The Kew Recreation Hall (1880-1960 was a major venue for civic events, exhibitions, theatre, concerts and in this case a commercial fashion parade.Arthur Henry Dear was an employee of the City of Kew, acting as Hall Keeper of the Kew Recreation Hall in Wellington Street, and later the new Kew City Hall in Cotham Road. The Arthur Dear Collection contains memorabilia - tickets, programmes, invitations - as well as his identification badge. Items in the collection dates from the 1940s to the 1970s. The Kew Recreation Hall (Wellington Street) and later the Kew City Hall (Cotham Road) were major locations in suburban Melbourne in the postwar period for civic and private events including theatre productions and exhibitions. The Arthur Dear Collection (in conjunction with the scrapbooks compiled by Marion Tilley) provide a comprehensive snapshot of performing arts in Kew during the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. The collection includes valuable data about performances, performers, directors etc., during this period. Programme for an exclusive Autumn showing by Casualaire, 1353 Burke Road, East Kew, compered by Gwynne Harrisonfashion - kew, casualaire, gwynne harrison, valerie jacobson, lyle sampson, joan heathfield, mary rose campbell, marie johnson, arthur dear collection, kew recreation hall -- wellington street -- kew (vic.)

The "Q" Theatre Guild was formed out of the Kew Light Opera Company in 1957. It marked the transition of the company that had initially been directed by Lance Nicholls to one directed by Beatrice Oakley. It continued to perform in the Kew Recreation Hall, but, with its demolition in 1960, and the opening of the new Kew City Hall in Cotham Road, moved its productions to that venue. Productions of the "Q" Theatre Guild included The Geisha (1957), Maritana (1958), They All Do It (1959), Blossom Time (1959), Love's A Luxury (1959), There And Back & The Bohemian Girl (1960), Die Fledermaus (1960), Gay Rosalinda (1961), The Land Of Smiles (1961), Kisses For A Kid & Hansel And Gretel (1961), Die Fledermaus (1962), Monsieur Beaucaire (1964), Macbeath or The Beggar's Opera, and So To Bed.The scrapbook of annotated photographs, programmes, and newspaper reviews of which this item is a part was assembled by Marion Tilley, wardrobe mistress for, and performer in, productions by the Kew Light Opera Company and the "Q" Theatre Guild. It is significant as a remarkably complete document of theatre performances in Kew, Victoria during the 1950s and 1960s. The scrapbook, and the items individually catalogued within it, have artistic and aesthetic significance within the history of performing arts in Victoria in the middle of the 20th Century. They have social significance in that they reveal socio-cultural values and preoccupations during the period. The records also act as a history of arts activities in the Kew Recreation Hall and later in the Kew City Hall as entertainment and community arts and music precincts.Marion Tilley, the creator of the scrapbook, wrote the following underneath the photograph: "Stan Wilson, Carla Jeffries". Tilley also records that: "Carla sang a solo at Joan's Wedding".Marion Tilley, the creator of the scrapbook, wrote the following underneath the photograph: "Carla Jeffries, Stan Wilson - I made the men's and women's costumes including hats".marion tilley, kew recreation hall -- wellington street -- kew (vic.), performing arts -- kew (vic.), theatre memorabilia, "q" theatre guild

The back page of the programme includes details of previous productions: 1950 - The Resignation of Mr. Bagsworth, The Shirt, 1951 - Richard of Bordeaux, 1952 - Ned Kelly, 1953 - Saint Joan, 1954 - Treasure Island 1955 - Toad of Toad Hall, and 1956 School for Scandal. Arthur Henry Dear was an employee of the City of Kew, acting as Hall Keeper of the Kew Recreation Hall in Wellington Street, and later the new Kew City Hall in Cotham Road. The Arthur Dear Collection contains memorabilia - tickets, programmes, invitations - as well as his identification badge. Items in the collection dates from the 1940s to the 1960s. The Kew Recreation Hall (Wellington Street) and later the Kew City Hall (Cotham Road) were major locations in suburban Melbourne in the postwar period for civic and private events including theatre productions and exhibitions. The Arthur Dear Collection (in conjunction with the scrapbooks compiled by Marion Tilley) provide a comprehensive snapshot of performing arts in Kew during the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. The collection includes valuable data about performances, performers, directors etc., during this period. Theatre programme for a production of Our Town by the Camberwell Grammar School Dramatic Society. The 4-page programme includes a cast list and information about supernumeraries. arthur dear collection, performing arts -- kew -- victoria, kew recreation hall -- wellington street, theatre memorabilia, camberwell grammar school dramatic society

