Single page A4 sheet, photocopied, titled "New Year's Eve Fares / Tickets", issued 28 December 1987 by the Marketing Division, 50 Queen St, advising of the validity of tickets for 31 December and 1 January 1988 - notes Met Pass, travelcard, Neighbourhood tickets. Has The Met logo on top of the sheet. signed by J. Owers for Biruta Bourke.trams, tramways, tickets, the met, travel cards

Manila folder, Wotan flat file, with built in fold back metal clips (see images 5624i and 5624i12) holding 12 large and 6 small plastic sheets that have been made to hold railway (Edmondson pasteboard) or tramway paper tickets. Where relevant the rear of the sheet has been scanned as well. Sheet 1 - 21 No. SEC mainly imperial currency tickets, including City Section and concession. Sheet 2 - 7 SEC decimal tickets, 9 Ballarat Tourist Tramway and Ballarat Vintage Tramway (BTPS and BTM) and 5 VFL Park tickets. Sheet 3 - 6 City Section and City Section Plus One tickets Sheet 4 - as above and City Saver Sheet 5 - 5 Day Tripper Sheet 6 - machine tickets and Junior 3rd term 1975 Scholars Concession ticket issued to Gavin Cox Sheet 7 - machine tickets and 3rd 1974 Scholars Concession ticket issued to Elizabeth Wignell Sheet 8 - MMTB and MTA Single journey card tickets, including a Herald Take a Tram campaign tickets, Check tickets Zone 1 and Single Journey paper tickets. Sheet 9 - 8 MMTB imperial tickets & 1 yellow Cable Tramway City Ticket 1 1/2d, issued by the Tramway Board. On rear are adverts for Stamina Trousers, John Randle hair dresser and Bushels Tea. Sheet 10 - 25 MMTB imperial tickets. On rear are adverts for Stamina Trousers, John Randle hair dresser, Blind Babies, Major 8, Promote Thomastown Committee, Hicks and Leighton Home plans. Sheet 11 - 25 MMTB Imperial and decimal tickets - some have date and tram notes on rear. Sheet 12 - 24 MMTB decimal tickets Sheet 13 - 25 Pensioner an d machine issued tickets Sheet 14 - 2 machine issue, 20 section tickets (PMG, Telecom, Incapacitated, MMTB Employees, :Police, Aust Post, Hospital and 1 School Swimming class. Sheet 15 - 14 Section tickets - Adult and Child Hospital, and 1 Restricted MMTB single journal tickets. Sheet 16 - 10 MTA paper tickets, 2 The Met priced tickets and 5 The Met Paper Single Journey tickets. Sheet 17 - 6 The Met Paper Single Journey tickets.7 The Met City Saver tickets Sheet 18 - 13 - MMTB City Concession check tickets and 5 Zone 1 check tickets and 1 Heidelberg Road check tickets (not on scan)trams, tramways, tickets, mmtb, vr, the met, btps, btm, ptc, mta

Set of five Metcard tickets, featuring Melbourne Art Fair 2000 - 4 to 8 Oct.. All have the Metcard and The Met logos, with ticket numbers etc. Gives public transport details for the event. Three copies of each held. .1 - yellow background - Exhibition building .2 - red / black background - Exhibition building - work by Ronnie Tjampitjinpa .3 - featuring a dancing couple - artist Robert Rooney .4 - featuring a cow - artist John Kelly .5 - featuring stripes - artist Melinda Harper .6 - brown background - artist Ildiko Kovacstrams, tramways, tickets, metlink, metcard

Set of four Metcard tickets, featuring Melbourne cartoonists and millennium Metcards or the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. See also Reg Item 1177 for other examples. All have the Metcard and The Met logos, with ticket numbers etc. All used during 2000 unless noted. .1 - Bruce Petty - person with aerials - 3 copies .2 - Matt Golding - Estimated travel time with a bus lane - 3 copies .3 - John Wright - lady with a pram being powered by overhead and trolley pole - 1 copy. .4 - Matt Golding - Estimated travel time with a bus lane - 2 copiestrams, tramways, tickets, metlink, metcard, events

Set of 12 of The Met Daily tickets for use between Jul 1989 and June 1990 - single tickets taken from blocks. .1. Zone 1 Daily – J952703 – $2.50 .2 Zone 2 Daily - B352061 - $1.80 .3 Zone 3 Daily - A871641 - $1.80 .4 Zone 1 Daily concession – E278205 - $1.30 .5 Zone 2 Daily concession – A984941 - 90c .6 Zone 3 Daily concession – A998301 - 90c .7 Zones 1, 2 and 3 – Daily – A910061 - $5.30 .8 Ditto – concession - B315841 - $2.00 .9 Zones 1 and 2 – Daily – A972061 - $4.30 .10 Zones 2 and 3 Daily – A323801 - $3.60 .11 60 Plus daily – E753021 - $1.00 .12 City Saver – A184901 - $5 with a map of the available CBD area on the back. - has space for 10 punch marks. Used mid 1980's. Items .1 to .11 are all July 1989 to Jun 1990, with dates along the sides.trams, tramways, tickets, the met, ptc

Set of 21 The Met Neighbourhood tickets - May to August 1989. Conditions of use printed on rear. Printed on white paper. 1. Dandenong Neighbourhood - 183516 2. Ditto concession - 208212 3. Dandenong plus one Neighbourhood - 019512 4. Ditto concession - 018513 5. Ringwood Neighbourhood - 144534 6. Ditto concession - 168995 7. Werribee Neighbourhood - 018612 8. Ditto concession - 018959 9. Werribee plus inner Neighbourhood - 014015 10. Ditto concession - 008168 11. Ringwood plus one Neighbourhood - 024729 12. Ditto concession - 0198882 13. Inner Neighbourhood - B089291 14. Ditto concession - A088033 15. Inner plus one Neighbourhood - 359210 16. Ditto concession - 224012 17. Broadmeadows Neighbourhood - 044541 18. Ditto concession - 038635 19. Broadmeadows Plus Inner Neighbourhood - 034587 20. Ditto concession - 024933 21. Greensborough Plus One Neighbourhood concession - 003016trams, tramways, tickets, the met, ptc, neighbourhood tickets

Set of five Metcard tickets, featuring Melbourne food. All have the Metcard and The Met logos, with ticket numbers etc. All used during 2000 unless noted and details of ticket type printed on the front of them. .1 - red colour - takeaway Chinese food - daily concession zone 1 - used 1999 and 2000 - two copies. .2 - red colour - pasta with wine - short trip 10 full fare, 2 hour full fare and weekly full fare - three copies. .3 - blue colour - grilled kebab - daily full fare - 1 copy. .4 - brown colour - chips and hamburgers - daily full fare - 1 copy. .5 - blue colour - coffee and cake - monthly concession, weekly full fare and one without the type allowed for - three copies.trams, tramways, tickets, metlink, metcard

