Ismalia is a city in north-eastern Egypt. It would have been part of a booklet available during World War One. A black and white postcard showing a row of double storey housed behind a row of trees. This card was purchased by an Australian soldier, probably Henry Smerdon Holmes, during World War One. chatham-holmes family collection, ismailia, egypt, world war one, world war, ascot

The Roman Baths complex is a site of historical interest in the English city of Bath. The house is a well-preserved Roman site for public bathing. The Roman Baths themselves are below the modern street level. There are four main features: the Sacred Spring, the Roman Temple, the Roman Bath House and the Museum, holding finds from Roman Bath. The buildings above street level date from the 19th century. . Two black and white postcards of views of Bath. .1) Roman Circular Bath .2) Empire Hotel and Bridge, Bathchatham family archive, roman, bath

Erin's Isle was a paddle steamer built in 1912 by Messrs. A. & J. Inglis Pointhouse, Glasgow, for the Belfast and County Down Railway Company. It provided a regular service between Belfast Lough and Bangor, County Down in the summer season. In November 1915 it was requisitioned by the Admiralty, initially for transport purposes, and later as an auxiliary mine sweeper. Surviving World War One, this vessel as lost on 7 February 1919 after hitting a stray mine at the entrance of the Thames Estuary and immediately sank. There were 23 lives lost, and 28 survivors. Bangor is a city in Gwynedd Unitary Authority, north west Wales, and one of the smallest cities in Britain. This postcard was sent home to Australia by a six bob a day tourist, and member of the Australian AIF on active service. During leave soldiers often visited tourists sites, family, or towns important to their ancestral heritage.A view of paddle steamer with three moored mail steamers are visible to the left, and a pier and lamp on right. A ship can be seen iin distance on right. S.S Erin's Isle off down to Bangorchatham-holmes family collection, bangor, belfast, mail ships, steam ship, six bob a day tourist

The Great Bath is a massive pool, lined with 45 sheets of lead, and filled with hot spa water. It once stood in an enormous barrel-vaulted hall that rose to a height of 40 metres. For many Roman visitors this may have been the largest building they had ever entered in their life. The bath is 1.6 metres deep, which was ideal for bathing, and it has steps leading down on all sides. Niches around the baths would have held benches for bathers and possibly small tables for drinks or snacks. A large flat slab of stone is set across the point where hot water flows into the bath. It is known today as the diving stone. The Roman Baths complex is a site of historical interest in the English city of Bath. The house is a well-preserved Roman site for public bathing. The Roman Baths themselves are below the modern street level. There are four main features: the Sacred Spring, the Roman Temple, the Roman Bath House and the Museum, holding finds from Roman Bath. The buildings above street level date from the 19th century. Sepia postcard of a section of the Great Roman Bath at Bath, Somerset featuring the Diving Stone.printed verso: The Diving Stone in the great roman bath. The Diving stone, at the north-west corner of the great Roman Bath, still shows where the feet of bygone bathers wore away its surface. The hot mineral waters flowed into the bath through a channel under this stone. chatham-holmes family collection, bath, great roman bath, swimming pool

The Salisbury Clock Tower was built in memory of Arabella Roberts who died on 23 January 1892. The firm Smith of Derby installed the illuminated clock mechanism with four faces and was still responsible for maintenance when, in December 1970, it replaced the original gravity mechanism with a more modern movement. The original clock mechanism was sold to a customer in Providence, USA. In 1997, the new mechanism was completely refurbished and updated to include automatic adjustment for British Summer Time. At the same time the tower itself was restored, the main contractors for this work being R. Moulding and Co of South Newton. Smith of Derby continues to be responsible for maintaining the clock, and so this firm has now been providing a service to the City for over 100 years. Sepia photographic postcard depicting a bridge and road lined with buildings and a clock tower in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England.salisbury, clock tower, chatham-holmes family collection, carriage, bridge

