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A4 11 page document outlining the scope and content of the Australian Tesselated Tile Co. Pty. Ltd. held in the University of Melbourne ArchivesRecorded material of the Australian Tesselated Tile Co. Pty. Ltdaustralian tesselated tile co pty ltd, university of melbourne

Notes relating to Richard Grice (by Harold Curnow, Bendigo.) Notes taken from letter from letters written by Richard Grice from May 1839 to January 1845 as a result of examination of the file on the Grice family on May 8, 1968 by courtesy of the Archivist, University of Melbourne Archives. ''Line of enquiry taken by the writer was to ascertain the names of all the people mentioned by Richard Grice especially the names of those people who were with Richard Grice during the years he occupied the vast sheep station in part of which the City of Bendigo developed''. Mention of ''writer's own observations of the sequence of events in the appropriate places'' and ''an important letter written by Martin Maxwell (?unclear), Mar 25, 1843 and located in the State Archives of Vic..'' This document (2821) is handwritten on the back of a telegram form. It is marked in handwriting (Copyright).richard grice, harold curnow, melbourne archives., ravenswood estate

Some of the magic lantern slides were donated to the City of Melbourne by former student, Lex Nieboer (1975). The remainder still in his possession at the time, subsequently donated to The University of Melbourne Burnley Archives. He found them in a storeroom at Burnley in 1975. CD containing 44 photographs scanned from a collection of Magic Lantern slides (300). Brochure describing this collection. Photographs of some of these slides may be in B10.0057. Not rescanned. Cressida from Art and Heritage Collection, City of Melbourne provided a copy of the scanned collection.students, lex nieboer, university of melbourne, burnley archives, storeroom, burnley, parks, gardens

Forty four pages of the Cocks Family History including Acknowledgements and an introductory letter from David James Cocks. No page seven. The Cock Family came England and on arrival in Victoria the letter 's' was added to their surname. Robinson Cock came to Australia at the request of his brother-in-law, John Hunter Patterson, who owned Moorabbee Station, where he started to work. It also tells of the properties owned, horses they bred, dairy farms and later shops in Melbourne which various family members had.person, family, cocks family, cocks family history, david james cocks, robinson cocks, john hunter patterson, bendiog library, mary ann cocks (nee reeves), gwendolyn nellie pegg (nee cocks), herbert james robinson cocks (jim), leslie vincent kennett cocks (les), victor hugh cocks (hugh), herbert victor thomas cocks (bert), nellie cocks (nee mills), leslie robinson cocks, catherine cnatrill (nee cocks), herbert arthur cocks, eve ellen cocks (nee scott), leonard gibb cocks (len), raymond cocks, ingrid cocks (nee petersen), phyllis hope cocks (nee phillips), 'kimbolton', 'mcivor', john ormond randell, latrobe library, melbourne university archives, queensberry hill press, brown prior anderson p/ltd, john cock, katherine robinson, john cock, catherine shepperson

Bella Guerin was born on 23 April 1858, at Williamstown, Victoria. She studied at home to matriculate in 1878, and then gained her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Melbourne in 1883, becoming the first woman to graduate from an Australian university; she followed this with a Master of Arts in 1885. She taught at Loreto Convent, Ballarat, urging the establishment of higher education scholarships to produce ‘a band of noble thoughtful women as a powerful influence for good’. She married an elderly poet, Henry Halloran, who died shortly afterwards leaving her with a young son, Henry. She returned to teaching and from the mid-1890s frequented suffragist circles. A second marriage in 1909 to George D’Arcie Lavender was also short lived. Bella Guerin was vice-president of the Women’s Political Association from 1912–14 and co-authored Vida Goldstein’s 1913 Senate election pamphlet. However, dual membership of the non-party feminist camp and the Labor Party was prohibited by the latter in 1914, so from that date she campaigned for the Victorian Socialist Party and the Women’s Socialist League, speaking out on a range of controversial issues. She led the Labor Women’s Anti-Conscription Fellowship during the 1916 referendum campaign. In 1918, as vice-president of the Labor Party’s Women’s Central Organising Committee, she caused controversy by describing Labor women as ‘performing poodles and packhorses’ who were used for fundraising but under-represented in policy decisions—and she was right. Bella died in Adelaide on 26 July 1923 of cirrhosis of the liver and is remembered for her idealism, her oratory skills and her commitment to equity for women. Duplicate photograph of Julia Margaret (Bella) Guerin the first woman graduate of The University of Melbourne, B.A. 1883, M.A. 1885, The original is held by Melbourne University Archives. bella guerin, bella halloran, julia margaret guerin, university of melbourne, graduation, feminist, university women

