The early settlers of Victoria depended on horse drawn vehicles to farm, make roads and railways, deliver produce and transport people. Horse harnesses were an important requisite for all drivers and could be found wherever there were working horses. Horse Harnesses have played an essential role in different cultures throughout history. Simple, utilitarian horse harnesses made of leather straps and iron rings were being used in early China before AD 500 as well as ancient Greece and Rome, allowing horses to pull chariots and ploughs. The Greeks and Romans were the first to use a "horse collar" which distributed the weight of the harness evenly across the horse's chest rather than relying on a "throat harness" that could damage a horse's throat or choke them. During the medieval period, European horse harnesses became more elaborate and decorative. Variations of different horse harnesses were also found in Native American and Middle Eastern cultures. Horse Harnesses usually have four basic components which include - 1. Communication - the bridle, bit and reins allows the driver to communicate instructions and commands to the horse, guiding its movement and direction. 2. Draft - the collar, hame straps, hames, traces and chains enables the horse to draw and pull the load efficiently by distributing the weight and transferring the pulling force to the vehicle. 3. Stopping - the breeching band, pole straps and breast strap helps to control or stabilise the horse and vehicle when moving downhill or stopping. 4. Support - the back pad, backband, belly band and back saddle keep the harness in the correct position and proper alignment. This show harness was used by Mr. Andy Bourke when showing his Clydesdales at shows or demonstrations. Although a more modern example with decorative embellishments, it still has many essential components traditionally found in an everyday working horse harness. The original purpose of the "housen" for example, was to run rain or drizzle off the horse's neck when they had to work in wet conditions - it was laid flat for this purpose on the top of the collar. Nowadays it is purely for show and is often used to advertise a business or stud. Horse brasses and fly terrets were fastened to various parts of a horse's harness. In the early days they probably began as amulets to ward off evil and to bring good luck and continued to be used as a festive decoration. The heyday of horse brasses was between the years 1851 and 1900. Horse brasses are fastened to various parts of the harness with many of their designs being symbolic. The ornamentation on this harness (although not authentic horse brasses) are based on the horse brasses that were popular in the 19th century. This horse harness is a significant example of the equipment that was needed wherever heavy horses were being used - particularly in the early years of Victoria's settlement by white settlers. Harnesses such as this example were used with stage coaches, drays, farming equipment, delivery carts and personal transportation.A leather and metal horse harness used when showing a Clydesdale (or other breed of heavy horse). It is made up of a number of components. 1. Decorative leather cart saddle with two large cloth pads underneath (which have a scalloped leather and stud border), a raised leather pommel and a silver and red coloured metal back strap holder across the top. It has two symmetrical sets of ornamentation (silver hearts and circles) in the front and a wide strap or girth (with a maker's stamp reading "R. Mitchell Saddler") and buckle which attaches the saddle to the horse. 2. Pair of steel hames which are gently curved (to fit on a horse collar) and are topped with steel knobs. They have several steel rings and lugs (to hold straps and chains) and a "Made in England Warranted Steel" stamp. 3. Breeching harness which consists of a number of leather straps, chains and metal rings including a wide padded leather strap with a scalloped edge that sits on the back of the horse and a thick leather strap that goes around the hind quarters of a horse which is joined to the back strap with four shorter vertical straps and buckles. These straps feature silver and red patent leather trim and silver heart shaped ornamentation. The strap also features the maker's stamp of "R. Mitchell". 