Showing 138 items
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Kew Historical Society Inc
Postcard, Valentine's Series, River Yarra and Hawthorn Bridge, Melbourne, c.1907
Valentine's Series postcard, printed in Great Britain by Valentine’s Co. Ltd. (Valentine & Sons 1825-1963) for Australian distributionEarly postcard of the Hawthorn to Burnley Railway Bridge on the River Yarra. Station picnic on left. Tay Creggan on right. Buildings and location identified by Marshall Slattery in 1977. The postcard was printed in Great Britain and was published as one of Valentine's Series. "KH.87. Donated by Mrs B. Challen 2.2.76. Burnley to Hawthorn Railway Bridge. Station Picnic on left. "Tay Creggan" on right. Marshall Slattery 1977".river yarra, railway bridge - hawthorn, postcards -- hawthorn (vic.) -
Stawell Historical Society Inc
Postcard, Relph Peak in the Grampians -- Postcard
Relph Peak The Grampians Victoria. c 1930's. Coloured photograph of a narrow cliff face with mountain views in the back ground.Relph Peak, The Grampians, Victoria. Post Card The Valentine & Sons' Publishing Co., Ltd., Melbourne.halls gap grampians -
Stawell Historical Society Inc
Postcard, Wonderland Peak in the Grampians-- Postcard
Wonderland Peak The GrampiansColour photo of woodland area with mountains in background.Wonderland Peak, The Grampians, Victoria. Post Card The Valentine & Sons' Publishing Co., Ltd., Melbourne.halls gap grampians -
Stawell Historical Society Inc
Postcard, Bellfield Peak in the Grampians -- Postcard
Bellfield Peak The Grampians Victoria. c 1930's Photograph taken before Lake Bellfield was built.Coloured Photograph of a rocky cliff face with mountain view in the background.Bellfield Peak, The Grampians, Victoria. Post Card The Valentine & Sons' Publishing Co., Ltd., Melbourne. halls gap grampians -
Stawell Historical Society Inc
Postcard, The Pinnacle in the Grampians -- Postcard
The Pinnacle, The Grampians, Victoria. Note this photograph was taken before guard rails were placed on the Pinnacle.Coloured Photograph of a cliff face with a person sitting on the peak. The Pinnacles, The Grampians, Victoria. Post Card Printed in Great Britain The Valentine & Sons' Publishing Co., Ltd., Melbourne.halls gap grampians -
Stawell Historical Society Inc
Postcard, Wonderland Peak in the Grampians -- Postcard
Wonderland Peak The Grampians Victoria. Valentine Series. c 1930'sPost card of a cliff face with mountains in the background.Wonderland Peak, The Grampians, Victoria Post Card printed in Great Britain The Valentine & Son's Publication Co. Ltd. Melbournehalls gap grampians -
Stawell Historical Society Inc
Photograph, Main Street Stawell looking East with the Post Office on left & the Post Office Hotel on the right
Main Street Stawell looking East. Post Office on left, double story building. Note Post Office Hotel Rowland's as previously E. J. Copley . Real Photo Series M 673 1922. Six horse drawn carts along the street and people moving around the shops. Also the telegraph poles in this photo have 4 cross timber beams on the previous photo they only had 3 cross timber beams. Sepia photo of Main Street, Stawell c 1920's. The street scene show the commercial businesses of the time with horse and carts being the main form of transport.Main Street, Stawell. Victoria. Real Phot Series. M.673. Printed on the back "Published by the Valentine & Sons Publishing Co. Ltd. Melbourne Sydney & Brisbane.stawell streetscape -
Stawell Historical Society Inc
Photograph, Stawell Shire Hall 1866
Post card of the Stawell Shire Hall built 1866. The Shire Hall in Longfield Street Stawell has seen many changes over time. The building originally had a brick facade as seen in this photo. The post card also shows the changes in vegetation around the building. In front of the two arched front windows of the building are two tall Dracaena's possible planted in c 1890's. The decorative fence was not in very early photographs of the building but appears in photographs around c 1890. The post card is located in Albun 14, p.9.Black & white post card of the Stawell Shire Hall. The building has a brick facade with trees in the background. In front of the two arched front windows of the building are two tall Dracaena's either side of the entrance. There is a decorative fence with posts either side of the entrance gates to the building. The post card is located in Albun 14, p.9.The Shire Hall, Stawell Victoria. Real Photo Series. M. 672. on the back Valentines real photo series POST CARD branches Sydney London Dundee Capetown Montreal Toronto all in a box. Published by the Valentine & Sons Publishing Co.Ltd. Melbourne, Sydney & Brisbane.stawell -
Bendigo Historical Society Inc.
