CEMA Art Collection Previously located in History HouseThe painting depicts a small building surrounded by trees and shrubs. The building is completed in shades of white and grey with green window frames and door, and a pink/orange roof. Behind this is a partial view of another small building depicted in shades of pink. Surrounding the buildings are shrubs and trees of various shapes and sizes. The shrubs in the foreground are completed in various shades of green, yellow and pink. The work is unframed and glued to a piece of faded blue cardboard.Front: I. Watson '67 (yellow paint, bottom right corner) Back: Green label: Artist: Ina Watson 3 Palmer Street Portland Vic 3305 Title: Miss Beauvaise's Cottage (where Darby & Joan flat's now stand) Yellow Sticker: 3021 Yellow Sticker: 8 1999 written in pencilcema, female artists, female, women

Timetable board, giving details of first and last trams, weekdays, Sat and Sun. To 'City', with mounting holes, lettered on one side only. Reverse side painted black. Was located at Grey St on Sebastopol - not 100% positive about this.Demonstrates a SECV timetable signs that were located at various points on the tram system,Sheet metal sign, black background, white letters, painted.ballarat trams, timetable boards, secv street furniture

Produced by Sands and McDougall Pty Ltd of Collins St Melbourne. Map - folded sheet of paper 5 sections wide x 6 sections or folds deep contained within a dark grey paper cover titled "Map of Melbourne and Suburbs showing Tramways, Railways, Streets, postal districts, Quarter-Mile Radii etc", showing both cable and electric tramways. verted, but not Market St to Port Melbourne or South Melbourne. Shows the Collins St line being constructed. Collins St routes were opened late 1929, map produced during the early 1930's prior to the closure of Market St - Port Melbourne. Has a detailed list of the postal districts.trams, tramways, maps, melbourne, cable trams, tramways, railways

Report - 26 pages, printed, contained and stapled within a grey "Roneo Numeralpha System" folder, titled "Report on Traffic Congestion", containing a Victorian Parliamentary Report, dated 1919 with titled "Report of Board appointed to investigate the problem of relieving congestion of traffic in Melbourne." Full title "Report of Board Appointed to Investigate the problem of Relieving Congestion of Traffic in Melbourne" The Board or "Traffic Board" comprised 5 representatives of Councils, MMTB, Railways and the Public Works Department includes comments on growth of Melbourne, railways, tramways, new arterial roads, subways, new bridge at Spencer St, regulation of street traffic, looks at new tramway routes, hours works and provides a summary of recommendations including drawings for new arterial roads, graphs and roads / tramway layouts in two chain wide roads. Note: This document is available as a pdf on the Parliament of Victoria website. Second copy - unbound as printed, stapled on the left hand side, from McComb collection, box 10 - added 5/1/2017. added a 2nd copy from Russell Jones (28/05/22). Poor quality copy.Has in ink on the bottom edge "17th June 1919", Copy 2 - "H. Lormer"? in ink in the top right hand corner.trams, tramways, mmtb, general scheme, tramways, development, parliament, spencer st, railways, finances, construction, traffic control

Report - approx. 55 A4 photocopied sheets - bound with white comb binding, with embossed leather imitation grey card covers, titled "Symposium 'Electric Traction Systems' ", presented by the Institution of Engineers Australia, Vic Div, Tues 6/5/1975. Contains three papers: 1 - "Electricity of Transportation" - R. G. Chapman, SEC 2 - "Electric vehicles for Street Transport:" - F. D. Snell - MMTB 3 - "Electric Railways" - A. Firth - VR Paper 2 looks at the history of the MMTB system, the W class tram, control systems, lack of new trams in the 1960's, ordering of the Z class tram, its specification and manufacture, 980, 1041 and other forms of public transport on roads - trolley buses, gadgetbahns, and lots of possibilities of new systems including battery vehicles.On rear in ink in top right hand corner "D. W. Lees"trams, tramways, reports, mmtb, tramcars, pcc class, z class, melbourne, history, trolley buses, electrical engineering, controllers

Peaked Cap - MMTB - grey cloth exterior (Yarra Trams grey), red cotton interior lining with brown leather pad on the inside, with a black plastic external peak and green on the inside of the cap. Has a manufacturers lable inside the cap - made by Emerco Australia. Has a white size label. Advised by the donor that the cap was specifically made for him by Yarra when he was doing street work as the Malvern Tram Depot Senior Driver Trainer. Size 7 3/8, - 59.trams, tramways, uniforms, cap, yarra trams

