THE WEEK REVIEWED (Article; Bush Fires: A pictorial survey of Victoria's most tragic week, January 8-15, 1939. Published in aid of the Bush Fire Relief Fund by the Sun News-Pictorial in co-operation with its newsagents, pp2-3) THE fiercest bush fires Australia has known since its discovery are quiescent at the moment, and Victoria, in the comparative coolness of the change which came with rain on Sunday night, has begun·to count its losses. In the fiery eight days, from Sunday to Sunday, at least sixty-six men, women and children have lost their lives in forest fires, or have succumbed to burns and shock; many others have died from heat; and several serious cases of burns are being treated in hospitals. Two babies in Narrandera district have died, and ten others are in hospital, because of milk soured by the record temperatures of those eight days. Forest damage totals at least a million pounds, and incalculable damage has been done to the seedlings which were to have been the forests of the future. Water conservation will be seriously affected by the silting-up of reservoirs and streams from which protective timber has been taken by the all-engulfing flames. More than a thousand houses have been destroyed, and these, with 40 mills, and schools, post-offices, churches, and other buildings, represent a loss of at least half a million. At least 1500 are homeless. For their aid, money raised in appeals has now passed the £50,000 mark, and the biggest relief organisation ever set up in peace time has swung into operation. The First Hint Victoria's first hint of what was to come appeared on Sunday, January 8, when most parts of the State awoke to find a blistering day awaiting. At 12.20 p.m., when the thermometer reached its highest for the day, 109.6 degrees, the first fire victims were at that moment going to their death on a bush track five feet wide off the main road to Narbethong. They were the forestry officers Charles Isaac Demby and John Hartley Barling, who went to warn Demby of his danger when he parted from his companions, and was himself surrounded by the treacherous fire. It was not until 8 o'clock next morning that the tragic news was flashed throughout the State. Searchers found the two charred bodies close together, one seeking protection in the nook of two logs. Barling's watch had stopped at 1.20. In the meantime, tragedy was spreading its cloak. By Monday, big fires were raging at Toolangi, Erica, Yallourn, Monbulk, Frankston, Dromana, Drouin South, Glenburn, and Blackwood, with smaller outbreaks at many other centres. In the ensuing week, while women and children were evacuated as fast as the flames would permit, Erica-scene of the 1926 fire disaster-thrice escaped doom by a change of wind. Indeed, those who have been in the fire country these past days say that the numbers of times a change of wind has saved towns from destruction is amazing. In the towns they speak of miracles. Monday's Miracles The escapes from Monett's Mill at Erica and from the Hardwood Company's Mill at Murrindindi, near where Demby and Barling went to their death, were Monday's miracles. Twenty came out alive from each mill. At the first a 60ft. dugout provided an oven-like refuge; at the second, 12 women and children survived in the smoke-filled gloom of a three-roomed cottage while their eight men, their clothes sometimes afire, poured water on the wooden walls. Three houses out of ten remained when the fire had passed. Record Temperatures Sunday had been the hottest Melbourne day for 33 years; Monday dropped to a 76.1 degree maximum; but Tuesday dawned hotter than ever, the mercury reaching 112.5. By now rumor was racing ahead of fact; whole towns were being reported lost; the alarm was raised for scores of missing persons. But fact soon overtook rumor, and within a few days the staggering toll began to mount to a figure beyond the wildest imaginings of the panic-stricken. Six died from heat on this torrid Tuesday, and the fires spread in a wide swathe from south-west to north-east across the State. Fish died in shallow streams. A curtain of smoke hid the sky from all Victoria, and hung far out to sea. It alarmed passengers on ships. On the Ormonde, on the voyage to Sydney from Burnie, women ran on deck, believing fire had broken out in the hold. Days later the smoke reached New Zealand. In Melbourne thousands of fire-volunteers were leaving in cars: vans, motor-buses-anything reliable on wheels-to aid the country in its grim fight. In the fires at Rubicon and. Narbethong, seventeen were facing death this day. But not till Wednesday, when Melbourne breathed again in a cool change, while the country still sweltered in temperatures up to 117 degrees, did the news come through the tree blocked roads. A woman and her little daughter, trapped on the road, were among those who died. Their bodies, and those of menfolk with them, were found strewn out at intervals along the road, where the furnace of the surrounding fire had dropped them in their tracks as they ran. Twelve died at a Rubicon mill, five on the road at Narbethong. At Alexandra, not far distant, a baby was born while the fires raged, and stretcher-bearers brought in the injured. On Thursday the State Government voted £5000 for the relief of fire victims. The Governor (Lord Huntingfield) and the Lord Mayor (Cr. Coles) visited some of the stricken areas, and dipped into their pockets personally. Later, the City Council, too, voted £5000. Friday, The 13th Friday, the Thirteenth, justified its evil name. A blistering northerly came early in the morning, presaging destruction, and forcing the mercury to a new record of 114 degrees. Racing fires killed at least ten in those terrible 12 hours. Four children were engulfed in the furnace at Colac. Panic drove them, uncontrollable, into the smoke-filled road when the fire raced down behind their home. They choked to death. In other parts fires were joining to make fronts of scores of miles. Kinglake was being menaced on two fronts, £60,000 worth of timber was going up in smoke in Ballarat district. Warburton was surrounded. Residents at Lorne, favoured resort, were being driven to the sea-front by a fire which destroyed at least 20 homes. Healewille. with flames visible from the town at one stage, was in a trough between two fires which burned four guest-houses, seven homes and left its surrounding beauty-spots wastes of bowed-over, blackened tree-fern fronds; with its famous Sanctuary, however, intact. Most of Omeo was destroyed this black day: Noojee. while 200 residents crouched in the river, was being reduced to a waste of buckled iron and smoking timber; Erica was once again saved by a change of wind. Beneath a pall of smoke, the Rubicon victims were buried at Alexandra. Friday night and the early hours of Saturday saw the streets of beleagured towns strewn with exhausted fire-fighters. Their flails beside them, ready for the next call, they lay where exhaustion overtook them-on footpaths, beside lamp-posts, in gutters, in cars, under trucks. Saturday's dawn brought clear skies and lower temperatures in many parts, and from the burnt-out areas came a great rush of tragic reports. The death-roll rushed past the fifty mark with incredible speed. Some had been trapped on roads, others at mills; some, after burying their treasures, had clung too long to the places they had made their homes for many years. Four men lost their lives because one went back for his dog. By Sunday, when the first of the saving rain came, nearly another score of names had been added to the list.Newspaper magazine, 48 pages (incl. covers). Fully digitised and searchable PDFPublished in aid of the Bush Fire Relief Fund by the Sun News-Pictorial in co-operation with its newsagents.bushfires, 1939 bushfires, black friday, warrandyte