Book - ALEC H CHISHOLM COLLECTION: BOOK 'STORIES TOLD BY SIR JAMES TAGGART'
Book. ALEC H CHISHOLM COLLECTION. 36 page soft cover booklet of Scottish stories (jokes) by Sir James Taggart KBE, LLD, ex Lord-Provost of Aberdeen. Printed and published by Valentine & Sons Ltd, Dundee and London in 1926. Photo of Sir James Taggart in military uniform on flyleaf. Cat. No. 2263 TAG on front coverJames Taggartbooks, collections, scottish stories, alec h chisholm collection, sir james taggart -
Halls Gap & Grampians Historical Society
Postcard - Coloured
Postcard is one of the Valentine series and is of the Epacris Falls, The postcard has been to Ida (who would probably be Ida Warren). Mention was made of Paddy (who was probably Paddy Smith,adopted son of the Warrens at Myrtlebank)Postcard shows 2 men at foot of a waterfall. the waterfall appears in the foreground of the postcard. Colouring of postcard looks artificial as does the flow of the waterfall.V.G.252(on front) Epacris Falls.The Grampians.Victoria.(on front)Post Card.-Printed in Great Britain.This space may be usedfor communication. The address only to be written here.scenery, waterfalls -
Bendigo Historical Society Inc.
Photograph - Posed studio B&W photograph of four Knight brothers, August 2024
Valentine Claude (Claude) Knight (1871-1974) was the son of Caroline Knight who later married Henry Joh Batten in 1876. Claude married Catherine Martha Roberts in 1914. No information on other men available.Knight Family posed studio B&W photograph with brown cardboard mount. Four adult males detailed as Claude Knight (front LHS) with Carrie Brays (son), Ollie Swales (stepbrother) and unnamed male. McKenzie Family Collection.Photographers stamp Jenkinson Broken Hill.history, eaglehawk -
Stawell Historical Society Inc
Photograph, Memorial Gates at Central Park Stawell by Wayman & Kay Foundry - Postcard
PostCard Memorial Gates Central Park Stawell by Wayman & Kay Foundry. B/W Postcard of the Gates at Central Park, with gas lamps either side On Front Commemoration Gates, Public Gardens, Stawell, Victoria Real Photo Series M.675 On Reverse Published By Valentine & Sons Publishing Co. Ltd Melbourne, Sydney & Brisbane Valentines Real Photo Series Postcard Branches Sydney London Dundee Capetown Montreal Torontostawell -
Bendigo Historical Society Inc.