CD containing photos from a book and cards of the Massey Ferguson apprentices from 1913 to 1930s. Book and cards are kept by Melbourne University Archivesmassey ferguson, sunshine harvester works

Copied from Melbourne University archives.Black plastic A4 side bound in white, containing plastic sleeves and photocopied material.Collegium Taturenscollegium taturense, dunera, camp lecturers, internee education

St Kilda Primary School, (BrIghton Road) 1882, additional notes: built in 1875 On the back: Copy courtesy LaTrobe Library, Melbourne From: Archives Victoria Photographs of State School Buildings. Vol 1. State School, St Kilda (Brighton Road) Hand written: School built 1975. Tower was not moved until some time after 1882. Accompanied by a smaller copy of the same photograph.black and white photograph fair condition unmountedSt Kilda Primary School, (BrIghton Road) 1882, additional notes: built in 1875 On the back: Copy courtesy LaTrobe Library, Melbourne From: Archives Victoria Photographs of State School Buildings. Vol 1. State School, Paterson Bros. Photos. Melbourne. St Kilda (Brighton Road) 1882. School built 1975. Tower was not moved until some time after 1882. D.J Taggart 58 Glenhuntly road, Elwood 3184. St Kilda Historical Collection, 150 Carlisle street, St Kilda.

From the Port Melbourne Yacht Club archives received from the club 2010Photo of Port Melbourne Yacht Club members in front of clubhouse, inaugural year 1889sport - yachting, societies clubs unions and other organisations, port melbourne yacht club, pmyc

Book. Harry Biggs Collection. Australian Goldfields by M. J. Jennings. Hill of Content Archive Series Melbourne 1966. Printed in Aust. By L & R Schaffel Prahran Victoria. Details the history of the goldfields in the Australian Colonies.organisation, union, commercial, harry biggs collection, australian goldfields

Photocopy of a pamphlet held by Melbourne University Archives detailing the history of Melbourne Legacy 1923-1944. Details include the genesis of the organisation, and how it came to be called Legacy as well as information about various activities Legacy children could access. Includes a concise chronology of Melbourne Legacy during those years. It includes an extract from a speech by the former Governor General Sir Issac Issacs about Legacy.It's a brief and concise history of the early years of Melbourne Legacy.Photocopy x 16 pages of black type and black and white photos.history, annual summary

Postcard - publicity take away - Melbourne published by the National Archives Office of two trams at the intersection of Elizabeth and Bourke St Melbourne 1955 with the London Stores in the background. Tram 392 has the destination of Essendon Bulla Road, Route 52 (has been changed prior to arriving at Flinders St) and tram 373, destination of Maribyrnong River, Route 54. On the rear has the details of the National Archives Melbourne Office, reading room and details of the photograph and reference details.trams, tramways, elizabeth st, route 52, essendon bulla rd, route 54, maribyrnong river, bourke st, tram 392, tram 373