THIS PHOTOGRAPH WAS TAKEN AT EASTER CENTENARY CELEBRATION 1939ORIGINAL PHOTOGRAPH, STATION FLAT CLUNES, INCLUDING PORT PHILIP MINE WITH SAND HEAPS.STATION FLAT CLUNES 1939local history, photography, photographs, clunes township

A booklet produced about the Shrine of Remembrance. Its full title mentions the 1939-45 memorial and 'Including a full description of the many features of the Memorial together with its history and thirty six photographs.' The exact date is unknown but was after the Queen dedicated the World War 2 memorial in 1954. Item was with other photos and programmes from different items relating to the Shrine of Remembrance - including discussions on its location and design. Labelled 'Shrine of Remembrance S1 - S14' it was part of an old archive numbering system, that showed there has been efforts in the past to collect, order and save items of Legacy's history. (01181 - 01190, 01206 - 01211, 01649, 01650).Details of the Shrine of Remembrance published for the public. It is important to note it mentions that Legacy had an important role in promoting the construction of the original design over alternate proposals (of a civic square or a hospital). There was an effort to record historical events for the "Archive Committee" which collected this and other documents relating to the Shrine together in a file (see items 01181 - 01190, 01206 - 01211, 01649).A 40 page of booklet describing the Shrine, buff paper in a cream cover with black and white photos and black print.Handwritten on top right corner of the cover is S2 in red pen, part of an original numbering system.memorial, shrine of remembrance

Photocopy of a Newspaper Clipping - from The Sun, most likely 17/4/1939 about the closure of the Collingwood line on Saturday 15/4/1939. Bus services replaced the trams during the afternoon or earlier that the scheduled last tram in order to prevent damage by revellers. Titled "Tram Chairman beats revellers". Has a photo of the last tram with Mr. J. Peden as Gripman and E. McLeod as the conductor with two male passengers."1939" written in on the left hand side in ink.trams, tramways, collingwood, closure, cable trams, crews

