Showing 34621 items
matching 1990's
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Dandenong/Cranbourne RSL Sub Branch
Book of Servicemens names, S. S. & A. F.A. Dandenong. Lest We Forget, Circa 1940s
Large hard covered book containing names and photographs of 159 deceased Servicemen. Lest We Forget. Roll of Honor. Dedicated to the gallant Sons and Daughters in the Fighting Services of the Dandenong Branch of the Sailors Soldiers and Airmen,s Fathers Association of Victoria. Let not their Sacrifices be in Vain. Photographs are of the following. 143736 RAAF. Y.D Bending. 128756 RAAF LAC R. J. Berry. VX 66913 AIF Pte. J. M. Bland. VX 67586 AIF Sgt. C. Boote. VX 37378 AIF Pte. H. E. Bould. VX 72867 AIF Pte. C. J. Bould. 59887 RAAF LAC. V. A. Bould. VX 41802 AIF Dvr. J. Bradley. VX 113184 AIF Sgt. R. B. Brooks. VX 109393 AIF Sgt. A. Y. Brooks. 49145 RAAF Corp. R. J. Brooks. VX 64333 AIF Corp. D. L. Brumley. WX 9742 AIF. Pte. T. H. Budgeon. VX 85885 AIF Gunner W. M. Buttler. VX 137411 AIF Pte. A.W Cameron. 400037 RAAF Flt. Lieut. W J Canterbury. VX 85253 AIF Capt. T C Canterbury. 49218 RAAF Lac. S E Cannard. VX 24291 AIF Capt. A L Carthew. VX 132044 AIF Gunner G Chandler. VX 68692 AIF Bdr. A J Chandler. 128776 RAAF Acr. D Chrisfield. VX 90726 AIF Gunner W J Chrisfield. 401631 RAAF Flt. Sgt. S Cooper. W2091 RAN Stoker H J B Cooper. VX52731 AIF Cpl. C B Cooper. VX92695 AIF Pte. J M Cornish. 13774 RAAF Flt. Sgt. G R Coulthard. RAN Stoker H F Cross. RAN Stoker. R O Cross. VX15688 AIF Bmd. E J Curran. 42998 RAAF Sgt. R F Dawson. VX 5835 AIF Pte. R R N Dobson. VX 110898 AIF Gunner R B Dunn. RAN Stoker E W Eades. 401424 RAAF Pilot Off. H L Edgoose. VX 89563 AIF Corp. A R Ewart. 401817 RAF Flg. Off. F P Field. VX 2115 AIF Sgt. J E Ford. VX 53019 AIF Dvr. M G Greyling. VX 100355 AIF LCorp. V F Greyling. VX 137580 AIF Corp.J J Greene. VX 138491 AIF Pte. D M Greene. VX 5828 AIF Corp. G S Hamilton. VX 85863 AIF Gunner. B W Hamilton. VX 80141 AIF Gunner A W Hamilton. VX 51804 AIF Gunner E W Harden. 41632 RAAF Lac. T J Hardy. 121213 RAAF Lac. C W Harvey. VX 29054 AIF Pte. F Howard. VX 11914 AIF Corp.D J Hunter. VX 123189 AIF Signaler A W Hussey. VX 147815 AIF Sapper K B Hussey. VX 42893 AIF Sigr. J Hussey. VX 15925 AIF Pte. D R Irvine. 41389 RAAF A/Crew. M Irvine. VX 52919 AIF Gunner A F Issac. VX 136374 W/Off. M G Jarvis. VX 83137 AIF Sgt. R N Jarvis. VX 6220 AIF Pte. R Johnston. VX 12679 AIF Sigr. A J Johnston. 51831 RAAF Lac. M L Keys. VX 89237 AIF Staff /Adj. C H Llewelyn. 55876 RAAF Corp. J R Llewelyn. VX 139945 Pte. M A Llewelyn. 126096 RAAF Lac. E F Lovie. RAN Sigr. A Luxford. VX 109843 AIF Corp. C Mace. VX 85346 AIF Gunner R Mace. VX 133409 AIF Pte. K J Mackenzie. VX 50667 AIF Pte. K H Macindoe. VX 112854 AIF Corp. L J Marshall. RAN A/B M A McCallum. VX 66713 AIF Trooper J L Mc Calman. AIF Corp. J L Mc Carthy. RAAF A/C K Mc Carthy. VX 144119 AIF C/M A J McConnell. VX 26648 AIF Pte. K L McCoy. VX 63759 Pte. S V McCoy. 128190 RAAF Lac. G E McDonald. VX 101980 AIF W/O A McDonough. VX 83581 AIF Dvr. N P McGrath. VX 64933 AIF Pte. J McLaren. VX 5086 AIF Pte P McLaren. VX 48798 AIF Lieut. R A McPherson. 125723 RAAF Lac. G M McPherson. 52002 RAAF Lac. G W Mussett. VX 80158 AIF Pte. K S G Nankivell. VX 18938 AIF Dvr. W H Norris. VX 41804 AIF Pte. R E Norris. VX 137948 AIF Lieut. E C C Norris. VX 122762 AIF Sgt. G C Norris. VX 902 AIF Bombd. S G Oakley. VX 113395 AIF Sgt. K J Oldmeadow. NX 84580 AIF Gunner L Oldmeadow. 118349 RAAF Lac. M W Oldmeadow. RAAF F/O C J Oldmeadow. 205672 RAAF W/O A R Orr. VX 14383 AIF Dvr. D C Owler. 428562 RAAF Lac W G Pocknee. RAAF F/O F R Pocknee. VX 47310 AIF Sgt. J Pocknee. 142216 RAAF A/C G Palmer. VX130212 AIF Sgt. J A Palmer. VX 5838 AIF Corp. A L Philp. VX 36554 AIF Pte. R H Phillips. VX 121360 AIF Pte. S Phillips. VX 44179 AIF Signr. H Phillips. 418565 RAAF F/Sgt. J Phillipson. VX 65396 AIF Sgt. A L Pike. 408515 RAAF F/O H L Pleydell. VX 56464 AIF Pte G Randall. VX 101729 AIF Sapper J Richards. VX 1393 AIF Corp. A Rice. 252694 RAAF F/O J J Rice. VX 47285 AIF Gunner W J Riddell. VX 29095 AIF Corp. E W Riddell. VX 115375 AIF Bombd. R C T Riddell. VX 55435 AIF Sgt. B C Robert. VX 107273 AIF Bombd. W H Rodd. VX 62248 AIF Trooper A B Rogers. VX 6417 AIF Lieut. A C Russell. VX 79861 AIF Sapper A G Ryland. PM 542 RAN C.P.O E G Saggers. 