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The Beechworth Burke Museum
Geological specimen - Selwynite, Unknown
Selwynite is a fine-grained, compact green rock made primarily of chromian muscovite (fuchsite) and diaspore. Corundum and fuchsite can occur together in the form of massive aggregates or nodules. Often, copper carbonates are found as earthy films or tiny crystals in joint planes. The mineral name honours the late A. R. C. Selwyn, founding Director of the Geological Survey of Victoria. The particular specimen, a mottled green stone suitable for carving was recovered and found in Heathcote, Victoria, Australia. The rarity and qualities of this mineral attracted commercial mining, which was not successful, but traces of the mine shafts still exist today, and it is still highly valued by mineral collectors.Selwynit is considered to be one of the rare forms of rock because it is composed of phosphate minerals containing zirconium. This is an extremely rare combination found in nature. This specimen is part of a larger collection of geological and mineral specimens collected from around Australia (and some parts of the world) and donated to the Burke Museum between 1868-1880. A large percentage of these specimens were collected in Victoria as part of the Geological Survey of Victoria that begun in 1852 (in response to the Gold Rush) to study and map the geology of Victoria. Collecting geological specimens was an important part of mapping and understanding the scientific makeup of the earth. Many of these specimens were sent to research and collecting organisations across Australia, including the Burke Museum, to educate and encourage further study.A fine grained rock composed of mainly of chromian muscovite (fuchsite) diaspore and corundum.geological specimen, geology, geology collection, burke museum, beechworth, mineralogy, heathcote, mineral collectors, selwynite, green rock, rock specimen -
Ballarat Heritage Services
Photograph - Photograph - Colour, Kathleen Gervasoni, Red Rock, Alvie, 1989, 02/09/1989
Red Rock, Alvie, near Colac, is a complex of approximately 30 volcanic eruption points and is the Southern most of a chain of three volcanoes, the others being Warrion Hill and Alvie Hill. It is arguably the youngest eruption point in Victoria at around 8000 years, especially since the age of Mt Napier has been progressively pushed back. The highest point (on the Northern side) has many interesting features, including some awesome spatter ramparts. Driving around the rim to the south, you can also see layered tuff. There are some good views out to Lake Corangamite and the lava flows (probably from Warrion Hill) can be seen where they have entered the lake. Most of Red Rock is in private land, with two lookout points with some interpretive information. The water depicted in this photograph is not evident in 2019. Type: Volcanic Complex Location: South of Alvie, Victoria Last Eruption: 8000 years ago Access: Mostly private land, but there is an access road and some interpretive signage Visited: Visited Colour photograph of sisters Clare Gervasoni (left), Ann Gervasoni (centre) and Lisa Gervasoni and Red Rock, Alvie clare gervasoni, lisa gervasoni, ann gervasoni, red rock alvie -
Stawell Historical Society Inc
Photograph, Sister Rocks
Black and White photo of Sister Rock's with people in horse and buggies in front of the rocks. One with two wheels and 3 people the other with 4 wheels and one person. There are 3 people sitting up on the rocks. Two Black & White photograph of Sister Rock's. The photos have in the foreground, a two wheel buggy with 3 people and a four wheel buggy with one person. There are also people up on the rocks. -
Whitehorse Historical Society Inc.