Photographer notations on slide: Steel Manuf’rs at McPherson’s Ltd 1933 Published: The Age, 30 August 1933 BUREAU OF STEEL MANUFACTURERS OF AUSTRALIA. (1933, August 30). The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), p. 11. Retrieved January 25, 2026, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article204372874 Published title: Bureau of Steel Manufacturers of Australia Published caption: A group of Inter-State Visitors, from the Bureau of Steel Manufacturers of Australia, on a tour of inspection at the Bolt Works of McPhersons Pty. Ltd., Burnley-Richmond, yesterday. Research by Project Volunteer, Louise McKenzie: The photo shows a line up of 36 men, in three rows, in front of a building. They are mostly dressed in dark 3-piece suits, or camel coats. But one gentleman stands out in his full length leather coat! Striped ties are popular, and they are all holding hats. One man, at the rear towards the right, looks a bit younger with his thick, black, brylcreamed hair.. These interstate gentlemen are described in the newspaper caption as representatives of the Bureau of Steel Manufacturers "...on a tour of inspection at the Bolt Works of McPhersons Pty Ltd, Burnley, Richmond." Interestingly, the Bureau of Steel Manufacturers of Australia (BOSMA) still exists, and is the industry body for major Australian steel producers like BlueScope, Liberty, and InfraBuild, representing their interests, engaging with government, and participating in standards setting for the domestic steel market, with a history dating back to 1923. While BOSMA focuses on primary manufacturing, the Australian Steel Institute (ASI) serves as the broader peak body for the entire steel supply chain, from mills to end-users, promoting and supporting the industry. But at the time of this photo, the Australian steel industry was just starting to make headway. As the AST website explains, "Steelmaking in Australia began just a decade prior to the start of the 1851 Gold Rush whilst Australia was still divided into colonies. Iron ore deposits were discovered in 1840 at Iron Knob, South Australia but a lack of equipment meant that the process of producing steel was impossible. Even attempts at smelting the iron ore in a blast furnace to create pig iron were unsuccessful due to the poor quality of iron ore and coke available to the budding industry. In the other colonies at the time, such as Victoria, Tasmania, and New South Wales, there were minor discoveries of iron ore but poor technical expertise and limited quantity meant that the quality of steel was poor. Compared to the far superior steel being imported from Britain at the time, the steel manufacturing industry simply couldn’t compete and was unviable. By the 1870s, almost all steel production in Australia had been abandoned. The situation began to change at the turn of the century. Rapid growth sparked higher demand for industrial machinery made from steel and infrastructure such as rail. It became apparent that there was a need for locally manufactured steel and soon there would be an answer. In 1901, the year Australia united into a federation, the nation’s first blast furnace went into production at Eskbank near Lithgow in New South Wales. The development was spearheaded by William Stafford and his son Esk, and Stafford is known as the father of Australian steel production. In 1915, production expanded with another steel mill in Newcastle that was opened by BHP. It sourced coke from local mines and iron ore from South Australia, creating a domestic loop for steel manufacturing. In the following years, more steelworks opened in Whyalla, South Australia and Port Kembla in NSW. Steel manufacturing in Australia was now underway." The company mentioned in the photo’s notation and in the newspaper caption, was McPhersons, "...an Australian hardware firm, for many years a leading merchant of woodworking and metal-working machinery... [and founded by] Thomas McPherson (c.1823–1888) who had a home "Dudley House" at 142 Dudley Street, West Melbourne. [The] ironmongery business [was located] in 1860 at 149 Spencer Street, Melbourne. Merchandise carried included bells, lathes, horseshoes and steam engines." (Wikipedia - McPherson's Pty Ltd) Anyone who has read Robyn Annear’s excellent award-winning 2014 book Bearbrass – the name for early Melbourne - will remember only too well her description of West Melbourne, from where the city of Melbourne as we know it, emerged. Her book resurrects the village that was early Melbourne – from the arrival of white settlers in 1835 until the first gold rushes shook the town – and brings it to life in vivid colour. The McPherson family, whose arrival in Bearbrass coincides with this period (Thomas arrived in 1852), became intimately involved in the growth and development of Melbourne. Thomas was Mayor of Melbourne (1870-1871); his eldest son Hunter became a successful Sydney businessman; second son Edward and third son William inherited the company, and ran it together until 1896 when Edward killed himself. William had a notable career in politics as treasurer of Victoria 1917-1923, in which year he was knighted. 