Chatham Primary School opened in August 1927 following local pressure for an additional school. Balwyn, Mont Albert and Surrey Hills schools were all experiencing overcrowding following population growth after WW1.A vertical file of information related to Chatham Primary School: 1. Correspondence regarding establishment of the school – all are copies: • Letter from Amy Brown to Secretary of Chatham School Committee (undated) relating to correspondence regarding the establishment of the school • Letter from Education Department to Mr. A.R. Brown, 17.5.1923. • Letter from Department of Public Works to Mrs. Amy R. Brown, 2.10.1923. • Letter from Education Department to Mr. A.R. Brown, 2.11.1923. • Letter from A. Brown to Education Department ?, 7.11.1923. • Letter from E.W. Greenwood, MLA, State Parliament House to Mr. A.R. Brown, 8.11.1923. • Letter from E.W. Greenwood, State Parliament House to Mr. A.R. Brown, 19.11.1923. • Letter from Department of Public Works to Mrs. Amy R. Brown, 5.12.1923. • Letter from Education Department to Mrs. A. Brown, 8.12.1923. • Letter from A. Brown to Mr. Greenwood, 26.7.1925. • Letter from E.W. Greenwood, State Parliament House to Mrs. A. Brown, 14.3.1925. • Letter from E.W. Greenwood, State Parliament House to Mrs. A. Brown, 15.7.1925. 2. Letter from E.W. Greenwood, State Parliament House to Mrs. A. Brown, 16.11.1925. 3. Letter from Department of Public Works to Mrs. A. R. Brown, 10.11.1926. 4. Letter from E.W. Greenwood, State Parliament House to Mrs. A. Brown, 2.3.1923. 5. Letter from E.W. Greenwood, State Parliament House to Mrs. A. Brown, 3.6.1927. 6. Letter from E.W. Greenwood, State Parliament House to Mrs. A. Brown, 29.6.1927. 7. 2 Mr. Harbert’s account for Shelter Shed, Chatham State School, (undated), (1 page). 8. 4 copies of newspaper cuttings: 9. ‘Masts tell Edina’s history’, Herald, 4.5.1931, 10. ‘Edina to have holiday on 80th birthday’, Argus, 4.5.1934, 11. ‘Edina’s birthday tomorrow’, Age, 4.5.1934, 12. ‘Old lady of the sea has a birthday’, Star, 4.5.1934 (1 page). 13. ‘The story of the steamship “Edina” a wonderful veteran of the seas’, The Meccano Magazine, A.R. Prince, December, 193 ? (1 page). 14. ‘Ponsford and schoolboys’, (paper and date unknown), (2 pages). 15. Program for ‘Trial by jury’, 16.11.1929 (1 page). 16. ‘What was the joke that the Governor told?’, paper unknown, 5.5.1931 (1 page). 17. ‘History in school flag’, paper and date unknown (1 page). 18. Lists of girl and boy dux 1928 – 1944 (1page). 19. Chatham School 4314 notes (undated) (3 pages). 20. Extracts from Box Hill Reporter, 1927-9, from Alan Holt collection (1 page). 21. Empire day celebrations in Surrey Hills in 1930s, notes from Matt Bowen, 1983 (1 page). 22. Extracts from Box Hill Reporter 1927-8 (1 page). 23. Vision and realisation, 1973 Education Department : Port Phillip Eastern Region: 4314 Chatham notes by H.H. Singleton (1 page). 24. ‘Bell has historic appeal’, paper unknown, c. 1985 (1 page). 25. Background information on the SS 'Edina' bell, Adrian Peniston-Bird, Principal of Chatham Primary School, 1982 (1 page). 26. ‘It’s there for another fifty years’, October, 1985. See also ‘Chatham past and present, a patchwork of people’. (1 page). 27. ‘Miss Marie George’, SHNN No. 40, June/July, 1989 (1 page). 28. ‘Chatham Primary School – a community within the community’, SHNN No. 56, Feb/March, 1992 (1 page). 29. ‘Chatham Primary School – another exciting year begins’, SHNN No. 68, Feb./March, 1994 (1 page). 30. ‘Chatham plans a big reunion’, SHNN No. 77, Aug./Sept. 1995 (1 page). 31. ‘In search of the past’, Progress Press, 15.5.1996 (1 page). 32. ‘Chatham primary’, SHNN No. 82, June/July, 1996 (1 page). 33. ‘Happy Birthday, Chatham Primary’, SHNN No. 84, Oct./Nov. 1996 (1 page). 34. Chatham School Fathers Club, SHNN No. 83, Aug./Sept. 1996 (1 page). 35. Notes by Doug Iversen, 18.7. year unknown, (1 page). 36. Advertisement for Chatham Primary School celebrating 70 years: ‘Take a walk down memory lane’, 10.9.1996, paper unknown (1 page). 