Transcript: Athenaeum building celebrates 170 years Australian Broadcasting Corporation Broadcast: 11/11/2009 Reporter: Lisa Whitehead Tomorrow marks the 170th birthday of one of the nation's historic cultural landmarks. Melbourne’s Athenaeum building has, in one form or other, provided education and entertainment for the Victorian colony as it became a city; and along the way, documented its growth. Transcript KERRY O’BRIEN, PRESENTER: Tomorrow marks the 170th birthday of one of the nation's historic cultural landmarks. Melbourne's Athenaeum building has, in one form or another, provided education and entertainment. For the Victorian colonies it became a city and along the way documented its growth. The building's original library and theatre still draw devotees and as Lisa Whitehead reports, a loyal band of volunteers. KEVIN QUIGLEY, ATHENAEUM PRESIDENT: There's nothing like us that has been here from day one, four years after the boat pushed ashore, here we are. It's a thread that runs through the life of Melbourne. LISA WHITEHEAD, REPORTER: In the heart of Melbourne's CBD, the Athenaeum is a celebrity in disguise, the oldest cultural icon in the city, but barely noticed. MARJORIE DALVEAN, VOLUNTEER HISTORIAN: People of Melbourne walk past this area and they have no idea what it is. RAY LAWLER, PLAYWRIGHT: It seemed to me to be a place that absolutely, or breathes Melbourne, I suppose, culture. LISA WHITEHEAD: Just four years after Melbourne was founded, the colony built a Mechanic's Institution, one of the first in the world, a place where the working class could meet and learn. KEVIN QUIGLEY: People think of it as Wild West sort of place where these hearty types drank and rushed about, but Melbourne was freely settled. It was a city of people who wanted to better themselves - entrepreneurs. And the Mechanic's Institution was that innovative idea that had grown up in Edinburgh and London about providing an opportunity for education for the working people. LISA WHITEHEAD: Mark Twain lectured there. Later, other buildings were added and a theatre to host classic plays. And it adopted its more bourgeois friendly title of the Athenaeum. Crucially from the start there was the library, the first to offer affordable lending to the working man. And it still attracts devotees. Former University lecturer Margaret Bowman, 89, comes in every Wednesday, along with her dog to join an enthusiastic band of volunteers sorting through the archives. MARGARET BOWMAN, FORMER UNIVERSITY LECTURER: Doing research is something that I find actually I enjoy more than anything. Every old lady needs to have a project and now I've got a project. MARJORIE DALVEAN: Margaret, Christine has just found out that Alfred Deakin was a member here from 1874 to 1877. This place is not flashy, we've never been flashy. But book lovers walk in here and they know this is the place for them. ARCHIVAL FOOTAGE: Old times and old names. The Athenaeum theatre in Melbourne for more than 40 years has been one of the city's best known cinemas. LISA WHITEHEAD: In the 20th century, the theatre surrendered to the new craze of talking pictures, and one particular fan was famous Australian playwright Ray Lawler. At 13, he dropped out of school to work in a Footscray factory and two years later his first trip to the glamorous Athenaeum cinema hinted at the education he was missing. RAY LAWLER: It just had a style about it which I responded to, I think. I was looking for something and this seemed to be part of it. Ray Lawler went on to write "Summer of the Seventeenth Doll" and found literary fame overseas. About a century after it had started as an educational place for the working man, Ray Lawler had, in effect, become an Athenaeum graduate. RAL LAWLER: If they had been looking for the sort of person that they were hoping to encourage along the way, I suppose I would have been somebody that might have fitted the mould, you know. LISA WHITEHEAD: In time, the cinema was returned to its theatrical roots. FRANK THRING, 1977: It has a great resemblance to the Theatre Royal in Hobart which Larry Olivier has called the best theatre he's ever worked in. And it's almost identical. It is the true Victorian playhouse. The horseshoe shaped thing: stalls, dress circle and gallery. And you're close to the audience and they're close to you. Marvellous feeling. LISA WHITEHEAD: Today, it's still a theatre. But time has brought compromises. The once vaunted art gallery has now covered its windows and become a comedy club and performance space. TV and suburban life have eaten away at the library membership. It offers an online service now, and a recent federal government grant will pay for the upkeep of its gracious interior, including the 1930s elevator Ray Lawler used to ride. For him, it's money well spent on history quietly made and discreetly observed. RAY LAWLER: It's the lack of awareness, I think, that people don't know what they've got here. They've really got the whole history of Melbourne almost. KEVIN QUIGLEY: It was a similar organisation in Sydney but we are the only one that's got a continual lineage on the same spot. We started here and we're still here and we'll be here for another 100 years. KERRY O'BRIEN: Lisa Whitehead on a great Melbourne landmark. © 2010 ABC | Privacy Policy Beginning as the Melbourne Mechanics' Institution in 1839, the Melbourne Athenaeum has a long history that reflects the cultural and social development of Melbourne. It continues to be managed as a not-for-profit organisation by a volunteer board, with a subscription library (maintained since 1839) and a leased theatre.Video broadcast ABC 7:30 Report for 11/11/2009. "Tomorrow marks the 170th birthday of one of the nation's historic cultural landmarks. Melbourne’s Athenaeum building has, in one form or other, provided education and entertainment for the Victorian colony as it became a city; and along the way, documented its growth."athenaeum, australian broadcasting corporation, kerry o’brien, kevin quigley, lisa whitehead, marjorie dalvean, ray lawler, margaret bowman, frank thring.

PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN DURING A BACK TO CLUNES.BLACK AND WHITE SNAPSHOT OF TWO PEOPLE DRESSED AS SWAGMEN -WITH OLD CLOTHES, SWAGS AND BILLIES. LUFFS CORNER STORE IN BACKGROUND.photography, events and celebrations, back to clunes

GATHERING OF MEN AND WOMEN BEING PHOTOGRAPHED IN CLUNES TOWN HALL.BLACK AND WHITE PHOTOGRAPH MOUNTED ON GREEN MAT BOARD OF GROUP OF PEOPLE IN FRONT OF STAGE AT CLUNES TOWN HALL, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN DRESSED IN THEIR BEST CLOTHES. AUSTRALIAN COAT OF ARMS DISPLAYED. STAGE SWATHED IN OLD LACE AND MATERIAL CURTAINS.On Front: Hornby Clunesphotography, photographs, events and celebrations, town hall, advance australia

3 Colour Photographs: 718- Showing a group of people talking some sitting and a green overed table with food. 7108a a group of people some standing others sitting ( differnt angle) 7108B similar to 718A sign above teh dorr reads "No Exit" in red letters

7152: 8 PEOPLE, 7 PEOPLE SITTING AROUND A TABLE, 1 SITTING AT ANOTHER TABLE. 7152 -1: 4 PEOPLE SITTING AROUND A TABLE, OLD COMPUTER TO THE RIGHT. 7152-2 A GROUP OF PEOPLE SITTING AROUND A TABLE COVERED IN PAGES AND BOOKS. 7152-: 5 WOMEN STANDING HOLDING CERTIFICATES, ONE MALE SEATED IN FRONT HOLDING CERTIFICATE TO LEFT.biarri

Contains records of different families memories of Peterborough and includes various photographs, some of Peterborough locations but not all are labelled.Significant because it preserves the information and memories which would otherwise be lost and includes old photographs over time of local residents and holidaymakers and glimpses of locations in Peterborough. Looseleaf folder containing stories and copies of photos of people who lived or holidayed in Peterborough.Some photos labelled with name, location and year but not all.cumming family, peterborough, florence calvert, owen moore, elephant rock, hope family, james wallace hope, the schomberg rescue

Peterborough Citizen's Group held a meeting to ascertain support for retention of the old bridge, and how to proceed.Appreciation of old bridge and the efforts conducted in order to keep all or part of the bridge, once the new bridge was built. Short two column article from The Standard, Tuesday July 1985peterborough, peterborough old bridge, curdies river bridge

St. Matthew’s Church Stawell first Manse. Built 1862. Photograph of the original First Manse built in 1862. The photo has two people standing at the corner of the Manse verandah. The garden around the verandah is full of plants. Old Manse 1862 stawell religion

7083: A Group of People standing inside the cemetery Gates. Stawell 7083-1: A Group of People looking at a fenced headstone 7083-2 A Group of people looking at a Monument with houses in background 7083-3 A groupd of people looking at graves 7083-4 A Group of people on a dirt road over a small bridge with a white ute in right foreground.5 Colour Photographs: showing a group of people at various locations lookning at graves, Monuments and a bushland setting.

