Thousands of elderly people at this centre have contributed much. Published: Nillumbik Now and Then /​ Marguerite Marshall 2008; photographs Alan King with Marguerite Marshall.; p161 Thousands of elderly people, who have contributed much to Nillumbik and beyond, have made their home in the treed Eltham Retirement Centre. The centre, which opened in 1956, has housed the disadvantaged in particular, through good times and hard, including floods, fire and even burglaries. As part of the Melbourne Citymission, a non-denominational Christian organisation that cares for people living with disadvantage, the centre was built to celebrate 100 years of the Melbourne Citymission’s work since 1854. Standing on a former poultry farm called Willandra (Still Waters), the centre includes independent units, hostel, nursing home accommodation and a Day Therapy Centre, which is available for non-residents as well. Despite being metres from the busy Main Road and railway station, the centre provides a quiet oasis on 6.8 hectares bordered by the Diamond Creek to the west, and the railway line to the east. The centre was originally named Judge Book Memorial Village after Judge Clifford Book, Deacon of the Collins Street Baptist Church. Book was also President of the Baptist Union of Victoria and Grand Master of the Masonic Lodge. He was so respected that, at his death, several Pentridge prisoners asked to attend his funeral. In 1993 the centre’s name was changed to clarify that it was part of the Melbourne Citymission. However Judge Book’s name continues in the Judge Book Memorial Garden, opened in 2006. The Diamond Creek has flooded the centre several times, however rarely causing serious damage. Volunteer Alan Field recalls a flood in 1974 when the resident manager Reverend Norman Pearce and his wife, were rescued by boat from their home with their budgerigar. On February 3, 2005, when the creek almost flooded Metzner Hall, 35 ambulances evacuated residents to nearby nursing homes, hostels and local homes. Residents were also evacuated during the 1965 bush fire, but fortunately a change of wind direction saved the centre. Residents have also endured several burglaries. Despite much rebuilding and modernisation over the years, traces of the original farmhouse remain in the administration areas. In 1991 the Willandra Hostel was built and in 2001 the Eltham Lodge Nursing Home with each room having a garden view. Several buildings are named after people who have given special service to the centre including the Norman Pearce Day Hospital after general manager and pastor Rev Pearce. Metzner Hall was named after the Metzner family who had been active in the auxiliary since it began and had donated generously to the Recreation Hall fund.3 A bridge was named after Sister Lila Murray who had worked at the village for 42 years in various capacities including as relieving manager. Field remembers Sister Murray as ‘the Mother Teresa and soul of what the village aspired to, with love and care’. Since 1957 the Eltham Auxiliary, later called the Residents’ Association, has worked to improve the residents’ quality of life by volunteering and raising funds. An outstanding volunteer, Field, who was drawn to the centre in 1971 with his wife Chris, has held positions on the early Eltham boards, auxiliaries and Residents’ Association. Much of his work has been supporting people with no family and those of limited means. He says he and his wife look at their work as having shared ‘our lives with amazing people’. The wealth of experience and wisdom in the Retirement Village has benefited many people, including local school children. Residents have acted as proxy grand-parents at local schools, by assisting small learning groups or telling their life stories. Conversely, students from local schools have visited to perform, or to assist in programs like craft activities. Resident Val Bell, whose mother Rose Bullock lived at the centre before her, sums up the centre’s most important attribute for her: ‘The Christian care. They could not be more caring’.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, diamond street, eltham, eltham retirement centre, eltham retirement village, judge book memorial village

Black and white photograph of a young man operating a knitting machine. and two document: copy of newspaper article from The Argus, Wednesday 5 May 1926, page 20, regarding the Hanro knitting mills establishment in Bendigo. copy of newspaper article from the Brisbane Courier, Saturday 18, December 1926 page 12.organization, business, hanro

Postcard: black and white postcard, top section has written ' Greetings from Bendigo' Lower section shows image looking northwards up Pall Mall. Poppet head on RH side, mine chimney and Post Office middle image. Tram lines and poles up centre of Mall. On rear of card in black pen: 17.3.07, Dear Auntie, I hope you are quite well. We are going to Melbourne on Wednesday and going on to Bairnsdale on Saturday. We are having a good time here. Reg send his love, With love from Merle. Addressed to Miss E. Dahlsen, (Lake Tyers House, Lake Tyers - crossed out) Bairnsdale. Postmark is Bendigo 10.45 a.m. 17.4.07, 1d. Stamp attached.bendigo, streetscape, pall mall, bendigo, bairnsdale, dahlsen, merle ( bush ?)