37. Chatham Primary School invitation to 70th year celebration – Sat. 19.10.1996 (1 page), AND Back to Chatham (1 page). 38. Flyer: Chatham Primary School Reunion Celebrating 70 years 19.10.1996 (1 page, 2 copies). 39. Program ‘Welcome to Chatham Primary School No. 4314 70th celebration’, undated (1 page, 2 copies). 40. Chatham History trail, undated (1 page). 41. Drawing of Chatham Primary School, David Williams, 1995 (1 page). 42. ‘Seems like yesterday’ 1998, paper unknown (1 page). 43. ‘Schools and the environment’, SHNN No. 98, Feb./March, 1999 (1 page). 44. ‘School praises retiring head’, by Kate Morris, 19.6.2000, paper unknown (1 page). 45. “Chatham’s class of ‘30” by Meg Freeman, Progress Press, c. July, 2000 (1 page). 46. ‘Recalling a class act’, Progress Press, c. August, 2000 (1 page). 47. List of students enrolling in 1930 (2 pages). 48. ‘Boy in man’s shoes’, Progress Press, 21.8.2000 (1 page). 49. Chatham Foundation Day Lunch invitation 31.7.2000, (with contact details of former students on the back, written by Ken Hall) (1 page). 50. ‘An invitation – Chatham Primary plans for its 75th birthday’, SHNN No. 118, June/July, 2002 (1 page). 51. 75th birthday assembly – August 1st 2002 (1 page). 52. ‘Chatham lands special garden’ (paper and date unknown, possibly Progress Leader) (1 page). 53. ‘Chatham Primary celebrates specialist programs’, SHNN No. 184, June/July 2013 (1 page). 54. ‘City’s sustainable schools awarded this month’, Boroondara Bulletin, April, 2013 (1 page). 55. ‘Chatham Primary walks to win’, SHNN No. 189 March/April 2014 (1 page). 56. ‘School builds pathway to greater sustainability’, Progress Leader, 15.9.2015 (1 page). 57. ‘Schools embrace need for class action’, Age, 7.11.2016 (1 page). 58. Advertisements for 2017 grand fair 4th March, 2 designs (3 pages including 2 copies of one). 50. A history of Chatham Primary School, golden jubilee edition 1977 (9 pages with covers). 51. Photo of Mrs. Frances Le Couteur receiving a gift at Chatham Primary School, golden jubilee 1977 (1 page). 52. ‘Thank you’ letter to editor from Mrs. Frances Le Couteur (paper unknown), 1977 (1 page). 53. Letter from Chatham School No. 4314 to Mrs. Ethel Cerini, 10.2.193 ? (1 page). 54. Programme for concert held in the 1930s (source possibly Jocelyn Hall) (1 page). (mrs) amy brown, e w greenwood, albert harbert, s s edina, matt bowen, adrian peniston-bird, marie george, reunions, doug iverson, david williams, meg freeman, frances le couteur, ethel cerini

The program describes the performance as 'original burlesque' and was written, composed and produced by A E Woffinden and A W Sutton, members of the Chatham Fathers' Club, to raise money for the school. There were 250 programs printed at a cost of one pound fifteen shillings. This performance starred 21 of the fathers with Mr W Crellin as the only female character, Miss Eileen Flapper. The Chatham Fathers' Club became renowned locally for the quality of its performances, repeats being given to other community organisations. In the publication 'Chatham Past & Present: A Patchwork of People' there is also a photo of the cast taken in the quadrangle of the school. The original program and photo were lent to the school at the time of the 70 year reunion in 1997 by Mrs Jean Lacy (nee Walker), whose father took part as a member of the jury. Many of the performers were also in the formal photo of the Father's Club, taken in February 1928 on the front steps of the school. The original hangs in the school entry foyer and is reproduced in 'A Patchwork of People: Chatham Past and Present'. In relation to names, these are better identified and the following identifications have been reached by referencing this and the 1931 electoral roll. The geographic spread of addresses reflects that when Chatham opened in August 1927, surrounding schools were overcrowded and some families chose to relocate their children. Albert