Postcard - TOWN HALL, BENDIGO
Postcard: sepia tonings, image shows Town Hall Bendigo, looking southwards down Hargreaves St., Market Building, with verandah, visible on LH side,. Open top 'tourer' type car on road. Trees on LH side of road. In small print LH side 300.239 JV. On top of card ' Town Hall, Bendigo' On rear: The Valentine & Sons, Publishing Co., Ltd., Melbourne.bendigo, streetscape, town hall, bendigo, town hall, market building -
Stawell Historical Society Inc
Souvenir - Realia, Mailing Novelty from Stawell
on front there's no flies on the Beer at STAWELL Lift up the booze - Please don't refuse - and here's to our next meet, while behind son views you'll find, And I send you my hearty greeting. Tourist Novelty to be mailed. Photo Valentine 1274 Publishing co, MelbournePostcard with flap. with small photos. Colour print of a pot o fbeer with a fly on the rimtourism -
Mission to Seafarers Victoria
Postcard - Postcard, Sepia, Valentines Real Photo Series, The Missions to Seamen Institute, Melbourne Victoria, c. 1922
This postcard depicts the urban setting of the Mission to Seafarers a few years after its construction. (the Dome, the last part erected, was opened on 21 October 1921). It demonstrates a lack of urban surrounds or buildings as well as a paved road and a horse-drawn wagon. The figure in the photo is also a record of the dress style of the era. The lady is most likely a member of the Ladies' Harbour Lights Guild.This postcard demonstrates that the building was deemed important enough to be photographed for a postcard. It is a record of what the Mission to Seafarers looked like two years after its construction, and its urban surrounding.Sepia postcard of the Mission to Seafarers building complex and surrounding streets. The postcard depicts a wagon and a woman walking by the complex wearing a black dress and coat and black hat and holding an umbrella. Front: THE MISSIONS TO SEAMEN INSTITUTE, MELBOURNE VICTORIA REAL PHOTO SERIES.M.1696 Reverse: PUBLISHED BY THE VALENTINE & SONS PUBLISHING CO.LTD / MELBOURNE SYDNEY & BRISBANE. Contains logo of VALENTINES REAL PHOTO SERIES POSTCARD. Stamp logo lists: BRANCHES / SYDNEY / LONDON / DUNDEE / DUBLIN / CAPETOWN / MONTREAL / TORONTO Handwritten in blue: 1919mission to seafarers, melbourne, mission to seamen, seamen's mission, norla dome, flag, flying angel, lady, horse cart, umbrella, flinders street extension, ships, australian wharf, valentine's postcards, real photo series postcards, st peter chapel, lhlg, architecture, walter richmond butler -
Surrey Hills Historical Society Collection
Photograph, A Chinese Hawker
This photo was part of the Hill family's collection. Notes indicate that it was probably taken by Walter Hill, son of William Valentine Hill of 10 Pembroke Street, Surrey Hills. Walter Ormond Hill was born in 1887. No death record has been located. It is not known where the photo was taken. The donor was the nephew of Walter Hill.A black and white photograph of a man of Chinese appearance with two large containers and a stick connecting the two. The man is dressed in a three piece suit. The jacket appears to have Asian style toggle buttons on it.chinese, drapers, walter hill (mr), walter ormond hill (mr), william dempsey (mr) -
Bendigo Historical Society Inc.
Book - ALEC H CHISHOLM COLLECTION: BOOK ''CANNY TALES FAE ABERDEEN'' COMPILED BY ALLAN JUNIOR
Booklet. ALEC H CHISHOLM COLLECTION. 36 page paper back of humorous stories and jokes about the good folk of Aberdeen, Scotland. Compiled by Allan Junior and illustrated by Gregor McGregor. 13th Edition printed and published in 1926 by Valentine & Sons Ltd, Dundee and London. Catalogue sticker ''2253 JUN'' on front cover. Handwritten in ink on flyleaf ''To all the dear Manse Folk with best Xmas wishes from Haidee Xmas 1926''Allan Juniorbooks, collections, humour, alec h chisholm collection, allan junior, scotland, jokes, humour. -
Bendigo Historical Society Inc.
