Pall Mall Gazette, 6 April 1866 One day early in December between the hours of 5.44 and 6.15 A.M., four first-class ships, the Roxburgh Castle, the Sarah Grice, the Kosciusko, and the Omar Pasha, laden with wool and gold, left Port Phillip on a race for England. There was heavy betting on the result, the Omar Pasha being favourite. These vessels have now reached their destination, and it is interesting to note the respective length of their passages. The Omar Pasha arrived in the Downs on the 14th of February, seventy-two days; the Kosciusko on the 23rd, eighty-one days; the Roxburgh Castle on the 7th of March, one hundred and eleven days. The first and second vessels are Aberdeen built vessels, and belong to Messrs. George Thompson, junr., and Co.One of several clippers trading from Port PhillipFramed print of Aberdeen Clipper Ship 'Kosciusko', 1,300 tonsAberdeen Clipper Ship 'Kosciusko' 1300 tons, Charles Stuart Commander Messrs. Geo. Thompson, Jun and Co. ownersaberdeen clippers, trade from port phillip

This is a collection of stories and newspaper clippings that relate to the women of the Colac district during the 19th and early 20th centuries. Over 300 women, some with a lot of information, others only covering a few lines, have been recorded. Many often would have had overwhelming issues to face in their day-to-day lives, with loneliness, lack of close communication and medical help, bad or unmade roads and harsh living conditions, ensuring that their children were fed. Pioneering days: a woman's life. Colac & District Family History Group Inc (comp.). 1st ed. Colac (Vic); Colac & District Family History Group Inc; 2013. vi, 284 p.; illus. ISBN 978 0975 0679 1 8 Soft cover.colac; otways; families; articles;

Queenscliffe Maritime Museum construction.Historical photos of the early days of the QMM construction c1984Colour & Black & White photos of the early phases of the QMM construction, c1984.Reverse " NIL ".historical references

BoQ Inspectors outside shed in Princess ParkHistorical photos of early days of QMM build, c1981Colour photos of early QMM construction, c1981Reverse " inspection holes for foundations / Mr Col Cairns & Mr Henry Hudson / Outside Queenscliffe 22 Dec 1981 / Gil Allbutt photographer ".historical references

Museum displayQueenscliff Maritime Centre early days c1986Flyer & newspaper clipping re Queenscliffe Maritime Centre.Reverse " NIL "

This mass grave is to bury 139 Vietnamese boat people (VBP) in an escape boat of MT065. They arrived at the shore of Cherang Ruku, Kelantan state of Malaysia in the late afternoon of 31 Nov 1978, with the push-back policy, the boat was not allowed to unload a number of more than 300 boat people in the small boat. They had to anchore at a distance of about 200 metre away from the shore. In the early morning of 1-Dec-1978 a storm of the monsoon season quickly swept over the area. The boat was capsized. 139 + 49 boat people were killed. Bodies of 139 VBP were washed ashore into the beach of Cherang Ruku, were collected and buried in this mass grave. The remains of another 49 VBP were collected 4 days later and buried in Balai Bachok, about 30 km away from Cherang Ruku. The 5 grave stones with a name list of 123 VBP were built by the UN HCR with the names they could find. The man who was in charge of burying these VBP was interviewed in 2010, retold the story and confirmed he buried 139 bodies, not 123.Mass grave of VBP in Cherang Ruku, Malaysia

In 1883 The Orient Steam Navigation Co. Ltd., of London signed a contract with the Government of New South Wales, Australia to carry emigrants from the United Kingdom. The Company would be paid £15 per head for up to four hundred persons and £14 and 10 Shillings for numbers between four and six hundred persons per voyage.A reproduction print of a painting by AV Gregory of the vessel Ormus, 1887. The print is mounted under glass and framed in a dark brown timber frame.rms ormuz, reproduction print

