The Roper family lived and farmed in the Kiewa Valley. They may have sent their son, Bert, to C.G.S. (Caufield Grammar / Camberwell Grammar School). The Roper family were early settlers in the Kiewa Valley.Glass cover of a Black & White Photo of a boys football team with 'V' jumpers, white shorts and 2 footballs with 'C.G.S / 1909' written on them. The photo is attached to an embroidered cotton backing allowing the photo to be seen through an oval shape cut out in the middle. Around the embroidery is a brown wooden frame. The embroidered piece is backed by masonite with the framer's name attached.On the back of the photo, handwritten: Dear Mother / Wishing you a very / happy birthday on the 29th October / From Bert. Miss Roper / Call ... On the back of the masonite: Heatherley & Horsfall, Picture Framers & Mount Cutters ...football. roper family. bert roper. c.g.s.. kiewa valley. embroidery.

This post card has been sent from a military camp in England by Private George Hall to his niece Myra. Private Hall was a farmer from Purnim who enlisted in August 1915 (14th Battalion, 15 Reinforcement Group). He was aged 30 at the time. He left Australia in 1916 and transferred to 3 Field Artillery Brigade. He returned to Australia in 1919. The card gives no details of Private Hall’s activities at the time but indicates that he had sent several post cards to members of his family. This post card is of interest as an example of the many beautiful embroidered post cards that were sent by Australian soldiers to family members during World War One. The cards were usually made in France and sent from there but in this case was sent from England. The card is also of interest because it is a personal message sent from a local soldier from Purnim during World War One This is a post card from World War One. It has a written message on the back from Private George Hall to his niece Myra and it has a piece of embroidery on the front of the card. This depicts a black cat with the British colours of red, white and blue around its collar and other ornaments – a white horseshoe, a Union Jack, a white pedestal and red, green and white greenery. The words ‘Good Luck’ are stitched in yellow. The stitching is on white silk which is somewhat stained. There is a crimped border in lightweight cardboard around the embroidery. The message on the back is written in pencil.‘Dear Myra, Just this P.C. to let you see I have not forgotten you. Hope you are quite well. I have sent you & Dorry a lot of P. cards from England. I hope you get them all right. Your poor old Uncle George, 4821, 40 Bat. Worgret Camp, Wareham, Dorset. Wishing you all a very Merry Xmas & Happy New Year XXXX Nov. 24th -11-16.private george hall, world war one, world war one embroidered postcards, history of warrnambool

Medal presented for their service to their country and local district to returning local servicemen from the Great War (First World War) by the Shire of Eltham Welcome Home Committee. This medal was presented to W.H. Orford. Spr. W.H. Orford From Eltham We Honour You Great War 1914 - 1919 Whilst the war ended in 1918, many servicemen did not return home till 1919. ORFORD William Henry - Munitions Worker Number 542 William Henry Orford enlisted 1 Feb 1916 and embarked for France 25 May 1916. He was a Tunneler and was part of an operation of a group of British miners (known as "Claykickers" or “Manchester Moles”) recruited during World War I to tunnel underneath no man's land and set bombs below the German front at the Battle of Messines in June 1917. 10,000 German soldiers were killed instantly after the detonation of explosives beneath their lines. The story was depicted in the film "The War Below". Doug Orford, William's nephew recalls William saying they could hear the Germans as they tunnelled below them within metres. A month later He was wounded in action with a gun shot wound to the scalp and face in July 1917. He disembarked back in Melbourne on September 5, 1919.ww1, 1919, aif, battle of messine, great war, medal, shire of eltham, tunneler, welcome home committee, william henry orford

Believed to be addressed to her cousin, Mary Ann Shillinglaw, from May ? - This could be Ethel May Bottle b. 1883, daughter of Edward Henry Bottle and step-daughter of Catherine Shillinglaw but this type of post-card photo only commenced in 1905 when she would have been 22. The girl looks more like 15. It is not known if Elizabeth Docherty (nee Shillinglaw) had any children. Born 1861 and married 1894 at 33 years of age, it is possible that she could have had a daughter who would have been 15 in 1910. "Dear Mary I hope this will find you all well. I hope Uncle Phillip is better. This is for the home it is among the lot. You must excuse me for sending one among the lot I haven’t enough to go all round. I will get more copied and send one to Carrie and Florrie. Well I think I have told you all this time I haven’t much room. So good bye from your loving cousin Mary 100 xxxxxxxxxxxxxx" Possibilities to investigate are the Kidd side families: Wilson Stewart Renolds Mills Mason Williams Post Card printed on back with photographer's details: W. Mason & Co., 144 Bridge Road, Richmond. W. Mason & Co. operated from this adress from 1903-c.1932 POSTCARD 1905-1940s Like the carte-de-visite, postcards enjoyed a collecting craze by large numbers of people, and were often kept in albums through which the interested visitor could browse. Postcards were posted or exchanged in huge numbers. Postal authorities in Australia only allowed the private printing of postcards from 1898. At this time the back of the card was reserved for the address and postage stamp, and the front was used for the message and a picture. In 1902 British authorities allowed a "divided back", so that the left side could be used for the message, the right side for the address and stamp, and the whole of the front was devoted to the picture. France followed suit in 1904, Germany and Australia in 1905, and the United States in 1907. - Frost, Lenore; Dating Family Photos 1850-1920; Valiant Press Pty. Ltd., Berwick, Victoria 1991marg ball collection, shillinglaw family photo album 3, postcard, 1903-1932, 1910, agnes mary shillinglaw 1881-1968, ethel may bottle, mary ann shillinglaw (1880-1963), w. mason & co. photographer 144 bridge rd melbourne

Jackson St Casterton Aug 18. 23 Dear Girls, I was very pleased to receive your nice letters with news of your doings in Eltham. You put Casterton S.A., so your letters were a long time reaching me. As I hope to see you all very soon I shall just send a p.c. of me taken in Mrs Cox’s garden Easter Sunday 12 months ago. The river here has been in flood twice and people who lived along its banks had to move. I believe the Eltham PS is greatly improved. Betty says I shall get lost there now. Casterton is on the Glenelg R. in Vic so you will remember that next time. Best wishes to you all. From E. Hooley Ellen Sweeney was a former student of Eltham State School in the 1880s, She became a teacher at the school from 1891-1898. She returned in 1915 until her marriage to William Hooley of Casterton at St Marys, Eltham, Tuesday, April 24, 1923. Wedding at Eltham. (1923, April 27). Advertiser (Hurstbridge, Vic. : 1922 - 1939), p. 2 (AFTERNOON). Retrieved February 14, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article56655781 Wedding at Eltham PRESENTATIONS TO MISS SWEENEY. On Tuesday last. Miss Sweeney (a member of an old and respected Eltham family), who recently resigned her position as assistant teacher at the Eltham State School to marry Mr. W. Hooley, of Casterton, was presented with a handsome gold wristlet watch. The headmaster, Mr. Dudtield, in making the presentation on behalf of the school committee, parents, and children paid a high tribute to the excellent work done by Miss Sweeney during her connection with the school, and in asking her acceptance of the present, expressed on behalf of all the fullest measure of happiness to Miss Sweeney in her married life. On Thursday evening, a social evening was tendered to Miss Sweeney, at Mrs. T. Jewell's residence Main street, by the choir and parishioners of St. Mary's Church, Eltham, where Miss Sweeney has for some years acted as choir mistress. Mr. Harold Cox, in handing her a handsome gold and oak silver salad bowl and service, expressed the heartiest good wishes to one who had not only labored so strenuously in organising the choir, but had been always foremost in promoting church and public movements in the community. Congratulatory addresses were also contributed by the Rev. F. Norris and Mr. W. P. McMahon. Miss Sweeney sincerely thanked the donors for their beautiful present, and the speakers for the many kind things said in her regard. She felt very much severing her connection with Eltham. She would carry away many happy-. recollections of her old home, and the kindly people of the town. She hoped after some years to return to Eltham. permanently. (Applause.) On Saturday morning. the marriage ceremony was performed at St. Mary's in the presence of a large number of friends. During the nuptial Mass, celebrated by the Rev. F. Parker. (North Fitzroy), assisted-by the Rev. F. Morris .(Eltham). The choral part of the service including the Wedding March, was very efficiently rendered by the choir. MRS HOOLEY (1940, May 10).Eltham and Whittlesea Shires Advertiser (Vic. : 1940 - 1942), p. 4. Retrieved February 14, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article57491650 MRS HOOLEY Sincere regret was felt, in Eltham and district at the death of Mrs. W. Hooley (nee Miss Ellen Sweeney) a very dear and capable teacher at State Schools in Eltham and other districts, including the Western District. The deceased was one of Nature's ladies, and was a native of Eltham having been born in the historic home, Culla Hill, one of the first settlements on the Yarra. She passed peacefully away on Anzac Day, April 26. The. funeral was the largest and most impressive ever seen in Eltham, and left St. Mary's Church after a requiem mass conducted by Rev. Father Morrison and Father Hollis. The pall bearers were mostly girlhood friends. Deceased leaves a husband, two brothers, Mr. Tom Sweeney of Kew, and Mr. Frank Sweeney of Western Australia and sisters (Mrs. Lane, of W.A., and Mrs. M. Carringham, of Dalton St, Eltham.) POSTCARD 1905-1940s Like the carte-de-visite, postcards enjoyed a collecting craze by large numbers of people, and were often kept in albums through which the interested visitor could browse. Postcards were posted or exchanged in huge numbers. Postal authorities in Australia only allowed the private printing of postcards from 1898. At this time the back of the card was reserved for the address and postage stamp, and the front was used for the message and a picture. In 1902 British authorities allowed a "divided back", so that the left side could be used for the message, the right side for the address and stamp, and the whole of the front was devoted to the picture. France followed suit in 1904, Germany and Australia in 1905, and the United States in 1907. - Frost, Lenore; Dating Family Photos 1850-1920; Valiant Press Pty. Ltd., Berwick, Victoria 1991marg ball collection, postcard, 1922, 1923, ellen hooley (nee sweeney), ellen sweeney, eltham, mrs cox

Post card inscribed "Wishing you many happy returns of your Birthday from Flo" Florence May Shillinglaw Possibly sent to sister Carrie Watson for her birthday in February 1917 (see also 05699) View looking south on Main Road towards Pitt Street and Watson's Eltham Hotel on left See also EDHS_00136 POSTCARD 1905-1940s Like the carte-de-visite, postcards enjoyed a collecting craze by large numbers of people, and were often kept in albums through which the interested visitor could browse. Postcards were posted or exchanged in huge numbers. Postal authorities in Australia only allowed the private printing of postcards from 1898. At this time the back of the card was reserved for the address and postage stamp, and the front was used for the message and a picture. In 1902 British authorities allowed a "divided back", so that the left side could be used for the message, the right side for the address and stamp, and the whole of the front was devoted to the picture. France followed suit in 1904, Germany and Australia in 1905, and the United States in 1907. - Frost, Lenore; Dating Family Photos 1850-1920; Valiant Press Pty. Ltd., Berwick, Victoria 1991marg ball collection, postcard, 1907, eltham hotel, florence may bunker (nee shillinglaw) (1886-1969), main road, pitt street, watsons hotel