The back page of the programme includes details of previous productions: 1950 - The Resignation of Mr. Bagsworth, The Shirt, 1951 - Richard of Bordeaux, 1952 - Ned Kelly, 1953 - Saint Joan, 1954 - Treasure Island 1955 - Toad of Toad Hall, and 1956 School for Scandal.The Kew Recreation Hall (Wellington Street) and later the Kew City Hall (Cotham Road) were major locations in suburban Melbourne in the postwar period for civic and private events including theatre productions and exhibitions. The Arthur Dear Collection (in conjunction with the scrapbooks compiled by Marion Tilley) provide a comprehensive snapshot of performing arts in Kew during the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. The collection includes valuable data about performances, performers, directors etc., during this period. Theatre programme for a production of Our Town by the Camberwell Grammar School Dramatic Society. The 4-page programme includes a cast list and information about supernumeraries. arthur dear collection, theatre memorabilia, theatre programmes, camberwell grammar school dramatic society

Mary Stalker’s engagement notice in The Argus in July 1947 indicates that she was the youngest daughter of Mr & Mrs A M Stalker of Montlare [Monclair] Avenue, North Brighton. It announces her engagement to ”Cr Howard Breedon Everard JP Ev-Ron, Woori Yallock, Youngest son of Hon WH Everard Wellington St Kew and the late Mrs Everard.” Beatrice Mary Stalker was born in 1919. Her parents were Alexander MacLaren Stalker (1885-1970/1973) and Charlotte Eleanor Hayward (1884-1953) who were married in 1911. Her sisters were Joan Winnock Stalker, Betty Neil Stalker and Ruth McLaren Stalker. Charlotte was a teacher prior to her marriage. Alexander, an accountant, lived in Wattle Valley Road, Canterbury in 1910. From 1912-1931 they are listed at ‘Benwerrin’, Wandsworth Road, Surrey Hills. Mary Stalker married in 1949 and by 1954 she and Howard were living at 44 Wandsworth Road, Surrey Hills, which was their home for decades. Howard was born in 1914 and died in October 2010: "EVERARD. - Howard Breedon. In loving memory of Howard, who lived life to the full to the very end of his 96 years. Greatly loved and honoured by Mary, Rosemary, David, Elizabeth, John and extended families." Beatrice Mary Everard died on 25 September 2019, aged 93. it is assumed that the woman in the photo is Mary's mother, Charlotte Eleanor Stalker (nee Hayward). The photo taken at the beach in 1930's may have been at Brighton, given the family’s later association with the suburb. This photo documents part of the social history of a family with a long and strong association with Surrey Hills. The backdrop of the typical bathing boxes used for changing into swimsuits, for lunch and for storing sports and beach gear, documents beach recreation and culture of the 1930s. Given the family's later residence in Brighton, this may well have been taken at Brighton Beach. For many years in the late nineteenth century, Brighton was Melbourne's favourite seaside destination. The now iconic bathing boxes were a response to Victorian ideas of morality and sea bathing. There are 82 Brighton bathing boxes, which protected by a heritage overlay because of their uniform scale and proportion, building materials, sentry order alignment. All retain their classic Victorian architectural features with timber framing, weatherboards and corrugated iron roofs. They remain as they did over one hundred years ago, as licensed bathing boxes. Service amenities such as electricity or water were never connected.A black and white photograph of a lady and little girl on the beach. There is a row of bathing boxes behind them.(miss) mary stalker, bathing boxes, (mrs) mary everard, (miss beatrice mary stalker, (mrs) beatrice mary everard, (mrs) charlotte eleanor stalker, (miss) charlotte eleanor hayward