The Municipality of Kew (1860-1863), the Borough of Kew (1863-1910), the Town of Kew (1910-1921) and the City of Kew (1921-1994) were local government instrumentalities in the State of Victoria. In 1994, the City of Kew was amalgamated, together with the former Cities of Camberwell and Hawthorn, into the new City of Boroondara (1994- ). Like other local government entities of the period, Kew was administered by town clerks. The two notable town clerks in Kew's history were H. H. (Henry Hirst) Harrison (1868-1955) and W. D. (William Dickie) Birrell (1899-1974). Harrison was appointed to the position in 1901 and retired in 1938 after 37 years. Birrell, appointed Acting Town Clerk in 1921, became Town Clerk in 1938, following Harrison's retirement. He continued in this role until his retirement in 1966.This card is part of an historically significant civic collection, containing hundreds of separate invitations, documents, greeting cards, programmes and tickets issued and/or collected by successive town clerks. Items in the collection illuminate the political, social and cultural history of the district. As a continuous record, ranging across most decades of the Twentieth Century, they reveal changing tastes in design, values and relationships in the history of local government in Victoria.THE MAYOR AND COUNCILLORS OF THE CITY OF KEW / REQUEST THE PLEASURE OF THE COMPANY OF / ________________________ / AT THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF THE W D VAUGHAN REFERENCE LIBRARY / BY / THE HONOURABLE MR JUSTICE J E. STARKE / PRESIDENT LIBRARY COUNCIL OF VICTORIA / KEW MUNICIPAL LIBRARY / THURSDAY 28TH JUNE, 1973, AT 2.30 P.M. / RSVP TOWN CLERK, KEWcivic invitations -- kew (vic), kew municipal library, w d vaughan

Purchased from the author when she spoke at a meeting of the Surrey Hills Historical Society.This list of Victoria's institutions for children and young people has been compiled by staff of the Criminal Justice Administration Unit, School of Community Services and Policy Studies, Phillip Institute of Technology. It is intended as a service to people who are seeking information about their own or their family's history and secondly, as a contribution to knowledge about a largely unexplored aspect of social history.social institutions, children, education, orphanages, child care, welfare establishments, (ms) donella jaggs, victorian institutions for children and young people

The Independant order of Rechabites "Hope of Australia Tent No. 109" was formed in Harcourt in July 1869 and celebrated its centenary in 1969. With a strong -minded core of Methodists and members of the Church of Christ the group provided moral leadership and social framework to a wide area for a long time. At first they met in a small hall but, the lodge having inflamed partisan passions, the hall was deliberately burnt down in 1877. Undeterred the Lodge rebuilt the hall in the same year and thus provided the only district public hall. The Hall was sold by the lodge in 1937.; The Independent order of Rechabites, a temperance and social organsiation, was particularly strong in the Harcourt, Barkers Creek district, due to the high proportion of Methodists in the population, a demographic phenomenon resulting from the courage, prevalence and influence of Wesleyan lay preachers on the Mount Alexander Goldfields. Ribbon/collar sashes,white, with red longitudinal stripe (Chief Ruler & Deputy Ruler only) and red border, red machine embroidery, angle stitched at lower front to form a fitted collar."CHIEF RULER"," DEPUTY RULER", "TREASURER", "GUARDIAN", "LEVITE" plus IOR triangle - "Truth, Fortitude, Justice" plus three heraldic shields with background foliage, Plus "Independant Order of Rechabites" plus a further decorative sheild surmounting a swage-like motto " Peace & Plenty the reward of Temperance" and "Rechabites Salford Unity" all in red on white background

The bronze medal commemorates the centenary of the government of Victoria from 1851 to 1951, as well as the centenary of the discovery of gold and was presented to the Shire of Wodonga in 1951. It was commissioned by the Victorian Government in 1951 to commemorate 100 years of the separation of Victoria from the colony of New South Wales in 1851. The medal was designed by the sculptor Andor Mészáros (1900-1972) and minted by K.G. Luke in Melbourne. The bronze medal has local, state and national significance, as it commemorates the centenary of 100 years of government in Vctoria. It also has aesthetic and social significance as an example of a limited edition bronze medal designed by the prominent sculptor Andor Mészáros, who is known for his work depicting the history, culture and sporting life of Australia.Bronze medal commemorating the centenary of the government of the State of Victoria from 1851 to 1951, and the centenary of the discovery of gold. Obverse: In the centre of the medal, a man and a woman riding a horse and the inscription "EQUALITY AND JUSTICE / THROUGH FREEDOM" in raised letters around the edge. The man is holding a torch representing equality and the woman is blindfolded holding a sword representing justice. The horse has broken free of its shackles representing freedom. Reverse: A stake surrounded by Australian floral motifs in the lower part of the medal; the inscription "CENTENARY OF THE GOVERNMENT OF VICTORIA 1851-1951" in raised letters around the top edge, and "Preseneted to / The Shire of / Wodonga / 1951" in engraved letters in the centre. The medal is in a small presentation box with dark green velvet lining an insert for the medal in the lower part and a light coloured textile printed with the dates 1851 and 1951 printed in the lid. A piece of paper with a text about the meaning of the inscriptions accompanies the medal and fits inside the lid of the small presentation case.Obverse: "EQUALITY AND JUSTICE / THROUGH FREEDOM" in raised letters around the edge. Reverse: "CENTENARY OF THE GOVERNMENT OF VICTORIA 1851-1951" in raised letters around the top edge, and "Presented to / The Shire of / Wodonga / 1951" in engraved letters in the centre of the medal. medals, australian commemorative medals, centenary of victoria, numismatics, shire of wodonga, wodonga, centenaries, gold, andor mészáros

