The City of Moorabbin Historical Society was formed c 1960 by a group of Moorabbin residents who were concerned that the history of the area should be preserved. A good response to a call for items related to the historical area of Moorabbin Shire brought donations of a wide variety of artefacts which are now preserved by the current members of CMHS at Box Cottage Museum . Helen Stanley, Secretary of CMHS, began producing a Newsletter for members in April 2007 to provide current information and well researched items of historical interest.Helen Stanley has produced a bi-monthly Newsletter, 2007 - 2013, for the members of the City of Moorabbin Historical Society that contains well researched interesting historical items, notification of upcoming events, current advice from Royal Australian Historical Society , Museums Australia Victoria and activities of Local Historical Societies. The Newsletter is an important record of the activities of the CMHS. Tom Sheehy, past President of CMHS, was an Historian and Author of ‘Battlers Tamed the Sandbelt’. A4 paper printed both sides x1. Issue 7 of the bi-monthly, City of Moorabbin Historical Society Newsletter produced by Society member and Secretary, Mrs Helen Stanley in June 2008. Notice for meeting June 29th and August 31st at which Ms Dorothy Booth’s topic will be ‘The Historical Mentone Railway Gardens’. Another excerpt from the CMHS Newsletter November 1965, by Tom Sheehy, President, called ‘Memories of Old Cheltenham’ This is the story ‘as told’ to Tom Sheehy by Jack McCarthy b 1890, a member of CMHS, and includes a photocopied photograph of passengers on SS Hygeia c 1900 on a trip across the Bay to the Geelong area. CITY of MOORABBIN HISTORICAL SOCIETY / JUNE 2008 NEWSLETTERcity of moorabbin historical society, stanley helen, melbourne, moorabbin, brighton, chelsea, cheltenham, ormond, bentleigh, market gardeners, pioneers, early settlers, moorabbin shire, sheehy tom, box cottage museum, highett, cheltenham railway station victoria, mccarthy jack, power maurice j., charman road state school, standard certificate education, cheltenham post office, point nepean road, sports, moorabbin show, processions, parades, mentone ice skating rink, sheperd’s café, bourke street, horse tram, sandringham, beach road, ss hygeia, ss courier, ss edina, mechanics hall, memorial hall, magic lantern shows, crooks mr., engine drivers strike 1903, park road cheltenham, booth dorothy, mentone railway station gardens

August Rietmann (1877-1951) of Lustdorf ,Switzerland, married Maria Frieda Oesschlager (2/2/1878- 22/7/1942) of Baden Baden, Germany on 6/8/1910 In August 8th 1915 August and his wife Frieda migrated to Melbourne, Victoria, Australia sailing on the Steam Ship ‘Osterley’ from Marseilles to Melbourne They leased Box Cottage, Ormond in 1917 and raised two children, Stefanie (1918 -2006) and William (1920- 1997). 1935 August purchased the property and the family used the Cottage during the day and slept in the Front House. August was a monumental mason, potter and sculptor, and was employed at Corbens Ltd Clifton Hill, to carve war memorials in Victoria post WW1 c 1915-1922. During the 1920's August set up his own business in pressed cement making pot plants, columns,paving slabs and lampstands. He continued to carve headstones and figures and took contract work for Artists eg Paul Mountford. He built a workshop in the Barn and used the Cottage for plaster moulding. His son William joined the business and and the family continued to use the site after August died in 1951. Rietmann Landscaping Ltd moved to Bay Road Highett in 1953 and later to Carrum. The land, containing the Box Cottage, was sold to Lewis Timber Pty Ltd in 1970 and Mr Lewis proposed that Moorabbin City Council should preserve the heritage Cottage. In 1984 the Cottage was dismantled and reconstructed in the adjacent Joyce Park. The Rietman family is an example of the diverse nationalities that lived and worked productively in Moorabbin Shire 1871–1933 , the City of Moorabbin 1934-1994 and continues today in the Cities of Glen Eira, Kingston, Bayside, and Monash. August, a sculptor and stone mason, was employed by Corben Pty Ltd Clifton Hill to carve WW1 Memorials before establishing his own successful masonry business in the Box Cottage during the latter 1920s. After becoming interested in pressed cement casting, he took on apprentices (1930s Depression) and among his products were garden furniture, pots and also street lamp standards, some of which were installed in St Kilda Road. After August’s death in 1951, his family continued the business ‘Rietman’s Landscaping Ltd.’, at Highett and Carrum.Photographs x 2 Black & White, of August and Frieda Rietmann World War 11 Registration 1939; Photograph x1 Black & White of the Rietmann Memorial at Cheltenham new Cemetery c1990Hand written informationrietmann august, rietman august, rietmann frieda, rietman frieda, stonnington city town hall, war memorials, world war 1 1914-1918, rietman stefanie, rennick stefanie, francis stefanie, rietman william, rietman ray, mountford paul, malvern city town hall, box cottage museum ormond, box william, box elizabeth, joyce park ormond, rietman's landscaping pty ltd, bay road highett, macrobertson pty ltd, coleraine soldier memorial 1921, box cottage ormond

Marion Rosalie Mapperson, 1920-1946, was the daughter of the Mr and Mrs C Mapperson and was born in a home mission parsonage where she grew up to realise the presence and power of Jesus Christ. She became a fully-accredited local preacher then joined the staff of the Methodist Homes for Children at Cheltenham from there she began her training to be a Methodist Deaconess. Her funeral service was held at the Palmerston Street Church, Carton; it was conducted by the Warden of the Deaconess Institute, the Rev A W Pederick and Rev D W Risstrom. Marion Mapperson was buried at Fawkner Memorial Park. G135.1 and G135.2 brass conical shaped vases with a dedication engraved at the base.G137.1: "Presented by the W.H.M.L. I Memory of Marion Mapperson" G137.2: "Presented by the Deaconesses In Memory of Marion Mapperson"women's home missionary league, marion rosalie mapperson, methodist deaconess, methodist home mission

The actual date of the photographs is unknown. The photos depict members of the Cheltenham Tennis Club. The courts were located in the Cheltenham Park, where the Memorial now stands. The Club was dismantled about 1958. As the men were wearing long trousers it is probably c1920 Cheltenham Tennis Club 1883 was one of the first Tennis Clubs established in Melbourne.There are 6 small black and white photographs. Each photograph is a group photo either of men, women or both. Four of the photographs are taken near or in front the tennis club house. The other two are taken on the tennis courts of the club. 1 -6 nil ; cheltenham, tennis, club, cheltenham tennis club, courts, cheltenham park, 1958, members