warrnambool’s 19th Century businesses.Wooden hangers with rounded corners and metal hooks. Printed names engraved and painted in black with business name.W J Taggart Tailor and Outfitter Warrnambool W H Taggart Tailor and outfitter Warrnambool. Both made in America w j taggart, coathangers, warrnambool

The Tower Hill Cemetery is located near Koroit on the north side of the Princes Highway The, between Port Fairy and Warrnambool. The first burial at Tower Hill Cemetery took place in 1856. Over 150 years there has been over 8,000 burials. Around 45 percent of the burials are in unmarked graves.Colour photograph of a headstone in the Tower Hill Cemetery.tower hill cemetery, william rutledge, eliza rutledge

The Tower Hill Cemetery is located near Koroit on the north side of the Princes Highway The, between Port Fairy and Warrnambool. The first burial at Tower Hill Cemetery took place in 1856. Over 150 years there has been over 8,000 burials. Around 45 percent of the burials are in unmarked graves.Colour photograph of a headstone in the Tower Hill Cemetery.tower hill cemetery, william rutledge, eliza rutledge

The Tower Hill Cemetery is located near Koroit on the north side of the Princes Highway The, between Port Fairy and Warrnambool. The first burial at Tower Hill Cemetery took place in 1856. Over 150 years there has been over 8,000 burials. Around 45 percent of the burials are in unmarked graves.Colour photograph of a headstone in the Tower Hill Cemetery.tower hill cemetery

The Tower Hill Cemetery is located near Koroit on the north side of the Princes Highway The, between Port Fairy and Warrnambool. The first burial at Tower Hill Cemetery took place in 1856. Over 150 years there has been over 8,000 burials. Around 45 percent of the burials are in unmarked graves. Colour photograph of the Tower Hill Cemetery. with potatoes being irrigated in te background. The cemetery is laid out on design of a Celtic Cross.tower hill cemetery, tower hill, cemetery

The Tower Hill Cemetery is located near Koroit on the north side of the Princes Highway The, between Port Fairy and Warrnambool. The first burial at Tower Hill Cemetery took place in 1856. Over 150 years there has been over 8,000 burials. Around 45 percent of the burials are in unmarked graves.Colour photograph of the headstone of Patrick Carroll in the Tower Hill Cemetery. . by Patrick Carroll InLoving Remembrance of my beloved son Patrick Who departed this life the 20th day of April 1874 Aged 2 years and 2 months Also his beloved mother Who departed this life 15th Sept 1876 Aged 74 years Also his who died 16th November 1890 Aged 89 Years Also Patrick Carroll Who died 10 July 1906 aged 72 years Rest in Peace tower hill cemetery, patrick carroll

James Steele Mayor of Port Fairy 1907-1908 also a Director of the Southwestern Co-operative Milk and Trading Company Ltd formed to guarantee the supply of milk to the proposed Glaxo Milk Factory in 1919. The first milk delivery was made by Mr Steele when the factory opened in October 1920.James Steele Mayor of Port Fairy 1907-1908 and then being involved in the establishment of the Glaxo factory in Port Fairy Black and white portrait photograph james steele, mayor, port fairy, glaxo, milk, factory, southwestern co-operative milk and trading company ltd

This is a book of 16 pages. The cover is green and has black printing and an image of ship on the front cover. The back cover has some pencilled scribble. The pages contain printed text.non-fictionInformation on the Mahogany Shipmahogany ship, warrnambool maritime history, warrnambool mahogany ship

