A Guide for Drivers on the Whipstick Tour. First page gives assembly area, driving in convoy and negotiating water or boggy patches across the road. Amended written at the end of the page. Directions with mileage and items of interest for the tour on Sunday September 9th (no year). A Whipstick Map 1971 showing State Forest, Crown Lands, Uncleared Mallee - Private (shown in different colours) Water Reserve and Roads. Noted are Flora and Fauna - Plants, Birds & Mammals, and areas of State Forest and Southern State Forest with Mallee Scrub area noted. Also State Forest & Crown Lands Total Area and a map scale. The Bendigo Whipstick mentions area, suggestions of where the name Whipstick came from, shrubs and flowers with their flowering times, descriptions of some of them and some information on the Mallee Fowl. The Eucalyptus Oil Industry paragraph mentions the beginnings of the industry. Mentioned are the different uses of oils (perfumery, industrial and medicinal) and the different species of eucalypt used for each and various products. Also notes on the growing, harvesting and refining of eucalyptus. P Ellis at the end of the page. The next two and a half pages mentions reserves, and at the end acknowledgements. Includes a spare copy of 'The Bendigo Whipstick' by P Ellis.bendigo, history, early bendigo, peter ellis collection, a guide for drivers on the whipstick tour, the whipstick 1971 map, shire of marong, shire of east loddon, shire of huntly, borough of eaglehawk, city of bendigo, shire of strathfieldsaye, the bendigo whipstick, eucalyptus oil industry, eaglehawk town hall, lightning hill lookout, eaglehawk rifle range, new moon mines, blue jacket reservoir, maggetti's wine hall, camp hotel (ex), skylark dam, eucalyptus oil production, eucalyptus factory, whipstick eucalyptus farm, ruedin's eucalyptus factory, dutch bowls, governor philip, sir joseph banks, john white, baron von mueller, joseph bosisto, commonwealth government, perfumery oils, industrial oils, medicinal oils, p ellis, dr frith, csiro wildlife division, harley webster, forests commission, vincent serventy, victorian national parks association, bendigo field naturalists club

Financial Report for the Dinki Di Ball held in the Eaglehawk Town Hall in September 1997.Listed are the expenses, income and profit. Signed by Mary Smith, Secretary. In the top right corner is the logo of two emus playing musical instruments and a koala and a wombat dancing. Underneath is a banner with Bush Dance & Music Club of Bendigo. Written on the back is Emu Creek.clubs, music, bush dance & music club of bendigo, peter ellis collection, bush dance and music club inc, greater city of bendigo, mary smith, alan russ, wilhelmina johnson, betty martin, arthur pantazis, keith bell

Pale Green Cover & Buff Interior With Black Text Booklet Theatre Programme Cid Ellwood Operatic Productions Present 'No Rhyme or Reason' Spring Season 1959. Town Hall, Moonee Ponds October 8th, 9th, 13, 15th & 16th; M.L.C. Theatre Kew October 29th & 30th. Libretto Robert Clarke, Music & Lyrics Cid Ellwood, Musical Director Cid Ellwood Choreographer Eileen Hattam. Main cast: Joyce Hexter, Joy Chandler, Phyllis Fowler, Charles O'Neill, Tommy Worland, Cid Ellwood, Carl Heiner, Frank Dale, Lorraine Quinn, Terry Donovan, Kevin Ashman, Fay Smith, Fay Brennan, Eileen Hattam, Lindsay Bunting, Alan Wakling, Judy Thompson. Songs Include: 'No Rhyme or Reason,' 'Daughters of Egypt,' 'I'm in Love,' 'Cleo, The Minx of the Sphinx,' 'Three Ruddy Soldiers,' 'Why Was Man Born for Woman?' 'Hail, Thou Mighty Caesar!' 'Quintette (a la Gran Opera)' 'Á Soldier Never Knows,' and many others.clubs and associations, theatre, cid ellwood operatic productions