410734 RAAF P/O. W Schoon. VX 133783 AIF L/Cpl. J Sharkie. VX 118910 AIF Gunner R T Sleeth. RAN Stoker A R Smith. VX 70614 AIF Pte,R S T Smith. VX 29106 AIF Pte. N Smith. VX 108076 AIF Lieut. L B Stuart. RAN Stoker N D StClair. RAAF Flt/Off. D Swann. 252284 RAAF Flt/Lieut. M R Swann. 408537 RAAF Sgt/Pilot R R J Swords. 51502 RAAF Lac. L R Taylor. VX 55365 AIF Tpr. C Tebb. VX 75522 AIF Pte. R J Toogood. VX 102902 AIF Sapper L B Topsell. VX 143983 AIF Pte. G Vines. VX 54677 AIF Sgt. H A Vines. VX 53827 AIF Cpl. A Walker. 410743 RAAF Flt/Sgt. J M Walker. VX 48654 AIF Sapper S R Walters. VX 69063 AIF Sapper C H Walters. 428392 RAAF Sgt. R C Westmoreland. VX 119494 AIF Dvr. W H Wharton. VX 73771 AIF Pte. F G Wharton. VX 23645 AIF Dvr. J W Wharton. VX 52333 AIF Pte. R A Wharton. PM 4551 RAN Abl/Sea. C P Whiteman. VX 60652 AIF Slgr. R B S Whitwell. VX 113345 AIF Sgt. W J Williams. VX 42674 AIF Cpl. T J Williams. VX 143637 AIF Pte. T A Williams. VX 88121 AIF Capt. R E Williams. 41738 RAAF Cpl. A F Wood. 49725 RAAF Lac. K A Wood. 42333 RAAF Cpl. S T Wood. -
Ringwood and District Historical Society
Photograph, George Paul Burns with ox dray Circa 1920's
Black and white photograph"Written on back of photograph" George Paul Burns with ox dray in Pitt Street. Circa 1920's (Similar photograph RA90 in NWD 02-08-08) -
Ringwood and District Historical Society
Photograph, Distance casting -Ringwood- Circa 1940's
Black and white photograph - postcard size"Written on back of photograph" Distance casting -Ringwood First time using 51 ft head,40yds Beening cast Jack Myles - Circa 1940's -
Federation University Historical Collection
Photograph - Photograph - Colour, VIOSH: BP Oil Group, 1996; Certificate Course in OH&S extended to include environmental management
Victorian Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (VIOSH) Australia is the Asia-Pacific centre for teaching and research in occupational health and safety (OHS) and is known as one of Australia's leaders on the field. VIOSH has a global reputation for its innovative approach within the field of OHS management. VIOSH had its first intake of students in 1979. At that time the Institution was known as the Ballarat College of Advanced Education. In 1990 it became known as Ballarat University College, then in 1994 as University of Ballarat. It was 2014 that it became Federation University. VIOSH Australia students are safety managers, senior advisors and experienced OHS professionals. They come from all over Australia and industry. Students are taught active research and enquiry; rather than textbook learning and a one-size fits all approach. VIOSH accepts people into the Graduate Diploma of Occupational Hazard Management who have no undergraduate degree - on the basis of extensive work experience and knowledge. The Certificate Course in OH&S including environmental management began in 1995. This group is the second intake in this course and were from BP Oil. It was held at the University of Ballarat.Colour photograph of students viosh, victorian institute of occupational safety and health, university of ballarat, bp oil, environmental management -
Greensborough Historical Society
School Photograph - Digital Image, Greensborough Primary School Gr2062 1975 Grade Prep S, 1975_
Class photograph from Greensborough Primary School No.2062.1975 Grade Prep S. Student names are not identified.Digital copy of colour group photograph.Class name marked on photograph.greensborough primary school, greensborough state school -
Stawell Historical Society Inc
Photograph, Mrs Catherine Agnes Davies looking out serving window of Kanya Post Office c1950's
Mrs Catherine Agnes Davies looking out serving window of Kanya Post Office c1950'sstawell -
Stawell Historical Society Inc
Photograph, Mr Gordon Fry & Mrs Nancy Fry nee Moore's Home in Longfield St with an 1957 FE Holden c1960's
Home of Gordon Fry & Nancy (nee Moore) Longfield St. c1960's 1957 FE Holdenstawell -
National Wool Museum
Book, Cloth Sample, Cumberland "extra light super 100's"
A cloth sample book, containing samples of Cumberland "extra light super 100's" suiting fabric.textile design, cumberland, cloth - worsted -