Update of 1st editon by Jock Ryan published in March 2003. 2nd edition (Revised) Nillumbik Historical Society December 2017 Brief history of the agitation and eventual extension and opening of the Hurstbridge Railway line from Eltham to Diamond Creek, Wattle Glen to Hurstbridge, which was opened in June 1912. Includes details of events thereafter including Wattle Day and Railway accidents. Profusely illustrated with black and white photographs from the collection of the Nillumbik Historical Society (Diamond Creek). Agitation for a railway extension began in 1888 when a meeting was held at Arthurs Creek to press for the construction of a railway line from Heidelberg to Kinglake. The Chairman Mr Charles Draper said this was necessary because this was the best fruit growing district in Victoria. Mr Cameron M.P. pointed out that whatever route the line took it would have to follow the Diamond Valley from Eltham. At the same time another meeting was pressing for the line to be extended to Queenstown (St Andrews). However when detailed surveys were made it was discovered that the only possible route was to Hurstbridge because of the hills. In 1912 the railway was opened terminating at Hurstbridge. Bound with orange covers. Text with black and white illustrations. 30 pages.hurstbridge railway line,diamond creek,wattle glen,hurstbridge, nillumbik historical society

"Dear Kevin, Everybody home here is well, hope you and Bobby are well. Sid, Laurie home, hear regular from Eddie. Lots love Polly DAD" Post Card sent to Private K.J. Arrowsmith, VX54102, 6th Line Section, 8 Div, Malaya via Prisoner of War Post, Australian Prisoners of War, C/o Prisoners of War Information Bureau Tokyo, Japan from his sister Polly (Mercia Castledine). “After the cholera had been evidence for a few days, the Nips decided that the works on the railway had to be carried on and so isolated all the cases (a number more had developed since we were first quarantined) and sent all other men back to work. By this time, the number of men unfit for work had increased tremendously and the medical officer and medical orderlies were hopelessly overworked. Volunteers were called for to assist in this cholera ward; a disease highly contagious and with a terrific death rate. This meant isolation, but did not deter many men from offering their services, Bob and Kevin Arrowsmith being selected.” - Through the Burma-Thailand Railway, pp234-5, author unknown This post card is significant for its rarity as very few ever made it through and were saved. In these instances the information provided by Polly was cryptic informing Kevin and Bob Arrowsmith that brother Eddie and brothers-in-law, Laurie Mears and Sid Castledine were all still alive.Digital image of original held in private collection of Joan Castledine, daughter of Sid and Polly (nee Arrowsmith) Castledine.bob arrowsmith, burma-thailand railway, eddie arrowsmith, joan castlemaine, kevin j. arrowsmith, laurie mears, lucy mears (nee arrowsmith), mercia (polly) castledine (nee arrowsmith), postcards, prisoner of war post, sid castledine

"Dear Kevin, Hope you are both well, everybody well home here, constantly thinking of you, hear regular, Eddie, Laurie, Sid. Lots love Polly Dad" Post Card sent to Private K.J. Arrowsmith, VX54102, 6th Line Section, 8 Div, Malaya via Prisoner of War Post, Australian Prisoners of War, C/o Prisoners of War Information Bureau Tokyo, Japan from his sister Polly (Mercia Castledine). “After the cholera had been evidence for a few days, the Nips decided that the works on the railway had to be carried on and so isolated all the cases (a number more had developed since we were first quarantined) and sent all other men back to work. By this time, the number of men unfit for work had increased tremendously and the medical officer and medical orderlies were hopelessly overworked. Volunteers were called for to assist in this cholera ward; a disease highly contagious and with a terrific death rate. This meant isolation, but did not deter many men from offering their services, Bob and Kevin Arrowsmith being selected.” - Through the Burma-Thailand Railway, pp234-5, author unknown This post card is significant for its rarity as very few ever made it through and were saved. In these instances the information provided by Polly was cryptic informing Kevin and Bob Arrowsmith that brother Eddie and brothers-in-law, Laurie Mears and Sid Castledine were all still alive.Digital image of original held in private collection of Joan Castledine, daughter of Sid and Polly (nee Arrowsmith) Castledine.bob arrowsmith, burma-thailand railway, eddie arrowsmith, joan castlemaine, kevin j. arrowsmith, laurie mears, lucy mears (nee arrowsmith), mercia (polly) castledine (nee arrowsmith), postcards, prisoner of war post, sid castledine

My Recollections of Eltham Past by Margaret Joy Harding (nee Joy Chapman.) My family of Elizabeth and Alec Chapman moved to Eltham in 1946 into a cottage on the opposite side of the Diamond Creek from where the little train now operates in the Lower Park. At that time Eltham truly was a country town and the Pub was the main meeting place for most inhabitants on a Saturday afternoon in the beer garden. I attended Eltham Primary School where I started as a 4-year-old (my birthday being slightly after the mid-year intake) that happened then. My mother spent a lot of days taking me back to school when I had dismissed myself and walked the one kilomtre home alone. Bremner's Common (now Wingrove Park) was a big attraction with its dam and tad poling which I found much more entertaining than school. (Mrs Bremner ran a Service Station on the site of the current one). Another attraction at this site was the circus that came a couple of times a year. Watching them put up the circus tent was very interesting and even more of an attraction was the feeding of the Lions in cages and the monkeys and elephants among the other animals that are not found in a circus these days. At school then we were provided with hot chocolate at morning recess where the mothers would prepare it in the shelter shed. The only form of classroom heating was an open fire. Worse was the warm milk given in the summer months. By the time I was near finishing at Primary school we used to be able to walk along the Main Road at lunchtime to Mrs. Mitchell's shop to a delicious hot pie. As I recall there was no supervision for this departure from the school grounds. It is interesting that some of the other children I started school with I still have contact with, in fact one is a very good friend although now living in Perth. That is the other thing about Eltham; many who grew up here continue to live in the area. Following primary school, the natural progression was to Eltham High School. There was only the main building at that time and I can remember our first assembly at the front entrance. During the time I was at High School several new class rooms were added and the school hall. I remember the musical plays such as HMS Pinafore and other classical musicals being performed. I also remember countless hours doing marching practice. The main street shops when I was young consisted of the Blue Gum milk bar at the far end, a Grocery store and a shoe maker where Coles currently stands. Opposite there was Lyon's Garage. They also provided a bus service and when we got off the train this little bus would tour the back streets taking each individual to their home, sometimes this could take quite considerable time. There was also a Black Smith next to the Chiropractic Practice opposite Alistair Knox Park, another Milk Bar/General Store on the comer of Bridge Street/Main Road where a shop currently still operates. There was also a Butcher's shop down from the pub opposite Franklin Street. The only doctor was next to the courthouse on the other side of Brougham Street. On Saturday afternoon I was occasionally allowed to go the movies in the Town Hall which also stood on the site of the Coles centre. Often the Fire Alarm would sound and everyone would run outside to watch the fire truck leave with the volunteers clutching on the back. The other attraction during summer of course was the swimming pool which was a small concrete pool filled with water pumped from the Diamond Creek, sometimes it was like a mud puddle so for me the nearer to home Yarra/Diamond Creek junction was a much better option. We swam in the water hole which was quite deep and with fallen trees and sometimes carcasses of cows and kangaroos floating past. As recreation, the churches were another attraction for the Sunday school picnics to Mordialloc in the back of the moving van with benches tied into the back for us to "sit" on. Too bad when we went around a corner! In the early days we had an Ice Man deliver the ice once a week for "refrigeration". The green grocer came around in a horse and cart as did the milkman and the bread was delivered but I constantly got into trouble for eating the middle out on the way from the box it was delivered to in Mt Pleasant road across the paddock. The milkman finally would not come down our street after his horse bolted one morning and took off across the paddock. We also had the "Pan Man" come weekly and whose visit I would avoid. Our nearest shop was where the flower stall is located opposite the Lower Park. It consisted of a Tea Room and Milk Bar. There was a Public Telephone there which was the only contact to anyone else. We were a one car family so my mother’s movements were very limited as the Eltham Station was a couple of kilometres away and a trip to the city was an event. Being an only child growing up was a little lonely however rambling along the creek with my Mum, picking mushrooms and picking cherry plums for jam and the dogs catching rabbits which we ate if we could get them away from the dogs. We also liked to go into the Lower Park during school holidays when the Greek people came to camp and they would sing and dance around the camp fire and it all seemed so different to us as this was early days of immigration. Childhood was relatively simple and carefree and I wish the kids of today had the freedom of my youth and the healthy outdoor lifestyle of the "olden days".   SHOW GIRL COMPETITION In 1965 Eltham was more like a country town than the suburb it has become today. People knew each other, if not personally then certainly of the family name. The big event for the year was a Gymkhana or show at Lower Eltham Park. I can remember marching as a teenager from the town centre to the park in the marching girls with the decorated floats. In 1965, just on a whim on the day, I decided to enter the Miss Eltham Show Girl which was a part of the festivities at the park. I seem to remember that the show mainly consisted of horse events, cattle judging and dog show. As I had not given any serious thought to entering the competition, I wore a suit that I had for work which was brown wool, with a coffee coloured shirt under, black shoes, bag, and gloves but no hat. I duly paraded for the judges and much to my surprise I was announced the winner. I eventually went on to compete at the Miss Victoria Show Girl competition which was held at the Royal Melbourne Show. There I met many country girls who were representing their rural Victoria home. I made it into a final round of judging but I think justice prevailed when someone from a country background was crowned. It was fun to go into the show as I had not really been before and to see the displays of handcraft, cooking and wood chopping events was great as well as the judging of farm animals interesting. It is hard to remember the Eltham I grew up in. The Lyons Garage company bus that actually drove you home (or close to it) when we got off the train at night. The Eltham Hotel on a Saturday afternoon a usual social meeting place where people just sat and chatted. The pictures held in the Town Hall and when the fire alarm sounded all the men just jumped up and ran to help. Suburbia has now swallowed most of that life but thankfully we at least do have the trestle bridge and parkland. Digital file only - Black and white photo print on loan for scanning by EDHSalec chapman, annie bremner, blacksmith, bremner's flat, brougham steet, bus services, circus, diamond creek, dianne bell, doctor bradbury, easter gymkhana, elizabeth chapman, eltham high school, eltham hotel, eltham lower park, eltham public hall, eltham state school, eltham trestle bridge, general store, grace mitchell, ice man, joy chapman, lyons garage, margaret harding, milk bar, miss eltham 1965, miss victoria show girl, mount pleasant road, pan man, rodda parade, shops, show girl competition, swimming pool, water hole, yarra river