Five Folk Dance and Music advertisements. The white one is for an Australian Social Dance and Music Weekend held on 10th - 12th June 1995 at the East Bendigo Progress Hall. The green one is the TSDAV 1996 Dance Dates. The light blue is for TSDAV Dance Weekend held on the 8th - 10th November 1996 at the Foreshore Community Hall at Portarlington. There was a Dance Programme and Workshop Programme. The darker blue is for TSDAV 1994 for a Dance Composing Competition sponsored by the Vic. Folk Music Club. The cream one is an advertisement for a Concert presented by Folk Victoria. Two singers, Julie Felix and Judy Small appearing at the Brunswick Mechanics Institute on Saturday 18th February (no year). On the back are brief notes about Julie and Judy.clubs and associations, theatre, victorian traditional social dance, peter ellis collection, traditional social dance association of victoria, bendigo bush dance and music society, lucy stockdale, carol higman, colin towns, vic folk music club, folk victoria, julie felix, judy small, folk song & dance society victoria inc

Souvenir glass commemorating the Eaglehawk Dahlia and Arts Festival, stemmed with gold rim and gold lettering with a depiction of the Eaglehawk Town Hall.event, official, eaglehawk dahlia and arts festival

A bound book of 16 drawings B&W (lithographs?) in ''photographic'' detail of well-known Sandhurst Views - Town Hall, Mechanics Institute, Masonic Hall, Bendigo Hospital, Bendigo Benevolent Asylum, Post and Telegraph Offices, Mining Exchange, View from Post Office Tower looking East, View from Post Office Tower looking West, Central State School, Alexandra Fountain, Upper Lake,Rosalind Park, Fernery Rosalind Park, St Pauls Church, Bishop's Palace, General View - New Chum Line, Koch's ''Pioneer'' Crushing Works, Quartz Crushing batteries, Town Hall - Eaglehawk, Railway Station. Appended with two pages summarizing Sandhurst history; current councillors and officers, brief review of five places - Bendigo Hospital, Benevolent Asylum, Mechanics Institute and Free Library, School of Mines and Industries, Masonic Hall. Date is given as ''The present (1888) occupants are ....''

Page from the Australasian Sketcher 1 Sept, 1877 with three sketches showing people in various Old time fancy dress. Details are on the back of the page. Also on the back are two other articles: The Bachelors' Quadrille and The Bachelors' Quadrille Assembly. Also a small advertisement for ball boots and shoes available at Abbotts of Pall Mall and a copy of Bachelors' Quadrille Assembly Sixteenth Annual Ball (Bal Masque) held on Tuesday, 4th September, 1888 at the Town Hall, Sandhurst. T. W. Orr, Hon. Sec.newspaper, argus, news items, peter ellis collection, australasian sketcher 1 sept 1877, fancy dress ball, abbott's lyceum theatre, sandhurst town hall, abbotts, t w orr

Blue and cream brochure titled 'Off to the Diggings' In the comfort of your own car. Tour guide is Rusty. Tours cover some historical places in Bendigo. On the back is where bookings can be made. Other Historic Tours mentioned are: Central Deborah Mine, Chinese Museum, Mining Museum adjacent to Eaglehawk Town Hall and victoria Hill.bendigo, history, gold mining, peter ellis collection, off to the diggings, rusty, alexander mckellar, ballarat goldfield, eureka uprising, emu creek bush band, boundary hotel, visitor information centre, bendigo tourism, central deborah mine, chinese museum, mining museum - eaglehawk, eaglehawk town hall, victoria hill

