J. J. Leahy set up his retail electrical business in 1946 selling fridges, stoves and washers after commencing work wiring peoples’ homes in the late 1940’s. He developed the business into a large retail store and electrical contracting business which operated locally and Australia wide... He also ran Beattie and Phillips Funeral directors. The electrical business had several locations along Koroit Street before finally establishing on the south east corner of Fairy and Koroit Street. Jim died in November 26th 2008. The store is still run by his nephew Robert Askew. Jimmy Leahy was involved in the City council for a number of years and served as town mayor. The minutes contained in this book especially the information written in the Managing directors reports, provides an overview not just of a business but of business practice and the changes which occurred in life over the 40 year period. It contains events such as the introduction of television, refrigerated dairies and dates for tenders for major building programs such as WIAE, East Warrnambool School, Town Hall. Large dark blue fabric and leather bound ledger. The index pages are A –Z but contain no entries. Pages 1- 108 are handwritten minutes of Leahy’s Electrical Industries Committee. Pages 109-114 contain typed pages re AGM. Remaining pages are blank. Time period ranges from March 28th 1951 to December 1986. Signatures: J B Dwyer, W J Gleeson J J Leahy. Names included J.B. Dwyer, J.J. Leahy, M White, W.W. Croft, J.J. Walter, W Ross, J.J. Affleck, C.A. Richards, S J Wilson, J Croft, I.L. T Mahoney, P Conheady, J Meade.warrnambool, j.j. leahy, leahy’s, jimmy leahy, ledger, leahy’s electrical

Green tinted paperback with photograph of farming men with children and horses on front cover. Title and other text is dark brown edged in white. A number of Irish surnames are written in darker green on the paler part of front cover. This effect is also on back cover in tan lettering. The back cover description is written in brown text with image in oval above text.non-fictionHistory of St Brigid's Catholic Church and the Irish-Australian community warrnambool, crossley, st brigid's church, crossley catholic church, helen doyle

The Melbourne Exhibition was held as part of the centennial celebrations in Australia in 1888. This glass engraved with the purchaser’s name, was a souvenir of the occasion.The Melbourne Centennial Exhibition held in 1888 was a major event covering exhibits of most aspects of life. Large numbers of people attended, in this case a Mr Robb, Joseph Robb, grandfather of the donor.Small clear glass tumbler with etched leaf design .Melbourne Exhibition 1888 Mr Robbwarrnambool, melbourne centennial exhibition, 1888 centennial exhibition, joseph robb

Joseph Fowler (1888-1972), businessman and municipal councillor, was born on 28 February 1888 at Bagworth, Leicestershire, England, one of thirteen children of John Fowler, groom, and his wife Mary, née Ash. With his brother Sydney, in the early 1900s Joseph worked in a fruit-preserving business run by an uncle at Maidstone, Kent, and continued with the firm after 1908 when it was relocated at Reading. At St Andrew's parish church, Leicester, on 7 September 1910 he married a nurse, Elizabeth Harris (d.1965); they emigrated in 1913 and settled at Camberwell, Melbourne. Encouraged by his commercial experience, and by the variety and quality of fruit in Australia, Fowler set up a fruit-bottling business in the rear of his small house in Burke Road. Trading as J. Fowler & Co., by 1915 the company had begun producing home-bottling kits which contained a sterilizer, bottles, lids, rings and a thermometer. To acquire the capital to establish a factory, Fowler travelled the district, selling his kits door-to-door from the back of a cart. In 1920 he bought a shop at the corner of Power Street and Burwood Road, Hawthorn, and registered his business as a private company. During the Depression his kits became a household name. In 1934 Fowlers Vacola Manufacturing Co. Ltd was registered as a public company. Housewives, nationwide, were urged to bottle their own fruits and jams by 'Mrs B Thrifty', the dainty cartoon character who graced the firm's advertisements. Numerous recipes and instruction books, such as From Orchard to Bottle the Fowlers Way, advertised the necessary preserving equipment, extending to jelly bags and juice extractors. Australian-made glass and imported steel and rubber were used in the production of Fowlers Vacola Bottling Outfits. Determined to put something back into the community which had supported him so well, in 1933-60 Fowler represented Yarra Ward on the Hawthorn City Council (mayor 1938-39 and 1945-46). He served as vice-president of Swinburne Technical College (1942) and of the Hawthorn branch of the Australian Defence League (1943); he was also a Rotarian, and a warden and vestryman of St John's Anglican Church, Camberwell. Changed demands in World War II encouraged Fowlers Vacola to diversify their product. Canned goods were manufactured for allied troops in the South Pacific. In 1953 new buildings and plant, including a giant pressure-cooker, were installed to increase productivity: from that time Fowlers Vacola sold canned and bottled food throughout Australia and abroad. By 1960 the factory occupied more than 122,000 sq. ft (11,330 m²) and further expansion was to occur when the firm moved to Nunawading. Fowler retired in 1961, but remained chairman of directors; his son Ronald succeeded him as managing director. Variously described as a generous, jovial man with a sense of humour, and as a strict and astute manager whose company was his life, Fowler was renowned for his straight business dealings and his 'no-nonsense' attitude. Survived by his son and daughter, he died on 24 April 1972 at Camberwell and was cremated. His estate was sworn for probate at $204,424. On Ronald Fowler's death in 1978, the company was bought out by the Sydney firm, Hooper Baillie Industries Ltd; it in turn sold to Sabco Ltd of South Australia; in 1994, when Sabco went into receivership, Australian Resource Recovery Technologies re-established Fowlers Vacola Australia Pty Ltd's headquarters in Melbourne. Copper boiling pot for home preserves, handles, lid and removable thermometer, also acc ompany instruction booklet. "Fowlers Method of Bottling Fruits and Vegetables"Fowler's "Vacola" Reg. No. 68081 Sterilizer