Set of 18 The Met Neighbourhood tickets, printed on paper for the 1983 to 1989 era. Availability dates printed on ticket. Conditions of use printed on rear. .1 - Werribee plus inner Concession, - 90c, May / June, No. 04034 .2 - Frankston plus one Concession, - 80c, May / June, No 05046 .3 - Box Hill Plus one Concession, - 80c, May / June, No 4487 .4 - Broadmeadows Concession, - 35c, May / June, No 28032 .5 - St Albans - 40c, Concession, Feb / Mar 1988 No. 12503 .6 - Inner - $1.30 Jan/Feb 1988 - No. A561125 .7 - Greensborough, Concession, 35c, Feb. 1987, No. 059474 .8 - Werribee Concession, 35c, May / June No. 04048 .9 - Greensborough, 70c, Feb. 1987 No. 028065 .10 - Box Hill plus inner concession, 90c May/June No. 14546 .11 - Moorabbin concession, 45c, July/Aug 1988 - No. 0235210 .12 - Inner concession, 60c, Jul/Aug 1988 - No. 737408 .13 - Anywhere - not priced, Feb/Mar. 1986 No. 087866 .14 - Frankston, 80c, May / June No. 29535 .15 - Ringwood, 70c, May / June No. 73736 .16 - Box Hill plus one, $1.60, Dec/Jan No. 07314 .17 - Broadmeadows plus inner - $1.80, May / June No. 23034 .18 - Ringwood plus one concession, 80c, May / June No. 06035.trams, tramways, tickets, the met, ptc, travel cards

Set of 12 blocks of The Met Daily tickets for use between Jul 1989 and June 1990 All blocks of 20 tickets except the Zone 1 daily and daily concession which are blocks of 50. Each block stapled at the top to one or two staples, to a stub and heavy brown cardboard backing. .1. Zone 1 Daily – J952951 to 953000 – $2.50 .2 Zone 2 Daily - B353041 - 60 - $1.80 .3 Zone 3 Daily - A871661 - 80 - $1.80 .4 Zone 1 Daily concession – E279051 - 100 - $1.30 .5 Zone 2 Daily concession – A984901 - 20 - 90c .6 Zone 3 Daily concession – A998121 - 40 - 90c .7 Zones 1, 2 and 3 – Daily – A910001 - 20 - $5.30 .8 Ditto – concession B 315621 - 40 - $2.00 .9 Zones 1 and 2 – Daily – A972041 - 60 - $4.30 .10 Zones 2 and 3 Daily – A322981 - 323000 - $3.60 .11 60 Plus daily – E752021 - 40 - $1.00 .12 City Saver – A185041 - 60 - $5 with a map of the available CBD area on the back. - has space for 10 punch marks. Items .1 to .11 are all July 1989 to Jun 1990, with dates along the sides. See also Reg item 258 for other examples.trams, tramways, tickets, the met, ptc

Set of 27 The Met Neighbourhood tickets - May to August 1989. Conditions of use printed on rear. Printed on white paper. 1. Box Hill Neighbourhood - 249613 2. Ditto concession - 309912 3. Box Hill Plus one Neighbourhood - 064116 4. Ditto concession - 061316 5. Box Hill plus inner neighbourhood - 055562 6. Ditto concession - 025464 7. Moorabbin Neighbourhood - 197718 8. Ditto concession - 066968 9. Moorabbin Plus Inner Neighbourhood - 055961 10. Ditto concession - 024218 11. Moorabbin Plus one Neighbourhood - 028858 12. Moorabbin Plus inner Neighbourhood concession - 029817 13. Anywhere Neighbourhood concession - 219260 14. St Albans plus inner Neighbourhood concession - 017518 15. St Albans Neighbourhood - 098515 16. Ditto concession - 146761 17. Anywhere Neighbourhood - 259181 18. St Albans plus inner Neighbourhood - 027538 19. Frankston Neighbourhood - 098762 20. Ditto concession – 139069 21. Frankston plus one Neighbourhood - 020832 22. Frankston plus one neighbourhood concession - 016289 23. Greensborough Neighbourhood concession - 112260 24. Greensborough Neighbourhood - 099960 25. Greensborough Plus Inner Neighbourhood - 024040 26. Ditto concession - 010782 27. Greensborough Plus One Neighbourhood - 004563trams, tramways, tickets, the met, ptc, neighbourhood tickets

Memorandum - 6 A4 pages, photocopied sheets, stapled in top left hand corner - Met Tram - Message to Camberwell staff from the Managing Director Met Tram - titled "Automated Ticketing System Update", signed by Russell Nathan and dated 10/7/1996. Advises that Metcard vending machines are being installed in tramcars from 16/7/1996 and that it will be introduced on Route 75 in the next couple of months. Refers questions to the Depot Manager, Geoff Lockwood and the Senior Depot Trainer - Greg Rodgers. Gives an overview of the system, tickets, validators, questions and answers about Metcards, including Metcard Xpress (something that did not actually happen), ticket types, assistance and concessions. Has the Metcard logo in the top right hand corner.trams, tramways, metcard, met tram, tickets, validators, ticket machines

Set of 17 decimal currency MMTB / MTA / The Met, tram tickets. All black printing unless noted otherwise. A variety of small size (55H x 26W) or large format (68H x 31W). .1 - 30c, large, on light pink paper, printed with red ink, No. Aa398115 .2 - 35c, large, off white paper, printed with light green ink, No. At 660840 .3 - 35c, large, off white paper, printed with dark green ink, Ac672942 .4 - ditto, but number Abc 573789 .5 - 40c, large, on off-white paper, but printed with a black pattern in the background, Ad 609815 .6 - 40c, large, on grey paper, Aa019636 .7 - 45c, large, on off white paper, printed with pink ink and the price in reverse image Aw 327624 .8 - 45c, large, on off white paper, printed with a pink pattern in the background, Ac596735 .9 - 50c, large on yellow paper, Ac382471 .10 - 50c, large on off white paper, printed in green ink with the price in reverse image Bb571083 .11 - 60c, large, on off white paper, printed in red ink, Ba454229 .12 - 60c, large, on off white paper, printed in brown ink with the price in reverse image Be 045844 .13 and .14 - 75c, large on off white paper, printed with teal ink, U508902 (issued by MTA), also R070196 .15 - 80c, large on off white paper, printed with dark green ink, Bb231639 .16 - 80c, large on off white paper, printed with green ink, issued by The Met, E873522 .17 - $1 - large, on off white paper, Aa431186 See also Reg Item 3342 for similar tickets, but with some differences.trams, tramways, mmtb, mta, the met, tickets, city section

.1 -Set of 10, The Met, Zone 1 Daily Adult Scratch type tickets, $2.50, yellow with black printing and areas where a person could scratch out the month and day of the month areas to validate the ticket. Has the number on the base of the ticket. Printed for use between December 1989 and July 1990. .2 - One 3 Hour Adult ticket - $1.40. On the rear are the conditions of travel for both types of tickets, The Met logos, Transport Information and Transit Patrol telephone numbers. Some of the tickets have a message, along with logos that The Met is supporting the bid for the Olympics in Melbourne 1996. Three additional 3 hour zone 1 Adult ticket - 1.40 added on 4/7/15, from the donation of Rod Atkins on 13/6/15. See also Reg Item Nos. 979, 1069, 1161, 4624 for other examples. .3 - Daily Concession - $1.30 - from Vic Solomons added 20-7-2018.trams, tramways, the met, scratch tickets, olympics

Set of pamphlets associated with the Metcard rollout and one Metcard ticket issued on 16/12/1996 on route 75. The envelope from the donor notes first Metcard (auto ticketing) and Associated brochures. .1 - Five folded to DL size - full colour pamphlet - "The Met is changing - automated ticketing is coming to your neighbourhood! - explains how the system works, purchasing of tickets and their use.] (Second copy added 3/12/2016) .2 - four fold to DL size - full colour pamphlet - "Metcards are on sale today at selected retail outlets" - providing on information on the purchase of Metcards and a map with associated addresses of outlets along route 75. .3 - single DL size sheet - black and white - explaining full field trials on route 75 and the use of Metcards. .4 - small pocket size 6 fold full colour sheet explaining how the Metcards could be purchased on the trams and validated. .5 - Metcard No. 00383158 - with the Metcard logo, The Met logo, validated at 1242pm on 16/12/1996. .6 - five fold DL - as for .2, for tram routes 3,64, 67, 78 and 79. .7 - five fold DL - similar to .1, more general document. .8 - 3 fold DL - "Everything you need to know about automated ticketing in three words" - What, When and How - explains Metcard. Could be a very early pamphlet.trams, tramways, tickets, metcard, ptc, the met, neighbourhood tickets, route 75, route 3, route 64, route 67, route 68, route 79

