After training as a Cartographic Draftsman within the mining industry, I worked as a property illustrator for real estate firms in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne for 23 years from 1983. I initially photographed houses with a Polaroid camera and made a 'thumbnail' sketch while there. The photos were used to scale off a sketch in pencil and then that sketch was overlaid with drafting film and the 'pen and ink' completed. The pens I used were the Rotring ‘Rapidigraph’ drafting pens. The ink was also made by Rotring (German).The film was ‘Rapidraw’, polyester drafting film, double matte. It takes a very fine line and doesn’t bleed. As well as house sketches, there were often floor plans and site plans ordered. Aerial sketches were ordered when the property needed an overall view. (Margaret Picken, 2020)This drawing is one of a series created by Margaret Picken for a range of real estate agents in Melbourne between c.1983 and c.2004. Each work is signed and dated by the artist.Gift of Margaret Picken, 2020Pen and ink drawing on drafting film of 24 Byron Street, Kew by Margaret Picken.24 BYRON ST., KEW / MARGARET PICKEN '88 / WOODARDS ~ KEWartist -- margaret picken 1950-, architectural drawings -- houses -- kew (vic.), 24 byron street -- kew (vic.)

Byron Street looking south. Norwood High School circa 1990

Black and white photograph (2 copies- 1 large, 1 small)Image shows partly constructed building with a dam in the foreground.

This file contains five items relating to Caulfield Council Visits with the Melbourne & Metropolitan Board of Works (MMBW) from 1919 to circa 1974: 1/ A photo album containing photos from the MMBW ‘visit to the Headworks, Yan Yean Water Supply, Wallaby and Silvery Creeks’ from 28/02/1919 to 03/03/1919, attended by members of the Caulfield City Council. The album contains 13 original black-and-white photographs, 3 of which are of the council members. The album is accompanied by a report by Felicitie Campbell, written 11/2008, about these visits. 2/ A publication from the MMBW documenting its review of operations for 1973-1974. The report contains information about water supply, sewerage and drainage infrastructure completed or in progress during this period including infrastructure in Caulfield, Ormond, Carnegie and Bentleigh. 3/ A periodical feature from the MMBW titled ‘Living City’, issue no. 16, Spring/Summer 1974. Included in the article titled ‘Program’ is a notice that construction will continue on the Elster Creek drain from Thomas St. to Wheatley Road, McKinnon. The periodical also includes the names of commissioners W. R. Walters from Caulfield and G. R. Bricker from Moorabbin (back cover). 4/ 2 maps and 1 information booklet from the Thomson Project Open Day attended by Felicite and John Campbell as representatives of the Caulfield City Council. This was an annual MMBW open date. Date unknown. 5/ Research notes by Kate Aldred about the photo album and Thomson Project Open Day booklet and their links to Felicitie Campbell 01/04/2014.koornang road, draper street, hall street, centre road, brewers road, caulfield intercepting sewer, byron street, caulfield park, elster creek, caulfield, carnegie, ormond, bentleigh, thomas street, brighton east, wheatley road, mckinnon, city of caulfield, bricker g. r., walters w. r., caulfield city council, melbourne and metropolitan board of works, hall councillor, murray councillor, murphy councillor, wharington councillor, phillips councillor, blyth councillor, best robert sir, reid doctor, jowett mr., wooley mr., hindle mr., annual reports, water supply structures and establishments, sewerage and sanitation, sewerage establishments, drainage, town planning, business and finance, councillors, mayors, acqueducts, dams and reservoirs, creeks, waterfalls, rivers, construction sites, north road, north road pumping station, cities and towns, campbell felicitie

Nomination documents for election as a Parents' Representative on Norwood High School first Advisory Council - Mrs. E.V. Pullin, 20 Mullum Road, Ringwood. June, 1959.Education Department Victoria letterhead , Norwood High School, Byron Street, North Ringwood, Vic. - J.A. Gibson, Head Master.

Copy of Letterhead.Ringwood Bowling Club Club Pavilion Hon General Secretary, A. R. Catron, Telephone: WU 8281, 4 Byron Street, Ringwood. Ringwood 21. 6.1961.

Norwood High School started the school year in multiple temporary premises while the new school was being erected in Byron Street, eventually opening mid 1959.Ringwood Post 7 May 1959 Headline "Minister at Norwood to see for himself" article in response to earlier letter to the editor headed "Piecemeal Education" regarding inadequate temporary accommodation.Deputation participants: Norwood High School Parents and Citizens' Association - Mrs. H. Couche, President, R.L. David, Honorary Secretary; Minister for Education, Mr. H.S. Bloomfield; Mr. J. Manson, M.L.A. (Member for Ringwood); Mr H. Hopkins, District Inspector; Mr. A. Gibson, Headmaster.