Bicentennial/Heritage Week Display, "The Eltham Tradition", Eltham Shire Office, 17-22 April 1988. In an interview in the Australian Women's Weekly, (29 April 1970), months before his death in October 1970, Ian Hassall discusses his life with author Maureen Bang. "Ian Hassall can look back on his life with few regrets. He believes like his friend author Alan Marshall, that when you're old you should be able to "look back on life as a book with lots of pictures". Artist Ian Hassall has a lifetime of pictures". Colour photographactivities, alan marshall, eltham shire office, heritage display, heritage week, ian hassall

[from EDHS Newsletter No. 75, November 1990:] WALTER WITHERS PLAQUE At long last we have unveiled our plaque in the Walter Withers Reserve. The function was attended by a number of members and friends of the Society and descendants of the Withers family. Following the unveiling, the group proceeded to the Eltham Shire Office for afternoon tea and a small exhibition of Withers' paintings arranged by Andrew Mackenzie. The unveiling was performed by Mary Owen, a grand-daughter of Walter Withers. Her speech provided an interesting personal perspective on Withers and is repeated in full here: I feel somewhat overwhelmed by the responsibility of paying tribute to the man you have all come to honour today. I have the feeling that most of you probably know more about him and his work than I do. Walter Withers died nearly seven years before I was born and so I never knew him. Sadly, although other members of his family inherited some of his talent, I was not among them and I know very little about art. This is doubly hard to bear because my husband had some ability to draw and my second daughter also has some talent in this direction. My children are all artistic - mostly in the field of music inherited partly from their father - a Welshman who sang like a Welshman - and partly from my grandmother, Fanny Withers who, I believe was no mean pianist. However all this talent gave me a miss and for many years I felt a complete ignoramus in the fields of the arts. It was not until I was nearly fifty years old that I walked into a gallery in Brisbane and, as I wandered around the room, suddenly one picture leapt at me and I knew instantly that it had been painted by my grandfather. I had never seen the picture before and it gave me quite a shock to find that I had recognized the style of painting. I realized then that I had absorbed more than I realized simply by living with pictures and with people who painted them and talked about their painting and the painting of others. When I was a child I sometimes spent school holidays with my Aunt Margery Withers and her husband, Richard McCann. Aunt Marge painted me several times but I'm afraid I was a restless subject and used to sit reading a book and look up grudgingly when she wanted to paint my eyes. During the September holidays my aunt and uncle were busy preparing paintings far the annual exhibition of the Melbourne Twenty Painters, to which they both belonged. I remember how important I used to feel when they took me along to the Athenaeum Gallery on the Friday night before the opening to help hang their pictures. There were many artists there but the two I remember are perhaps surprisingly both women: Miss Bale and Miss Tweddle. I remember how cold it used to be up in that gallery at night. They used to heat water on a gas ring to make tea and Aunt Marge used to bring sandwiches and fruit for our evening meal. Everyone seemed to be poor in those days and no-one dreamed of going out for a meal. It was a case of make-do - even to cutting down frames to fit pictures or cutting pictures to fit the frames. They had to use the same frames from year to year if the pictures didn't sell. The opening was an exciting event for me. I felt I was privileged to meet important people - people who knew a lot more than I - and Uncle Dick would get quite merry after a couple of the tiny sweet sherries which were always distributed. I realise now that quite a lot of "art talk" rubbed off on me during my visits to the Athenaeum and during my stays with my aunt and uncle. I suspect that much of our most useful learning comes this way and those of us who have had the privilege of associating with artists, writers, philosophers and other thinkers have a richness in our lives of which we may be unaware. Walter Withers was a prolific painter and, although he painted for love of it, I suspect that the need to provide