Set of 22 The Met Daily and hourly tickets for use between July 1989 and June 1990 Prices printed on the tickets. Daily tickets printed on card. Hourly - 2 or 3 hours, printed on paper and available August 1989 and September 1989. The Off peak ticket printed on paper and available throughout 1989. 1. Zone 1 Daily –J951886 2. Ditto concession – E276082 3. Zone 1 three hours – paper – A494081 4. Ditto concession- paper – A224534 5. Zone 2 Daily – B479834 6. Ditto concession – A989815 7. Zone 2 three hours – paper – B080713 8. Ditto concession – paper – B049579 9. Zone 3 Daily – A529034 10. Ditto concession – A993014 11. Zone 3 three hours – paper – A160595 12. Ditto concession – paper – A476816 13. Zones 1 and 2 daily – A969035 14. Zones 1 and 2 three hours – paper – A140153 15. Ditto concession – paper – A403551 16. Zones 2 and 3 daily – paper - A168714 17. Zones 2 and 3 three hours – paper - A315851 18. Ditto concession – A051112 19. Zones 1, 2 and 3 daily – A913167 20. Ditto concession – B313846 21. Ditto three hours – A226760 22. Off-peak – paper - all 1989 - 814115trams, tramways, tickets, the met, ptc

Set of 11 blocks of The Met Daily or hourly tickets for use between July 1989 and June 1990 All blocks of 20 tickets. Each block stapled at the top to one or two staples, to a stub and heavy brown cardboard backing. Two blocks of each ticket held except for sub items 7 and 11 where four blocks held. Prices printed on the tickets. Hourly tickets printed on paper and available for Jan and Feb. 1990 1. Zones 1/2/3 Concession - 2 No. – B313041 to 060 and B312841 to 860 2. Zones 1/2/3 Daily – 2 No. – A912141 to 160, A912841 to 860 3. Zone 3 daily Concession - 2 No. – A992041 to 060, A992061 to 180 4. Zone 3 daily – 2 No – A528121 to 140, A528161 to 180 5. Zone 2 daily – 2 No. – B478721 to 740, B478741 to 760 6. Zone 2 daily Concession – 2 No – A989441 to 460, A989461 to 480 7. Zones 1 and 2 - 3 hours Concession – 4 No. – A247221 to 240, A247241 to 260, A247261 to 280 and A248201 to 220. 8. Zones 1 and 2 daily – 2 No. – A969481 to 500 and A972081 to 100 9. 60 Plus – 2 No – E756141 to 160, E757381 to 400 10. Zones 2 and 3 daily – 2 No. – A314021 to 040, A314101 to 120 11. Zones 1 and 2 - 3 hours – 4 No. A463861 to 880, A463881 to 900, A463916 to 980 and A463981 to 4000. See also Reg item 21 for other examples.trams, tramways, tickets, the met, ptc

Set of 20 The Met travel cards, weekly tickets, student cards and annual tickets for the 1989 to 1990 era. Availability dates printed on ticket. Conditions of use printed on rear. 1. Box Hill Plus Inner Travelcard 12 monthly – 2 No. – 97 & 98 2. Senior Citizens Travel Pass – Sunday 16 and 23 March 1986 – 41771 3. Ditto 18 and 19 March 1987 - 108613 4. Zone 2 to City Loop Off Peak Saver concession – A196708 5. Ditto for Zone 3 = A99672 6. Box Hill City off peak saver - 21825 7. Ditto – concession - 14284 8. Inner weekly Travelcard – concession - 84740 9. Anywhere weekly Travelcard – concession - 962729 10. Inner plus one weekly Travelcard - 123138 11. Inner weekly Travelcard - 24922 12. Werribee Plus inner weekly Travelcard - 127333 13. Ditto for Box hill - 417337 14. Box Hill – city loop rail only weekly - 099557 15. 6 Monthly St Albans Plus Student Pass – via Bacchus Marsh – no number 16. Ditto for Broadmeadows – no number 17. Ditto for Box Hill – 2 No. – 6951 and 6950 18. Ditto Inner - 13294 19. Yearly Inner Student Pass - 7570 20. Senior Citizens Free Travel Pass 25/2 to 5/3 1989 - 190774trams, tramways, tickets, the met, ptc, travel cards

Manila folder, Wotan flat file, with built in fold back metal clips (see images 19 and 20) holding 9 plastic sheets that have been made to hold railway (Edmondson pasteboard) or tramway paper tickets. Sheet 1 - 25 No. MMTB tickets, ranging from 3d to 2/6 and two decimal conversion tickets, including 5 tickets which have been overstamped "City Section". On the rear are adverts for Blind Babies (Royal Victorian Institute for the blind), John Randle hair salon, Leighton home builders and the Promote Thomastown Committee. Sheet 2 - 25 No. MMTB tickets - decimal currency - two conversion tickets and other decimal currency tickets ranging from 6c to 25c. Included are 6 overstamped City Section tickets. Sheet 3 - 25 No. MMTB decimal currency tickets - ranging from 25c to $1 with one ticket overstamped "City Section". Includes one ticket with a red P overstamp. Sheet 4 - 22 No. MMTB tickets - 13 tickets overstamp P, for Pensioner, one bus transfer ticket, 3 non-cash tickets, one city concession tickets and four machine issued bus tickets. Sheet 5 - small sheet with four pockets with three tickets, - MMTB 1981 single journal ticket, MMTB day tripper $2 and MMTB bus ticket. Sheet 6 - 13 No. MMTB Section tickets, hospital travel, Australia post, incapacitated soldier and special police department concession. Sheet 7 - 8 MTA paper tram tickets and 9 The Met paper tram tickets. Sheet 8 - 23 Ballarat or Bendigo tickets, both pence and decimal currency including 6 BTM or BTPS tickets. Sheet 9 - 10 VR motor coach tickets, both pence and decimal and one single ticket - East Kew to East Camberwell. See Reg Item 5424 for a further folder of tickets from the same donor.trams, tramways, tickets, mmtb, vr, the met, btps, btm, ptc

Map - Pocket size - folded - public transport map of Melbourne, printed in colour on art paper, showing public transport services in greater Melbourne, an index of localities. The City Saver area shown in detail. On the rear, route numbers, line maps of tram routes, train lines, outer metropolitan services, ticketing information, Transport Neighbourhoods, . Shows the St Kilda and Port Melbourne light rail lines. Price $2. Shows "The Met" logo. On front under The Met logo and above the scale bar is "Effective 1/7/1988". Niltrams, tramways, melbourne, map, routes

Yields information about Ballarat tramcars in 1950's.Letter, typed two pages, signed H. W. Linaker as Manager answering questions for Wal Jack. Letter date etc not known as it appears the top half of the first page has been cut off, includes the response to the first question. From question 2, noting the Coronation week, the letter is post mid 1953. Q & A concern trams decorated for the Coronation, tram services provided on Sunday morning in 1953 that met the train from Melbourne, the size of the Julien storage batteries, date of sale of the Horse tram company to ESCo, the scrapping of trams, tram tickets older than 1934 but did have a folder of old sample ESCo tickets at the office and the address for the Mt Beauty Railway, The paper has a "Invicta Bond" watermark. trams, tramways, tramcars, ballarat, decorated trams, sunday services, julien system, battery tram, scrapped trams, tickets, esco, sec

