Great Hall at Montsalvat built 1938-52, designed by Justus Jorgensen Covered under National Estate, National Trust of Australia (Victoria) State Significance, Victorian Heritage and Heritage Overlay, Nillumbik Planning Scheme. Published: Nillumbik Now and Then /​ Marguerite Marshall 2008; photographs Alan King with Marguerite Marshall.; p129 At first glance, Montsalvat, the artists’ community at Hillcrest Avenue, Eltham, could belong to another time and place. The French provincial Gothic-style buildings blend picturesquely with the introduced and native trees and farm animals on the five hectare property. But Montsalvat belongs very much to today’s Eltham, having inspired much of its creative activity and style. The use of mud-brick and recycled building materials, for which Eltham is so well-known, was largely popularised by Montsalvat. Montsalvat – unique in Victoria and probably in Australia – is registered by the National Trust and National Estate.1 Montsalvat, named after the castle of the Knights of the Holy Grail, has attracted artists and intellectuals since it was founded in 1934. For years at weekends, artists, lawyers, philosophers, politicians and others, who shared a love for what Montsalvat stood for, gathered for a meal and stimulating discussion. The focus for this gathering of talent was Justus Jörgensen, an eccentric man with vision and charisma. It was Jörgensen’s foresight that saw the creation of Montsalvat, which in 1975 was formed into a trust to benefit the Victorian people. The property was then valued at about three million dollars. It is now visited by thousands of people annually. Born in 1894 and brought up a Catholic, Jörgensen had trained as an architect. He later studied painting at the National Gallery School under artist, Frederick McCubbin, then joined the studio of artist Max Meldrum. In 1924, Jörgensen married medical student Lillian Smith, and with artist friends they travelled to Europe to study the great masters. In London Jörgensen exhibited in several major galleries. One of his still life paintings was included in the book The Art of Still Life by Herbert Furst, which featured 100 of the greatest ever still life paintings.2 In 1929, Jörgensen returned to Melbourne where Lil, now qualified, worked as an anaesthetist at St Vincent’s Hospital. They bought a small house in Brighton and Jörgensen rented a large building in Queen Street for his studio until the Royal Automobile Club of Victoria bought it in 1955. While designing and overseeing the building of a studio for his friend the famous cartoonist Percy Leason, in Lavender Park Road, Jörgensen decided to buy land for a country retreat in Eltham. So the building of Montsalvat began. Jörgensen gathered around a dozen of his friends and students from his Queen Street studio. They set to work, first at weekends then some decided to live permanently on the site. Jörgensen had seen mud-brick buildings in Spain and recognised that Eltham’s clay soil was ideal for mud-bricks and although labour intensive, it was a very cheap way of building. Jörgensen’s students and friends worked under his direction with the help of local tradesmen, including carpenter, Len Jarrold and later stone mason, Horrie Judd. In return Jörgensen would give the students a painting lesson or two. It was the Great Depression when many were out of work. Jörgensen also inspired people to give generously of money and materials. With their help Jörgensen found second-hand materials for building. Friends donated slate for roofing, discarded firebricks were used for flooring and windows and doors and a cast-iron circular staircase came from a wrecker. The students’ day started at 7am with building and domestic chores, shared equally between the sexes. The first building was used by his friends at weekends and then became a home for his wife Lil. It consisted of three rooms and an attic under a high-pitched roof. Jörgensen then built a similar structure with the same high-pitched roof as a more permanent home for his students. The two buildings were joined together with a tower and a studio for Jörgensen. While excavating for the studio a reef of yellow mud-stone was found and then used in construction. The next building was the Great Hall, to be used for dining, exhibitions and meetings and completed in 1958, after a halt during the war. Whelan the Wrecker donated the stone-framed windows from the building that housed the Victorian Insurance Co. in Collins Street, which had been