Senior Boarding House dormitory with a small cubicle for each student

The Lauriston Prefects request the pleasure of your company at a dance to be held at Lauriston on Saturday, 14th June, 1966

Mary Tolhurst M&DHS - March 29th Dunvegan Willows Park Melton 1992 Ladies Oral History Day Graham Minns President Ray Radford MC Sound recording transfer to CD 2011 by Tom Wood Edited typescript by Wendy Barrie 2013 I was born in Rockbank, and when I was five years old moved to Toolern Vale and started and finished school there. Toolern Vale only consisted of the Store, Post Office and shop, where you could buy your fodder, and pollard supplies, the Hall, the little Church and the bluestone School. The School changed shape three times from the 1800s[1869] til the time I went there. There was four generations of my family that went there and it was destroyed by fire in 1965. Marjorie nee Myers Butler. Yes, I remember along with it your lovely Ronisch piano. Mary, quite true! Marj what you say about the Ronisch piano. When I came the age to learn music my mum and dad couldn’t really afford it, but still what parents do for their children. They had Marj go along with them and pick this lovely Ronisch piano. It was known round the district. Everyone commented about the loss that lovely piano. After leaving school it was war time, 1939, then it was work, When I was 7 year old I was put out into the cow yard. In 1940 when the soldiers were going away our milk was confiscated it had to go to Bacchus Marsh. It used to go the Sunbury to be brine cooled and then go to Melbourne. Then they took it then to the Lifeguard Milk Factory at Bacchus Marsh. It had to go as condensed milk to the soldiers. This year is 50 years of the Land Army. I was an unofficial Land Army but they still kept check on me. I went onto married life and I followed the cows right through [howls of laughter] and we went on until the 1965 fire. That’s when we got out of the cows. Marjorie asks, was Granny Watts your grandmother or great grandmother? Mary: She was my great grandmother, the midwife of Melton. The 1965 fire started ¾ of a mile above our place, Frank Ryan’s sheds were burnt and his house was saved, then it wiped the School out, the Hall, the Church the Post Office and Store and little house that was Charlie Charlton’s in the early days. Mrs Wilson’s place was saved by the Fire Brigade by pulling boards off the side, and from there it went over the hill and it was stopped at the Rockbank Railway Station. If it had of got over the railway they said it would have gone into Werribee. A lot was burnt out in that strip. Mary nee Nixon Collins: 18 houses burnt that day. Audience question, did Melton get burnt that day? Ray: No. It came down through the Toolern Vale road and cut across about a mile and a half from the cross roads at Toolern Vale from north westerly to the south east and cut through over the Keilor road. Mary: It came in across the creek at Funstons in Toolern, then through Jim Minns. Dorothy was it your place then [nee Knox Beaty] to Ken Beatty’s and from there it went through to Doug McIntosh’s and to Cockbills and the wind changed and it came across to the railway line, and that is where they stopped it. [the cause of the fire was controversial, they had been burning off the night before and there was some talk of someone starting it. It was very hot and very strong wind, it was a terrible day] Ray: When the fire went through McIntosh’s they had a haystack on the north side of their house and the haystack got caught and the fire burnt a hole through the side of the house and the boys pyjamas on the bed. The house was saved. It came through like and express train roaring at you, I was at McIntosh’s when it went roaring past. You couldn’t see, dust and ash and tremendous heat. The fire started about 12 o’clock Jack [husband] said to me, fire, I said where, where? Just up the road, what have I got to do? and he went out and he had gone to the fire and left me. I tried to get the animals and I put out buckets of water, putting the buckets of water out saved my life. Chas Jones and another friend of his came in and they picked up the buckets of water, I thought I had better get out because the fire was on the haystack up the paddock and when I went to go out through the north side of the house and couldn’t get out, I’ll go through the front gate so I went around the other side of the house. I got caught there and Chassy Jones and his friend came round carrying the bucket of water and I panicked. He threw the bucket of water over me. Well that is what saved my life because I was damp, whenever we tried to leave the ball of fire came over me and over my shoulder and my hair was scorched. Chassy Jones lost his truck and Keith Watt his big truck because he had the water tank on it and they couldn’t get out of the yard. Granny Watt’s house, the first private hospital had condemned and Jack and I pulled it down and had it moved up to Toolern and had it in the yard a fortnight and it was all burnt and we didn’t get the shed we wanted. Every 13 years right up until Ash Wednesday fires, there has always been fire close at hand. The 1952 fire went down the back of the house, the 1965 fire took the house, and the house that I live in now, it is the third house that has been on that spot. When the Hunters owned it, Mrs Hunter was nearly burnt in her bed. They had a 13 roomed house. In 1924 the house burnt down, and there was another house was built there and that was the one that burnt down. Edna: So Mary built a brick veneer house. Marjorie: like the three little pigs [laughter] Collins - Mary M &DHS - March 29th 1992 Ladies oral history day at Dunvegan, Willows Park Melton. Graham Minns President Ray Radford MC Sound recording transferred to CD 2011 Edited typescript by