Part of a selection of garments knitted by ‘Tina Knitwear’. Tina Knitwear was a successful made to order knitwear business in Brighton from the mid-1960s to around 2010, run by Assunta and Franco Liburti. Daughter Melissa Persi writes: Our parents Assunta (Mum) and Franco (Dad) Liburti ran a successful made to order knitwear business in Brighton from the mid-1960s to around 2010. Assunta was affectionately known to her family as Assuntina, therefore the business was named "Tina Knitwear" after her. Assunta and Franco were born in the beautiful seaside town of Terracina in Italy in 1933 and 1930 respectively. As was so common in Italy in the 1950s, Assunta who was in her late teens and early twenties learnt the intricate skills of machine knitting, dressmaking and pattern making. Franco on the other hand, learnt the building trade with his 2 brothers and specialised in bricklaying and tiling. As was so common after the war, Assunta and Franco yearned for a better life so they decided that they would get engaged and then migrate to Australia to be married and raise their family in Australia, a land of much opportunity which they no longer felt their beloved Italy held for them. Assunta migrated to Australia first in 1957 and later Franco joined her in 1958 where they were married. For the first few years, Franco (also known as Frank) worked as bricklayer /tiler on buildings such as the Robert Menzies building at Monash University in Clayton and various buildings in the Melbourne CBD. Assunta on the other hand put her machine knitting skills to use working in factories doing piece machine knitting for various knitwear companies. The hours were long, the conditions were difficult, and travel was onerous without a car. After their 2 older children were born, it was decided that dad would leave the building trade and they would start their own made to order knitwear business. That way they could work from home and raise their family together. Mum taught dad everything he needed to know so he could operate the knitwear machinery. They purchased COPPO knitting machines from Italy and a Linking machine from Germany. Initially they had a knitwear shopfront in Bay Street Brighton where a store assistant would take the orders and client’s measurements and Assunta would then make the garments from a small workshop in their home. Unfortunately, the assistants were not skilled dressmakers and often measurements and orders were incorrectly taken. Assunta being the perfectionist and highly skilled machinist that she was, decided that she needed to oversee the entire process from meeting the client, to taking their order, right thru to the fittings and completion of the garment. It therefore made sense that they should close the shop front and run their business from their own home in Brighton and hence “Tina Knitwear” was born. Together, for more than 40 years they ran their very respected and successful business and were well known in the Bayside area. They specialised in made to order knitwear for both men and women using mainly pure wool (from Patons, Wangaratta Mills, Japan and Italy) but also lurex and estacel. Over those years, many of their clients became their close friends. It wasn't unusual for clients to come to order garments and then end up in the kitchen chatting over a cup of Italian espresso coffee and homemade biscuits. Some of their clients were especially memorable and became lifelong friends. Mrs Connell was a dear friend of mum’s, each year she would buy tickets for the “Gown of the Year” fashion show. She would insist on taking Assunta and her 2 daughters so that we could see the latest fashions. Then there was their dear friend Ms Griffiths. She had been a Matron nurse at the Queen Victoria Hospital when she met my parents in the 1970s. She returned to live in New Zealand in the 1980s but came back to Melbourne every year to stay for 2 weeks with the sole purpose of visiting my parents (she adored them) and order garments. For those 2 solid weeks, mum and dad would only knit for Ms Griffiths and she would go back to New Zealand with at least 5 or 6 new outfits. I actually think she enjoyed mum’s homemade pasta almost as much as her new clothes! Over the years, my parents learnt to speak English very well given that majority of their clients were not Italian speaking. Their oldest child John born in 1960 learnt to speak English with the help of those clients who were such a big part of our childhood. Mum and dad always went above and beyond to ensure their clients were satisfied. Mum was an absolute perfectionist and it showed in her attention to detail and the quality of their beautiful work. You only need to look at the garments that have stood the test of time or speak to their clients to know that this is true. Their clients would always comment on how well their clothes would last and much of their clients came via word of mouth and recommendations. Occasionally there would be disagreements because mum had found an error in dad's knitting (either a wrong stitch or a sizing mistake mainly) and would ask him to redo a piece, he would argue back saying that it was fine, but we always knew who would win the argument and that the piece would get remade! Similarly, we recall discussions where mum would ask dad to find a particular colour of wool in the garage where the stock was kept. He would try to convince her that they were out of stock of that colour and that the client should choose a different colour. She would insist they had it and then after hours of searching, he would return into the house sheepishly holding the wool! Our childhood is full of beautiful memories of mum and dad always being present, clients coming and going, mum humming her favourite songs as she worked often late into the night and sometimes, we even fell asleep to the hum of the machinery. They put their heart and soul into "Tina Knitwear" and took pride in providing only the best quality garments for their clients. In Italian there is a saying “lei ha le mani d’oro” which literally translated means “she has hands of gold”. Franco enjoyed his work but for Assunta, it was more than just work and there is no better way to describe her skills, passion and dedication to her machine knitting… she truly did have “hands of gold”. We will forever be grateful that our parents’ life journey gave us the opportunity to live in a home filled with creativity, dedication and passion, amazing work ethic and mutual respect, lifelong friendships and a lifetime of love. Red ribbed skirt with elastic waistband.knitwear, clothing, italy, migrants, brighton, knitting machine, linking machine, garments, business, family, community