Headwear - Hat, c. 2000
Purchased in Sorrento from shop whose owner grew up at 10 Burnett Street, Mitcham. Her name was Roberta, daughter of Mary and Geoff Eastern, purchased from Harris Scarfe, Forest Hill 1990.Red Pill Box Straw Hat, decorated with red feathers, black beads and crystal beads, with black comb to hold in the hair.Rock Pool Millinerycostume, female headwear -
Kiewa Valley Historical Society
Drill Bit, Circa 1950
This is the cutting bit on the end of a drilling rod. It would have been used to drill holes into rock for placing explosives, for installing steel rock anchors, etc. In hard rock the bits need to be replaced regularly. Compressed air is blown through the holes near the tip of the bit to blow rock fragments out of the drill hole. The main drilling unit would have been powered by compressed air (Pneumatic). Rotary Air Blast Drilling. This drill bit was used by workers in the SEC Vic. Kiewa Hydro Electricity Scheme. This type of bit although strong needed replacing frequently when the rock composition (type of rock) was extremely compact. The configuration of the tip bit (four star like pattern) was to provide the "teeth" to tear into the rock. This bit was manufactured in 1949 however drilling for rock cores, in the Kiewa Valley and the Victorian Alps, was carried out from the late 1920's.This particular drill bit would have been used by construction workers to drill holes into rock for either explosives or for installing steel anchor points into the rock. The use of compressed air was not only for waste extraction but also for running the main drilling unit.This four star rotary air balst (RAB) drill bit has a central "blow" hole (compressed air outlet to remove the ground rock particles through four extraction holes). There are four raised cutting/grinding lugs which allows the air compression hole(incoming) to always have a clear unblock opening. Extracted ground material is "blown" out from the drill head via the larger hole created by the steel bit.Stamped on the bottom outside shank "FAGERSTA SECO SWEDEN" and below this "102 7041 01 05 049".sec vic kiewa hydro scheme, alternate energy supplies, drilling into rocks in alpine regions -
National Wool Museum
Rocking Ram
This toy was made by Gepetto - The Art of Toys (a local Geelong toymaker) for the "Logo Merino" exhibition at the National Wool Museum.Rocking ram - small Rocking ram, small - detailJuly 2000 / Custom made for / National Wool Museum / by GEPETTOlogo merino: sheep in australian art and design - exhibition (29/07/2000 - 04/02/2001) -
National Wool Museum
Rocking Ram
This ram is one of two, especially made for the National Wool Museum's exhibition, "Logo Merino", by Gepetto - The Art of Toys (a local, Geelong toymaker).Rocking ram, large Rocking ram, large - detailJuly 2000 / Custom made for / National Wool Museum / by GEPETTOlogo merino: sheep in australian art and design - exhibition (29/07/2000 - 04/02/2001) -
Kiewa Valley Historical Society
Drill Bit Diamond, circa mid to late 1900's
This hollow core bit has hard cutting inserts for drilling into rock. It was used to drill and recover 50mm diameter (most common size) rock cores. The rock cores were assessed by geologists and engineers to provide information for design of structures such as tunnels, dams and underground power stations (eg. McKay Creek Power Station, West Kiewa Power Station). This type of bit was also used where damage to the surrounding rock had to be minimised. The Diamond Drill Bit,used in the early 1900's, when it was primarily used as a method of sampling rock for ore deposits and oil exploration resulting in a "coring" of rock. The use of "coring" to obtained samples for the SEC Kiewa Hydro Electricity Scheme(1920's onward) was to analyse the core to obtain temperature and rainfall patterns shown by the levels of layered solidified soil(rock). This diamond drill would have been used in the early 1900's to provide a sub strata map of temperature and water patterns (over an long period of time). This was a pre requisite to any decisions about the viability of the region to provide the water needed for a successful hydro electricity scheme.This diamond drill for core sampling was at the forefront of the analysis whether to construct a hydro electrical facility in the Kiewa Valley and the adjoining alpine region. The rock core samples produced were assessed by geologists and structural engineers. It was only after extensive core drilling covering the region that solid scientific evidence could be provided to start the "SEC Vic Hydro Electricity Scheme" within its current boundaries.This "diamond" drill bit has eight "teeth" at its cutting edge. The drill creates an 55mm hole in extremely hard rock material to obtain 50mm core samples.. Three quarters down the shank it has thread screw channels to attach the bit to the drill pipe. The coring pipe attaches via screwing it onto this bit. Core samples are the main objective of this tool.alternate energy supplies, alpine feasibility studies temperature, rainfall, sec, kiewa hydro electric scheme, electricity -
Phillip Island and District Historical Society Inc.
