James Robbie Mathers was born in Pleasant Creek [Stawell] in 1867 to James Allen Mathers, a storekeeper and former councillor. He was later to become a storekeeper in Gippsland and then at Heywood, near Portland. Following a move to Melbourne, he established a real estate business. He initially lived in Hawthorn, before moving his business to Kew where he traded as Mathers & McMillan, 136 Cotham Road, and later at 283 Burke Road. For a short time, the family resided at Landene, in Cotham Road. They were to finally move to Rosalea, in Dale Street, Deepdene. Following the death of Cr Henry Kellett in 1924, Mathers was elected unopposed as representative of College Ward. Elected Mayor in September 1930, he convened a meeting of citizens in the Town Hall in Walpole Street to form a local unemployment relief committee. His social initiatives included handing over council-owned premises in Brougham Street, the building re-purposed as a workshop for the unemployed, who were also granted free use of the Kew Municipal Baths. The Mayoress, Jean Mathers, set to work raising funds through charity balls, and also raised funds for St Anthony’s Orphanage in Wellington Street. James Robbie Mathers died on 8 April 1945. He was buried at Box Hill Cemetery. This rare civic testimonial is historically significant, especially locally, as it contains the signatures of all present councillors and parliamentarians representing the City of Kew as well as the names and signatures of leaders of local churches, schools, public officials and leaders of community groups.Boxed presentation folder and correspondence presented to the retiring Mayor of Kew, James Robbie Mather, in 1931. The book is leather bound with gilt lettering on the front. The 4 page testimonial includes and hand written statements about his contribution to Kew and its civic life. Other pages are signed by councillors, parliamentarians and community leaders.james robbie mathers, mayors of kew, civic testimonials

117 pp : illustrated : Appendices Chapters: Preface / Robert Baker p4. The collection / Robert Baker p5. Cartwheel penny / Robert Baker p6. Creek and old watering stage / David White p10. John Carson: Mayor 1863–4 1 / Julie King p4. Wedding dress / Suzanne McWha p18. Back to Kew 1875 / Judith Scurfield p22. Barnard’s clock / Margaret Robinson p26. Denbigh quilt / Suzanne McWha p28. Fragments of art decoration / Robert Baker p32. Mr Richardson’s sock / Felicity Renowden p36. Kew Volunteer Fire Brigade / David White p38. Kew Where We Live / Judith Scurfield p42. [MMBW} Detail Plan No. 1580 / Judith Scurfield p46. Adeney Avenue / Suzanne McWha p50. Young Workers’ Patriotic Guild / Margaret Robinson p54. Roll of Honor [Thomas Rand] / Robert Baker p56. Alice Anderson in her tourer / Felicity Renowden p60. Kew War Memorial / David White p62. Beaded dance dress / Suzanne McWha p 66. The great flood of 1934 / Desley Reid p68. Depression-era toolbox / Robert Baker p72. War Savings Street / Julie King p74. Kew Public L.ibrary / Suzanne McWha p78. Signature supper cloth / Desley Reid p82. View from the garden of Rockingham / Desley Reid p86. Cr Marie Dalley / Felicity Renowden p90. Centenary of Kew / Robert Baker p94. Doris Dickinson’s gown / Julie King p98. [Model Dairy] Milk bottles / Robert Baker p100. Kew Civic Centre / David White p102. Bicentennial tapestries / Margaret Robinson p106. Crest of the City of Kew / Desley Reid p110. Town Crier [outfit] / Desley Reid p112. Acknowledgements p114. List of works p115.non-fiction'Stories They Tell : A history of Kew through objects' explores diverse narratives from European settlement to the first decades of the twenty-first century. These stories use as their starting point artworks, texts and artefacts from the nationally significant collection of the Kew Historical Society. Limited to 100 copies.collection -- kew historical society, museum catalogues, henty family, cartwheel pennies, kew lunatic asylum, patchwork quilts, john carson, george bouchier richardson, gb richardson, coombs family, james dannock, back to kew 1875, francis barnard, denbigh family, cullis hill & co, ordsall, southesk, kew volunteer fire brigade, jfc farquhar, henry kellett, mmbw detail plan 1580, william nicholls anderson, young workers patriotic guild, roll of honor -- town of kew, alice anderson, kew war memorial, flapper dresses, fairfield bridge, chandler highway bridge, warren trestrail, furniture -- 1930s, war savings streets, kew library, children's libraries, voluntary aid detachments - kew (vic.), rockingham, james govett, centenary of kew, mayoresses -- kew (vic.), model dairy -- kew (vic.), doris dickinson, crests -- city of kew (vic.), town criers -- kew (vic.), joy stewart, australian bicentennial -- kew (vic.), kew civic centre, ak lines mcfarlane marshall, adeney avenue -- kew, wwi