4. Decorative leather bridle with blinkers featuring the same silver and red patent leather trim on the cheek piece, brow band and throatlatch. It has a stainless steel "Liverpool Driving Bit" with a curb chain, a variety of decorative silver ornaments (rosettes, diamonds plus a heart and two circles) on each end of the forehead band, dropper and strap as well as a silver metal bell (sometimes known as a "fly terret" or "swinger") that sits on the headpiece of the bridle. 5. Leather "violin shaped" dropper (or hanger) with two silver rosette shaped ornaments and a stainless steel clip on the top 6. Stainless steel "Liverpool Driving Bit" with a straight mouthpiece which is ribbed on one side. It has three rein spots (spaces) and a curb chain. 7. Leather arch shaped "Housen" covered in black and red patent leather and decorated with silver studs (some spelling out F H) and bordered with a red fringe. It has a leather strap at the back and two leather loops on the front. 8. Leather padded backband (Australian style "Stallion Draught Roller") decorated with two groups of nine metal "horse brasses" or harness ornaments displaying horseshoe, starburst and horse head designs on blue, red and white striped webbing. The backband has three notched straps at each end, a buckle near the centre and the initial B stamped in two places underneath. 9. Bellyband made of leather and red, white and blue striped webbing. It has a set of three buckles at each end (which correspond with the notched straps of the backband). 10. Wide, thick leather strap which has a buckle and notches at each end. It also has the maker's stamp of "R. Mitchell Saddler". 11.One pair of long leather traces - each with a buckle and notched loop at one end, decorated with a small silver diamond shaped harness ornament. 12. Length of stainless steel heavy duty chain with two swivel connectors.Saddle - "R.MITCHELL / SADDLER" Hames - "MADE IN ENGLAND / WARRANTED / STEEL" "MADE IN ENGLAND / WARRANTED / unclear" Breeching Straps - "R. MITCHELL / MAKER / R. MITCHELL MAKER" Housen - "F H" Backband "B / B' Wide leather strap - "R. MITCHELL / SADDLER"flagstaff hill maritime museum and village, warrnambool, great ocean road, shipwreck coast, harness, horse harness, show harness, clydesdale horses, andy bourke, horse drawn cart, housen, bridle, hames, breeching straps, dropper, bit, liverpool bit, backband, harness ornamentation, bellyband, back saddle, fly terret

Jack Hargreaves drove Adaptor to win the 1969 Bendigo Cup. Jack Hargreaves, who died on December 6 at the Bendigo Hospital aged 77, trained and drove countless winners during a 34-year harness racing career in which he became one of the true icons of the sport. Born John Henry Hargreaves in Wedderburn on December 3, 1926, harness racing was always in his blood. His father, Hughie, was a successful driver and trainer who raced horses all over Victoria. Jack drove his first winner at the age of 16 at Woodend. He lived on the family farm at Kuracca, near Wedderburn, until the age of 22, when he then married Elvie Stephenson from Fentons Creek. He and Elvie went on to have four children - Helen (now 53), Judi (51), Roslyn (49) and John (45). They are grandparents of 15 and great-grandparents of two. After spending two years at Tallarook where he worked on a sheep property, Jack and Elvie then moved to Korong Vale, where Jack set up his own training stable. He kept about 20 horses at a time at his Korong Vale stable, training and racing all of them for 26 years at his property. His greatest moment was the 1969 Miracle Mile, when he drove Adaptor to victory. Adaptor would later be sold to America for the then highest figure paid for an export horse - about $250,000. He also notched up many wins in country pacing cups, including Bendigo, Geelong, Maryborough, Kilmore and St Arnaud. During his career, Jack built a reputation of being a fine judge of pace and he consistently brought out the best in some difficult horses. His natural ability led to him being crowned Bendigo's leading driver for the season on two occasions. But an accident at Mildura on November 26, 1976 - just days before his 50th birthday - led to his driving career being cut short prematurely. Jack sustained head injuries after he was trampled by another horse after being tipped out of his sulky while driving Go Ned. He was regaining his senses and sitting up in the middle of the track when the horse went straight over him. The hoof of the horse