The Municipality of Kew (1860-1863), the Borough of Kew (1863-1910), the Town of Kew (1910-1921) and the City of Kew (1921-1994) were local government instrumentalities in the State of Victoria. In 1994, the City of Kew was amalgamated, together with the former Cities of Camberwell and Hawthorn, into the new City of Boroondara (1994- ). Like other local government entities of the period, Kew was administered by town clerks. The two notable town clerks in Kew's history were H. H. (Henry Hirst) Harrison (1868-1955) and W. D. (William Dickie) Birrell (1899-1974). Harrison was appointed to the position in 1901 and retired in 1938 after 37 years. Birrell, appointed Acting Town Clerk in 1921, became Town Clerk in 1938, following Harrison's retirement. He continued in this role until his retirement in 1966. A large part of this collection of civic ephemera was assembled by W. D. Birrell. This is part of an historically significant civic collection, containing hundreds of separate invitations, documents, greeting cards, programmes and tickets issued and/or collected by successive town clerks. Items in the collection illuminate the political, social and cultural history of the district. As a continuous record, ranging across most decades of the Twentieth Century, they reveal changing tastes in design, values and relationships in the history of local government in Victoria.civic ephemera, mayoral balls, civic invitations, w d birrell, city of box hill, cr h d campbell - mayor of box hill

Chellowdene was an architect designed triple fronted 1950s brick dwelling with an Edna Walling garden at 37 Wills Street, Kew. It was demolished by the subsequent owner.Copy of a colour photograph showing City of Kew Mayor John H. Gervasoni and Mayoress Kathleen Gervasoni in the front of their Kew property 'Chellowdene', 37 Wills Street, Kew. mayor, mayoral, portrait, kew, gervasoni, john, jack, k, mayoress, chellowdene, wills, kew mayors, wills street kew

Copy of black and white photograph showing the City of Kew Mayor and Mayoress, Councillor John H. Gervasoni and Kathleen Gervasoni.mayor, mayoral, portrait, kew, gervasoni, john, jack, coat of arms, cresco, city of kew, jack gervasoni, john hogan gervasoni, kathleen gervasoni, kathleen carroll

Copy of black and white photograph showing City of Kew Mayor Cr Jack Gervasoni, and Mayoress Kathleen Gervasoni being introduced to people at the Kew Festival.mayor, mayoral, portrait, kew, gervasoni, john, jack, mayoress, fesitval, dinner, kew festival, city of kew, kew mayors, jack gervasoni, kathleen gervasoni, john hogan gervasoni

The Kew Recreation Hall was opened in 1880. For eighty years it was a major venue for concerts, performances, dances and civic events. It was demolished in 1960.This is an historically and culturally significant municipal photograph from Kew dating from 1906. The photograph has architectural significance as it is the only known, authenticated photograph of the interior of the Recreation Hall in Wellington Street before it was renovated. The Recreation Hall was of statewide significance as a centre of social activity in Kew from 1880-1960. The Mayor (Cr T.G. Jellis) and the Mayoress in the audience at a mayoral concert in the Kew Recreation Hall in Wellington Street. [Inscription on mount] "Mayoral Concert, Recreation Hall, Kew, 31st July 1906. Cr. T. G. Jellis Mayor." [Plaque] "Presented by Mayor T.G. Jellis, Mayor 1905-6"cr. t.g. jellis, mayors of kew, kew recreation hall (interior)

The donor, whose parents owned an antique shop believed that the evening coat was owned by the family of Cr Morris Nathan and his wife Margaret Frances, nee MacKay. Maurice Nathan was born in Kew in 1914 and died in East Melbourne in 1982. He was a student of Trinity Grammar School, Kew. He was Lord Mayor, and his wife Lady Mayoress, of the City of Melbourne for two terms between 1961 and 1963. The age of the coat, created in a design typical of the 1920s would suggest that it is of an earlier vintage, almost certainly dating from the 1920s, but perhaps earlier. The opulence of the sequinned and beaded embroidery have led to the supposition that it may be an opera coat inherited from an earlier generation.Three quarter length, red and cream silk, padded evening coat highlighted on the cuffs and hem with iridescent sequins, beading and pearls of different shapes and sizes. These decorative features are arranged in a formal design, particularly at centre back. Above the beaded sections are sunbursts outlined in gold beads.Trimmed rabbit fur at collar and cuffs. The sleeves are shaped above the embroidered sections while the hem features a zig-zag profile. MEASUREMENTS - Neck to hem front 93cm; Neck to hem back 100cm; Circumference 126cm; Shoulder to cuff 72cm; Shoulder width 36cm.Traditionally, pre acquisition, stored in brown suitcase embossed in gilt with the name R. NATHANevening jackets, opera coats, fashion -- 1920s