Norwood High School started the school year in multiple temporary premises while the new school was being erected in Byron Street, eventually opening mid 1959.Temporary alternative classroom accommodation report with photographs.Altogether, 214 pupils of the school work in what teachers say are impossible conditions in the East Ringwood drill hall, the Anglican Church Hall, and (East Ringwood) football pavilion.

The Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works (MMBW) plans were produced from the 1890s to the 1950s. They were crucial to the design and development of Melbourne's sewerage and drainage system. The plans, at a scale of 40 feet to 1 inch (1:480), provide a detailed historical record of Melbourne streetscapes and environmental features. Each plan covers one or two street blocks (roughly six streets), showing details of buildings, including garden layouts and ownership boundaries, and features such as laneways, drains, bridges, parks, municipal boundaries and other prominent landmarks as they existed at the time each plan was produced. (Source: State Library of Victoria)This plan forms part of a large group of MMBW plans and maps that was donated to the Society by the Mr Poulter, City Engineer of the City of Kew in 1989. Within this collection, thirty-five hand-coloured plans, backed with linen, are of statewide significance as they include annotations that provide details of construction materials used in buildings in the first decade of the 20th century as well as additional information about land ownership and usage. The copies in the Public Record Office Victoria and the State Library of Victoria are monochrome versions which do not denote building materials so that the maps in this collection are invaluable and unique tools for researchers and heritage consultants. A number of the plans are not held in the collection of the State Library of Victoria so they have the additional attribute of rarity.Original survey plan, issued by the MMBW to a contractor with responsibility for constructing sewers in the area identified on the plan within the Borough of Kew. The plan was at some stage hand-coloured, possibly by the contractor, but more likely by officers working in the Engineering Department of the Borough and later Town, then City of Kew. The hand-coloured sections of buildings on the plan were used to denote masonry or brick constructions (pink), weatherboard constructions (yellow), and public buildings (grey). This plan shows several very large houses, particularly along Glenferrie Road, and the area now occupied by Ruyton Girls’ School. ‘Tarring’ (incorrectly spelled here as ‘Karring’) was built for Henry Henty in 1872, on part of his original allotment of 20 acres, and ‘Mount View’, which retains its original building and the fountain in the front garden, is part of Ruyton’s Junior School. The most significant change to Tarring and its grounds since 1903, involve the removal of a number of the outbuildings, including a Burmese temple, bought by Henty from the Burmese Exhibit at the Great Exhibition of 1880. It is shown on the plan as a summerhouse. The two-storey mansion, on the corner of Glenferrie Road and Wellington Street, was built in 1891 by leading architect Alfred White as his own home. Having an initial N.A.V. of £160, the house was purchased by a warehouseman Henry Lister, by 1900, when the N.A.V. was recorded at £111. By the turn of the century the house was known as ‘Comaques’. By contrast, much smaller houses are shown in Scott and Byron Streets, including a tiny Mission Hall in Byron Street, which belonged to the Anglican Church from at least 1903 to 1917.melbourne and metropolitan board of works, detail plans, maps - borough of kew, mmbw 1574, cartography

This book is an 1810 third edition copy of Walter Scott’s poem, ‘The Lady of the Lake’. It is notable for its illustrations of the drawings of Richard Westall (1765-1836), an English painter and illustrator and Queen Victoria’s drawing master. Westall is best-known for his portraits of Lord Byron. There is no information available on the original owner, the Reverend Matthew West. Tis book is important because: 1. It is an 1810 edition and of antiquarian interest 2. It belonged to Louise Mack, the cousin of Sir Ronald Mack, an important Warrnambool Parliamentarian. Miss Mack was well-known in the Warrnambool area as the Secretary of the Warrnambool Technical School in the 1930s, 40s and 50s. The Macks were prominent early settlers in the Warrnambool area. This is a hard cover leather bound book of 433 pages (poem, ‘The Lady of the Lake’ by Walter Scott). The cover is brown leather with a gold ornamental border. The inside cover has a tan and blue mottled pattern. The book has illustrations with engravings from the designs of Richard Westall. The illustrations have a piece of tissue paper in front of them. The first page has a stamp of the Warrnambool & District Historical Society and there is a loose sheet indicating that the book was published in 1810 and that it belonged to Miss L.A. Mack.‘The Revd. Matthew West, Vicar’s Hall, Clane’. sir walter scott, richard westall, history of warrnambool, rev. matthew west, louise mack