1928-1929 he was Premier of Victoria, and a noted philanthropist. The family were significant property owners in the city of Melbourne: 149 Spencer Street, 582-588 Collins Street, 554-566 Collins Street, together with a property on Jeffcott Street, West Melbourne, and factories in Sunshine, Tottenham, Kensington and Richmond – all by the mid 1940s. By that time they also had controlling interests in several Australasian industries, including Ajax Bolt and Rivet Pty Ltd of NZ, F W Hercus Manufacturing Co Ltd, manufacturers in South Australia of lathes, guillotines and other heavy machinery, also of Patience and Nicholson (P & N), manufacturers in Maryborough, Victoria, of twist drills and thread-forming tools; also Wiltshire Files on Sunshine Road, Tottenham, manufacturing files and rasps. The Acme Machine Tool Company became a branch of McPhersons, and the company claimed to have supplied, from their own manufacture, all five million rivets (some 3,600 tonnes) used in the building of the Sydney Harbour Bridge – described as a steel through arch bridge, which opened in 1932; the tallest of its kind in the world (Wikipedia – Sydney Harbour Bridge) McPherson’s was also innovative in other ways. It published a comprehensive catalogue, extensively detailed with prices, available free of charge to farmers and other businesses. In 1908 it had 148 pages. By 1937 it had grown to 372 pages. The University of Melbourne’s Archives entry on McPherson’s Limited notes: "After the outbreak of the Second World War, McPherson’s factories worked at full capacity and were crucial to Australia’s war efforts. On 5 December 1944 McPherson's converted to a public company named McPherson's Ltd, with William Edward as Chairman of Directors. By the start of the 1950s the company had a very different Board of Directors; in 1947 the Managing Director Oliver Addison died, and his replacement Marshall Eady died only six months later. Both had been Directors since McPherson’s became a proprietary company in 1913. Another Director, Philip Bevan, died in 1948 and this was followed by the death of William Edward in 1950. S.B Holder, F.G. Thorpe, H.L. Hastie, F. Grassick and D.G. Syme all joined the Board before 1950. The company continued to prosper for many years after the death of William Edward. His son, William David, was invited to join the McPherson’s Ltd Board in 1951. He married Angela Cumming in 1955 and soon after was sent to Brisbane as Director in Charge to oversee the building of a new warehouse. The opening of this warehouse in Queensland meant that the company now had major outlets in five states. As time went on, manufacturing in Australia began to decline and imports of everyday tools began arriving from Asia. These tools were being produced with much lower labour costs and could be sold at cheaper prices. William David retired in 1984 and eventually parts of the company were divested, such as the Richmond Bolt Works which closed in the early 1990s. Since the 1980s, McPherson's has diversified into housewares, printing, and health and beauty care products." This article also contains photos, one of which is a photograph of 'Bolt works picnic' 1920, showing workers in their shirt sleeves participating in a tug of war in a rural "picnic" setting. McPherson’s premises at 554-566 Collins Street more than lasted the test of time and is listed as historically significant. The magnificent art deco building from the 1930s in the heart of Melbourne was first commissioned in 1934 and completed in 1937. It is an imposing building fronting almost a quarter of the city block between Spencer Street and King Street, and was designed to be a warehouse, office and showroom for the hardware empire. International architects Stuart P Calder, and Reid and Pearson designed the four-storey building with a basement level and a stair tower at the centre that provides access to what was a tennis court on the roof. It is considered an example of the streamlined modern style in Melbourne and shows how the McPherson company, protected from taxes after World