Postcard - PALL MALL, BENDIGO
Postcard, sepia image of Pall Mall Bendigo, looking south. Post Office and Law Courts on RH side, poppet head behind, trees on side of road, shopfronts on LH side. Shamrock Hotel on corner of Williamson St. and Pall Mall. Building on opposite corner has ornate lacework on verandah facing Pall Mall. 3000,340 JV in small print on Rh side. On bottom of card: 'Pall Mall, Bendigo' On rear: The Valentine & Sons, Publishing Co., Ltd., Melbourne.bendigo, pall mall, post office -
Surrey Hills Historical Society Collection
Photograph, WW1 fundraising souvenir 'stamp', 1916
W. V. Hill Collection - William Valentine Hill was a journalist. He and his wife Annie and family came to 10 Pembroke Street in 1904. Jocelyn Hall notes suggest that the boy pictured is a son. If this is the case it would most likely be Albert Clement Hill born in 1902. The image looks too young to be a contemporaneous photo of him. None of the direct family have service records.A black and white photograph of a young boy's face framed by the words in an oval shape - "War Souvenir Advance Australia / 1916"In grey lead pencil on rear in Jocelyn Hall's handwriting: "Hill family / 10 Pembroke / St / SH/ Keep"william valentine hill (mr), albert clement hill (mr), pembroke street, surrey hills, fundraising events, stamps, ww1 -
Bendigo Historical Society Inc.
Book - ALEC H CHISHOLM COLLECTION: BOOK ''IMMORTAL VERSE'' COMPILED BY ALLAN JUNIOR
Book. ALEC H CHISHOLM COLLECTION. A small 16 page soft cover booklet with a colour illustration of an English cottage on the front. Allan Junior has compiled extracts from well known poets, some with coloured illustrations. A 'Golden Thoughts' booklet published about the 1930s by Valentine & Sons Ltd, Dundee and London and printed in Great Britain. Catalogue sticker ''2262 JUN'' on front cover. Handwritten in ink inside front cover ''To Miss Chisholm, Wishing you a Happy Xmas & Bright and Prosperous New Year From Vera & Pam Davidson''Allan Juniorbooks, collections, poetry, alec h chisholm collection, allan junior, poetry -
Melbourne Tram Museum
Postcard, Valentine's, "Chapel St, Prahran", c1915
Postcard - photo of Chapel St Prahran looking south along Chapel St towards the intersection with Commercial Road with the Jacob Read drapery business or the Charles Moore and Company department store - now the Pran Central complex in the view. Has a number of horse drawn vehicles, some motor cars and a cable tram in the view. Divided back with spaces for Correspondence, address and stamp. Stamp area has "Printed in county of Saxony" and number 3949 in bottom right hand corner. Published by Valentines & Sons Publishing Co. Melbourne and Sydney.trams, tramways, cable trams, commercial rd, malvern rd, chapel st, horse drawn vehicle -
Port Melbourne Historical & Preservation Society
Postcard - Aerial view of piers at Port Melbourne, Aerial photo of Port Melbourne, c. 1922
... Valentine & Sons Publishing Co Ltd ...Sepia picture postcard, unused, aerial photo showing ships at Port Melbourne: Princes, Station and Town Pierstransport - shipping, piers and wharves - station pier, piers and wharves - princes pier, piers and wharves - town pier -
Ballarat Tramway Museum
Photograph - Digital image, c1922
Yields information the buildings, buildings and scene in Bridge St looking east from Stones Corner.Digital image from the Wal Jack Ballarat Album of a postcard - titled "Bridge St Ballarat Victoria, with an ESCo tram in Bridge St. Tram has a Viceroy Tea advertisement on the front panel. The junction between Main and Victoria St lines at Stones Corner is in the foreground. Real Photo Series M 3111. Has a number of horse carts in the photograph. Note the single trolley wire on the Victoria St line and double on the Mt Pleasant line. Card produced by Valentines & Sons Publishing Co. Ltd. See rear of card for company location details. In the photo are advertisements or buildings for: Earl of Zetland, Lothier, Redhalls, Viceroy Tea. Wal has dated the photo about 1922 on the rear of the postcard.. For rear of postcard - see image i2.On the rear in pencil, "Old type in 1922"trams, tramways, esco, bridge st, stones corner -