Part of a selection of garments knitted by ‘Tina Knitwear’. Tina Knitwear was a successful made to order knitwear business in Brighton from the mid-1960s to around 2010, run by Assunta and Franco Liburti. Daughter Melissa Persi writes: Our parents Assunta (Mum) and Franco (Dad) Liburti ran a successful made to order knitwear business in Brighton from the mid-1960s to around 2010. Assunta was affectionately known to her family as Assuntina, therefore the business was named "Tina Knitwear" after her. Assunta and Franco were born in the beautiful seaside town of Terracina in Italy in 1933 and 1930 respectively. As was so common in Italy in the 1950s, Assunta who was in her late teens and early twenties learnt the intricate skills of machine knitting, dressmaking and pattern making. Franco on the other hand, learnt the building trade with his 2 brothers and specialised in bricklaying and tiling. As was so common after the war, Assunta and Franco yearned for a better life so they decided that they would get engaged and then migrate to Australia to be married and raise their family in Australia, a land of much opportunity which they no longer felt their beloved Italy held for them. Assunta migrated to Australia first in 1957 and later Franco joined her in 1958 where they were married. For the first few years, Franco (also known as Frank) worked as bricklayer /tiler on buildings such as the Robert Menzies building at Monash University in Clayton and various buildings in the Melbourne CBD. Assunta on the other hand put her machine knitting skills to use working in factories doing piece machine knitting for various knitwear companies. The hours were long, the conditions were difficult, and travel was onerous without a car. After their 2 older children were born, it was decided that dad would leave the building trade and they would start their own made to order knitwear business. That way they could work from home and raise their family together. Mum taught dad everything he needed to know so he could operate the knitwear machinery. They purchased COPPO knitting machines from Italy and a Linking machine from Germany. Initially they had a knitwear shopfront in Bay Street Brighton where a store assistant would take the orders and client’s measurements and Assunta would then make the garments from a small workshop in their home. Unfortunately, the assistants were not skilled dressmakers and often measurements and orders were incorrectly taken. Assunta being the perfectionist and highly skilled machinist that she was, decided that she needed to oversee the entire process from meeting the client, to taking their order, right thru to the fittings and completion of the garment. It therefore made sense that they should close the shop front and run their business from their own home in Brighton and hence “Tina Knitwear” was born. Together, for more than 40 years they ran their very respected and successful business and were well known in the Bayside area. They specialised in made to order knitwear for both men and women using mainly pure wool (from Patons, Wangaratta Mills, Japan and Italy) but also lurex and estacel. Over those years, many of their clients became their close friends. It wasn't unusual for clients to come to order garments and then end up in the kitchen chatting over a cup of Italian espresso coffee and homemade biscuits. Some of their clients were especially memorable and became lifelong friends. Mrs Connell was a dear friend of mum’s, each year she would buy tickets for the “Gown of the Year” fashion show. She would insist on taking Assunta and her 2 daughters so that we could see the latest fashions. Then there was their dear friend Ms Griffiths. She had been a Matron nurse at the Queen Victoria Hospital when she met my parents in the 1970s. She returned to live in New Zealand in the 1980s but came back to Melbourne every year to stay for 2 weeks with the sole purpose of visiting my parents (she adored them) and order garments. For those 2 solid weeks, mum and dad would only knit for Ms Griffiths and she would go back to New Zealand with at least 5 or 6 new outfits. I actually think she enjoyed mum’s homemade pasta almost as much as her new clothes! Over the years, my parents learnt to speak English very well given that majority of their clients were not Italian speaking. Their oldest child John born in 1960 learnt to speak English with the help of those clients who were such a big part of our childhood. Mum and dad always went above and beyond to ensure their clients were satisfied. Mum was an absolute perfectionist and it showed in her attention to detail and the quality of their beautiful work. You only need to look at the garments that have stood the test of time or speak to their clients to know that this is true. Their clients would always comment on how well their clothes would last and much of their clients came via word of mouth and recommendations. Occasionally there would be disagreements because mum had found an error in dad's knitting (either a wrong stitch or a sizing mistake mainly) and would ask him to redo a piece, he would argue back saying that it was fine, but we always knew who would win the argument and that the piece would get remade! Similarly, we recall discussions where mum would ask dad to find a particular colour of wool in the garage where the stock was kept. He would try to convince her that they were out of stock of that colour and that the client should choose a different colour. She would insist they had it and then after hours of searching, he would return into the house sheepishly holding the wool! Our childhood is full of beautiful memories of mum and dad always being present, clients coming and going, mum humming her favourite songs as she worked often late into the night and sometimes, we even fell asleep to the hum of the machinery. They put their heart and soul into "Tina Knitwear" and took pride in providing only the best quality garments for their clients. In Italian there is a saying “lei ha le mani d’oro” which literally translated means “she has hands of gold”. Franco enjoyed his work but for Assunta, it was more than just work and there is no better way to describe her skills, passion and dedication to her machine knitting… she truly did have “hands of gold”. We will forever be grateful that our parents’ life journey gave us the opportunity to live in a home filled with creativity, dedication and passion, amazing work ethic and mutual respect, lifelong friendships and a lifetime of love. Red wide ribbed pleated skirt with a plain yoke, navy blue band at bottom edge and elasticated waistband. A purple x is located inside to mark centre back of skirt.knitwear, clothing, italy, migrants, brighton, knitting machine, linking machine, garments, business, family, community

Franco Liburti was wearing this coat when he farewelled his wife Assunta in Naples, Italy in 1957, the day she departed for Australia. Tina Knitwear was a successful made to order knitwear business in Brighton from the mid-1960s to around 2010, run by Assunta and Franco Liburti. Daughter Melissa Persi writes: Our parents Assunta (Mum) and Franco (Dad) Liburti ran a successful made to order knitwear business in Brighton from the mid-1960s to around 2010. Assunta was affectionately known to her family as Assuntina, therefore the business was named "Tina Knitwear" after her. Assunta and Franco were born in the beautiful seaside town of Terracina in Italy in 1933 and 1930 respectively. As was so common in Italy in the 1950s, Assunta who was in her late teens and early twenties learnt the intricate skills of machine knitting, dressmaking and pattern making. Franco on the other hand, learnt the building trade with his 2 brothers and specialised in bricklaying and tiling. As was so common after the war, Assunta and Franco yearned for a better life so they decided that they would get engaged and then migrate to Australia to be married and raise their family in Australia, a land of much opportunity which they no longer felt their beloved Italy held for them. Assunta migrated to Australia first in 1957 and later Franco joined her in 1958 where they were married. For the first few years, Franco (also known as Frank) worked as bricklayer /tiler on buildings such as the Robert Menzies building at Monash University in Clayton and various buildings in the Melbourne CBD. Assunta on the other hand put her machine knitting skills to use working in factories doing piece machine knitting for various knitwear companies. The hours were long, the conditions were difficult, and travel was onerous without a car. After their 2 older children were born, it was decided that dad would leave the building trade and they would start their own made to order knitwear business. That way they could work from home and raise their family together. Mum taught dad everything he needed to know so he could operate the knitwear machinery. They purchased COPPO knitting machines from Italy and a Linking machine from Germany. Initially they had a knitwear shopfront in Bay Street Brighton where a store assistant would take the orders and client’s measurements and Assunta would then make the garments from a small workshop in their home. Unfortunately, the assistants were not skilled dressmakers and often measurements and orders were incorrectly taken. Assunta being the perfectionist and highly skilled machinist that she was, decided that she needed to oversee the entire process from meeting the client, to taking their order, right thru to the fittings and completion of the garment. It therefore made sense that they should close the shop front and run their business from their own home in Brighton and hence “Tina Knitwear” was born. Together, for more than 40 years they ran their very respected and successful business and were well known in the Bayside area. They specialised in made to order knitwear for both men and women using mainly pure wool (from Patons, Wangaratta Mills, Japan and Italy) but also lurex and estacel. Over those years, many of their clients became their close friends. It wasn't unusual for clients to come to order garments and then end up in the kitchen chatting over a cup of Italian espresso coffee and homemade biscuits. Some of their clients were especially memorable and became lifelong friends. Mrs Connell was a dear friend of mum’s, each year she would buy tickets for the “Gown of the Year” fashion show. She would insist on taking Assunta and her 2 daughters so that we could see the latest fashions. Then there was their dear friend Ms Griffiths. She had been a Matron nurse at the Queen Victoria Hospital when she met my parents in the 1970s. She returned to live in New Zealand in the 1980s but came back to Melbourne every year to stay for 2 weeks with the sole purpose of visiting my parents (she adored them) and order garments. For those 2 solid weeks, mum and dad would only knit for Ms Griffiths and she would go back to New Zealand with at least 5 or 6 new outfits. I actually think she enjoyed mum’s homemade pasta almost as much as her new clothes! Over the years, my parents learnt to speak English very well given that majority of their clients were not Italian speaking. Their oldest child John born in 1960 learnt to speak English with the help of those clients who were such a big part of our childhood. Mum and dad always went above and beyond to ensure their clients were satisfied. Mum was an absolute perfectionist and it showed in her attention to detail and the quality of their beautiful work. You only need to look at the garments that have stood the test of time or speak to their clients to know that this is true. Their clients would always comment on how well their clothes would last and much of their clients came via word of mouth and recommendations. Occasionally there would be disagreements because mum had found an error in dad's knitting (either a wrong stitch or a sizing mistake mainly) and would ask him to redo a piece, he would argue back saying that it was fine, but we always knew who would win the argument and that the piece would get remade! Similarly, we recall discussions where mum would ask dad to find a particular colour of wool in the garage where the stock was kept. He would try to convince her that they were out of stock of that colour and that the client should choose a different colour. She would insist they had it and then after hours of searching, he would return into the house sheepishly holding the wool! Our childhood is full of beautiful memories of mum and dad always being present, clients coming and going, mum humming her favourite songs as she worked often late into the night and sometimes, we even fell asleep to the hum of the machinery. They put their heart and soul into "Tina Knitwear" and took pride in providing only the best quality garments for their clients. In Italian there is a saying “lei ha le mani d’oro” which literally translated means “she has hands of gold”. Franco enjoyed his work but for Assunta, it was more than just work and there is no better way to describe her skills, passion and dedication to her machine knitting… she truly did have “hands of gold”. We will forever be grateful that our parents’ life journey gave us the opportunity to live in a home filled with creativity, dedication and passion, amazing work ethic and mutual respect, lifelong friendships and a lifetime of love. Men's coat featuring a charcoal herringbone weave, with three buttons down the front and on each sleeve cuff.knitwear, clothing, italy, migrants, brighton, knitting machine, linking machine, garments, business, family, community, naples