2 Colour Photographs; 1 Showing Old Adelaide road sign. 1 Large group of people outside.roses gap

Baptist Church members Picnic Groups (3 photos) Probably Halls Gap. Group probably beside Baptist Church c. 1900sThree black & white photos depicting groups of people. Two are the same and one of older period. One photo is of 12 women seated in front of a stone building. The earlier photo in a circular frame is of 9 people in a group in front of a brick building.stawell

Salvation Army Barracks Main Street Stawell. Weatherboard building part roof corrugated iron - remainder wooden shingles. Picket fence in foreground. Large group of people standing and seated on the footpath. The original Salvation Army Barracks is now at the rear of the present Citadel a red brick building. Stawell Corps was opened in the year 1884 in the month of May. The first meeting was conducted in a Church but afterwards the old market (area present Library) was secured for meetings. Captain Furbur and Lieutenant Quick were the first officers appointed. Photograph of a weatherboard building with a group of people standing and sitting in front of a picket fence. Part of the roof of the building is corrugated iron - remainder wooden shingles. The group of people standing and seated on the footpath, are a mixture of adults and children, some in uniforms, women in long dresses. Salvation army Barracks above the building door. Written in handwriting Stawell Barracks Mrs. R.J. Reeve.stawell religion

contains information about old schools in the Pyrenees.Cardboard cover with b/w/ Photo of a large group of people outside in front of a timber building with trees behind.Title on brown background. " Lost schools of the Pyrenees"stawell education

Three black and white photos of Pioneers Memorial Stawell. The larger of the 4 photos is a Post card and taken earlier than the other 3 photos as there is a plastic milk crate over the area where the direction indicator was later placed. This photo also has "Chapman photo Stawell" stamped on the print. Two of the smaller photos show the Pioneer Memorial at a distance with people standing between the memorial and a bus parked to the left of the photograph. One of these two photos has a white seat on the right side. The fourth photo has "Murray View No. 8 Pioneers' Memorial, Stawell Vic". printed on the photograph of the Pioneers' Memorial. Each of the these 3 smaller photos have the direction indicator under the dome.Three black and white photos of Pioneers Memorial Stawell. The larger of the 3 photos is a Post card taken earlier than the other 2 photos as there is a plastic milk crate over the area where the direction indicator was later placed. This photo also has "Chapman photo Stawell" stamped on the print. Two of the smaller photos show the Pioneers' Memorial at a distance with people standing between the memorial and a bus parked to the left in the photograph. One of these two photos has a white seat on the right side. Each of the 2 smaller photos have the direction indicator under the dome.Chapman Photo Stawell (right bottom corner). Post Card printed on the back and also a stamp "Stawell district - Pioneer's Memorial - written inside the stamp is "Every blade of grass that grows And mullock heap and tree, Speak of Old days, the Good days, And times that used to be"stawell

A Small book containing some memories of the People of the congregations of the Glenorchy Uniting Church. Churches of the Glenorchy Home Mission circuit.A Small book - Cream Cover. a Photograph of the Glenorchy Church on front cover. An older Photograph on back cover.Glenorchy Uniting Church. Some Memories of the people And the Churches of the Glenorchy Home Mission Circuit. Compiled by Ruth Pickering.stawell religion, uniting church

2 Colour Photographs; 1 Showing Old Adelaide road sign. 1 Large group of people outside.roses gap

B/W copy from Stawell Newspaper 23/5/1997 of Hotel & Store with group of people at front. Owned by T BibbyThe Old Navarre Inn which burned down 105 years ago. Was alongside the general store. L - R: Richard (Dick) Bibby with horse; Septimus on Horse; Peter; Ann on horse; Joseph; Thomas & Elizabeth Bibby; Youngest daughter Ruth in front; Girl to right unidentified Not a Bibby.hotel

Slovenian Association Melbourne - 35th Anniversary badge in the shape of a Linden leaf, an old Slovenian symbolic tree. The linden tree is a tree of friendship, love and loyalty. During the period of the Slovenian national awakening and the Slovenian people's increasing national awareness, the linden tree became one of the symbols of the Slovenian nation.Slovensko društvo Melbourne 35 - 1954 - 1989 Slovenian Associationbadge, slovenian association melbourne, 35th anniversary, linden leaf

People - "Ellis Family, Townsend Family" Buildings - "Post Office, Store"

People - "Ellis, Jack; Ellis, Max" Buildings - Coliban Flour Mill Associated with - Ellis' Coliban Flour Mill