Block of tickets - paper printed paper stapled too a cardboard back with a top retaining piece, "Railway Check Tickets" printed in black on off white paper with two red diagonal stripes, numbers B879814 to 879999. Used for passengers who travelled by tram or bus on railway issued tickets. Has the terms of use printed on the tickets, only available on Sundays. Issued by the MMTB. The only line that these were used on was Route 19, for the Upfield line. See Reg Item 2371 for a timetable where tram/bus used only on Sundays and 2378 when it was in the evenings Monday to Saturday and all day Sunday.trams, tramways, upfield, tram replacement, buses, railways, tickets

Sign titled "Trams to Elsternwick" giving details of the first and last trams for Weekdays, Saturdays and Sunday. Sign was located at the Point Ormond terminus. See Note for donor's comment. Painted sheet metal sign, approx. 2mm thick with 3 holes each top and bottom, front painted in white, with red lines and black letters. Rear painted in a yellow metal primer and then a brown paint. trams, tramways, point ormond, signs, elsternwick

Set of two black and white photographs of tramcar 815 in Collins St at Spencer St. Tram 815 was one of 24 W5 class trams built by MMTB at Preston Workshops in 1937. Entered service Saturday 13 November 1937. In April 1984 converted to SW5. Currently stored at Newport Workshops. Was relocated to the site of the former Glenhuntly Post Office in Glenhuntly Road Feb. 2020. Photo shows tram at corner with Specer St station parcels building and VR building in background. Also shows building on corner which was used by State Saving Bank of Victoria. Destination shown as "Kew Depot" route number 47.trams, tramways, w5 class, collins st, spencer st, route 47, tram 815

Black and white photograph of an illustration of the Fairfield Horse Tram. The illustration is from The Australasian Sketcher with Pen and Pencil (Melbourne, Vic. : 1873 - 1889), No 188 Vol XIIL, 14/1/1885. The magazine was owned by the Argus. The drawing is from a series of sketches at one of the Saturday land sales. The tramcar is numbered 1 and has signage Fairfield Park and Fairfield Tramway. The tramway was operated by Charles Henry James in an attempt to sell land developed by him north of the Fairfield railway station. The tramway operated from 20/12/1884 until its closure in 1890. Stamped on the back "...The Argus...negative No X2656"trams, tramways, argus, fairfield, horse trams, tram 1

Australia Day Celebrations - Olympic Park Swan St Saturday 26, Sunday 27 & Monday 28 January 1946 Memo from JM Harry, Dist Traffic Supt SS regarding tram arrangements to Depot Masters, Hawthorn & Camberwell. Memo dated 22 January 1946 Letter from Manager to Mr W Darwin regarding the display publicity signs on trams for the event. Letter from City of Melbourne to MMTB dated 11.1.1946 advising that permission had been given for the ANA to conduct a procession, including assembly positions and the route to be taken."Mr Harry for your information" written in pencil top left corner. Numerous notes written in red and black pencil across the lettertrams, tramways, events, festival, australia day, ana

Memorandum - three typed sheets (8"x10.5") - titled "Opening of Luna Park - Saturday 13 October, 1934" from DJ Davidson, District Traffic Superintendent S.S. to Mr Mazoletti, Hanna Street, Mr Bradley, Glenhuntly and Mr Jones, Malvern. Memo dated 12 October and specifies trams required for event at Luna Park. Also paper pinned to front with inscription: "Opening Luna Park Sat 13th Oct 1934" written in red pencil."Copy to Hanna Insps" written in black pencil on Hanna St memo, "Copy to Hanna St & Ghtly Insps" written in black pencil on Glenhuntly memo, "Copy to Malv & Hanna St Insps" written in black pencil on Malvern memotrams, tramways, instructions, events, luna park, specials, candy corner