Stawell Historical Society Inc
Craft - Doily's, Doily Set c1940's - Chapman Mason Collection
These would have been in daily use in the Chapman household. Doily Set used on bedroom dressing table or loungeroom dressers. 8 Doily's Linen & Cotton hand embroidered with crotchet edges 1 set of Three Doily's c1940's . Lavender flowers & lace edge crotchet 1 pink hand embroidered table doily of cotton material 1 off white embroidered table doily crotchet edges 1 small lace table cloth 1 large crotched doily. 1 small hand embroidered cloth with lace edge 1 large circular crotchet table cloth bone colour 1 white table cloth shaped square with crotched lace towards centre and edges 1 bone coloured crotchet doily Circa 1940's -
Federation University Historical Collection
Engineering, John S Bushnell & Co, Steam Engine Indicator, c.1894
http://www.archivingindustry.com/Indicator/chapterfour.pdfSteel steam engine indicator with accessories as shown ; velvet lined timber storage case 255mm x 220mm with brass hinges and latches. Additional information can be found online via: http://www.archivingindustry.com/Indicator/chapterfour.pdf Refer p. 4-23 [last viewed 20 May 2013][a] John S Bushnell & Co, New York Pat.Feb.20.1894 [b] New York Pat.Jan.19.1892 1257 bushnell, bachelder, spring indicator, engine indicator, wightman -
National Wool Museum
Annual Report, Geelong R.S.&S. Co. Ltd; 39th Annual Report, 1959
"Geelong R.S.&S. Woollen and Worsted Co-operative Manufacturing Coy. Ltd. 39th Annual Report 1959".RSS Mill Annual Report for 1959.textile mills, returned soldiers and sailors mill -
National Wool Museum
Annual Report, Geelong R.S.&S. Co. Ltd; 48th Annual Report, 1968
"Geelong R.S.&S. Woollen and Worsted Co-operative Manufacturing Coy. Ltd. 48th Annual Report 1968".textile mills, returned soldiers and sailors mill -
National Wool Museum
Annual Report, Geelong R.S.&S. Co. Ltd; 53rd Annual Report, 1973
"Geelong R.S.&S. Woollen and Worsted Co-operative Manufacturing Coy. Ltd. 53rd Annual Report 1973".RSS Mill Annual Report for 1973. Detail of RSS Mill logo from the back cover of the 1973 annual report.textile mills, returned soldiers and sailors mill -
Stawell Historical Society Inc
Photograph, L & W Bennett's Post Office in Longfield Street Stawell West 1960's
L & W Bennett Post Office Longfield Street Stawell and Ed Ham Milk Bar 1960's post office, milk bar -
Stawell Historical Society Inc
Photograph, Stawell Lawn Bowling Club c1940's -- Postcard
Post card photo of Ladies and Gents at Bowling Club c1940's Stawell Bowling Club in front of pavilionstawell sport -
Malmsbury Historical Society
Photograph (Item), S E Hooppell & Son General Merchant At Unknown Locality 1900, Malmsbury 1900
People - "Hooppell, Samuel Ebenezer & Son" Buildings - "Shop & Dwelling?, Gate" Associated with - S E Hooppell & Son -
Stawell Historical Society Inc
Photograph, Stawell lower Main Street looking towards Grampians 1960's
B/W 1960's Main Street, Town Clock, bank of Australia, Café and Grampians Mountains in background. streetscape -
Bendigo Military Museum
Book - BOOKS WW1, Official History of Australia in the War 1914-18, 1), .3), .4), .5), .8), .9), .10), .11), .12) 1940; .2) 1938; .6) 1942; .7) 1939
12 x Volumes. Hard cardboard covers, red buckram, gold print on spines. Cut, plain, off white pages. Black / white photos, maps & illustrations. .1) Vol 1 The Story of ANZAC (Tenth Edition), 662 pages. .2) Vol 11 The Story of ANZAC (Sixth Edition), 975 pages. .3) Vol III The AIF in France 1916 (Tenth Edition), 1036 pages. .4) Vol IV The AIF in France 1917 (Tenth Edition), 1030 pages. .5) Vol V The AIF in France 1918 (Seventh Edition), 825 pages. .6) Vol VI The AIF in France 1918, 1096 pages. .7) Vol VII Sinai and Palestine (Eighth Edition), 844 pages. .8) Vol VIII Australian Flying Coirpr (Ninth Edition), 493 pages. .9) Vol IX The Royal Australian Navy (Eighth Edition), 649 pages. .10) Vol X The Australians At Rabaul (Eighth Edition), 412 pages. .11) Vol XI Australia During the War (Sixth Edition), 922 pages. .12) Vol XII Photographic Record of The War (Fourteenth Edition), 753 pages, glossy white paper.book, official history ww1, bean -
Kew Historical Society Inc
Photograph - A Class 237, A Class 231, & Y Class 469 at the Kew Depot, 1990