The Beebe name was well-known in Bendigo in the last quarter of the 19th and the early part of the 20th centuries. From 1875, William Beebe senior, monumental mason, occupied a site in the centre on the city, in Mitchell Street opposite King Street. Death was more part of life in those days, and the Beebes were there to provide the burial monuments. Later, he took his sons into the business, which grew as Beebe and Son. Many examples of their work can be found in the local cemeteries. William Beebe senior (1830-1891) was born in Rutland, the smallest English county in 1830, to stonemason Chamberlain Beebe and Susannah Clements. William emigrated to Victoria in 1854 and after engaging on unknown works in Port Fairy, Dunkeld, and Melbourne arrived in Bendigo. His obituary records that he commenced work here on the site of the Bank of Australasia (opposite the Shamrock Hotel), which would have been no later than 1856. He took up a 13 acre selection on the site of Rocky Vale Villa in 1864 and continued to select or purchase further parcels of adjoining land until he owned some 150 acres, much of it unfit for cultivation. He was a keen gardener and had a garden and orchard around the house. William took over 20 years to build the two-story sandstone and granite house "Rocky Vale Villa". The house was constructed from sandstone sourced "from an adjacent ridge of rocks" (Bendigo Advertiser 28/9/1891). Granite from Harcourt was used for lintels and quoins. Not long before he died, William was still adding to the house. In the Codicil to his will, he states that "I have just built and completed two additional rooms to my Dwelling house situe at Inglewood Road aforesaid" (dated 19/9/1891). William died one week later on the 26th September 1891.Photographs of a field trip to Rocky Vale Villa, 7 Wicks Road, Maiden Gully, Bendigo by the Bendigo Historical Society.history, bendigo, rocky vale villa maiden gully, william beebe stonemason bendigo

Yields information about many transport tickets systems from around the world, including some SEC tickets. Has a strong association with Wal Jack.Diary, printed for 1934, two days per page - full bound and sewn in black Rexene with end papers (partly removed) with gold block title "Diary 1934" on front and "1934" on spine of book, stationary item, with a Nestle's product advertised on the bottom right hand pages. Has a blue ribbon sewn into book. A number of pages have been cut from the front and back of the book. See btm230i for image of book. Has been used primarily to store and present tramway tickets using stamp hinges. Cities collected: Most c1950 though some earlier - 1920's, 1930's. MMTB - 5d - 12 No. - image 1 MMTB - 4d, 6d, 5d, 8d and 9d - 17 No. - image 2 MMTB - 2d, 3d 7d, 4d - 10 No. - image 3 Eastern Goldfields Transport Board - Kalgoorlie, 16 No. - image 4 Ditto - 6 No. - image 5 Ditto - 14 No. - image 6 Ditto - 11 No. - image 7 W.A. government tramways - Perth - 10 No. - image 8 Auckland - 5 No. - image 9 (Special One Day travel ticket loose) MTT Adelaide - 11 No. - image 10 NSW Govt. Tramways - Sydney - 20 No. - image 11 Brisbane - 10 No. and AETA tour ticket date 3/2/1951 - image 12 NSW Govt. Tramways - Sydney - 13 No. - image 13 St Kilda Brighton electric tramway - 1 No. - image 14 German and Swiss tramway tickets - 4 No. - image 15 Wellington, Hamburg, Wanganui, New Plymouth, Hobart and Winnipeg - image 16 Ballarat (or other Provincial cities) 11 No. - image 17 German cities - 9 No. - image 18 German cities - 4 No. - image 19 Front inside page of book has some birthdays listed of relatives and friends. Last few pages contain notes on photos of train leaving Ballarat 1943. 56, 57 (copy to ARHS Archives). Item revised 30/6/2002. Inside front page has a list of birthdaystrams, tramways, tickets, photo notes, vr steam locos, ballarat., kalgoorlie, mmtb, melbourne, auckland, weekly tickets, adelaide, perth, sydney, brisbane, vr trams, st kilda brighton, wellington, wanganui, new plymouth tramways, hobart

While telescopes and binoculars each have a long history, handheld optical telescopes were still widely used in the Nineteenth Century. The origins of this small optical telescope are unclear, apart from that it was used by a family in Kew in the 1880s.Brass, brown leather and glass telescope, anecdotally recorded as used by an early Kew family at sports days in the 1880sSeparate later label: "Early telescope owned by a Kew family & used on Sports Day in 1880s"sports - kew (vic), optical telescopes, hand-held telescopes