Photograph - Post Card, Early 1900's
Donated by Bernard GraydenPhotograph postcard of Pyramid Rock with two figures on top of the rock.The Rose Series. P. 663 The Pyramid, Cowes, Phillip Is., Victoria. On the back: Xmas 1918. To Capt. & Mrs A McLeod wishing them a bright and prosperous New Year. From their old friends C & M L Grayden.pyramid rock phillip island, phillip island, bernard grayden -
Kilmore Historical Society
Photograph, 91 Sydney Street, July 2016
15cm x 10cm coloured photograph of the cutting at 91 Sydney Street, Melbourne Street at the top of the cutting which exposed the volcanic rock. Now is the site of the car wash and KFC.written on the back of .1: cutting @ 91 Sydney St Kilmore Melbourne St 2 top of cutting late July 2016 Written on the back .2: Exposed volcanic rock look south west 91 Sydney St Kilmore late July 2016construction -
Melbourne Legacy
Slide, Government House Christmas Party, 1950s
Colour slide of girls enjoying rocking playground equipment at Government House. Melbourne Legacy held an annual Christmas Party for Junior Legatees and Widows at Government House for many years. The year is unknown but likely to be during the 1950s. A group of slides in glass mounts with green tape are probably from a couple of consecutive years. They will be catalogued separately. Was with many other slides taken in the 1950s and 1960s. The slides have been photographed to make digital images and moved to archive quality sleeves. In many cases the original images were not well focussed and the digital image is the best available.A record of a Legacy Christmas party held at Government House.Colour slide of two girls in a rocking seesaw at a Legacy Christmas Party at Government House, in a glass mount with green tape.christmas party, government house party -
Warrnambool and District Historical Society Inc.
Book, The Sunday magazine 1887, 1887
This book was a prize awarded to Annis Morgan from the Woodford Presbyterian Sunday School. There is no date but the book was published in 1887. The Sunday Magazine was published each year in Britain as an Annual with short stories, poetry and articles, designed as suitable books for children to read on Sundays. Annis Morgan was born in Woodford to Jenkin and Mary Morgan in 1874. She would have been about 13 when she received this prize. Annis (Ann) Morgan married Alan Patterson in 1897. The Woodford Presbyterian Church was established in 1856 and administered at that time by the Warrnambool Presbyterian Church. In 1882 the Woodford and Grasmere Presbyterian Churches became a separate entity with the first Minister, the Rev. Robert Wilson Rock. This book is of interest as it is a good example of the type of book given as Sunday School prizes to young girls in the 1880s. It is also of significance as it belonged to a local girl, resident in Woodford in the late 19th century. This is a hard cover book of 848 pages. The cover is olive green and black with ornamental scrolls and borders and gold lettering on both the front cover and the spine. The pages are gilt-edged. The front cover is partly detached from the binding. The book has an index, short stories, Biblical papers, biographical, historical and missionary articles and poetry. There are many black and white illustrations and sketches throughout the text and, at the front of the book, there is a full page black and white illustration protected by a piece of tissue paper. The inscription is handwritten in black ink. ‘Woodford Pres. Sabbath School, Rev. R. W. Rock’s Class, First Prize Annis Morgan’. woodford presbyterian church, annis morgan, history of warrnambool -
Kiewa Valley Historical Society
Core Rock Samples
The core samples in the display cabinet were obtained from the various sites at which drilling into the rock surface was carried out (under the control of design and structural engineers of the SEC Kiewa Hydro Scheme - late 1940's). This function was a precursor to the decision where to locate, in this case, the McKay Creek Power Station. The information gained by structural engineers from the core samples would be used also for the placements of underground tunnels entry and exit points and the overall effective size of the generator plant. This would have included drill and blast techniques (rock characteristics play an import part of explosion control), requirements for support structures and reinforcing cement/steel forms. The use and replenishment of diamond drill bits(the strongest available, see KVHS 0280) was dependent on the "type" of rock found (harder rock required greater numbers of drill bits). Support beams for reinforced ceilings and floors was also a necessity.These rock core samples are very significant in the