'Fairyland' at 57 Malmsbury Street, Kew - the home and garden of Jim and Grace Tabulo - was a major local, state and international tourist attraction from the 1940s to the mid 1960s. The Kew Historical Society's collection contains original photographs, visitor books and items that were once displayed in the house by the Tabulos. Grace Tabulo died in 1973 and is buried with her husband Jim in the Boroondara General Cemetery (PRES B 1973). Following her death at the age of 88, the house was sold and its contents distributed. The cottage is now a private residence. The 'Fairyland' collection is of local and statewide significance, as a varied and comprehensive record of this major Melbourne tourist attraction. Original, small, black and white photographic positive, of items displayed in the rear garden of 'Fairyland', at 57 Malmsbury Street, Kew.fairyland, 57 malmsbury street -- kew (vic.), grace tabulo, jim tabulo

'Fairyland' at 57 Malmsbury Street, Kew - the home and garden of Jim and Grace Tabulo - was a major local, state and international tourist attraction from the 1940s to the mid 1960s. The Kew Historical Society's collection contains original photographs, visitor books and items that were once displayed in the house by the Tabulos. Grace Tabulo died in 1973 and is buried with her husband Jim in the Boroondara General Cemetery (PRES B 1973). Following her death at the age of 88, the house was sold and its contents distributed. The cottage is now a private residence. The 'Fairyland' collection is of local and statewide significance, as a varied and comprehensive record of this major Melbourne tourist attraction. Original, small, black and white photographic positive, of a woman and two children in the rear garden of 'Fairyland', at 57 Malmsbury Street, Kew.fairyland, 57 malmsbury street -- kew (vic.), grace tabulo, jim tabulo

'Fairyland' at 57 Malmsbury Street, Kew - the home and garden of Jim and Grace Tabulo - was a major local, state and international tourist attraction from the 1940s to the mid 1960s. The Kew Historical Society's collection contains original photographs, visitor books and items that were once displayed in the house by the Tabulos. Grace Tabulo died in 1973 and is buried with her husband Jim in the Boroondara General Cemetery (PRES B 1973). Following her death at the age of 88, the house was sold and its contents distributed. The cottage is now a private residence. The 'Fairyland' collection is of local and statewide significance, as a varied and comprehensive record of this major Melbourne tourist attraction. Original, small, black and white photographic positive, of items displayed in the garden of 'Fairyland', at 57 Malmsbury Street, Kew.fairyland, 57 malmsbury street -- kew (vic.), grace tabulo, jim tabulo

The Alexandra Gardens in Cotham Road, Kew were opened by the Governor of Victoria in 1910. The first curator of the gardens was George Pockett, who with his brother is credited with the layout of the gardens. The gardens were constructed on land originally owned by the King family of 'Madford' in Wellington Street. The land on which the gardens were developed was originally the back paddock of 'Madford' which was purchased by the Borough of Kew in 1906.A rare and early photograph of the gardens showing clearly the changes to the layout and planting during the 1920s. Small, sepia coloured photographic positive of a woman standing beside a path and bridge in the Alexandra Gardens in Cotham Road, Kew.Annotation verso: "Alexandra Gardens Kew 1927"parks and gardens -- kew (vic.), alexandra gardens -- kew (vic.), george pockett

The Alexandra Gardens in Cotham Road, Kew were opened by the Governor of Victoria in 1910. The first curator of the gardens was George Pockett, who with his brother is credited with the layout of the gardens. The gardens were constructed on land originally owned by the King family of 'Madford' in Wellington Street. The land on which the gardens were developed was originally the back paddock of 'Madford' which was purchased by the Borough of Kew in 1906.A rare and early photograph of the gardens showing clearly the changes to the layout and planting during the 1920s. Small, sepia coloured photographic positive of a woman with a suitcase standing on a gravel path in front of a semi-circular garden bed in the Alexandra Gardens in Cotham Road, Kew. The main plantings in the rock-bordered bed are varieties of palms. A wooden bridge can be seen to the woman's leftAnnotation verso: "Alexandra Gardens Kew 1927"parks and gardens -- kew (vic.), alexandra gardens -- kew (vic.), george pockett

The Alexandra Gardens in Cotham Road, Kew were opened by the Governor of Victoria in 1910. The first curator of the gardens was George Pockett, who with his brother is credited with the layout of the gardens. The gardens were constructed on land originally owned by the King family of 'Madford' in Wellington Street. The land on which the gardens were developed was originally the back paddock of 'Madford' which was purchased by the Borough of Kew in 1906.A rare and early photograph of the gardens showing clearly the changes to the layout and planting during the 1920s. Small, sepia coloured photographic positive of a woman standing on the grass in front of a garden bed in the Alexandra Gardens in Cotham Road, Kew. The Centennial Rotunda, built in 1910, can be seen in the background. Annotation verso: "Alexandra Gardens Kew 1927"parks and gardens -- kew (vic.), alexandra gardens -- kew (vic.), george pockett

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 entrance to Villa Alba, 44 Walmer Street, Kew, 3101, in 2001. The transparency shows the grey rendered entry, viewed from the east, looking west. At this stage a wing of the hospital abutted the portico. The hospital wing was subsequently demolished and a Victorian era garden reinstated based on an original plan."Villa Alba 2001 / Les Littlechild photo"villa alba museum, mount royal hospital, historic houses -- kew (vic.), victorian architecture -- melbourne (vic.)