Ernest Woffinden (manufacturer) lived at 14 Banool Road, Surrey Hills. Alfred William Sutton (clerk) lived at 528 Whitehorse Road, Surrey Hills. Mr A Davidson - not found in electoral roll. Walter Dallas Kinross (mechanic) lived at 72 Empress Road, Surrey Hills. Gilbert Leslie (Bert) Rae (sales) lived at 63 Empress Road, Surrey Hills. Mr Joseph P Braddick (mechanic) lived at 1 Northcote Avenue, Canterbury; now Balwyn (NB/ Name is miss-spelt Braddock in the program). Norman Patrick Smart (bt opr) lived at 61 Sir Garnet Road, Surrey Hills. Henry Albert Wysham (show card writer) lived at 9 Northcote Avenue, Canterbury. Mr Sidney Bessant (labourer) lived at 191 Mont Albert Road, Canterbury. William Morrison (teacher) lived at 37 Chatham Road, Canterbury. William Charles Crellin (breadcarter) lived at 59 Empress Road, Surrey Hills. Mr F Parsons - taken as Fred Parsons (bricklayer) lived at 2 Kaarumba Grove, Balwyn. Mr MacDougal (incorrectly spelt in program) is Dougall MacDougall (gas collector) lived at 5 Wells Street, Surrey Hills. Mr A V Webb - not found. Mr McKie - not found. Victor Harold Theodore Clow (civil servant) lived at 4 Talbot Avenue, Balwyn; listed as T. Clow. Mr M Walker (donor's father) not found in electoral roll for 1931; thought to have lived in Sir Garnet Road. Mr McLeod - a number listed in the 1931 electoral roll. Richard Frost (carriage builder) lived at 341 Mont Albert Road, Surrey Hills. Mr Allen - a number listed in the 1931 electoral roll. Mr J Tulloch - not found in the 1931 electoral roll. This is an example of 'home-spun' entertainment and creativity of the era when the sense of community was very real. It is an example of the fundraising efforts undertaken by school communities to provide 'extras' that would later be regarded as 'basics'. For many years the sense of community in this part of Surrey Hills revolved around Chatham school, the Benson Street Methodist Church and the football club, located at the Canterbury Recreation Ground.A photocopy of the programme for the Chatham Primary School Fathers' Club "Trial by Jury" performance on 16 November 1929. It includes the words of the song 'Carry me back to dear old Chatham'. It lists the performers by character and some details regarding the Chatham Primary School Fathers' Club.chatham primary school, chatham primary school fathers' club, theatrical productions, entertainment, albert ernest woffinden, fundraising, alfred william sutton, walter dallas kinross, gilbert leslie (bert) rae, joseph p braddick, norman patrick smart, henry albert wysham, sidney bessant, william morrison, william charles crellin, fred parsons, dougall macdougall, mr a v webb, mr mckie, victor harold theodore clow, mr m walker, mr mcleod, richard frost, mr allen, mr j tulloch

Life Governor certificates were given to those who supported the RVIB either through certain levels of financial contribution or by activities undertaken to support the institute. In this example, R, Farrer was awarded a governorship in July 1950.1 x cream coloured page with brown writing and images (front view of St Kilda Road building across top, and pictures of children playing with boat, male working on carpet, female weaving rug and a nurse holding two babies along left-hand edge)Royal Victorian Institute for the Blind Babies, Children and Adults St Kilda Road, Melbourne President: C.L. Kimpton, Esq. Vice-President: Chas. W. Bennett, Esq. M.R.C.S. (Eng), F.R.A.C.S. Hon. Treasurer: Percy W. Briggs, Esq. Members of Board: Harold E. Brookes, Esq, JP Mrs C.H. Tutton G.E. Newton, Esq G.H. Grimwade, Esq. W.H. Cowper, Esq Joseph Taylor, Esq E.V. Willis, Esq. Leighton Irwin, Esq. F.F. Knight, Esq. Superintendent & Secretary: Stannus W. Hedger, M.B.E. Recreation, Industry, Education, Nursery This is to certify that R. Farrer Esq. has been appointed a Life Governor of the Institute. C.L. Kimpton President S. Hedger Superintendent & Secretaryroyal victorian institute for the blind