Lyons family history: From 1907 a cab service operated from near the railway gates in Union Road. It was established and maintained by Mr C Fraser until c1916. George Rea either took over then or set up in opposition. Fred Lyons initially worked for George until he set up his own business. In time he changed over to a motor vehicle and continued his service until 1960. Frederick Adolphus Lyons (1891-1980) was born in Surrey Hills, son of Thomas and Catherine Lyons. He married Elizabeth Ruby Hall in 1918. They lived just around the corner at 55 Sunbury Crescent. The Lyons’ home in Sunbury Crescent was called ‘Knopshambury’ - this was probably a misspelling of Knockshanbally in Co Kilkenny, the birth place of Fred’s father, Thomas Edmund Josias Lyons (1846-1915). Arthur Lyons was born in Surrey Hills on 12 Jun 1920. He became a motor mechanic / welder and lived at 55 Sunbury Crescent. Empire Day celebrations were held in Surrey Hills from 1906-1911 and revitalised from 1933-1938 by the Surrey Hills Progress Association. Street parades featuring decorated business vehicles and bonfires were a feature. The children are identified as (L to R) Julian Ethinney, Geoff Ethinney - from Sydney, Joyce Harris, Ken Moritz, Scoppy (the dog), Keith Harris, Ivan Moritz. This is one of a series of photos donated by Arthur Lyons.The donation was made while he was in hospital. He died shortly afterwards (23 Sep 1990). Donation was finalised by a neighbour, Mrs Florence Ann Armitstead, wife of Glen Victor Armitstead. Glen was a local hairdresser. They moved to 11 Sunbury Crescent after their marriage in 1939. Arthur had no relatives to distribute the material to.Black and white photo of Fred Lyons taxi decorated for Empire Day celebrations in the 1930s with paper flowers. Beside it are 6 children - 5 boys and 1 girl with a dog. transport, empire day celebrations, children, fred lyons, (mr) frederick alphonsus lyons, julian ethinney, geoff ethinney, joyce harris, ken moritz, keith harris, ivan moritz

The hail storm occurred on 2 December 1924. This is one in a series from the Lyons' photo collection. This was gifted to the SHNCHC by Arthur Frederick Lyons, son of Frederick Alphonsus (Fred) Lyons and Elizabeth Ruby Hall, who married in 1918. Fred Lyons died 4/10/1980. The Lyons’ home in Sunbury Crecent was called ‘Knopshambury’ - this was probably a misspelling of Knockshanbally in Co Kilkenny, the birth place of Fred’s father, Thomas Edmund Josias Lyons (1846-1915). Arthur was born in Surrey Hills on 12 Jun 1920. He became a motor mechanic / welder and lived at 55 Sunbury Crescent. The donation was made while he was in hospital. He died shortly afterwards (23 Sep 1990). Donation was finalised by a neighbour, Mrs Florence Ann Armitstead, wife of Glen Victor Armitstead. Glen was a local hairdresser. They moved to 11 Sunbury Crescent after their marriage in 1939. Arthur had no relatives to distribute the material to.Historically significant as it shows clearly the buildings and railway crossing in Union Road.Black and white photo of Arthur Lyons as a child with a shovel in hand taken at the cab rank near the Surrey Hills station, clearing up after a hail storm in 1924. The railway gates and overhead lines can be seen in the background. On back in pencil was "Copied 1996" and also "2/12/1924"railway crossings, hail storms, arthur lyons

Lyons family history: From 1907 a cab service operated from near the railway gates in Union Road. It was established and maintained by Mr C Fraser until c1916. George Rea either took over then or set up in opposition. Fred Lyons initially worked for George until he set up his own business. In time he changed over to a motor vehicle and continued his service until 1960. Frederick Adolphus Lyons (1891-1980) was born in Surrey Hills, son of Thomas and Catherine Lyons. He married Elizabeth Ruby Hall in 1918. They lived just around the corner at 55 Sunbury Crescent. The Lyons’ home in Sunbury Crescent was called ‘Knopshambury’ - this was probably a misspelling of Knockshanbally in Co Kilkenny, the birth place of Fred’s father, Thomas Edmund Josias Lyons (1846-1915). Arthur Lyons was born in Surrey Hills on 12 Jun 1920. He became a motor mechanic / welder and lived at 55 Sunbury Crescent. Empire Day celebrations were held in Surrey Hills from 1906-1911 and