This bottle came from the Warrnambool aerated waters factory of Charles and Frederick Flett, with the business known as Warrnambool Cordials Pty Ltd. This business had been established by Joseph Lescai in the 1920s. He had a fruit shop near the corner of Lava and Fairy Streets and then moved further north in Fairy Street. His cordial business flourished and was bought by a company of local businessmen before being sold to Thomas Hill in the 1930s. In the early 1940s Warrnambool Cordials Pty Ltd was purchased by Charles and Frederick Flett. Their father, William was originally a tinsmith in Timor Street and the two sons continued on his plumbing business until the 1950s as well as operating the cordial factory. In the 1960s Frederick sold the cordial business to Thomas McKenzie and it became McKenzie’s Cordials. This bottle is of interest as a memento of the Flett brothers cordial business in Warrnambool in the 1940s, 50s and 60s. Warrnambool Cordials Pty Ltd was a prominent business in Warrnambool for 40 years.This is a clear glass bottle with a rounded base and a circular body tapering to a narrower neck with a moulded glass open top. The stopper or bottle top is missing. The details of the manufacture of the soft drink are impressed into the glass on the sides of the bottle.‘Fletts Warrnambool’ ‘Warrnambool Cordials Pty Ltd Warrnambool’ ‘This bottle is the property of the Warrnambool Cordials Pty. Ltd. Warrnamnbool’ charles and frederick flett, warrnambool, warrnambool cordials pty ltd, cordial manufacturers in warrnambool, history of warrnambool

This book was written in 1801 in an epic poem form. It is unrhymed. It falls into the category of fantasy. The original owner of this book seems to have been John Bland. He is most important in the early history of Port Fairy and had a business in Port Fairy with John Cowtan (corn millers and general merchants). The Cowtans originally had land in the vicinity of the Cassady property of Boughton, Merri River (in Caramut Road near Cassady’s Bridge today) and were related by marriage to the Cassadys. A later owner of the book was William Anderson whose father came to the Yangery district in 1854 and established the property of Rosemount and William remained in this area until his death in 1909. The Andersons were related by marriage to the Cassadys and this book came to us following a clearance sale at the Cassady property, Boughton. This book is of great interest less for its literary content than for its ownership which probably dates back to the 1840s. It is associated with the families of Bland, Cowtan, Cassady and Anderson, all early settlers in Warrnambool and district.This is a brown leather-covered book of 271 pages. The cover has gold decorative borders and patterns and gold lettering. The pages are gilt-edged. The book is the fourth edition of volume one of a Robert Southey poem and has a Preface and Books 1 to 5 with Notes. The inscriptions are handwritten in black ink. One signature has not been deciphered. ‘Wm. Anderson’ ‘John Bland’ william anderson,, rosemount, william cassady, john bland, john cowtan, thalaba the destroyer, warrnambool, poem thalaba the destroyer, 19th century poems, robert southey books

Lisa Green and Lisa Morcom of Ballarat College of Advanced Educatiion contributed to this report.275 page landscape study of Ballarat including Trees in the Victorian Landscape; Plant sources early Ballarat nurseries, Botanical Gardens, Lake Wendouree, Fairy Gardens, Victoria Park, Ballaarat Old Cemetery, Eastern Oval, City Oval, Ballarat East Town Hall Gardens, Eureka Stockade, Observatory, Yarrowee, Black Hill, Sovereign Hill, Cheek Channels, Canadian Creek, Poverty Point Reserve, Goldmining Relics, Woah Hawp, Buninyong, street plantings, Russell, Victoria, Bridge Mall, Sturt Street Gardens, Avenue of Honour, Webster, Elms, ballarat, trees, nursery, r.u. nicholls, francis moss, ballarat botanical gardens, victoria park, lake wendouree, ballaarat old cemetery, eastern oval, ballarat east town hall gardens, ballarat school of mines botanical gardens, eureka stckade recreation reserve, ballarat observatory, yarrowee creek, black hill reserve, sovereign hill, ballarat avenue of honour, victoria street plantings, bridge mall plantings, george longley

