This appliance was a time saving method of cleaning floors. It appeared at a time (after World War II) when the domestic pressures faced by mothers and domestic staff was on the increase. The necessary "working parents" was through necessity becoming part of the "typical" family environment. It was the start of the ever increasing demand, from an economical reason, for both parents to work outside their property. Historically the period of the 1950s was one of extreme changes. It was an era where established role models were under pressure from an ever increasing demand for new and advancing consumerism. Communication levels via radio, newspapers and television was expanding at an ever increasing rate. Relatively isolated rural areas were opening up (post war) to foreign ideologies of consumerism. The basic restraints of "this will be alright mate, she'll do" was under a slow but effective take over. "I can get this done faster by this new whiz bang gadget that I saw on the TV last night!" was the new way to live by.This item is very significant in that it demonstrates the new consumerism at its infant stage of the social changes occurring due to greater communication levels between the rural Australian communities and other advancing communities world wide. The Kiewa Valley residents (mainly from the intermingling of rural and post World War II refugees working at the construction of the Victorian Hydro electricity installations, resulted in this rural area becoming integrated to new ways of living (both socially and economically). Once the attitude of "we have always done it this way mate!" was challenged and overcome, the acceptance of new time saving "gadgets" which started to pour in from foreign markets, the relative isolation of the Kiewa Valley (being mainly psychological entrenched), was over.This hoover electric floor scrubber and polisher has a main base containing two brushes (can be replaced with polishing pads). The two brushes/pads are fastened or removed from the base unit by pulling/pushing the heads from the small hexagonal shaft on the bottom of the machine motor. A pressure sensitive wire is inlaid at the brush/pad end to hold the brush/pad unit onto the shaft. The discs body and main body covering the electric motor are made from sturdy plastic. The rest of the appliance materials i.e. upright handle and the u framed attaching arm are made from lightweight powder coated steel. A small (350mm) red coloured foot switch protrudes from the back of the motor to release the the upright handle from the storage position to the action position.There are two fork shaped brackets on the rear of the handle, for securing the 6.5 metre long electrical cord and plug. There is no on/off switch on the appliance. A small stainless steel "u" framed clip (for hanging the appliance in the vertical position) for cupboard storage. Within the circle of the cleaning brush is stamped "1 above S.A.B.351" and on the opposite side P/No: 5023792". On the main plastic head of the brush discs are "TO CLEAN" and under this "USE ONLY WARM(underlined) WATER AND SOAP" on the opposite side, and within a circle is the Hoover Trademark. On the front of the blue coloured plastic dome covering the electric motor is (on a raised domed shaped plaque (on a red background) Hoover in slanted print from left to right(in a diagonal level)domestic appliances, floor cleaning, electric floor scrubbers and polishers

Presented to council by A.G.Gibb, Son of Alexander Gibb of MeadowbankPresented by a first-generation settler who was a sixth time shire president.English oak hair with Red leather Seat, Brass TacksRight front leg (rear): By lawsshire council, broadmeadows, furniture, alexander coupar gibb, 1916

Photo shows the Tramcar allocation board - in the Geelong depot. Shows the four bogie cars in operation or available on the day the photograph was taken. Shows that some of the Meadowbank-built trams and bogie trams had already left the depot. One of a set of photos was taken between 15/2/1956 and 3/3/1956 when services operated only between Belmont and North before the final closure of the Belmont route on 25/31956 and that bogie tram 31 is not shown on the board, having gone to Ballarat on 15/2/1956 - see item 5554. See item 8213 for an article on the Geelong system by Keith Kings. Yields information about the Geelong depot allocation board that showed the location and use of the tramcars on the day.Black and white Negative - 120 size. Black & white photograph on a postcard format backing with notes on the rear (see AS Box 84)Extensive notes regarding the tramcars and their sale dates.tramways, geelong, depot, depot allocation, tramcar allocation