This home medical book, belonged to Philip R Le Couteur.The provenance of this book is unclear as there were two gentleman named Philip Ridgway Le Couteur. Philip Ridgway Le Couteur (1873-1954 ), the son of George Le Couteur and Frances Ridgway was born at Nirranda and went on to become a Councillor for the East Riding of the Warrnambool Shire. Philip Ridgway Le Couteur (1885-1958) was the son of George Thomas Le Couteur (Pharmaceutical Chemist)and Fanny Byron nee Maling was born at Kensington. He was educated at the Warrnambool Academy and was the Victorian Oxford Rhodes Scholar in 1908, This is a red hard cover book of 328 pages. The front cover has a white rectangular label affixed with black printing, making claims regarding the book, indicating the price and place of purchase. There are three black ink stamps on the label. The cover and label are grubby and stained.P. R. Le Couteurhistory of warrnambool, le couteur, philip ridgway le couteur

The Modern Print Company - engravers, lithographers, general printers , bookbinders and paper rulers- operated in Koroit Street Warrnambool. It was founded by Frederick Gaspar and Byron Laing in 1900. In 1904 the partnership was dissolved . The business continued in Koroit Street for the next 50 years. This label gives the address as Kepler Street which may have been an office outlet.This label is retained as a memento of a prominent printing business operating in Warrnambool in the early 20th century.An oval light grey label with red printing adhered to a grey piece of cardboard.FROM Modern Print 91 KEPLER STREET. WARRNAMBOOL GENERAL PRINTERS , BOOKBINDERS , ETC. PHONE 274gaspar's modern print company, warrnambool

This book containing the 17 cantos of Don Juan, was owned by Con O’Mahony, a lawyer who lived in Warrnambool at the turn of the 20th century He won the Bowen prize for essay writing in 1883. O’Mahony had a legal practice in Warrnambool in the Royal Chambers in Kepler Street at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. He was initially in a partnership with Messrs E.W. Klingender and Murray, then ,when this partnership was dissolved, he continued the business under the name of O’Mahony and later O’Mahony and Murray. He was actively involved in the management of the Warrnambool Mechanics’ Institute and was a member of the Warrnambool Hospital committee.An item which belonged to one of Warrnambool’s most prominent citizens at the time.Blue linen over card embossed in gold with crest and mermaid on front cover with overall pattern of crowns and the letter “B” Title Poet and publisher’s name in gold on spine of book. Back cover plain. 612 pages with 4 black and white plates included.Stamped C O’Mahony Solicitors Warrnambool in purple ink. Dedication: to Algernon Charles Swinburne. MDCCCC11(1902)Printed by William Clowes and sons Limited London and Beccles.con o'mahony, warrnambool, byron's works

This school exercise book belonged to Philip Ridgway Le Couteur, Warrnambool’s first Rhodes Scholar. Philip Le Couteur (1885-1958), the son of George Le Couteur, a Warrnambool chemist and Fanny Byron (nee Maling), began his schooling at Middle Park State School and continued it in Warrnambool at the Warrnambool Academy run by Richard Lawson and William Oakley. He matriculated at the age of 14 and completed an Arts degree at Melbourne University before studying first year medicine. At the university he excelled in sport – cricket, football and tennis. In 1908 he won the Rhodes Scholarship for Victoria and studied classics, classical history and philosophy at Oxford University. In 1913 he was appointed the foundation lecturer in Mental and Moral Philosophy at the University of Western Australia. Following this he was the Head Master at various secondary schools, including Methodist Ladies’ College for 11 years. This book is of great interest because it contains examples of the schoolwork of Warrnambool’s first Rhodes Scholar, Philip Le Couteur.This is a school exercise book of 40 pages. The cardboard cover is a mottled blue and red colour with brown binding. All the pages have handwritten school work including dictation, arithmetic, spelling, map work, grammar and composition. The pages are detached from the cover and the cover is partly torn away and bent. The cover has some sketches drawn presumably by the owner of the book Philip Le Couteur. ‘P. Le Couteur, commenced 22nd November 1898, Sixth Class, Warrnambool School.’rhodes scholars, philip le couteur

Notice of a talk by Dr Byron Rigby on transcendental meditation at Maharishi Vedic College, 345 Grimshaw Street Bundoora. (now Loyola College)Clipping with black & white text and photographtranscendental meditation, byron rigby, maharishi school bundoora