formulation and placement of the underground Power Stations and their maze of tunnels (in and out) for a successful implementation of the Hydro Scheme. The amount of pre-planning and engineering studies required for such a large scheme must be undertaken to ensure that a "white elephant" was not the result.There are nine columns of rock cores, each 30mm in diameter, set in a wooden display rack. A clear plastic (slide out) protective panel is installed to the front section. Within each column are block details of the depth from which that section was brought from. See KVHS for the appropriate sketch details.Depth levels (retrieved from) are shown for each section on wooden Blocks: 1st Block: "7'10" (seven feet, ten inches), 2nd Block:"9'4" (nine feet, four inches), 3rd Block: "19'3" (nineteen feet, three inches), 4th Block: "24'2" (twenty four feet, two inches), 5th Block: "25'7"( twenty five feet, seven inches) and last block: "30' (thirty feet)"alternate energy supplies, alpine feasibility studies temperature, rainfall, sec, kiewa hydro scheme, electricity -
Numurkah & District Historical Society
Footwear - Baby shoes
Baby shoes, white leather with silver flower patterns. Toes and sides covered in. Strap around ankle. Soft sole Rock A Bye Made in Englandshoes, baby -
Orbost & District Historical Society
grindstone
Inspected by Joanna Freslov, archaeologist 2.6.22008. Grinding stones are slabs of stone that Aboriginal people used to grind and crush different materials. Bulbs, berries, seeds, insects and many other things were ground between a large lower stone and a smaller upper stone. This is the lower stone.Large grinding stones such as this one were designed to be left at a camp site for use the next time the group moved there. Smaller grinding stones were carried between sites. Grinding stones were not abandoned when they became worn and smooth through use. The stone would simply be roughened again so it was once again suitable for its function. This is an example of a food preparation utensil used by the Early Indigenous people of Eastern Australia.A large flat rock with grind hole in top. Rock has split. gridstone aboriginal stone-artefact -
Ballarat Heritage Services
Photograph - Photograph - Colour, Clare Gervasoni, Pulpit Rock, Magpie, Victoria, 2019, 18/05/2019
Wesleyans at Magpie collected money to built a tent chapel at Magpie, but the rush had moved on before it was erected so the tent was taken to Ballarat where it becme the basis of the Lydiard Street Wesleyan Church (now Uniting Church). A bluestone church was later bulit above the Magpie School which was demolished in the 1960s with the stone used in the entrance building at Sovereign Hill.A large rock at Magpie, beside the Yarrowee Creek, was called Pulpit Rock. It was at this rock that the early miners gathered in 1853 for open air religious services. magpie, wesleyan church, religion, pulpit rock, geology -
Lorne Historical Society
Photograph, Great Ocean Road. Windy point land slip
1971. This was some of the machinery used in stabilsing the Great Ocean Road between the St George's River and the Sheok River. Holes were drilled in the rock and large cables inserted and concrete forced in around themGreat Ocean Road. This was some of the machinery used in stabilizing the G.O.R. at Windy Point, between the St George River and the Sheoak River. Holes were drilled in the rock and large cables inserted and concrete fixed around them. This took place in late 1971great ocean road. g.o.r. landslip. windy point. 1971 -
Federation University Historical Collection
Geological specimen - Ethnographic, Rock Blanks
Rock Blanks blanks, rocks, aboriginal -
University of Melbourne, Burnley Campus Archives
Photograph, James Leslie Provan, Burnley 1942 Album Page 1, 1942
Rock Point.rock point, burnley, 1942, j.l. provan -
University of Melbourne, Burnley Campus Archives
Photograph - Black and white print, Series 3.23, 1942
Series 3Rock Point. rock point, james leslie provan, j.l. provan -
Pyrenees Shire Council
painting, Melville Robinson, Bunjil's Shelter I by Melville Robinson
significant as a work of art by local Pyrenees artist, locally significant to the Central Highlands Region of Victoria as a representation of local landscape and/or culture painting of a rockSigned: Melville R (lower right) -
Tramways/East Melbourne RSL Sub Branch - RSL Victoria Listing id: 27511
Memorabilia - Rock from Beach, Anzac Cove, Gallipoli Peninsula, Turkey 1990
A small white rock mounted on a dark wood plaque. A bronze Rising Sun badge is mounted above the rock A bronze plate is mounted below the rockAnzac Cove, Gallipoli Peninsula, Turkey 1990gallipoli, anzac, rock, ww1, turkey -
Bendigo Historical Society Inc.