This colour photograph, with 15 others are enlargements gifted to the Society by Mel Lawrence in 2016. They were taken at a commemorative event from the Kew Tram Depot. Laminated colour enlargement of two A Class Trams Nos 237 and 231, with a Y Class 469 in the background at a re-enactment in the Kew Depot in 1990.Annotation reverse: "Kew Depot 1990. A Class 237 231 Y Class 469"kew tram depot, a class trams, y class trams, trams -- melbourne -
Vision Australia
Functional object - Object, Hanna Match, Carols by Candlelight matchbox, 1990
Rectangular box of matches sold at Carols by Candlelight. White box with 'Carols by Candlelight 1990' in blue lettering, with a Hungry Jacks logo in the centre. On the reverse side, also in blue lettering, 'Royal Victorian Institute for the Blind Carols by Candlelight 1990'.1 box of white headed matchesCarols by Candelight 1990 Hungry Jacks logocarols by candlelight, fundraising -
Unions Ballarat
Off the record : The private papers of Harry S. Truman (Don Woodward Collection), Ferrell, Robert H, 1980
Harry Truman's private diaries, letters and other materials. The book covers Truman's time as president of the United States up until his death. Truman was a United States Senator from Missouri (1935–1945), became USA Vice President (1945); he became President later in 1945 when Franklin D. Roosevelt passed away and then held office until 1953.Historical, political and biographical interest.Book; 448 pages. Dustjacket: plastic covering; white background; black and white photograph of Harry S. Truman; editor's name and title. Cover: blue background; gold lettering; author's name and title. Caulfield-Malvern Regional Library: library coding, cancelled stamp.btlc, ballarat trades hall, ballarat trades and labour council, politics and government, politics - united states of america, autobiography, truman, harry s, presidents - united states, roosevelt, franklin -
Stawell Historical Society Inc
Photograph, Great Western Township looking North from Paxton Street c1890's
Great Western Township c1890's looking North from Paxton Street. Original Hotel. Store. Salinger's and Cottages.stawell -
Stawell Historical Society Inc
Photograph, Big Hill Area overlooking Stawell with the Stawell Technical School Building near the centre 1970's
Scene from Big Hill Area overlooking Stawell. Stawell Technical School Building near centre. 1970'sstawell -
Stawell Historical Society Inc
Photograph, Toilet Block / Comfort Station on the corner of Main & Wimmera Street after car crashed into it c1970's
Toilet Block / Comfort Station Cnr. Main Street & Wimmera Street after car crashed into it. Early 1970's.stawell -
National Wool Museum
Book, Methods of test for textiles: B S Handbook no.11 1963
"Methods of test for textiles (excluding colour fastness tests): B S Handbook no.11, 1963" -British Standards Institution.textile fibres textile testing, british standards institution, textile fibres, textile testing -
Wonga Park Community Cottage History Group
Photograph (sub-item) - Yarra Brae homestead, date unknown, probably in the 1960’s. [It would appear to be the Buruma family standing on the front steps.]
Yarra Brae homestead, date unknown, probably in the 1960’s. [It would appear to be the Buruma family standing on the front steps.] -
Stawell Historical Society Inc
Photograph, Mr Frank Bennett & Mrs Kathleen Bennett nee Egan from Deep Lead with family from L to R is Charles, Neil, Lesley & Lawrie 1940's -- Studio Portrait
Deep Lead Portrait Frank and Kathleen Bennett's family L to R Charles Neil Lesley Lawrie 1940'sstawell deep lead -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Photograph, Mary Owen, granddaughter of Walter Withers, unveiling the commemorative plaque on Walter Withers Rock at the corner of Bible and Arthur Streets, Eltham, 13 Oct 1990, 13/10/1990
