Young Greek born men who had migrated to Australia were recruited to the defence forces during World War 2. Pictured is a group belonging to Civilian Military Forces. Standing, second from the right, is Nakis (Nick) Raftopoulos.During the period of the second world war, Ithacans who were unnaturalised were recruited into the Civilian Military Forces as 'Allied Aliens' and served the war effort on the home front. Naturalised Ithacans saw active service.A black and white photograph of nine men in army uniform at a camp. Five men are standing behind the other four who are sitting in front.

Many young men, both Ithacan born and Australian born of Ithacan descent joined the Australian Defence Forces in various capacities during World War 2. Pictured is a group of army recruits to the Civilian Military Forces with a young Stathi Raftopoulos seated in the centre - he is the only one not wearing a cap.Ithacans who were not naturalised were recruited to the Civilian Military Forces as 'Allied Aliens'.A black and white photograph of thirteen men inn army uniform sitting and relaxing in a shed.

The first official dance was held on April 23 1918, two years after the establishment of the Ithacan Philanthropic Society. The celebration depicted may have been a New Years Eve function. New Year's Eve celebrations were a very popular event through to the 1990s. Dances were popular social events for the Ithacan community and an opportunity for Ithacans to socialise and enjoy Greek music and dancing. A mounted sepia photograph of a crowd of people gathered for a celebration in a dance hall which has balloons hanging from the decorative ceiling.

The photograph was taken at an annual picnic organized by the Ithacan Philanthropic Society some time during the 1940s.Taking place annually for over 100 years, the picnic is one of the oldest and most enduring events on the Ithacan Philanthropic Society's social calendar. It continues to attract large numbers and is an opportunity for the generations of Ithacans to reunite. A mounted black and white photograph of a group of men at a picnic.

The photograph is taken at an annual Ithacan picnic, c1940s. Several of the individuals in the photograph are wearing the medallion badges which were given to all attendees on arrival at the picnic. L-R: Dionysus Lecatsas, ----- , -----, Andreas Paizis, Georgia Raftopoulos, Katerina Lucas (Spot Cafe), -----, Athanasis Raftopoulos (Klapatzoura). The annual picnic organized by the Ithacan Philanthropic Society continues to be a popular event on the club's social calendar.A mounted sepia photograph of a group standing in a picnic ground. There are six men dressed in suits and two smartly dressed ladies. There is a small shed in the background in an open playing field.

The photograph was taken at the Ithacan Philanthropic Society's16th annual picnic. All who attended the picnic on that day were included in the photograph. The first picnic took place in 1918 at South Morang where 200 people attended. The picnics continue to be a popular social event on the club's social calendar attracting large numbers of the generations of Ithacan Australians in Melbourne.A mounted sepia photograph of a large group of men women and children gathered together in a large sports ground. There are two buildings behind them with trees growing in the background.

The photograph was taken at an Ithacan picnic held at Mentone Racecourse in 1935. Members of the IPS Committee are pictured with their families together with two official guests, Father Theophylaktos Papathanasopoulos from the Melbourne Orthodox Parish, and Father Timotheos Evangelimides, the Archbishop of the Greek Church in Australia, both pictured standing in the centre of the group. Vicki Raftopoulos(Black) is seated 3rd from the left and Arthur Raftopoulos is standing 3rd from right and Stathi Trohoulas is standing far right. Melbourne's first Greek Orthodox Church 'Evangelismos' in Victoria Parade East Melbourne was consecrated in 1901. Ithacans, as members of the Greek Orthodox Community, were directly involved in its establishment. A.J.Lucas the founding president of the Ithacan Philanthropic Society was one of a number of prominent Greeks who advanced funds to help with the purchase of the East Melbourne site upon which the church was built. The building of the church was financed through the contributions of funds from the local Greek community.A black and white photograph mounted on grey board of a picnic group sitting and standing around a table set out with food and drinks under trees. A bus is parked and just visible behind the group. Detail of the people in the photograph and other information is written in Greek on the back of the pghotograph.