This Banks' Agreement refers to one of several agreements made between the Warrnambool and district bank Managers not to exceed the stated rates of interest. The first section of the Agreement is dated 5th February 1877 and the last date is 15th May 1879. The Banks agreed to specific interest rates for fixed deposits and the terms of those deposits. The first page refers to a previous Agreement being terminated on 14th August 1875. A document from the ANZ Bank, Melbourne, refers to another Agreement dated 2nd April 1879. A transcription of the Banks' Agreement is attached to this record. The four banks subscribing to the Agreement are: - Bank of Australasia Bank of Victoria Colonial Bank of Australasia National Bank of Australasia The Bank of Australasia was incorporated by the Royal Charter of England in March 1834. The bank began in Australia on 14th December 1835, opening in Sydney. The Acting Superintendent of the bank at that time was David Charters McArthur. He was Superintendent from 1867 to 1876. The Melbourne branch opened on 28th August 1838 in a two-roomed brick cottage on the north side of Little Collins Street, where two huge mastiff dogs were used at night to guard the bank. The government also provided an armed military sentinel. Due to the bank's rapid growth, a new building for the Melbourne branch was opened in 1840 at 75 Collins Street West. By 1879 the bank had been upgraded to a magnificent two-storey building on the corners of Collins and Queens Streets, with the entry on Collins Street. In 1951 the Bank of Australasia amalgamated with the Union Bank to form Australia and New Zealand Bank, now known as the ANZ. Then in 1970, the ANZ merged with both the ES&A and the London Bank of Australia to form the ANZ Banking Group Limited. The ANZ Banking Group Ltd kindly donated various historic items from the Bank of Australasia. BANK of AUSTRALASIA, WARRNAMBOOL – In 1854 Warrnambool had two banks, the Union Bank and the Bank of Australasia. Later, completely different bank businesses opened; in 1867 the National Bank of Australasia, then in 1875 the Colonial Bank of Australasia. The original Warrnambool branch of the Bank of Australasia was established in July 1854, and operated from a leased cottage on Merri Street, close to Liebig Street. The bank later bought a stone building previously erected by drapers Cramond & Dickson on the corner of Timor and Gibson Streets. Samuel Hannaford was a teller and then Manager at the Warrnambool branch from 1855 to 1856 and the Warrnambool Council chose that bank for its dealings during 1856-57. In 1859 Roberts & Co. was awarded the contract to build the new Bank of Australasia branch for £3,000. The land was on a sand hill on the northeast corner of Timor and Kepler Streets and had been bought in 1855 by investor James Cust. The new building opened on May 21, 1860. The bank continued to operate there until 1951 when it merged with the Union Bank to form the ANZ Bank, which continued operating from its Liebig Street building. Warrnambool City Council purchased the former Bank of Australasia building in 1971 and renovated it, then on 3rd December 1973 it was officially opened as the Art Gallery by Cr. Harold Stephenson and Gallery Director John Welsh. The Gallery transferred to the purpose-built building on Liebig Street in 1986 and the old bank building is now the Gallery Club. Staff at the Bank of Australasia in Warrnambool included the following men but others were also involved: Samuel Hannaford, Teller then Manager from 1855-1856; W H Palmer, Manager from January 1857 until November 1869 when the Teller Basil Spence was promoted to Manager; H B Chomley, Manager from April 1873 and still there in 1886; A Butt, Manager in 1895-1904; J R McCleary Accountant and Acting Manager for 12 months, until 1900; A Kirk, Manager 1904; J Moore, staff until his transfer to Bendigo in December 1908; J S Bath was Manager until 1915; C C Cox, Manager until April 1923; Richard C Stanley, Manager 1923 to April 1928. This Banks' Agreement has historical significance as it belonged to the Bank of Australasia which was established in Australia in 1835 by Royal Charter. One of the four parties of the Agreement was the Warrnambool branch, so the document is also a historical record of the financial agreements between similar institutions in the local area. The document is significant for its association with the Bank of Australasia in Warrnambool, the first bank in Warrnambool, established in 1854. The bank continued to operate until its merger in 1951 when it became the ANZ Bank, which is still in operation today. The Bank was an integral part of the establishment and growth of commerce in Colonial Warrnambool and throughout Australia.Document titled the Banks Agreement; a four-page document handwritten in black ink with a nib pen on heavy cream-coloured paper. The document describes the agreement between four banks local to Warrnambool and the district. It specifies interest rates for fixed deposits, the period of the deposits and the penalty for early withdrawal. It includes banks in Warrnambool, Belfast (now Port Fairy) and Koroit and is dated from February 1877 to May 1878. It has been signed by the Banks' Managers. The contents are an agreement not to exceed the stated rates of interest. This copy belonged to the Bank of Australasia, Warrnambool."Banks' Agreement" "Warrnambool" "Belfast" "Koroit" "5th February 1877" "17th February 1877" "16th May 1877" "6th May 1878" "14th May 1878" "15th May 1878"flagstaff hill, warrnambool, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, commerce, banking, bank of australasia, australia & new zealand bank, anz bank, david charters mcarthur, banks' agreement, bank of victoria, colonial bank of australasia, national bank of australasia, belfast (now port fairy), koroit, fixed term deposits, interest rates, 1877, 1878, bills, promissory notes, current accounts