Ballarat Tramway Museum
Photograph - Digital image, c1921
Yields information the buildings, buildings and scene at the intersection of Sturt and Lydiard St with a tram crossing the road.Digital image from the Wal Jack Ballarat Album of a postcard - titled ""Sturt Street, Looking West, Ballarat" with ESCo tram No. 16 crossing from Sturt St south side (from Grenville St) into Lydiard St North. Has conductor on rear footstep. Appears to be taken on a hot day. Real Photo Series M 3104. Has a number of horse carts in the photograph. Tram has an advertisement for Suttons Pianos on the roof. Card produced by Valentines & Sons Publishing Co. Ltd. See rear of card for company location details. In the photo are advertisements or buildings for: National Mutual Building, Town Hall, and Marks & Co. Wal has dated the photo about 1921 in his album notes. For rear of postcard - see image i2.trams, tramways, esco, sturt st, lydiard st, town hall, tram 16 -
Federation University Historical Collection
Booklet, Ballarat School of Mines Students' Magazine, Term 4, 1905, 1905
The Ballarat School of Mines Students' Magazine in 1905 was an unofficial journal edited by the students.Twenty-eight page booklet known as the Ballarat School of Mines Student's Magazine. Contents include: A jaunt to South Australia; Tests for the Assay Lab; Huntingdon-Heberlein Process; Slag Calculation; Electrical Laboratory; Hydrochoric Acod-Phenolph-thalein; Ballarat scientific Society; James W. Hawthorne; Maryborough Excursion; Prof Alexander Purdie; School Dirge; Compound Engines; Sister Institutions; Trafalgar, Acrobates Pymgaeus, Pigmy Flying Phalangerobituary for Alexander Purdie, Electric traction, Estimation of Fat in Milk by the Babcock Machine, first Ballarat School of Mines Annual Dinner; Crytallography Images include; Electrical Laboratory; Professor Dawbarn; James W. Hawthorne; Ballarat Rowing Eight on Lake Wendouree (H. Valentine, W. Pearce, W. Figgis, L. Seward, C. McGennis, D. Don, R. Nevett, M. Gaunt, N. Buley). Advertisements: Craig, Williamson Pty Ltd; Ballarat Baths (B. McCausland); W. Gribble & Co., H.B. Silberberg & Co; F. Jago - Ballarat Boot Palace; John Slater & Co., Kiels Motor & Cycle Stores; Alex Miller & Sons; Thomas McPherson & Son; W. Cornell; Brush Electrical Engineering Co; Ballarat School of Mines; Harry Davies & Co; Stansfield & Smith; Craig's Royal Hotel.ballarat school of mines, south australia; adelaide, valentine, pearce, figgis, seward, mcgennis, don, nevett, gaunt, buley, adelaide school of mines, kerr grant, arizona, jack adam, adam, j.a. reid, reid, jager, rowing, h. valentine, w. pearce, w. figgis, l. seward, c. mcgennis, d. don, r. nevett, m. gaunt, n. buley, cycling -
Surrey Hills Historical Society Collection
Photograph, Albert Hill, horse and jinker,10 Pembroke Street, Surrey Hills
A black and white photograph of a horse and jinker / buggy standing in the street. There is a house in the background.c/- C. Hill / Donor / W. Dempsey / A.C. Hill / (undecipherable) / Arthur Hill / at 10 Pembroke St / Doll. 1918 These inscriptions are in grey lead pencil in 2 different hands: 1/ original hand (lighter): C/- C Hill; A C Hill (undecipherable); Doll 1918 2/ Jocelyn Hall's writing (darker): "Keep"; "Donor / W Dempsey"; "Arthur Hill / at 10 Pembroke St" AC Hill refers to Albert Clement Hill, the youngest son and youngest child in a family of 9 of William Valentine Hill and his wife Annie (nee Boak). William Valentine Hill had a brother Arthur Machen Hill. It is thought that Jocelyn Hall may have mistaken the identity of the A C Hill for A M Hill. hill family, jinker, land transport, carts and wagons, horse drawn vehicles, surrey hills, pembroke street, (mr) albert hill -
Wodonga & District Historical Society Inc
Photograph - J. H. Perry's Junction "Stump" Hotel 1929
