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 collection of thirteen model horse drawn vehicles were carefully handmade by Mr Chas W Davis 1925 - 2002. He was a talented artist and saw doctor. This model of a two horse drawn enclosed Hansom Cabriolet replicates the vehicle that enjoyed respect from the public from c.1833 until 1935. A model of a black enclosed coach which is a four wheeled passenger horse drawn vehicle where the driver sits at the front behind the two white horses. It has two large and two smaller gold painted spoked wheels with black rims and gold mudguards on the rear wheels, two gold painted coach lamps, red vinyl padded seating and four open windows with rolled up blinds. There are two doors with a step for easy access into the coach. A long brown wooden shaft separates the horses as well as the necessary horse tack for carriage use to help the driver communicate with the horses. A hand operated brake pad is on the rear wheels. The first Hansom Cabs were clumsy, dangerous awkward vehicles. The drivers were suspected of 'Rude Bohemia'. It took the refinement of Joseph Aloysius Hansom himself to clear airs and remodel the cab to a safe vehicle. It enjoyed respect from c.1833 until 1935. It came in four types.replicas, models, scale models, vehicles, carriages, horse drawn vehicles, toy horses, road transport, coaches

Used on horse tackle during the 19th and 20th centuries and imported by Holden and FrostImported used and sold by Holden and Frost Ca1900Brass cab pedestal used on harness fittinhequine, military, agriculture, civilian, ca1900, cab pedestal

Undated anecdotes by an anonymous author (by the handwriting it was Legatee Frank Doolan) about Melbourne Legacy changeover dinners at the Federal Hotel on the corner of Collins and King Streets. These were apparently convivial affairs and the writer shares his memories of three occasions. The first occasion was an impromptu and riotous performance by Legatees (organised by Pat Hanna) after the dinner of the First World War ballad 'Roses of Picardy'. The second occasion concerned a group of 'exuberant' Legatees walking down Collins Street after dinner who spotted Harry Lauder [1870-1950], the famous Scottish comedian, in a taxi which was held up at a street crossing'. They prevailed on him to speak at the Legacy luncheon the following Tuesday. Lauder's subsequent speech at the luncheon not only amused the listeners with his humour, but also reduced them to sadness with an account of how his son had been killed in action in France. The third story refers to 'a vacant hansom cab pulled up in Collins St as the diners were departing', which induced one Legatee to fulfil a lifelong ambition by persuading the cabby to let him drive the cab for the princely sum of one pound. Horse-drawn transport gave way to motor vehicles in the early 1930s so this story must have related to a very early Legacy dinner.A first hand account revealing the social characteristics of early Legatees.Blue ballpoint handwriting on white paper.legatee function, comradeship, changeover dinner, founding legatee