Henry Beater Christian (1886-1962) , was a descendant of one of the earliest settler families in Kew. Employed at the Kew Asylum as a 'public servant', he was a skilled amateur photographer, photographing numerous scenes in Kew and on his travels around Victoria. The majority of his photographs date from 1916 to 1929. His finest photographs are housed in two photograph albums. Digital copy of a photograph from page 23 of the 47-page photograph album containing 261 gelatinous silver images, loaned by Diane Washfold with permission given to digitise and hold a copy in our collection. Henry Christian took a number of walking and rail trips, individually or with friends, around regional and rural Victoria during the 1920s. This photo is from a series of twelve photographs of parts of the west coast of Victoria, including Port Fairy and Warrnambool. The location in this photograph has been identified by Kathleen Gervasoni as the mouth of the Hopkins River, Point Ritchie, Warrnambool. henry beater christian (1886-1962), landscape photography, christian-washfold collection, photograph albums, hopkins river, point ritchie, warrnambool

From the staff and pupils of the Goodlet High School, Sholinghur,. Sholinghur is a municipality under Sholinghur taluk in Ranipet District of Tamil Nadu, India. Deaconess Hope Goldie attended Rolland House, Deaconess' Training Institute and the Missionary Training Institute. She left her home in Port Fairy for India in 1927. Fine cotton printed address in the form of a scroll. It is attached to stained brown wooden rods at tend end and is printed with indigo blue."AN ADDRESS PRESENTED TO MISS A. HOPE GOLDIE, ON THE OCCASION OF HER SILVER JUBILEE CELEBRATION"a hope goldie, annie hope goldie, presbyterian missionary, goodlet high school sholinghur india, presbyterian deaconess

A 1939 booklet of nursery rhymes designed to inspire Australian children with their own fairy stories. Olga Dorothea Agnes Ernst published the rhymes under her married name Waller. This copy was presumably used by Helen Gibson in her pre-school teaching and was donated to the society as part of her collection of materials.Stapled booklet with cardboard covers and twenty-four pages, containing lyrics and music to ten songs composed by Olga D. A. Waller M. A. (words) and Jean M. Fraser (music). The songs, described as "Mountain nursery rhymes" are all concerned with the Dandenong Ranges.In ink on flyleaf: To dear Rita, With love. June 1950. Marie. "There's joy in Remembrance."dandenong ranges

This shop stood at the corner of Bank and Church Streets and was pulled down to make way for another service station. When the service station closed in the 1990's it was used as a storage unit for a Port Fairy builder. It in turn has been pulled down and replaced with 2 shops, a bank and two units above.Black & white photographshop, commercial, warehouse, bank street, church street