revitalised from 1933-1938 by the Surrey Hills Progress Association. Street parades featuring decorated business vehicles and bonfires were a feature. This is one of a series of photos donated by Arthur Lyons.The donation was made while he was in hospital. He died shortly afterwards (23 Sep 1990). Donation was finalised by a neighbour, Mrs Florence Ann Armitstead, wife of Glen Victor Armitstead. Glen was a local hairdresser. They moved to 11 Sunbury Crescent after their marriage in 1939. Arthur had no relatives to distribute the material to. Empire Day celebrations were held in Surrey Hills from 1906-1911 and revitalised by the Surrey Hills Progress Association from 1933-1938. The evening parade of floats, and vehicles both horse-drawn and motorised, proceeded along Union Road to the Surrey Gardens beneath festoons of candlelit lanterns, bunting and flags. The paper flowers used extensively on trade and business vehicles were the result of hours of work by families and friends. The Empire Day Celebrations were a great community event, in some years augmented by bonfires, including the ones in Beckett Park.Black and white photo of Fred Lyons' taxi decorated for Empire Day. The cab is parked in the street and is festooned with flowers and ribbons on the hood, bonnet radiator, running board and in the tyre spokes. Three women stand beside the cab. There are houses in the background. motor vehicles, festivals and celebrations, taxis, empire day, fred lyons, frederick adolphus lyons

The parade was held in celebration of King Edward VII's birthday on 4 July 1902. This was the first public appearance of the German Band formed on 30 May 1902. The leading horseman is Mr Rowland Coe. He is followed by Mr George Robinson, a butcher of Canterbury Road. The man in the white hat is Mr Sam Kellett, businessman of Erasmus Street. Behind him on foot and partly obscured is Mr Alexander McNeill of the Surrey Family Hotel. Band master is Harry Pollard, painter and paper-hanger, and next to him is Constable Hill. The small boy in the sailor suit is Perc Venman of Essex Road and in the buggy near the footpath is Mr and Mrs William Maling. Information came from David Staig senior. Further research: William Saunders Maling, a son of John Butler Maling, was a builder who lived at 17 Balwyn Road, Canterbury. Rowland Coe, a butcher and son of James and Elizabeth Coe of Sunbury Crescent enlisted in AIF in WW1. He later lived at 233 Elgar Road, Box Hill. William Percival Reginald (Perc) Venman was born in Surrey Hills in 1894; he died in Surrey Hills in 1951 and lived at 27 Essex Street for much of his life. He and his wife are buried in Box Hill Cemetery. The identity of Sam Kellett of Erasmus Street is questioned. Edward Kellett built 'Yielma' in Erasmus Street but was deceased by 1902. He had 3 sons: Edward Allan (1854-1932); George Henry (1858-1921) and William John (1865-1945).Black and white photo of a number of men on horses leading a parade down Station Street (Windsor Crescent) to Union Road. Street trees on the RHS are mature whilst the ones on the LHS look to be newly planted. They have wooden guards around them. The area to the left is blurry but would be the railway line and station surrounds. Roads are well formed with bluestone channels.parades and processions, bands, german band, windsor crescent, william saunders maling, mrs hannah maling, miss hannah miller, constable hill, perc venman, george robinson, sam kellett, alexander mcneill, rowland coe, harry pollard, william percival reginald venman

Information from the donor, Natale Cerini's daughter: He was a retired accountant who commenced the Surrey Hills Observer, one of the early free local papers, in about 1933 at the request of the Surrey Hills Progress Association of which he was a member. He regarded his solo effort in creating, editing and publishing the paper as a community service for which he received no remuneration. The Observer was self-funding through its advertisements which Mr Cerini personally collected throughout the area. The Observer was issued fort-nightly and printed by the Johnson family at the Triumph Press in Sunbury Crescent until about 1946 when Mr Cerini relinquished it to one of the newly-established post-war local papers. Photo thought to have been taken in 1936 when Mr Natale would have been 69, as he retired in 1932 at 65 years of age. Electoral rolls give the following addresses: 1919: 293 Dandenong Road (accountant) and 1919 Boondara, Croydon (accountant); both with Ethel May also listed. 