Part of a selection of garments knitted by ‘Tina Knitwear’. Tina Knitwear was a successful made to order knitwear business in Brighton from the mid-1960s to around 2010, run by Assunta and Franco Liburti. Daughter Melissa Persi writes: Our parents Assunta (Mum) and Franco (Dad) Liburti ran a successful made to order knitwear business in Brighton from the mid-1960s to around 2010. Assunta was affectionately known to her family as Assuntina, therefore the business was named "Tina Knitwear" after her. Assunta and Franco were born in the beautiful seaside town of Terracina in Italy in 1933 and 1930 respectively. As was so common in Italy in the 1950s, Assunta who was in her late teens and early twenties learnt the intricate skills of machine knitting, dressmaking and pattern making. Franco on the other hand, learnt the building trade with his 2 brothers and specialised in bricklaying and tiling. As was so common after the war, Assunta and Franco yearned for a better life so they decided that they would get engaged and then migrate to Australia to be married and raise their family in Australia, a land of much opportunity which they no longer felt their beloved Italy held for them. Assunta migrated to Australia first in 1957 and later Franco joined her in 1958 where they were married. For the first few years, Franco (also known as Frank) worked as bricklayer /tiler on buildings such as the Robert Menzies building at Monash University in Clayton and various buildings in the Melbourne CBD. Assunta on the other hand put her machine knitting skills to use working in factories doing piece machine knitting for various knitwear companies. The hours were long, the conditions were difficult, and travel was onerous without a car. After their 2 older children were born, it was decided that dad would leave the building trade and they would start their own made to order knitwear business. That way they could work from home and raise their family together. Mum taught dad everything he needed to know so he could operate the knitwear machinery. They purchased COPPO knitting machines from Italy and a Linking machine from Germany. Initially they had a knitwear shopfront in Bay Street Brighton where a store assistant would take the orders and client’s measurements and Assunta would then make the garments from a small workshop in their home. Unfortunately, the assistants were not skilled dressmakers and often measurements and orders were incorrectly taken. Assunta being the perfectionist and highly skilled machinist that she was, decided that she needed to oversee the entire process from meeting the client, to taking their order, right thru to the fittings and completion of the garment. It therefore made sense that they should close the shop front and run their business from their own home in Brighton and hence “Tina Knitwear” was born. Together, for more than 40 years they ran their very respected and successful business and were well known in the Bayside area. They specialised in made to order knitwear for both men and women using mainly pure wool (from Patons, Wangaratta Mills, Japan and Italy) but also lurex and estacel. Over those years, many of their clients became their close friends. It wasn't unusual for clients to come to order garments and then end up in the kitchen chatting over a cup of Italian espresso coffee and homemade biscuits. Some of their clients were especially memorable and became lifelong friends. Mrs Connell was a dear friend of mum’s, each year she would buy tickets for the “Gown of the Year” fashion show. She would insist on taking Assunta and her 2 daughters so that we could see the latest fashions. Then there was their dear friend Ms Griffiths. She had been a Matron nurse at the Queen Victoria Hospital when she met my parents in the 1970s. She returned to live in New Zealand in the 1980s but came back to Melbourne every year to stay for 2 weeks with the sole purpose of visiting my parents (she adored them) and order garments. For those 2 solid weeks, mum and dad would only knit for Ms Griffiths and she would go back to New Zealand with at least 5 or 6 new outfits. I actually think she enjoyed mum’s homemade pasta almost as much as her new clothes! Over the years, my parents learnt to speak English very well given that majority of their clients were not Italian speaking. Their oldest child John born in 1960 learnt to speak English with the help of those clients who were such a big part of our childhood. Mum and dad always went above and beyond to ensure their clients were satisfied. Mum was an absolute perfectionist and it showed in her attention to detail and the quality of their beautiful work. You only need to look at the garments that have stood the test of time or speak to their clients to know that this is true. Their clients would always comment on how well their clothes would last and much of their clients came via word of mouth and recommendations. Occasionally there would be disagreements because mum had found an error in dad's knitting (either a wrong stitch or a sizing mistake mainly) and would ask him to redo a piece, he would argue back saying that it was fine, but we always knew who would win the argument and that the piece would get remade! Similarly, we recall discussions where mum would ask dad to find a particular colour of wool in the garage where the stock was kept. He would try to convince her that they were out of stock of that colour and that the client should choose a different colour. She would insist they had it and then after hours of searching, he would return into the house sheepishly holding the wool! Our childhood is full of beautiful memories of mum and dad always being present, clients coming and going, mum humming her favourite songs as she worked often late into the night and sometimes, we even fell asleep to the hum of the machinery. They put their heart and soul into "Tina Knitwear" and took pride in providing only the best quality garments for their clients. In Italian there is a saying “lei ha le mani d’oro” which literally translated means “she has hands of gold”. Franco enjoyed his work but for Assunta, it was more than just work and there is no better way to describe her skills, passion and dedication to her machine knitting… she truly did have “hands of gold”. We will forever be grateful that our parents’ life journey gave us the opportunity to live in a home filled with creativity, dedication and passion, amazing work ethic and mutual respect, lifelong friendships and a lifetime of love. Red and green plaid children's pinafore with green hem binding and in-built petticoat with lace edging.knitwear, clothing, italy, migrants, brighton, knitting machine, linking machine, garments, business, family, community