War I, was able to manufacture goods without being affected by the competition. The building has survived, and its current iteration is as the home to il Mercato Centrale – an Italian style artisan market concept. The University of Melbourne Archives hold a particularly good image of the building from its heyday, complete with Collins Street lamps on the pavement outside the store. And to return to our image, sited at "Bolt Works of McPhersons". Today this segment of McPhersons is still very well known - Ajax. A good summary of the company’s history, and the development of the name and business, can be found on the Mine Suppliers Online website: "AJAX Fasteners can trace its heritage back to 1900, when the Acme Bolt Company was established in West Melbourne, Victoria. In 1909, William McPherson used the company as the basis for establishing McPherson’s Bolt Works – adopting the brand ‘Ajax’ – and moved it to Richmond. Over the years, the company changed many times in response to industry needs to ensure that it remained the premier manufacturer of high quality fasteners in Australia. Many other names in the industry, such as Firth Cleveland, Spurway Cooke and Nettlefolds were merged or acquired into the company. McPhersons ended their 80-year ownership of Ajax in the early 90s when they sold their shares to National Consolidated, which was also a major shareholder at the time. In 1997, Ajax Fasteners moved to new purpose-built premises in Braeside, Victoria. Soon after, National Consolidated was taken over by the diversified manufacturer Austrim. The group soon acquired the iconic Nylex, and adopted the name Nylex Corporation. In January 2007, ACME Operations Pty Ltd acquired Ajax Fasteners and continues to operate the business today from the Braeside plant. The name ACME provides a nostalgic return by the new owners to the company’s heritage, when the Acme Bolt Company was founded in July 1900." REFERENCES: BUREAU OF STEEL MANUFACTURERS OF AUSTRALIA. (1933, August 30). The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), p. 11. Retrieved January 25, 2026, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article204372874 Wikipedia, McPherson’s Pty Ltd, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McPherson%27s_Pty_Ltd Wikipedia, Richmond, Victoria, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richmond,_Victoria Industry: From the mid-19th century, Richmond was a centre of manufacturing industry, including many large complexes such as the Bryant & May match factory, Jaques Limited engineering works, the Wertheim Piano factory and Pelaco. Wikipedia, Sydney Harbour Bridge, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sydney_Harbour_Bridge eMelbourne, Manufacturing, https://www.emelbourne.net.au/biogs/EM00896b.htm 'New life for Melbourne's McPherson Building', The Urban Developer, https://www.theurbandeveloper.com/articles/mcphersons-building-melbourne-il-mercato-centrale-food-retail-destination Bureau Of Steel Manufacturers Of Australia Limited, http://www.bosma.org.au/ 'A Brief History of Steel Manufacturing in Australia', AST, https://astraders.com.au/a-brief-history-of-steel-manufacturing-in-australia/ 'Steel manufacturing in Australia: a brief history', Hard Bakka Steel Fabrication, https://www.hardbakka.com.au/component/virtuemart/steel-manufacturing-in-australia-a-brief-history?Itemid=494 McPherson's Limited, University of Melbourne Archives, https://archives.library.unimelb.edu.au/nodes/view/58364 Source of Description: 'Nuts and Bolts: A story of a family and a firm', Barbara Hamer (2006), McPherson’s Printing Group 'Photograph of 'Bolt works picnic' 1920', University of Melbourne Archives, https://archives.library.unimelb.edu.au/assets/display/1287217-max?u=dea2e4d2fd07ac822e624f1e7d39adb3 'Photograph of the exterior of the McPhersons Department store at 546 Collins Street, Melbourne.', University of Melbourne Archives, https://archives.library.unimelb.edu.au/assets/display/1287215-max?u=12430d30453a77059b7d10d49006a521 Robyn Annear, Bearbrass: imagining early Melbourne, Black Inc., 2014 (originally published 1995 by Mandarin) 'Company details', Ajax Fasteners, http://www.minesuppliersonline.com.au/australia/braeside/hardware/ajax-fasteners 'Former McPherson's Building', Victorian Heritage Database, https://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/places/741Photographer notations on slide: "Steel manuf'rs at McPherson's Ltd 1933 B5".1930-1939, industrial workers, clothing and dress, 1930, iron and steel industry, businesses, bridges, industry, melbourne, gold rush, moderne style architecture