Seven advertising notices for dances and balls featuring the Wedderburn Old Timers. The light blue one was held at the Box Hill Town Hall on 14/4/1978 and was sponsored by the Doncaster Lions Club in aid of ONEMDA Home for Mentally Retarded Children and organised by W Whitten-Jones. The bright green on was held at the Northcote Town Hall on 26/11/1994. The two yellow and the white one was held at the Northcote Town Hall on 24/6/1995 and the two darker green ones were for the St Patrick's Eve Old Time-Colonial Ball held at St Ambrose's Hall, Brunswick on 16/3/1996 and was presented by Talk, Song & Dance Society Victoria Inc.entertainment, dance, ball, peter ellis collection, wedderburn old timers, box hill town hall, doncaster lions club, onemda home for mentally retarded children, o whitten-jones, northcote town hall, sir roger de coverley, government house nsw, the graphic - february 1880, st ambrose's hall brunswick, talk song & dance society victoria inc

Bendigo Performance of the Victorian Wind Quintet of Bendigo - Bendigo Series 1985. Program for March 24th performance at the Eaglehawk Town Hall. Separate sheet with Cvs of the members of the quintet.

Black & White Photograph Landscape Scene View From Poppet Head Lookout Tower Rosalind Park, Bendigo, 1940. Iconic Buildings, The Old Post Office, Town Hall, & Law Courts.bendigo, tourism, landscape poppet head rosalind park

Event, Young Men's Christian Association of Bendigo presents Mr. Robert Harkness, Great Song Services, Town Hall Eaglehawk Sunday next 31st inst at 3pm. Princess Theatre Bendigo Sunday Evening next 31st, inst at 8.30pm. Chairman: His Lordship the Bishop of Bendigo.Bolton's Print, Bendigoevent, music, great song services

Event, Souvenir Programme of Grand Concert to Welcome Reverend Brother Justinian Assistant-General of the Marist Brothers by the Combined Marist Colleges of Victoria at the Hawthorn Town Hall 8th October 1952.There was 14 official areas to the program, The Marist Brother's High School Band, Bendigo , performed Band Recital; Cornet Solo; Euphonium Solo.C.G.Meehan & Co P/L, Wynyard St, South Melbourne.event, entertainment, marist bros college

Coloured photo of Peter Ellis with a concertina, talking to a lady and a man at an Old Timers Ball held at the Melb. Town Hall on 28/6/85. Written on the back - part of it cut off: Old Timers Ball Melb Town Hall 28/6/85. Bourke (nee) Dixon. Ellis with my father's - ertina, Frank Dixon.photo, group, dance, peter ellis collection, old timers ball, melb town hall, bourke - nee dixon, ellis, frank dixon

Eaglehawk Sub-branch R.S.S.A.I.L.A. Annual Ball, July 14th, 1948 held at the Town Hall, Eaglehawk. Card is cream with gold printing on the front and a blue RSL badge. On the inside the trifold card has a Dance Program of 21 named dances and a space for Autographs. On the back left are the names of the Debutantes and Flowers. They are: Shirley Evely, Alison Brown, Nancy Moore, Dorothy Reed, Beryl Reed, Joyce McCallum, Bette Fitzpatrick, Molly Surplice, Merna Douglas, Marjorie Yates, Edna Johannesen, Pat Johannesen, Patricia Brown, Patricia Boland and Faye Hanson. On the next fold are the Partners: Robert Tibbett, Milton Brown, Ronald Bull, George Hunt, Les. Johnson, Jim Groves, Maurice Koch, Ken. Johnson, Kevin Smith, Ken. Bull, Frank Holden and Neil Holden. Chaperon: Mrs G F Hudson. Hostess: Mrs R Fairless and President: Mr R Fairless.event, social, annual ball, r.s.l. bendigo collection - souvenir programme eaglehawk rsl annual ball 1948, shirley evely, alison brown, nancy moore, dorothy reed, beryl reed, joyce mccallum, bette fitzpatrick, molly surplice, merna douglas, marjorie yates, edna johannesen, pat. johannesen, patrica brown, patrica boland, faye hanson, robert tibbett, milton brown, ronald bull, george hunt, les. johnson, jim groves, maurice koch, ken. johnson, kevin smith, ken. bull, frank holden, neil holden, mrs g f hudson, mrs r fairless, mr r fairless