(From Glen Stuart). Photos taken from Centenary Bridge c1947. HMS Glory (inner East). HMS Implacable (outer East). HMS Indefatigable (outer West). Unknown freighter at Inner West. Ships still in wartime grey and used to transport personnel and equipment back to Australia after the war, before returning to England. PMHPS assume that these five photos (3354.01 - .05) were taken on the same day. See Glen Stuart's comment above although this photo has been taken from the Princes Street jetty beside Centenary Bridge looking back towards Beach Street. HMS Glory, Implacable and Indefatigable with attendant destroyers Tuscan and Armada arrived in Port Melbourne on 23 January 1946 and returned to England in 1947. [This series of photos 3354.01 - .05 as well as 3361 and 3362 came to PMHPS from the Moe Historical Society via the St Kilda Historical Society. Notations in pencil on the back along the left had edge indicate they came from "C W Ward photo, 355 High St, Prahran, Melbourne". Each photo bears the date 9-12-1947 in the top left corner. It is not known what this date refers to. Possibly it is when the photo was printed. Another notation on each photo says "Port Melbourne, taken in 1920". This is definitely incorrect and "NOT" has been written underneath this comment.]View from Princes Street jetty of London Family Hotel, Swallow and Ariell & children bathing. Small photo of Boat No 9 has been pasted at corner. C W Ward photo, 355 High St, Prahran, Melbournebeach street, natural environment - beaches and foreshore, hotels, built environment - commercial, london family hotel, swallow & ariell ltd

This painting was inspired by an original painting by Wilhelm Melby held at the National Gallery of Victoria. Melby is a Danish artist (1824-1882). It depicts a famous Devonshire coastal region famous now for its lighthouse and the pick up point for the pilot when entering waters approaching Dartmouth. The sailing vessels pre-date the construction of the famous lighthouse. Over the centuries the view would have been familiar to many sailors as they left or approached the English mainland and south coast ports in the English Channel. Madeline Mary Ravenna Lewellin (1854 – 24 November 1944) was born in Victoria to Dr John Henry Hill Lewellin, a physician, and Grace Elizabeth (née Danneby). She was one of five daughters, and the family lived in Prahran. Lewellin's brother, Captain Herbert Gordon Hill Lewellin, was a commander in the P. and O. fleet (apprentice on the Romanoff, Lieutenant RNR on the HMS Arethusa in 1899, RMS Mongolia in 1913 sunk in 1917, Naldera in 1920). She studied painting at the National Gallery School in 1879 under Eugene von Guerard. She's also known for collecting and painting specimens, and became a member of the Field Naturalists Club of Victoria in 1885. In 1884 she won a silver medal for her studies of fungi. She collected plants for Australian botanist Ferdinand von Mueller, and the variety of Dicrastylis lewellinii (Purple sand-sage) is named after her. Miss Lewellin, who had a love of the sea and ships as subject matter is listed in 1910 as a donor as a 10/6 member donating to the motor launch fund and in 1918 as a working member of the Ladies Harbour Lights Guild which involved regular volunteer shifts at the Mission to Seamen on canteen and other duties.Marine art, Maritime artThis oil painting has a dark polished wood and gold leaf slip. The painting depicts two masted boats. The choppy sea takes up the lower-third of the painting, and the other two-thirds of the image of made up of stormy grey clouds. A rocky cliff face can be seen on the right-hand side of the painting. A small church can be seen on the hillside. The ship on the left third of the painting sits on the horizon line of the sea. The centre ship with two masts appears to be leaning to the right and its deck is exposed to the viewer showing four men attempting to handle the masts and rigging. The left-hand ship with three masts is surrounded by two grey distant silhouetted mast ships. There are three seagulls at the upper left-centre of the image. There are another three gulls down on the lower-left of the image. Front: ENGRAVED PLAQUE: Start Point Light. Devonshire. SIGNATURE: After W. Melby / M.M.R Lewellin. 1875. Reverse: IN BLACK MARKER PEN: * Hang from two points * WHITE STICKER WITH CONSERVATOR DETAILS: Art Conservation Frames / 118 Bridport Street, Albert Park, VIC, 3206 / 9696 9066 / artconservationframers.com.aupainting, ships, mast, church, sea, storm, oil painting, seagulls, madeline r. lewellin, artwork-paintings, ngv, wilhelm melby, eugene von guerard, botanist, rms mongolia, captain herbert gordon hill lewellin (1862-1935), paddy lewellin, reproduction

Sepia photograph of buildings on the junction of Sussex and Clyde Streets, Linton. The Post Office, Bank of NSW building and Bryant's shop can be seen on the RHS, the Royal Standard Hotel on the LHS. The photograph has been mounted on grey card.On back: "Esther Cluff Linton".sussex street linton, clyde street linton, royal standard hotel, post office, frank bryant's shop, bank of nsw linton