A photo Mrs Winifred Fotheringham at the official launch of Legacy Week in 1990. She helped promote the 1990 Legacy week as she was the oldest Legacy widow and had reached 101 years of age. She participated in other events including a trip to 101 Collins St, the tallest building in Melbourne at the time (see 01553). Other photos of the luncheon with Sr John Young speaking are at 01525. Photos were in a scrapbook of photos spanning 1983 to 1991.A record of the type of activities Legacy provided as a social outlet for widows and fundraising for Legacy. Colour photo of Mrs Fotheringham at the luncheon to launch of Legacy Week 1990 and a white paper label.White paper label with black type 'Official launch of Legacy Week 1990. / Legacy widow Mrs Winifred Fotheringham, 101 years young, is a special guest at the luncheon. Guest of Honour : Sir John Young, Chef Justice of Victoria, spoke eloquently on the work of Legacy.'widows, fundraising, legacy week

Photographic portrait of Francis (Frank) Thomas Le Page. Frank is the oldest child of Nicholas and Rachel (nee Addy), who arrived in Melbourne in 1852 from Guernsey in the Channel Islands. Nicholas was a tailor and Rachel was a dressmaker. They originally made their home in Prahran and set up a business but about two years later decided to take up market gardening. The Le Page family bought property in the Two Acre Village, Cheltenham. They had nine other children. At 14 years of age Frank was driving his father’s horse and dray to Melbourne with the vegetables they grew - standing backed in to the footpath in Little Collins Street, at the old Eastern Market. At 18 years of age, and the other members of the family growing up, Francis decided to seek work outside, and was employed as a gardener by Mr Budd, who conducted the Brighton Grammar School. It was whilst employed there that the late Sir Thomas Bent and he became friends, a friendship which lasted throughout their lives. Sir Thomas was then on the land also. Frank was an active member of social and sporting groups in the region. In 1876 Frank married Mary Geraghty and they made Cheltenham their home. He became a councillor for the then Shire of Moorabbin, a position he held for 25 years, and in 1902 was elected President of the Shire of Moorabbin. He was also a Justice of the Peace and occupied the bench at the Cheltenham Court. The next generation of Le Pages continued to be heavily involved in the civic life of the region with Frank and Mary's son Everest being elected mayor twice.Black and white image of Francis (Frank) Thomas Le Page.