Bendigo Advertiser "The way we were" from Wednesday, July21, 2004. Premiers: Golden Square's B-grade premiership team from 1946-47, had plenty of talent. Team members were: back left to right, L. Crothers, A. Banfield, G. Teasdale, C. Agass, E. Wingrae. Front R. Palmer, j. Knipe, S. Byron (captain), L. Banfield, L. Bolger. Absent W. Crothers.newspaper, bendigo advertiser, the way we were

BHS CollectionBendigo Advertiser '' the way we were'' from 2003. on a musical note: the Golden Square choir in 1936. front row: Joy Millar, Betty Andrews, Mary Jacobs, Shirley Teague, Thelma Bond, Mary Jones, Dorothy Byron, Shirley hocking and Gwen Rance. Second row: Elsie Newman, Mavis Boston, Edna Wingrave, Dorothy Houston, Shirley Hall, Marian Dent and Dorothy Polock. Back row: jack Turner, Harold Swatton, Ren Lewis, Mary Brewer, Tom Harker, Cleave Pearce and Harry Andrews. The clip is in a folder.newspaper, bendigo advertiser, the way we were

''The Loddon Land Swindlers'' - chapter from Research Paper, Graduate Diploma - Regional Studies (History), LaTrobe University College of Northern Victoria (Mark Ritchie, 1992). Research Paper is titled ''Masters, Mediums, Mortals and Mysia - A Regional Study of Land Settlement'' - the first chapter - 21 pages - is titled ''The Loddon Land Swindlers''. Appendix is 'poem' (''The Charge of the Dirty Three Hundred'' (not by Tennyson). Described in the accompanying note to the B.H.S by the author as ''a fascinating event in The History of Bendigo''. It relates to the Amending Land Act of 1865 (known as the 'Grant Act') and to details of the July 1865 involvement of Bendigo people - 200 men - in the Inglewood Land Selections. Reference to 'mediums' and 'dummies'. References to reports of the time in the Bendigo Advertiser.Mark Ritchieinglewood, history, land settlement, amending land act of 1965, james macpherson grant, shamrock hotel, cobb & co, inglewood advertiser, henry byron moore, mr grant minister of lands, dummies, belle-latrobe, inglewood

White Cooloured card. Red writing. St. Clement's Anglican Debutante Ball Huntly Firday, July 12th 1985. Debutantes Partners Alison Popple Mark Edwards Kerran Franken Colin Boyd Allison Strauch Glen Backway Wendy Pollard Robert Borserio Lynne Holland Raymond Brown Amelia Chittick Brendan Allen Jacqueline Wilson Stephen Collins Donna Jacobs Jamie Creely Sally Rothenberger Jason Boston Ann Dyer David Sizeland Helen Yates Dean Yates Anne Borserio Trevor Monti Jenny Mills Glenn Peatling Susanne Rea Brett Adamson Anita Read Mathew Gee Sharon Thorburn Jason Byron Leanne Thorburn Andrew Dunne Fiona Mudford Andrew Shotton Presented to The Chancellor, Bendigo Diocese Mr.B. Phillips and Mrs. Phillips 9.15 p.m. Flower Girl Laura Strauch Page boy Simon Wells Flower girl Melissa Tuddenham Page boy Ben Chalkley Chaperone Mrs. Pam Luxford Trainers: Mr. Peter Ellis & Mrs. Mary Smith Pianist Mrs J.Grotto Announcer Mrs. M. Pitson MC Mr. Colin Silk 1 Foxtrot 2 St. Bernard Waltz 3 Maxina 4 Evening Three Step 5 Foxtrot 6 Pride of Erin 7 Progressive Barn Dance 8 Modern Waltz 9 Tangoette 10 Waltz Cotillion 11 Foxtrot 12 Valetta Waltz 13 Gay Gordons/ High Schottische 14 Foxtrot 15 Alberts 16 Parma Waltz 17 Charmaine 18 Swing Waltz 19 Foxtrot 20 Auld Lang Syne Presentation Dance: Fitzroy Quadrille. Autographs.person, individual, peter ellis oam