Wendy Barrie 2013 Mary Collins nee Nixon born in Terang 1907 down in the Western District and we shifted to Melton when I was 5 and a half then I started school here in Melton, and spent all my school life at Melton State School, next to the Church of England, it’s called the Primary School now. I got my Qualifying and Merit Certificate then I left School because there wasn’t a High School. When I was 16 I got and job in the Melton Post Office and I worked there, I was the first girl in Melton to deliver the mail, and worked on the telephone and the Bank business. Mrs Ross and myself behind the counter, there were about 500 – 600 people in the Shire at that time and now when I go into the new Post Office there is 36,000 here there’s still 2 people behind the counter [laughter from the audience] and wait in a queue right out to the door. Times haven’t changed much have they! There was a manual telephone and you had to ring the handle, and there were eight subscribers when I went there and when I left there were 46 I had coaxed that number to join the telephone, even the police station didn’t have the phone on. The two Hotels and the two Chaff mills and Mr Ernie Barrie, Parkers the butcher, the Shire Office was No 8, and the Police house was next to the Courthouse on the corner. They were number 9. I can remember a lot of the numbers still. The Post Office was the Agency for the Commonwealth Bank [comment from audience member] I used to do the Bank business too, I left after four years there, mother wasn’t very well. The Inspector who used to come up to the Post Office asked me if I would take up casual Post Mistress and to go around the different districts but I refused and when Mrs Ross’s holidays were due I was the replacement. I wasn’t 21. I loved my work meeting everybody and most people had horse and jinkers and when the elderly would come in there would be Mr Tom Morrow, he only had one arm and Mrs Dunn came from Bulman’s road in their horse and jinker. They were elderly I would see them pull up out the front and quickly get their mail and run out to them because they didn’t have to get out of the jinker to tie up their horse. If someone had a baby in arms I would tear out and hold the baby while they got down. Mrs Ross was very very strict. I had to sweep the Post Office, she had a couple of mats and there would be a threepence or a sixpence under the mats show she knew whether I lifted the mat, I was whether I was honest or not. Graham: How much were your wages? I got 27/7 pence a week for a 52 hour week. I had to work every holiday except Good Friday and Christmas Day and even when it was Monday holiday I always had to go to work from 9am - !0 am, the Post Office was always open. In the winter I had to wait until twenty past six in case there were any telegrams to deliver. I delivered them on a push bike. One time Tom Barrie told me this years afterwards. I used to go home for lunch. We lived on the Keilor road and I used to ride my bike home. On the hot days the boys used to go and swim in the swimming pool down near a turn in the creek there was a hole where the boys would swim in the nude, they didn’t have any bathers and they didn’t have any watches in those days. Tom Barrie said they always used to watched for me as I was always about 3 minutes past 1, my lunch hour was from 1-2. One particular day they missed seeing me and swam on, and of course they were all late for school when they got back and were all kept in a night. I did get a fortnight holiday. I loved my work and I knew everyone in the district right from Toolern Vale to the Marsh and everybody at Melton South. Did you listen into conversations on the Switchboard? Oh no. [laughter] Melton did not have electricity then. I had to fill the lamps everyday with kerosene. The Staughton Memorial was outside the Post Office. It had four posts with the chain looped around it, and that’s where the people used to tie up their horses. Marjorie nee Myers Butler comments about sitting and swinging on the chains. Mr Fred Coburn lit the acetylene gas light in the Memorial. It was the only streetlight in Melton. There was no electricity until 1939. Ray Radford comments about another gas street light which was on the corner of Station road. [later] Mary passes around her school photos. Mary mentions the names of those who have passed away, Maisie McDonald, ,Marian Wraith, Hilda McCreey, and Valda McDonald. I have written the names on the back. Marjorie comments about Marie Jongebloed and Greta are the only two girls left out of big family of ten I think there were [hesitates] 4 or 5 girls and the rest were boys. Mary. Flora Woodley, Dorrie Flynn and Margaret McDonald are still alive. They are my age we were all born about 1907. Marjorie points out herself in a later photo [1921 and 1922 School ] Mary mentions the name Walsh and identyfies following names, the Parker boys, Ken Beaty, Malc and Linda Cameron, Maisie Mc Donald, Ted Radford, George Nixon, Norman Minns, he was later the Shire Secretary of Werribee. One of the Woodley girls. [Maisie Arthur] Marjorie: Rosie Shearwood, June Whiting Mary. Lily Mc Donald, she has passed away. Isabel Harrison nee Tinkler, she lives at Werribee, Doreen Rogers, Marjorie Walker, Jess McIntosh, Mary Gillespie. Mr Malone was the Junior teacher Mr Roe and Miss Cooke. Fred Myers, my sister [Elizabeth] and the year was 1921. Myers (Barrie) School Photo Collection. Many of the names were identified at the 1970 Centenary of Melton State School No. 430. Edna Barrie organised, compiled and typed the lists to accompany these photos for the year 1921. The 1922 photo shows the higher grades. Ladies Oral History Day event held by Melton and District Historical Society, article featured in the Telegraphlocal identities, local special interest groups