demolished in the 1930s. The swimming pool was donated and cubicles were built for the students with their initials marked in tiles on each doorstep.1 One of Jörgensen’s great abilities was to recognise how to use material which harmonised. He would comb through wreckers’ yards for what he needed. Regarding his buildings as sculptural pieces, his first consideration was for the aesthetic quality of a building and only then for its functionality.2 At Montsalvat, Jörgensen found he was able to put his ideas into practice without compromise and those who worked with him had to conform to his ideas. With the Jörgensens, the colony’s original nucleus consisted of the Skipper family – Mervyn and wife Lena, daughters Helen and Sonia and son Matcham,who was to become an eminent jeweller and sculptor represented in National Gallery collections throughout Australia and in European museums.3 Other members were Arthur Munday, Lesley Sinclair, Helen Lempriere, Ian Robertson, John Smith, George Chalmers, John Busst and Sue Van der Kellan; also Jörgensen’s three sons – Max, Sebastian and Sigmund – and Saskia, Sonia Skipper and Arthur Munday’s daughter. Montsalvat went through some hard times when local gossips spread rumours of sexual shenanigans at Montsalvat. However Montsalvat also had many local supporters – especially amongst the local tradespeople. The colony was certainly unconventional – with Jörgensen’s wife Lil (and son Max) and life-time partner Helen Skipper, (mother of Sebastian and Sigmund) living at Montsalvat. Sonia Skipper says in her biography that the group were ‘very conscious of their responsibilities to each other and a desire to make their relationships work’.4 By World War Two many buildings around the Great Hall were completed. Jörgensen was a pacifist, as were most of his students. Some of the Montsalvat community enlisted while others engaged in essential services like dairy farming and market gardening for the war effort. It was then that Jörgensen constructed farm buildings. After the war many well-known personalities such as Clifton Pugh, landscape gardener Gordon Ford, and builder Alistair Knox, were drawn to Montsalvat. They learnt that building was not a ‘sacred cow’ only for professionals, but that anyone who was willing to get their hands dirty could do it. The post-war shortage of materials also encouraged builders to follow Montsalvat’s lead in reusing materials. When Jörgensen died in 1975, his influence did not – thanks largely to the vigilance of his son, Sigmund, who became its administrator. The weekend dinners have gone, but in 2008 about 14 artists still work at Montsalvat – some living there – including a couple who have been there since its early days. Under Sigmund’s direction Montsalvat further expanded its activities which included festivals, art exhibitions, concerts and weddings. Sigmund completed the Chapel, then the Long Gallery next to the pool, After the barn burnt down, he replaced it in 1999 (the builder was Hamish Knox, Alistair’s son) with a new gallery and entrance and added a restaurant. Sigmund has been careful that any new building blends in with the character of Montsalvat. In 2006 Montsalvat was restructured for its continued financial viability and with the help of Arts Victoria a new executive officer was appointed. A representative board from the wider community was established, which includes members from the former Montsalvat Trust including Sigmund Jörgensen – who is now the heritage and arts adviser to the new company Montsalvat Ltd.5 Today, visiting Montsalvat one still sees artists, students and visitors enjoying the unique and beautiful surroundings.This collection of almost 130 photos about places and people within the Shire of Nillumbik, an urban and rural municipality in Melbourne's north, contributes to an understanding of the history of the Shire. Published in 2008 immediately prior to the Black Saturday bushfires of February 7, 2009, it documents sites that were impacted, and in some cases destroyed by the fires. It includes photographs taken especially for the publication, creating a unique time capsule representing the Shire in the early 21st century. It remains the most recent comprehenesive publication devoted to the Shire's history connecting local residents to the past. nillumbik now and then (marshall-king) collection, eltham, great hall, montsalvat