My Recollections of Eltham Past by Margaret Joy Harding (nee Joy Chapman.) My family of Elizabeth and Alec Chapman moved to Eltham in 1946 into a cottage on the opposite side of the Diamond Creek from where the little train now operates in the Lower Park. At that time Eltham truly was a country town and the Pub was the main meeting place for most inhabitants on a Saturday afternoon in the beer garden. I attended Eltham Primary School where I started as a 4-year-old (my birthday being slightly after the mid-year intake) that happened then. My mother spent a lot of days taking me back to school when I had dismissed myself and walked the one kilomtre home alone. Bremner's Common (now Wingrove Park) was a big attraction with its dam and tad poling which I found much more entertaining than school. (Mrs Bremner ran a Service Station on the site of the current one). Another attraction at this site was the circus that came a couple of times a year. Watching them put up the circus tent was very interesting and even more of an attraction was the feeding of the Lions in cages and the monkeys and elephants among the other animals that are not found in a circus these days. At school then we were provided with hot chocolate at morning recess where the mothers would prepare it in the shelter shed. The only form of classroom heating was an open fire. Worse was the warm milk given in the summer months. By the time I was near finishing at Primary school we used to be able to walk along the Main Road at lunchtime to Mrs. Mitchell's shop to a delicious hot pie. As I recall there was no supervision for this departure from the school grounds. It is interesting that some of the other children I started school with I still have contact with, in fact one is a very good friend although now living in Perth. That is the other thing about Eltham; many who grew up here continue to live in the area. Following primary school, the natural progression was to Eltham High School. There was only the main building at that time and I can remember our first assembly at the front entrance. During the time I was at High School several new class rooms were added and the school hall. I remember the musical plays such as HMS Pinafore and other classical musicals being performed. I also remember countless hours doing marching practice. The main street shops when I was young consisted of the Blue Gum milk bar at the far end, a Grocery store and a shoe maker where Coles currently stands. Opposite there was Lyon's Garage. They also provided a bus service and when we got off the train this little bus would tour the back streets taking each individual to their home, sometimes this could take quite considerable time. There was also a Black Smith next to the Chiropractic Practice opposite Alistair Knox Park, another Milk Bar/General Store on the comer of Bridge Street/Main Road where a shop currently still operates. There was also a Butcher's shop down from the pub opposite Franklin Street. The only doctor was next to the courthouse on the other side of Brougham Street. On Saturday afternoon I was occasionally allowed to go the movies in the Town Hall which also stood on the site of the Coles centre. Often the Fire Alarm would sound and everyone would run outside to watch the fire truck leave with the volunteers clutching on the back. The other attraction during summer of course was the swimming pool which was a small concrete pool filled with water pumped from the Diamond Creek, sometimes it was like a mud puddle so for me the nearer to home Yarra/Diamond Creek junction was a much better option. We swam in the water hole which was quite deep and with fallen trees and sometimes carcasses of cows and kangaroos floating past. As recreation, the churches were another attraction for the Sunday school picnics to Mordialloc in the back of the moving van with benches tied into the back for us to "sit" on. Too bad when we went around a corner! In the early days we had an Ice Man deliver the ice once a week for "refrigeration". The green grocer came around in a horse and cart as did the milkman and the bread was delivered but I constantly got into trouble for eating the middle out on the way from the box it was delivered to in Mt Pleasant road across the paddock. The milkman finally would not come down our street after his horse bolted one morning and took off across the paddock. We also had the "Pan Man" come weekly and whose visit I would avoid. Our nearest shop was where the flower stall is located opposite the Lower Park. It consisted of a Tea Room and Milk Bar. There was a Public Telephone there which was the only contact to anyone else. We were a one car family so my mother’s movements were very limited as the Eltham Station was a couple of kilometres away and a trip to the city was an event. Being an only child growing up was a little lonely however rambling along the creek with my Mum, picking mushrooms and picking cherry plums for jam and the dogs catching rabbits which we ate if we could get them away from the dogs. We also liked to go into the Lower Park during school holidays when the Greek people came to camp and they would sing and dance around the camp fire and it all seemed so different to us as this was early days of immigration. Childhood was relatively simple and carefree and I wish the kids of today had the freedom of my youth and the healthy outdoor lifestyle of the "olden days".   SHOW GIRL COMPETITION In 1965 Eltham was more like a country town than the suburb it has become today. People knew each other, if not personally then certainly of the family name. The big event for the year was a Gymkhana or show at Lower Eltham Park. I can remember marching as a teenager from the town centre to the park in the marching girls with the decorated floats. In 1965, just on a whim on the day, I decided to enter the Miss Eltham Show Girl which was a part of the festivities at the park. I seem to remember that the show mainly consisted of horse events, cattle judging and dog show. As I had not given any serious thought to entering the competition, I wore a suit that I had for work which was brown wool, with a coffee coloured shirt under, black shoes, bag, and gloves but no hat. I duly paraded for the judges and much to my surprise I was announced the winner. I eventually went on to compete at the Miss Victoria Show Girl competition which was held at the Royal Melbourne Show. There I met many country girls who were representing their rural Victoria home. I made it into a final round of judging but I think justice prevailed when someone from a country background was crowned. It was fun to go into the show as I had not really been before and to see the displays of handcraft, cooking and wood chopping events was great as well as the judging of farm animals interesting. It is hard to remember the Eltham I grew up in. The Lyons Garage company bus that actually drove you home (or close to it) when we got off the train at night. The Eltham Hotel on a Saturday afternoon a usual social meeting place where people just sat and chatted. The pictures held in the Town Hall and when the fire alarm sounded all the men just jumped up and ran to help. Suburbia has now swallowed most of that life but thankfully we at least do have the trestle bridge and parkland. Digital file only - Black and white photo print on loan for scanning by EDHSalec chapman, annie bremner, blacksmith, bremner's flat, brougham steet, bus services, circus, diamond creek, dianne bell, doctor bradbury, easter gymkhana, elizabeth chapman, eltham high school, eltham hotel, eltham lower park, eltham public hall, eltham state school, eltham trestle bridge, general store, grace mitchell, ice man, joy chapman, lyons garage, margaret harding, milk bar, miss eltham 1965, miss victoria show girl, mount pleasant road, pan man, rodda parade, shops, show girl competition, swimming pool, water hole, yarra river

My Recollections of Eltham Past by Margaret Joy Harding (nee Joy Chapman.) My family of Elizabeth and Alec Chapman moved to Eltham in 1946 into a cottage on the opposite side of the Diamond Creek from where the little train now operates in the Lower Park. At that time Eltham truly was a country town and the Pub was the main meeting place for most inhabitants on a Saturday afternoon in the beer garden. I attended Eltham Primary School where I started as a 4-year-old (my birthday being slightly after the mid-year intake) that happened then. My mother spent a lot of days taking me back to school when I had dismissed myself and walked the one kilomtre home alone. Bremner's Common (now Wingrove Park) was a big attraction with its dam and tad poling which I found much more entertaining than school. (Mrs Bremner ran a Service Station on the site of the current one). Another attraction at this site was the circus that came a couple of times a year. Watching them put up the circus tent was very interesting and even more of an attraction was the feeding of the Lions in cages and the monkeys and elephants among the other animals that are not found in a circus these days. At school then we were provided with hot chocolate at morning recess where the mothers would prepare it in the shelter shed. The only form of classroom heating was an open fire. Worse was the warm milk given in the summer months. By the time I was near finishing at Primary school we used to be able to walk along the Main Road at lunchtime to Mrs. Mitchell's shop to a delicious hot pie. As I recall there was no supervision for this departure from the school grounds. It is interesting that some of the other children I started school with I still have contact with, in fact one is a very good friend although now living in Perth. That is the other thing about Eltham; many who grew up here continue to live in the area. Following primary school, the natural progression was to Eltham High School. There was only the main building at that time and I can remember our first assembly at the front entrance. During the time I was at High School several new class rooms were added and the school hall. I remember the musical plays such as HMS Pinafore and other classical musicals being performed. I also remember countless hours doing marching practice. The main street shops when I was young consisted of the Blue Gum milk bar at the far end, a Grocery store and a shoe maker where Coles currently stands. Opposite there was Lyon's Garage. They also provided a bus service and when we got off the train this little bus would tour the back streets taking each individual to their home, sometimes this could take quite considerable time. There was also a Black Smith next to the Chiropractic Practice opposite Alistair Knox Park, another Milk Bar/General Store on the comer of Bridge Street/Main Road where a shop currently still operates. There was also a Butcher's shop down from the pub opposite Franklin Street. The only doctor was next to the courthouse on the other side of Brougham Street. On Saturday afternoon I was occasionally allowed to go the movies in the Town Hall which also stood on the site of the Coles centre. Often the Fire Alarm would sound and everyone would run outside to watch the fire truck leave with the volunteers clutching on the back. The other attraction during summer of course was the swimming pool which was a small concrete pool filled with water pumped from the Diamond Creek, sometimes it was like a mud puddle so for me the nearer to home Yarra/Diamond Creek junction was a much better option. We swam in the water hole which was quite deep and with fallen trees and sometimes carcasses of cows and kangaroos floating past. As recreation, the churches were another attraction for the Sunday school picnics to Mordialloc in the back of the moving van with benches tied into the back for us to "sit" on. Too bad when we went around a corner! In the early days we had an Ice Man deliver the ice once a week for "refrigeration". The green grocer came around in a horse and cart as did the milkman and the bread was delivered but I constantly got into trouble for eating the middle out on the way from the box it was delivered to in Mt Pleasant road across the paddock. The milkman finally would not come down our street after his horse bolted one morning and took off across the paddock. We also had the "Pan Man" come weekly and whose visit I would avoid. Our nearest shop was where the flower stall is located opposite the Lower Park. It consisted of a Tea Room and Milk Bar. There was a Public Telephone there which was the only contact to anyone else. We were a one car family so my mother’s movements were very limited as the Eltham Station was a couple of kilometres away and a trip to the city was an event. Being an only child growing up was a little lonely however rambling along the creek with my Mum, picking mushrooms and picking cherry plums for jam and the dogs catching rabbits which we ate if we could get them away from the dogs. We also liked to go into the Lower Park during school holidays when the Greek people came to camp and they would sing and dance around the camp fire and it all seemed so different to us as this was early days of immigration. Childhood was relatively simple and carefree and I wish the kids of today had the freedom of my youth and the healthy outdoor lifestyle of the "olden days".   SHOW GIRL COMPETITION In 1965 Eltham was more like a country town than the suburb it has become today. People knew each other, if not personally then certainly of the family name. The big event for the year was a Gymkhana or show at Lower Eltham Park. I can remember marching as a teenager from the town centre to the park in the marching girls with the decorated floats. In 1965, just on a whim on the day, I decided to enter the Miss Eltham Show Girl which was a part of the festivities at the park. I seem to remember that the show mainly consisted of horse events, cattle judging and dog show. As I had not given any serious thought to entering the competition, I wore a suit that I had for work which was brown wool, with a coffee coloured shirt under, black shoes, bag, and gloves but no hat. I duly paraded for the judges and much to my surprise I was announced the winner. I eventually went on to compete at the Miss Victoria Show Girl competition which was held at the Royal Melbourne Show. There I met many country girls who were representing their rural Victoria home. I made it into a final round of judging but I think justice prevailed when someone from a country background was crowned. It was fun to go into the show as I had not really been before and to see the displays of handcraft, cooking and wood chopping events was great as well as the judging of farm animals interesting. It is hard to remember the Eltham I grew up in. The Lyons Garage company bus that actually drove you home (or close to it) when we got off the train at night. The Eltham Hotel on a Saturday afternoon a usual social meeting place where people just sat and chatted. The pictures held in the Town Hall and when the fire alarm sounded all the men just jumped up and ran to help. Suburbia has now swallowed most of that life but thankfully we at least do have the trestle bridge and parkland. Digital file only - Black and white photo print on loan for scanning by EDHSalec chapman, annie bremner, blacksmith, bremner's flat, brougham steet, bus services, circus, diamond creek, dianne bell, doctor bradbury, easter gymkhana, elizabeth chapman, eltham high school, eltham hotel, eltham lower park, eltham public hall, eltham state school, eltham trestle bridge, general store, grace mitchell, ice man, joy chapman, lyons garage, margaret harding, milk bar, miss eltham 1965, miss victoria show girl, mount pleasant road, pan man, rodda parade, shops, show girl competition, swimming pool, water hole, yarra river

