Built for William and Anna-Maria Greenlaw in the early 1880s, and with interiors decorated by the Paterson Bros, Villa Alba remained in private ownership until 1949. From 1950, the house was owned by a number of institutions. By 1984, the Villa Alba Preservation Society had been formed, and three years later, the Mount Royal Hospital granted a 25-year lease to Kew Council. In 2004, the title to Villa Alba was passed by the Victorian Government to The Villa Alba Museum Incorporated. Digital copy of a olour 35mm slide, framed in a plastic mount, of the portico of Villa Alba, 44 Walmer Street, Kew, 3101. The transparency shows the grey rendered tower and entrance, viewed from the east, looking west. The bay window of the drawing room is in the foreground."Villa Alba Exterior 1987"villa alba museum, mount royal hospital, historic houses -- kew (vic.), victorian architecture -- melbourne (vic.)

Framed studio sepia photograph of the wedding party of Jess Anderson and Victor Diggins in 1935. The wedding took place at the Presbyterian Church, Kew. The signature of the photographers - Dickinson Monteath - is at bottom right. [The Dickinson Monteath Studio operated at 296 Collins Street Melbourne during the 1930s and into the 1940s.]Inscribed below: "Jess (Anderson) & Victor Diggins Wedding / 1935 / L to R standing Joseph Diggins, Victor Diggins, Jess Diggins, Lawrence Jesse Diggins / Sitting Marie Whitbourne, Phil Anderson (Jess's sister) & later Mrs Joseph Diggins (Right). Bridesmaid on left.photographers - dickinson-monteath, jess anderson, victor diggins, cecil street -- kew (vic.), kew presbyterian church – kew (vic.)

Viola Annie McVicars (1911–1990) was born in Korumburra on 29 April 1911. At the age of 21, she married William John Ayling (1909–1995). After their marriage in 1932, they moved to Kew, initially to 81 Tennyson Street, and later to 180 Pakington Street. A professional tailoress, Viola Ayling was also a talented amateur potter, creating her ceramics at her home in Pakington Street, where she had an internal studio and a handmade, wood-fired brick kiln in her backyard. Following her death in 1990, her studio pottery passed to her daughter, and following the daughter’s death, to her granddaughter. This piece of glazed earthenware is part of a collection of 15 functional and decorative ceramic items donated by Viola’s granddaughter to the collection in 2024.A handmade lamp base, expertly potted and glazed. The style is representative of Australian ceramic design of the period, particularly that employed by Klytie Pate.Handmade lamp base, irregularly ridged with applied green and yellow glazes. The lamp base has a hole for a cord above the foot.Signature to base: "V. Ayling"ceramics, pakington street -- kew (vic.), lamp bases, viola annie ayling, viola annie mcvicars