Tan coloured floral fabric hardcover novel, Mildred's Boys and Girls by Martha Finley (Martha Farquharson) with black lettering for title and author. Spine has title, author and publisher in black lettering and a coloured flower.fictionA family story of Mildred's life with her children and husband set in the time of the Civil War in America. The Landreths harbour a family of fugitive slaves and fear the possibility of sending fathers, sons brothers and cousins off to fight. Strong religious themes throughout.family life fiction, civil war united states, children's fiction, religious fiction

A collection of nursery stories for young children. This book was awarded to Lance Sebire in 1932 for diligent Sunday School attendance.Large hardcover children's nursery book with coloured illustration on the front cover of a small boy and girl in pyjamas and nightie holding toys surrounded by fairies. The title Fireside Tales is in black lettering at the top. The spine has faded title and pubilsher, Shaw. Black and white illustrations throughout with some coloured plates.Kindergarten. Methodist Sabbath School Wandin Yallock 32 days. Awarded to Lance Sebire for 1st Prize of Mrs S. Gaudion's Class. W.J. Sebire Supt. A.J Sebire. Ada Gaudion. Sec. 27.3.1932.children's fiction, young people's fiction, children's books

Small blue hardcover with title and author written in gold lettering in a decorated linear square - Aunt Judith by Grace Beaumont. A blue and brown floral pattern is featured at the top and bottom of the from cover and spine. The title and publisher on the spine is written in a gold box. There are are black and white illustrations on pages at the front of the book. 220p.fictionA pretty tale of a wilful schoolgirl, Winnie Blake. Her brother Dick is mischievious and loveable. They both come under the benign influence of Aunt Judith, who is an author of books for girls and a happy Christian woman and learn some valuable lessons which help them in later years.children's fiction, religious stories, school life fiction

Brown fabric hardcover book - Eveline's Key-Note by Edith C. Kenyon has an illustration in black. pink and green of two young women sitting on a garden seat with a girl lying on the grass next to them reading. In the background a couple are chatting. The top of the edges of the pages are gold. The Endeavour Library is written at the top in black lettering with the title in yellow underneath. The spine has the title, series and publisher initials at the bottom for The Sunday School Union, The frontispiece has a black and white illustration the same as is on the front cover. and there are five full page black and white illustrations throughout. The chapter heads have an Illuminated style decoration called a vignette. 192p.fictionVictorian fiction with a moral slant for young women about life, growing up and relationships in an English village. family life fiction, religious stories