My Recollections of Eltham Past by Margaret Joy Harding (nee Joy Chapman.) My family of Elizabeth and Alec Chapman moved to Eltham in 1946 into a cottage on the opposite side of the Diamond Creek from where the little train now operates in the Lower Park. At that time Eltham truly was a country town and the Pub was the main meeting place for most inhabitants on a Saturday afternoon in the beer garden. I attended Eltham Primary School where I started as a 4-year-old (my birthday being slightly after the mid-year intake) that happened then. My mother spent a lot of days taking me back to school when I had dismissed myself and walked the one kilomtre home alone. Bremner's Common (now Wingrove Park) was a big attraction with its dam and tad poling which I found much more entertaining than school. (Mrs Bremner ran a Service Station on the site of the current one). Another attraction at this site was the circus that came a couple of times a year. Watching them put up the circus tent was very interesting and even more of an attraction was the feeding of the Lions in cages and the monkeys and elephants among the other animals that are not found in a circus these days. At school then we were provided with hot chocolate at morning recess where the mothers would prepare it in the shelter shed. The only form of classroom heating was an open fire. Worse was the warm milk given in the summer months. By the time I was near finishing at Primary school we used to be able to walk along the Main Road at lunchtime to Mrs. Mitchell's shop to a delicious hot pie. As I recall there was no supervision for this departure from the school grounds. It is interesting that some of the other children I started school with I still have contact with, in fact one is a very good friend although now living in Perth. That is the other thing about Eltham; many who grew up here continue to live in the area. Following primary school, the natural progression was to Eltham High School. There was only the main building at that time and I can remember our first assembly at the front entrance. During the time I was at High School several new class rooms were added and the school hall. I remember the musical plays such as HMS Pinafore and other classical musicals being performed. I also remember countless hours doing marching practice. The main street shops when I was young consisted of the Blue Gum milk bar at the far end, a Grocery store and a shoe maker where Coles currently stands. Opposite there was Lyon's Garage. They also provided a bus service and when we got off the train this little bus would tour the back streets taking each individual to their home, sometimes this could take quite considerable time. There was also a Black Smith next to the Chiropractic Practice opposite Alistair Knox Park, another Milk Bar/General Store on the comer of Bridge Street/Main Road where a shop currently still operates. There was also a Butcher's shop down from the pub opposite Franklin Street. The only doctor was next to the courthouse on the other side of Brougham Street. On Saturday afternoon I was occasionally allowed to go the movies in the Town Hall which also stood on the site of the Coles centre. Often the Fire Alarm would sound and everyone would run outside to watch the fire truck leave with the volunteers clutching on the back. The other attraction during summer of course was the swimming pool which was a small concrete pool filled with water pumped from the Diamond Creek, sometimes it was like a mud puddle so for me the nearer to home Yarra/Diamond Creek junction was a much better option. We swam in the water hole which was quite deep and with fallen trees and sometimes carcasses of cows and kangaroos floating past. As recreation, the churches were another attraction for the Sunday school picnics to Mordialloc in the back of the moving van with benches tied into the back for us to "sit" on. Too bad when we went around a corner! In the early days we had an Ice Man deliver the ice once a week for "refrigeration". The green grocer came around in a horse and cart as did the milkman and the bread was delivered but I constantly got into trouble for eating the middle out on the way from the box it was delivered to in Mt Pleasant road across the paddock. The milkman finally would not come down our street after his horse bolted one morning and took off across the paddock. We also had the "Pan Man" come weekly and whose visit I would avoid. Our nearest shop was where the flower stall is located opposite the Lower Park. It consisted of a Tea Room and Milk Bar. There was a Public Telephone there which was the only contact to anyone else. We were a one car family so my mother’s movements were very limited as the Eltham Station was a couple of kilometres away and a trip to the city was an event. Being an only child growing up was a little lonely however rambling along the creek with my Mum, picking mushrooms and picking cherry plums for jam and the dogs catching rabbits which we ate if we could get them away from the dogs. We also liked to go into the Lower Park during school holidays when the Greek people came to camp and they would sing and dance around the camp fire and it all seemed so different to us as this was early days of immigration. Childhood was relatively simple and carefree and I wish the kids of today had the freedom of my youth and the healthy outdoor lifestyle of the "olden days".   SHOW GIRL COMPETITION In 1965 Eltham was more like a country town than the suburb it has become today. People knew each other, if not personally then certainly of the family name. The big event for the year was a Gymkhana or show at Lower Eltham Park. I can remember marching as a teenager from the town centre to the park in the marching girls with the decorated floats. In 1965, just on a whim on the day, I decided to enter the Miss Eltham Show Girl which was a part of the festivities at the park. I seem to remember that the show mainly consisted of horse events, cattle judging and dog show. As I had not given any serious thought to entering the competition, I wore a suit that I had for work which was brown wool, with a coffee coloured shirt under, black shoes, bag, and gloves but no hat. I duly paraded for the judges and much to my surprise I was announced the winner. I eventually went on to compete at the Miss Victoria Show Girl competition which was held at the Royal Melbourne Show. There I met many country girls who were representing their rural Victoria home. I made it into a final round of judging but I think justice prevailed when someone from a country background was crowned. It was fun to go into the show as I had not really been before and to see the displays of handcraft, cooking and wood chopping events was great as well as the judging of farm animals interesting. It is hard to remember the Eltham I grew up in. The Lyons Garage company bus that actually drove you home (or close to it) when we got off the train at night. The Eltham Hotel on a Saturday afternoon a usual social meeting place where people just sat and chatted. The pictures held in the Town Hall and when the fire alarm sounded all the men just jumped up and ran to help. Suburbia has now swallowed most of that life but thankfully we at least do have the trestle bridge and parkland. Born digitalalec chapman, annie bremner, blacksmith, bremner's flat, brougham steet, bus services, circus, diamond creek, dianne bell, doctor bradbury, easter gymkhana, elizabeth chapman, eltham high school, eltham hotel, eltham lower park, eltham public hall, eltham state school, eltham trestle bridge, general store, grace mitchell, ice man, joy chapman, lyons garage, margaret harding, milk bar, miss eltham 1965, miss victoria show girl, mount pleasant road, pan man, rodda parade, shops, show girl competition, swimming pool, water hole, yarra river

My Recollections of Eltham Past by Margaret Joy Harding (nee Joy Chapman.) My family of Elizabeth and Alec Chapman moved to Eltham in 1946 into a cottage on the opposite side of the Diamond Creek from where the little train now operates in the Lower Park. At that time Eltham truly was a country town and the Pub was the main meeting place for most inhabitants on a Saturday afternoon in the beer garden. I attended Eltham Primary School where I started as a 4-year-old (my birthday being slightly after the mid-year intake) that happened then. My mother spent a lot of days taking me back to school when I had dismissed myself and walked the one kilomtre home alone. Bremner's Common (now Wingrove Park) was a big attraction with its dam and tad poling which I found much more entertaining than school. (Mrs Bremner ran a Service Station on the site of the current one). Another attraction at this site was the circus that came a couple of times a year. Watching them put up the circus tent was very interesting and even more of an attraction was the feeding of the Lions in cages and the monkeys and elephants among the other animals that are not found in a circus these days. At school then we were provided with hot chocolate at morning recess where the mothers would prepare it in the shelter shed. The only form of classroom heating was an open fire. Worse was the warm milk given in the summer months. By the time I was near finishing at Primary school we used to be able to walk along the Main Road at lunchtime to Mrs. Mitchell's shop to a delicious hot pie. As I recall there was no supervision for this departure from the school grounds. It is interesting that some of the other children I started school with I still have contact with, in fact one is a very good friend although now living in Perth. That is the other thing about Eltham; many who grew up here continue to live in the area. Following primary school, the natural progression was to Eltham High School. There was only the main building at that time and I can remember our first assembly at the front entrance. During the time I was at High School several new class rooms were added and the school hall. I remember the musical plays such as HMS Pinafore and other classical musicals being performed. I also remember countless hours doing marching practice. The main street shops when I was young consisted of the Blue Gum milk bar at the far end, a Grocery store and a shoe maker where Coles currently stands. Opposite there was Lyon's Garage. They also provided a bus service and when we got off the train this little bus would tour the back streets taking each individual to their home, sometimes this could take quite considerable time. There was also a Black Smith next to the Chiropractic Practice opposite Alistair Knox Park, another Milk Bar/General Store on the comer of Bridge Street/Main Road where a shop currently still operates. There was also a Butcher's shop down from the pub opposite Franklin Street. The only doctor was next to the courthouse on the other side of Brougham Street. On Saturday afternoon I was occasionally allowed to go the movies in the Town Hall which also stood on the site of the Coles centre. Often the Fire Alarm would sound and everyone would run outside to watch the fire truck leave with the volunteers clutching on the back. The other attraction during summer of course was the swimming pool which was a small concrete pool filled with water pumped from the Diamond Creek, sometimes it was like a mud puddle so for me the nearer to home Yarra/Diamond Creek junction was a much better option. We swam in the water hole which was quite deep and with fallen trees and sometimes carcasses of cows and kangaroos floating past. As recreation, the churches were another attraction for the Sunday school picnics to Mordialloc in the back of the moving van with benches tied into the back for us to "sit" on. Too bad when we went around a corner! In the early days we had an Ice Man deliver the ice once a week for "refrigeration". The green grocer came around in a horse and cart as did the milkman and the bread was delivered but I constantly got into trouble for eating the middle out on the way from the box it was delivered to in Mt Pleasant road across the paddock. The milkman finally would not come down our street after his horse bolted one morning and took off across the paddock. We also had the "Pan Man" come weekly and whose visit I would avoid. Our nearest shop was where the flower stall is located opposite the Lower Park. It consisted of a Tea Room and Milk Bar. There was a Public Telephone there which was the only contact to anyone else. We were a one car family so my mother’s movements were very limited as the Eltham Station was a couple of kilometres away and a trip to the city was an event. Being an only child growing up was a little lonely however rambling along the creek with my Mum, picking mushrooms and picking cherry plums for jam and the dogs catching rabbits which we ate if we could get them away from the dogs. We also liked to go into the Lower Park during school holidays when the Greek people came to camp and they would sing and dance around the camp fire and it all seemed so different to us as this was early days of immigration. Childhood was relatively simple and carefree and I wish the kids of today had the freedom of my youth and the healthy outdoor lifestyle of the "olden days".   SHOW GIRL COMPETITION In 1965 Eltham was more like a country town than the suburb it has become today. People knew each other, if not personally then certainly of the family name. The big event for the year was a Gymkhana or show at Lower Eltham Park. I can remember marching as a teenager from the town centre to the park in the marching girls with the decorated floats. In 1965, just on a whim on the day, I decided to enter the Miss Eltham Show Girl which was a part of the festivities at the park. I seem to remember that the show mainly consisted of horse events, cattle judging and dog show. As I had not given any serious thought to entering the competition, I wore a suit that I had for work which was brown wool, with a coffee coloured shirt under, black shoes, bag, and gloves but no hat. I duly paraded for the judges and much to my surprise I was announced the winner. I eventually went on to compete at the Miss Victoria Show Girl competition which was held at the Royal Melbourne Show. There I met many country girls who were representing their rural Victoria home. I made it into a final round of judging but I think justice prevailed when someone from a country background was crowned. It was fun to go into the show as I had not really been before and to see the displays of handcraft, cooking and wood chopping events was great as well as the judging of farm animals interesting. It is hard to remember the Eltham I grew up in. The Lyons Garage company bus that actually drove you home (or close to it) when we got off the train at night. The Eltham Hotel on a Saturday afternoon a usual social meeting place where people just sat and chatted. The pictures held in the Town Hall and when the fire alarm sounded all the men just jumped up and ran to help. Suburbia has now swallowed most of that life but thankfully we at least do have the trestle bridge and parkland. Digital file only - Black and white photo print on loan for scanning by EDHSalec chapman, annie bremner, blacksmith, bremner's flat, brougham steet, bus services, circus, diamond creek, dianne bell, doctor bradbury, easter gymkhana, elizabeth chapman, eltham high school, eltham hotel, eltham lower park, eltham public hall, eltham state school, eltham trestle bridge, general store, grace mitchell, ice man, joy chapman, lyons garage, margaret harding, milk bar, miss eltham 1965, miss victoria show girl, mount pleasant road, pan man, rodda parade, shops, show girl competition, swimming pool, water hole, yarra river