Frances Rigg was a local business identity in Kew, at one stage managing the local branch of the English, Scottish and Australian (ES&A) Bank at 175 High Street from c. 1920 until the 1940s. After Francis Rigg’s death, the collection of buttons and medallions was inherited by his son, Ken Rigg (1922-2014). The collection was subsequently donated to the Kew Historical Society in 2015 by Francis' grandson, Adrian Rigg, at the time of the Gallipoli & Beyond Commemoration in 2015. The collection covers a period of almost 40 years. The majority of the buttons are patriotic buttons, issued and sold during and immediately after the First World World War (1914-1918) to raise funds for national and overseas causes. The collection also includes a number of locally significant sporting event buttons and sporting club medallions, issued in the 1920s and 1930s.Patriotic and other pressed tin buttons and badges were produced in large numbers in the first decades of the twentieth century. By nature, insubstantial and ephemeral, they have not always survived. The collections of badges, buttons and medallions in the Kew Historical Society collection is homogenous and yet diverse, ranging from buttons sold to raise funds for the war efforts in 1914-18 and 1939-45, to those used at festivals and sporting events. Because of the manufacturing process, many surviving buttons and badges have been affected by inadequate storage, suffering from oxidisation and physical damage. These survivors are now historically and socially significant artefacts, revealing much about the attitudes and values of the period in which they were produced. Their widespread distribution means that they are frequently significant at a local, state, national and international level.This is the only example of a Hospital Day badge to include a patroness (or a patron). Lady Victoria Stradbroke was the wife of the third Earl of Stradbroke who served as Governor of Victoria from 1921 to 1926. Lady Stradbroke advocated for Hospital Days during her husband’s tenure as governor in the early 1920s."Hospital Day / Patroness Her Excellency The Countess of Stradbroke"hospital day, countess of stradbroke, fundraising buttons, badges

An article in the Melbourne Age (2 March 1978, p. 25) recorded the retirement of Clare Ralph of Goullet of Melbourne (active 1953-78). "One of Australia's most talented milliners, Clare Ralph, of Goullet, is selling her business because she wants to spend more time in her garden. "I have been in the business for 25 years and last week I turned 60 and so I thought now is the time," Mrs. Ralph said at her Richmond shop yesterday. ... Mrs. Ralph is selling cheaply $10,000 for the label, which also covers sportswear, and tenancy and lease of the premises which have a showroom and workroom. ... Mrs. Ralph is as unpretentious as the relaxed Goullet styling which brought the new concept of millinery to Australia non-hatty hats with none of the "Melbourne Mum" quality so rife at the time. She said she started off making hats rather than dressmaking because she couldn't afford to buy the three yards of material necessary for a dress. "I wanted to get out of the house and so I did millinery night classes at Caulfield Tech." Her first efforts were sun-hats of natural straw which Mrs. Ralph trimmed extravagantly … "gold fishnet and braiding and sparkly jewels all over the crown. "They were ridiculous but a lot of fun," she said. She carted them by train to the city and nervously showed them to a store buyer. After the meeting, she couldn't face taking the samples home again on the train and left them. Before she could collect them, to everyone's amazement particularly Clare Ralph's, they had been sold. "The next thing was people were asking me what I was going to do for winter. I hadn't thought I was in the industry. I just thought I had sold a couple of sun hats and that was marvellous because I needed the money," she said. If the new buyer is interested, Clare Ralph will continue designing hats on a consultancy basis for them, which would be great for all the fans she has collected since those crazy sun-hat days.The Kew Historical Society’s fashion and design collection is comprised of costumes, hats, shoes and personal accessories. Many of these items were purchased or handmade in Victoria; some locally in Kew. The extensive hat collection comprises items dating from the 1860s to the 1970s. Most of the hats in the collection were created by milliners for women. There are however a number of early and important men’s hats in the collection. The headwear collection is particularly significant in that it includes the work of notable Australian and international milliners.Wide brimmed woman’s hat designed by Clare Ralph of Goullet of Melbourne, constructed of white stiffened fabric with a white fabric cord surrounding the crown of the hat.Label: Designed by Goullet of Melbournegoullet of melbourne, clare ralph -- milliner, women's clothing -- hats, headwear