Special excursions to Black Rock and Beaumaris on Saturdays, Sundays and Wednesdays Extract from a newspaper Typed transcript from an unidentified newspaper describing ticketing arrangements for trains and trams for travel to Black Rock and Beaumaris. Special Beaumaris circular tickets, issued at all stations, Spencer St to Brighton Beach, and Prince's Bridge to Caulfield.trams, tramways, tickets, black rock, beaumaris

Memorandum - nine typed sheets (8"x10.5") - titled "Combined Public Schools Sports at Melbourne C. Ground & International Pageant at Como Park - Saturday 27 October, 1934" from DJ Davidson, District Traffic Superintendent S.S. Note paper pinned to front with inscription: "Combined Public Schools Sports at MCG & International Pageant at Como Park Sat 27/10/34" written in red pencil. "Copies to Insps" written in black pencil. Pin removed and discarded. Two newspaper clippings pinned to note paper. 1st titled "Bands at Como Park - Massed Recital To-Day - Finish of Centenary Thousand". "Argus" & "Sat 27/10/34" written in red ink. 2nd titled "Como Park Pageant Abandoned".Numerous notes written in black pencil across memostrams, tramways, instructions, events

Memorandum - one typed sheets (8"x10.5") - titled "Back to Horse" Procession. - Saturday 27 October, 1934 from DJ Davidson, District Traffic Superintendent S.S. Note paper pinned to front with inscription: "Back to Horse" Procession. - Saturday 27 October, 1934" Typed details of tram shunting at City Rd and Flinders St. "Pencil alt 28/9/35 1935" written in black pencil. Several pencil crosses next to times. Camberwell and Glenferrie Rd crossed out and rewritten in black pencil. One newspaper clipping titled "Horse Parade - Many Types take Part - Interest in Bullock Team - Procession Ends at Showground". "Argus" & "29/10/34" written in red ink.Numerous notes written in black pencil across memostrams, tramways, instructions, events, showgrounds, city rd, flinders st

Lord Mayor's Food for Britain Appeal Children's Carnival, Govt House Grounds Saturday 23rd March 1946, 1.0 to 6.0pm 1 - Letter from A Connell to HH Bell requesting extra trams and advertising notices to placed on trams. 2 - Memo from JM Harry Dist. Traffic Supt, SS, to depot master Hanna St regarding tram arrangements for the event.Notations written in red pencil in top half of memo. Several notations in black pencil on letter as well as red lines and a croxx.trams, tramways, instructions, events

Black and white photograph of a very crowded cable tram set inbound in Bridge Road, c1925, lettered M&MTB" with the destination of Spencer St with many men crowding onto the tram. Alongside the tram is the front of a motor vehicle. Cable tram 81? In the background is a number of shops - L. Johnson Saddler, S. Christie and J Hogan (?) Trotting Sulky Manufacturers and A. Vickery & Son Manufacturing Engineers, Photo from the Collection of the Department of Infrastructure now with the Public Records Office - image number H212. Note: this photo is now out of copyright and was not an original VR photograph, but one copied from another source and collected as their Heritage series. Note from Rod Atkins 29/7/2019: The tram is full because the crowd as discharged from the racecourse so most likely taken on a Saturday. A few of buildings are still there today on the north side. Date 1920’s 2nd copy from Keith Kings added 6/8/2020 - see images i2 and i3.Has Department of Infrastructure copy right stamp on rear and number "H 212" in ink on rear and "1-10"trams, tramways, bridge rd, spencer st, cable trams, tram 81

Black and white photograph of a cable car set, c1908, of a well loaded grip car on the Richmond - Spencer St line, with an auxiliary board "Direct to Football Match" Has a paper boy standing in front of the tram, Would appear that the conductor is at the front of the tram, collecting fares. Has the caption "Off to the Essendon v South Melbourne Match - Saturday's Football Essendon V South Melbourne at East Melbourne and Fitzroy v St Kilda at Fitzroy"in ink in the corners "Australasian" and "2008" and photograph measurements for printing.trams, tramways, richmond, football, sports, papers, cable trams, conductors