[from EDHS Newsletter No. 75, November 1990:] WALTER WITHERS PLAQUE At long last we have unveiled our plaque in the Walter Withers Reserve. The function was attended by a number of members and friends of the Society and descendants of the Withers family. Following the unveiling, the group proceeded to the Eltham Shire Office for afternoon tea and a small exhibition of Withers' paintings arranged by Andrew Mackenzie. The unveiling was performed by Mary Owen, a grand-daughter of Walter Withers. Her speech provided an interesting personal perspective on Withers and is repeated in full here: I feel somewhat overwhelmed by the responsibility of paying tribute to the man you have all come to honour today. I have the feeling that most of you probably know more about him and his work than I do. Walter Withers died nearly seven years before I was born and so I never knew him. Sadly, although other members of his family inherited some of his talent, I was not among them and I know very little about art. This is doubly hard to bear because my husband had some ability to draw and my second daughter also has some talent in this direction. My children are all artistic - mostly in the field of music inherited partly from their father - a Welshman who sang like a Welshman - and partly from my grandmother, Fanny Withers who, I believe was no mean pianist. However all this talent gave me a miss and for many years I felt a complete ignoramus in the fields of the arts. It was not until I was nearly fifty years old that I walked into a gallery in Brisbane and, as I wandered around the room, suddenly one picture leapt at me and I knew instantly that it had been painted by my grandfather. I had never seen the picture before and it gave me quite a shock to find that I had recognized the style of painting. I realized then that I had absorbed more than I realized simply by living with pictures and with people who painted them and talked about their painting and the painting of others. When I was a child I sometimes spent school holidays with my Aunt Margery Withers and her husband, Richard McCann. Aunt Marge painted me several times but I'm afraid I was a restless subject and used to sit reading a book and look up grudgingly when she wanted to paint my eyes. During the September holidays my aunt and uncle were busy preparing paintings far the annual exhibition of the Melbourne Twenty Painters, to which they both belonged. I remember how important I used to feel when they took me along to the Athenaeum Gallery on the Friday night before the opening to help hang their pictures. There were many artists there but the two I remember are perhaps surprisingly both women: Miss Bale and Miss Tweddle. I remember how cold it used to be up in that gallery at night. They used to heat water on a gas ring to make tea and Aunt Marge used to bring sandwiches and fruit for our evening meal. Everyone seemed to be poor in those days and no-one dreamed of going out for a meal. It was a case of make-do - even to cutting down frames to fit pictures or cutting pictures to fit the frames. They had to use the same frames from year to year if the pictures didn't sell. The opening was an exciting event for me. I felt I was privileged to meet important people - people who knew a lot more than I - and Uncle Dick would get quite merry after a couple of the tiny sweet sherries which were always distributed. I realise now that quite a lot of "art talk" rubbed off on me during my visits to the Athenaeum and during my stays with my aunt and uncle. I suspect that much of our most useful learning comes this way and those of us who have had the privilege of associating with artists, writers, philosophers and other thinkers have a richness in our lives of which we may be unaware. Walter Withers was a prolific painter and, although he painted for love of it, I suspect that the need to provide for his family drove him, like Mozart, to greater efforts than he might otherwise have achieved. Reading old letters and articles about the Heidelberg artists, I have come to realize something of the constant strain placed on many of them - particularly Withers and McCubbin - by poverty and the need to make ends meet. Withers was ever conscious of the need to provide for his wife and his five children and there are touching letters to his wife, regretting that he was not able to earn more for them. In addition to his painting, he worked hard at teaching and illustrating and, as he grew older, the strain began to tell and his health deteriorated. He seems never to have had a very strong constitution and suffered from