An article in the Melbourne Age (2 March 1978, p. 25) recorded the retirement of Clare Ralph of Goullet of Melbourne (active 1953-78). "One of Australia's most talented milliners, Clare Ralph, of Goullet, is selling her business because she wants to spend more time in her garden. "I have been in the business for 25 years and last week I turned 60 and so I thought now is the time," Mrs. Ralph said at her Richmond shop yesterday. ... Mrs. Ralph is selling cheaply $10,000 for the label, which also covers sportswear, and tenancy and lease of the premises which have a showroom and workroom. ... Mrs. Ralph is as unpretentious as the relaxed Goullet styling which brought the new concept of millinery to Australia non-hatty hats with none of the "Melbourne Mum" quality so rife at the time. She said she started off making hats rather than dressmaking because she couldn't afford to buy the three yards of material necessary for a dress. "I wanted to get out of the house and so I did millinery night classes at Caulfield Tech." Her first efforts were sun-hats of natural straw which Mrs. Ralph trimmed extravagantly … "gold fishnet and braiding and sparkly jewels all over the crown. "They were ridiculous but a lot of fun," she said. She carted them by train to the city and nervously showed them to a store buyer. After the meeting, she couldn't face taking the samples home again on the train and left them. Before she could collect them, to everyone's amazement particularly Clare Ralph's, they had been sold. "The next thing was people were asking me what I was going to do for winter. I hadn't thought I was in the industry. I just thought I had sold a couple of sun hats and that was marvellous because I needed the money," she said. If the new buyer is interested, Clare Ralph will continue designing hats on a consultancy basis for them, which would be great for all the fans she has collected since those crazy sun-hat days.The Kew Historical Society’s fashion and design collection is comprised of costumes, hats, shoes and personal accessories. Many of these items were purchased or handmade in Victoria; some locally in Kew. The extensive hat collection comprises items dating from the 1860s to the 1970s. While most of the hats in the collection were created by milliners for women, there are a number of early and important men’s hats in the collection. The headwear collection is particularly significant in that it includes the work of notable Australian and international milliners.Finely woven straw woman’s hat designed by Clare Ralph for her millinery label Goullet [Melbourne]. The hat features a cream ribbon around the base of the crown. Label: Goulletclare ralph -- goullet -- melbourne (vic.), milliners -- clare ralph, headwear, women's clothing -- hats

The people in the photograph had gathered at the Emu Bottom homestead in Sunbury to celebrate the installation of the fountain in the garden of the property.Emu Bottom Homestead is one of the oldest surviving homesteads which were built in the early days of European settlement in Victoria. A black and white photograph of a crowd of people at a celebration. They are gathered around a fountain. The print has been photographed from another photograph.emu bottom, fountains

Bennie Simcox first came to the Monbulk area about 1860, following the first important gold discovery at the end of 1858. As the gold rush was short lived Simcox returned to Collingwood but later came back to Monbulk, built himself a hut to live in and become its first known permanent resident. The hut was burnt in the 1913 fires. Monbulk was thrown open to selection in 1894, and that's when the first farmers including Bennie Simcox went into Monbulk. It was a big, timbered country in those days. Once Ben had cleared some of his land he started to grow raspberries on it. He would be up before daylight ready to start picking. Ben also picked for a local family, the Camms to help make ends meet. When Ben Simcox was virtually at the retired stage, he wanted to develop his bit of the gully as a tourist attraction, As his nephew Fred Gay who owned the 10 acres below Ben wanted to farm, he was happy to swap his treed block with Ben. At a time when most settlers were clearing their properties, Ben Simcox, by contrast, cultivated the native plants and planted most of the large trees seen on the property today. And so Nathania Springs was developed as a tourist resort, and a mini-botanical garden. He diverted the natural water supply to form ornamental garden pools stocked with trout and tame native black fish. There were many visitors came to the Dandenongs, Some arriving in motor cars others in converted furniture vans lined with seats or charabancs with the long extended chassis and the open canvas roofs. Identities such as Billy Hughes, Madame Melba would often come to look through Nathania Springs. Bennie sold Nathania Springs to Councillor Ferdinand Thomas Le Juge, a boarding house proprietor and later the town baker in 1909 then in about 1921 Ben’s nephew Fred and his wife and family continued to open Nathania Springs to the public. It was not unusual in around 1924-25 for up to a thousand people a day to arrive at Nathania Springs to go through the gardens. At sixpence a time, that was a lot of money in those days. This photo is part of a collection of historic and social significance of the early settlement of Monbulk. Copies of photographs can be purchased from the Monbulk Historical Society.simcox, nathania springs, monbulk, 1860, berries