John Henry Perry, known as "Jack" arrived in Wodonga in May 1929 with his wife and children. He took over the licence of the Junction Hotel, now known as "The Stump", Bandiana from Mr. Bill Carter. Prior to this he had worked in 3 Australian states as a shearer. He held the licence until 1941 when he passed it over to his son John ("Jack"). After 2 years of retirement, John Snr. purchased the freehold of the Carriers Arms Hotel in Wodonga where he held the licence until the mid 1950s. By 1952, aged 69, he also had the freehold of the Railway Hotel as well as the Commercial Hotel in Mooroopna, Victoria. John Perry served some time as a councillor on the Wodonga Council. In later life he also became a member of the Wodonga Bowls Club. John's descendants owned Wodonga’s Blazing Stump Hotel for 80 years until it was sold in 2008. They then developed the nearby Wodonga Homemaker Centre and invested in the development of other ventures including the Huon Hill Hotel and Valentines Bakeries. John Henry Perry died in Wodonga on 21 June 1980, aged 96 years old.This hotel was owned and continuously operated by John Henry Perry and his descendants for 80 years. It continues to be a popular social venue today.A black and white photo of the J. H. Perry Junction Hotel in Wodonga. The image has been mounted on board.Above doorway in image from left to right: VICTORIA BITTER: PERRY'S/ JUNCTION HOTEL: FOSTERS LAGER"the stump hotel wodonga, john henry perry, hotels wodonga -
Ballarat Tramway Museum
Photograph - Black & White Photograph/s, c1910
Black and white photograph of the intersection of Sturt and Lydiard Sts from the Post Office, looking towards Ballarat Town Hall, c1910. In foreground of photograph is a ESCo tram, without windscreens hauling a horse tram (east bound) and on the other side of Sturt St. a single ESCo tram. Many people walking the street. On top of photograph is the words "Town Hall and Sturt Street, Balla", the rest of the words having been cropped out. The trailer is one of the seven window horse trams. Taken from a postcard. 744 copy 1 - for No. 12 display board - made by colour copy process and laminated - 3/99. 744.1 - - Copy negative of a black and white photograph from Ray Pearson Collection, taken by Dave Macartney in 1975c - used in above item. 744.2 - as above, print made for Horse Tram history funding submission. Additional copies added 6/1/2009, ex Reg item 4267. See Reg Item 6247 for the original postcard - Valentines and Sons. btm744i1 - scan from the Original print in the Ray Pearson Album and images updated 30/5/2020/Ray Pearson's captions included in the scanned images.trams, tramways, sturt st, esco, town hall, horse trams -
Mission to Seafarers Victoria
Plaque - Memorial Plaque, Amy Neville Brown (1882-1974), 1976
Amy Neville Brown (1882-1974) was a longlife member of the Mission to Seafarers ladies' Committees: 1910 - Amy is first mentioned in our records as LHLG branch secretary for Elsternwick. (from diaries written by her and her sister Beatrice during 1909-1913 and held at the Glen Eira Historical Society, Amy tells she attends “kirk” with Miss Godfrey about once a month and each time they go to the “Institute” afterwards.) 1918 - 1922 sees Amy as “Schools secretary” LHLG. 1933 - Miss A N Brown becomes Honorary Secretary of the LHLG. 1946 – LHLG becomes “Harbour Lights Guild”. 1949 – Dora Simpson is president of HLG & Amy Brown is Honorary Secretary. 1957 – Amy retires as Honorary Secretary of the HLG. Other interests: 1933 - Amy founded the Victorian Aboriginal Group along with Valentine Alexa Leeper (1900-2001). She acted as Hon. Sec. to the VAG for 40 years until its winding up in 1971 8 boxes of papers related to their activities are held at the SLV under Amy’s name (with Val Leeper). 