Salisbury is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England, and the only city within the county. It is the 2nd-largest settlement in the county with a population of 40 302, between Chippenham at 35 800 and Swindon at 209 156. (Wikipedia)Black and white photographic postcard showing a road lined with three storey buildings. chatham-holmes family collection, salisbury, postcard

auchiehall Street /ˈsʌxihɔːl/ is one of the main shopping/business streets in the city centre of Glasgow, Scotland. Along with Buchanan Street and Argyle Street, it forms the main shopping area of Glasgow, containing the majority of Glasgow's high street and chain stores.[1] Although commonly associated with the city centre, Sauchiehall street is over 11⁄2 miles (2.5 km) long, finally meeting Argyle Street in the West End, in front of the Kelvingrove Museum, where they form Dumbarton Road which continues through Partick. The two streets run parallel through the city centre, before starting to conjoin westward of the M8 motorway at Charing Cross. (Wikipedia)Colour postcard of a street with cars, double decker buses and four storey buildings. The street is Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, Scotland.chatham-holmes family collection, glasgow, scotland, double decker bus

The Château de Malmaison is a country house in the city of Rueil-Malmaison about 12 km from Paris. It was formerly the residence of Joséphine de Beauharnais and, with the Tuileries, was from 1800 to 1802 the headquarters of the French government. (Wikipedia)A black and white postcard showing a garden setting with rose in the foreground. It is the garden of Chateau de la Malmaison, Rueil, France.chatham-holmes family collection, chateau de la malmaison, reiel, garden, france

WW1 Holmes Family souvenir. Bath is famous for its mineral water bath. The Roman Baths complex is a site of historical interest in the English city of Bath. The house is a well-preserved Roman site for public bathing. The Roman Baths themselves are below the modern street level. There are four main features: the Sacred Spring, the Roman Temple, the Roman Bath House and the Museum, holding finds from Roman Bath. The buildings above street level date from the 19th century. WW1 Australian Soldier's memorabiliaBlack and white postcard showing a number of chairs and tables in the Pump House at Bath, England.bath, pump house, chatham-holmes family collection, world war 1, postcard

Aden is a seaport city in Yemen, located by the eastern approach to the Red Sea (the Gulf of Aden), some 170 kilometres east of Bab-el-Mandeb. Aden was the capital of the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen until that country's unification with the Yemen Arab Republic. On that occasion, the city was declared a free trade zone.[citation needed] Aden gives its name to the Gulf of Aden. (Wikipedia)Black and white postcard showing Sheikh Ahmed's Tomb at Steamer Point, Aden. A number of camels are walking down the road. chatham-holmes family collection, aden, sheikh ahmed tomb, postcard, hotel de l'europe

The Château de Malmaison is a country house in the city of Rueil-Malmaison about 12 km from Paris. It was formerly the residence of Joséphine de Beauharnais and, with the Tuileries, was from 1800 to 1802 the headquarters of the French government. (Wikipedia)Black and white postcard of a three storey chateau. It was the manor house Joséphine de Beauharnais who bought the house in April 1799 for herself and her husband, General Napoléon Bonaparte, the future Napoléon I of France.chatham-holmes family collection, rueil, napoleon, henry smerdon holmes

Mesen (Messines in French, historically used in English) is a city located in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises of one main settlement, the town of Mesen proper. (Wikipedia) Two large battles were fought at Messines during World War One. Black and white postcard of a windmill at Messines, Belgium. chatham-holmes family collection, windmill, messines, moulin, world war, world war 1, world war one, belgium

Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery (BMAG) first opened in 1885. It is housed in a Grade II* listed city centre landmark building. There are over 40 galleries to explore that display art, applied art, social history, archaeology and ethnography.Black and white postcard showing a grand four storey building with clock tower. It is the new Art Gallery in Birmingham. chatham-holmes family collection, birmingham, birmingham art gallery, postcard, clock tower, world war one