Set of three Black and white photograph of a MMTB Leyland double decker bus No. 221 after striking the Vere St (Abbotsford) bridge on Saturday 19-6-1948, during a Collingwood - Fitzroy Football match. All photos taken at the Central Bus Garage, North Fitzroy. Bus has the destination of FootballWritten on the rear of each photo in pencil "Collided with Vere St Railway Bridge Sat 19th June 1948" tramways, buses, north fitzroy, accidents, leyland, double deck buses, football, td5c class, mmtb buses, bus 221

Photo shows Flinders St Railway Station with a W class tram heading north, a G class on the east side of Swanston St and a four wheel car waiting on the west side. Very busy view with many pedestrians. Photographed at 1215, possibly a Saturday. See item 7218 for a enlarged version of the G class tram.Yields information about Flinders Station, mid to late 1920sBlack & White Photograph of a postcard made by the TMSV Sales.trams, tramways, flinders st, swanston st, w class, flinders st station, g class

Black and white photographs - 2 copiesTyped below photograph, "Boiler explosion at Ringwood station 20/6/1894. Heard in Box Hill". Article from newspapers:- Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic. : 1869 - 1954), Saturday 27 January 1894, page 21 Official enquiry. The Board of Enquiry appointed by the Railway Commissioners to enquire into the causes of the boiler explosion which shattered the locomotive at Ringwood on Saturday night, assembled at the Railway department on Wednesday to commence its deliberations, The board consisted of Mr R. Fulton, engineer, C. W. McLean; engineer to the Marine Board, and Mr Mephan Ferguson, iron-founder. There is some difficulty at the outset about the constitution of the board; It was suggested that the Apt of Parliament contemplated that boards of experts, after the manner of the present one, needed, to have their appointments confirmed by the Governor-in-Council. The point, however, was not considered sufficiently important to prevent the board from proceeding with evidence. Robert Greyford, stationmaster at Ringwood, was the first witness. He said he saw the explosion on Saturday night at about twenty minutes to 8. There was a rush to the engine to see what had happened, and the driver and fireman were both found on the platform of the engine. The driver seemed badly hurt, but the fireman, to all appearances, was not so badly injured. They were both attended to and sent up to Melbourne by the last suburban train. Witness had a look at the engine and found the dome and all the plates round the boiler blown clean, away. The springs were also blown clean away. The Chairman (Mr Fulton) : Did you measure the distance ? Witness: Yes; one of the plates was 209 yards away. A piece from the top of the boiler 15 pounds in weight he found driven into the hard beaten track 410 yards away. Several pieces of boiler plate were found scattered at various distances. The buildings roundabout were injured. The Chairman; Did you notice anything peculiar about either of the driver or the fireman ? — No ; nothing wrong, with either of them. If the engine was blowing off at all, it must have been very light. In your opinion, were they perfectly sober ? — Perfectly. In approaching the station, is there a down or an up grade? — A very slight down grade. How is the road from Healesville ? — Up and down all the way. It is down, grade for about 200 yards coming into Ringwood station. They shut off ; steam about a quarter of a mile away, and come in at a good pace. They generally put on 15 pounds of steam while they are in the station. Mr Ferguson : Had the driver the usual load on ? — Yes ; about the usual load. Witness added that he had known the driver personally for about 10 years, and he had always been a careful, steady, sober man. He did not know the fireman so well. John Palmer, porter at Ringwood station, also saw the explosion. He was attending to the train on its arrival. He was knocked down by the force of the explosion. When he got up he saw the engine driver being carried into the office covered in blood. He noticed nothing peculiar about the driver and fireman, nor about the engine. Mr McLean : How far were you from the engine when you were knocked down ? — From ten to fifteen yards. William Paul, the guard of the train to which the injured locomotive Was attached, said he was looking at the engine at the very moment the explosion occurred. It seemed to come from exactly under the dome. The force of it took him off his feet. He was about 15 yards from the tender. When he rose he tried to reach the engine, but could not do so on account of the steam and coal dust. He called out to know whether any of the passengers were injured, and got no response, so that he concluded they were all right. All the lamps but about half dozen were extinguished by the force of the explosion, although the glass was not broken. He could testify most distinctly that the driver and fireman were both sober. The driver was a man who never drank. The steam started to blow off about a minute and a half before the explosion took place. The last place at which the engine took water was Healesville. The Chairman : Do yon know anything of the quality of the water there ? Is it creek water ? — Yes ; it comes from the Graceburn River. You never heard of its quality ?— No. How long have you known this engine on the road— About 13 months. Hew long have you known the driver on this line ? — About six weeks. I have known the fireman several years. The driver was a strict teetotaller, and I never saw the fireman take anything to drink in his life. Mr T. H, Woodroffe, chief mechanical engineer of the Victorian Railways, produced a report he had written to the secretary, about this explosion. The document gave facts concerning the engine and the explosion. It stated that the rapture seemed to have occurred at the rim of the plates adjoining the fire box. The engine was built at the Phoenix Foundry, Ballarat, in 1883. It was repaired at various times, the last time being in July of last year when it was sent to the Port Melbourne shops, and was then tested to a cold water pressure of 195 and found all right. It was the custom to overhaul all locomotives about every five years. The Chairman : There were no very heavy repairs in July, 1893; were there? — Not to the boilers. The shop manager's report says that the plug and safety tap holes were repaired, five new copper studs put in firebox, ash-pan door repaired, tender cleaned and overhauled, and studs re-rivetted, and boiler tested to pressure of 195, cold water. Mr Woodroffe read the report of the repairs effected to the boiler in December, 1888. That would be the time the plate was put in the boiler. On that occasion three new plates were put in the bottom and the boiler tested up to 195. The Chairman: Do you keep a record of the water used ?