Photograph - VICTORIA HILL - PHOTOGRAPH OF ROCK WITH DIFFERENTIAL IRONSTAINING
Black and white photograph of a man looking at a rock with part circle type markings. The man is wearing a suit and glasses. A number of smaller pieces of rock are in front of the larger rock. A sign 'Another Example of Differential Ironstaining' is in front of the rock.mine, gold, victoria hill, victoria hill, photograph of rock with differential ironstaining -
Greensborough Historical Society
Newspaper Clipping, Diamond Valley News, All the gear to get rock bands on a roll, 13/09/1995
... All the gear to get rock bands on a roll ...A report on the opening of Jets Studios in BundooraNewspaper clipping, black and white text and image.jets studios, music studios -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Photograph, Mary Owen, granddaughter of Walter Withers unveils the commemorative plaque on Walter Withers Rock at the corner of Bible and Arthur Streets, Eltham, 13 Oct 1990, 13/10/1990
... commemorative plaque on Walter Withers Rock at the corner of Bible and ...Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 1 stripFuji 100 Nwalter withers rock, walter withers reserve, bible street, arthur street, eltham, plaques -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Photograph, From left, Mary Owen and John Withers, grandchildren of Walter Withers and other family members at the unveiling of the commemorative plaque on Walter Withers Rock at the corner of Bible and Arthur Streets, Eltham, 13 Oct 1990, 13/10/1990
... commemorative plaque on Walter Withers Rock at the corner of Bible and ...Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 1 stripFuji 100 Nwalter withers rock, walter withers reserve, bible street, arthur street, eltham, plaques -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Photograph, Unveiling of the commemorative plaque on Walter Withers Rock at the corner of Bible and Arthur Streets, Eltham, 13 Oct 1990, 13/10/1990
... Rock at the corner of Bible and Arthur Streets, Eltham, 13 Oct ...Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 1 stripFuji 100 Nwalter withers rock, walter withers reserve, bible street, arthur street, eltham, plaques -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Photograph, Unveiling of the commemorative plaque on Walter Withers Rock at the corner of Bible and Arthur Streets, Eltham, 13 Oct 1990, 13/10/1990
... Rock at the corner of Bible and Arthur Streets, Eltham, 13 Oct ...Six colour photographswalter withers rock, walter withers reserve -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Photograph, Mary Owen, granddaughter of Walter Withers, unveiling the commemorative plaque on Walter Withers Rock at the corner of Bible and Arthur Streets, Eltham, 13 Oct 1990, 13/10/1990
... commemorative plaque on Walter Withers Rock at the corner of Bible and ...[from EDHS Newsletter No. 75, November 1990:] WALTER WITHERS PLAQUE At long last we have unveiled our plaque in the Walter Withers Reserve. The function was attended by a number of members and friends of the Society and descendants of the Withers family. Following the unveiling, the group proceeded to the Eltham Shire Office for afternoon tea and a small exhibition of Withers' paintings arranged by Andrew Mackenzie. The unveiling was performed by Mary Owen, a grand-daughter of Walter Withers. Her speech provided an interesting personal perspective on Withers and is repeated in full here: I feel somewhat overwhelmed by the responsibility of paying tribute to the man you have all come to honour today. I have the feeling that most of you probably know more about him and his work than I do. Walter Withers died nearly seven years before I was born and so I never knew him. Sadly, although other members of his family inherited some of his talent, I was not among them and I know very little about art. This is doubly hard to bear because my husband had some ability to draw and my second daughter also has some talent in this direction. My children are all artistic - mostly in the field of music inherited partly from their father - a Welshman who sang like a Welshman - and partly from my grandmother, Fanny Withers who, I believe was no mean pianist. However all this talent gave me a miss and for many years I felt a complete ignoramus in the fields of the arts. It was not until I was nearly fifty years old that I walked into a gallery in Brisbane and, as I wandered around the room, suddenly one picture leapt at me and I knew instantly that it had been painted by my grandfather. I had never seen the picture before and it gave me quite a shock to find that I had recognized the style of painting. I realized then that I had absorbed more than I realized simply by living with pictures and with people who painted them and talked about their painting and the painting of others. When I was a child I sometimes spent school holidays with my Aunt Margery Withers and her husband, Richard McCann. Aunt Marge painted me several times