This swimsuit belonged to Audrey May Ferguson (nee Fulton), a longtime Brighton resident. Ada of California was a Melbourne swimwear company founded in the early 1950s by Brighton locals Ada and Toni Murkies. Born in Poland in 1922, Ada was 17 when the Second World War reached her doorstep. She and her family were torn from their home by Soviet soldiers and sent to a brutal labour camp in Siberia as part of a series of mass deportations. In order to escape the horrific conditions of the camp, Ada and her sister Barbara joined the Soviet-backed Polish Army. During her time in the military she became close with a handsome young Jewish officer, Lieutenant Antoni Murkies, who later became her husband. After the war Toni was awarded 15 medals including the highest Polish military honour, the Virtuti Militari. Ada was awarded 10 medals, including the Order of the Cross of Grunwald. Emigrating to Australia as postwar refugees in 1948, Ada and Toni arrived in Melbourne with little to their name. Working initially in garment factories and building their connections, by the mid-1950s the couple were able to start a company of their own, with Ada designing the garments and Toni managing the business. Within ten years, Ada of California swimwear was being sold in department stores throughout Australia, and the Murkies family were able to build a permanent home of their own in Brighton. By the early 1980s they had acquired several other major labels, including Watersun.Black one-piece rayon and cotton swimsuit. Straps button at back. Asymmetrical zig-zag front with double-line of white stitching, embellished by a large cream button.Label, white with green palm tree logo and red text: "Ada / OF CALIFORNIA" Label, white with red text: "61% RAYON, 10% RUBBER, 29% COTTON 36"swimwear, audrey may ferguson, audrey may fulton, melbourne designers, ada of california, ada murkies, toni murkies, 1950s, 1960s

Ada of California was a Melbourne swimwear company founded in the early 1950s by Brighton locals Ada and Toni Murkies. Born in Poland in 1922, Ada was 17 when the Second World War reached her doorstep. She and her family were torn from their home by Soviet soldiers and sent to a brutal labour camp in Siberia as part of a series of mass deportations. In order to escape the horrific conditions of the camp, Ada and her sister Barbara joined the Soviet-backed Polish Army. During her time in the military she became close with a handsome young Jewish officer, Lieutenant Antoni Murkies, who later became her husband. After the war Toni was awarded 15 medals including the highest Polish military honour, the Virtuti Militari. Ada was awarded 10 medals, including the Order of the Cross of Grunwald. Emigrating to Australia as postwar refugees in 1948, Ada and Toni arrived in Melbourne with little to their name. Working initially in garment factories and building their connections, by the mid-1950s the couple were able to start a company of their own, with Ada designing the garments and Toni managing the business. Within ten years, Ada of California swimwear was being sold in department stores throughout Australia, and the Murkies family were able to build a permanent home of their own in Brighton. By the early 1980s they had acquired several other major labels, including Watersun. This swimsuit is believed to be one of a large quantity of samples, seconds and unsold Ada Productions stock donated to Brighton Historical Society in late 1990 by Brian Samuel, who worked at the company between 1979 and 1990.Pink short-sleeved one-piece swimsuit with silver lamé embellishment. Sweetheart neckline and low-cut back with metal zip. A black and gold swing tag is attached to one sleeve.Label in bra: “Ada OF CALIFORNIA / MIRACULOUS s-t-r-e-t-c-h BRI-NYLON / 34” Swing tag, front: black with gold text and palm tree logo. “Ada / OF CALIFORNIA / ‘Limited Edition’”. Back: gold with black text. “‘Limited Edition’”. Interior: “Congratulations on your choice of ADA OF CALIFORNIA ‘Limited Edition” Swimsuit contoured for your discriminating taste. / Style 546 / Size 34 / Price £11.9.6”. Care instructions also included.swimwear, ada productions, ada of california, ada murkies, toni murkies, melbourne designers

Black and white photograph of cable trailer 88 being loaded onto a wagon at the Spencer St / Flinders St railway yard by the railway yard travelling gantry crane. Trailer lettered M&MTB. Has a man riding the top of the car before being loaded into a I type open wagon. Photo mid to late 1920s? Photo from the Collection of the Department of Infrastructure now with the Public Records Office - image number "Box 108-1. Note: this photo is now out of copyright and may not have been an original VR photograph, but one copied from another source and collected as their Heritage series. The building in the background in Flinders Street (extension/west.) is the former Melbourne Harbour Trust Officers. By the time of this photo was taken the building was in the hands of the Department of Agriculture. Their name can just be seen on the top part of the building. It was demolished when the convention centre was built beside the WTC in the mid-1980’s. The crane was dismantled in the late 1990s around the time of the No 1 goods shed was moved to Bylands. The cable car has been stripped of a number of parts : Some windows. All the brake rigging and pawls All the roof-mounted destination boxes. The wheel skirt.Shows how redundant cable trams were sold and transported to country locations.Photograph - Black and White - Loading cable car trailer 88 at Spencer StHas Department of Infrastructure copy right stamp on rear and number "Box108-1" in ink on rear and "1-8"tramways, trams, cable trams, flinders st, sale of trams, railways, tram 88

This Newsletter was the first by the newly elected Bendigo RSL Sub Branch President Alan Holmes at the AGM early 1997. The 15 sub headings are, Annual meeting, About the Units, Finance, Veterans Affairs, pension, Welfare, Appeals, Commemorative plaque, RSL Corporate plan, Ladies Auxiliary, memorabilia room, In general, Mufti and General meetings. Main points are; Mr Cliff Closehy stepping down after a Presidency of a rewarding 3 years and his foresight in building the 22 single living Units in Kangaroo Flat, Veterans Affairs having permanent Office in Bendigo, new direction in having trained Pension Officers, long standing Welfare Officer Les Waters stands down, role taken on by Jack Martin, New Appeals director Malcolm Angus taking over from long term men, Ted Kenedy & Ern Jackman, , new plaque to be unveiled at the Tom Flood Sports Centre (old Bendigo Show Grounds) commemorating the place as a WW2 Training Camp, Our Ladies Auxiliary now only catering for Ex Service organizations, The Volunteers who have helped transform the the Billiard room into a Memorabilia room especially C Richards for acquiring a Grant from Veterans Affairs to set the room up, the new Regional Centres being set up for Pensions & Welfare.Newsletter, paper A4 folded in half to make 4 pages, print in all black, there are 15 sub headings throughout. First page at the top has the RSL Logo on the left then the Sub branch being Bendigo central, under is "Presidents Newsletter" with the date "3 April 1997"brsl, smirsl, newsletter, 1997