Surrey College was opened in early 1892 by Reverend Dr Frederick Darling who had been the first minister of the Presbyterian Church in Canterbury Road. He resigned this position to open the school which operated until 1905 with additional premises at 12 Vincent Street. The main building fronted 219-233 Union Road. The school had 40 boarders as well as day boys. Courses included algebra, euclid, history, typewriting, shorthand and drill. In the 1930s, Nethercourt Private Hospital took over the site. Later it became St Jude's Hospital. Land in front of the building was sub-divided off in the 1970s. The building is still extant as a private dwelling with York Street, Surrey Hills as the address. This is one of 3 photos donated by Susan Hobbs, whose grandfather Rev. George Edward Downton is thought to have been a student at the college. George E. Downton was born in Avoca in 1885. He was later a missionary in New Guinea and Secretary to the Australian Board of Missions in Adelaide. He died in 1926 or 1927. This photo is one of two that were originally in the Box Hill Historical Society collection. They were transferred to us in 2024. The third photo could not be located. There was also a rough family tree and notes for the Downton family with correspondence regarding the donation but this was not found.Sepia photograph on grey mount board of 15 men and boys. Eleven of the boys are dressed in whites, 5 wearing ties and 1 a bow tie, one with a boater and one with a cap. The boy seated on the right is holding a cricket bat and the boy seated on left is wearing cricket pads on his legs. There are stumps and bails in the middle of front row. Three young men are in suits and boaters with one in the back row holding items in his hands. On the right hand side of the back row is Reverend Frederick Darling, Principal of the College, who wears a top hat and tails. There is a brick building behind with windows and blinds, and some foliage and plants behind and in front of boys. "Surrey College - Surrey Hills/Principal: Rev Fredk. A Darling, Melb. Unib./Cricket Team, 1899"schools, sport, cricket, 1899, surrey hills, surrey college, rev frederick a darling, george edward downton, susan hobbs, union road, nethercourt hospital, st jude's hospital, 219-223 union road, york street, 1890-1899

Surrey College was opened in early 1892 by Rev. Dr Frederick Darling who had been the first minister of the Presbyterian Church in Canterbury Road. He resigned this position to open the school which operated until 1908 with additional premises at 12 Vincent Street. The school had 40 boarders as well as day boys. Courses included algebra, euclid, history, typewriting, shorthand and drill. In the 1930s, Nethercourt Private Hospital took over the site. Later it became St Jude's Hospital. land in front of the building was subdivided off in the 1970s. The building is still extant as a private dwelling with York Street, Surrey Hills as the address. This is one of 3 photos donated by Susan Hobbs, whose grandfather Rev. George Edward Downton is thought to have been a student at the college. George E. Downton was born in Avoca in 1885. He was later a missionary in New Guinea and Secretary to the Australian Board of Missions in Adelaide. He died in 1926 or 1927. Sepia photo of 26 men and boys dressed in military uniform, many holding rifles. They are standing in front of a brick building with bay windows with blinds and curtains. There is a clump of foliage and grass in front of boys. "Surrey College - Surrey Hills / Principal: Rev Frdk. A. Darling, Melb. Univ./Cadet Corps, 1899." On the mount below the photo. Inscription on bottom right hand corner of photo: "Prepare for cavalry"schools, 1899, surrey hills, surrey college, rev frederick a darling, george edward downton, susan hobbs, union road, nethercourt hospital, st jude's hospital, 219-223 union road, cadet corps, 1890-1899

The buckle was awarded to nurses after successful passing of their first year examination ("first professional") and was a prized object. When the buckle was withdrawn in 1972 with the introduction of a new style of trainee nurses uniform without belt and buckle nurses protested at the change. In response the buckle was then awarded after the staffing year.Circular silver metal buckle with four pierced circular sections spaced at equidistant intervals around the buckle's edge.Intertwined initials of hospital 'SVH' in blue enamel edged with silver metal on circular relief at centre of badge. Manufacturer's name 'Swann & Hudson Frankston' inscribed on reverse of badge. st vincent's hospital melbourne, nurses uniform