A copy of a speech given by President Bill Rogers to the students at Kambrya College. He mentions the hardships of war, the high number of casualties, and troops in peace keeping operations. He mentions a poem called 'Pittance of Time' - it was written and sung by a Canadian, Terry Kelly. The first verses were: "They fought and some died for their homeland They fought and some died now it's our land Look at his little child there's no fear in her eyes Could he not show respect for other dads that have died Take two minutes would you mind It's a pittance of time For the boys and the girls who went over In peace may they rest may we never forget why they died It's a pittance of time" Document was from a folder of documents donated to the archive by Legatee Bill Rogers that related to his time as President (March 2006 - March 2008). The date is not mentioned but was likely to be 11 November 2006 or 2007.A record of a speech given to students.Print out x 3 pages of a speech given by President Bill Rogers to students at Kambrya College on Remembrance Day.remembrance day, schools, speeches

This four roomed cottage with a detached kitchen was built for a Mr Elam, c. 1867. Occupants of this house among others have been Sir George Farmer, Christopher Crisp, Joseph Voysey, E. Simpson, J.R. Crook and H. Condon. It is located in Young Street and is opposite the site where the original Bacchus Marsh Mechanics Institute stood until about 1995.Small sepia unframed photograph on card with gold border framing photograph. Housed in the album, 'Photographs of Bacchus Marsh and District in 1883 by Stevenson and McNicoll'. The photograph is of a neat Georgian-style, double-fronted cottage. The hip roof and verandah are roofed with wooden shingles. Two tall chimneys stand, one at either side of the cottage, while a smaller chimney can be seen at the rear. The front verandah is decorated with carved barge boards. A white picket fence runs along the front, the entry posts featuring a carved globe-shaped finial. Standing inside the front fence is a smartly dressed gentleman, leaning on the fence. This is possibly Mr Joseph Voysey, Head Master of Bacchus Marsh Primary School 1879-1888, who purchased this cottage in 1882, the year before this photo was taken. Two women, one with a dog at her feet, stand on the footpath with a young girl holding a doll. This cottage still stands in Young Street, Bacchus Marsh.On the front: Stevenson & McNicoll. Photo. 108 Elizabeth St. Melbourne. COPIES CAN BE OBTAINED AT ANY TIME. On the back: LIGHT & TRUTH inscribed on a banner surmounted by a representation of the rising sun. Copies of this Portrait can be had at any time by sending the Name and Post Office Money Order or Stamps for the amount of order to STEVENSON & McNICOLL LATE BENSON & STEVENSON, Photographers. 108 Elizabeth Street, MELBOURNE houses bacchus marsh, stevenson and mcnicoll 1883 photographs of bacchus marsh and district

Miss Enez Domec-Carre was the teacher of the girls classes at Legacy. This article was based on the Eulogy given by Legatee Ted Larkin at her funeral on 21st April 1998. She was a former Miss Victoria and was known for her physical education skills and for introducing grace and culture to Melbourne. In 1932 she joined Melbourne Legacy and in 1934 became the chief instructor of girls' physical education until she retired aged 65. In the post World War II baby boom the Legacy evening classes were attended by about 400 girls. She helped organise Legacy Widows and Legatee wives to sew the costumes for performances. Among her proudest moments was a display by 1000 Junior Legatees at the MCG during the 1954 visit of Queen Elizabeth II. As well her work for Legacy she ran physical education, ballroom dancing and debutante preparation classes in Windsor, Elsternwick, Gardenvale and Geelong. She also held a position on the Board of Studies and as director of physical education in Catholic Schools. Recognition of her work included being awarded an MBE in 1971. And in 1997 she received Legacy's highest award, the title of Guest of Honour, for her years of service. See also Cat.No. 01300. Another copy of this article was found with 'Box 10 / JL12' in blue pen. This was part of an archive project JL standing for Junior Legacy items.A snapshot of the life of Enez Domec-Carre who was a huge influence in the life of Junior Legatee girls who attended Legacy classes.Photocopy of a Bulletin article on Miss Domec-Carreenez domec carre, annual demonstration, vale, eulogy