Frederick "Fred" Fifield Hall was born in Carlton, Victoria in 1878. Son of Frederick Hall and Jessie Wallace Hall (nee Lloyd), Fred would marry Elsa May Daegner in 1899 with whom he had a son named Anthony. Hall died on 27th September 1956 in Mont Albert, Victoria and was buried at the Box Hill Cemetery. Hall was known as a solo pianist and the first conductor of the Station Orchestra at 3LO (ABC Radio Station). He was also a notable music editor at Allan & Co. Earning early recognition at 16 years of age when he conducted the Sydney Orchestra, Hall was a versatile composer having written in a variety of styles including solos for the piano, violin and cello, operas, foxtrots and orchestral suites. Publications indicate that between 300 and 400 of his compositions were published. The most famous of which was "Goodbye Melbourne Town" which he wrote with Lyricist Leonard Nelson. "Let Me Go to Bendigo" was another of their joint compositions. Leonard Nelson Snell, professionally known as Leonard Nelson, was born c. 1874 in Melbourne and grew up in Kew (he was 76 in 1950). Nelson married Lily Maud Haight in Victoria in 1897 and had six children named Roy, Dorothy, Leonard, Lionel, Austin and Marie. Nelson died on the 13 August 1962 in Blackheath, NSW and was buried at the local cemetery. Nelson had a varied resume including Cattle station work, song writing and public speaking. Nelson was known for his enjoyment of Australian poetry having known many of the greats personally and could recite works from memory. In his later life, Nelson worked as an entertainer for hire at banquets and other social gatherings. No. 181 Allan's popular sixpenny edition "Sung with great success by Leonard Nelson" Allan & Co. Pty Ltd. Melbourne, Bendigo & Geelong 1 score A B4 size document containing sheet music titled "Let Me Go to Bendigo". The document has a black and white cover with bold lettering and a cartoon of a man boarding the Bendigo Train. The music was written by Fred Hall and the lyrics were written and sung by Leonard Nelson who is pictured on the cover. The music covers 3 pages (1 double sided page and 1 single side) making up this 3-page document including the cover.The front cover contains a handwritten name in the top right-hand corner "Mrs Sinclair"sheet music, leonard nelson, fred hall, allan's popular sixpenny edition, bendigo, piano, songs and music, frederick fifield hall

Ballarat Teachers College commenced in 1926 with 61 students with the aim of providing trained teachers for rural schools. It initially operated from the Dana Street Primary School while the Ballarat East Town Hall was renovated for the colleges use. The college closed temporarily during the Great Depression in 1931.Yearly magazine of the Ballarat Teachers College. Blue cover with gold letters. On the front at the top the name of the magazine "Extra Muros", underneath the logo of the BTC, the date 1947, Ballarat Teachers' Collage Magazine. On the back cover the words: wholly set-up and printed in Australia by J.A. Hoskin and Son, Ballarat.ballarat, 1947, ballarat teachers' college

Axedale is a town in Victoria, Australia. It is located on the McIvor Highway, in the City of Greater Bendigo, east of Bendigo. It was surveyed and proclaimed in 1861. (Wikipedia)A thirty-six pages book detailing the history of Axedale. Published by the centenary and back to Axedale committee. Chapters on early settlement, churches, education, police, municipal affairs, commerce, cemeteries, racecourse reserve, the railway, Eppalock weir, the hall, the wars, C.W.A. camp sites, C.F.A. sport. Many photographs throughout. L.J. Ellisonaxedale, history

BHS CollectionTwo identical dance cards for the Plain and Fancy Dress Ball to celebrate the centenary of the Dandenong Town Hall on Monday September 3rd 1990. Each dance card consists of a small bifold card on pale blue card with a decorative gold and dark blue border. On the inside is a list of dances. On the rear is a list of the stewards.emu creek bush band, australian colonial dance, old time dance guide, dandenong town hall