for his family drove him, like Mozart, to greater efforts than he might otherwise have achieved. Reading old letters and articles about the Heidelberg artists, I have come to realize something of the constant strain placed on many of them - particularly Withers and McCubbin - by poverty and the need to make ends meet. Withers was ever conscious of the need to provide for his wife and his five children and there are touching letters to his wife, regretting that he was not able to earn more for them. In addition to his painting, he worked hard at teaching and illustrating and, as he grew older, the strain began to tell and his health deteriorated. He seems never to have had a very strong constitution and suffered from rheumatism, which must have made painting quite painful at times. His eldest daughter, Gladys, was eventually confined to a wheelchair with rheumatoid arthritis and I have a tendency to arthritis myself, so I am particularly aware of what this could have meant to him. Recently I found a short letter written by my mother to her mother, Fanny Withers on the anniversary of her father's birthday in 1919, in which she said: "Poor old Dad, I often think now what a lot he must have suffered. His life was too hard and too strenuous for him. He had too many chick-a-biddies, I think. He wasn't equal to so much town life and train journeys with so many delicacies as he had. Since I have been ill, I have realised what he must have felt like.” He certainly drove himself to produce. He travelled all over Victoria by train, buggy, bicycle and on foot and for a time he travelled from Eltham to Melbourne every day by train, although later he lived in Melbourne during the week and only returned to Eltham for the weekends. My mother died seven years after her father's death, when my twin sisters were 10 days old and I was 16 months. So I never knew my mother or my grandfather. But my two aunts, Gladys and Margery, sometimes took me to stay with Gan Withers at Southernwood in Bolton Street . No cars in those days and it seemed a very long hot and dusty walk from the Station. Three memories remain with me of Southernwood. One is the well at the back which I found quite terrifying; the second is Gan killing a snake - even more terrifying. She was a formidable woman, my grandmother and a great ally and support to her husband. I think she was the business end of the partnership. The third memory of Southernwood is my grandfather's studio – down what seemed like a toy staircase inside the room. This and the big walk-in fireplace stayed in my mind from the age of about six until I saw them again about forty years later when the house was being used as a Sunday School. I just wish that money could be found to purchase this old house for the City of Eltham so that a permanent museum could be established in memory of a man who did so much to put Eltham on the map of art history. Recently I have become interested in family history and spent some time in England, Ireland and Wales looking for traces of my ancestors. I realized then how important it is to have records of people who have contributed to our society. We forget so soon and it is amazing how often, within two generations, names, dates and many details are forgotten. We are fortunate that so many of Walter Withers' works have been bought by galleries and that people like Andrew Mackenzie have taken the trouble to search out people who knew him and to write about him and his work. And I am very grateful to the Historical Society of Eltham for recognizing the importance of having a permanent tribute in Eltham to the contribution made by Walter Withers, who loved Eltham so much and who has assured this lovely district a place in the annals of history. I am indebted to Kathleen Mangan; the daughter of another famous Australian painter , Fred McCubbin, - featured in The Age this morning (thanks again to Andrew Mackenzie) for the most apt tribute to Walter Withers. Kathleen is not well and she rang me a couple of days ago, regretting that she could not be present today “to pay tribute” as she said, “to Walter Withers for I always think Walter Withers is the spirit of Eltham.” Thank you, Kathleen. And now I have much pleasure in unveiling the plaque commissioned by the Eltham Historical Society from Bob McLellan of Charmac Industries to commemorate the life and work of Walter Withers, the spirit of Eltham. Mary Owen, 13 October 1990.Three colour photographswalter withers rock, walter withers reserve, mary owen