A yellow covered paperback English school reader with the title printed in red lettering at the top: Here we Go with an illustration in red of a girl and boy sitting on an inflatable toy horse and the series is written at the bottom: The Janet and John Books. It is stapled together and is in very bad condition, due to use over time.non-fictionAn English Primary School early reader about two children, a brother and sister named Janet and John who have simple outdoor adventures. The reading scheme used the 'Look and Say' Method of teaching reading in the 1950's and 60's where the language is repetitive for easy learning and memorisation of vocabulary. It has coloured illustrations of the children at play.schools, textbooks, school equipment, readers

A yellow hardcover fiction book for children with a coloured picture of children playing a game of red indians outside a decorated teepee. The girl is cooking with a pot over an outdoor fire and the boys are firing a bow and arrow and painting a pot. The title, The Prize is printed at the at the top of the cover in red lettering surrounded by a boy and girl each side. Publisher details are at the bottom. The spine is brown tape. The back cover has a faded red advertisement for Pears Soap.There are advertisements on the endpapers at both front and back. There is foxing and tanning noted on the edges of the pages. There are stories and poems written by various authors and black and white illustrations and coloured plates throughout. The title page is very ornately decorated with a black and white floral design and covered by a tissue paper page. The coloured frontispiece is of three boys playing soldiers with one sitting on a rocking horse. There are Contents, Poetry and List of Illustrations pages. 164p.fictionA collection of varied stories and poems for young children - 1918 ed. There are practical articles as well, such as some on gardening.children's fiction, poetry

A cream paperback reader or textbook with black and red lettering on the front cover at the top for the title, Whitcombe's Vivid History Reader Grade V. A red, black and white illustration in a square, shows a soldier from ancient times peering through bushes at enemy soldiers around a campfire. Throughout are black and white maps, diagrams, photographs and illustrations. Inside the front and back covers are further Whitcombe and Tombs titles as well as on the outside of the back cover. Pp. 208.non-fictionA Vivid History Reader for Grade V - The British People in the Making, was specially written to meet the requirements of the Social Studies (History) Course in Victorian Elementary Schools. It is a series of vivid and realistic history readers attractively produced and illustrated for the enjoyment of girls and boys in their approach to history of their own land and of the wonderful countries overseas. children's books, handbooks, textbooks, history books

A large thick, heavy green hardcover Girl's Own Annual Volume 46 with a large square picture depicting two women walking in the snow holding bunches of holly. The title is in red print and there is holly surrounding the illustration. The spine has the title printed in gold lettering, holly leaves and Vol 46 in black type at the bottom. It is a 1924 edition of this series. The end papers show green tinted woods and a stream. The coloured frontispiece is of a woman decorating a Christmas Tree from the story - The Christmas Fairy. Tissue paper protects this page. The contents of the book are for girls and women with stories, knitting and sewing patterns, handy home hints, factual information and more. There is an emphasis on Royal Family life. Inside is a 1997 religious bookmark for a Ekankar Seminar, Brisbane Australia. A bookplate is pasted at the front of the book. non-fictionThe contents of the book are for girls and women with stories, knitting and sewing patterns, handy home hints, factual information and more. There is an emphasis on Royal Family life.books, children's books, awards, adventure stories, family life fiction, family life

A very damaged, stained red antique hardcover book for girls with the title printed in gold lettering in the middle of the front cover. There is a gold outlined drawing of a girl sitting looking out of a window. There are red flowers and green leaves decorating the cover. The spine has the title printed in gold letters with red flowers and green leaves.On the front right side end paper is an inscription for a Sabbath School award dated 1882. The frontispiece balck and white illustration is of a girl sitting at a table at a fair. Tissue paper protects it. The title page has the title, author Howe Benning as well as publisher details. 296Pp. Throughout are black and white illustrations. There are four pages at the back are lists of Recent Gift Books published by the Religious Tract Society. The spine is broken from the pages.fictionThe book is an example of a story dealing with a girl's (Margaret) life in America which is readable, pleasing and instructive, without the ordinary excitement of a love story. It has strong religious themes. It hopes that in many 'quiet corners" of our native land it may help to develop the spirit of self-sacrifice and true Christian thought for others.religious stories, family life fiction, stories for girls