This item is part of a larger collection donated to the Kew Historical Society by Anna French. The collection includes personal items from the donor's family, as well as items given to the donor and her mother by a family friend, Lucy Merritt (Jean) Hornby. The item is from that part of the collection inherited or assembled by Jean Hornby. The collection is significant given Jean Hornby's mother's descent from Robert Hornby (1854-1935) and Eva Merritt (1865-1959); her mother the chid of a family who settled in Kew in the 1850s, this providing a chain of provenance for items dating to the mid-nineteenth century, when her maternal forebears arrived in Melbourne. Other items represent Jean Hornby's contribution to her local and wider community.The items as created are representative and fine examples of late Victorian and or Edwardian needlework. While many such items were copies of published patterns, these may be original designs. Two mantle or pelmet decorations, with hand embroidered arum lilies on delustred satin backed onto canvas. One pelmet is slightly longer than the other, but each has the same number of bobbles on the trim. hornby family, families -- kew (vic.), jean hornby, soft furnishings, decorative arts, embroidery

This item is part of a larger collection donated to the Kew Historical Society by Anna French. The collection includes personal items from the donor's family, as well as items given to the donor and her mother by a family friend, Lucy Merritt (Jean) Hornby. The item is from that part of the collection inherited or assembled by Jean Hornby. The collection is significant given Jean Hornby's mother's descent from Robert Hornby (1854-1935) and Eva Merritt (1865-1959); her mother the chid of a family who settled in Kew in the 1850s, this providing a chain of provenance for items dating to the mid-nineteenth century, when her maternal forebears arrived in Melbourne. Other items represent Jean Hornby's contribution to her local and wider community.This 19th century photograph includes significant architectural details of an important hotel in Sunbury, Victoria. Additionally, it was taken by a local photographer - CHR Christianson - who operated the Sunbury [photographic] Studio. Silver albumen print, mounted on board, of the original Royal Hotel on the corner of Brook and Evans Streets, Sunbury, Victoria.The single-storey, rendered brick building with a corrugated galvanised iron roof includes a number of pieces of information that may assist in dating the photograph. The licensee's name above the door appears to be M.A. Williams. To the left of the door on the external wall is a painted sign: 'BILLIARDS". Another painted sign on the front of the building reads "ROYAL HOTEL [illegible] BILLIARDS." An attached building at right may be the residence of the licensee. Specific architectural features of the building include a corner doorway with a lamp above, three sash windows and a larger square lead-light window to the right of the doorway. The latter identifies the space behind as the "BAR". On the footpath in front of this building is a grill set into the footpath to enable deliveries to a cellar. At least four figures can be identified in the photograph: a woman in the doorway, a man to her right, leaning against the wall, and two other men at the right hand side of the building. Beyond the boundary of the building is a sloping footpath to a bluestone edged gutter. An elm [sic] within a protective, picketed surround is in front of the building. C.H.R. Christianson is identified on the reverse as the photographer. Reverse in pencil: Royal Hotel Billards Sunbury / CHR Christianson photographerroyal hotel -- sunbury (vic.), chr christianson -- photographer, hotels -- sunbury (vic.), recreation -- billiards