rheumatism, which must have made painting quite painful at times. His eldest daughter, Gladys, was eventually confined to a wheelchair with rheumatoid arthritis and I have a tendency to arthritis myself, so I am particularly aware of what this could have meant to him. Recently I found a short letter written by my mother to her mother, Fanny Withers on the anniversary of her father's birthday in 1919, in which she said: "Poor old Dad, I often think now what a lot he must have suffered. His life was too hard and too strenuous for him. He had too many chick-a-biddies, I think. He wasn't equal to so much town life and train journeys with so many delicacies as he had. Since I have been ill, I have realised what he must have felt like.” He certainly drove himself to produce. He travelled all over Victoria by train, buggy, bicycle and on foot and for a time he travelled from Eltham to Melbourne every day by train, although later he lived in Melbourne during the week and only returned to Eltham for the weekends. My mother died seven years after her father's death, when my twin sisters were 10 days old and I was 16 months. So I never knew my mother or my grandfather. But my two aunts, Gladys and Margery, sometimes took me to stay with Gan Withers at Southernwood in Bolton Street . No cars in those days and it seemed a very long hot and dusty walk from the Station. Three memories remain with me of Southernwood. One is the well at the back which I found quite terrifying; the second is Gan killing a snake - even more terrifying. She was a formidable woman, my grandmother and a great ally and support to her husband. I think she was the business end of the partnership. The third memory of Southernwood is my grandfather's studio – down what seemed like a toy staircase inside the room. This and the big walk-in fireplace stayed in my mind from the age of about six until I saw them again about forty years later when the house was being used as a Sunday School. I just wish that money could be found to purchase this old house for the City of Eltham so that a permanent museum could be established in memory of a man who did so much to put Eltham on the map of art history. Recently I have become interested in family history and spent some time in England, Ireland and Wales looking for traces of my ancestors. I realized then how important it is to have records of people who have contributed to our society. We forget so soon and it is amazing how often, within two generations, names, dates and many details are forgotten. We are fortunate that so many of Walter Withers' works have been bought by galleries and that people like Andrew Mackenzie have taken the trouble to search out people who knew him and to write about him and his work. And I am very grateful to the Historical Society of Eltham for recognizing the importance of having a permanent tribute in Eltham to the contribution made by Walter Withers, who loved Eltham so much and who has assured this lovely district a place in the annals of history. I am indebted to Kathleen Mangan; the daughter of another famous Australian painter , Fred McCubbin, - featured in The Age this morning (thanks again to Andrew Mackenzie) for the most apt tribute to Walter Withers. Kathleen is not well and she rang me a couple of days ago, regretting that she could not be present today “to pay tribute” as she said, “to Walter Withers for I always think Walter Withers is the spirit of Eltham.” Thank you, Kathleen. And now I have much pleasure in unveiling the plaque commissioned by the Eltham Historical Society from Bob McLellan of Charmac Industries to commemorate the life and work of Walter Withers, the spirit of Eltham. Mary Owen, 13 October 1990.Three colour photographswalter withers rock, walter withers reserve, mary owen -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Photograph, Mary Owen, granddaughter of Walter Withers, unveiling the commemorative plaque on Walter Withers Rock at the corner of Bible and Arthur Streets, Eltham, 13 Oct 1990, 13/10/1990