came down between his left ear and skullcap, shattering that part of his skull. In the weeks following the accident, Jack underwent lengthy operations in Melbourne, to firstly clear splinters of bone from his brain. He then had a piece of bone removed from one of his ribs to cover a hole in his skull. He was left with injuries that were described as being similar to those of a person who had suffered a stroke. Months of physiotherapy and speech therapy followed in Melbourne and later Bendigo, before he was finally allowed to go hone in August, 1977 - almost one year after the accident. After losing part of his speech in the accident, Jack learned to communicate using his hands. "It became second-nature to us that we could read his hand signals and most of the people in the harness racing world could, too," Jack's daughter, Judi Bond, said."He learned his own way to communicate with people."While Jack was no longer able to continue his passion of driving competitively, he would still take the reins at the training track when given a chance to by his fellow drivers.He also continued to breed horses. "He was a skilled horseman, a good farrier and horses were the love of his life," Judi said. Two years after the accident, Jack and Elvie built a house in Wedderburn, directly above the trotting track. "That was so in the early days after his accident he could still see what was going on at the track," Judi said. "Everyday, he would watch the trainers . . . he'd watch what they were up to on the track."Jack was able to sit in his loungeroom and look out through large glass doors with a "grandstand" view of Leg 5 races, trials and training at the trotting track. Jack's love of harness racing filtered through to his children, with both Judi and John having careers as drivers. Judi drove for 10 years, finishing in 1978, but she continues to breed horses. Judi won the first women's race where bets were allowed to be made when she drove Youdini to victory at the Melbourne Showgrounds track in 1974.Blue with yellow vertical panelbendigo cup, adaptor, horse, jack hargreaves, bhrc, bendigo harness racing club, lords raceway, j hargreaves

Ernest Anderson (head gardener) and Harry (gardener) worked at Williamstown Botanic Gardens. The Anderson family lived in the curators lodge on the grounds in the 1930s. Horses were used at the gardens until the 1960s when the council bought a truck. Mr Biggs drove as Mr Anderson did not have a licence. He rode his bike to the Town Hall every Friday to put in the time sheets. The collection is the only known photos of the Gardens working horses and demonstrates Edwardian Municipal gardening techniques that continued into the 1960s. They are photographic evidence of the planting styles, species choices and structures. Details inscribed on the reverse of some of the photos confirm names of staff at this time. Photo 13 (m) m: Only known photo of Ernest Anderson to be held by the Gardens2013.001.a-l is a collection of 12 small format photographs from the Anderson family album dated from 1917-1936 plus one large image of donor's wedding c1953. Ernest Anderson (head gardener) and Harry (gardener) worked at Williamstown Botanic Gardens. The Anderson family lived in the curators lodge on the grounds in the 1930s. Photo 1 (a) Sepia photo of young girl (Chic Anderson) on horse with no saddle. Two men, with hands on hips, standing alongside wearing hats. All are on a small hill (a compost heap) with a shrub on the left of the image. Photo 2 (b) Young girl and horse standing on the top of a small hill (compost heap). Girl has short hair and is wearing a jumper, skirt and long socks. Horse has no saddle and has its head down as if to eat. Photo 3 (c) Horse and foal standing in a fenced enclosure. Part of yard is paved. Horse has a white blaze and white feet. Foal has white blaze and white legs and is looking up at the horse. Photo 4 (d) Horse pulling a mower. Two men standing with mower. One is holding mower, the other the reins of the horse. Both men are wearing hats, with one wearing a vest. Horse has hessian wrapping on his hooves. Photo 5 (e) Horse and man. Horse has a rope bridle. Man holding bridle and is dressed in trousers, shirt, cardigan and hat. They are in front of a hedge and closed timber gate. Tall palm is in background. Horse is side on to the camera. Photo 6 (f) Man and horse standing in front of hedge and open