Holmes Family WW1 memorabilia Château de Malmaison is a country house in the city of Rueil-Malmaison about 12 km from Paris. It was formerly the residence of Joséphine de Beauharnais. She bought the house in April 1799 for herself and her husband, General Napoléon Bonaparte. From 1800 to 1802 the headquarters of the French government. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ch%C3%A2teau_de_Malmaison, accessed 11/07/2014(Black and White postcard of a double storey chateau in France.chatham-holmes family collection, mailmaison, france, world war one, napoleon, postcard

Gordon Spittle was the youngest of Three brothers. He grew up in Creswick and attended Creswick Grammar School. Gordon purchased 'Mt Cavern' in 1912. It had 4 years of a 10 year lease to run. His mother and father took delivery of it on 1 April 1916. They lived there and farmed it until Gordon returned from active service in May 1919. S. Gordon Spittle married Violet Holmes and both lived at "Mt Cavern" until their deaths. Gordon died in 1942 aged 51. Violet Holmes-Spittle died in 1949 aged 56. Handwritten lower front 'Do we look down hearted?' Handwritten verso 'Egypt, March 23rd 1916. Dear Mrs Troup. Your very fine and interesting letter dated Feb 15th came to hand to-day and needless to add was delighted to receive it, and can promise you that I'll answer it at my earliest opportunity. We are now having a better time since we came to this part, as we are able to enjoy a little of city life, although we have a good deal more work to do, & which is mostly carting goods to & from the ships & railway stations etc, all of which is interesting & quite a change from our life on the Desert. Hope this card finds you in good health. I will now have to say au revoir for the present with kindest regards to Mr Troup, self and family. From your very sincere friends, A. Gordon Spittle."Two uniformed Australian soldiers pose for a photograph during World War One.chatham family archive, chatham, holmes, world war, world war 1, world war i, world war one, france, spittle, gordon spittle

The donor, whose parents owned an antique shop believed that the evening coat was owned by the family of Cr Morris Nathan and his wife Margaret Frances, nee MacKay. Maurice Nathan was born in Kew in 1914 and died in East Melbourne in 1982. He was a student of Trinity Grammar School, Kew. He was Lord Mayor, and his wife Lady Mayoress, of the City of Melbourne for two terms between 1961 and 1963. The age of the coat, created in a design typical of the 1920s would suggest that it is of an earlier vintage, almost certainly dating from the 1920s, but perhaps earlier. The opulence of the sequinned and beaded embroidery have led to the supposition that it may be an opera coat inherited from an earlier generation.Three quarter length, red and cream silk, padded evening coat highlighted on the cuffs and hem with iridescent sequins, beading and pearls of different shapes and sizes. These decorative features are arranged in a formal design, particularly at centre back. Above the beaded sections are sunbursts outlined in gold beads.Trimmed rabbit fur at collar and cuffs. The sleeves are shaped above the embroidered sections while the hem features a zig-zag profile. MEASUREMENTS - Neck to hem front 93cm; Neck to hem back 100cm; Circumference 126cm; Shoulder to cuff 72cm; Shoulder width 36cm.Traditionally, pre acquisition, stored in brown suitcase embossed in gilt with the name R. NATHANevening jackets, opera coats, fashion -- 1920s

From the outset the Ithacan Philanthropic held at least one family picnic a year. They either took place at a popular seaside locations or at popular picnic sites in the nearby hills around Melbourne. The first annual picnic was held in 1918. The Ithacan Greeks worked long hours in family food and restaurant businesses in Melbourne. On Sundays the shops were closed so it was seen as an opportunity to relax outdoors away from the city. The Ithacan Philanthropic Society continues this tradition holding an annual picnic in late summer.A black and white panoramic photograph of a large picnic group of men, women and children standing in an open area with trees around the perimeter. Eight children are sitting on the ground in front of the adults and a group of ladies are sitting on a bench to the left of the group. Some of the party are holding long walking sticks which must have been used when they went on a hike or walk.families, picnics, leisure time.