Taken at Guildford Villa, which has been demolished, at the wedding of Annie Beckett and Henry Leigh. Background view is to the north with Guildford Road across the photo and Monserrat' on Mont Albert Road on the horizon. Identification: Back row - L to R: Bert Leigh, Katie Beckett, Henry (Harry) Leigh, Annie Beckett, Percy Leigh, Clara Beckett. Front row - L to R: Mabel Beckett, Elsie Beckett, Arthur Leigh, Winnie Leigh. The bride was the daughter of Robert Beckett (senior) of Essex Road and the bridegroom was the son of Timothy Leigh, estate agent and architect of Essex Road. Married at the Wesleyan Church.Both the Beckett and Leigh families were significant in the early days of settlement of Surrey Hills.A B&W photo of bridal party comprised of bride, bridegroom, 3 bridesmaids, 3 male attendants and 2 flowergirls against a largely rural background.guildford villa, weddings, wedding dresses, annie beckett, henry leigh, harry leigh, bert leigh, percy leigh, clara beckett, mabel beckett, elsie beckett, arthur leigh, winnie leigh, topography

This book shows a collection of pictures from the days of the earliest settlement of Box Hill through to the 1930s. They show us the clearing of land for the establishment of farms and orchards. We see the early Whitehorse Road which was known as Corduroy Road because of the logs that formed its surface.This publication, originally suggested by Betty Walters, a former Mayor of the City, portrays the evolution of the central area of the City, from the first settlers to 1930. The selection of the pictures by the authors was based on the general interest and quality of the photographs.On the front cover: "Presented to Surrey Hills / History Group / by / Marjorie Morgan"box hill, (mrs) marjorie morgan, (mrs) eleanor finlay, early settlement, 1930s

This bed jacket was crocheted for Carmela Materia (1931-2018) by her mother, Giuseppa Auditore, around the time they emigrated from Italy to Melbourne. Both women were longtime Brighton locals, residing in the area from the 1950s until their deaths. Carmela Auditore was the first woman from her home village of Scaletta, Italy to emigrate to Australia. Setting sail alone in 1950 at the age of 19, she joined her brother John and uncle Frank in McCallum St, Brighton. Frank had arrived some years earlier and had spent the duration of the First World War in an internment camp. John worked at the Brighton Case Company, a box manufacturer on Nepean Highway, and paid for her passage. Carmela found a job sewing children's clothing at Drummonds, a small factory in Church St. Working eight hours a day, five days per week, netted her a weekly wage of three pounds. To earn a little extra, she washed dishes at a St Kilda Road restaurant for ten shillings a shift. Her parents, Salvatore and Giuseppa Auditore, joined her in Brighton in 1952. They rented a house behind an antique shop in Bay Street. Salvatore had been a fisherman in Scaletta, but quickly adapted to the job he found helping around the Garage at Brighton Motors in Male Street. On 14 February 1953, Carmela married her sweetheart, Salvatore Materia, at St James Catholic Church in Gardenvale. Salvatore had been living with his aunt in Well Street and worked on the wharves. Both Carmela and Salvatore were hard workers. They owned a fruit shop in Church Street where Woolworths now stands, and years later Carmela recalled the familiar 6am tap on her window each morning when her husband returned from the market. On dark winter mornings, she felt as if her hands would freeze as she helped Salvatore unload cold cabbages and cauliflowers from his truck. They later owned a shop in Ludstone Street in Hampton. After Salvatore died suddenly at the age of 48, Carmela returned to sewing, working at the Willow Fashions knitting mill in Gardenvale. She later went into partnership with her sister and brother-in-law, this time in the delicatessen business. Her parents, Giuseppa and Salvatore, spent the rest of their days with Brighton. Carmela recalled her father cheerfully walking the streets, greeting people by name. He knew everybody. He loved being in Australia and enjoyed life to the last, insisting on having bread and wine on the table at every meal.Cream crocheted wool bed jacket. Loose around bust with wide sleeves and open sides. Fastens at collar with thin braided ties, and at waist with two pearlescent plastic buttons.bed jacket, migration, 1950s, carmela auditore, carmela materia, giuseppa auditore