My Recollections of Eltham Past by Margaret Joy Harding (nee Joy Chapman.) My family of Elizabeth and Alec Chapman moved to Eltham in 1946 into a cottage on the opposite side of the Diamond Creek from where the little train now operates in the Lower Park. At that time Eltham truly was a country town and the Pub was the main meeting place for most inhabitants on a Saturday afternoon in the beer garden. I attended Eltham Primary School where I started as a 4-year-old (my birthday being slightly after the mid-year intake) that happened then. My mother spent a lot of days taking me back to school when I had dismissed myself and walked the one kilomtre home alone. Bremner's Common (now Wingrove Park) was a big attraction with its dam and tad poling which I found much more entertaining than school. (Mrs Bremner ran a Service Station on the site of the current one). Another attraction at this site was the circus that came a couple of times a year. Watching them put up the circus tent was very interesting and even more of an attraction was the feeding of the Lions in cages and the monkeys and elephants among the other animals that are not found in a circus these days. At school then we were provided with hot chocolate at morning recess where the mothers would prepare it in the shelter shed. The only form of classroom heating was an open fire. Worse was the warm milk given in the summer months. By the time I was near finishing at Primary school we used to be able to walk along the Main Road at lunchtime to Mrs. Mitchell's shop to a delicious hot pie. As I recall there was no supervision for this departure from the school grounds. It is interesting that some of the other children I started school with I still have contact with, in fact one is a very good friend although now living in Perth. That is the other thing about Eltham; many who grew up here continue to live in the area. Following primary school, the natural progression was to Eltham High School. There was only the main building at that time and I can remember our first assembly at the front entrance. During the time I was at High School several new class rooms were added and the school hall. I remember the musical plays such as HMS Pinafore and other classical musicals being performed. I also remember countless hours doing marching practice. The main street shops when I was young consisted of the Blue Gum milk bar at the far end, a Grocery store and a shoe maker where Coles currently stands. Opposite there was Lyon's Garage. They also provided a bus service and when we got off the train this little bus would tour the back streets taking each individual to their home, sometimes this could take quite considerable time. There was also a Black Smith next to the Chiropractic Practice opposite Alistair Knox Park, another Milk Bar/General Store on the comer of Bridge Street/Main Road where a shop currently still operates. There was also a Butcher's shop down from the pub opposite Franklin Street. The only doctor was next to the courthouse on the other side of Brougham Street. On Saturday afternoon I was occasionally allowed to go the movies in the Town Hall which also stood on the site of the Coles centre. Often the Fire Alarm would sound and everyone would run outside to watch the fire truck leave with the volunteers clutching on the back. The other attraction during summer of course was the swimming pool which was a small concrete pool filled with water pumped from the Diamond Creek, sometimes it was like a mud puddle so for me the nearer to home Yarra/Diamond Creek junction was a much better option. We swam in the water hole which was quite deep and with fallen trees and sometimes carcasses of cows and kangaroos floating past. As recreation, the churches were another attraction for the Sunday school picnics to Mordialloc in the back of the moving van with benches tied into the back for us to "sit" on. Too bad when we went around a corner! In the early days we had an Ice Man deliver the ice once a week for "refrigeration". The green grocer came around in a horse and cart as did the milkman and the bread was delivered but I constantly got into trouble for eating the middle out on the way from the box it was delivered to in Mt Pleasant road across the paddock. The milkman finally would not come down our street after his horse bolted one morning and took off across the paddock. We also had the "Pan Man" come weekly and whose visit I would avoid. Our nearest shop was where the flower stall is located opposite the Lower Park. It consisted of a Tea Room and Milk Bar. There was a Public Telephone there which was the only contact to anyone else. We were a one car family so my mother’s movements were very limited as the Eltham Station was a couple of kilometres away and a trip to the city was an event. Being an only child growing up was a little lonely however rambling along the creek with my Mum, picking mushrooms and picking cherry plums for jam and the dogs catching rabbits which we ate if we could get them away from the dogs. We also liked to go into the Lower Park during school holidays when the Greek people came to camp and they would sing and dance around the camp fire and it all seemed so different to us as this was early days of immigration. Childhood was relatively simple and carefree and I wish the kids of today had the freedom of my youth and the healthy outdoor lifestyle of the "olden days".   SHOW GIRL COMPETITION In 1965 Eltham was more like a country town than the suburb it has become today. People knew each other, if not personally then certainly of the family name. The big event for the year was a Gymkhana or show at Lower Eltham Park. I can remember marching as a teenager from the town centre to the park in the marching girls with the decorated floats. In 1965, just on a whim on the day, I decided to enter the Miss Eltham Show Girl which was a part of the festivities at the park. I seem to remember that the show mainly consisted of horse events, cattle judging and dog show. As I had not given any serious thought to entering the competition, I wore a suit that I had for work which was brown wool, with a coffee coloured shirt under, black shoes, bag, and gloves but no hat. I duly paraded for the judges and much to my surprise I was announced the winner. I eventually went on to compete at the Miss Victoria Show Girl competition which was held at the Royal Melbourne Show. There I met many country girls who were representing their rural Victoria home. I made it into a final round of judging but I think justice prevailed when someone from a country background was crowned. It was fun to go into the show as I had not really been before and to see the displays of handcraft, cooking and wood chopping events was great as well as the judging of farm animals interesting. It is hard to remember the Eltham I grew up in. The Lyons Garage company bus that actually drove you home (or close to it) when we got off the train at night. The Eltham Hotel on a Saturday afternoon a usual social meeting place where people just sat and chatted. The pictures held in the Town Hall and when the fire alarm sounded all the men just jumped up and ran to help. Suburbia has now swallowed most of that life but thankfully we at least do have the trestle bridge and parkland. Digital file only - Black and white photo print on loan for scanning by EDHSalec chapman, annie bremner, blacksmith, bremner's flat, brougham steet, bus services, circus, diamond creek, dianne bell, doctor bradbury, easter gymkhana, elizabeth chapman, eltham high school, eltham hotel, eltham lower park, eltham public hall, eltham state school, eltham trestle bridge, general store, grace mitchell, ice man, joy chapman, lyons garage, margaret harding, milk bar, miss eltham 1965, miss victoria show girl, mount pleasant road, pan man, rodda parade, shops, show girl competition, swimming pool, water hole, yarra river

My Recollections of Eltham Past by Margaret Joy Harding (nee Joy Chapman.) My family of Elizabeth and Alec Chapman moved to Eltham in 1946 into a cottage on the opposite side of the Diamond Creek from where the little train now operates in the Lower Park. At that time Eltham truly was a country town and the Pub was the main meeting place for most inhabitants on a Saturday afternoon in the beer garden. I attended Eltham Primary School where I started as a 4-year-old (my birthday being slightly after the mid-year intake) that happened then. My mother spent a lot of days taking me back to school when I had dismissed myself and walked the one kilomtre home alone. Bremner's Common (now Wingrove Park) was a big attraction with its dam and tad poling which I found much more entertaining than school. (Mrs Bremner ran a Service Station on the site of the current one). Another attraction at this site was the circus that came a couple of times a year. Watching them put up the circus tent was very interesting and even more of an attraction was the feeding of the Lions in cages and the monkeys and elephants among the other animals that are not found in a circus these days. At school then we were provided with hot chocolate at morning recess where the mothers would prepare it in the shelter shed. The only form of classroom heating was an open fire. Worse was the warm milk given in the summer months. By the time I was near finishing at Primary school we used to be able to walk along the Main Road at lunchtime to Mrs. Mitchell's shop to a delicious hot pie. As I recall there was no supervision for this departure from the school grounds. It is interesting that some of the other children I started school with I still have contact with, in fact one is a very good friend although now living in Perth. That is the other thing about Eltham; many who grew up here continue to live in the area. Following primary school, the natural progression was to Eltham High School. There was only the main building at that time and I can remember our first assembly at the front entrance. During the time I was at High School several new class rooms were added and the school hall. I remember the musical plays such as HMS Pinafore and other classical musicals being performed. I also remember countless hours doing marching practice. The main street shops when I was young consisted of the Blue Gum milk bar at the far end, a Grocery store and a shoe maker where Coles currently stands. Opposite there was Lyon's Garage. They also provided a bus service and when we got off the train this little bus would tour the back streets taking each individual to their home, sometimes this could take quite considerable time. There was also a Black Smith next to the Chiropractic Practice opposite Alistair Knox Park, another Milk Bar/General Store on the comer of Bridge Street/Main Road where a shop currently still operates. There was also a Butcher's shop down from the pub opposite Franklin Street. The only doctor was next to the courthouse on the other side of Brougham Street. On Saturday afternoon I was occasionally allowed to go the movies in the Town Hall which also stood on the site of the Coles centre. Often the Fire Alarm would sound and everyone would run outside to watch the fire truck leave with the volunteers clutching on the back. The other attraction during summer of course was the swimming pool which was a small concrete pool filled with water pumped from the Diamond Creek, sometimes it was like a mud puddle so for me the nearer to home Yarra/Diamond Creek junction was a much better option. We swam in the water hole which was quite deep and with fallen trees and sometimes carcasses of cows and kangaroos floating past. As recreation, the churches were another attraction for the Sunday school picnics to Mordialloc in the back of the moving van with benches tied into the back for us to "sit" on. Too bad when we went around a corner! In the early days we had an Ice Man deliver the ice once a week for "refrigeration". The green grocer came around in a horse and cart as did the milkman and the bread was delivered but I constantly got into trouble for eating the middle out on the way from the box it was delivered to in Mt Pleasant road across the paddock. The milkman finally would not come down our street after his horse bolted one morning and took off across the paddock. We also had the "Pan Man" come weekly and whose visit I would avoid. Our nearest shop was where the flower stall is located opposite the Lower Park. It consisted of a Tea Room and Milk Bar. There was a Public Telephone there which was the only contact to anyone else. We were a one car family so my mother’s movements were very limited as the Eltham Station was a couple of kilometres away and a trip to the city was an event. Being an only child growing up was a little lonely however rambling along the creek with my Mum, picking mushrooms and picking cherry plums for jam and the dogs catching rabbits which we ate if we could get them away from the dogs. We also liked to go into the Lower Park during school holidays when the Greek people came to camp and they would sing and dance around the camp fire and it all seemed so different to us as this was early days of immigration. Childhood was relatively simple and carefree and I wish the kids of today had the freedom of my youth and the healthy outdoor lifestyle of the "olden days".   SHOW GIRL COMPETITION In 1965 Eltham was more like a country town than the suburb it has become today. People knew each other, if not personally then certainly of the family name. The big event for the year was a Gymkhana or show at Lower Eltham Park. I can remember marching as a teenager from the town centre to the park in the marching girls with the decorated floats. In 1965, just on a whim on the day, I decided to enter the Miss Eltham Show Girl which was a part of the festivities at the park. I seem to remember that the show mainly consisted of horse events, cattle judging and dog show. As I had not given any serious thought to entering the competition, I wore a suit that I had for work which was brown wool, with a coffee coloured shirt under, black shoes, bag, and gloves but no hat. I duly paraded for the judges and much to my surprise I was announced the winner. I eventually went on to compete at the Miss Victoria Show Girl competition which was held at the Royal Melbourne Show. There I met many country girls who were representing their rural Victoria home. I made it into a final round of judging but I think justice prevailed when someone from a country background was crowned. It was fun to go into the show as I had not really been before and to see the displays of handcraft, cooking and wood chopping events was great as well as the judging of farm animals interesting. It is hard to remember the Eltham I grew up in. The Lyons Garage company bus that actually drove you home (or close to it) when we got off the train at night. The Eltham Hotel on a Saturday afternoon a usual social meeting place where people just sat and chatted. The pictures held in the Town Hall and when the fire alarm sounded all the men just jumped up and ran to help. Suburbia has now swallowed most of that life but thankfully we at least do have the trestle bridge and parkland. Digital file only - Black and white photo print on loan for scanning by EDHSalec chapman, annie bremner, blacksmith, bremner's flat, brougham steet, bus services, circus, diamond creek, dianne bell, doctor bradbury, easter gymkhana, elizabeth chapman, eltham high school, eltham hotel, eltham lower park, eltham public hall, eltham state school, eltham trestle bridge, general store, grace mitchell, ice man, joy chapman, lyons garage, margaret harding, milk bar, miss eltham 1965, miss victoria show girl, mount pleasant road, pan man, rodda parade, shops, show girl competition, swimming pool, water hole, yarra river