timber gate. Palms in background. Man wearing trousers, shirt, vest, tie, hat. Trousers look to be tucked into boots. He is looking at the horse. The horse is facing the camera. Photo 7 (g) Three horses looking over a picket fence. All with a white blaze. There is a timber wall with a window to the right of the photograph. A man’s arm holding something is seen on the right of the photo. Photo 8 (h) Large palm tree, understorey of shrubs with two palms in the background. Photo 9 (i) Scene of the Gardens. Path dividing at a conifer tree. Woman in long skirt and hat looking up at the conifer. Different varieties of palm trees with understorey of shrubs. Photo 10 (j) Garden bed of Dahlias surrounded by a wire fence. Palms and other trees in background. Photo 11 (k) Avenue of tall palm trees with under storey of shrubs. Photo has angles cut at top corners and two large crease marks at the bottom right hand corner. Photo 12 (l) Set of cast iron gates – double carriage gates with single pedestrian gates on either side and supported by four cast iron posts with ornamental finials on top. Photo 13 (m) Ernest Anderson and daughter Chic prior to her wedding. Ernest is holding his gloves in his left hand and Chic’s hand with his right. Palms trees in the background. Photo 1 (a) 'Ern & Harry / May 8th 1936' Photo 2 (b) ‘Jack aged 36 / Chic 5 years / (unclear) 1936’ Photo 3 (c) ‘foal born in / back shed’ Photo 4 (d) ‘The Olde Firm / Jack Ernie Harry / 1917’ Photo 6 (f ) ‘Before the / council provided / a truck all / work was done / with the horses’ Photo 7 (g) ‘our work horses’ Photo 9 (i) ‘Panoramic view of Gardens / looking South from Lodge / Wms Town Botanical Gardens / 15-10-17’ Photo 12 (l) ‘Gates Public Gardens’hobsons-bay-city-council, curator, lodge, horse, transport, dahlia, compost, anderson, williamstown, botanic, gardens, williamstown-botanic-gardens, hobsons-bay, hobsons, edwardian, gardening, 1936, 1917,

In February 1965, Staffs Railway Store, the oldest business premises in the Eltham shopping district was demolished. Formerly a self-service grocery, restaurant and electrical repair shop, the building for many years housed Eltham’s only ‘family’ grocer and feed store. Earlier it had appeared to have been the town’s bakery. The building had been purchased in late March 1939 by Mr Eric N. Staff. At the time of E.N. Staff’s purchase there were huge bakers’ ovens located at the rear and the building also had a well and four toilets for employees. When the ‘pictures’ came to Eltham with the opening of the Eltham Public Hall across the road in 1941, Mr E.N. Staff extended the business and opened a milk bar and sweet shop. Further extensions re-established the tea rooms of days gone by. Mr E.N. Staff conducted business for about 15 years before handing over the reins to his son, Ray Staff. When his son Ray took over, the milk bar and tea rooms were closed for several years but the milk bar and was later re-opened and subsequently became a greengrocers and later again, a restaurant. The tea rooms section was converted to an electrical repair shop about 1955. Electoral Roll records for 1967 record Raymond Charles Staff at 929 Main Road, Eltham, grocer, and in 1968 at Lot 4, Hillcrest Avenue, Eltham, taxi truck operator. So it would appear that Ray continued to run the business for approximately two years after the original store was demolished and a new supermarket was built. Today, 929 Main Road is the Nongkhai Thai Restaurant and is precisely where the original Staffs store stood. Even though the facade has been modified at eye level with new larger windows, the upper facade is identical to that of the new Eltham Big Star Food Centre of 1965/66. But how did the original building, the oldest premises in the 1965 era shopping centre come about? On August 12th, 1902 at the Eltham Courthouse, appearing before T. Smallman, Esq,. Police Magistrate, and Messrs. W. Duncan and W.J. Taylor, Justices of the Peace is Luther Haley, baker. Wilfred Henry Johnston, by his agent Stanley Ernest Elder had applied for a warrant of ejectment under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1890 against Luther Haley from the bakery premises at the corner of Main Road and York Street. From the evidence presented we learn that Mrs Burgoyne of Eltham had purchased the property some months earlier from Mr Johnston, which consisted of a store and bakery