This certificate was issued to Mary Freitag on 6th June 1910 on completion of her three years' training at St. Vincent's Training School for Nurses. It is signed by Mary Berchmans Daly, the Mother Rectress, and by A. E. Rowden-White, the honorary lecturer. Mary Freitag registered as a nurse and then went on to join the Australian Army Nursing Service in June 1917 and was posted to the Deccan War Hospital at Poona, India, which had 1,200 beds. There she tended the wounded soldiers brought from the battlefiends of Mesopotamia (Iraq). In March 1919, Mary then served on the hospital ship Varela before leaving the nursing corps to marry in September 1919.This item is of historical significance as an example of a graduation certificate that was issued to nurses at that time. It is a record of the service of Mary Freitag and it includes the signature of the Mother Rectress, Mary Berchmans Daly.Certificate hard bound in board covered with black leather. Gold lettering and a gold border decorate the front of the cover. The cover folds out to show printed certificate inside. Certificate inside is printed with nurse's name and signatures in black fountain pen.Nurse's name handwritten in black ink on the certificate: "Nurse Mary Freitag" Certificate is signed at the bottom: "A. E. Rowden-White, Mr" Hon. lecturer and "Mary Berchmans Daly", Mother Rectress. "6th June 1910" is written on the lower left of the certificate.nursing, world war i, graduation certificates, australian army nursing service, hospital ship varela, deccan war hospital, st vincent's hospital melbourne

The postcard shows St Vincent's Hospital, on the northern side of Victoria Parade, Fitzroy, circa 1914. At left is the original hospital building, a converted terrace house, alongside the first purpose-built wing opened 1905 and the Cullen Wing (with facilities for medical students and residents) on the right. A group of two men and three boys stands on the footpath outside the Cullen Wing and a car is parked outside the main hospital building in the centre of the photograph. The reverse of the postcard is a letter from a niece to her uncle and aunt detailing their day trip into Melbourne, the places they saw, the people they met and the activities they took part in.This postcard is significant since it provides a rare view of the hospital from this location at this point in its history.Black and white postcard showing photograph of St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne on the front and a letter is written in pencil on the reverse.On the reverse is a handwritten letter in pencil from a niece to her aunt and uncle about a day trip they took into Melbourne. The message is dated January 27, 1914.st vincent's hospital melbourne, streetviews, postcards, hospital buildings, fitzroy

One of a series of annual Resident Medical Officer (RMO) portrait photograph groups that used to hang in the RMO quarters in the old Boiler Room building. Black and white image. Grey background has nine oval photographic portraits arranged across it with the title in white at the bottom. Each portrait has the person's name printed in white beneath it.Resident Medical Officers / St. Vincent's Hospital / 1935. The named portraits from left to right are: Dr. E.A. Briglia, Dr. J.J.M. Kenny, Dr. F.G. Prendergast / Dr. A.R. Kelly, Dr. J. Horan, Dr. A.J. Carroll / Dr. S.J. O'Loughlin, Dr. L.A. Hardy, Dr. J.F.Cadest vincent's hospital melbourne, hospital staff, portraits, resident medical officers

This painting was presented to the St Vincent's civilian medical team by the people of An Giang Province, Vietnam, in recognition of their work in the area. St Vincent's sent four civilian clinical teams to Long Xuyen, South Vietnam, 1965 - 1966 as part of an aid program administered by the Australian Department of External Affairs to assist Vietnamese medical and paramedical personnel and provide medical aid to everyone who needed it. The service of the Australian civilian teams who went to Vietnam 1964 - 1972 was recognised with a special plaque within the grounds of the Australian War Memorial in October 2008. This item has historical significance because it is a memento of the hospital's involvement in a nationally significant wartime aid program to South Vietnam. Landscape painting of deer near a forest stream. Painted in the traditional Vietnamese style using lacquer and paint. Artwork is framed in a black frame but is not behind glass. The artist is unknown.Plaque is attached at lower left corner and translated reads: The people of An Giang Province / are extremely grateful to the Australian Surgical Team.st vincent's hospital melbourne, paintings, artworks, south vietnam, medical aid