http://www.clag.com.au/about/about.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clag_(glue) Clag was first trademarked in 1898 by Joseph Angus, manufacturer, of 216 Nicholson Street, North Fitzroy, Melbourne. The National Archives of Australia holds the original trademark application - a digitised version is available online (see References). The exact composition of the original paste is unknown but is thought to have been starch-based. Australian schools commonly request that parents purchase Clag paste for their children as part of the stationery lists that are circulated before each school year. The main reason for this is Clag's reputation for safety and ease of use. The bottle includes a brush recessed into the lid that children find relatively easy to handle, and the packaging does not contain any small components that children might swallow. The main ingredient of Clag is wheat starch dissolved in a water base, meaning that children can safely swallow the glue without incident It feels cold to touch and when applied to paper, it sometimes alters the colour of what is on it and causes paper to warp, owing to the high water content of the glue. There is an Australian slang usage of the word "clagged" derived from the characteristic of Clag Paste and can be used in place of the words, "clogged", "congested", "restricted" or "stuck". Bottle used for clag. The bottle has the original marking made by Angus P/l who trademarked the glue in 1898.Angus & Co Pty Ltd, ISM 12school, bottle, glue, clag, trademark, wheat starch

An incomplete diary of an Australian nurse serving in France in 1916. The author is unidentified in the document but after extensive research it is concluded that is by Priscilla Wardle, who left Melbourne on 14 April 1915 on RMS Orontes and served with Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service (QAIMNS) in France. A larger portion of her diary is available from the Ballarat Base Hospital Trained Nurses League entries on Victorian Collections. The contents of the diary has been retyped and is in the Word document. The diary shows she was serving at a Casualty Clearing Station (CCS) in Bethune, France in March 1916. She goes on to serve at Wimereux, at the No 8 Stationary hospital. Also possibly at Boulogne. She had a period of rest at Hardelot, a convalescent home for nurses, and also a trip to England and Scotland. She tried to visit the graves of ancestors, such as relatives of 'Grandfather Allan', in the church yard at East Kilbride church. During her nursing experience she mentions being gassed by 'weeping' gas and hearing the sounds of shelling. Also the numbers of operations per month, such as 311 in March 1916. And another day when there were 29 operations in one day. She talks of POWs coming to the hospital. They are treated after the Allied soldiers are looked after. So operations often continued into the night to take care of the Germans. She also mentions removing a piece of shrapnel herself in one operation. She appears to be of a senior rank as she is asked to meet with senior hospital officials and high ranking officers that visit. In particular she mentions a staff surgeon from Admiral Jellicoe's ship the 'Iron Duke'. He visited just after the Battle of Jutland, which was a naval battle fought between Britain's Royal Navy Grand Fleet, under Admiral Sir John Jellicoe, and the Imperial German Navy's High Seas Fleet, under Vice-Admiral Reinhard Scheer, during the First World War (‎31 May – 1 June 1916). Also being visited by Stan Walker (also from Ballarat) and Lt Brough who was ADC to General Legge. It is possible Stan Walker is Lt (later Captain) Edward Stanley Walker. Lt Brough is believed to be Charles Anthony Brough. She also mentions meeting a Lady Gifford and Madam O'Gorman. She mentions travelling with Captain Newton to London in early December 1916 - she calls him Sauchiehall and Sauchie, both could be nicknames. Capt Newton later becomes Sir Wilberforce Newton, who was serving in the Royal Army Medical Corps on the Western Front between 1915 and 1917. His diaries are held in the University of Melbourne archive. He also left Melbourne on the RMS Orontes on 14 April 1915 (source Trove) and would have known the 14 Victorian nurses that went on to serve with QAIMNS. On 11 December 1915 he mentions trying to see a Sister Loughran at the No. 7 Stationary hospital - which was in Boulogne. Sister Loughran was also on the RMS Orontes. When he was ill he mentions receiving a parcel from two other nurses that were on the Orontes and served with QAIMNS (Madge Donnellan and Margaret Donaldson). Other things that indicate it might be Priscilla Wardle is that from Births Deaths and Marriages Victoria (BDM) she was born in Ballarat, her mother's maiden name was Allan, she had a sister Janet that went by the name of Jean who was married at the time mentioned in the diary (BDM and Trove), Priscilla's mother also died during the time of diary and coincides with the diary entry of the 'death of dear mother'. An article in Trove after Priscilla's return to Australia mentions she was in the areas mentioned in the diary. Also that Priscilla went on to be trained as an anaesthetist to help in the surgeries. It matches the comment in the diary that she was involved in many operations and even allowed to perform a bullet extraction. Finally on seeing the diary held by Ballarat Base Hospital Trained Nurses League - it was determined the handwriting matched and this diary is part of the larger diary held there, so is definitely Priscilla Wardle. After the war Priscilla Wardle married Cyril Terrence (Terry) Charles Kirby, an English soldier and they settled in Ballarat and later Melbourne. Terry Kirby became a Legatee in 1929 and transferred to Melbourne Legacy in 1935. He was a well liked, hard working Legatee and worked at Legacy House up to his death in 1967. That is probably how the diary ended up in the building. In May 2021 the pages were returned to descendants of Priscilla so now only electronic copies are in our archive.A valuable first hand account of life as a nurse in World War One. The founders of Legacy all served in World War One and may have known this nurse or been in situations similar to her.Handwritten diary of a nurse from 1916 on 10 pages of notepaper.memoir, world war one, nurse

