On 22 June 1994 the City of Kew ceased as a municiplity and was absorbed into the City of Boroondara as a result of local government restructuring. The City of Kew has a rich history as a commnity based local government and was widely revognised as a leader in the provision of local government services. Colour photograph of a plaque showing the names of the City of Kew Chairmen and Mayors plaque at the entrance of Alexandra Gardens, Kew.kew, alexandra gardens, city of kew, kew municipality, council amalgmation, h.e. wiltshire, ivan wade, l.f.i. hawkins, jack ryan, j.d. ryan, gerrie petrie, dick cremin, r.j. cremin, alan hutchinson, p.n.v. wallinga, noel whiting, martin solomons, j.l. mccue, john hogan gervasoni, kaye cole, s.k. o'brien, r.e. saunders, phyllis hore, joe ormando, j.l. tutt, a.a.b. martin, m. montalto, d.g. oldaker, r.a. streeton, t. indovino, f. barnard, s.s. argyle, j.l. carnegie, f.r> ratten, a.j. mcconchie, jack gervasoni, j.h. gervasoni, s. kellett

Colour enlargement of a photograph (slide) of Southesk (formerly Ordsall) in Cotham Road, Kew (demolished 1970).Colour photograph of the front lawn and façade of ‘Southesk’ (formerly ‘Ordsall’, built for John Halfey in 1882). The house was located on the corner of Cotham Road and Charles Street, Kew. The Italianate mansion was built in the Renaissance villa style on a bluestone plinth. Two balustrades surrounded the parapet of the roof and ran between the groups of pillars on either side of the entrance porch. The verandah was tiled and wide and Corinthian columns supported its roof. When the house passed into the hands of the City of Kew in 1948, the landscaping and formal flower beds were removed and replaced by lawns.The house was demolished in 1970.david carnegie, john halfey, southesk - cotham road - kew (vic), ordsall - cotham road - kew (vic)

Colour enlargement of a photograph (slide) of Southesk (formerly Ordsall) in Cotham Road, Kew (demolished 1970).A colour photograph of the façade of ‘Southesk’ taken at an oblique angle. Formerly known as ‘Ordsall’, the house was built for John Halfey in 1882 on the corner of Cotham Road and Charles Street. The Italianate mansion was built in the Renaissance villa style on a bluestone plinth. Two balustrades surrounded the parapet of the roof and ran between the groups of pillars on either side of the entrance porch. The verandah was tiled and wide and Corinthian columns supported its roof. When the house passed into the hands of the City of Kew in 1948, the Council used it for a kindergarten, an elderly citizen centre and as a home for the Leo Baeck Centre. The house was demolished in 1970.david carnegie, john halfey, southesk - cotham road - kew (vic), ordsall - cotham road - kew (vic)

Colour enlargement of a photograph (slide) of Southesk (formerly Ordsall) in Cotham Road, Kew (demolished 1970).A colour photograph of the façade of ‘Southesk’ taken at an oblique angle. Formerly known as ‘Ordsall’, the house was built for John Halfey in 1882 on the corner of Cotham Road and Charles Street. The Italianate mansion was built in the Renaissance villa style on a bluestone plinth. Two balustrades surrounded the parapet of the roof and ran between the groups of pillars on either side of the entrance porch. The verandah was tiled and wide and Corinthian columns supported its roof. When the house passed into the hands of the City of Kew in 1948, the Council used it for a kindergarten, an elderly citizen centre and as a home for the Leo Baeck Centre. The house was demolished in 1970.david carnegie, john halfey, southesk - cotham road - kew (vic), ordsall - cotham road - kew (vic)

Colour enlargement of a photograph (slide) of Southesk (formerly Ordsall) in Cotham Road, Kew (demolished 1970).Rare colour photograph of the exterior of SoutheskA colour enlargement of the entrance to ‘Southesk’. Formerly known as ‘Ordsall’, the house was built for John Halfey in 1882 on the corner of Cotham Road and Charles Street. This Italianate mansion was built in the Renaissance villa style on a bluestone plinth. The picture provides photographic evidence of the tiling on the veranda and the typically arched doorway. The neon sign above the door was added during the period when it was owned by the City of Kew (1948-70).david carnegie, john halfey, southesk - cotham road - kew (vic), ordsall - cotham road - kew (vic)

Colour enlargement of a photograph (slide) of Southesk (formerly Ordsall) in Cotham Road, Kew (demolished 1970).The ceilings of and architraves of Ordsall were painted by artists employed by the decorating company, Cullis Hill & Co. The frescos, of which fragments survive, were some of the most important murals used as elements of interior decoration in Melbourne during the Boom Period of the 1880s. These photographs were taken immediately prior to the demolition of the house, and are the best examples of the murals.Notwithstanding its grand Italianate façade, the most important aspect of Southesk (formerly ‘Ordsall’) were the murals in the front two rooms. An article in the Melbourne Argus in 1882 records that Mr Vandenbrandt and Signor Rizzi created these under the supervision of Cullis Hill. This fresco from the ceiling of the ballroom depicts ‘Night, represented by a female figure in a diaphanous garment, skirted with flowers, wafted before the approaching dawn into space illuminated by the moonlight, and peopled by the fairies, is a striking picture. Flying with her are an attendant Cupid bearing an artificial light, and a tired little votary of Bacchus with a reversed wine-pitcher and goblet’.david carnegie, john halfey, southesk - cotham road - kew (vic), ordsall - cotham road - kew (vic)