Newspaper clipping titled: “Smash – right in the middle” The Sun, Thursday, March 21, 1968 The Herald, The Age Photos and text Flinders and Swanston Streets 25 people taken to hospital, St Vincent's, Royal Melbourne, Prince Henry's Accident happened about 12:30 pm when west-bound Flinders St tram crashed into north-bound city tram in Swanston St “Driver out before crash” The Age, Thursday, March 21, 1968 Photos and text Flinders and Swanston Sts Driver, Mr John Middlemo, was knocked semi-conscious two blocks before the collision. He struck his head when a car pulled out in front of him at Exhibition Street. Risson said it was worst accident he had seen in 40 years. Appoints 5 man inquiry committee Tram W2 304 (City Route 6) was crossing Flinders Street when it was hit by tram W2 559 (Spencer St route 28) which failed to stop at the red light. Tram 304 was subsequently scrapped.trams, tramways, collision, accidents, flinders st, swanston st, tram 304, w2 class, tram 559, mmtb

Andy Clapham owned and operated a boat yard on the Maribyrnong River in Footscray, Victoria. The river runs into Port Phillip Bay (sometimes known as Hobson’s bay) at Williamstown, an area with a history of trades associated with the shipping and construction industry. Andy Clapham’s photographs include those of the Reginald M and one of Polly Woodside, another vessel restored and used as a maritime exhibition. Andy Clapham’s letter of 1972 was posted in a and envelope with an early Australian decimal currency stamp showing the profile portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, and valued at 7 cent. Andy offered invaluable advice to the Flagstaff Hill Historic Park Planning Board regarding the purchase a vessel suitable for use as an exhibit once Flagstaff Hill was opened. The Planning Board was set up by the Warrnambool Chamber of Commerce and approved by the City Council and State Government. Flagstaff Hill was investigating vessels in Adelaide and Tasmania as well as Melbourne. Andy looked at several vessels in 1972-1973. He also serviced the Reginald M among other vessels belonging to Captain Julian Dyson of Yarra Ferries, who had casually offered the vessel to Flagstaff Hill as a price that was unattainable at the time. Flagstaff Hill later requested photographs of the hull to discern the dimensions and also the condition of the timbers as well as wanting advice on its seafaring capability. In 1972 the Flagstaff Hill Historic Park Planning Board – Chairman J. (John) S. Lindsay (1972-1980), Secretary J. (James) Mark – wrote a letter of appreciation to Mr A. (Andy) Clapham of 3 Charles Street Footscray ... “Dear Mr. Clapham, The Board has asked me to write to you to express our appreciation for the assistance you have offered us through our Chairman John Lindsay. The information you have already given us has been invaluable, in that is shows us that we have not been setting out to do something that is impossible. We look forward to receiving further information from you as it becomes available and we appreciate that you must be busy enough without our problems. Members of our Board hope to call and see you on a trip to Melbourne in the near future. The Board is optimistic about the future of Flagstaff Hill as a Maritime Museum and look forward to you visiting Warrnambool to examine what we believe will be an ideal site. Yours faithfully, James Mark.” ABOUT the vessel “Reginald M” The vessel “Reginald M” was a two-masted, timber coastal vessel built by John Henry Murch in Birkenhead, Port of Adelaide, South Australia. It was named after Reginald Murch. (It was occasionally referred to as the Reginald “Emm”). Its construction took approximately 6 months using many materials and fittings from salvage yards. It is believed that the keep was hewn from two telegraph poles! Reginald M was launched at Largs Bay in 1922. Reginald M was approximately 30 metres long and was fore-to-aft ketch rigged with an ‘auxiliary’ motor to support any loss of sail power. The Reginald M was built to service the coastal ports of South Australia to Port Victoria on the York Peninsular, Spencer Gulf. It freighted cargo from port to port cheaply and efficiently. It had a very shallow draft and a flat bottom, enabling it to come close to shore and sit high and