but I'm afraid I was a restless subject and used to sit reading a book and look up grudgingly when she wanted to paint my eyes. During the September holidays my aunt and uncle were busy preparing paintings far the annual exhibition of the Melbourne Twenty Painters, to which they both belonged. I remember how important I used to feel when they took me along to the Athenaeum Gallery on the Friday night before the opening to help hang their pictures. There were many artists there but the two I remember are perhaps surprisingly both women: Miss Bale and Miss Tweddle. I remember how cold it used to be up in that gallery at night. They used to heat water on a gas ring to make tea and Aunt Marge used to bring sandwiches and fruit for our evening meal. Everyone seemed to be poor in those days and no-one dreamed of going out for a meal. It was a case of make-do - even to cutting down frames to fit pictures or cutting pictures to fit the frames. They had to use the same frames from year to year if the pictures didn't sell. The opening was an exciting event for me. I felt I was privileged to meet important people - people who knew a lot more than I - and Uncle Dick would get quite merry after a couple of the tiny sweet sherries which were always distributed. I realise now that quite a lot of "art talk" rubbed off on me during my visits to the Athenaeum and during my stays with my aunt and uncle. I suspect that much of our most useful learning comes this way and those of us who have had the privilege of associating with artists, writers, philosophers and other thinkers have a richness in our lives of which we may be unaware. Walter Withers was a prolific painter and, although he painted for love of it, I suspect that the need to provide for his family drove him, like Mozart, to greater efforts than he might otherwise have achieved. Reading old letters and articles about the Heidelberg artists, I have come to realize something of the constant strain placed on many of them - particularly Withers and McCubbin - by poverty and the need to make ends meet. Withers was ever conscious of the need to provide for his wife and his five children and there are touching letters to his wife, regretting that he was not able to earn more for them. In addition to his painting, he worked hard at teaching and illustrating and, as he grew older, the strain began to tell and his health deteriorated. He seems never to have had a very strong constitution and suffered from rheumatism, which must have made painting quite painful at times. His eldest daughter, Gladys, was eventually confined to a wheelchair with rheumatoid arthritis and I have a tendency to arthritis myself, so I am particularly aware of what this could have meant to him. Recently I found a short letter written by my mother to her mother, Fanny Withers on the anniversary of her father's birthday in 1919, in which she said: "Poor old Dad, I often think now what a lot he must have suffered. His life was too hard and too strenuous for him. He had too many chick-a-biddies, I think. He wasn't equal to so much town life and train journeys with so many delicacies as he had. Since I have been ill, I have realised what he must have felt like.” He certainly drove himself to produce. He travelled all over Victoria by train, buggy, bicycle and on foot and for a time he travelled from Eltham to Melbourne every day by train, although later he lived in Melbourne during the week and only returned to Eltham for the weekends. My mother died seven years after her father's death, when my twin sisters were 10 days old and I was 16 months. So I never knew my mother or my grandfather. But my two aunts, Gladys and Margery, sometimes took me to stay with Gan Withers at Southernwood in Bolton Street . No cars in those days and it seemed a very long hot and dusty walk from the Station. Three memories remain with me of Southernwood. One is the well at the back which I found quite terrifying; the second is Gan killing a snake - even more terrifying. She was a formidable woman, my grandmother and a great ally and support to her husband. I think she was the business end of the partnership. The third memory of Southernwood is my grandfather's studio – down what seemed like a toy staircase inside the room. This and the big walk-in fireplace stayed in my mind from the age of about six until I saw them again about forty years later when the house was being used as a Sunday School. I just wish that money could be found to purchase this old house for the City of Eltham so that a permanent museum could be established in memory of a man who did so much to put Eltham on the map of art history. Recently I have become interested in family history and spent some time in England, Ireland and Wales looking for traces of my ancestors. I realized then how important it is to have records of people who have contributed to our society. We forget so soon and it is amazing how often, within two generations, names, dates and many details are