Part of a selection of garments knitted by ‘Tina Knitwear’. Tina Knitwear was a successful made to order knitwear business in Brighton from the mid-1960s to around 2010, run by Assunta and Franco Liburti. Daughter Melissa Persi writes: Our parents Assunta (Mum) and Franco (Dad) Liburti ran a successful made to order knitwear business in Brighton from the mid-1960s to around 2010. Assunta was affectionately known to her family as Assuntina, therefore the business was named "Tina Knitwear" after her. Assunta and Franco were born in the beautiful seaside town of Terracina in Italy in 1933 and 1930 respectively. As was so common in Italy in the 1950s, Assunta who was in her late teens and early twenties learnt the intricate skills of machine knitting, dressmaking and pattern making. Franco on the other hand, learnt the building trade with his 2 brothers and specialised in bricklaying and tiling. As was so common after the war, Assunta and Franco yearned for a better life so they decided that they would get engaged and then migrate to Australia to be married and raise their family in Australia, a land of much opportunity which they no longer felt their beloved Italy held for them. Assunta migrated to Australia first in 1957 and later Franco joined her in 1958 where they were married. For the first few years, Franco (also known as Frank) worked as bricklayer /tiler on buildings such as the Robert Menzies building at Monash University in Clayton and various buildings in the Melbourne CBD. Assunta on the other hand put her machine knitting skills to use working in factories doing piece machine knitting for various knitwear companies. The hours were long, the conditions were difficult, and travel was onerous without a car. After their 2 older children were born, it was decided that dad would leave the building trade and they would start their own made to order knitwear business. That way they could work from home and raise their family together. Mum taught dad everything he needed to know so he could operate the knitwear machinery. They purchased COPPO knitting machines from Italy and a Linking machine from Germany. Initially they had a knitwear shopfront in Bay Street Brighton where a store assistant would take the orders and client’s measurements and Assunta would then make the garments from a small workshop in their home. Unfortunately, the assistants were not skilled dressmakers and often measurements and orders were incorrectly taken. Assunta being the perfectionist and highly skilled machinist that she was, decided that she needed to oversee the entire process from meeting the client, to taking their order, right thru to the fittings and completion of the garment. It therefore made sense that they should close the shop front and run their business from their own home in Brighton and hence “Tina Knitwear” was born. Together, for more than 40 years they ran their very respected and successful business and were well known in the Bayside area. They specialised in made to order knitwear for both men and women using mainly pure wool (from Patons, Wangaratta Mills, Japan and Italy) but also lurex and estacel. Over those years, many of their clients became their close friends. It wasn't unusual for clients to come to order garments and then end up in the kitchen chatting over a cup of Italian espresso coffee and homemade biscuits. Some of their clients were especially memorable and became lifelong friends. Mrs Connell was a dear friend of mum’s, each year she would buy tickets for the “Gown of the Year” fashion show. She would insist on taking Assunta and her 2 daughters so that we could see the latest fashions. Then there was their dear friend Ms Griffiths. She had been a Matron nurse at the Queen Victoria Hospital when she met my parents in the 1970s. She returned to live in New Zealand in the 1980s but came back to Melbourne every year to stay for 2 weeks with the sole purpose of visiting my parents (she adored them) and order garments. For those 2 solid weeks, mum and dad would only knit for Ms Griffiths and she would go back to New Zealand with at least 5 or 6 new outfits. I actually think she enjoyed mum’s homemade pasta almost as much as her new clothes! Over the years, my parents learnt to speak English very well given that majority of their clients were not Italian speaking. Their oldest child John born in 1960 learnt to speak English with the help of those clients who were such a big part of our childhood. Mum and dad always went above and beyond to ensure their clients were satisfied. Mum was an absolute perfectionist and it showed in her attention to detail and the quality of their beautiful work. You only need to look at the garments that have stood the test of time or speak to their clients to know that this is true. Their clients would always comment on how well their clothes would last and much of their clients came via word of mouth and recommendations. Occasionally there would be disagreements because mum had found an error in dad's knitting (either a wrong stitch or a sizing mistake mainly) and would ask him to redo a piece, he would argue back saying that it was fine, but we always knew who would win the argument and that the piece would get remade! Similarly, we recall discussions where mum would ask dad to find a particular colour of wool in the garage where the stock was kept. He would try to convince her that they were out of stock of that colour and that the client should choose a different colour. She would insist they had it and then after hours of searching, he would return into the house sheepishly holding the wool! Our childhood is full of beautiful memories of mum and dad always being present, clients coming and going, mum humming her favourite songs as she worked often late into the night and sometimes, we even fell asleep to the hum of the machinery. They put their heart and soul into "Tina Knitwear" and took pride in providing only the best quality garments for their clients. In Italian there is a saying “lei ha le mani d’oro” which literally translated means “she has hands of gold”. Franco enjoyed his work but for Assunta, it was more than just work and there is no better way to describe her skills, passion and dedication to her machine knitting… she truly did have “hands of gold”. We will forever be grateful that our parents’ life journey gave us the opportunity to live in a home filled with creativity, dedication and passion, amazing work ethic and mutual respect, lifelong friendships and a lifetime of love. Maroon skirt with curved wrap detail with maroon and navy striped ribbing halfway around bottom. The skirt is shaped with darts, has an elastic waistband, and centre back opening with a zip and skirt hook. Maroon lining.knitwear, clothing, italy, migrants, brighton, knitting machine, linking machine, garments, business, family, community

Part of a selection of garments knitted by ‘Tina Knitwear’. Tina Knitwear was a successful made to order knitwear business in Brighton from the mid-1960s to around 2010, run by Assunta and Franco Liburti. Daughter Melissa Persi writes: Our parents Assunta (Mum) and Franco (Dad) Liburti ran a successful made to order knitwear business in Brighton from the mid-1960s to around 2010. Assunta was affectionately known to her family as Assuntina, therefore the business was named "Tina Knitwear" after her. Assunta and Franco were born in the beautiful seaside town of Terracina in Italy in 1933 and 1930 respectively. As was so common in Italy in the 1950s, Assunta who was in her late teens and early twenties learnt the intricate skills of machine knitting, dressmaking and pattern making. Franco on the other hand, learnt the building trade with his 2 brothers and specialised in bricklaying and tiling. As was so common after the war, Assunta and Franco yearned for a better life so they decided that they would get engaged and then migrate to Australia to be married and raise their family in Australia, a land of much opportunity which they no longer felt their beloved Italy held for them. Assunta migrated to Australia first in 1957 and later Franco joined her in 1958 where they were married. For the first few years, Franco (also known as Frank) worked as bricklayer /tiler on buildings such as the Robert Menzies building at Monash University in Clayton and various buildings in the Melbourne CBD. Assunta on the other hand put her machine knitting skills to use working in factories doing piece machine knitting for various knitwear companies. The hours were long, the conditions were difficult, and travel was onerous without a car. After their 2 older children were born, it was decided that dad would leave the building trade and they would start their own made to order knitwear business. That way they could work from home and raise their family together. Mum taught dad everything he needed to know so he could operate the knitwear machinery. They purchased COPPO knitting machines from Italy and a Linking machine from Germany. Initially they had a knitwear shopfront in Bay Street Brighton where a store assistant would take the orders and client’s measurements and Assunta would then make the garments from a small workshop in their home. Unfortunately, the assistants were not skilled dressmakers and often measurements and orders were incorrectly taken. Assunta being the perfectionist and highly skilled machinist that she was, decided that she needed to oversee the entire process from meeting the client, to taking their order, right thru to the fittings and completion of the garment. It therefore made sense that they should close the shop front and run their business from their own home in Brighton and hence “Tina Knitwear” was born. Together, for more than 40 years they ran their very respected and successful business and were well known in the Bayside area. They specialised in made to order knitwear for both men and women using mainly pure wool (from Patons, Wangaratta Mills, Japan and Italy) but also lurex and estacel. Over those years, many of their clients became their close friends. It wasn't unusual for clients to come to order garments and then end up in the kitchen chatting over a cup of Italian espresso coffee and homemade biscuits. Some of their clients were especially memorable and became lifelong friends. Mrs Connell was a dear friend of mum’s, each year she would buy tickets for the “Gown of the Year” fashion show. She would insist on taking Assunta and her 2 daughters so that we could see the latest fashions. Then there was their dear friend Ms Griffiths. She had been a Matron nurse at the Queen Victoria Hospital when she met my parents in the 1970s. She returned to live in New Zealand in the 1980s but came back to Melbourne every year to stay for 2 weeks with the sole purpose of visiting my parents (she adored them) and order garments. For those 2 solid weeks, mum and dad would only knit for Ms Griffiths and she would go back to New Zealand with at least 5 or 6 new outfits. I actually think she enjoyed mum’s homemade pasta almost as much as her new clothes! Over the years, my parents learnt to speak English very well given that majority of their clients were not Italian speaking. Their oldest child John born in 1960 learnt to speak English with the help of those clients who were such a big part of our childhood. Mum and dad always went above and beyond to ensure their clients were satisfied. Mum was an absolute perfectionist and it showed in her attention to detail and the quality of their beautiful work. You only need to look at the garments that have stood the test of time or speak to their clients to know that this is true. Their clients would always comment on how well their clothes would last and much of their clients came via word of mouth and recommendations. Occasionally there would be disagreements because mum had found an error in dad's knitting (either a wrong stitch or a sizing mistake mainly) and would ask him to redo a piece, he would argue back saying that it was fine, but we always knew who would win the argument and that the piece would get remade! Similarly, we recall discussions where mum would ask dad to find a particular colour of wool in the garage where the stock was kept. He would try to convince her that they were out of stock of that colour and that the client should choose a different colour. She would insist they had it and then after hours of searching, he would return into the house sheepishly holding the wool! Our childhood is full of beautiful memories of mum and dad always being present, clients coming and going, mum humming her favourite songs as she worked often late into the night and sometimes, we even fell asleep to the hum of the machinery. They put their heart and soul into "Tina Knitwear" and took pride in providing only the best quality garments for their clients. In Italian there is a saying “lei ha le mani d’oro” which literally translated means “she has hands of gold”. Franco enjoyed his work but for Assunta, it was more than just work and there is no better way to describe her skills, passion and dedication to her machine knitting… she truly did have “hands of gold”. We will forever be grateful that our parents’ life journey gave us the opportunity to live in a home filled with creativity, dedication and passion, amazing work ethic and mutual respect, lifelong friendships and a lifetime of love. Emerald green jumper with wide rib detailing, triangular detail at cuffs and hem and curved v neck. Shoulder seams are reinforced with woven tape.knitwear, clothing, italy, migrants, brighton, knitting machine, linking machine, garments, business, family, community