establishment at Eltham occupied by Mr. Luther Haley, and whose lease expired some little time back, and up to the present time, Mr. Haley was not prepared to leave. He informed the court that he is unable to secure at Eltham a suitable house in which to carry on his business, but was building a place near the railway station which he expected to be done in about three weeks time, and he is then prepared to give up possession of the premises he now occupies. Mr Smallman informed the defendant, Luther Haley, that he will have to quit the premises in three weeks from the present date, and that a warrant of ejectment would be issued. However he also informed Mr Haley that he would order the warrant to lie in the office for three weeks from that date. The premises under construction referred to by Luther Haley in court were situated on the western side of Main Road, near the railway station slightly opposite present-day Arthur Street. It was opened around September 1902 as a General Store, Bakery and Tea Rooms. This was the original building in the present-day shopping precinct. At the time the only thing nearby was the railway station. Luther Haley’s business appeared to prosper and he would have catered to not only the locals abut also day visitors by train on Sundays coming up from Melbourne, offering fresh baked produce, tea rooms and summer drinks. The fields across Main Road running between present day Arthur Street and Luck Street were known as Haley’s Paddock and at times were used for community festivities and picnics. A newspaper report on the annual State schools picnic held at Haley’s Paddock on March 11, 1904 described it as “quite close to the railway station, and is quite capable of holding comfortably 10,000 people. With its ample shade and hilly surroundings, it is an ideal place for any gathering.” Luther Haley successfully ran his general store, bakery and tea rooms until 1917 when he and his family departed the district and moved to Westgarth Street in Northcote where he changed careers and became a publisher. It was then taken over by Hannah Lloyd and became known as Lloyd’s Railway General Store from 1917 to 1920. From then it had a succession of owners, one as short as two months until March 31, 1939 when the Grocery Business formerly carried on by Mr. T.K. White of Eltham for the previous eight years was purchased by Mr Eric N. Staff of Research and became known as E.N. Staff’s Railway Store. The ownership timeline for the store is as follows: Luther Haley Sep 1902-1917 Hannah Lloyd 1917-c.Feb 1920 Messrs J.R. & N.E. Lee 1920-Sep 1922 A. & E. Copeland Sep 1922-Sep 1925 Mr Price Sep 1925-Nov 1925 Mr Warren Nov 1925?-Nov 1926 A.W.J. Edwards Nov 1926-1931 T.K. White 1931-Mar 1939 Eric Staff Apr 1939-c.1954 Ray Staff c.1954-Feb 1965 then demolished Ray Staff Eltham Big Star Food Centre c.1965-1967 Digital file only from scan of copy on loan to EDHSa. copeland, a.w.j. edwards, big star food centre, e. copeland, eltham, eric staff, general store, hannah lloyd, j.r. lee, lloyd's general store, luther haley, main road, n.e. lee, price, ray staff, staffs general store, supermarket, t.k. white

In February 1965, Staffs Railway Store, the oldest business premises in the Eltham shopping district was demolished. Formerly a self-service grocery, restaurant and electrical repair shop, the building for many years housed Eltham’s only ‘family’ grocer and feed store. Earlier it had appeared to have been the town’s bakery. The building had been purchased in late March 1939 by Mr Eric N. Staff. At the time of E.N. Staff’s purchase there were huge bakers’ ovens located at the rear and the building also had a well and four toilets for employees. When the ‘pictures’ came to Eltham with the opening of the Eltham Public Hall across the road in 1941, Mr E.N. Staff extended the business and opened a milk bar and sweet shop. Further extensions re-established the tea rooms of days gone by. Mr E.N. Staff conducted business for about 15 years before handing over the reins to his son, Ray Staff. When his son Ray took over, the milk bar and tea rooms were closed for several years but the milk bar and was later re-opened and subsequently became a greengrocers and later again, a restaurant. The tea rooms section was converted to an electrical repair shop about 1955. Electoral Roll records for 1967 record Raymond Charles Staff at 929 Main Road, Eltham, grocer, and