A very marked and damaged brown fabric covered book with the faded title The Twins of Emu Plains printed on the front cover with twin girls sitting on a window seat reading a letter. The back cover has dried mould at the bottom and also inside at the back on some pages. The inside front and back of the spine is showing signs of breaking away from the covers. There are a few illustrated black and white plates. Foxing is seen on the edges of the pages. p.256.fictionTwin 16 year old sisters bravely assist their father on his farm while Emu Palins is in the grip of a disastrous and seemingly endless drought. Being young the twins treat trouble as a tremendous joke , and by their lightheartedness and practical help their harassed parents are able to carry on. Adventure and incident abound in this tale.adventure fiction, farm life fiction, drought - australia

A large red hardcover book with the title Goodnight Stories printed in blue lettering at the top with the publisher, Nelson at the right hand bottom corner. There is a coloured illustration of a young girl holding and feeding a white rabbit with a boy looking on. The spine has the title, a black outline drawing of a girl and the publisher at the bottom. Poems, rhymes and stories are illustrated with black lined illustrations and some coloured plates. 160p.fictionA collection of illustrated stories, nursery rhymes and poems for very young children by assorted authors. It has large print, wear on the front cover, some stains on the back cover, foxing on the edges of the pages. children's fiction., nursery rhymes

A large yellow covered hardcover fiction book for children with a coloured picture of Humpty Dumpty sitting on a brick wall. He is wearing green pants with yellow stars and red and white spotted bow around his middle. There is a drawing of a girl and boy either side of the title The Prize at the top of the cover. There are books and candles drawn at the bottom under the brick wall. The spine is blank. There are advertisements on the endpapers both front and back. There is foxing noted on the edges of the pages. On page 72 there is a loose insert of black and white portraits of five men and a woman who appear to be wearing sporting or school clothes. There are stories and poems written by various authors and black and white illustrations and coloured plates throughout. The title page is very ornately decorated with a black and white floral design. The coloured frontispiece is of Humpty Dumpty again. At the front there is a Contents and List of Illustrations page. 140p.fictionA collection of stories and poems for young children - Volume LXVI (66)children's fiction, poetry

A grey children's book with the title Ben Froggatt; or Little Lonesome printed in gold lettering on the front cover surrounded by black illustrations of plants, a highly patterned wide diagonal stripe with a circle at the bottom right showing inside it a boy looking at another boy lying on the ground. The back cover has a large black drawing of a plant. The spine has the title in gold at the top. There are some full page black and white illustrations and a list at the back of suggested books to read and give for Presentations. Some damage to pages and tanning. 151p.fictionA story about two young orphaned boys who have to make their way in the world. They have strong religious teachings from their grandmother and after she dies they struggle to survive. Through various hardships the main character Ben manages to make something of his simple life, marries a girl he adores and eventually is reunited with his long lost brother who has mended his ways.children's fiction, religious fiction

Seven girls from the Geelong Legacy Junior Club in the early 1930s. The motto at the bottom says 'The torch you threw to us we caught'. Margaret Burn is the girl on the far right and her family donated the photo. Margaret attended girls classes with Geelong Legacy in the 1930s and Legacy helped her find employment when she left school. Her family donated two photos and a Laurel Badge to Legacy.A very early photo showing Geelong Legacy were looking after the children of deceased soldiers.Sepia photo of seven girls with a banner of the Geelong Junior Legacy from about 1930.geelong legacy, girls classes, margaret burn

A group of children in Geelong who's fathers had served during the first World War. The RSSILA (precursor to the RSL) had held an event for them and took this photo which was then distributed to the families at Christmas 1919. Margaret Burn is possibly one in the front row and her family donated the photo. Margaret later attended girls classes with Geelong Legacy in the 1930s and Legacy helped her find employment when she left school. Her family donated two photos and a Laurel Badge to Legacy.A very early photo shows that Geelong RSSILA were looking after the children of soldiers.Sepia photo in a brown cardboard frame of many children taken at a RSSILA Geelong event in 1919.geelong legacy, margaret burn