In 1857, tanner John Pearson purchased three and a half acres of land in Little Eltham, at the western end of Pitt Street, with a 70-foot frontage to Maria Street (Main Road) and stretching down to the Diamond Creek for £100. He contracted Benjamin Oliver Wallis to build house for him. Wallis, a mason by trade who originated from the Cornish village of Newlyn, migrated to Melbourne in 1853 and was shortly engaged by Richard Warren to build the Eltham Hotel, which opened in 1854. When Warren fell into financial difficulty in 1858, Wallis purchased the hotel. That same year, Pearson constructed a tannery below the house with access to the water in the Diamond Creek. When Pearson became bankrupt in 1867, Wallis similarly acquired the house from Pearson’s creditors in 1868 and lived there until his death in 1896. For some of this time the house was in the name of Wallis’s son Richard but following his death in 1888, ownership reverted to his father. It was purchased by retired teacher Richard Gilsenen in 1899. Gilsenen was made acting head teacher at the Eltham State School in 1906 following the sudden death of head teacher John Brown. In the 1950s the house was bought by retired engineer Dr Alfred Fitzpatrick and his wife Claire who made various modifications to house goats and poultry as well as structural modifications to the house. In the early 1970s, Eltham Shire Councillors Frank Maas and Don Maling proposed an extended communities’ activities program be set up and the Commonwealth Grants Commission was approached for financial assistance. In 1974 a $50,000 Commonwealth Grant was received by the Shire Council to acquire the Fitzpatrick property as part of the planning to establish an extended communities’ activities program. The Fitzpatricks moved next door and Claire taught at the new Living and Learning Centre, which began in 1975, one of the first community education centres in Victoria. Covered under Heritage Overlay, Nillumbik Planning Scheme. Published: Nillumbik Now and Then /​ Marguerite Marshall 2008; photographs Alan King with Marguerite Marshall.; p59 It’s a centre for sharing knowledge and friendship and it stands on the former hub of Eltham’s original township near Pitt Street. The Eltham Living and Learning Centre, with around 2000 participants a year, began in 1975 as one of the first Community Education Centres in Victoria. Classes ranging from macramé to wine making to environmental living have enriched the lives of thousands of people through the generosity of tutors sharing their skills free of charge. The centre’s heart is the brick cottage, built in 1858 by tanner John Pearson. He bought the three and a half acre (1.4ha) allotment fronting Maria Street (now Main Road) and stretching down to the Diamond Creek. The allotment formed part of a 316 acre (127.8ha) subdivision, owned by Josiah Holloway, called Little Eltham, north of the original Eltham Reserve.1 The allotment then passed through the hands of several speculators before it was sold to Pearson for £100 in 1857. Mr Pearson’s children attended the Eltham Primary School from 1864 to 1867. But creditors took possession of the property when his tannery folded in 1867. It was then sold to publican Benjamin Wallis, who owned the Eltham Hotel at the corner of Pitt Street and Main Road. In 1899 the property was bought by Richard Gilsenan, who became acting head teacher of the Eltham Primary State School in 1906. In the 1950s, retired engineer Dr Alfred Fitzpatrick and his wife Claire bought the property, and made structural changes. Claire, a journalist and community campaigner, modified and built pens for goats and poultry, a stable, a garage and planted fruit trees and a vegetable garden. In the early 1970s a young woman called Carina Hack approached Gwen Wesson at the Diamond Valley Learning Centre (Victoria’s first Community Education Centre) about starting a community centre. Following Wesson’s suggestion, Hack spoke to Shire President Alistair Knox ‘one bleak rainy afternoon, sipping hot drinks and discussing life’.2 Eltham Shire Councillors Frank Maas and Don Maling proposed a community activities program and the council received a $50,000 Commonwealth Government Grant for this venture.3 The Fitzpatricks sold their property to the council and moved next door and Claire taught at the new centre, which Hack named. Eltham obviously wanted such a centre as Hack recalls. ‘During the next two months we had about 50 volunteers working day, night and weekends, scrubbing down, plastering and painting walls, replacing floors, repairing fences, recycling furniture, sewing curtains and cushions, donating furniture, toys, equipment, clean-ing and gardening…’4 The first enrolment day saw a queue stretching up the driveway nearly to the gate and the first sessions attracted 270 people a week. Soon the outbuildings were converted into pottery studios and a large workshop. From 1979 the Eltham Art and Craft Market was held in the centre’s grounds and the Friends of the Centre ran it from 1980. A former program coordinator, Margaret Johnson, remembers enrolment day in the late 1970s and 1980s, when hundreds of people would queue – and some even camped overnight! Overnighters were greeted in the morning with fresh tea and toast. Another tradition was The Enrolment Day Cake with Recipe, given to volunteers. ‘One happy Enrolment Day fell on February 14 and let’s just say that St Valentine found some willing participants, paying $2 for a kiss.’5 Meanwhile the participants’ children could play at the Council Eltham Lower Park house in Hohnes Road, later in Susan Street. But the centre has had difficulties too. In 1990 a fire destroyed the stable and the police suspected arson. However the pavilion was built in its place.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, benjamin oliver wallis, claire fitzpatrick, don maling, dr alfred fitzpatrick, eltham living and learning centre, frank maas, john pearson, richard gilsenen, tannery