[from EDHS Newsletter No. 75, November 1990:] WALTER WITHERS PLAQUE At long last we have unveiled our plaque in the Walter Withers Reserve. The function was attended by a number of members and friends of the Society and descendants of the Withers family. Following the unveiling, the group proceeded to the Eltham Shire Office for afternoon tea and a small exhibition of Withers' paintings arranged by Andrew Mackenzie. The unveiling was performed by Mary Owen, a grand-daughter of Walter Withers. Her speech provided an interesting personal perspective on Withers and is repeated in full here: I feel somewhat overwhelmed by the responsibility of paying tribute to the man you have all come to honour today. I have the feeling that most of you probably know more about him and his work than I do. Walter Withers died nearly seven years before I was born and so I never knew him. Sadly, although other members of his family inherited some of his talent, I was not among them and I know very little about art. This is doubly hard to bear because my husband had some ability to draw and my second daughter also has some talent in this direction. My children are all artistic - mostly in the field of music inherited partly from their father - a Welshman who sang like a Welshman - and partly from my grandmother, Fanny Withers who, I believe was no mean pianist. However all this talent gave me a miss and for many years I felt a complete ignoramus in the fields of the arts. It was not until I was nearly fifty years old that I walked into a gallery in Brisbane and, as I wandered around the room, suddenly one picture leapt at me and I knew instantly that it had been painted by my grandfather. I had never seen the picture before and it gave me quite a shock to find that I had recognized the style of painting. I realized then that I had absorbed more than I realized simply by living with pictures and with people who painted them and talked about their painting and the painting of others. When I was a child I sometimes spent school holidays with my Aunt Margery Withers and her husband, Richard McCann. Aunt Marge painted me several times but I'm afraid I was a restless subject and used to sit reading a book and look up grudgingly when she wanted to paint my eyes. During the September holidays my aunt and uncle were busy preparing paintings far the annual exhibition of the Melbourne Twenty Painters, to which they both belonged. I remember how important I used to feel when they took me along to the Athenaeum Gallery on the Friday night before the opening to help hang their pictures. There were many artists there but the two I remember are perhaps surprisingly both women: Miss Bale and Miss Tweddle. I remember how cold it used to be up in that gallery at night. They used to heat water on a gas ring to make tea and Aunt Marge used to bring sandwiches and fruit for our evening meal. Everyone seemed to be poor in those days and no-one dreamed of going out for a meal. It was a case of make-do - even to cutting down frames to fit pictures or cutting pictures to fit the frames. They had to use the same frames from year to year if the pictures didn't sell. The opening was an exciting event for me. I felt I was privileged to meet important people - people who knew a lot more than I - and Uncle Dick would get quite merry after a couple of the tiny sweet sherries which were always distributed. I realise now that quite a lot of "art talk" rubbed off on me during my visits to the Athenaeum and during my stays with my aunt and uncle. I suspect that much of our most useful learning comes this way and those of us who have had the privilege of associating with artists, writers, philosophers and other thinkers have a richness in our lives of which we may be unaware. Walter Withers was a prolific painter and, although he painted for love of it, I suspect that the need to provide for his family drove him, like Mozart, to greater efforts than he might otherwise have achieved. Reading old letters and articles about the Heidelberg artists, I have come to realize something of the constant strain placed on many of them - particularly Withers and McCubbin - by poverty and the need to make ends meet. Withers was ever conscious of the need to provide for his wife and his five children and there are touching letters to his wife, regretting that he was not able to earn more for them. In addition to his painting, he worked hard at teaching and