in 1968 at Lot 4, Hillcrest Avenue, Eltham, taxi truck operator. So it would appear that Ray continued to run the business for approximately two years after the original store was demolished and a new supermarket was built. Today, 929 Main Road is the Nongkhai Thai Restaurant and is precisely where the original Staffs store stood. Even though the facade has been modified at eye level with new larger windows, the upper facade is identical to that of the new Eltham Big Star Food Centre of 1965/66. But how did the original building, the oldest premises in the 1965 era shopping centre come about? On August 12th, 1902 at the Eltham Courthouse, appearing before T. Smallman, Esq,. Police Magistrate, and Messrs. W. Duncan and W.J. Taylor, Justices of the Peace is Luther Haley, baker. Wilfred Henry Johnston, by his agent Stanley Ernest Elder had applied for a warrant of ejectment under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1890 against Luther Haley from the bakery premises at the corner of Main Road and York Street. From the evidence presented we learn that Mrs Burgoyne of Eltham had purchased the property some months earlier from Mr Johnston, which consisted of a store and bakery establishment at Eltham occupied by Mr. Luther Haley, and whose lease expired some little time back, and up to the present time, Mr. Haley was not prepared to leave. He informed the court that he is unable to secure at Eltham a suitable house in which to carry on his business, but was building a place near the railway station which he expected to be done in about three weeks time, and he is then prepared to give up possession of the premises he now occupies. Mr Smallman informed the defendant, Luther Haley, that he will have to quit the premises in three weeks from the present date, and that a warrant of ejectment would be issued. However he also informed Mr Haley that he would order the warrant to lie in the office for three weeks from that date. The premises under construction referred to by Luther Haley in court were situated on the western side of Main Road, near the railway station slightly opposite present-day Arthur Street. It was opened around September 1902 as a General Store, Bakery and Tea Rooms. This was the original building in the present-day shopping precinct. At the time the only thing nearby was the railway station. Luther Haley’s business appeared to prosper and he would have catered to not only the locals abut also day visitors by train on Sundays coming up from Melbourne, offering fresh baked produce, tea rooms and summer drinks. The fields across Main Road running between present day Arthur Street and Luck Street were known as Haley’s Paddock and at times were used for community festivities and picnics. A newspaper report on the annual State schools picnic held at Haley’s Paddock on March 11, 1904 described it as “quite close to the railway station, and is quite capable of holding comfortably 10,000 people. With its ample shade and hilly surroundings, it is an ideal place for any gathering.” Luther Haley successfully ran his general store, bakery and tea rooms until 1917 when he and his family departed the district and moved to Westgarth Street in Northcote where he changed careers and became a publisher. It was then taken over by Hannah Lloyd and became known as Lloyd’s Railway General Store from 1917 to 1920. From then it had a succession of owners, one as short as two months until March 31, 1939 when the Grocery Business formerly carried on by Mr. T.K. White of Eltham for the previous eight years was purchased by Mr Eric N. Staff of Research and became known as E.N. Staff’s Railway Store. The ownership timeline for the store is as follows: Luther Haley Sep 1902-1917 Hannah Lloyd 1917-c.Feb 1920 Messrs J.R. & N.E. Lee 1920-Sep 1922 A. & E. Copeland Sep 1922-Sep 1925 Mr Price Sep 1925-Nov 1925 Mr Warren Nov 1925?-Nov 1926 A.W.J. Edwards Nov 1926-1931 T.K. White 1931-Mar 1939 Eric Staff Apr 1939-c.1954 Ray Staff c.1954-Feb 1965 then demolished Ray Staff Eltham Big Star Food Centre c.1965-1967 Research and copy: Peter Pidgeon (EDHS) Digital file only from scan of copy on loan to EDHSa. copeland, a.w.j. edwards, big star food centre, e. copeland, eltham, eric staff, general store, hannah lloyd, j.r. lee, lloyd's general store, luther haley, main road, n.e. lee, price, ray staff, staffs general store, supermarket, t.k. white