1950 - Amy was a member of the YWCA 1963 – she was president of the Agnes Benson Auxiliary of the YWCA. Amy’s parents were Andrew Howden Brown & Catherine Marianne (Kitty) Wight. She had 2 brothers: Charles John Brown, Edward Byam Brown & 3 sisters: Jean Constance Brown (1884-1973), Catherine Philpott Brown (1886-1980), Grace *Beatrice Brown (1889-1984) who was also a member of the Mission's ladies' committee. None of 4 sisters married, they lived all their lives in Elsternwick. Edward Byam Brown was an academic at Melbourne University rising to become Ass. Prof. of Electrical Engineering by the 1950s. He married Vera Scantlebury in 1926 – they had 2 children. Amy’s maternal grandparents were Edward Byam Wight and Catherine Philpott. Both arrived in Melbourne in the early 1840s. Edward Wight is included on Thomas Chuck’s collage of early Victorian pioneers. Anne Jackson has written a short biography of Catherine’s brother, William Philpott, which includes a paragraph on Edward Wight. Catherine’s youngest son, Neville Wight, became a solicitor living at Woodend. He married Grace Rutherford – Mrs Neville Wight was a member of our Executive Committee from 1929 to 1933. Neville Wight’s obituary states that “he served his articles with … the firm of Moule & Seddon”. The principal of this firm was W H Moule, well known judge and cricketer. His son, also W H Moule, was Honorary Secretary of MtSV Executive Committee for 20 years until his retirement in 1958. was a member of the Harbour Lights Guild ( Honorary General Secretary in the 30s) then the Flying Angel League. She passed away in September 1974. A protege and friend of the Godfreys and Ina Higgins she actively assisted in setting up school branches of LHLG and eventually became a leading member in the 1930s.The window made by Tony Hall along with this plaque were dedicated in 1976. Amy Neville Brown had a lifelong association with the Mission and other philanthropic and social causes. Small plaque mounted on wooded board.In memory of Amy Brown For her lifetime of devoted service to the Mission 26th September, 1974amy brown, plaque, memorial, flying angel club, lhlg, amy neville brown (1882-1974), victoria aboriginal group (1933-1971), vag, val leeper, valentina alexa leeper (1900-2001) -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Photograph - Digital Photograph, Alan King, Eltham Living and Learning Centre, 26 January 2008
In 1857, tanner John Pearson purchased three and a half acres of land in Little Eltham, at the western end of Pitt Street, with a 70-foot frontage to Maria Street (Main Road) and stretching down to the Diamond Creek for £100. He contracted Benjamin Oliver Wallis to build house for him. Wallis, a mason by trade who originated from the Cornish village of Newlyn, migrated to Melbourne in 1853 and was shortly engaged by Richard Warren to build the Eltham Hotel, which opened in 1854. When Warren fell into financial difficulty in 1858, Wallis purchased the hotel. That same year, Pearson constructed a tannery below the house with access to the water in the Diamond Creek. When Pearson became bankrupt in 1867, Wallis similarly acquired the house from Pearson’s creditors in 1868 and lived there until his death in 1896. For some of this time the house was in the name of Wallis’s son Richard but following his death in 1888, ownership reverted to his father. It was purchased by retired teacher Richard Gilsenen in 1899. Gilsenen was made acting head teacher at the Eltham State School in 1906 following the sudden death of head teacher John Brown. In the 1950s the house was bought by retired engineer Dr Alfred Fitzpatrick and his wife Claire who made various modifications to house goats and poultry as well as structural modifications to the house. In the early 1970s, Eltham Shire Councillors Frank Maas and Don Maling proposed an extended communities’ activities program be set up and the Commonwealth Grants Commission was approached for financial assistance. In 1974 a $50,000 Commonwealth Grant was received by the Shire Council to acquire the Fitzpatrick property as part of the planning to establish an extended communities’ activities program. The Fitzpatricks moved next door and Claire taught at the new Living and Learning Centre, which began in 1975, one of the first community education centres in Victoria. Covered under Heritage