— Yes, the water in this case, I think, came from the Maroondah scheme. Mr Woodroffe said boilers were examined front time to time in the running sheds. In his opinion every possible care had been taken to keep the engine in proper care. There might, however, be lessons learnt from this. The Chairman: No doubt. From his examination of the plates [the] witness did not think the state of them could have been detected from the outside. There were no signs of leakage or sweating or anything of that sort. The next witness- was Walter Stinton, workshop manager at Newport and he said that the injured engine had been repeatedly repaired under his charge. He gave a technical account of the repairs effected on various occasions. The testing of locomotives was under his special notice. They had a high pressure pipe running; round the works, and a pump set at 2001b. When the boiler was pumped full of water the pressure when applied up to 1951b. The board appointed by the department to inquire into the Ringwood locomotive boiler explosion sat again at Spencer street on 25th inst. Mr R. Fulton presided and the other members of the board were. Mr Mephan Ferguson and Mr C. W. McLean. Charles Grubb, foreman of the boiler-makers at the Newport workshops, said he had inspected the pieces of plate that had been blown out of the engine, and after examining them, pointed out to the Chief Mechanical Engineer the portion where the plate had started to burst. It was under the lap, on the right hand side of the boiler. The grooving might be accounted for by bad water. During the past twenty years he had examined all the boilers that came into the Williamstown workshops, and while some were hardly marked at all, others were very badly eaten away. The practice was to cut out the defective portions. In this case the boiler was repaired in a similar manner. The Chairman : Can you suggest any other way of repairing so as to prevent accident ? — No, unless by taking out a plate on one side from the joint, and carrying it further up so as to avoid the joints meeting, or by taking out the plate altogether. What would.be the cost .of putting in a new " plate I—Perhaps about double the price; but I wouldn't recommend that course. It would be putting a new plate against plates that have been in use ten years or so and that would not be advisable. I think the present system better. I consider the present system of repairing the best. This is the first we have had so bad like that, to my knowledge. You attributed this to bad water. Is there no other probable cause ? — Well; unless the iron be bad. This was Lowmoor iron. I think this accident was caused by the eating away of plates. This one was the worst I have seen, for the short time it had been running. We use three classes of iron — Lowmoor, Monkbridge and Bowling. By Mr Woodroffe (Chief Mechanical Engineer) ; There are engines still running that were repaired at the same time as this one, in 1888, and. in the same way. These are engines 339 and 333. They have been recently examined and are in splendid order. What in your experience, is the age of a boiler on the Victorian railways? — From 17 to 20 years our earlier boilers stood. The later boilers don't stand so well. How is that? — There is difference in construction, and the material is lighter. The old boilers had thicker plates. Have you been asked in any way to curtail boiler affairs? — No, sir; nor in any way. You have never hesitated to carry out any necessary repairs? — Never. Our orders have been to exercise every care in examining, repairing and renewing boilers. Witness said that his practice was when an engine came into the workshop to find out how long she had been running. If over five years, he informed the workshop manager, and they thought it necessary the tubes were taken nut. If everything was in good order witness reported to the manager. The cost of taking out the tubes and putting them in again was about L20. Mr Woodroffe : Have you ever hesitated to repair a boiler on the score of expense ? — No, never. Mr McLean : Hew do yon ascertain whether a boiler requires repairs?— I keep a record of every boiler examined. From every boiler that comes in I have the dome covers taken off, and when it is practical I get inside. l can almost tell from the top of a boiler what the bottom is like. If there is any doubt about it I have the tubes taken out. If I have suspicion of defective plate I cause to have bored a triangle in the plate at the point where there is the most wear. There is a travelling inspector who visits all the running sheds of the colony except Port Melbourne and tests the boilers. He reports to us and we note what he points out. Alfred Thompson, locomotive inspector of the eastern section, said he knew this engine, 297R. He read a list of her repairs. He heard of the accident on Saturday night and went up to Ringwood. The Chairman : Did you ever notice anything peculiar about the engine? — No, I considered her A1 and would not have hesitated to have put on 140lb pressure owing to the repairs she had undergone. Witness considered that the explosion was caused by the expansion and contraction of the plates ; and, no doubt, the plate had been eaten away through bad water. The other side of the boiler showed: signs of corrosion: By Mr Woodroffe ; Is every care taken with the boilers ? — Yes, every possible care is taken for the safety of boilers, Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic. : 1869 - 1954), Saturday 