The photograph was taken in Brisbane in June 2017 when seven Melbourne IPS members arrived in Brisbane on an interstate trip, during which they caught up with members of Brisbane's Ithacan community. Over the years the Ithacan Philanthropic Society has organised a number of interstate trips to visit fellow Ithacans who have settled in other Australian capital cities. Interstate trips have provided the opportunity for family reunions and also served to maintain the links of the Ithacan community across Australia. Soon after the establishment of the Ithacan Philanthropic Society was established in Melbourne in 1916, there was a move by the committee to expand their footprint and it established representatives in every capital city. Ultimately the vision of a national society was not realised.A coloured digital photograph of seven ladies sitting at a table in a cafe.

After a quiet period, interest in bookplates in Australia began to increase in the early 1970s, This example was commissioned from Andrew Thomas a Ballarat photographer and designer by Michael Taffe owner of Hymettus at Ballarat in the 1990s and is a computer assisted design. It incorporates the generational family home, Hymettus and the family coat of arms with the owner's signature.Bookplate from Hymettus Cottage and Garden, first open to the public in 1917 as champion garden City of Ballaarat. the bookmark indicates the book it is affixed to was part of the family library in the house and represents four generations from 19th, 20th and 21st centuries a rare phenomenon in urban Australia.Bookplate depicts "Hymettus", a weatherboard cottage behind a paling fence with cottage name above image and family crest below.Signature of M. J. Taffe.ballarat, bookplate, hymettus, taaffe, taffe, andrew thomas