illustrating and, as he grew older, the strain began to tell and his health deteriorated. He seems never to have had a very strong constitution and suffered from rheumatism, which must have made painting quite painful at times. His eldest daughter, Gladys, was eventually confined to a wheelchair with rheumatoid arthritis and I have a tendency to arthritis myself, so I am particularly aware of what this could have meant to him. Recently I found a short letter written by my mother to her mother, Fanny Withers on the anniversary of her father's birthday in 1919, in which she said: "Poor old Dad, I often think now what a lot he must have suffered. His life was too hard and too strenuous for him. He had too many chick-a-biddies, I think. He wasn't equal to so much town life and train journeys with so many delicacies as he had. Since I have been ill, I have realised what he must have felt like.” He certainly drove himself to produce. He travelled all over Victoria by train, buggy, bicycle and on foot and for a time he travelled from Eltham to Melbourne every day by train, although later he lived in Melbourne during the week and only returned to Eltham for the weekends. My mother died seven years after her father's death, when my twin sisters were 10 days old and I was 16 months. So I never knew my mother or my grandfather. But my two aunts, Gladys and Margery, sometimes took me to stay with Gan Withers at Southernwood in Bolton Street . No cars in those days and it seemed a very long hot and dusty walk from the Station. Three memories remain with me of Southernwood. One is the well at the back which I found quite terrifying; the second is Gan killing a snake - even more terrifying. She was a formidable woman, my grandmother and a great ally and support to her husband. I think she was the business end of the partnership. The third memory of Southernwood is my grandfather's studio – down what seemed like a toy staircase inside the room. This and the big walk-in fireplace stayed in my mind from the age of about six until I saw them again about forty years later when the house was being used as a Sunday School. I just wish that money could be found to purchase this old house for the City of Eltham so that a permanent museum could be established in memory of a man who did so much to put Eltham on the map of art history. Recently I have become interested in family history and spent some time in England, Ireland and Wales looking for traces of my ancestors. I realized then how important it is to have records of people who have contributed to our society. We forget so soon and it is amazing how often, within two generations, names, dates and many details are forgotten. We are fortunate that so many of Walter Withers' works have been bought by galleries and that people like Andrew Mackenzie have taken the trouble to search out people who knew him and to write about him and his work. And I am very grateful to the Historical Society of Eltham for recognizing the importance of having a permanent tribute in Eltham to the contribution made by Walter Withers, who loved Eltham so much and who has assured this lovely district a place in the annals of history. I am indebted to Kathleen Mangan; the daughter of another famous Australian painter , Fred McCubbin, - featured in The Age this morning (thanks again to Andrew Mackenzie) for the most apt tribute to Walter Withers. Kathleen is not well and she rang me a couple of days ago, regretting that she could not be present today “to pay tribute” as she said, “to Walter Withers for I always think Walter Withers is the spirit of Eltham.” Thank you, Kathleen. And now I have much pleasure in unveiling the plaque commissioned by the Eltham Historical Society from Bob McLellan of Charmac Industries to commemorate the life and work of Walter Withers, the spirit of Eltham. Mary Owen, 13 October 1990.Two colour photographswalter withers rock, walter withers reserve, mary owen -
Yarrawonga and Mulwala Pioneer Museum
Medallion, W S Cox Plate, 1993
W S Cox Plate first run in 1922 named in honour of William Samuel Cox, founder of Moonee Valley RaccecourseBronze medallion mounted on card with description of the race eg length, prize, history and list of winnersSede photo