1924: 167 Union Road, Surrey Hills (accountant) 1931 and 1943: 215 Union Road, Surrey Hills (accountant). Marriage: Natale Benjamin Cerini; Spouse Name: May Ethel Swan; Marriage Place: Victoria; Registration Place: Victoria;Registration Year: 1918; Registration number: 5787. Ethel May Cerini: Death Place: S Hills, Victoria; Age: 69; Father's Name: Ernest Harrison; Mother's Name: Frances Ann Clark; Registration Year: 1951; Registration Place: Victoria; Registration number: 10736; Estimated Birth Year: abt 1882. Natale Benjamin Cerini: Death Place: Glen, Victoria; Age: 89; Father's Name: Joseph Natale; Mother's Name: Sarah Cooke; Registration Year: 1954; Registration Place: Victoria; Registration number: 10612; Estimated Birth Year: abt 1865.Black and white photo of a hatted gentleman with a walking cane and a pipe and wearing glasses. He has a rosette in his suit buttonhole and a ribbon on his lapel. The background is blurred but is reliably identified as the Surrey Gardens during Empire Day celebrations. SH368 on rear in pencilempire day, festivals and celebrations, surrey gardens, newspapers, surrey hills progress association, surrey hills observer, triumph press, natale cerini

William (1857 - 1920) was a butcher. William was born 7 Nov 1857 on the Buckland (River) near Bright, son of John Joseph Tacey and wife Elizabeth Cooper. This was just a few months after the Buckland River anti-Chinese riots. He had siblings Thomas (1856-1929), Mary Ann (1860-1920), Edward (1863-1952) and Arthur Edward (1870-1896). William died 30 March 1920, Camberwell. He married Florence Margaret Edwards in 1884. Both are buried in Box Hill Cemetery (CE-0162). They had 7 surviving children; 2 died in infancy. William was a butcher in Thornbury but moved to Camberwell with his brothers seeing the opportunity in the new suburbs. They set up shops in Canterbury Road, opposite Highfield Road, Surrey Hills; Burwood; corner of Elgar & Whitehorse Roads, opposite the Whitehorse Hotel and Canterbury Road, Surrey Hills just east of Surrey Hotel. The first directory entries are in 1888 & 1889 for the Surrey Hills shop & Elgar Road. In Surrey Hills a substantial property was developed on land which "was purchased by Edward Tacey on 16 September 1889. Edward Tacey was a butcher and the Sands & MacDougall street directory indicates that a butcher’s shop had been constructed on the site and was operating by 1890. It seems that the family lived for some time at a house located next door to the shop at 627 Canterbury Road (visible on the 1909 MMBW plan, but since demolished). On 15 June 1920 Edward Tacey transferred all three blocks of land to Joseph Tacey, most likely his son * and also a butcher, who carried on business from the same premises. Joseph Tacey died on 20 February 1933, after which administration of his estate (which included the three blocks of land) passed to his widow, Mary Dorothy Tacey." (Context P/L Heritage Assessment) Correction: *Edward Tacey (1863 - 1952) was the brother of William Tacey (1857 - 1920). The property passed to Joseph Charles Tacey (1887 - 1933), his nephew and son of William, not his son. His wife was Mary Dorothy Coates. Albert Arthur Tacey was a brother of Joseph Charles Tacey. Edward later moved from the area and continued in the business in a number of regional Victorian centres. In Surrey Hills the business was continued by other members of the family including Albert Arthur Tacey (1902-1959) who lived at 7 Sunbury Crescent, and daughter Stella Florence Tacey and her husband Roy Morris and their son Harry Tacey Morris. The donor of the Tacey collection of photos was Elaine Merle Tacey (1925-2003), daughter of Albert Arthur Tacey. She married Donald McKenzie. A black and white photograph of a couple in the garden. The man is standing and wearing a 3 piece suit whilst the lady is seated and holding a posy of flowers in her lap.(mr) william tacey, butchers, (mr) edward tacey, (mr) thomas tacey, (mr) joseph tacey, (mrs) stella morris, (mr) roy morris, (miss) florence margaret edwards, (mrs) florence margaret tacey, (mr) albert arthur tacey, (miss) stella tacey, (mr) harry tacey morris