[from EDHS Newsletter No. 75, November 1990:] WALTER WITHERS PLAQUE At long last we have unveiled our plaque in the Walter Withers Reserve. The function was attended by a number of members and friends of the Society and descendants of the Withers family. Following the unveiling, the group proceeded to the Eltham Shire Office for afternoon tea and a small exhibition of Withers' paintings arranged by Andrew Mackenzie. The unveiling was performed by Mary Owen, a grand-daughter of Walter Withers. Her speech provided an interesting personal perspective on Withers and is repeated in full here: I feel somewhat overwhelmed by the responsibility of paying tribute to the man you have all come to honour today. I have the feeling that most of you probably know more about him and his work than I do. Walter Withers died nearly seven years before I was born and so I never knew him. Sadly, although other members of his family inherited some of his talent, I was not among them and I know very little about art. This is doubly hard to bear because my husband had some ability to draw and my second daughter also has some talent in this direction. My children are all artistic - mostly in the field of music inherited partly from their father - a Welshman who sang like a Welshman - and partly from my grandmother, Fanny Withers who, I believe was no mean pianist. However all this talent gave me a miss and for many years I felt a complete ignoramus in the fields of the arts. It was not until I was nearly fifty years old that I walked into a gallery in Brisbane and, as I wandered around the room, suddenly one picture leapt at me and I knew instantly that it had been painted by my grandfather. I had never seen the picture before and it gave me quite a shock to find that I had recognized the style of painting. I realized then that I had absorbed more than I realized simply by living with pictures and with people who painted them and talked about their painting and the painting of others. When I was a child I sometimes spent school holidays with my Aunt Margery Withers and her husband, Richard McCann. Aunt Marge painted me several times but I'm afraid I was a restless subject and used to sit reading a book and look up grudgingly when she wanted to paint my eyes. During the September holidays my aunt and uncle were busy preparing paintings far the annual exhibition of the Melbourne Twenty Painters, to which they both belonged. I remember how important I used to feel when they took me along to the Athenaeum Gallery on the Friday night before the opening to help hang their pictures. There were many artists there but the two I remember are perhaps surprisingly both women: Miss Bale and Miss Tweddle. I remember how cold it used to be up in that gallery at night. They used to heat water on a gas ring to make tea and Aunt Marge used to bring sandwiches and fruit for our evening meal. Everyone seemed to be poor in those days and no-one dreamed of going out for a meal. It was a case of make-do - even to cutting down frames to fit pictures or cutting pictures to fit the frames. They had to use the same frames from year to year if the pictures didn't sell. The opening was an exciting event for me. I felt I was privileged to meet important people - people who knew a lot more than I - and Uncle Dick would get quite merry after a couple of the tiny sweet sherries which were always distributed. I realise now that quite a lot of "art talk" rubbed off on me during my visits to the Athenaeum and during my stays with my aunt and uncle. I suspect that much of our most useful learning comes this way and those of us who have had the privilege of associating with artists, writers, philosophers and other thinkers have a richness in our lives of which we may be unaware. Walter Withers was a prolific painter and, although he painted for love of it, I suspect that the need to provide for his family drove him, like Mozart, to greater efforts than he might otherwise have achieved. Reading old letters and articles about the Heidelberg artists, I have come to realize something of the constant strain placed on many of them - particularly Withers and McCubbin - by poverty and the need to make ends meet. Withers was ever conscious of the need to provide for his wife and his five children and there are touching letters to his wife, regretting that he was not able to earn more for them. In addition to his painting, he worked hard at teaching and illustrating and, as he grew older, the strain began to tell and his health deteriorated. He seems never to have had a very strong constitution and suffered from rheumatism, which must have made painting quite painful at times. His eldest daughter, Gladys, was eventually confined to a wheelchair with rheumatoid arthritis and I have a tendency to arthritis myself, so I am particularly aware of what this could have meant to him. Recently I found a short letter written by my mother to her mother, Fanny Withers on the anniversary of her father's birthday in 1919, in which she said: "Poor old Dad, I often think now what a lot he must have suffered. His life was too hard and too strenuous for him. He had too many chick-a-biddies, I think. He wasn't equal to so much town life and train journeys with so many delicacies as he had. Since I have been ill, I have realised what he must have felt like.” He certainly drove himself to produce. He travelled all over Victoria by train, buggy, bicycle and on foot and for a time he travelled from Eltham to Melbourne every day by train, although later he lived in Melbourne during the week and only returned to Eltham for the weekends. My mother died seven years after her father's death, when my twin sisters were 10 days old and I was 16 months. So I never knew my mother or my grandfather. But my two aunts, Gladys and Margery, sometimes took me to stay with Gan Withers at Southernwood in Bolton Street . No cars in those days and it seemed a very long hot and dusty walk from the Station. Three memories remain with me of Southernwood. One is the well at the back which I found quite terrifying; the second is Gan killing a snake - even more terrifying. She was a formidable woman, my grandmother and a great ally and support to her husband. I think she was the business end of the partnership. The third memory of Southernwood is my grandfather's studio – down what seemed like a toy staircase inside the room. This and the big walk-in fireplace stayed in my mind from the age of about six until I saw them again about forty years later when the house was being used as a Sunday School. I just wish that money could be found to purchase this old house for the City of Eltham so that a permanent museum could be established in memory of a man who did so much to put Eltham on the map of art history. Recently I have become interested in family history and spent some time in England, Ireland and Wales looking for traces of my ancestors. I realized then how important it is to have records of people who have contributed to our society. We forget so soon and it is amazing how often, within two generations, names, dates and many details are forgotten. We are fortunate that so many of Walter Withers' works have been bought by galleries and that people like Andrew Mackenzie have taken the trouble to search out people who knew him and to write about him and his work. And I am very grateful to the Historical Society of Eltham for recognizing the importance of having a permanent tribute in Eltham to the contribution made by Walter Withers, who loved Eltham so much and who has assured this lovely district a place in the annals of history. I am indebted to Kathleen Mangan; the daughter of another famous Australian painter , Fred McCubbin, - featured in The Age this morning (thanks again to Andrew Mackenzie) for the most apt tribute to Walter Withers. Kathleen is not well and she rang me a couple of days ago, regretting that she could not be present today “to pay tribute” as she said, “to Walter Withers for I always think Walter Withers is the spirit of Eltham.” Thank you, Kathleen. And now I have much pleasure in unveiling the plaque commissioned by the Eltham Historical Society from Bob McLellan of Charmac Industries to commemorate the life and work of Walter Withers, the spirit of Eltham. Mary Owen, 13 October 1990.Two colour photographswalter withers rock, walter withers reserve, mary owen