Saved from the ship Speke which ran aground on the coast of Phillip Island on the 22nd of February 1906. The figure head of the Speke was in the shape of woman, wearing a flowing white dress with blue cuffs and collar and carrying a large bunch of daffodils. It was originally nine feet four inches long. This sculpture went missing after the event and decades later the head only was re-discovered in Mr Thompson’s garage. It was then restored by Headmaster Kevin and the senior children of Cowes State school in 1940.The Speke was an all steel ship built in Wales in 1891. She was delivering wheat to Geelong and confused a bushfire in Cowes for navigation lights. Many local people salvaged goods from the resulting wreckage. The Speke was an all steel ship built in Wales in 1891. She was delivering wheat to Geelong and confused a bushfire in Cowes for navigation lights. Many local people salvaged goods from the resulting wreckage.Large wooden figure head, carved to resemble a woman. Painted aspects of hair, face, collar. Mounted on an undecorated wooden shield.phillip island, speke, kitty miller bay, figurehead, cowes state school

Report and photograph about purchase of historically significant slab cottage in Castle Road, Warrandyte. Newspaper also includes articles relating to Jock Macneish and his ultra-light aircraft, construction of foot bridge over Andersons Creek, Mrs Ruth Norman, Warrandyte Co-op, local results of the 1981 census, construction of elderly citizens' flats in Stiggant Street (Warrandyte), South Warrandyte Primary School, Professor's Hill and Warrandyte Football Club. The road guide features advertisments for Inglenook Tea Rooms, Warrandyte, Warrandyte Recreation Reserve Cafe (Mrs C. Miller, Proprietress), Eltham Motor Garage, Plaza Cafe Eltham, Eltham Park Team Rooms, Diamond Creek Garage and Engineering Works and The Dean Guesthouse Strathewen.Complete issue of "Warrandyte Diary" No 145, May 1984 with feature article headed "Historic cottage bought". 12 pages with section cut out of back page. Also includes photocopy of Broadbents Roadguide: central Victoria, 1946 pages 230-231HG Booklet 281981 census, advertisment, andersons creek, castle road, diamond creek garage and engineering works, eltham motor garage, eltham park team rooms, footbridge, harry gilham collection, inglenook tea rooms, jock macneish, mrs c. miller, mrs ruth norman, plaza cafe eltham, professor's hill, senior citizens, south warrandyte primary school, stiggant street, the dean guesthouse strathewen, warrandyte, warrandyte co-op, warrandyte football club, warrandyte recreation reserve cafe, warrandyte slab cottage

John Lewis built a house and garage in Boort with a Weighing Bridge 1920 - 1940. He owned six buses in Bendigo.A retouched black and white photograph of John Lewis head and shoulders, wearing a hat, tie, waistcoat and coat. Behind glass in a brown plywood frame with wooden carvings of birds and flowers attached. A brief history of John Lewis is written in blue ink on white tape attached to the frame.john lewis

John Lewis built a house and garage in Boort with a Weighing Bridge 1920 - 1940. He owned six buses in Bendigo.A retouched black and white photograph of head and shoulders of Jane Williamson wearing a black garment with a white frilled collar. Behind glass in a brown plywood frame with wooden carvings of birds and flowers attached. Written in blue ink on white tape attached to the frame is MISS JANE WILLIAMSON THEN BECOME MR'S JANE LEWISjohn lewis, jane lewis, jane williamson

BHS CollectionHorwood Collection. Mine in Kneebone St., near Langhorne' Garage which was on the corner of Eaglehawk Rd., and Parsonage Street, Markings Wooden Poppet Legs. Markings; Mine in Kneebone St, Eaglehawk, near Langhorng's Garage. OCT65MKodakmine, gold, poppet head, horwood collection. mine in kneebone st., near langhorne' garage which was on the corner of eaglehawk rd., and parsonage street, markings wooden poppet legs

Line of trucks on shunting line north of Sunshine Railway Station apparently waiting to be shunted into HV McKay factory for loading of implements Corner right side is the footbridge over railway line Background HV McKay Head Office Printing Office Garage and at the back is shops to Robinsons shop at right endh.v. mckays, sunshine harvester works, sunshine, railways

Photographs taken of J H Jackson film footageLooking towards McKays Harvester Works Factory and Clock Tower Centre Head office Smithy and Garage on right The Trees and Shrubs along with Footbridge and railway lines Cars both sides and on the privat Road which is now Harvester Road Photographs Circa 1951devonshire road, sunshine

The lamp was used in the garage at HV McKay's head office in Devonshire Rd, Sunshine, until it was demolished in 2004.Sheet metal light shade painted greenmassey ferguson, sunshine harvester factory, devonshire road, sunshine

Parade of units of victory march personnel through city streets Thursday 18 April 1946 - 1:00PM to 1:30PM 18 memos from JM Harry, Dist Traffic Supt SS regarding bus & tram arrangements to various inspectors. Memos dated 13, 15 April 1946.Notations written in pencil on several memos.trams, tramways, events, parades, hanna st depot, malvern depot, glenhuntly tram depot, hawthorn depot, camberwell depot, port melbourne depot, central bus garage

Parade of units of victory march personnel through city streets Monday 10 June 1946 - 11:00AM to 12:30PM Memos from JM Harry, Dist Traffic Supt SS regarding tram arrangements to Mr Mazolettti, Malvern Depot, Mr McLean, Hanna St, Mr Cliff, Glenhuntly Depot, Mr Fisher, Hawthorn Depot, Mr Head, Camberwell, Mr Lawrence, Port Melbourne, Mr McRae, Central Bus Garage Memos dated 3 June 1946. Letter from JM Harry regarding bus services. Letter from HS Wootton, town clerk. Documents from ADFNotations written in pencil on memo.trams, tramways, events, parades, malvern depot, hanna st depot, hawthorn depot, central bus garage