forgotten. We are fortunate that so many of Walter Withers' works have been bought by galleries and that people like Andrew Mackenzie have taken the trouble to search out people who knew him and to write about him and his work. And I am very grateful to the Historical Society of Eltham for recognizing the importance of having a permanent tribute in Eltham to the contribution made by Walter Withers, who loved Eltham so much and who has assured this lovely district a place in the annals of history. I am indebted to Kathleen Mangan; the daughter of another famous Australian painter , Fred McCubbin, - featured in The Age this morning (thanks again to Andrew Mackenzie) for the most apt tribute to Walter Withers. Kathleen is not well and she rang me a couple of days ago, regretting that she could not be present today “to pay tribute” as she said, “to Walter Withers for I always think Walter Withers is the spirit of Eltham.” Thank you, Kathleen. And now I have much pleasure in unveiling the plaque commissioned by the Eltham Historical Society from Bob McLellan of Charmac Industries to commemorate the life and work of Walter Withers, the spirit of Eltham. Mary Owen, 13 October 1990.Three colour photographswalter withers rock, walter withers reserve, mary owen -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Photograph, Mary Owen, granddaughter of Walter Withers, unveiling the commemorative plaque on Walter Withers Rock at the corner of Bible and Arthur Streets, Eltham, 13 Oct 1990, 13/10/1990
... commemorative plaque on Walter Withers Rock at the corner of Bible and ...[from EDHS Newsletter No. 75, November 1990:] WALTER WITHERS PLAQUE At long last we have unveiled our plaque in the Walter Withers Reserve. The function was attended by a number of members and friends of the Society and descendants of the Withers family. Following the unveiling, the group proceeded to the Eltham Shire Office for afternoon tea and a small exhibition of Withers' paintings arranged by Andrew Mackenzie. The unveiling was performed by Mary Owen, a grand-daughter of Walter Withers. Her speech provided an interesting personal perspective on Withers and is repeated in full here: I feel somewhat overwhelmed by the responsibility of paying tribute to the man you have all come to honour today. I have the feeling that most of you probably know more about him and his work than I do. Walter Withers died nearly seven years before I was born and so I never knew him. Sadly, although other members of his family inherited some of his talent, I was not among them and I know very little about art. This is doubly hard to bear because my husband had some ability to draw and my second daughter also has some talent in this direction. My children are all artistic - mostly in the field of music inherited partly from their father - a Welshman who sang like a Welshman - and partly from my grandmother, Fanny Withers who, I believe was no mean pianist. However all this talent gave me a miss and for many years I felt a complete ignoramus in the fields of the arts. It was not until I was nearly fifty years old that I walked into a gallery in Brisbane and, as I wandered around the room, suddenly one picture leapt at me and I knew instantly that it had been painted by my grandfather. I had never seen the picture before and it gave me quite a shock to find that I had recognized the style of painting. I realized then that I had absorbed more than I realized simply by living with pictures and with people who painted them and talked about their painting and the painting of others. When I was a child I sometimes spent school holidays with my Aunt Margery Withers and her husband, Richard McCann. Aunt Marge painted me several times but I'm afraid I was a restless subject and used to sit reading a book and look up grudgingly when she wanted to paint my eyes. During the September holidays my aunt and uncle were busy preparing paintings far the annual exhibition of the Melbourne Twenty Painters, to which they both belonged. I remember how important I used to feel when they took me along to the Athenaeum Gallery on the Friday night before the opening to help hang their pictures. There were many artists there but the two I remember are perhaps surprisingly both women: Miss Bale and Miss Tweddle. I remember how cold it used to be up in that gallery at night. They used to heat water on a gas ring to make tea and Aunt Marge used to bring sandwiches and fruit for our evening meal. Everyone seemed to be poor in those days and no-one dreamed of going out for a meal. It was a case of make-do - even to cutting down frames to fit pictures or cutting pictures to fit the frames. They had to use the same frames from year to year if the pictures didn't sell. The opening was an exciting event for me. I felt I was privileged to meet important people - people who knew a lot more than I - and Uncle Dick would get quite merry after a couple of the tiny sweet sherries which were always distributed. I