The Potosi was built in Scotland in 1873 by John Elder and Co.It was a cargo/passenger iron screw steamer and sailed from 1880-1887 under the Orient Line Australia service. Samuel James Lynn was born in 1865 in Coleraine, Northern Ireland. Sam left his home in Coleraine in 1883 at the age of 17. (More information in O.D.H.S. newsletter No. 91 September, 2012 by Margaret Hollands) Samuel Lynn was a well-known Orbost pioneer. Ho owned much property throughout the district , bred Clydesdale horses and fattened about 600 cattle. He was in great demand as a judge of both cattle and horses at agricultural shows in Victoria and interstate. He was a shire councillor for 30 years and president several times. He took a great interest in the sporting clubs of the town and played cricket until late in life. He was goal umpire for the local football team for many years, judged for the Orbost Racing Club and was the first president of the Orbost Bowls Club. He was also a member of the first municipal band. A paper passenger's contract ticket for Samuel Lynn on the Steam Ship Potosi from Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool, United Kingdom to Melbourne, Australia. It is white with black print and hand-written details.front - signed "Samuel Lynn"lynn-samuel potosi-steamship

The Richardson family was one of the very early settler families to establish themselves in the Orbost district. Samuel Richardson was a sawmiller and farmer in Orbost. He built The Curlip, a wooden paddle-steamer of 9 tons gross and dimensions of 43 feet long, 10 feet wide and a depth of 3 feet, on the slipway at their Tabarra sawmill in 1890. The Ballarat Horticultural Society was established in 1859 by a group of thirteen men with the aim of establishing an association for all lovers of horticulture. There were many such societies throughout the colonies making a contribution to their communities. In May 1852 Richard Wicking and his younger brother Frederick followed their father’s footsteps, leaving England to pursue a new life in the distant colony of Port Phillip. Sailing on the maiden voyage of the 'Roxburgh Castle' a new purpose built ship for the long voyages from London to Australia. Arriving on August 28th 1852, having paid their own fares they were "Unassisted Passengers". The brothers spent two years in Melbourne. He spent some tome in Ballarat and became a prominent community member involved in many areas.The Richardson family was one of the very early settler families to establish themselves in the Orbost district. Samuel Richardson was builder of the Paddle Steamer Curlip. This is a useful research tool. An ornately designed card with an oval frame of flowers and cherubs. It is a Ballarat Agricultural Society membership ticket made out to Mr S. Richardson (hand written) and endorsed by R. Wicking , the secretary.on back - hand-written - "J E Richardson"ballarat-horticultural-society richardson-samuel

This is the author's account of life in Northern Queensland. Edwin James Brady was an Australian poet. He was born at Carcoar, New South Wales, and was educated both in the United States and Sydney. He worked as a wharf clerk, a farmer, and journalist, and edited both rural and city newspapers. Brady established a writers' and artists' colony at Mallacoota, in 1909, and he continued to live there until his death in 1952. E. J. Brady was a leading figure of Australian literature. He has an association with Mallacoota, a small town in the East Gippsland region of Victoria, Australia. A 303 pp book with a hard back cloth covered bright orange cover. It is titled in black print " The Land of the Sun" and has black print illustrations of crops and the sun. It contains black/white plates and a fold-out map of Queensland.brady-edwin-james book--the-land-of-the-sun queensland-northern

This book was produced as a gift for Australian soldiers and their families on the Western Front in 1917. In the introduction General Birdwood, Commander of the ANZACS, explained it was for ‘…those whom we left behind in Australia, and who we know are thinking of us, some idea of our surroundings on the battle fronts…’.This book is a significant contemporary record of life for the Australian soldiers on the Western Front during World War 11.Grey cardboard covered 128 pp book with black and red writing on cover. the title, "FROM THE AUSTRALIAN FRONT" is in black print at the top above a black drawn sketch of two soldiers behind a mound and holding bayonets. at the foot is XMAS. 1917 inside a red rectangle with the insignia of the Australian Army (the rising sun) at the top. It contains cartoons, illustrations and photographs created by the soldiers themselves and put together in the style of an annual. military book-from-the-western-front world-war-11

This article reports on a "gymkhana held at Orbost in aid of the Red Cross and kindred institutions by which £2000 was realised from a population of 22000 adults and children. The expenses were practically nil." The Australasian was published every Saturday in a tabloid newspaper format. It contained extensive pictorial coverage of the week's events. The Australasian gave an insight into the life and times of Australians from week to week. News from Australia, New Zealand and abroad was presented. The Australian Red Cross Society (ARCS) was formed just after the outbreak of the First World War in August 1914, originally as a branch of the the British Red Cross. This is a contemporary record of a significant event in Orbost. It reflects the involvement of Orbost, a small town, in the efforts of the Australian Red Cross Society to provide comforts to soldiers during World war 1.A single page cutting from the Australasian. It has black / white photographs of local red cross workers at an Orbost Gymkhana. There are photos of a jumble stall, flower sellers. a fruit cart and a display of soldiers' comforts. 738.2 is a photocopy of the original.In black - names - Evelyn Blacklock, Leila Perry, Grace & Nell Cameron, Jane Cameron, Florrie Cameron, Annie Stirling, Jean Stirling, Lily Perry, Marion Gilbert, Grace Cameronww1 australasian-newspaper red-cross-orbost

This program belonged to Dr James Kerr. Conceived by Engineer-in-Chief C.Y. O’Connor and completed in 1903, the Coolgardie Goldfields Water Supply Scheme comprised a reservoir on the Helena River, eight steam-driven pumping stations and 566 kilometres of steel pipeline supplying 23,000 kilolitres of water daily to the arid goldfields of Western Australia. The project was officially opened by Sir John and Lady Forrest in January 1903. "Great pomp and ceremony heralded the arrival of water and the opening of the Scheme. Clean, fresh water could now be easily obtained in some of Australia's harshest country. However, this victory came at a great cost. The stress of the bold project was too much for O’Connor, who, after enduring endless criticism, took his life on 10 March 1902, before the Scheme was completed." - Western Australian Museum : The Coolgardie Goldfields Water Supply Scheme was an ambitious engineering feat because at the time water had never been lifted so high nor pumped so far (about 560 km). The Scheme, which pumps water from the better-watered coastal area, operates to this day. This item is associated with an historic event in the history of opening up arid areas of Australia to settlement. The item is associated with Dr James Kerr, the first doctor to settle in Orbost.A souvenir program from the opening of the works of the Coolgardie Water Supply. It has a maroon cover with gold print. Details include the date and place.coolgardie-water-supply western-australia-goldfields