This majestic peacock embodies the technical achievement, skill and ingenuity of artisans during the 19th century. It is now known as the 'Loch Ard Peacock' and was designed and modelled in 1873 by Paul Comolera (1818-1897) and fired in one piece at the Minton factory at Stoke-on-Trent in the United Kingdom in 1875. The peacock has been portrayed in symbolic motifs and has figured heavily in folktales and fables since antiquity, and many cultures around the world see it as a symbol of beauty, rebirth and power. Wealthy Victorians loved majolica, and the large peacock would have been the ultimate home accessory as a conservatory ornament – combining their desire for nature, the exotic and vibrant colours. The peacock model was listed in catalogues by Minton & Co. for a retail price of 35 guineas or sold as a pair for 90 guineas. Minton & Co. was founded in 1793 by Thomas Minton (1765–1836) and became a famous pottery and porcelain manufacturer. Comolera was a French artist and sculptor, renowned for dramatic naturalistic forms and life-size renditions of birds and animals that won him admiration in public and artistic circles. He was employed by Minton & Co. from 1873 to 1880, and the life-sized peacock became his best-known work. Comolera kept a live peacock loaned from the nearby Duke of Sutherland's Trentham Hall Estate in his studio to create a life-size model of fine buff earthenware model, which was then hand painted in brilliantly coloured green and blue glazes to mimic the peafowl’s dazzling plumage. There are no surviving production records, but according to documents in the Minton Archive, nine peacocks were made by Comolera. However, today, some historians now believe that twelve were fired at the Minton factory; research is ongoing. These peacocks were so admired that Minton & Co. used them as exhibition showpieces at International Exhibitions in London, Paris, and the United States of America, ensuring the company had a worldwide reputation. So, when Melbourne hosted an International Exposition in 1880, Minton & Co. sent out ceramics and tiles, and in particular, this peacock was intended to be part of their exhibit in the British Court in the Exhibition Building, built in the Carlton Gardens. The early dispatch date (1878) indicates that the company may have intended to exhibit their wares, including the peacock, at the 1879 Sydney International Exhibition, but the company did not take up this option. The ship that Minton & Co. used to bring the peacock and their other wares to the Australian colonies was the ill-fated Loch Ard, which sunk after striking Mutton Bird Island near Port Campbell, Victoria, in calm foggy weather in June 1878 on the final leg of the ship's journey to Melbourne. The loss of 52 lives made it one of Victoria’s worst shipwrecks. Therefore, this peacock never made it to the grand exposition in Melbourne, as Minton & Co. had planned. Charles McGillivray dragged this peacock, still in its original packing case, onto the beach in the gorge just two days after the Loch Ard went down. The peacock was rescued unscathed apart from a chip on its beak (only repaired in 1988). After a disagreement with a Melbourne Customs Officer, Joseph Daish, McGillivray stopped his salvage operations, leaving the peacock on the beach. The second salvagers were James Miller and Thomas Keys. Miller was a member of the firm Howarth, Miller and Matthews, Geelong, who had brought the salvage rights to the Loch Ard wreck on 10 June. When Miller and Keys arrived at the wreck site, a storm had washed many of the salvaged goods, including this peacoc,k back into the sea. The two men found the peacock in its case ‘bobbing along in the water’ and pulled it back to the beach. To ensure the peacock wasn't washed out to sea again, Miller and Keys hauled the packing case containing the peacock up the gorge's cliff face to the top, ready to be transported. In an interview in 1928, Keys claimed that at the time of the rescue, the head had broken from the body. This account was proven to be true in 1988, following the birds' display in Brisbane. This peacock began its life in Australia, not in the grandeur of an International Exhibition as intended, but in the hallway of a simple domestic house in Geelong. It appears Minton & Co. did not attempt to buy this peacock back. Florence Miller, daughter of James Miller (Loch Ard salvage rights holder), later remarked that the only item of real value rescued from the wreck had been the peacock and that this had been kept by her father in the family home at Malvern for many years and became a treasured family possession. As such, this 'Loch Ard peacock' was almost forgotten and mistaken with other Minton peacocks around the world. Miss Florence Miller tried to sell the peacock due to financial difficulties in the 1930s but was unsuccessful. While attempting to sell her Loch Ard relic, it was displayed in the window of the old Argus newspaper office, which was at 76 Collins Street, Melbourne; the Argus had relocated to the corner of Elizabeth and La Trobe Streets in 1926. Between 1935 and 1939, the old Argus building was occupied by the Joshua N. McClelland Print Room, which sold not only paintings and prints but also antiques and authentic replicas, as well as hosting exhibitions. Miss Florence Miller loaned her peacock for display at the Victorian Historical Exhibition held in the National Gallery on 1st June 1935, the 57th anniversary of the Loch Ard wreck. As a result, the peacock attracted public attention in books, newspapers and magazine articles that told the story of its survival from a shipwreck. Miss Florence Miller was keen to sell the peacock, even writing overseas to Captain Blain on November 30th, 1938, about the possibility of a sale, but this became no longer possible due to the outbreak of war. Recent information