Standing proud, still here, the spirit of ten ancestral matriarchs adorned in contemporary ceremonial cloaks. Representing our women past, present and future, her Spirit, our culture, our Country (spelt with a capital for its importance and this is part of First Peoples protocols on acknowledging Country, our strength, our resilience and healing towards a sustainable future). The black swan cloak refers to the black swan of Geelong and Ballarat were the swan has had its own fight to survive during the early colonial years where white swans were introduced by colonisers and the black swan fought back as they do not naturally get along. The wave pattern is taken from a traditional shield pattern held in the Melbourne Museum, South Eastern archive collection of shields. The wave refers to the water and travelling across water to fish, hunt and survive. This cloak is about survival, water, and the swan living on the water. It also refers to a contemporary dance of Kunuwarra the black swan, which was performed by a group Wadawurrung women (including artist Deanne Gilson) for Tanderrum (Melbourne – Naarm) in 2016. The dance is available to watch on youtube.Black swan, heart motif with water design on outer cloak, female figure and red native flower design on lining. Solid black trimming. Cloak is machine sewn and handstitched with hand stitching on shoulder seam.deanne gilson, first nations art, wadawurrung dja

Seven seated and fifteen standing men dressed in suits around a long table in a panelled room hung with formal portraits of men. A trophy sits on the long table amongst loose paper sheets. Research by project volunteer, Fiona Collyer: The Commercial Travellers’ Association of Victoria (CTA) was formed at a meeting of 40 commercial travellers held at the Duke of Rothesay Hotel, 24 Elizabeth Street on 1 December 1880. Their charter was to advocate for better working conditions for commercial travelling salesmen, including improved accommodation at discounted rates and travel concession fares. At first by locomotive, horse and buggy, steamers and horseback, later also by motor car and motorcycle, “The Man on the Road” went into the back-blocks of the country to extend the interests of commerce to the stores and households of Australian regional towns and isolated settlements. Affiliated organisations existed in all states and New Zealand and in 1895 they integrated to form the United Commercial Travellers’ Association of Australasia (UCTAA). By the turn of the 20th century, the Victorian branch of the CTA had 421 Association Members and 520 Club members. The CTA continued to hold meetings in leased rooms in hotels and offices until 1898 when they commissioned purpose-built premises at 190-192 Flinders Street (extant, now the Macstore, next to former Metropolitan Gas Company Buildings). Designed by leading architectural firm of brothers H.W. & F.B.Tompkins (Dimmey’s Model Store, Swan Street, London Stores, Herald and Weekly Times, Myer building, Diamond House, Centreway Arcade, Manton’s Store) in the Queen Anne Revival style at the cost of £20,000, the four storey building had a facade of red Northcote bricks and an entrance of Pyrmont stone. It was very modern for the time, featuring elevators, offices, bars, kitchen, dining, card and billiard rooms and 31 bedrooms with shared bathrooms for the footsore travellers. However, despite adding two storeys in 1901, and another storey and a basement in 1905, they soon outgrew their premises, and in 1912 the CTA commissioned a new building at 328 Flinders Street. At this time, buildings in Melbourne were constrained by the city height limit of 132 feet (40 metres)- the maximum height of firefighting ladders. The new CTA building was the tallest building in Melbourne until 1932 when regulations changed allowing the Manchester Unity Building to be built. The new CTA headquarters was the epitome of comfort and luxury with cutting edge facilities to ease the fatigued salesman and prepare him for another stint on the road. General Secretary, James Davies travelled to Britain and America to acquire the very best and latest innovations. After visiting the new premises, Punch magazine 11 June 1914 reported “furnishings, appliances, and labour-saving conveniences which were more than up to date- they were up to-morrow.” The Edwardian Baroque style building was again designed by architects H.W. & F.B. Tompkins at the cost of £100,000 and built by contractors F.E. Shillabeer and Sons (Nicholas Building, Kellow-Falkiner Pty Ltd car showroom). The nine storey plus basement building is of steel frame construction with concrete floors. The ground floor facade is of grey granite and above that it is faced with cream glazed bricks chosen to combat discolouration from the pollution emitted by Flinders Street Station trains across the road. The facade is decorated with mascarons, gum leaf trim and balconies with classical style balustrade. The club was entered through revolving doors into a two storey high, circular, domed lobby with white columns, American oak panelled walls and intricate mosaic flooring. The ceiling is festooned with plaster gum leaf and gum nut detail, a theme that is repeated throughout the building. The basement kitchen had modern, labour saving appliances that would be the envy of any Edwardian housewife, including an electric toaster, a potato peeling machine, heated dumb waiter, dishwashing machine and electric refrigeration and cooking. It serviced the commodious second floor dining room which seated 200 people and the