Brydon Stewart Melrose (1895-1989) was a dentist. He married Florence Emily Reville in 1921. Their home in Myrtle Street was called Morayfield. In the mid to late 1930's they moved to Boundary Street.Black and white photograph mounted on rectangular grey board. House, weatherboard, cement sheet and timber under eaves. Double door entrance. Rough cast cement verandah with timber posts. Two palms in front. Timber top rail to closely slatted wooden fence, chimney pots visible. On back of photo:" Bryden Melrose, £850, Date stamp 9 December 1927. refer S & U, D.T. Coy first'Frank A. Jeffree Bendigoplace, building, residential, stamped on back in rectangle ''t.c. watts and son/auctioneer/estate agents/253 mitchell street/bendigo'' stamped on back in circle ''royal historical society of victoria, bendigo branch''

Gordon Frederick HawleyBlack and white photograph mounted on rectangular grey board. House, two tone weatherboard, triple window on front Return verandah . Front and side entrance. Fretwork trim to verandah. Ornate wooden gate. Picket fence with capping, corrugated iron roof with snailback trim. Small palm front garden. Trimmed hedge.On back of photo: ' Gordon Hawley ( crossed out) High and Myrtle St., £1400 sold' Date stamp 25 August 1928.Frank A. Jeffree Photo Bendigo [White Ink]bendigo, business, t c watts and son, s

Colour photograph: 'The Eyrie' in Reginald Street, Quarry Hill being painted in March 1986. The front of an old weatherboard house painted cream, grey, tan and brown. John Quick and Barkley Hyett consulted about the wording of the Australian Constitution in this home. Physical description: Unmounted photograph. Inscriptions/Markings: The Eyrie, March 86, Painting.buildings, residential, the eyrie

CEMA Art Collection Previously located in History HouseThe painting depicts a large body of water surrounded by hills and mountains. The work is predominantly grey with the calm grey water of the lake opposed by by the ominous cloudy grey sky. In the foreground is a grassy hill top with several large rocks. The background features a line of distant grey mountains. The work has a gilded ornate frame with no mount and exposed canvas.Front: A. S. Murray Plaque attached to frame: THE GREAT LAKE (TASMANIA) Back: W. HAMER 189 Sturt Street, Ballarat, VICTORIA BUILDINGS OPPOSITE CITY FIRE BRIGADE

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

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.)

William James Trembath (13/4/1877-27/3/1930) was a draper who lived with his wife Mary Florence (nee Ellis) ( 1877 -29/7/1932) at 521 Hargreaves Street. They had married in 1901. Also living with them in 1924 was their daughter, Mavis Eileen who was a typist.Black and white photograph mounted on rectangular grey board. House, wooden double fronted house with L.H.S and recessed porch. Steps leading up to porch. Stucco and wood apex to gable. Canopy over front RH window. Written on back of photoboard ' Mr. Trembath, Hargreaves Street, £1200'Frank A. Jeffree photo Bendigobendigo, business, t.c. watts & son, trembath.

Alexander Fraser lived at 178 Carpenter Street with his wife Mary. He was a builderBlack and white photograph mounted on rectangular grey board. House, cement rendered double fronted bungalow central porch with apex roof. Flower boxes on porch [PTO] ramp to side door on left. Leadlight windows on top of front door and windows. On back of photo board ' Frasers Carpenter Street, £1200 sewered' Date stamp: 9 December 1927, on back. Sold for £3650 with certain coverings, 19.10.50.Frank A. Jeffree Bendigoplace, building, residential, stamped on back in rectangle ''t.c. watts and son/auctioneer/estate agents/253 mitchell street/bendigo'' stamped on back in circle ''royal historical society of victoria, bendigo branch''

The Davis family are the group in the photograph. The two young boys standing in the back row are identified as Alfred Davis and Percival Davis on RHS.A photo of a family posed in a garden setting. The group comprises a man & woman, 3 young women, 3 young men & 2 girls. The dress is consistent with the late 19th century.The photo is mounted on a grey cardboard matt with areas of foxing, 2 top central pin holes and an area of residual staining from sticking tape.Matson and Frazer 264 Collins Street Back cover: Eric Boardman Collectiondavis family, davis, alfred, percival, george evans collection