BHS CollectionNewspaper articles from pages 63 and 65 of 'The Weekly Times' on October 15, 1997 with a description of the Dinki Di Bush Ball recently held at the Eaglehawk Town Hall. The article on page 63 describes the ball and features a photograph of Alan Russ and John Williams. The article on page 65 includes the lyrics to a song 'The Old Bush Dance' and six photographs from the event.emu creek bush band, australian colonial dance, eaglehawk town hall, dinki di bush ball

Parry CollectionOld Time Dances, Charity Ball Memorabilia and War Savings Stamp Folder a. Eaglehawk Dahlia and Arts Festival Gala Charity Ball, Eaglehawk Town Hall Friday March 19th 1982, judges names and program, small yellow printed folder. b. Bendigo Old Time Dance Club first old time ball program at the Spring Gully Hall 1976 with the Merrymakers Orchestra. Blue folded program. c. Spring Gully Debutante Ball 1978 white and purple coloured program. d. Invitation to the Dedication of the Bendigo Seventh Day Adventist Church. e. Invitation Envelope f. War Saving Stamps folder contains one six pence stamp. history, bendigo, old time dances, war saving stamps, merle lummis collection

Nineteen printed paper voters rolls for The Darling Ward 1896 - 1914 and two supplementary voters lists, undated. Voters lists are stapled together, and each have various ragged edges, folds and earing to the pages. Printed by various printers of Bendigo. W.Honeybone is the Town Clerk. The two supplementary voters lists are single printed pages, printed only on one side. They have ragged edges and tears.voters roll, darling ward, city of bendigo, w.honeybone, town hall

Eighteen printed paper voters rolls for The Barkly Ward 1896 - 1912 and 1914. One supplementary voters list, undated. Voters lists are stapled together, and each have water marks, various ragged edges, folds and tearing to the pages. Printed by various printers of Bendigo. W.Honeybone is the Town Clerk. The one supplementary voters list is a single printed page, printed only on one side, with ragged edges and tears.voters roll, city of bendigo, w.honeybone, town hall, barkly ward

Nineteen printed paper voters rolls for The Sutton Ward 1896 - 1912 and 1914. One supplementary voters list, undated. Voters rolls are stapled together, and each have water marks, various ragged edges, folds and tearing to the pages. Printed by various printers of Bendigo. W.Honeybone is the Town Clerk. The one supplementary voters list is a single printed page, printed only on one side, with ragged edges and tears.voters roll, city of bendigo, w.honeybone, town hall, sutton ward

William Henry Gray was killed when a large slab of rock fell on his head at the Clarence Mine, Eaglehawk in April 1902. He was only aged 32 and left a widow and five children. The family lived at Bracewell Street, Eaglehawk.Brown poster advertising a concert at the Eaglehawk Town Hall. Wednesday, June 4th. Grand-class and humorous concert in the aid of the widow and family of the late W. H. Gray, who was killed at the Clarence mine recently. The leading artists of Bendigo and Eaglehawk will assist, viz. Miss Beatrice English, Miss Leonie Casey, Miss Eva Crowther, Miss Rose O'Mahoney, Mrs. Haddon, Mr. A.C. Bottoms, Mr. T. Pritchard, Mr. E.A. Parker, Mr. R. Rule, Mr. G. Martin, Mr. Joe Hastings. Dramatic selections by Mr. Scott Leighton. Highland and sword dances by Mr. W. Craven. Efficient orchestra under the direction of Mr. P.T. Bockelmann. His Worship the mayor Cr. J. Green will preside. Hon. accompanist Mr. J.H. Bryan. Doors open at 7.30 p.m. Commence at 8 sharp. Admission: Balcony or chairs 2s. body of hall 1s. E.J. Lawley Hon. Sec. Printed by T.J. Anderson, High Street Eaglehawk. eaglehawk, eaglehawk town hall, concert, w.h. gray, clarence mine