dry at low tide, or to be beached on the sand. It could easily skim over reefs due to its flat bottom. Wagons could be loaded and unloaded directly from the side of the vessel. Over the years her cargo included guano, barley, wool, horses, cattle, timber, explosives, potatoes, shell grit and gypsum. The Murch brothers from Port Adelaide were owners of the Reginald M and Richard Murch as the Captain. On April 9, 1931, Reginald M weathered a large storm in St. Vincents Gulf, SA, suffering much damage; the mast snapped and the crew laboured for four hours to free it up by severing the mast and rigging. The crew patched it up and slowly returned to Port Adelaide with only a portion of the insured cargo being damaged. The crew members at that time were owner Mr John Henry Murch of Wells Street Largs Bay, Skipper Mr R Murch – John’s brother, Murray – son of Captain Murch and Seaman John Smith. At some stage it seems that the Reginald M was used as a Customs vessel “H.M.C. No. 3, Pt Adelaide” as shown in a photograph in Flagstaff Hill’s collection. In 1969 Reginald M’s last freight trip left Marion Bay, carrying grain, wool and explosives. In late 1970 it was sold to the Mount Lyall Mining and Railway Clompany and used as a barge to carry explosives. In 1972 The Navy League of Strahan, Tasmania, purchased the vessel for use by the Strahan Sea Cadet Unit at Macquarie Harbour; it was renamed “T.S. Macquarie”. (This plan did not come to pass.) In 1974 Mr Andrew Rennie of East Brighton, Melbourne, brought Reginald M for shipping purposes, He sailed it from Strahan to Melbourne, planning to use it for pleasure sailing. The Reginald M was later sold at auction to Captain Julian Dyson, owner of Yarra Passenger Ferries in Melbourne. Later in 1975 funds became available to Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village to purchase the Reginald M. It was then restored and used as an exhibit here for many hears. Flagstaff Hill’s collection also includes various objects related to the Reginald M: - Photographs of Reginald M over the years in various aspects of its use - a life buoy with the inscription of “Pt. Adelaide” - helm section that was removed and replaced during restoration - a bullet found in pieces of timber during the 1979 restoration ABOUT THE POLLY WOODSIDE On the bow in the Polly Woodside's photograph is the word "RONA". the Polly Woodside was built at Belfast in 1885. In 1904 the vessel was sold to A.H. Turnbull of New Zealand and renamed "RONA". The letter and photographs are significant for their association with the Reginald M, an Australian built coastal trader now on the Australian Register of Historic Vessels (number HV000562). The letter and photographs are also significant as part of both the history of Flagstaff Hill and the history of the vessel “Reginald M” that has been on display in the lake for many years. Objects retained from this boat are included in Flagstaff Hill’s collection of maritime history.Packet with photographs and negatives in a KODAK envelope. The photographs are of two sail and steam vessels; twelve (12) black and white photographs of the 'Reginald M', and one (1) colour photograph of the Polly Woodside, plus six (6) negative strips. Included int he packet is a letter in stamped and postmarked envelope addressed to Mr A Clapham of Footscray. The envelope postmarked 9 Dec 1972, with the Warrnambool postcode 3280, A 7c Australian postage stamp in attached to the envelope. They are associated with Flagstaff Hill’s acquisition of the vessel “Reginald M”. Envelope "9 DEC 1972 / 3280" Postage stamp "7c" "Australia" Inscriptions on one Reginald M;; "REGINALD M" and "Pt ADELAIDE H.M.C. No. 3" Inscriptions of the Polly Woodside; "RONA / MSC" "MHI / NO. 1" Ball point ink, reverse of photograph "POLLY WOODSIDE"flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, vessel reginald m, reginald emm, t. s. macquarie, h.m.c. no. 3, pt adelaide, australian register of historic vessels (number hv000562), boat building trade, jack murch, john henry murch, birkenhead, port adelaide sa, largs bay sa, coastal trader south australia, 1920 ketch reginald m, marion bay produce, mount lyall mining and railway company, navy league of strahan, tasmania, melbourne ferry company, flagstaff hill historic park planning board, john lindsay, james mark, andy clapham of footscray, andy clapham boat builder, kodak photograph packet envelope, kodak super-size prints, kodak australia pty ltd, australian postage stamp 1972 - 7c