This shop stood at the corner of Bank and Church Streets and was pulled down to make way for another service station. When the service station closed in the 1990's it was used as a storage unit for a Port Fairy builder. It in turn has been pulled down and replaced with 2 shops, a bank and two units above.Black & white photographMrs C.W. Freckleton Toolong.- my father's saddlery business-shop now owned by Mr Richter taken in 1880shop, commercial, warehouse, bank street, church street

These labels come from the business of Giffen Russell and Company, a wine and spirits store in Fairy Street, Warrnambool. Giffen Russell commenced business in 1878 and was joined by Joseph Powell as a partner in 1881. The business of Giffen Russell and Co. was operating in the early 1900s and still went by that name in the 1940s with H.L.Lynch the proprietor at that time. These labels are of considerable interest as they show the extent of the goods sold by Giffen Russell, a prominent wine and spirits dealer in Warrnambool in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. .1 A sheet of white paper with a gilt edge and black printing .2 A sheet of white paper with a blue border and blue printing .3 A sheet of paper with blue printing and decoration on a green background .4 A sheet of white paper with a blue border and blue printing .5 A sheet of white paper with a decorative blue border and blue printing .6 A sheet of white paper pasted on to a piece of card. The printing is gold and blue surrounded by decorative patterns, including bunches of grapes .1Australian Gin bottled by Giffen Russell & Co. Warrnambool .2 Finest Virgin Olive Oil Product of Italy .3 Pure Australian Wine Frontignac bottled by Giffen Russell & Co. Warrnambool .4 Raw Linseed Oil bottled by Giffen Russell & Co, .5 Finest Brown Malt bottled by Giffen Russell & Co. Warrnambool .6 Seppelts Invalid Port bottled by Giffen Russell, Merchants, Warrnambool giffen russell, wine merchant, history of warrnambool

Port Fairy Gardens - 1904. (showing family group). Christmas. The Port Fairy Botanical Gardens were formed in 1856 making it one of the earliest gardens in Victoria. The first curator was James Prior, he was paid fifty-two pounds per annum. He was an outstanding curator having been apprenticed to the trade in England at the age of 12, his brother Edward in later years was the Curator of the Koroit Gardens. Prior retired in 1903. During the years of his curatorship Port Fairy was said to have the best gardens outside the city of Melbourne, he was constantly in touch with Baron Von Mueller and later Guilfoyle of the Royal Botanical Gardens of Melbourne. In the early years plants from all over the world were planted here with varying rates of success many of them sent by Baron Von Mueller. In the 1930’ and 40’s the gardens were still very beautiful, and the curator was Roy Manuell. The beautiful iron gates at the entrance were destroyed in the 1946 floods and were replaced in 1989 using some of the material from the original gates. From the 1950’s on the gardens went into a state of decline, much being taken up by the caravan park until in 1986, after a public meeting ‘Friends of the Gardens’ was founded when the entrance section was restored. PhotographReverse- Colin Robinson- front Christmas 1904gardens, botanical, family, group, people

Gardens, Port Fairy- (showing family group) The Port Fairy Botanical Gardens were formed in 1856 making it one of the earliest gardens in Victoria. The first curator was James Prior, he was paid fifty-two pounds per annum. He was an outstanding curator having been apprenticed to the trade in England at the age of 12, his brother Edward in later years was the Curator of the Koroit Gardens. Prior retired in 1903. During the years of his curatorship Port Fairy was said to have the best gardens outside the city of Melbourne, he was constantly in touch with Baron Von Mueller and later Guilfoyle of the Royal Botanical Gardens of Melbourne. In the early years plants from all over the world were planted here with varying rates of success many of them sent by Baron Von Mueller. In the 1930’ and 40’s the gardens were still very beautiful, and the curator was Roy Manuell. The beautiful iron gates at the entrance were destroyed in the 1946 floods and were replaced in 1989 using some of the material from the original gates. From the 1950’s on the gardens went into a state of decline, much being taken up by the caravan park until in 1986, after a public meeting ‘Friends of the Gardens’ was founded when the entrance section was restored. Photographgardens - 1904, botanical, christmas, group, family, children