The colour negative appears to be an official photo arranged by the City of Ringwood Council.Gerald Smart was mayor in 1973/74 and 1976/77 for the City of Ringwood. He also served as a Councillor from 1967/68 until 1981/82. Married Sandra, who also served as Mayoress for Cr Pat Palmer. Gerald was instrumental in getting the Wyrenna-based local radio station, ECB-FM, off the ground. Other information:- SMART, Gerald Richard George 1967-73, Mayor 1973-74, Chartered Engineer. Melbourne University, R.M.I.T., Diploma of Radio Engineering. Son of Walter and Doris Smart. Married with one son. Cricket, tennis, golf, spearfishing, chess, table tennis, photography (8mm, 35mm, stills, music.) Theatre - Melbourne University, Emerald Hill Repertory Company. Radio - Music session on 3XY. Television - 'Consider Your Verdict', character parts. President Ringwood Arts and Crafts Society Honorary Secretary of Television Society of Australia Patron, Ringwood Swimming and Life Saving Club President Ringwood District Scouting Association Executive Committee Member of Municipal Association of Victoria Formed ECB-FM +Additional Keywords: Refer to the "Mayor" envelope, registration no. 3932, for further information.

By 1941, the threat of Japanese invasion caused restrictions to daily life. Blackouts became the norm. To prevent identification from enemy planes all lights had to be turned down, including car headlights that had to be covered to minimize light exposure. In Australia more relaxed regulations led to the Australian air raid precautions being dubbed the “brownout”. These shields limited the amount of light emitted by a vehicle. To drive at night without them was an offence; however, the increase in road accidents led to the removal of headlight masks everywhere in Australia south of Rockhampton from 15 February 1943.These shields, though not rare, evoke a period of restrictions, fear, rationing and confinement.Pair of handmade car light blackout shields. Black round metal with scoop at front as well as small glass partition.shields-blackout ww11 transport-motor-vehicles

Vietnam War A 500 page US military publication on all aspects of life in North Vietnam

On 22 June 2013, Corporal Cameron Baird was a 2nd Commando Regiment Special Forces soldier when he led his platoon into a known Taliban stronghold to back-up another Australian unit under heavy fire. In the prolonged firefight, Cameron was mortally wounded. In 2014, Cameron's bravery and courage under fire saw him posthumously awarded the 100th Victoria Cross, our highest award possible for bravery in the presence of the enemy. Cameron Baird died how he lived - at the front, giving it his all, without any indecision. He will forever be remembered by his mates and the soldiers he served with in the 2nd Commando Regiment. THE COMMANDO reveals Cameron's life, from young boy and aspiring AFL player, who only missed out on being drafted because of injury, to exemplary soldier and leader. Cameron's story and that of 4RAR and 2nd Commando personifies the courage and character of the men and women who go to war and will show us the good man we have lost. australian special forces, commandos, afghanistan, 2nd commando regiment

This book is a guide to eyecare for the intelligent lay-reader, not so different from books still published today. It appeared in a number of editions until about 1900. This one is edited by George Black MB(Edin) as part of the Long Life Series. As this book is a guide to eyecare for the lay-reader it is socially significant. It is not rare, but being somewhat ephemeral it would not be expected to see copies of this book surviving in the very good condition of our copy. No other copies are listed on WorlCat for Australia.Small hardback book in original printed green cloth covers, 139 pages and 21 figures with 20 pages of book advertisements. The decorative Art Nouveau cover is visually attractive. It is a late nineteenth century guide to eyecare for the intelligent lay-reader. It was priced at one shilling.Signature of J B Shattock on half title page.ophthalmology, eye, eyesight, eyecare

Cyril Henry Woodford Kett FBOA FSMC (1890-1971) was one of the five people who signed the Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Australian College of Optometry in 1939. He was a councillor of the College from 1940 to 1970 and First Vice President 1944 to 1947. He was made an honorary life member of the College in 1954. He donated numerous items of historical interest to the College that provided the foundation of the Museum which now bears his name. It was painted by another optometrist, John Nathan.This painting is significant to the College as it is one of only ten portraits in oils of individuals who have been leaders in the development of the College.This framed oil painting shows Mr Cyril Henry Woodford Kett FBOA FSMC (1890-1971),Councillor and Vice President of the Australian College of Optometry, an important figure in Optometry in Victoria. It was painted in 1980 by another optometrist, John Nathan,and is signed by the artist at lower right corner: 'John Nathan'.Signed by artist at lower right corner: 'John Nathan'. Plaque on frame reads:'Cyril H W Kett FBOA(Hons) FSMC FVOA c1890-1970/ Councillor of the College 1940-1970/ Vice President 1940-42, 1944-47, 1948-50, 1954-70/ Chairman of Council 1944-1947/ One of the five signatories to the original Memorandum of Association of the Victorian College of Optometry'.optometry, painting, oil painting, portrait, cyril h w kett