Program for the Kalianna School Debutante Ball held on Friday 3rd August 2007 at the Weerona Secondary College. Program is light grey with a purple sticker on an angle with the name on it. On white paper on the inside is the names of the debutantes and their partners and who they were presented to, Master of Ceremonies & Deb Set Co-ordinator, Chaperones, Compares, Music by Emu Creek Band, Flower Girl and Page Boy. Pasted on the back is a matching grey card thanking businesses and people who helped. Names are: Cr Kevin Gibbons, Debbie Gibbons, Lindy & William Lupo, Alison & Geoff Byron, Leon Scott, Debbie Price, Peter Burch, Cherryl Fyffe, Leon Scott, Emu Creek Band, Rebecca Nelson, Caleb Richardson, Charmaine Scown, Alicia Owen, Jessica Brereton, Nikita Riordan, Laura Semmens, Rebecca Apps, Chloe Gruber, Lauren Hawken, Amanda Anderson, Victoria Jelbart, Rachell Sutherland, Amy Roberts, Sally McMurtrie, Chevonne Strauch, Ben Holmes, Dean Snelson, Zac Flint, Tamati Poindestre, Brandon Kelly, Paul Drinkell, Adrian Brown, Chris Oojges, David Boyce, Josh Rosewall, Michael Semmens, John Wiktorek, Kane Wojcicki, Matthew Mitchell, Hairem Scarem, Grant Rule Menswear, Sean Walsh Photography, Mary Smith (Plant Exhibits), Anne Hastings (Deb Ball Seamstress), Debbie Price, Tracey Wojcicki, Glenys Jelbart, Pam Holmes, Rae Hall, Samantha Wearne, Kylie Salter, Cathy Brew, Judy Richards, Aileen Gilbee, Marie Loch, Noel & Lorna Thomas, Ron & Janette Moss, Tracey & Peter Wojcicki, Val & Neil Cartledge, Warwick Strauch, Kevin Salter, Grant King, Kay Tamblyn and Christine Smith.Weerona Secondary Collegeentertainment, dance, ball, peter ellis collection, kalianna school, weerona secondary college, cr kevin gibbons, debbie gibbons, lindy & william lupo, alison & geoff byron, leon scott, debbie price, peter burch, cherryl fyffe, leon scott, emu creek band, rebecca nelson, caleb richardson, charmaine scown, alicia owen, jessica brereton, nikita riordan, laura semmens, rebecca apps, chloe gruber, lauren hawken, amanda anderson, victoria jelbart, rachell sutherland, amy roberts, sally mcmurtrie, chevonne strauch, ben holmes, dean snelson, zac flint, tamati poindestre, brandon kelly, paul drinkell, adrian brown, chris oojges, david boyce, josh rosewall, michael semmens, john wiktorek, kane wojcicki, matthew mitchell, hairem scarem, grant rule menswear, sean walsh photography, mary smith (plant exhibits), anne hastings (deb ball seamstress), debbie price, tracey wojcicki, glenys jelbart, pam holmes, rae hall, samantha wearne, kylie salter, cathy brew, judy richards, aileen gilbee, marie loch, noel & lorna thomas, ron & janette moss, tracey & peter wojcicki, val & neil cartledge, warwick strauch, kevin salter, grant king, kay tamblyn, christine smith

Note dated 22/11/01 to Mr. Kelly Esq. from W. Sheridan. He has enclosed Script for 400 shares in south Byron GM Coy sold by Mr. Kelly. He also asks if there is any market for Extd Lady Brassey's as he has a few hundred to dispose of for a friend. Signed W. Sheridan.W. Sheridanbusiness, stockbroker, kelly and allsop, kelly and allsop collection - letter to mr. kelly, south byron g . m. coy. extd lady brassey, w sheridan

Document. KELLY & ALLSOP COLLECTION. Share certificate No.796 issued by the North Byron Reef Company, No Liability, Newstead. Certificate represents 100 shares at 10 shillings each. Capital raised was 16,000 Pounds from 32,000 shares. Certificate issued to G.H.Fearn of Bendigo on 30 March 1903. Signed by J.G.Stanfield for Henry Y.North, Manager, Bendigo.North Byron Reef Co.business, stockbroker, kelly & allsop, kelly & allsop collection, share certificate, north byron reef co., g.h.fearn, j.g.stanfield, henry y.north

Document. KELLY & ALLSOP COLLECTION. Five share certificates issued by the Byron Reef Company, No Liability, Newstead. Each certificate represents 100 shares at 5 shillings each. Capital raised was 7,500 Pounds from 30,000 shares. Certificate Nos. 2871 - 2875 issued to M.P.Kelly of Bendigo on 23 Sept. 1905 and signed by J.Stanfield, Manager.Byron Reef Co.business, stockbroker, kelly & allsop, kelly & allsop collection, byron reef co., share certificates, m.p.kelly, stanfield