Colour enlargement of a photograph (slide) of Southesk (formerly Ordsall) in Cotham Road, Kew (demolished 1970).The ceilings of and architraves of Ordsall were painted by artists employed by the decorating company, Cullis Hill & Co. The frescos, of which fragments survive, were some of the most important murals used as elements of interior decoration in Melbourne during the Boom Period of the 1880s. These photographs were taken immediately prior to the demolition of the house, and are the best examples of the murals.The most significant decorative aspects of Southesk (formerly ‘Ordsall’) were the murals in the front two rooms. An article in the Melbourne Argus in 1882 records that Mr Vandenbrandt and Signor Rizzi created these under the supervision of Cullis Hill. This fresco from the ceiling of the ballroom is believed to depict two of the Seasons. Signor Rizzi was a renowned painter of flowers. He is credited with painting these parts of the murals. Examples of his floral paintings can still be seen at Villa Alba in Walmer Street.david carnegie, john halfey, southesk - cotham road - kew (vic), ordsall - cotham road - kew (vic)

Colour enlargement of a photograph (slide) of Southesk (formerly Ordsall) in Cotham Road, Kew (demolished 1970).The ceilings of and architraves of Ordsall were painted by artists employed by the decorating company, Cullis Hill & Co. The frescos, of which fragments survive, were some of the most important murals used as elements of interior decoration in Melbourne during the Boom Period of the 1880s. These photographs were taken immediately prior to the demolition of the house, and are the best examples of the murals.The most significant decorative aspects of Southesk (formerly ‘Ordsall’) were the murals in the front two rooms. An article in the Melbourne Argus in 1882 records that Mr Vandenbrandt and Signor Rizzi created these under the supervision of Cullis Hill. This fresco from the ceiling of the ballroom is believed to depict ‘Africa’. The article records that: ‘Notwithstanding the large size of the drawings they are often marked by delicate touches, and a minuteness of detail in evident sympathy with nature. The figures have grace, life and animation and the skillful shading of the colours used — chiefly amber, gold, light blue, green, light fawn and brown – is in harmony with the quiet tone of the general furnishing of the rooms.’david carnegie, john halfey, southesk - cotham road - kew (vic), ordsall - cotham road - kew (vic)

Colour enlargement of a photograph (slide) of Southesk (formerly Ordsall) in Cotham Road, Kew (demolished 1970).The ceilings of and architraves of Ordsall were painted by artists employed by the decorating company, Cullis Hill & Co. The frescos, of which fragments survive, were some of the most important murals used as elements of interior decoration in Melbourne during the Boom Period of the 1880s. These photographs were taken immediately prior to the demolition of the house, and are the best examples of the murals.The most significant decorative aspects of Southesk (formerly ‘Ordsall’) were the murals in the front two rooms. An article in the Melbourne Argus in 1882 records that Mr Vandenbrandt and Signor Rizzi created these under the supervision of Cullis Hill. This fresco from the ceiling of the ballroom is believed to depict one of the ‘boldly drawn four great geographical divisions of the Earth’. The crowned woman, believed to represent Europe, stands aloft in a chariot drawn by cherubs holding garlands of flowers.david carnegie, john halfey, southesk - cotham road - kew (vic), ordsall - cotham road - kew (vic)

Colour enlargement of a photograph (slide) of Southesk (formerly Ordsall) in Cotham Road, Kew (demolished 1970).The ceilings of and architraves of Ordsall were painted by artists employed by the decorating company, Cullis Hill & Co. The frescos, of which fragments survive, were some of the most important murals used as elements of interior decoration in Melbourne during the Boom Period of the 1880s. These photographs were taken immediately prior to the demolition of the house, and are the best examples of the murals.The most significant decorative aspects of Southesk (formerly ‘Ordsall’) were the murals in the front two rooms. An article in the Melbourne Argus in 1882 records that Mr Vandenbrandt and Signor Rizzi created these under the supervision of Cullis Hill. This fresco from the ceiling of the drawingroom was described by the reporter as ‘done in the quaint old 14th century style’. This section depicts ‘out-door sports. The fishing-lines of the jester and the almoner have become entangled, and a large wolf-dog seems disposed to arbitrate in the difficulty, while a party of young men and maidens are angling, feeding swans, or training hawks for a future day’s sport.’david carnegie, john halfey, southesk - cotham road - kew (vic), ordsall - cotham road - kew (vic)

Colour enlargement of a photograph (slide) of Southesk (formerly Ordsall) in Cotham Road, Kew (demolished 1970).The ceilings of and architraves of Ordsall were painted by artists employed by the decorating company, Cullis Hill & Co. The frescos, of which fragments survive, were some of the most important murals used as elements of interior decoration in Melbourne during the Boom Period of the 1880s. These photographs were taken immediately prior to the demolition of the house, and are the best examples of the murals.The most significant decorative aspects of Southesk (formerly ‘Ordsall’) were the murals in the front two rooms. An article in the Melbourne Argus in 1882 records that Mr Vandenbrandt and Signor Rizzi created these under the supervision of Cullis Hill. This fresco from the ceiling of the drawingroom was described by the reporter as ‘done in the quaint old 14th century style … The second panel represents a hawking party. The ladies hold aloft the natural perches for their falcons. The men, seated in picturesque variety of attitude, hold their cross-bows, and a boy is relieving a heron from an arrow which has pierced its bosom.’david carnegie, john halfey, southesk - cotham road - kew (vic), ordsall - cotham road - kew (vic)

Index, p.136.non-fictionThe highly critical report on Australian libraries which led to the Free Library Movementlibraries - australia, carnegie corporation