Black & white photo of SEC No. 30, arriving Eaglehawk terminus - long shadows. Town Hall Hotel in background. Sunday afternoon, June 1967 - Queens birthday weekend. Photo on Ilford paper.On rear in blue ink 'Eaglehawk Sunday pm, June weekend 1967'trams, tramways, bendigo, eaglehawk , tram 30

Nicholas Caire was born on Guernsey in the Channel Islands in 1837. He arrived in Adelaide with his parents in about 1860. In 1867, following photographic journeys in Gippsland, he opened a studio in Adelaide. From 1870 to 1876 he lived and worked in Talbot in Central Victoria. In 1876 he purchased T. F. Chuck's studios in the Royal Arcade Melbourne. In 1885, following the introduction of dry plate photography, he began a series of landscape series, which were commercially successful. As a photographer, he travelled extensively through Victoria, photographing places few of his contemporaries had previously seen. He died in 1918. Reference: Jack Cato, 'Caire, Nicholas John (1837–1918)', Australian Dictionary of Biography.An original, rare photograph from the series 'Views of Victoria: General Series' by the photographer, Nicholas Caire (1837-1918). The series of 60 photographs that comprise the series was issued c. 1876 and reinforced a neo-Romantic view of the Australian landscape to which a growing nationalist movement would respond. Nicholas Caire was active as a photographer in Australia from 1858 until his death in 1918. His vision of the Australian bush and pioneer life had a counterpart in the works of Henry Lawson and other nationalist poets, authors and painters.Albumen silver photograph on boardprinted in ink on support l.c.: VIEW OF STURT STREET, BALLARAT, TAKEN FROM THE TOWN HALL TOWER. / COPYRIGHT REGISTERED. printed in ink on support reverse c.: VIEWS OF VICTORIA. / (GENERAL SERIES.) / No. 13. / VIEW OF VICTORIA HILL, BENDIGO, TAKEN FROM OLD CHUM HILL. / This scene represents two of the principal Quartz-reef claims in the district of Bendigo, with their surface / excavations. The one nearest the foreground is the North Old Chum's Company's claim, which is very rich with / gold-bearing quartz. The other claim, on the hill side, is the private property of Mr. George Lansell, and is even / more valuable than the former, giving employment to over 100 men. The building on the right is the quartz-crushing / plant belonging to the new Chum and Victoria Companies. The excavations are several hundred feet in depth. printed in ink on support reverse l.c.l.: J.W. FORBES, Agent, printed in ink on support reverse l.c.: ANGLO-AUSTRALASIAN PHOTOGRAPHIC COMPANY, MELBOURNE. printed in ink on support reverse l.c.r.: 10 Temple Court, Collins Street West.nicholas caire (1837-1918), landscape photography, victoria hill - bendigo - victoria

Main Street Procession c1900 in front of Methodist Church looking East. Constable on Horseback visible. Possibly the Ballarat dragon making the date 1906 or it could be the Chinese See Yup Society Dragon, the head of which is still preserved in their South Melbourne temple. Businesses from left, Carters Boot Shop, Post Office Hotel, G. Mahanke Bakery, J.H. Stabb Stawell Coach Factory, Speedwell Cycles, W.J. Jenkinson Bootmakers, Bone Saddle & Harness Factory, W. Whiteside Taylors. Big Hill is visible in background and possibly the Market Building roof above the G. Mahnke sign. Sop In Trove the only mentions of a Chinese parade at Stawell was for Easter Monday 1906, and this occasion did feature a dragon – the costumes, banners, and dragon appear to have been borrowed from Melbourne, and it is suspected that this was the See Yup Society Dragon, the head of which is still preserved in their South Melbourne temple. At the time that this photo was taken there were only three Chinese communities in Victoria which are now known to have had parade regalia and a dragon – Bendigo, Ballarat, and Melbourne. The Melbourne dragon was the smaller of these, and that seems to match with what you can see in the photo, as does what appears to be a striped horn (frustratingly the pole obscures most of the dragon’s face). All three dragon heads still survive today, as does some of the original parade regalia, but Bendigo’s collection and dragon is the most complete. The remains of the See Yup Society collection have still to be properly studied and conserved. I would also note that if this photo was from Easter Monday 1906 then Bendigo and possibly Ballarat Chinese communities would not have been able to make their dragons available as both would have been preoccupied with their own towns’ Easter festivities. Photo taken from the Town Hall balcony of procession looking towards corner of Wimmera Street stawell businesses streetscape, chinese