North Deborah Mine in Eve Street, Bendigo, operated between 1937 and 1954. In that time it produced 128,000 ounces of gold.Black and white photo mounted on grey board. Photo shows five rows of workers at the North Deborah Mine, some wearing hard hats, others felt hats and bareheaded. Men are pictured in front of a mullock heap. Written on bottom of image 'Nth Deborah Mine, 1946 Bendigo' and 'Pall-Mall Studio, photo'. Written on back of photo, "Hold pic for collection. Gorrie.bendigo, mining, north deborah mine bendigo

Wingrove Cottage built 1858-1859 of hand made bricks is historically significant for its long association with Charles Wingrove, a prominent figure in Victorian local government, as secretary to the Eltham District Road Board and Shire Council from 1858 to 1904, and Shire Engineer and Secretary to the Heidelberg Road Board. The cottage was used as the office of the Eltham District Road Board and Council for many years It is one of the Shire's oldest dwellings, and one of the few surviving 19th century buildings associated with early Eltham and located in the original Eltham Village Reserve. The symmetrical planting of a pair of Pencil Pines (not visible in photo) is also historically and aesthetically significant as characteristic of the early period of planting in the district and because they are a distinctive landscape feature. In October 2002 new owners demolished the outbuildings attached to the rear of the cottage. Community protest at the demolition resulted in Council issuing a Stop Work order. The owner was issued with a court order in September 2003 to develop a conservation management plan and restore the heritage listed property. The owner sold the property in 2005 to Cameron Construction in 2005 who undertook the restoration work. In 2007 a planning application to build two offices and seven dwellings at the rear of the property was ultimately rejected. The cottage is now the main office for Cameron Construction. Covered under Heritage Overlay, Nillumbik Planning Scheme. Published: Nillumbik Now and Then /​ Marguerite Marshall 2008; photographs Alan King with Marguerite Marshall.; p57 Wingrove Cottage on Main Road beside Eltham Primary School, is one of the Shire’s most important historical buildings and was central to local government for almost 50 years. The cottage was built in stages from 1858 to 1888 for Charles Symons Wingrove JP. He was the Eltham District Road Board’s first paid secretary and later the Shire Secretary when the board became the Eltham Shire Council. Wingrove held those positions, and that of engineer for a time, for 46 years. He was also one of the main figures in the Municipal Association of Victoria. As Eltham’s first paid municipal officer, Wingrove used one room in his 11 – (originally two) roomed home, as the office for the board then the council. Meetings were held there from the late 1850s (as well as at more central locations) until Wingrove’s retirement in 1904. The cottage is a rare example of a local government office occupying a Road Board /Shire Secretary’s purpose-designed house. The cottage is also significant because it is the oldest largely intact building from the original Eltham township reserve (south of Dalton Street).1 The township had its origins in the 1848 Nillumbik Parish Plan and was one of the state’s earliest township reserves. The rectangular house of handmade bricks, roofed with grey slate tiles and with a veranda encompassing three sides, is reminiscent of those in the central goldfields including Castlemaine. Its overhanging eaves and gables were unlike houses in Melbourne at the time. Wingrove, who was born in 1827, had been a gold digger and a road surveyor. Impossible to imagine in today’s world, Wingrove was also the Shire of Heidelberg’s secretary and engineer for part of the time that he was secretary in Eltham. Living next door to the primary school was a mixed blessing. Wingrove and his wife Katherine, who had ten children, sent their eight surviving children to the school. But they had occasional disputes with the school authorities when their cattle wandered into the schoolyard. Eltham showed Charles Wingrove its appreciation of his services by giving him two illuminated addresses, one after ten years and the other at retirement. Wingrove died in 1905 aged 76 and was buried in the St Katherine’s Church of England cemetery in St Helena. His grave is surrounded by those of family members including his wife, Katherine and two babies, Henry, 12 months and Isobella, 15 months, who died in the mid-1860s. Cottage ownership passed to his wife, then to daughter Caroline and then to daughter Bessie, a Melbourne University graduate and artist. During the Great Depression their brother Walter was the ratepayer. At one stage the Wingrove property extended to Metery Road and included a small creek. The family ran a small dairy and orchard, with associated farm buildings, which were later removed. In 1949 part of the property was compulsorily acquired by the Eltham Primary School, which infuriated owner Bessie Wingrove. She protested in a letter about this ‘monstrous act of unmitigated tyranny’.2 She was the last Wingrove to occupy the cottage and died in 1955. Wingrove descendants sold the house in 1974 and the property was subdivided. In the 1960s the Eltham Shire named the park opposite the cottage in Wingrove’s honour. The cottage has since had several owners including psychiatrist Dr Daniel Kahans, who practised there. In October 2002 late rear additions which had been substantially altered were demolished contrary to council planning controls. This caused a community outcry and resulted in legal proceedings against the owner. Fortunately the historical significance of the demolished section was not as great as the older front part of the building, which has been retained and was later restored.This collection of almost 130 photos about places and people within the Shire of Nillumbik, an urban and rural municipality in Melbourne's north, contributes to an understanding of the history of the Shire. Published in 2008 immediately prior to the Black Saturday bushfires of February 7, 2009, it documents sites that were impacted, and in some cases destroyed by the fires. It includes photographs taken especially for the publication, creating a unique time capsule representing the Shire in the early 21st century. It remains the most recent comprehenesive publication devoted to the Shire's history connecting local residents to the past. nillumbik now and then (marshall-king) collection, cameron construction, charles symons wingrove, eltham, eltham road district board, eltham shire council, main road, wingrove cottage