The Talking Book Library of the Royal Victorian Institute for the Blind is celebrating its 50th anniversary during 1984. This service began in 1934 with 78 rpm records. These were later superceded by 33rpm records which remained in use until 1960. The first cassettes were imported from England and weighed 7 lb. along with the player which weighed 28 lb. These 18 track cassettes usually contained one whole book. In the early 1970's a change was made to smaller cassettes containing 12 hours of recorded material on 6 tracks. The latest system currently being introduced is the Library of Congress 4 Track System utilising cassettes which play for 6 hours and machinery which is adaptable to the conventional 2 track system cassette. The Talking Book Library today provides services to 2500 readers as opposed to only 500 in 1964. The service is free of charge to anyone who is visually handicapped and includes talking books, talking book machines, mail service, servicing of machines at regular intervals and any modifications that may be required. Over 1600 cassettes are handled daily. The library currently holds over 3500 individual titles. Catalogues are available in print, audio and braille format. Once selection is made, borrowers may receive at least 3 books at any one time. Other services include current magazines, foreign language books, newspapers and magazines and regional country newspapers. Many books are recorded at the R.V.I.B. by our volunteer readers while others are bought from similar agencies in Australia and overseas. The department of the R.V.I.B. relies almost entirely on voluntary donations from the public. Other services provided by the Royal Victorian Institute for the Blind Community Resources Section, Aids & Equipment Shop, Tertiary Resource Service, Industrial Department, Retired Personnel Allowance, Children's Services, Social Services, Housing Loans, Vocational Development1 digital image of typewritten pageroyal victorian institute for the blind, talking books

Yields information about tram services and how timetables were printed using a clock face for use in Ballarat. Demonstrates timetable making.Twenty Eight page, white paper, saddle stapled booklet, titled "Electricity Supply Department - Ballarat Tramways - Official Time Table January 1939", numbered TYE 1-48-5918. Gives notes on the through routing of the tram service, how the clock style format works and that it operates from the Tramway Centre. Also details when extra services are run and times as specific points along the route. Pages 24 and 25 detail the fares and charges, page 26 - luggage, page 27 - section destinations for the various routes and page 28, notes recent reductions in electricity charges. Two copies held. In the worksheet file is the basis of an article that appeared in Feb. 2006 Fares Please! See Reg Item 5637 for the August 1937 version.In blue pencil, the deletion of the 8.47am extra tram from Haddon St in both copies.timetables, ballarat, fares

A digital copy of a letter questioning availability of accommodation over Christmas 1934 at Marysville House. Marysville House was built in the late 1920s by Arthur Dickinson.A digital copy of a letter questioning availability of accommodation over Christmas 1934 at Marysville House. Marysville House was built in the late 1920s by Arthur Dickinson.marysville, victoria, australia, marysville house, arthur james dickinson, grace dickinson, arnold spooner, eileen marie spooner, eileen marie dickinson, grace sweetland, eric dowdle, elsie may denton, elsie may dickinson, peter dickinson, linda dickinson, 2009 black saturday bushfires, letter

A digital copy of a typed letter confirming dates for a stay at Marysville House in December 1934. Marysville House was built in the late 1920s by Arthur Dickinson.A digital copy of a typed letter confirming dates for a stay at Marysville House in December 1934. Marysville House was built in the late 1920s by Arthur Dickinson.marysville, victoria, australia, marysville house, arthur james dickinson, grace dickinson, arnold spooner, eileen marie spooner, eileen marie dickinson, grace sweetland, eric dowdle, elsie may denton, elsie may dickinson, peter dickinson, linda dickinson, 2009 black saturday bushfires, letter, miss dorothy weller

Sidney Charles ROUSE enlisted in the 2nd AIF on 5.12.1942 Regt No VX119373 age 28 years. He was discharged from the Army on 24.10.1945 with the rank of WO2 in the 2nd Aust Supply Reserve Depot AASC.The War Medal 1939 - 45 with ribbon attached.On front in Latin around outside edge: GEORGIVS VII GBR:OMN:REX ET INDIAE. IMP On back: 1939 - 1945 On outer edge: VX119373 S C ROUSEmedals, military, history

Handwritten letter to Mr. Wishart regarding an old coach body on his property that the Old Lintonians' Association would like to preserve.Text: " Old Lintonians' Association / Linton Jary 4th 1939 / Mr. H. Wishart / Dear Sir / At a meeting of our organization / held last evening I was directed to write to you / asking if you would sell the old Coach Body / now lying at the bottom of your paddock / adjoining the house. We feel that it would be worthwhile to keep it in a state of / preservation to its being / allowed to fall into a state of decay which of / course it eventually will if allowed to remain / in the position in which it is now placed. "old lintonians' association, mr. wishart