The rotunda was built in 1912 by Clarence Montgomery for the Surrey Hills Progress Association and the local community and dedicated to John Gray, "a highly respected and revered citizen". Surrey Hills Brass Band regularly gave concerts in the rotunda, provided music for regular 'loyal' celebrations and also for silent films held in the gardens. The rotunda was quite elevated off the ground due to the slope of the gardens and the bioscope was stored in the room underneath. This was later used as the infant welfare centre until the Progress Association built a dedicated facility for these purposes. The rotunda was demolished in 1972. Clarence Montgomery, carpenter, was living in Sunbury Crescent in 1914. By 1916 he had moved to 83 Croydon Road where he lived for the rest of his life. Clarence was born in 1869 in Taradale, son of John Montgomery and Jane Ford. He married Sarah Ann Ingram in Echuca in 1894. Their children were: 1. Annie (Mrs P Paynter) born Echuca in 1895 2. William Henry born Echuca in 1897 3. Christina Mary (Mrs F Meyers) born Echuca in 1898 4. Violet (Mrs G Ewing) born Echuca in 1902 5. Clarence George Ingram born Echuca in 1906 and died aged 7 months. Violet became a tailoress and Christina a dressmaker. William became a carpenter like his father. Sarah Ann Montgomery died at their home in June 1932 aged 62 years. Clarence died in August 1946 aged 77 years. They are buried in Box Hill Cemetery (P-EB-0020). John Gray was "actively associated with all movements for the benefit of neighbours and fellow citizens". [Quote from the official tribute on his death in 1909.] He was very active in the Surrey Hills Progress Association in the early 1900's. The rotunda built in the Surrey Gardens by the Progress Association in 1912 was dedicated to him. John Gray was born in 1861 in Eldorado. He died on 7 December 1909 in Surrey Hills and is buried in Box Hill Cemetery (M0472). He married Emma Beckett in 1888 at 'Guildford Villa' in Essex Road, the Beckett home. They are listed in both the 1903 and 1906 electoral rolls in Arundel Crescent; his occupation is given as bootmaker. The Alan Holt property register identifies this as 24 Arundel Crescent, known as 'Tumberumba'. John and Emma had a large family: (Gunner) John Robert Gray (1888, Surrey Hills - 21 June 1917, France) Benjamin Walter Gray (1890, Surrey Hills - 1949, Heidelberg) Herbert Harry Gray (1892, Surrey Hills - 1959, Queensland) William Beckett Gray (1897, Surrey Hills - 1899, Surrey Hills) Norman Douglas Gray (1901, Surrey Hills - 1947, Sydney) Evelyn Lizzie Gray (1906, Surrey Hills - 1983) Evelyn married Reginald Roberts and donated a number of photos to the collection. The donor Violet Ewing (nee Montgomery) was Clarence's daughter. She married George Isaac Henry Ewing (blacksmith) in 1934. They inherited the family home at 83 Croydon Road. Although constructed 5 years after their opening, this rotunda was a central feature of the Surrey Gardens which was planted to a design adapted from one suggested by the renowned landscape gardener and botanist William Robert Guilfoyle (1840-1912). Rotundas were a key feature of many late nineteenth and early twentieth century public parks. This particular rotunda was notable for the Chinoiserie influence reflected in its roof. Surrey Gardens are now regarded as one of the City of Boroondara's heritage gardens and this image is significant as evidence of the design of the rotunda which is no longer extant. It is also significant as evidence of the extent of the role of the Surrey Hills Progress Association in the provision of public facilities. A black and white photo of an octagonal rotunda situated within Surrey Gardens taken from the perspective of the main entrance. It is a largely wooden structure with a domed chinoiserie-style roof. The rotunda is enclosed by established gardens. There are 4 people in the photo, with 2 women standing on the steps at the rotunda's entrance. A man and a young person are seated within the rotunda. It has 8 support pillars, which are open with balustrades to 7 sides.rotundas, surrey gardens, union road, surrey hills progress association, surrey hills brass band, parks and reserves, 1925, john gray, clarence montgomery, box hill cemetery, cinema, john gray memorial rotunda, bandstands