realise now that quite a lot of "art talk" rubbed off on me during my visits to the Athenaeum and during my stays with my aunt and uncle. I suspect that much of our most useful learning comes this way and those of us who have had the privilege of associating with artists, writers, philosophers and other thinkers have a richness in our lives of which we may be unaware. Walter Withers was a prolific painter and, although he painted for love of it, I suspect that the need to provide for his family drove him, like Mozart, to greater efforts than he might otherwise have achieved. Reading old letters and articles about the Heidelberg artists, I have come to realize something of the constant strain placed on many of them - particularly Withers and McCubbin - by poverty and the need to make ends meet. Withers was ever conscious of the need to provide for his wife and his five children and there are touching letters to his wife, regretting that he was not able to earn more for them. In addition to his painting, he worked hard at teaching and illustrating and, as he grew older, the strain began to tell and his health deteriorated. He seems never to have had a very strong constitution and suffered from rheumatism, which must have made painting quite painful at times. His eldest daughter, Gladys, was eventually confined to a wheelchair with rheumatoid arthritis and I have a tendency to arthritis myself, so I am particularly aware of what this could have meant to him. Recently I found a short letter written by my mother to her mother, Fanny Withers on the anniversary of her father's birthday in 1919, in which she said: "Poor old Dad, I often think now what a lot he must have suffered. His life was too hard and too strenuous for him. He had too many chick-a-biddies, I think. He wasn't equal to so much town life and train journeys with so many delicacies as he had. Since I have been ill, I have realised what he must have felt like.” He certainly drove himself to produce. He travelled all over Victoria by train, buggy, bicycle and on foot and for a time he travelled from Eltham to Melbourne every day by train, although later he lived in Melbourne during the week and only returned to Eltham for the weekends. My mother died seven years after her father's death, when my twin sisters were 10 days old and I was 16 months. So I never knew my mother or my grandfather. But my two aunts, Gladys and Margery, sometimes took me to stay with Gan Withers at Southernwood in Bolton Street . No cars in those days and it seemed a very long hot and dusty walk from the Station. Three memories remain with me of Southernwood. One is the well at the back which I found quite terrifying; the second is Gan killing a snake - even more terrifying. She was a formidable woman, my grandmother and a great ally and support to her husband. I think she was the business end of the partnership. The third memory of Southernwood is my grandfather's studio – down what seemed like a toy staircase inside the room. This and the big walk-in fireplace stayed in my mind from the age of about six until I saw them again about forty years later when the house was being used as a Sunday School. I just wish that money could be found to purchase this old house for the City of Eltham so that a permanent museum could be established in memory of a man who did so much to put Eltham on the map of art history. Recently I have become interested in family history and spent some time in England, Ireland and Wales looking for traces of my ancestors. I realized then how important it is to have records of people who have contributed to our society. We forget so soon and it is amazing how often, within two generations, names, dates and many details are forgotten. We are fortunate that so many of Walter Withers' works have been bought by galleries and that people like Andrew Mackenzie have taken the trouble to search out people who knew him and to write about him and his work. And I am very grateful to the Historical Society of Eltham for recognizing the importance of having a permanent tribute in Eltham to the contribution made by Walter Withers, who loved Eltham so much and who has assured this lovely district a place in the annals of history. I am indebted to Kathleen Mangan; the daughter of another famous Australian painter , Fred McCubbin, - featured in The Age this morning (thanks again to Andrew Mackenzie) for the most apt tribute to Walter Withers. Kathleen is not well and she rang me a couple of days ago, regretting that she could not be present today “to pay tribute” as she said, “to Walter Withers for I always think Walter Withers is the spirit of Eltham.” Thank you, Kathleen. And now I have much pleasure in unveiling the plaque commissioned by the Eltham Historical Society from Bob McLellan of Charmac Industries to commemorate the life and work of Walter Withers, the spirit of Eltham. Mary Owen, 13 October 1990.Two colour photographswalter withers rock, walter withers reserve, mary owen