This dress is of uncertain provenance. BHS records indicate that it was owned by Marion Jane Ellen Devlin, nee Stokes (1845-1936), who married Oliver Devlin on 2 April 1877 in Victoria. The dress is believed to have been worn on the Bendigo goldfields circa 1878. It may have been worn as a wedding dress. However, additional documentation discovered in August 2019 suggest that the dress belonged to Margaret Cocking, nee Carr (1850-1936), who married Gustavus Cocking in Bendigo in 1877.A grey-green circa 1878 dress comprising a matching jacket and skirt. The jacket (.1) features a standing collar that gathers to a low point at the throat. This point is concealed behind a bow with raw edges which may not be original. The centre front of the jacket has been secured with nineteen concealed metal hook and button holes. The centre front features fifteen sets of single fabric covered glass buttons secured in a diagonal pattern and appearing as double headed buttons. From the shoulder through the body the jacket is shaped with decorative panels with grey silk detail. Beside these panels shaping into the waist and under the arm are a further two pleats. On the left side waist is a small pocket with decorative flap, grey silk trim and button. The base line of the jacket features a decorative horizontal panel that wraps around the jacket. The sleeve head is small and sits on the natural shoulder line with a slim fitting, curved, full length sleeve. At the base of the sleeve, there is a decorative panel reminiscent of a formal cuff, with a decorative turn back and two buttons. Secured underneath this turn back is a bow like decoration. From the back the jacket features a V shaped decoration, an extension of the front two decorative panels. From the shoulders the jacket is shaped by four panels curving tight into the waist and flaring out again to fullness of the bustle. These seams are also finished with decorative binding. This peplum-like shape features two decorative flaps and six covered buttons. The skirt (.2) is shaped to the waist with pleats and secures on the front left hand side, the original waistband and fastenings have been replaced. The skirt front features a large decorative panel of the same fabric that curves from the front at approximately shin length, upwards towards the back securing underneath the bustle decoration. A second panel, plus a pleated panel finish the hem of the skirt continuing around to the back. At the back the skirt features two deep pleats with a large decorative bow that would sit out over the bustle. The skirt is long featuring a small train at the back. The dress is lined in a brown waxed cotton.wedding dress, 1870s fashion, marion jane ellen stokes, oliver devlin, margaret carr, gustavus cocking, bendigo

This dress belonged to Mrs Lillias Parker (nee Johnston, 1820-1904). Born in England, Lillias was married in London in 1844 to Samson Parker (c. 1820-1886). The couple lived in Bendigo, Victoria for much of their lives, with Samson first arriving around 1853 and establishing a business with Samuel Macord as tent makers and fruiterers. He later had a successful business as a hat and cap manufacturer and a sewing machine agent. Lillias' obituary suggests that she was one of the first women settlers to live in Bendigo and noted her reputation for philanthropy and her interest in the welfare of the blind and vision impaired, having herself experienced loss of sight many years before.Two piece day dress of mulberry figured silk. The dress comprises a separate bodice (.1) and skirt (.2). The bodice fastens centre front with fabric covered shank buttons and has twelve bones encased along the interior seams and darts. Two piece fitted sleeve and high stand collar. Bodice is backed with a caramel coloured printed cotton. The skirt has a slight train and is backed with a caramel coloured twill-woven cotton. lillias parker, 1890s, bendigo, goldfields