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 oolour 35mm slide, framed in a plastic mount, of the entrance to Villa Alba, 44 Walmer Street, Kew, 3101. The transparency shows the grey rendered tower, viewed from the east, looking west. At this stage a wing of the hospital abutted the south facade. The hospital wing was subsequently demolished and a Victorian era garden reinstated based on an original plan."Villa Alba exterior"villa alba museum, historic houses -- kew (vic.), victorian architecture -- melbourne (vic.), mount royal hospital

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 entrance to Villa Alba, 44 Walmer Street, Kew, 3101. The transparency shows the grey rendered portico, viewed from the west, looking east. At this stage a wing of the hospital abutted the portico. The hospital wing was subsequently demolished and a Victorian era garden reinstated based on an original plan."Villa Alba ext"villa alba museum, historic houses -- kew (vic.), victorian architecture -- melbourne (vic.), mount royal hospital

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 entrance to Villa Alba, 44 Walmer Street, Kew, 3101. The transparency shows the grey rendered portico, viewed from the east, looking west. At this stage a wing of the hospital abutted the portico. The hospital wing was subsequently demolished and a Victorian era garden reinstated based on an original plan."Villa Alba ext"villa alba museum, historic houses -- kew (vic.), victorian architecture -- melbourne (vic.), mount royal hospital

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 rear of the building, viewed from the east, looking west. A two storey wing of the Mount Royal Hospital, facing Nolan Avenue is at the right. The slide shows a set of wire gates separating the east garden of Villa Alba from the main house."Villa Alba"villa alba museum, mount royal hospital, historic houses -- kew (vic.), victorian architecture -- melbourne (vic.)

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 oolour 35mm slide, framed in a plastic mount, of the entrance to Villa Alba, 44 Walmer Street, Kew, 3101. The transparency shows the grey rendered portico, viewed from the west, looking east. At this stage a wing of the hospital abutted the portico. The hospital wing was subsequently demolished and a Victorian era garden reinstated based on an original plan."Villa Alba ext"villa alba museum, historic houses -- kew (vic.), victorian architecture -- melbourne (vic.), mount royal hospital

The extensive formal landscaped gardens of Rockingham had been created in the 1860s, and by the 1950s remained bordered to the south by the Barkers Road cutting, and to the north by Blytheswood, the neighbouring Syme family property, By 1940, the Syme family were no longer the occupiers of Rockingham. John Herbert Syme had died in October 1939, and by August the following year, his wife had made the house and garden available, rent free to the Red Cross as a convalescent home for Australian soldiers injured in the Second World War. At the time, the house was described as containing twenty rooms, including a ballroom and a billiards room, with a garden of eight acres overlooking the Yarra. The task of renovating the house to conform to its new function as a convalescent home took a year, finally opening in August 1941. Community support for Rockingham was widespread and included the decision by the National Gallery of Victoria to loan pictures from its collection to decorate the walls. Calls were made for women around Victoria to donate fruit and vegetables from their gardens, which the railways agreed to freight for free. Other local support included the work by a team of boys to establish a three-acre vegetable garden within the formal terraced gardens. From the beginning, occupational therapy formed a key component of the rehabilitation of psychologically injured soldiers. This is confirmed by contemporary newspaper accounts of weaving, ironwork, leatherwork, basketry and gardening by patients. Numerous photographs, held by the Australian War Memorial (AWM) and the State Library of Victoria (SLV), record the importance of these rehabilitation activities. The painting of the view across the river to Abbotsford may have been painted in one of these occupational therapy sessions. For many decades it hung in the occupational therapy room. It must have been on view following the sale of Rockingham by the Syme family to the Red Cross in 1955, and subsequently, until the house was demolished and its grounds finally subdivided in 1977.View of Abbotsford from the garden of Rockingham (1952) was created by V Maloney. The vantage point of the artist was the garden of Rockingham, one of two mansions overlooking the Yarra owned by the Syme family. The artwork depicts a number of sites - especially factories - that have since been demolished.Signed by the artist, lower right "V Maloney"rockingham red cross convalescent home, hospitals - kew (vic), rosemary lade, art therapy

Ron Setford and his wife Grace Setford lived in Tanner Avenue, East Kew, from c.1946 to c.1995. A keen photographer, he recorded the changing face of Kew over a 20 year period. Apart from 30 photographs of built structures and places in Kew dating from 1960 and 1961, 145 of his 35mm colour slides chronicle the development of the Eastern Freeway through the Yarra Valley over a five year period from c.1972 to c.1977. This important collection was donated to the Society by his granddaughter in 2025.This collection of 175 35mm slides is of local and statewide significance, owing to its subject matter, particularly the major development of road transport infrastructure during the 1970s with the construction of the Eastern Freeway. The photographer also took care to annotate and date most of his slides which enable the researcher to pinpoint temporal and spatial locations.Nilron setford, gardens. - kew (vic.)

This work forms part of the collection assembled by the historian Dorothy Rogers, that was donated to the Kew Historical Society by her son John Rogers in 2015. The manuscripts, photographs, maps, and documents were sourced by her from both family and local collections or produced as references for her print publications. Many were directly used by Rogers in writing ‘Lovely Old Homes of Kew’ (1961) and 'A History of Kew' (1973), or the numerous articles on local history that she produced for suburban newspapers. Most of the photographs in the collection include detailed annotations in her hand.The Rogers Collection provides a comprehensive insight into the working habits of a historian in the 1960s and 1970s. Together it forms the largest privately-donated collection within the archives of the Kew Historical Society.'Roseneath' was constructed in stages in the I850s by John Ambrose Kitchen, a soap-maker. In 1870 the brick house received an N.A.V. of £60 while in 1885 it was purchased by Edward John Dunn, a geologist. A new wing was built at the right side of the house and several rooms as well as the coach house, loft and groom's quarters were added. In 1903, during Dunn's ownership, the property was described as having eight roorns. The garden is recorded as having been designed by Baron von Mueller who was the Government Botanist from 1853. Source: City of Kew Urban Conservation Study, 1988"32"historic houses -- kew (vic.), roseneath -- pakington street -- kew (vic.)