Part of a selection of garments knitted by ‘Tina Knitwear’. Tina Knitwear was a successful made to order knitwear business in Brighton from the mid-1960s to around 2010, run by Assunta and Franco Liburti. Daughter Melissa Persi writes: Our parents Assunta (Mum) and Franco (Dad) Liburti ran a successful made to order knitwear business in Brighton from the mid-1960s to around 2010. Assunta was affectionately known to her family as Assuntina, therefore the business was named "Tina Knitwear" after her. Assunta and Franco were born in the beautiful seaside town of Terracina in Italy in 1933 and 1930 respectively. As was so common in Italy in the 1950s, Assunta who was in her late teens and early twenties learnt the intricate skills of machine knitting, dressmaking and pattern making. Franco on the other hand, learnt the building trade with his 2 brothers and specialised in bricklaying and tiling. As was so common after the war, Assunta and Franco yearned for a better life so they decided that they would get engaged and then migrate to Australia to be married and raise their family in Australia, a land of much opportunity which they no longer felt their beloved Italy held for them. Assunta migrated to Australia first in 1957 and later Franco joined her in 1958 where they were married. For the first few years, Franco (also known as Frank) worked as bricklayer /tiler on buildings such as the Robert Menzies building at Monash University in Clayton and various buildings in the Melbourne CBD. Assunta on the other hand put her machine knitting skills to use working in factories doing piece machine knitting for various knitwear companies. The hours were long, the conditions were difficult, and travel was onerous without a car. After their 2 older children were born, it was decided that dad would leave the building trade and they would start their own made to order knitwear business. That way they could work from home and raise their family together. Mum taught dad everything he needed to know so he could operate the knitwear machinery. They purchased COPPO knitting machines from Italy and a Linking machine from Germany. Initially they had a knitwear shopfront in Bay Street Brighton where a store assistant would take the orders and client’s measurements and Assunta would then make the garments from a small workshop in their home. Unfortunately, the assistants were not skilled dressmakers and often measurements and orders were incorrectly taken. Assunta being the perfectionist and highly skilled machinist that she was, decided that she needed to oversee the entire process from meeting the client, to taking their order, right thru to the fittings and completion of the garment. It therefore made sense that they should close the shop front and run their business from their own home in Brighton and hence “Tina Knitwear” was born. Together, for more than 40 years they ran their very respected and successful business and were well known in the Bayside area. They specialised in made to order knitwear for both men and women using mainly pure wool (from Patons, Wangaratta Mills, Japan and Italy) but also lurex and estacel. Over those years, many of their clients became their close friends. It wasn't unusual for clients to come to order garments and then end up in the kitchen chatting over a cup of Italian espresso coffee and homemade biscuits. Some of their clients were especially memorable and became lifelong friends. Mrs Connell was a dear friend of mum’s, each year she would buy tickets for the “Gown of the Year” fashion show. She would insist on taking Assunta and her 2 daughters so that we could see the latest fashions. Then there was their dear friend Ms Griffiths. She had been a Matron nurse at the Queen Victoria Hospital when she met my parents in the 1970s. She returned to live in New Zealand in the 1980s but came back to Melbourne every year to stay for 2 weeks with the sole purpose of visiting my parents (she adored them) and order garments. For those 2 solid weeks, mum and dad would only knit for Ms Griffiths and she would go back to New Zealand with at least 5 or 6 new outfits. I actually think she enjoyed mum’s homemade pasta almost as much as her new clothes! Over the years, my parents learnt to speak English very well given that majority of their clients were not Italian speaking. Their oldest child John born in 1960 learnt to speak English with the help of those clients who were such a big part of our childhood. Mum and dad always went above and beyond to ensure their clients were satisfied. Mum was an absolute perfectionist and it showed in her attention to detail and the quality of their beautiful work. You only need to look at the garments that have stood the test of time or speak to their clients to know that this is true. Their clients would always comment on how well their clothes would last and much of their clients came via word of mouth and recommendations. Occasionally there would be disagreements because mum had found an error in dad's knitting (either a wrong stitch or a sizing mistake mainly) and would ask him to redo a piece, he would argue back saying that it was fine, but we always knew who would win the argument and that the piece would get remade! Similarly, we recall discussions where mum would ask dad to find a particular colour of wool in the garage where the stock was kept. He would try to convince her that they were out of stock of that colour and that the client should choose a different colour. She would insist they had it and then after hours of searching, he would return into the house sheepishly holding the wool! Our childhood is full of beautiful memories of mum and dad always being present, clients coming and going, mum humming her favourite songs as she worked often late into the night and sometimes, we even fell asleep to the hum of the machinery. They put their heart and soul into "Tina Knitwear" and took pride in providing only the best quality garments for their clients. In Italian there is a saying “lei ha le mani d’oro” which literally translated means “she has hands of gold”. Franco enjoyed his work but for Assunta, it was more than just work and there is no better way to describe her skills, passion and dedication to her machine knitting… she truly did have “hands of gold”. We will forever be grateful that our parents’ life journey gave us the opportunity to live in a home filled with creativity, dedication and passion, amazing work ethic and mutual respect, lifelong friendships and a lifetime of love. Children’s moss green knitted jumper with a peter pan collar, centre back zip and raglan sleeves.knitwear, clothing, italy, migrants, brighton, knitting machine, linking machine, garments, business, family, community