27 January 1894, page 7 EXPLOSION OF A LOCOMOTIVE BOILER, NARROW ESACPE FROM FATALITIES. THE DAMAGED ENGINE. [See drawing of loco – saved in “Railways” folder] The explosion of a locomotive boiler at Ringwood on Saturday evening, formed the subject of much discussion in railway circles on Monday. The Minister arrived at the office at an unusually early hour and immediately entered into a consultation with the acting chairman, Mr Kibble, and Mr Commissioner Murray. As the result of the interview it was resolved to ask three gentlemen of acknowledged engineering experience to sib as a board with the . object of inquiring into the cause of the accident and furnishing a report. Mr Richardson and the Commissioners are tally seized of the importance of having a searching investigation into the accident, and, with Mr Murray, the former went to Ringwood to inspect the scene of the disaster. They will he accompanied by Mr Woodroffe. During the morning no official report had come to hand from the driver or fireman of the engine in reference to the accident, but that is thought to be due to the circumstance that they have not sufficiently recovered to be able to give a circumstantial account of what occurred. The engine was one of the old R's, and, Mr Kibble pronounced them to be about the best class of engines used. So far nothing can be said as to the probable cause of the accident, as the broken plating of the engine has not been submitted to the inspection of experts. Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic. : 1869 - 1954), Saturday 27 January 1894, page 7 STATEMENT BY THE FIREMAN. This morning Thomas Miles, fireman on the engine the boiler of which exploded on Saturday night, is suffering from an injury to the spine, as well as a very severe shaking to the system. He states that he was fireman on the engine attached to the train which left Healesville on Saturday evening, at ten minutes to 8. Everything went all right until Ringwood was reached, when, .just as the train was about to continue its journey, a load explosion took place and Miles remembers nothing more until he was picked np on the platform ; and found himself suffering from a pain in the back, and an injury to his arm. He cannot think of any reason which could have caused the explosion, as there was plenty of water in the boiler, and everything seemed working all right. Mr R. Fulton, consulting engineer, of Queen street; Mr McLean, a member of the Marine Board ; and Mr Mephan Ferguson, engineer, have consented to act as a board to inquire into the cause of the engine boiler explosion at Ringwood on Saturday evening. The board has been appointed under section 117 of Act 1135, which provides that the Governor-in-Council may direct the taking of a such a step. Mr1 Fulton will act as chairman of the board, which met for the first time at the railway offices, Spencer street, this forenoon. Before separating the members of the Board paid a visit to the Prince's Bridge locomotive sheds in company with Mr Woodroffe, the chief mechanical engineer, for the purpose of inspecting the shattered boiler. It has been stated that the explosion is known to have been caused by a flaw in a plate which was put on the boiler about four years ago, but enquiries have tailed to elicit anything in support of that view. The engineers connected with the department are not inclined to say anything on the subject. Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic. : 1869 - 1954), Saturday 14 April 1894, page 20 The Ringwood Boiler Explosion, The Minister of Railways has received the supplementary report of the board appointed by him to investigate the circumstances connected with the explosion of a locomotive boiler at Ringwood. In their first report the board did not attach blame to anyone. Mr Richardson felt satisfied that the responsibility of having the engines properly inspected and overhauled periodically could be fixed if the inquiry were extended. He therefore referred the matter again to the Board, who took further evidence. In the report now furnished, the Board hold Loco. Inspector Thompson blameable, but point out as a mitigating circumstance that he had not received "written instructions" respecting inspections and overhauls. Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic. : 1869 - 1954), Saturday 7 July 1894, page 32 The Ringwood Boiler Explosion. The Minister of Railways takes exception to the tone of a paragraph appearing in a morning contemporary respecting the Ringwood boiler explosion. It makes it appear that Mr Richardson has referred the report of the board which considered the facts connected with the explosion to the Crown solicitor simply because he differed from the finding of the board. The Minister explains that when he received the report he found that the responsibility for having boilers properly inspected and overhauled had not been clearly fixed. He personally obtained farther evidence on that point, and arrived at a conclusion, from which the commissioners differed. As he did not like to take upon himself the responsibility of deciding upon the effect of the evidence, he submitted the matter to the Crown Solicitor, but that officer did not furnish him with the information sought. He has, therefore, referred the question to the Attorney-General, together with the draft of a regulation respecting boiler inspections and overhauls in the future. Mr Richardson says that his whole aim is to have the responsibility positively fixed. Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic. : 1869 - 1954), Saturday 28 April 1894, page 23 The Minister of Railways has completed his consideration of the supplementary report received by him from the Ringwood Boiler Explosion Board. The report, it will be remembered, held Loco-Inspector Thompson blameable for the non-inspection of the boiler, but considered there was extenuating circumstances. There was a certain amount of doubt as to the absolute instructions given for overhauling engines periodically. Mr. Richardson is sending the report on to the Commissioners with instructions that the responsibility respecting inspection of boilers shall be made clear for the future.