My Recollections of Eltham Past by Margaret Joy Harding (nee Joy Chapman.) My family of Elizabeth and Alec Chapman moved to Eltham in 1946 into a cottage on the opposite side of the Diamond Creek from where the little train now operates in the Lower Park. At that time Eltham truly was a country town and the Pub was the main meeting place for most inhabitants on a Saturday afternoon in the beer garden. I attended Eltham Primary School where I started as a 4-year-old (my birthday being slightly after the mid-year intake) that happened then. My mother spent a lot of days taking me back to school when I had dismissed myself and walked the one kilomtre home alone. Bremner's Common (now Wingrove Park) was a big attraction with its dam and tad poling which I found much more entertaining than school. (Mrs Bremner ran a Service Station on the site of the current one). Another attraction at this site was the circus that came a couple of times a year. Watching them put up the circus tent was very interesting and even more of an attraction was the feeding of the Lions in cages and the monkeys and elephants among the other animals that are not found in a circus these days. At school then we were provided with hot chocolate at morning recess where the mothers would prepare it in the shelter shed. The only form of classroom heating was an open fire. Worse was the warm milk given in the summer months. By the time I was near finishing at Primary school we used to be able to walk along the Main Road at lunchtime to Mrs. Mitchell's shop to a delicious hot pie. As I recall there was no supervision for this departure from the school grounds. It is interesting that some of the other children I started school with I still have contact with, in fact one is a very good friend although now living in Perth. That is the other thing about Eltham; many who grew up here continue to live in the area. Following primary school, the natural progression was to Eltham High School. There was only the main building at that time and I can remember our first assembly at the front entrance. During the time I was at High School several new class rooms were added and the school hall. I remember the musical plays such as HMS Pinafore and other classical musicals being performed. I also remember countless hours doing marching practice. The main street shops when I was young consisted of the Blue Gum milk bar at the far end, a Grocery store and a shoe maker where Coles currently stands. Opposite there was Lyon's Garage. They also provided a bus service and when we got off the train this little bus would tour the back streets taking each individual to their home, sometimes this could take quite considerable time. There was also a Black Smith next to the Chiropractic Practice opposite Alistair Knox Park, another Milk Bar/General Store on the comer of Bridge Street/Main Road where a shop currently still operates. There was also a Butcher's shop down from the pub opposite Franklin Street. The only doctor was next to the courthouse on the other side of Brougham Street. On Saturday afternoon I was occasionally allowed to go the movies in the Town Hall which also stood on the site of the Coles centre. Often the Fire Alarm would sound and everyone would run outside to watch the fire truck leave with the volunteers clutching on the back. The other attraction during summer of course was the swimming pool which was a small concrete pool filled with water pumped from the Diamond Creek, sometimes it was like a mud puddle so for me the nearer to home Yarra/Diamond Creek junction was a much better option. We swam in the water hole which was quite deep and with fallen trees and sometimes carcasses of cows and kangaroos floating past. As recreation, the churches were another attraction for the Sunday school picnics to Mordialloc in the back of the moving van with benches tied into the back for us to "sit" on. Too bad when we went around a corner! In the early days we had an Ice Man deliver the ice once a week for "refrigeration". The green grocer came around in a horse and cart as did the milkman and the bread was delivered but I constantly got into trouble for eating the middle out on the way from the box it was delivered to in Mt Pleasant road across the paddock. The milkman finally would not come down our street after his horse bolted one morning and took off across the paddock. We also had the "Pan Man" come weekly and whose visit I would avoid. Our nearest shop was where the flower stall is located opposite the Lower Park. It consisted of a Tea Room and Milk Bar. There was a Public Telephone there which was the only contact to anyone else. We were a one car family so my mother’s movements were very limited as the Eltham Station was a couple of kilometres away and a trip to the city was an event. Being an only child growing up was a little lonely however rambling along the creek with my Mum, picking mushrooms and picking cherry plums for jam and the dogs catching rabbits which we ate if we could get them away from the dogs. We also liked to go into the Lower Park during school holidays when the Greek people came to camp and they would sing and dance around the camp fire and it all seemed so different to us as this was early days of immigration. Childhood was relatively simple and carefree and I wish the kids of today had the freedom of my youth and the healthy outdoor lifestyle of the "olden days".   SHOW GIRL COMPETITION In 1965 Eltham was more like a country town than the suburb it has become today. People knew each other, if not personally then certainly of the family name. The big event for the year was a Gymkhana or show at Lower Eltham Park. I can remember marching as a teenager from the town centre to the park in the marching girls with the decorated floats. In 1965, just on a whim on the day, I decided to enter the Miss Eltham Show Girl which was a part of the festivities at the park. I seem to remember that the show mainly consisted of horse events, cattle judging and dog show. As I had not given any serious thought to entering the competition, I wore a suit that I had for work which was brown wool, with a coffee coloured shirt under, black shoes, bag, and gloves but no hat. I duly paraded for the judges and much to my surprise I was announced the winner. I eventually went on to compete at the Miss Victoria Show Girl competition which was held at the Royal Melbourne Show. There I met many country girls who were representing their rural Victoria home. I made it into a final round of judging but I think justice prevailed when someone from a country background was crowned. It was fun to go into the show as I had not really been before and to see the displays of handcraft, cooking and wood chopping events was great as well as the judging of farm animals interesting. It is hard to remember the Eltham I grew up in. The Lyons Garage company bus that actually drove you home (or close to it) when we got off the train at night. The Eltham Hotel on a Saturday afternoon a usual social meeting place where people just sat and chatted. The pictures held in the Town Hall and when the fire alarm sounded all the men just jumped up and ran to help. Suburbia has now swallowed most of that life but thankfully we at least do have the trestle bridge and parkland. Digital file only - Black and white photo print on loan for scanning by EDHSalec chapman, annie bremner, blacksmith, bremner's flat, brougham steet, bus services, circus, diamond creek, dianne bell, doctor bradbury, easter gymkhana, elizabeth chapman, eltham high school, eltham hotel, eltham lower park, eltham public hall, eltham state school, eltham trestle bridge, general store, grace mitchell, ice man, joy chapman, lyons garage, margaret harding, milk bar, miss eltham 1965, miss victoria show girl, mount pleasant road, pan man, rodda parade, shops, show girl competition, swimming pool, water hole, yarra river