Australia's first telephone exchange was opened in Melbourne in August 1880. It was operated by the Melbourne Telephone Exchange Company. Owned by W. H. Masters and T. T. Draper, the Manager of the Company was H. Byron Moore. This was only two years after the world's first exchange in the United States, and just four years after Bell first spoke on a telephone. The exchange was located in the old Stock Exchange building at 367 Collins Street, a site now occupied by the Commonwealth Bank. In 1884, the operations of the Company, by then known as the Victorian Telephone Exchange Company, had grown considerably and were transferred to Wills Street, Melbourne. Private ownership of this company continued until 1887 when it was bought out by the Victorian Colonial Government. Other colonial governments followed this example. By 1910, the growth in telephone services made additional accommodation necessary. This could not be provided in the existing building in Wills Street and arrangements were made for a new exchange in Lonsdale Street. Alexander Graham Bell visited Australia in 1910 to advise the Federal Government's Postal Commission. Telephone exchanges were established in Adelaide with (48 subscribers), Hobart (10 subscribers) and Launceston (35 subscribers). The first exchange in Western Australia was established in 1887 and located in a small three-room cottage in Wellington Street, Perth with 17 subscribers. The year 1888 marked the opening of the Fremantle exchange in a small room at the rear of the Town Hall. There were nine subscribers. Australia's first automatic exchange was installed in the GPO in Sydney, in 1911, for internal use. But the first automatic exchange for public use was opened at Geelong in Victoria in the next year July 1912 with 800 subscribers. Melbourne's first automatic exchange was opened in the suburb of Brighton in 1914; the first public automatic exchange in NSW began operating at Newtown, Sydney in 1915; and Queensland's first was installed at South Brisbane in 1925. 1929 saw the opening of Tasmania's first automatic exchange in Hobart. an automatic telephone service. In June 1977, the manual telephone exchange at Swansea was replaced with an automatic service and made Tasmania the first State in Australia to have a fully automatic network. The half-century following Federation saw the growth of the automatic operation; a great extension of trunk line services; The automatic telephone contributed greatly to the early popularity of telephones in Australia. It was a quicker and more convenient way of communicating with another person on the same exchange — instead of having to go through tedious processes with the operator. From its introduction, the number of automatic telephones in operation grew to a remarkable extent. In 1886, the first trunk link of 16 km was connected to the exchanges of Adelaide and Port Adelaide in South Australia. Then, in 1907, the first inter-capital telephone trunk line was opened between Sydney and Melbourne. It was followed by a line between Melbourne and Adelaide in 1914. Sydney and Brisbane were linked in 1923, and Perth and Adelaide in 1930. In 1930, the first overseas calls from Australia came possible with the introduction of a radiotelephone service to England, and through there to Europe and America. A similar service opened to New Zealand in the same year. Initially, trunk channels linked different manual trunk exchanges. It was necessary for a succession of trunk operators to connect the appropriate channels, one after the other until the connection was made. As trunk traffic grew. the system became increasingly unsuitable. More trunk operators had to be employed and so labour costs increased. It was a tedious and slow way of making a long-distance call, and it was sometimes hard to hear, particularly when several exchanges were linked With technical advances, trunk switching moved from manual operation through a partly automatic phase. Automatic transit switching equipment was used and only a single operator was required to connect a trunk call to a wanted automatic subscriber. Until well beyond the middle of this century, the majority of trunk traffic went through this single telephonist control. In 1953, the number of telephones in use in Australia passed the one million mark. By then, the need for improvement in the automatic exchanges was becoming well recognised. The need was for a telephone switching system which would do a better job more economically than the conventional step-by-step ex-change. This led to the adoption of the Crossbar system as the standard in automatic telephone exchanges in 1960. The introduction of Crossbar switching was a big step forward in the automation of trunk calls. It substituted automatic switching and charging equipment for the originating trunk operator, and improved the quality of the system radically. Before the introduction of the Crossbar system there were often very long delays in obtaining a booked trunk call, and the quality of sound was often very poor. With Crossbar, Subscriber Trunk Dialing (STD) became a reality. A trunk call by STD was as easy to make and almost as fast to connect as a local call.The item was made around the 1940s and used up until the 1970s in manual cord telephone exchanges as a way to time and charge users for trunk calls made over the telecom system of the time. Post Master General dept. - Trunk Call Timer.Inscribed PMG, C. of A, 37. Bell chimes at 3 min increments.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, timer, trunk call, telephone, cord exchange