Awarded at the Lismore A. & P. Society Annual Agricultural Show to Percy (Ronald Percival) Howell of Mannibadar, for Pasture Ground Suitable Meadow Hay. Event was held on Saturday, November 8th, 1958. Percy (Ronald Percival) Howell farmed Corriedale and Merino sheep on his property at Mannibadar. His sons were Ray, Ron and Mervyn (who was killed in action in the last days of World War II).Cream cardboard prize certificate with black printed text. Text: " LISMORE A. & P. SOCIETY / ANNUAL AGRICULTURAL SHOW / SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1958 / Third Prize. "lismore a. & p. society, percy (ronald percival) howell, prize certificates, prize ribbons, rural activity, lismore a & p show

Fleece was entered in the show by Percy (Ronald Percival) Howell who farmed Corriedale and Merino sheep on his property at Mannibadar. His sons were Ray, Ron and Mervyn (who was killed in action in the last days of World War II).Cream cardboard certificate with black printed text. Used to document items on display at the Lismore A. & P. Society Annual Show in the 1950s. Provides name of exhibitor, description of sheep fleece on display, and judge's remarks.Text: " Lismore A. and P. Society / ANNUAL SHOW, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER , 195-. "lismore a. & p. society, percy (ronald percival) howell, rural activity, lismore a & p show