Overlay, Nillumbik Planning Scheme. Published: Nillumbik Now and Then / Marguerite Marshall 2008; photographs Alan King with Marguerite Marshall.; p59 It’s a centre for sharing knowledge and friendship and it stands on the former hub of Eltham’s original township near Pitt Street. The Eltham Living and Learning Centre, with around 2000 participants a year, began in 1975 as one of the first Community Education Centres in Victoria. Classes ranging from macramé to wine making to environmental living have enriched the lives of thousands of people through the generosity of tutors sharing their skills free of charge. The centre’s heart is the brick cottage, built in 1858 by tanner John Pearson. He bought the three and a half acre (1.4ha) allotment fronting Maria Street (now Main Road) and stretching down to the Diamond Creek. The allotment formed part of a 316 acre (127.8ha) subdivision, owned by Josiah Holloway, called Little Eltham, north of the original Eltham Reserve.1 The allotment then passed through the hands of several speculators before it was sold to Pearson for £100 in 1857. Mr Pearson’s children attended the Eltham Primary School from 1864 to 1867. But creditors took possession of the property when his tannery folded in 1867. It was then sold to publican Benjamin Wallis, who owned the Eltham Hotel at the corner of Pitt Street and Main Road. In 1899 the property was bought by Richard Gilsenan, who became acting head teacher of the Eltham Primary State School in 1906. In the 1950s, retired engineer Dr Alfred Fitzpatrick and his wife Claire bought the property, and made structural changes. Claire, a journalist and community campaigner, modified and built pens for goats and poultry, a stable, a garage and planted fruit trees and a vegetable garden. In the early 1970s a young woman called Carina Hack approached Gwen Wesson at the Diamond Valley Learning Centre (Victoria’s first Community Education Centre) about starting a community centre. Following Wesson’s suggestion, Hack spoke to Shire President Alistair Knox ‘one bleak rainy afternoon, sipping hot drinks and discussing life’.2 Eltham Shire Councillors Frank Maas and Don Maling proposed a community activities program and the council received a $50,000 Commonwealth Government Grant for this venture.3 The Fitzpatricks sold their property to the council and moved next door and Claire taught at the new centre, which Hack named. Eltham obviously wanted such a centre as Hack recalls. ‘During the next two months we had about 50 volunteers working day, night and weekends, scrubbing down, plastering and painting walls, replacing floors, repairing fences, recycling furniture, sewing curtains and cushions, donating furniture, toys, equipment, clean-ing and gardening…’4 The first enrolment day saw a queue stretching up the driveway nearly to the gate and the first sessions attracted 270 people a week. Soon the outbuildings were converted into pottery studios and a large workshop. From 1979 the Eltham Art and Craft Market was held in the centre’s grounds and the Friends of the Centre ran it from 1980. A former program coordinator, Margaret Johnson, remembers enrolment day in the late 1970s and 1980s, when hundreds of people would queue – and some even camped overnight! Overnighters were greeted in the morning with fresh tea and toast. Another tradition was The Enrolment Day Cake with Recipe, given to volunteers. ‘One happy Enrolment Day fell on February 14 and let’s just say that St Valentine found some willing participants, paying $2 for a kiss.’5 Meanwhile the participants’ children could play at the Council Eltham Lower Park house in Hohnes Road, later in Susan Street. But the centre has had difficulties too. In 1990 a fire destroyed the stable and the police suspected arson. However the pavilion was built in its place.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, benjamin oliver wallis, claire fitzpatrick, don maling, dr alfred fitzpatrick, eltham living and learning centre, frank maas, john pearson, richard gilsenen, tannery