The grave of Thomas Sweeney, former convict turned respectable citizen. The Murray and Sweeney families were both early settlers of the Eltham district and connected by marriage. Their family plots are located side by side in the Catholic section of the Eltham Cemetery. Irish-born Thomas Sweeney is regarded as the first settler in Eltham. He was transported to Sydney in 1823 after being convicted of arson. He was granted his freedom in 1838 and married Margaret Meehan in the same year. They moved to Melbourne and in 1842 Thomas purchased 110 acres beside the Yarra River in the vicinity of present-day Sweeneys Lane. He called the property ‘Culla Hill’ and built a small slab hut (reputedly with Wurundjeri help; Margaret is said to have run an informal hospital for them in return). This was followed in 1846 by more substantial buildings consisting of a three-roomed Irish-style ‘longhouse’ and a barn made of stone and handmade bricks, with doors large enough to accommodate a fully loaded wagon. When the gold rush came, Thomas prospered by selling meat and potatoes to the prospectors, enabling him to purchase a further 308 acres in 1856. He promoted the construction of a bridge over the Plenty River and the establishment of a school at Eltham. Roman Catholic Church services were held at Culla Hill in the early years. When he died in 1867, he was regarded as a respected member of the community. Thomas and Margaret are buried in Eltham Cemetery with many of their descendants. Their first son John continued to farm Culla Hill until his death in 1909. Culla Hill passed out of the Sweeneys' possession in 1939. The house and barn remain today, though lesser outbuildings have gone. The facade of the house is much the same as it was in the 1840s. Sacred To the memory of Thomas Sweeney Who died Sep 6th 1867 Aged 65 years May his soul res in peace Also his wife Margaret Died Oct 3rd 1884 aged 73 years And their daughters Annie Died Aug 22nd 1860 aged 21 years Johanna Died Aug 19th 1872 aged 22 years Margaret Died 7th Sep 1913 aged 72 years R.I.P. Also In Memory Of John Sweeney Died 24th May 1909 Aged 65 years Also of his wife Ellen Died 8th March 1910 Aged 64 years R.I.P Also In Memory Of Caroline Infant daughter of John & Ellen Sweeney Published: Nillumbik Now and Then /​ Marguerite Marshall 2008; photographs Alan King with Marguerite Marshall.; p55 From the piety and poverty of 19th century Eltham, 20th century artists and environmentalists, to today’s comfortable middle class, Eltham Cemetery records it all — and more. A visit to Eltham Cemetery reveals an important social record since its beginnings in 1858. The cemetery was situated on about six acres (2.4ha) (now around 4.8ha) at the corner of Mount Pleasant and Metery Roads.1* It is thought that Metery Road was originally called Cemetery Road, but in the early 1940s, a resident, possibly a councillor, objected to the name resulting in the change.2 Much can be gleaned about the developing Eltham community from burial styles and the names of former local residents. Originally the cemetery was divided into Christian denominations, like others of that time, following the United Kingdom burial system. In 1861 the cemetery included Church of England, Presbyterian, Roman Catholic and Wesleyans (later Methodist) sites. Graves also indicated social class. Some had grand tombstones, perhaps fenced with ornamental cast iron railing, but most in the 1860s and 1870s were constructed of modest stone slabs.3 This indicated the poverty of the district, which was largely inhabited by farmers on small landholdings. A poignant reminder of the high rates of infant mortality of those times, are the many infants and young children recorded on the headstones. Major changes occurred in the cemetery in the late 20th century as Christian adherence weakened and society became more egalitarian and informal. In the early 1970s a non-denominational lawn section for burials was established. Since then all new areas have been non-denominational to accommodate the more diverse local community. Now, instead of large ornamental headstones, some mourners have chosen boulders, reflecting the natural Eltham style, while others choose graves in the lawn areas or niches in walls. In the late 1970s, the University Donor Section was established north-west of Candlebark Lawn for those who donated their bodies for The University of Melbourne medical research. In the early 1980s the natural Australian garden style, popular in Eltham, was mirrored in a new section called Ashes Walk. Local landscape architect Gordon Ford, who had popularised this style, designed the Walk using boulders shaded by native plants beside curved pathways. Landscape architect Robert Boyle later redesigned Ashes Walk and developed other parts of the cemetery in keeping with this style.4 Appropriately Ford, who died in 1999, was interred in the Native Garden Section in a cluster of sites shaded by a large eucalyptus tree.5 By 2007, about 6400 interments were recorded in the Eltham Cemetery. Close inspection reveals notable names in the district’s history. The grave of Thomas Sweeney, a former convict who became a respected citizen, can be found in the Roman Catholic section near the path. Eltham Primary School’s first headmaster, David Clark, is buried in a modest grave in the Church of England section to the east of the path from the main entrance. Sir William Irvine, Victorian Premier from 1900 to 1902, whose grave is in the north-east Presbyterian section was at various times Victoria’s Chief Justice, Deputy Governor and Treasurer.6 Further south is the grave of social reformer Bertram Wainer, born in Scotland in 1928 and died in 1987. He campaigned to legalise abortion and exposed police corruption in allowing illegal ‘backyard’ abortions. Other prominent local residents interred in the cemetery include: Justus Jörgensen, who founded Montsalvat; Alistair Knox, the mud-brick housing pioneer and Eltham Shire Councillor from 1971 to 1975 and President in 1975; Clem and Nina Christensen, who had a major influence on the literary development of post World War Two Australia. Others were: composer Dorian Le Gallienne; artist Peter Glass; Stephen Dattner, a prominent Melbourne furrier; ALP parliamentarian for Greensborough, Pauline Toner and political scientist and commentator, Professor William Macmahon Ball.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, annie sweeney, caroline sweeney, ellen sweeney, eltham cemetery, graves, gravestones, johanna sweeney, john murray, john sweeney, margaret sweeney, mary ellen drain, mary murray, thomas murray, thomas sweeney