The Orbost football club players were known as the Busters and wore green and gold guernseys. An Orbost football team has participated in the East Gippsland League since the early 20th century. In 2003 in response to a dwindling population, the Snowy Rovers and Orbost Football Clubs were driven to merge into the Orbost Snowy Rovers Football clubs, through their many changes, have always been an important social fabric of the community. Sport is often regarded as an important part of life in rural Australia, contributing to community identity, sense of place, social interaction and good health.A black / white photograph of men playing football. Three men are jumping for the ball. The goal posts are on the right side. A large group of spectators are at the rear behind a fence.recreation sport-football orbost-football-club

Information with photograph 3146.2 includes the following names : " Myself (Alan Richardson); Lewis; Morrison; Herman; Nixon; Cooney; Herbert; Perry; Wakefield; Reynolds; Waller; Herbert; Wait; Berry; Taylor; Rodwell; Gil; Nixon". "Gil; is possibly Gil Richardson. This appears to be a school football team.Sport is often regarded as an important part of life in rural Australia, contributing to community identity, sense of place, social interaction and good health. This photograph seems to be associated with Orbost High School.Two black / white photographs. 3146.1 is of three rows of boys wearing sports uniforms. The three boys at the front appear to be in school uniforms. The back row is standing, the middle seated on chairs and the front row is sitting on the ground. A boy in the midddle row is holding a football on which is written "1923". The photo has been taken outside. 3146.2 has three rows of boys in sports uniforms. The two back rows are standing and the front is seated on chairs. A boy in the middle of the front row is holding a ball on which is written "1945". The photograph has been taken outside in front of a building. In both photographs the boys have their arms folded.sport-football

The Orbost Football Club began in 1894. This photograph shows the 1954 team. The Orbost football club players were known as the Busters and wore green and gold guernseys. An Orbost football team has participated in the East Gippsland League since the early 20th century. The East Gippsland Football League in its present incarnation began in 1974 with the merger of the Gippsland Football League and the Bairnsdale District Football League .In 2003 in response to a dwindling population, the Snowy Rovers and Orbost Football Clubs were driven to merge into the Orbost Snowy Rovers Football clubs, through their many changes, have always been an important social fabric of the community. Sport is often regarded as an important part of life in rural Australia, contributing to community identity, sense of place, social interaction and good health.A black / white photograph of three rows of men wearing sports uniforms (players) and seven men in suits (officials). The fornt row is seated on the ground, the middle row on seats and the back row is standing with arms folded. a man in front row left has a case / box with the club emblem facing the camera. on back - a typed list of names and history of formation of League.sport-football orbost-football-club recreation clubs-orbost

Image of a Tom Roberts painting on front of soft covered book titled The Artists' Camp at Box Hill - Eleanor Finlay, Marjorie MorganFOREWORD by William Dargie Kt., C.B.E., FRSA (London) FRAS (NSW) As one born between two worlds I find it difficult to identify wholly with either Australian art of the late 19th and early 20th centuries or the infinitely varied styles of today. At the beginning of the 1930s, when I first began to take any sort of interest in art, I had the natural feeling of youth that anything that had happened thirty to forty years ago was already far down the dark and backward abysm of time. As for today, all that one of my generation can do is to enjoy what is enjoyable and avert one's eyes and close one's ears against the rest. This is the time of life one realizes that distaste, as well as taste can be cultivated. Well, youth repeats itself in each generation and among the young there will always be .some determined and dedicated to the making of new images of the physical world. All artists throughout history have shared this common experience. All have remembered the suddenly-formed friendships, the sketching expeditions and camps, the first exhibitions, the formation of groups, the 'manifestos' - these last to return in later life all too often as embarrassments - but above all, the enthusiasm. 'Bliss was it in that dawn to be alive but to be young was very heaven'. Thus we can be time-travellers back one hundred and six years to that first plein-air camp set up by Roberts, McCubbin and Abrahams on part of David Houston's property at Box Hill. This was indeed the prelude to all that followed: Mentone and the meeting with the young Streeton painting on the rocks, and Heidelberg later.

A.W.Dickson was a Real Estate Agent in Ringwood for many years. These calendars show the local buildings of the day. For example the original Eastland 's building of 1967, Maroondah Hospital 1976 and the Civic Centre now the Karralyka Centre.1 1987 calendar with six black and white photos of buildings and vistas around Ringwood with monthly dates in lower quarter of page. 2 1988 calendar with six posters advertising early 20th century land sales in Ringwood, Heathmont and Ringwood East with dates in lower quarter of page Compiled by A.W.Dickson Pty. Ltd. Real Estate Agent. Photographed by C.M.S. Photographers - 725 9441 (January February 1987) RINGWOOD LAKE - Ideal picnic spot for Ringwood Model power boats frequently on display. Barbecue area, playground, resting place for old steam engine. Yabbie netting is a favourite pastime here. (March April 1987) CLOCK TOWER - Moved from its former site on Warrandyte Road corner in 1967 and re-built in its present location, brick by brick. A wreath laying ceremony is held here on Anzac day each year. (May June 1987) RINGWOOD AQUATIC CENTRE - A world class swimming facility opened in 1986 at a cost of $3 million. Featuring the latest ozone water treatment techniques. In summer folding doors can be opened to give access to existing outdoor pools and sunbathing area. (July August 1987) MAROONDAH HOSPITAL - Opened in 1976 after many years of fund raising efforts by local people. The opening of casualty facilities was welcomed by locals as previously Box Hill Hospital catered for the entre area. (September October 1987) EASTLAND - Opened October 1967. Built on a former football oval. Now about to undergo major extensions to cater for Ringwood's population growth into the 21st Century. November December 1987 CIVIC CENTRE - Built on the site of a former antimony mine behind the council offices. Now the venue for many activities and a local point for Ringwood's Cultural Life.