Framed portrait of George Maxwell who was President of the Association for the Advancement of the Blind 1920-1935. It is part of a series of paintings commissioned by the AFB Board to commemorate the work of past presidents of the organisation. Mr Maxwell is turned slightly away from the viewer, and wears a blue suit, white high collared shirt and a blue tie. George Maxwell was President of Vision Australia from 1920 to 1935. After an early teaching career he studied law, was admitted to the Bar and became one of Victoria’s great criminal lawyers and later a Federal Member of Parliament. He took an interest the welfare of blind people from his student days. A detached retina in 1920 led to total blindness nine years later, which gave him a great empathy for those with a similar affliction. Through his contacts he was also instrumental in obtaining the first voting rights for blind Australians. Up until 1902 blind people were unable to vote if they couldn’t write with a pen. George Maxwell was working at that time at the legal firm of Strongman and Crouch one of the partners, Mr. Crouch, was elected as a member of Parliament. When the Commonwealth Electoral Bill was being drafted, Mr. Crouch has a clause added enabling blind people to vote in Federal elections, constituting a world first. But perhaps his greatest achievement was obtaining the pension for legally blind people. Until 1910 only those who met the age and means test criteria were eligible. With the help of his legal and political friends a bill was passed which granted the pension to all persons over 16 years of age who were unable to work due to physical disability or blindness. Until this time these people had to be supported by their families or go to a benevolent institution. This was a world first and gave to blind and vision impaired people a measure of independence which increased both their self reliance and self esteem. 1 art original in gold/brown frameThe plaque at the base of the painting reads 'Honourable George A Maxwell Q.C. / President 1920-1935 / Association for Advancement of the Blind'.association for the advancement of the blind, george maxwell

Film strips put out by the Visual Centre of the victorian Education Department during the 1940's and 50's as an aid to the teaching of subjects such as Social Studies, English, History. Picturol Projector Model K/ U.S. Patent Nos 1277568- 14342/9 Mr Wilfred Murphy became headmaster of the Port Fairy Consolidated School in the 1950's and retired in the 70's. The projector was used by Mr Wilfred Murphy during the early days of his teaching career. small portable projector in leatherette case with leads to attach to 6 volt battery. seven (7) tins of film - 'The garden that Mary made'/'Our Earth'/ two (2) Copies of 'the Story of the Seed'/ 'Spiders-their Kin'/ 'Camouflage in Nature'/ 'the Story of a Tree'Each tin has a label='The garden that Mary made'/'Our Earth'/ two (2) Copies of 'the Story of the Seed'/ 'Spiders-their Kin'/ 'Camouflage in Nature'/ 'the Story of a Tree'photography, projectors, wilf murphy, education

William Webb Councillor Port Fairy Municipal Council served 1869-1882-1883-892-1901-1903-1905William Webb served as a Councillor in the early days of Port Fairy effectively having a hand in the shaping of the townBlack & white photograph - Portrait of William has a neat pointed beard and moustache and hair parted on the right he is wearing a ribbon bow tiewilliam webb, councillor, port fairy, municipal council

p.276.fictionFrom the creator of Peter Pan, My Lady Nicotine is one of his earlier works. Focusing on his days as a smoker, J.M. Barrie takes us through his life as a smoker to his last pipe as he begins his non-smoking days. Barrie's humorous essays about his companions, habits and quitting are sure to delight readers.smoking - history, tobacco - addiction

Index, bib, ill, p.350.non-fictionAn essay on prophes=cies from the earliest days.prophecies, human history

Maps, p.246.non-fictionA story of the jungle and the sea, of man against nature and man against man... Green Armour is the courageous story of fighting men in the swamps and jungles of New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. From the earliest days of forlorn hopes to the large-scale, well-organised attacks by land, sea, and air this terrifying first-hand account is distilled from the bloody, despairing experiences of the Australian and American forces in the early days of the Second World War... world war 1939-1945 - campaigns - new guinea, world war 1939-1945 - campaigns - pacific area