points to the Loch Ard peacock being owned by John S R Heath before its sale to Frank Ridley-Lee in May 1941. Research is ongoing, but it seems likely that John Samuel Robert Heath, a leading Melbourne dentist with a practice in Collins Street, and his wife, a dental mechanic, had purchased Miss Miller’s Loch Ard peacock before its sale in 1941. They were lovers of fine arts, music, wine and food. The peacock in the window of the old Argus building could have attracted their attention as they had already purchased the old stone Presbyterian Church on Warrigal Road, Oakleigh, in 1933 and had converted its interior. The home, renamed The Studio, even included Melbourne’s first all-electric kitchen. The peacock was perfect for display in the Studio’s entrance. A magazine article published after the conversion was completed included photographs of the interior. The picture of the ‘portico’ had a caption below that stated, “Some of her [Mrs Heath’s] finest pottery was salvaged from the Loch Ard Wreck”. In 2025, Heath’s two remaining sons remember running around in the entrance with the peacock standing there, oblivious to its value. Heath was an accomplished artist, studying under Max Meldrum. He painted and exhibited his works at The Studio and in a public exhibition, and he was a finalist eight times in the coveted Archibald Prize portrait competition, including the submission of his self-portrait that is now part of his grandson’s collection. The next owner of the Loch Ard Peacock was Frank Ridley-Lee. He displayed it at his home in Ivanhoe after buying it at an auction in May 1941. The peacock remained in the hands of the Ridley-Lee family until it was offered for sale by auction in 1975 as part of an art collection belonging to Mrs Ridley-Lee's estate. The peacock was not sold at this time, as the reserve price of $4500 was not met. This news was passed on to the board of the newly created Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village. Urgent efforts were made to collect the necessary money through fundraising by the Warrnambool City Council and public donations. The Fletcher Jones Company and the Victorian Government contributed half the cost. On 9 September 1975, the Loch Ard peacock was purchased by Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village, and it found a new home at the maritime museum. Since then, it has only left Warrnambool twice. Firstly, in 1980, at the centenary celebrations of the Royal Exhibition Building in Melbourne, and secondly, in 1988, the peacock was given pride of place at the entrance to the Victorian Pavilion at the Brisbane World Expo, acknowledging that this Minton Majolica peacock is the most significant shipwreck object in Australia. The Minton majolica peacock is considered of historical social and aesthetic significance to Victoria and is one of only a few 'objects' registered on the Victorian Heritage Register (H 2132), as it is a most notable and rare object associated with the Minton factory of the 1870s and works by the celebrated sculptor Paul Comolera along with the wreck of the Loch Ard on the Victorian coastline. This Minton peacock is historically significant for its rarity; it was one of only 9-12 known to exist. The shipwreck of the Loch Ard is also of significance for Victoria and is registered on the Victorian Heritage Register Ref (S 417). Flagstaff Hill has a varied collection of artefacts from Loch Ard and its collection is significant for being one of the largest accumulation of artefacts from this notable Victorian shipwreck. The collections object is to also give us a snapshot into history so we can interpret the story of this tragic event. The collection is also archaeologically significant as it represents aspects of Victoria's shipping history that allows us to interpret Victoria's early social and historical themes. The collection is historically significant is that it is associated, unfortunately with the worst and best-known shipwreck in Victoria's history. The peacock, resplendent in polychrome glaze, stands perched on a rocky plinth decorated with vines, leaves, flowers, blackberries and wild mushrooms. The peacock’s breast is cobalt blue; the wings and legs are in naturalistic colours. The tail is a mass of feathers coloured in green, ochre blue and brown — a fantastic display of artistry and Minton expertise. Inscribed at the base :P Comolera, and a Minton & Co. design number: 2045.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, loch ard, loch ard gorge, peacock, paul comolera, victorian heritage register, minton peacock, minton & co., stoke upon trent, bird figures, mintons, ceramics, international expositions, majolica, naturalistic, staffordshire, john samuel robert heath, peacock statue, loch ard peacock, majorca peacock

Aspinall Family - Roy Aspinall - Newspaper Articles and Personal FactsOwner, Highway Bowls Centre ; Chairman, Dandenong Retailer Traders Association ; Freelance Journalist ; Member, Noble Park Rotary ; Member, Sandown Racecourse ; Member, City of Greater Dandenong Drug and Alcohol Advisory Committee ; Recipient, Centenary Of Federation Medalmargaret aspinall, bowls, highway bowls centre, roy aspinall, sandown racecourse, dandenong retail traders association, journalist, freelance journalist, drug and alcohol advisory committee, centenary of federation medal

A5 size publication of the Gipps-Land Gate, January 1979, 16 pages, featuring an old picture of Dandenong on the cover. Keeping Posted "What ON Earth IS That" Those Skilful Photographers Titcher's 95 Years In Main Street - Our City's Oldest Business Harking Back 75 Years Ago When Muddy Quagmires Bogged Down The Pioneers Setting The Record Straight An interesting group of Early Dandenong Personalities, Places and Eventshotel history, early education in dandenong, interesting milestones, family histories