Murray's Bridge over the Diamond Creek on the Diamond Creek Trail just prior to demolition and replacement with a new steel bridge. Heritage advice obtained by Nillumbik Shire Council, following a suggestion by the Eltham District Historical Society (EDHS), is that the original bridge appears to have been a simplified version of the Country Roads Board’s (CRB) standard timber bridge design of the early-to-mid 1920s. In c1990 Murray’s bridge was renovated with three recycled steel girders as part of a bike/pedestrian path in the reserve. During these alterations many parts of the bridge were removed, and some were replaced. Heritage advice indicates the condition of Murray’s bridge is poor. The remaining original parts are all in poor condition, with severe weathering, splitting and rot, especially to the stringers retained on the bridge. Heritage advice is that Murray’s Bridge does not have sufficient significance in the cultural history of the Nillumbik area to warrant inclusion in the Nillumbik Shire Heritage Overlay and also does not have sufficient significance as a rare survivor to warrant inclusion in the Nillumbik Shire Heritage Overlay. There are no indications in the historical record that this site was individually important to the cultural history of this area. EDHS is comfortable with the heritage advice provided to Council and has worked closely on this project with Council. EDHS has suggested some of the removed timbers be used in the vicinity of the bridge for landscaping and possibly seating, so as to retain these remnants close to the site of the original bridge, which is the last old timber bridge along the lower reaches of the Diamond Creek. Mary (Sweeney) Murray and John Wright Murray selected 80 acres, Lot C Section 16 and Lot 5 Section 17 Parish of Nillumbik, under an occupation license in 1866. John died in 1867 and freehold was granted to his son John in 1873. The farm was known as ‘Laurel Hill’. John Junior was an Eltham Shire councillor and sometime president from 1887 up until 1897. He added Lot A Section 16 to the farm in ca1888. John and his younger brother James arranged to rent/purchase Lot B Section 17, across Diamond Creek to the west, in ca1900. It appears that John and James farmed separately for a few years, with a new homestead built for James ad family on the high point of Lot B Section 17 in ca1910. John sold off Lot 5 Section 17 in 1912. When John died in 1912 James took over the land on both sides of the Diamond Creek. The old homestead on the west side of the Creek disappeared. A farm bridge over Diamond Creek from this period may have been located close to the northern boundary of the farm. John Langlands, owner of the farm known as ‘Ihurst’ on the west side of Diamond Creek to the south of the Murray’s land, died in 1907. In 1909 his land was then subdivided into 100 lots to become the ‘Glen Park Estate’. Other similar subdivisions of nineteenth century farms around Eltham in this period included the ‘Franktonia (or Beard’s) Estate’ to the northeast and ‘Bonsack’s Estate’ between Eltham and Greensborough. Soon after the opening of the railway extension line from Eltham to Hurstbridge in 1912, Glen Park and nearby residents including James Murray agitated for a railway station or siding to be located half-way between Eltham and Hurstbridge, so that the Glen Park residents who used the railway daily did not have to walk into the Eltham or Hurstbridge stations. Some believed Coleman’s Corner (opposite Edendale Farm) was an appropriate spot for the platform. James Murray was among those who thought the railway should be located on his land, closer to half-way between Eltham and Hurstbridge stations. The Railways Commissioners warned that the locals would have to fund these works themselves. The Glen Park Estate residents initially had difficulty accessing Eltham by road, with only an old low-level bridge over Diamond Creek at the south end of their estate. A new timber trestle bridge across the creek, now on Wattletree Road, was opened in 1915. Road access to the north was gained in 1927 when the new Murray’s Road, which crossed the Murray’s land, was built. Residents continued to agitate for a Glen Park station. By 1926 the Railways Commissioners’ preferred site was on the Murray’s land. They arranged an estimate of cost of a full-length platform. The estimate was too much for the locals, who in 1928 argued unsuccessfully for a shorter and hence cheaper platform. By 1929 Murray had agreed to donate the land, but the locals would still have to fund the works. Murray decided, unilaterally it would appear, to commence work on a timber trestle road bridge over Diamond Creek to link the new Murray Road to the proposed station. Late in 1929 he stopped work on the bridge, for reasons unknown, but started work again and completed the bridge in 1931. There is no further newspaper evidence of the campaign for the Glen Park station until 1939, when Murray and another local, Mr Maxwell, met the Railways Commissioner. The Glen Park locale now included 45 homes on the west side of the creek and 20 on the Eltham side. Most of the residents used the train every day. The Commissioner remained adamant that only a full-length platform could be built for safety reasons. It appears the campaign dissolved at this point. The increasing move to cars may have had an impact. There is no evidence of Murray’s bridge ever being connected to Murray’s Road, or of it having wide use for any purpose by locals. James Murray died in 1947 and the farm was taken over by his son James (Jim). Jim started to sell off parts of the farm in the 1980s, retaining a few acres around the ca1910 homestead and building a new house there. Recreation reserves were established along the creek. In ca1990 Murray’s bridge was renovated with steel girders as part of a bike/pedestrian path in the reserve. The old farmhouse was demolished in ca2014. * * * A theory posted on local community Facebook groups was that the bridge was built in the 1860s and was built to be more robust than was necessary for the movement of cows from one side of the creek to the other. It was suggested the robustness was necessary to support the weight of gold ore being transferred from a mine on Murray’s land to a railway siding near Murrays Bridge (presumably for transfer and processing at Diamond Creek). Perhaps this may have been one of the motivators for Murray, who really knows? Knowing when mining operations ceased on his land and how that fits the overall timeline would be useful but at the time the bridge was built, local gold production was minimal at best. The known facts are: • The railway line came to Eltham in 1902. • The extension of the railway from Eltham to Hurstbridge was constructed in 1912 so no railway line even existed through Murray's property until 1912 and the Victorian Railways maps at the time show no such siding on Murray’s property. • In 1923 a new company was formed in anticipation of the old Diamond Creek Gold Mine being re-opened. The mine had been previously closed and flooded. It was noted in the press at the time that the mine was within a mile of the railway. Nothing really came of this. • Construction of Murrays Bridge was commenced by James Murray in early 1929 in anticipation of a proposed flag station being nominated on his land, but work ceased shortly afterwards. The proposed flag station was commonly referred to as Glen Park as the residents of the Glen Park Estate wanted Option 1, located near them with the platform adjacent to Colemans corner. This was probably never going to fly as it was virtually in eyesight of Eltham station. Allandale Road was the third option, but the Commissioners' preferred option was No. 2 - on Murray's property. • The Railway Commissioners were not going to finance any such station and the works had to be funded by private landowners and residents, hence Murray investing in this himself. • Murray recommenced work two years later and finished his bridge in 1931 but unfortunately for him, the proposed flag station never eventuated. The bluestone siding you reference may well have been built by Murray as part of the proposed station platform. • Up until then, apart from the Main Road bridge, which was washed away in 1924, virtually all local crossings over the Diamond Creek were low lying bridges – Kaylocks Bridge at Brougham Street, Diamond Street bridge, Glen Park Road bridge. It is expected that Murray also had a low-lying bridge to connect his land either side of the creek. These were all washed away or severely damaged multiple times in the 1920s. Lessons were learnt, and Murrays Bridge appears to have been built in accordance with Country Road Board standards of the time. Flood damage was ongoing, and even more recently constructed raised bridges kept getting washed away, e.g., the new Wattle Tree Road bridge in 1958 just months after completion. Murray’s bridge was reinforced with steel some 30 years ago presumably to provide additional floodwater resistance, given the history of bridges disappearing in floodwaters. • In March 1932 it was reported in the Advertiser that there were still some prospectors operating around Eltham North who apart from further scarring the face of the earth over the previous two years had gained significant experience but little gold - hardly a driving factor for constructing a dedicated railway siding and bridge to transfer gold ore. It is far more probable that James Murray was hoping to have the railway station located on his property and invested his money by building the bridge to lead to it as well as a station platform. Had the station eventuated, it may well have driven up the value of his land for subdivision and new housing estates like the Glen Park Estate. That did not eventuate. Whilst the bridge was indeed old (90 years), the core structure being completed in 1931, it had been modified substantially from original and hence had no significant historic value – i.e., it was not a representative example of its type, construction, and age. Given that the bridge was not worthy of saving, the Eltham District Historical Society with Council’s support, and the Eltham Woodworkers group endeavoured to see what suitable sized timbers were salvageable to fabricate a commemorative seat. Unfortunately, the experts at the Woodworkers group were unable to salvage any suitable length/width timbers to fabricate the seat due to the presence of rot. Last remaining wooden trestle bridge on the Diamond Creek Trail just prior to demolition and replacementBorn digital image (27)diamond creek (creek), diamond creek trail, murrays bridge, ‘laurel hill’, john wright murray, mary (sweeney) murra, john murray jnr, james murray, john langlands, ‘ihurst’, ‘glen park estate’, beard's estate, franktonia, bonsack's estate, glen park estate, glen park railway station

Walking or driving up Main Road, you enter Eltham’s Avenue of Honour, with its rows of plane trees, each commemorating the death of a soldier sent to fight in World War 1. 115 trees were first planted on 21st September 1917 beginning at “the flat” to the intersection of Pitt Street. Tree guards and copper name plates were later added. In the ‘20s and ‘30s too many branches were broken off by carriers whipping their horses up the steep slope. In the 1950s many of the original trees were removed for road widening and new plane trees were planted in their place. In June 2015 during the Anzac Centenary, Nillumbik Shire Council dedicated the new Avenue of Honour in the Eltham Gateway. New markers commemorate local soldiers. Tomorrow's history documented todayeltham, jim connor collection, main road, avenue of honour, eltham gateway, commemoration, marker

The Reynolds/ Prior collection of photographs were snapped by Tom Prior, the Uncle of Ivy Reynolds (her mother's brother) around 1900 and the 60 photos in the album give a fine overview of many of the landmarks of Research and Eltham over 100 years ago. lvy is a much loved pioneer who lived in the family home for many years at 106 Thompson Cres Research. Many today living in our township will know Ivy and remember her sister Margaret. Ivy's father, Ernst Richard Reynolds and grandfather, Richard Reynolds, lived at the same address. Ivy's father Richard worked for Mr. Trail on his property in Research. Reynolds Road is named after the family. Mr Tom Prior (wife Eva) worked at the Melbourne zoo. He was very innovative and made his own camera, using the black cloth hood to exclude the light. The photographs are a reminder of the rural nature of Research and Eltham and its rich heritage. Ivy Reynolds would like to share this history, stories and anecdotes with you. If they are not recorded and presented they are lost. In Andrew Lemon's Book Return to Research, A Centenary History of Research Primary School, there is a chapter-- reminiscing ..... the Reynold's family in Research 1870 to 1989 by Jenny Anderson With this in mind, Ivy would like to present the Reynolds/Prior collection in album form to the Historical Society of Eltham, and also to the Andrew Ross Museum, Kangaroo Ground. Ross McDonald 605 Mt Pleasant Rd Research, Vic 3095 (March, 2006 )The Reynolds family were early settlers in Research. The Reynolds/ Prior collection of photographs were taken by Tom Prior, the maternal uncle of Ivy Reynolds, around 1900 and the 60 photos in the album give a fine overview of many of the landmarks of Research and Eltham over 100 years ago. lvy lived in the family home for many years at 106 Thompson Cres Research. Ivy's father, Ernst Richard Reynolds and grandfather, Richard Reynolds, lived at the same address. Ivy's father Richard worked for Mr. Trail on his property in Research. Reynolds Road is named after the family. Mr Tom Prior (wife Eva) worked at the Melbourne zoo. He was very innovative and made his own camera, using the black cloth hood to exclude the light. The photographs are a reminder of the rural nature of Research and Eltham and its rich heritage. Album of photograps (rteproductions) and A4 photocopy (7 pages) contained in album, the Reynolds/Prior Photograph Collection giving background to collection and notes on photosThe Reynolds/Prior Photograph Collection, Presented to the Eltham District Historical Society, 14 June 2006 by Ross McDonald. A second copy was also presented to the Andrew Ross Museum, Kangaroo Groundreynolds prior collection

[article in EDHS Newsletter No. 27, November 1982:] 1982: 16-17 October. “Pioneers of Eltham” and tractor (rain). Although our parade entry did not win a prize this year, it was considered highly successful from a participation point of view. Despite some uncertainty as to just who was coming, members and friends kept appearing at the assembly area. As in the past years our friends from the Victorian Folk Music Club brought their instruments along and really added to the occasion. This year we concentrated on a rural theme with a tractor/trailer combination. Thanks to Peter Bassett-Smith for the tractor, Joh Ebeli for the decorations and friendly trailer owner Dennis McKay. Unfortunately the closing stages of the parade were marred by heavy rain. We just finished as the rain started but members scattered very quickly. This has prompted the suggestion for future parades that we have a tent or other suitable venue for members to gather after the event. This is worth following up. The cold driving rain provided a special problem for Peter in driving his tractor home to Kangaroo Ground. Have you ever had to choose between standing up to warm your hands on the exhaust and having your tractor seat flooded? Certificate, Festival Parade Award, Rotary Club of Eltham, Eighth Eltham Community Festival 1982: Presented to the Shire of Eltham Historical Society for the most effort by "locals".Colour photographmain road, eltham festival, eltham, eltham parade, festivals, parade, parade floats, 1982, marching band, victorian police