CLUNES CENTENARY CELEBRATIONS 1939PHOTOGRAPH OF CLUNES EASTER CENTENARY CELEBRATIONS 1939. PARADE IN BALLARAT ROAD.local history, photography, photographs, events and celebrations, back to clunes

North Kew, now divided between Kew and Kew East, bordered the Yarra River. As such, it was a region subject to flooding in the Yarra Valley. Development beyond this point (ie Kellett Grove) was limited by the City of Kew's planning regulations. Prior to urban development, the area since European settlement and the first land sales in the district in the 1840s, had been used for dairy farming. .Small sepia snapshot of the devastation caused by the 1934 flood.The photo was taken in the vicinity of Kellett Grove, North Kew and includes the roof of Chipperfield's Boathouse as well as other local houses.Verso: THIS IS CHIPPERFIELD'S BOAT SHEDS & COES & WILLIAMS TAKEN FROM OUR STREET / 1934yarra river -- north kew, floods -- yarra valley, floods -- north kew, floods -- 1934, natural disasters -- kew, chipperfields boathouse

Official history of WW2

Official history of WW2

Official history no dust cover

Book

Book

Book

Book

Book

Booknon-fiction

Court Astolat was chosen as the name for the Benalla Mehtodist Order of Knights in 1939. It is manor/castle in Arthurian legend where Sir Lancelot spent the night. The story of the naming of the Court is explained in E3112.73. The Methodist Order of Knights was the official youth organisation of the Methodist Church of Australasia. It originated in Hurstville, NSW, on the 4th October 1914 by the then Mr and later Rev Alex Bray. Alex Bray was a Sunday School teacher and spoke to his class of the Knights of the Round Table. In 1917 the Order of Knights was officially recognised by the Sunday School Dept of the NSW Methodist Conference. Courts spread thoroughout Australia. In 1927 the High Court of NSW called for designs for a badge and in 1929 the General Conference of the Methodist Church of Australasia recognised the Order as an approved Organisation. In 1938 the Senior Section was organised into Degrees of Sincerity, Service and Sacrifice; the Junior Section into Pages' Degree with advancement to Esquire. In 1954 the Junior Section was reorganised into two groups: Pages 8 to 11 years and Esquires 12 to 15 years. The Knight's Motto: "Live Pure, Speak True, Right Wrong, Follow Christ the King, else wherefore born?" Courts of the Order: General Conference Department of the Christian Education - General Court - Provincial High Court - District Court - Local Court - Senior Court - Intermediate Court - Junior Court . Regalia: All members of the Intermediate and Senior Courts wore regalia consisting of a cloth shield superimposed by a cross of light and dark blue ribbons, and supported by a cloth collar. Esquire and Degree of Sincerity regalia: White collar and white shield. Degree of Service regalia: Green collar and shield. Degree of Sacrifice: Scarlet collar and shield. District Court regalia: Blue collar and gold shield. High Court regalia: Gold collar and purple sheild. General Court regalia: Purple collar and shield. Officers of the local courts wore their symbols as part of their regalia.Blue card covered booklet with nine typed pages. The cover has blue and silver text and an image of a MOK knight and the Order of Knights symbol. The inside covers contain a list of Past Knight Commanders and Past Bishops and the Officers for 1959-60 or Court Astolat No 31. The pages have blue text and include a greeting from Mervyn F Redman, General Grand Commander; the story of Court Astolat, No 31 and the proceedings for Saturday 2nd May 1959, Sunday 3 May, the banquet programme and the theme hymn for Court Astolat's jubilee.methodist order of knights court astolat

Produced for the Nov 1939 centenary celebrations.Buttonhole badge from 1939 Liardet Centenary, gold enamelled in blue and red: "Liardet/Port Melb/Centenary/Nov 19 1939" with Liardet portrait. 5 copies a - e. (see 70.1)celebrations fetes and exhibitions, wilbraham frederick evelyn liardet

PHOTOGRAPH OF FLOAT TAKEN AT THE PROCESSION DURING THE CENTENARY AT CLUNES 1939.PHOTOGRAPH OF CLUNES CENTENARY 1939. INTERKNIT HOSIERY CO. FLOAT.INTERKNIT HOSIERY CO. INDUSTRYlocal history, photography, photographs, events and celebrations, back to clunes

The great flood of 1934 in Melbourne was one of the most devastating floods since records began. The floods affected all of Melbourne, including Kew.Locally significant photographs of the impact of flooding in Kew in 1934Floods in North Kew, 1934. Flood near Lagoon (Billabong?) Willsmere Road, North Kew.floods (kew) 1934, yarra river