This 1890s photograph shows the early uniform worn by Melbourne District Nursing Society (MDNS) Trained nurses, (known as 'Nurse', in those days), when visiting patients to administer nursing care.The Nurse is speaking with a patient who is sitting in his back garden. It shows the style of clothing and the rear of a weatherboard house of that era. In Melbourne in 1885 it was recognized that skilled nursing was needed in the inner city to care for the sick poor in their own homes. On the 17th of February a meeting was held with prominent Melbourne citizens, five gentlemen and fourteen ladies. ‘Dr. Caffyn and Rev. Charles Strong explained the objects and scope of District nursing Societies that had been formed in other towns’ in UK. On that day the Melbourne District Nursing Society (MDNS) was founded, the first District Nursing Society in Australia. Subsequent meetings were held to form a Committee and to draw up a Code of Rules of the Society. It was decided only nurses who had attended a Nurses Training School and were fully qualified would be employed by the Society, and that the nurses would keep a daily journal of their work. After interviewing several candidates, the first Trained Nurse (Nurse), Mrs. Ferguson, was employed with a salary of £100 per annum and commenced work on the 1st of May 1885. She was employed for three months initially, but this was soon extended, “on the understanding she will make arrangements to live in the more immediate vicinity of her district”. A Doctor was consulted before any person was seen. In rotation, a member of the Superintendence Sub-Committee supervised the Nurse’s visits and could assist to alleviate some of the poor social conditions they found. Though only Trained nurses were employed, the term ’Nurse’ was used in those days. Lady Janet Clarke, a philanthropist, was one of the first two Vice-presidents and President from 1888 until 1908 (except when overseas); she was a driving force in the Society. She held the first fund raiser for the Society at her home ‘Cliveden’ and went on to help organize many functions where she, along with Committee members, manned the stalls to raise funds. She also took her turn to accompany the Nurse, and was noted for her kindness and benevolence. Over the years the Committee, which was made up of 80% ladies, worked tirelessly for the Society; many Auxiliaries were formed. A second Trained nurse, Mrs. Joanna Cannon, was employed in late 1885, with a trial period of six months which was extended. She and Mrs Ferguson were the stalwarts of the Society in the early years, Nurse Cannon remaining with the Society for four years and Nurse Ferguson for five years, though both had a short break due to the heaviness of the work. Nurse’s salaries were reduced to account for the cost of uniforms, and again in later years when establishments were rented by the Society and the nurses could now live in the Nurses Home. The two Nurses worked in the now CBD, ie from Spencer Street to Spring Street and from Victoria Parade to Flinders Street. At that time they walked the streets and lane ways amid the slums of inner Melbourne carrying their nursing bags containing lotion, ointments, powders, liniment, bandages, dressings, a case of spirits, and the Nurse's own clean apron, soap and small towel. They supplied equipment on loan, such as earthenware hot water bottles, splints, urinals, bed pans, bed cradles, feeding mugs, and air-cushions as well as providing blankets and clean bed linen, and nightdresses and clothes as necessary. From its inception the Society was at the forefront of health care and liaised with Doctors. They provided high quality nursing care to a range of people, often in destitute situations, some lying on rags on the floor as they had no bed, others with just a bed and maybe a thin blanket, a chair and nothing else. Their ages ranged from babes, children, adults to the elderly. The Nurses gave medications as ordered, dressed wounds e.g. to the injured, and surgical cases, and to those with leg ulcers; attended to patients with ‘surgical ailments’ such as ‘hip disease’; gave care to those with acute illnesses such as bronchitis, pleurisy, pneumonia, measles, and scarlet fever, as well as those with chronic illnesses such as consumption (tuberculosis), heart disease, arthritis, cancer, debility, neuritis and paralysis. They educated their patients, and their Carers, in the curing and prevention of disease; teaching the importance of hygiene, cleanliness, ventilation and good nutrition. They taught them, by verbal instruction and demonstration, how to make poultices, to make and apply bandages, apply medical appliances such as splints; and the Nurses supplied milk, beef tea and cooked soup when needed. As the work increased a third Nurse was employed but this was arduous work, particularly in the heat of summer and many Nurses only remained with the Society for several months. Black and white photograph of a Melbourne District Nursing Society (MDNS) Trained nurse (Nurse) wearing a white apron over her grey full length uniform, and wearing a white cap. She is standing and looking down at a man dressed in a white shirt and dark jacket and pants. He is sitting outside the rear of a weatherboard house, the boards of the house are applied vertically. A wooden ladder leans against another wooden building.melbourne district nursing society, mdns uniforms, rdns, royal district nursing service, mdns