[article in EDHS Newsletter No. 27, November 1982:] 1982: 16-17 October. “Pioneers of Eltham” and tractor (rain). Although our parade entry did not win a prize this year, it was considered highly successful from a participation point of view. Despite some uncertainty as to just who was coming, members and friends kept appearing at the assembly area. As in the past years our friends from the Victorian Folk Music Club brought their instruments along and really added to the occasion. This year we concentrated on a rural theme with a tractor/trailer combination. Thanks to Peter Bassett-Smith for the tractor, Joh Ebeli for the decorations and friendly trailer owner Dennis McKay. Unfortunately the closing stages of the parade were marred by heavy rain. We just finished as the rain started but members scattered very quickly. This has prompted the suggestion for future parades that we have a tent or other suitable venue for members to gather after the event. This is worth following up. The cold driving rain provided a special problem for Peter in driving his tractor home to Kangaroo Ground. Have you ever had to choose between standing up to warm your hands on the exhaust and having your tractor seat flooded? Certificate, Festival Parade Award, Rotary Club of Eltham, Eighth Eltham Community Festival 1982: Presented to the Shire of Eltham Historical Society for the most effort by "locals".Colour photographmain road, eltham festival, eltham, eltham parade, festivals, parade, parade floats, 1982, eltham district historical society, peter bassett-smith, shire of eltham historical society

[article in EDHS Newsletter No. 27, November 1982:] 1982: 16-17 October. “Pioneers of Eltham” and tractor (rain). Although our parade entry did not win a prize this year, it was considered highly successful from a participation point of view. Despite some uncertainty as to just who was coming, members and friends kept appearing at the assembly area. As in the past years our friends from the Victorian Folk Music Club brought their instruments along and really added to the occasion. This year we concentrated on a rural theme with a tractor/trailer combination. Thanks to Peter Bassett-Smith for the tractor, Joh Ebeli for the decorations and friendly trailer owner Dennis McKay. Unfortunately the closing stages of the parade were marred by heavy rain. We just finished as the rain started but members scattered very quickly. This has prompted the suggestion for future parades that we have a tent or other suitable venue for members to gather after the event. This is worth following up. The cold driving rain provided a special problem for Peter in driving his tractor home to Kangaroo Ground. Have you ever had to choose between standing up to warm your hands on the exhaust and having your tractor seat flooded? Certificate, Festival Parade Award, Rotary Club of Eltham, Eighth Eltham Community Festival 1982: Presented to the Shire of Eltham Historical Society for the most effort by "locals".Colour photographmain road, eltham festival, eltham, eltham parade, festivals, parade, parade floats, 1982, eltham district historical society, shire of eltham historical society

[article in EDHS Newsletter No. 27, November 1982:] 1982: 16-17 October. “Pioneers of Eltham” and tractor (rain). Although our parade entry did not win a prize this year, it was considered highly successful from a participation point of view. Despite some uncertainty as to just who was coming, members and friends kept appearing at the assembly area. As in the past years our friends from the Victorian Folk Music Club brought their instruments along and really added to the occasion. This year we concentrated on a rural theme with a tractor/trailer combination. Thanks to Peter Bassett-Smith for the tractor, Joh Ebeli for the decorations and friendly trailer owner Dennis McKay. Unfortunately the closing stages of the parade were marred by heavy rain. We just finished as the rain started but members scattered very quickly. This has prompted the suggestion for future parades that we have a tent or other suitable venue for members to gather after the event. This is worth following up. The cold driving rain provided a special problem for Peter in driving his tractor home to Kangaroo Ground. Have you ever had to choose between standing up to warm your hands on the exhaust and having your tractor seat flooded? Certificate, Festival Parade Award, Rotary Club of Eltham, Eighth Eltham Community Festival 1982: Presented to the Shire of Eltham Historical Society for the most effort by "locals".Colour photographmain road, eltham festival, eltham, eltham parade, festivals, parade, parade floats, 1982, eltham district historical society, shire of eltham historical society, peter bassett-smith

[article in EDHS Newsletter No. 27, November 1982:] 1982: 16-17 October. “Pioneers of Eltham” and tractor (rain). Although our parade entry did not win a prize this year, it was considered highly successful from a participation point of view. Despite some uncertainty as to just who was coming, members and friends kept appearing at the assembly area. As in the past years our friends from the Victorian Folk Music Club brought their instruments along and really added to the occasion. This year we concentrated on a rural theme with a tractor/trailer combination. Thanks to Peter Bassett-Smith for the tractor, Joh Ebeli for the decorations and friendly trailer owner Dennis McKay. Unfortunately the closing stages of the parade were marred by heavy rain. We just finished as the rain started but members scattered very quickly. This has prompted the suggestion for future parades that we have a tent or other suitable venue for members to gather after the event. This is worth following up. The cold driving rain provided a special problem for Peter in driving his tractor home to Kangaroo Ground. Have you ever had to choose between standing up to warm your hands on the exhaust and having your tractor seat flooded? Certificate, Festival Parade Award, Rotary Club of Eltham, Eighth Eltham Community Festival 1982: Presented to the Shire of Eltham Historical Society for the most effort by "locals".Colour photographmain road, eltham festival, eltham, eltham parade, festivals, parade, parade floats, 1982

[article in EDHS Newsletter No. 27, November 1982:] 1982: 16-17 October. “Pioneers of Eltham” and tractor (rain). Although our parade entry did not win a prize this year, it was considered highly successful from a participation point of view. Despite some uncertainty as to just who was coming, members and friends kept appearing at the assembly area. As in the past years our friends from the Victorian Folk Music Club brought their instruments along and really added to the occasion. This year we concentrated on a rural theme with a tractor/trailer combination. Thanks to Peter Bassett-Smith for the tractor, Joh Ebeli for the decorations and friendly trailer owner Dennis McKay. Unfortunately the closing stages of the parade were marred by heavy rain. We just finished as the rain started but members scattered very quickly. This has prompted the suggestion for future parades that we have a tent or other suitable venue for members to gather after the event. This is worth following up. The cold driving rain provided a special problem for Peter in driving his tractor home to Kangaroo Ground. Have you ever had to choose between standing up to warm your hands on the exhaust and having your tractor seat flooded? Certificate, Festival Parade Award, Rotary Club of Eltham, Eighth Eltham Community Festival 1982: Presented to the Shire of Eltham Historical Society for the most effort by "locals".Colour photographmain road, eltham festival, eltham, eltham parade, festivals, parade, parade floats, 1982, diamond valley railway

[article in EDHS Newsletter No. 27, November 1982:] 1982: 16-17 October. “Pioneers of Eltham” and tractor (rain). Although our parade entry did not win a prize this year, it was considered highly successful from a participation point of view. Despite some uncertainty as to just who was coming, members and friends kept appearing at the assembly area. As in the past years our friends from the Victorian Folk Music Club brought their instruments along and really added to the occasion. This year we concentrated on a rural theme with a tractor/trailer combination. Thanks to Peter Bassett-Smith for the tractor, Joh Ebeli for the decorations and friendly trailer owner Dennis McKay. Unfortunately the closing stages of the parade were marred by heavy rain. We just finished as the rain started but members scattered very quickly. This has prompted the suggestion for future parades that we have a tent or other suitable venue for members to gather after the event. This is worth following up. The cold driving rain provided a special problem for Peter in driving his tractor home to Kangaroo Ground. Have you ever had to choose between standing up to warm your hands on the exhaust and having your tractor seat flooded? Certificate, Festival Parade Award, Rotary Club of Eltham, Eighth Eltham Community Festival 1982: Presented to the Shire of Eltham Historical Society for the most effort by "locals".Colour photographmain road, eltham festival, eltham, eltham parade, festivals, parade, parade floats, 1982

[article in EDHS Newsletter No. 27, November 1982:] 1982: 16-17 October. “Pioneers of Eltham” and tractor (rain). Although our parade entry did not win a prize this year, it was considered highly successful from a participation point of view. Despite some uncertainty as to just who was coming, members and friends kept appearing at the assembly area. As in the past years our friends from the Victorian Folk Music Club brought their instruments along and really added to the occasion. This year we concentrated on a rural theme with a tractor/trailer combination. Thanks to Peter Bassett-Smith for the tractor, Joh Ebeli for the decorations and friendly trailer owner Dennis McKay. Unfortunately the closing stages of the parade were marred by heavy rain. We just finished as the rain started but members scattered very quickly. This has prompted the suggestion for future parades that we have a tent or other suitable venue for members to gather after the event. This is worth following up. The cold driving rain provided a special problem for Peter in driving his tractor home to Kangaroo Ground. Have you ever had to choose between standing up to warm your hands on the exhaust and having your tractor seat flooded? Certificate, Festival Parade Award, Rotary Club of Eltham, Eighth Eltham Community Festival 1982: Presented to the Shire of Eltham Historical Society for the most effort by "locals".Colour photographmain road, eltham festival, eltham, eltham parade, festivals, parade, parade floats, 1982

Presented to Waverley R. S. L. sub branch by South African Military Veterans Organisation of Australia http://www.samvoa.org/abouthistory.htmlhttp://www.samvoa.org/abouthistory.html The founder of SAMVOA, Veteran Tony Macquet MMM, documents the early history of the organisation: Two statements characterise the formation of the South African Military Veterans Organisation of Australasia that has taken on the acronym SAMVOA: SAMVOA was long in the making, yet I am reminded of what Garth Pienaar once said, "If you had not started it, I would have". And no doubt he or someone else would have because it needed "starting" and it just did not seem right that almost every other nation was represented on ANZAC Day and there were no South Africans marching, particularly when South Africans fought alongside Australians in two World Wars and in Korea. It is important to note that SAMVOA has had predecessors who were South Africans who had marched in Melbourne and probably elsewhere prior to 1996, but they were an older group of WW1 and WW2 veterans who by 1996 were too old to even travel by vehicle and they had fallen away. Around 1998, I contacted and spoke to their leader Major (retd.) Norval who confirmed that their group had become too old to march and he was delighted that a younger group was interested, although at that stage it was only me. http://www.samvoa.org/membership.html SAMVOA Membership This Veteran Organisation dedicates itself, in grateful recognition and memory of our countrymen, the Immortal Dead of South Africa, who, at the call of Duty, made the great Sacrifice on the battlefields of Africa, Asia and Europe and on the Sea. Their ideal is our legacy, Their sacrifice our inspiration. Metal Plaque mounted on wooden shield shaped backing plateSouth African Military Veterans Organisation of Australia Pro Patriasamvoa, south africa, military veterans organization australia, pro patria,

“Pennies” were awarded to the Next of Kin of soldiers who died in or as a result of the “Great War” and approximately 1.5million were issued up until the 1930’s they were accompanied by a scroll (letter) from King George with the message “‘I join with my grateful people in sending you this memorial of a brave life given for others in the Great War”. The Name of the serviceman, which appears on the medallion' is always shown without rank. This is to show that the sacrifice of all men is of equal value.Stanley Alan Morey was born in Dulwich, London, England from whence he came to Austalia and lived with his parents and elder sister in Brighton Victoria He became a fitter and turner. He enlisted in the A.I.F on the 21th April 1917 Service number 3444 and was assigned to the 59th Battalion and embarked from Sydney on the HMAT “Port Melbourne” on the 16th July 1917 He went to France from England on the 9th January 1918 and joined his unit 18th January 1918 at Le Havre Less than 3 months later he was Killed in Action. He has no known grave but is remembered by a Memorial at Villers-Bretonneux, France Round Bronze Medallion/PlaqueDepicts British rule of the sea (Britannia with two Dolphins), and a lion representing the British Empire. The lion stands on an eagle which represents the defeated Germany. A small insert has the Soldiers name embossed within a rectangular border. Around the rim of the plaque appear the words "He died for freedom and honour"dead man's penny, stanley alan morey, 59th battalion, villers-bretonneux, next of kin memorial plaque