This item is part of a larger collection donated to the Kew Historical Society by Anna French. The collection includes personal items from the donor's family, as well as items given to the donor and her mother by a family friend, Lucy Merritt (Jean) Hornby. The item is from that part of the collection inherited or assembled by Jean Hornby. The collection is significant given Jean Hornby's mother's descent from Robert Hornby (1854-1935) and Eva Merritt (1865-1959); her mother the chid of a family who settled in Kew in the 1850s, thus providing a chain of provenance for items dating to the mid-nineteenth century, when her maternal forebears arrived in Melbourne. Other items represent Jean Hornby's contribution to her local and wider community.Sepia photograph, labelled 'BRYANTS CREEK' at lower left. The creek is bordered by a white post and rail fence on one bank. On the other side of the creek are two men. The creek is bordered with remnant vegetation [ie Eucalypts]. Coleraine, in Western Victoria, was initially settled by Europeans in the 1840s. The developing township was aligned with Bryant's Creek with a north-south orientation. Reverse - Inscribed in ink: "Taken by H Bower with Student camera" / Printed: "C.G. Greenham Photographer, Hawthorn / The Herodotus Studio"bryants creek -- coleraine (vic.)

A 100-yerar-old (+) postcard designed and ornamented in sand. It is part of a larger collection donated to the Kew Historical Society by Anna French. The collection includes personal items from the donor's family, as well as items given to the donor and her mother by a family friend, Lucy Merritt (Jean) Hornby. The item is from that part of the collection inherited or assembled by Jean Hornby. The collection is significant given Jean Hornby's mother's descent from Robert Hornby (1854-1935) and Eva Merritt (1865-1959); her mother the chid of a family who settled in Kew in the 1850s, thus providing a chain of provenance for items dating to the mid-nineteenth century, when her maternal forebears arrived in Melbourne. Other items represent Jean Hornby's contribution to her local and wider community.Tiny postcard with a design made by local coloured sands. The card is attached to a larger inscribed sheet.Postcard: Alan Bay Sands / St Lawrence's Church, Undercliff, I of W. Sheet: Over 100 years / St Lawrence's Church Undercliff / Isle of Wight / Made of Alan Bay sand, which is of seven different colours.postacrds, isle of wight, coloured sand postcards, alan bay -- isle of wight

Boroondara Cemetery, established in 1858, is within an unusual triangular reserve bounded by High Street, Park Hill Road and Victoria Park, Kew. By the 1890s, the Boroondara Cemetery was a popular destination for visitors and locals admiring the beauty of the grounds and the splendid monuments. The Boroondara Cemetery is of historical significance for the graves, monuments and epitaphs of a number of individuals whose activities have played a major part in Australia's history. They include the Henty family, artists Louis Buvelot and Charles Nuttall, businessmen John Halfey and publisher David Syme, artist and diarist Georgiana McCrae, actress Nellie Stewart and architect and designer of the Boroondara and Melbourne General Cemeteries, Albert Purchas.Walking tour led by Kew Historical Society members for members of the Royal Historical Society of Victoria in 1977. The photograph shows members of both parties assembled at a grave in the Cemetery. The photograph was one of six taken by KHS member Stewart West on that occasion, and subsequently donated by him to the collection by him.Reverse: "Front row in dark coat and glasses - Mrs Mills, With dark glasses reading - Mrs Ekberg (KHS member); Second from right Mr Slattery then president of Society; Far left Miss B Mackie (KHS member)" boroondara general cemetery, kew cemetery, walking tours

Boroondara Cemetery, established in 1858, is within an unusual triangular reserve bounded by High Street, Park Hill Road and Victoria Park, Kew. By the 1890s, the Boroondara Cemetery was a popular destination for visitors and locals admiring the beauty of the grounds and the splendid monuments. The Boroondara Cemetery is of historical significance for the graves, monuments and epitaphs of a number of individuals whose activities have played a major part in Australia's history. They include the Henty family, artists Louis Buvelot and Charles Nuttall, businessmen John Halfey and publisher David Syme, artist and diarist Georgiana McCrae, actress Nellie Stewart and architect and designer of the Boroondara and Melbourne General Cemeteries, Albert Purchas.Walking tour led by Kew Historical Society members for members of the Royal Historical Society of Victoria in 1977. The photograph shows a Kew youth placing a sprig of Rosemary on Ellen Quick's grave. The photograph was one of six taken by KHS member Stewart West on that occasion, and subsequently donated by him to the collection by him.Reverse: "Kew youth placing a sprig of rosemary on grave of Ellen Quick nee Derrick who was the first burial on 12/3/1859. Her family Derricks were early Kew Landowners." boroondara general cemetery, kew cemetery, walking tours, ellen quick, dannock family, kew pioneers