The Spot Cafe was in Elizabeth Street, Melbourne and owned by Athanasios Raftopoulos, Michalis Mavrokefalos and Anastasios Flocas. It was one of the many cafes owned and run by Ithacans in Melbourne's CBD in the 1930s and 1940s. Arthur Raftopoulos and Hector Andrews are standing 2nd and 3rd left in the photograph. Many Ithacans established businesses throughout the CBD and inner suburbs. These establishments also provided employment for other family members and friends as during the first half of the twentieth century migrants from Southern Europe were often unable to find employment in the wider Australian community.A black and white photograph mounted on grey board with a darker grey border of the interior of a restaurant. Tables set out with white tablecloths are in the foreground with four men standing behind them and a man and two ladies are standing in curtained cubicles in the background.ithacan businesses.

The Greek Orthodox Community with the support of the Ithacan Community in Melbourne established a Greek Language School in the early 1930s. The teaching of the Greek language to the Australian born children of Greek parents ensured that the language and culture was maintained within the Greek community. A sepia photograph mounted on grey board of the children and teachers at the Greek language school. The people are standing and seated in five rows in front of a stage.

Bill Florence (Florias) is standing behind the counter of his Quality Lunch Service located at 3 Manchester Lane off Collins Street which he ran from 1937 - 1970. This is an example of the type of businesses, mainly food related, which Ithacan Greeks owned and ran in Melbourne's CBD from the early 1900s through to the early 1970s. They ranged from restaurants, cafes, milk bars, fruit shops and fruit barrows, flower shops, as well as fruit stalls in the Queen Victoria Market. A black and white photograph of a man dressed in a white dust coat standing behind a counter in a small sandwich bar. Behind him are the cash register and various food items and on the wall are printed cards listing the sandwiches and other snacks available. The prices are in the old imperial currency of pounds shillings and pence.

This photograph was taken when Bill Florence (Vasilis Florias) arrived in Melbourne in 1922. Many migrants on their arrival in Australia were photographed within this backdrop. Copies of these photos were often sent to their families back in their homeland.A sepia photograph of a portrait view of a man framed within a map of Australia with the words 'Welcome To' across the top of the map. Around the map are sketches of Australian bush scenes, animals and the sea.immigration

From its earliest days, the Ithacan Philanthropic Society has conducted an annual family picnic held at country towns on Melbourne's urban fringe. For many years Bacchus Marsh was a popular venue where this picnic group was photographed. Women would prepare delicious traditional Greek food and families would group together to enjoy a wonderful picnic spread. The annual Ithacan Picnic has been a very important event on the society's social calendar. In the early days, as many of the families ran family businesses such as fruit shops, fish shops and cafes, Sunday was the only break they had away from their work. The picnic gave them a chance to relax and to catch up with extended family and friends. Today the picnic continues to be an extremely popular day for the members where generations of Australian Ithacans get the opportunity to reunite. A black and white photograph of a large group at a picnic standing and sitting around and enjoying a picnic meal which has been spread out on the ground. Three cars are parked in the background under the trees.

The young Paizis children dressed in various Greek traditional costumes as part of the 25th March celebration of Greek Independence. From l-r: Thalia (Papadopoulos), Diamanto (Raftopoulos), Maria (Kezos). Young children attending Greek school often dressed in traditional costumes for concerts and celebrations of Greek national days. A black and white photograph of three young girls in various Greek costumes - Grecian style and traditional.

The ocean liner 'SS Queen Frederica', owned by the Greek shipping company Chandris Lines during the 1960s and 1970s, carried many Greek emigrants from their homeland to other countries across the world. A coloured post card of the liner 'Queen Fredirica' in full sail entering New York harbour with the Statue of Liberty in the background.QUEEN FREDERICA/ 21.000