Built by artist and cartoonist Percy Leason in 1927 in what was then New Street but renamed Lavender Park Road in the late 1950s/early 1960s. Covered under Heritage Overlay, Nillumbik Planning Scheme. Published: Nillumbik Now and Then /​ Marguerite Marshall 2008; photographs Alan King with Marguerite Marshall.; p121 Said to be a genius, cartoonist Percy Leason’s career was at its peak when in 1925 to 1926 he built his home at New Street (now Lavender Park Road) Eltham. The Herald newspaper owner, Sir Keith Murdoch, had hired Leason for his newly acquired Melbourne Punch magazine at a salary of £1750, making him ‘one of the highest paid cartoonists in the world’.1 With this salary and financial help from Murdoch, Leason was able to build his lovely home in Eltham. At the crest of a sweeping drive, the home now two-storey in white brick with a gabled grey slate roof and dormer windows is flanked by an extension built by another owner in the 1980s. Leason lived in the home with his wife, Isabel and children, until 1937, when he left for the United States of America, where he lived until his death in 1959. The four-bedroom house and garden would have been well-suited to bringing up his family and to entertaining their friends in style. Large airy rooms have high ceilings with moulded plaster, timber floors and several are brightened with bay windows. Leason made friends with many of the artists and personalities who gravitated to Eltham. Around 1931 Justus Jörgensen, founder of the Montsalvat Artists’ Colony, helped Leason build his large studio at the back of the house. Another friend was journalist Mervyn Skipper, father of jeweller and sculptor Matcham, and artists Helen and Sonia. Leason’s teacher, artist Max Meldrum, also visited and rented accommodation in Eltham, opposite Wingrove Park. Punch folded in 1925, but Leason continued as cartoonist for Table Talk. In 1926 Leason began the cartoons of a mythical Australian town Wiregrass, which were inspired by Kaniva, his home town. The art gallery in Main Road Eltham was named Wiregrass in Leason’s honour. Leason completed 1000 drawings from 1919 to 1937, which author Garrie Hutchinson claimed, were technically unsurpassed and had regional and universal interest. Leason’s acute observations of country life stemmed from his childhood in Kaniva in Victoria’s western Wimmera, where he was born, the son of a selector, in 1889. Meldrum claimed that Leason could name every plant and the habits of every animal.2 Leason also painted 28 portraits of the last full-blooded aboriginals in Victoria at Lake Tyers in Gippsland, most of which are in a private collection. In Sydney Leason illustrated Henry Lawson’s Selected Poems and worked for The Bulletin. Leason had begun his career at 13 as an apprentice lithographic artist at Sands and MacDougall. He attended night classes at the National Gallery and the Victorian Artists Society. Leason first visited Eltham in 1910 to paint with fellow artist William ‘Jock’ Frater. They camped near Bible and Pitt Streets and along the Diamond Creek on the site of the present Eltham Retirement Centre. Despite his success as a cartoonist, Leason wanted to be recognised as a serious painter and for his anthropological work.3 He was also conservative and felt uncomfortable with the modern art scene in Melbourne.4 So he left for the United States of America to work as a painter. Ironically his time in New York saw the burgeoning of modern art, notably by artists such as Jackson Pollock. But Leason found his niche by running an art school, painting society portraits and illustrating books and magazines.This collection of almost 130 photos about places and people within the Shire of Nillumbik, an urban and rural municipality in Melbourne's north, contributes to an understanding of the history of the Shire. Published in 2008 immediately prior to the Black Saturday bushfires of February 7, 2009, it documents sites that were impacted, and in some cases destroyed by the fires. It includes photographs taken especially for the publication, creating a unique time capsule representing the Shire in the early 21st century. It remains the most recent comprehenesive publication devoted to the Shire's history connecting local residents to the past. nillumbik now and then (marshall-king) collection, landscape, lavender park road, percy leason, new street