Australia’s first silver sixpences were struck in sterling silver (92.5% silver, 7.5% copper) dated 1910 from the London Mint and don’t feature a mintmark. From 1916 to 1926, the Melbourne and Sydney mints were striking sixpences with dates between 1916-1920. From the estate of Elsie Cooke. Elsie Cooke lived all her life in Gippsland,. She was born at Brodribb in 1895 and died in 1970, Elsie Cooke lived at Bruthen for a short time and, in 1937, moved to live with her aunt, Miss Jean Munro. Miss Cooke was Librarian at the Mechanics Institute for many years. Kindness and consideration for other were Miss Cooke’s attributes and she endeared herself to all who knew her. She was a loyal member of the Presbyterian Church and a stalwart of the Ladies’ Guild, an energetic worker for the Municipal Auxiliary and a member of the Red Cross. (ref. Mary Gilbert) This is an early example of a pre-decimal coin.This 1918 Australian sixpence obverse has the robed and crowned bust of King George V facing left, with the legend: 'GEORGIVS V D.G.BRITT:OMN:REX F.D.IND:IMP:' and a dot below. The reverse shows the word 'SIXPENCE' and the Australian Coat of Arms. A kangaroo and an emu hold a shield, with a star above. Below this is a scroll with the words 'ADVANCE AUSTRALIA'. Underneath that is 1918.Obverse: 'GEORGIVS V D.G.BRITT:OMN:REX F.D.IND:IMP:' and a dot below. Reverse: 'SIXPENCE' and the Australian Coat of Arms. A kangaroo and an emu hold a shield, with a star above. Below this is a scroll with the words 'ADVANCE AUSTRALIA'. Underneath that is 1918.coin sixpence-1918 cooke-elsie

This copy book is for the practice of copperplate handwriting and was used at the Orbost School. It was not until the mid-20th century that Australian schools were investigating the modern cursive styles being taught overseas. Writing slates and slate pencils had been a commonplace item of everyday life in colonial Australia. Slates were generally only used by school children in the most junior grades By Class III, however, school children in Victoria had normally passed beyond the need for slates in shaping letters and used ink and copybooks instead. Writing slates often continued to be used for arithmetic exercises. the use of slates was discontinued mainly because paper became cheaper and writing on paper was deemed to be more hygienic.This item is an example of a school text book commonly used for the practice of handwriting in most primary schools in Australia. It shows a style of handwriting not commonly used today. The Cameron family is significaant in the history of Orbost.A school handwriting copy book. It contains examples of copperplate writing for copying and practice. On the front cover there are drawings of a kangaroo, emu, platypus and echidna in each corner. The book is titled "AUSTRALIAN COPY BOOK FIFTH GRADE No. 4". It is designed for use in all states and New Zealand. Inside a banner is "small hand proverbs geography commercial terms". All print is black.on front cover: Jean Cameron Inside front cover: Jean Cameron 1924, J.M. Ralston 1924handwriting education cameron

This unused bag would have been used by Snowy River Co-Op Ltd to pack sweet corn in the late 1960's -1980's Snowy River Seeds started life as a farmers' co-operative (Snowy River Co-op) in 1967 specialising in horticulture. Snowy River Co-op were the original creators of Snowy Seeds.This item is significant because it was specially made for the seed bean industry which is a major industry in the Orbost district.A white synthetic woven fibre bag used to pack sweet corn prior to sale. It has red, green, yellow print.On front of bag - Logo of Man From Snowy River in outline map of Australia with a hand holding corn cob in the centre, Produce of Snowy River Co-Op Ltd Orbost- Victoria V73 25kg NETsweet-corn seed-bags snowy-river-co-op

Orbost Beans & Grains Co-Op was an extension of Snowy River Sweet Corn Co-Op which also sold fresh produce such as corn, squash, zucchini and cucumbers. This bag is unused and would have been packed with borlotti beans.Snowy River Seeds started life as a farmers' co-operative (Snowy River Co-op) in 1967. This item is significant because it was specially made for the seed bean industry which was a major industry in the Orbost district for over a century. A white woven synthetic bag used for packing borlotti beans. Inside a red outline of Australia are seven green beans. Victoria is outlined and Orbost is indicated with a red d t. Print is red and green. On front : Grown & Packed By Orbost Beans & Grain Co-Op 25 kg Orbost Victoria Produce of Australia seed-bag snowy-river-co-op agriculture farming orbost-beans