cafe/breakfast room, 80 people. Members were permitted to entertain their lady friends there for afternoon tea between the hours of 3 and 5 pm every day, except Sunday. The members’ facilities included a barbershop, clothes pressing machine, boot cleaning chair, pipe and cigar stall with electric humidor, public telephones, lockers and safe deposit. The building was serviced with five elevators, a built in vacuum cleaning plant, hot water radiators and linen and postal chutes. The first floor was devoted to business and relaxing, containing the Board, Writing, Reading and four Business Rooms. The board room had Queensland maple panelling with huge blackwood tables topped with blue morocco and golden tortoise-shell trim and cane bottomed chairs. Large framed photographs of past presidents since 1884 lined the walls. The Reading Room ran the whole width of the building. Arthur Streeton’s painting “Between the Lights, Princes Bridge 1888” and Frederick McCubbin’s “Looking North from Mount Macedon” were hung there, as well as paintings by renowned Australian artists Hans Heysen, Walter Withers, John Mather, Jan Hendrik Scheltema. The Argus 30 May 1914 quipped “Around the walls hang evidences that the commercial traveller's soul has not been killed in his pursuit of commerce”. The blackwood panelled room was furnished with Queen Anne style tables and chairs and green leather armchairs with inviting rocker foot rests allowing weary travellers to relax after traversing the railways and dusty roads of Victoria while planning their next sales trip. “The Australasia Traveller” Volume 10, Number 2, April 1914 page 35 noted “An attendant will be constantly employed on this floor to take care of the stationary supply, to tidy up newspapers, and generally study the convenience of members.” The third floor was for amusements with billiards, a bar and four rooms for playing cards, dominoes and chess. The huge billiard room had seven Alcock billiard tables including a table in a partitioned match-room for tournaments, exhibitions and matches. The walls were lined with members’ cues and for spectators, comfortable lounges with marble topped tables and electric bell pushes for drinks service. There were 150 bedrooms over five floors, each with their own telephone and wash basin and five suites with a private sitting room attached. There were four bathrooms per bedroom floor and capacious, well-lighted shaving rooms. Top rate club tariff for bed and breakfast - 6 shillings, if called for a country train leaving Melbourne before 8am - 4 shillings, suite and breakfast- 9 shillings, sixpence. “The Australasia Traveller” Volume 10, Number 2, April 1914 page 35 reported “All “early calls” will be made from the Club Office to Bedrooms by means of the Telephone, so that instead of waking everybody else up on the corridor, only the member concerned will know that it is his unpleasant duty to get up.” The new CTA premises was widely regarded as the finest club in the Southern Hemisphere. The CTA also built the adjacent six storey Commerce House with 52 sample rooms for travellers to display their wares with the remainder rented to retail businesses and a post and telegraph office. After the CTA moved into their new, larger premises in 1914, neighbouring department store Ball & Welch expanded into the former CTA. The CTA saw themselves in a nation building role and were an influential lobby group to the Government. They advocated for inter city trunk telephone lines, standard gauge railway lines between NSW and Victoria, improved roads and highways, the Murray River water scheme and maintaining the White Australia Policy. They were very active in fund raising for the war efforts. The CTA offered its members support in other ways with benevolent funds for widows and orphans, mortuary, accident, sickness and an annuities fund for members over 65 years. There were scholarships for members’ children and home purchase scheme to assist with home ownership. A secondary membership scheme provided access to non commercial travellers (men only) to its exclusive club premises. They also organised social events and activities such as billiard tourneys, golf tournaments, dances and an annual “Smoke Social” which was a social event where men gathered for a formal dinner, community singing, lectures, speeches and of course, to smoke! Daylesford born James Davies OBE, (1865-1931) worked at the CTA for 50 years, starting as an office boy and working his way up to General Secretary and editor of the monthly trade journal for UCTAA members, “The Traveller” (1890-1905, later “The Australasian Traveller” 1905-1924 and then “The Australian Traveller” 1925-1976) and the annual colour supplement magazine “Australia To-Day” (1904-1973). “The Australasia Traveller” featured commentary on the issues of the day like wars, tariffs and trade, articles on new products and hotel recommendations and their rates and lots of advertising, especially alcohol, tobacco and accommodation in regional hotels. There were regular columns, each illustrated with a line drawing and these included “Our Immigration Record” a state by state summary of arrivals of “desirable immigrants” to Australia, while bemoaning the declining (white) birth rate. The column followed the arrival of British boys sent to Australia as agricultural apprentices to work on rural properties which were short of labour. Between 1913-1928, 1750 “Barwell Boys”, some as young as 14 years of age arrived in South Australia to work. NSW had a similar program known as the Dreadnaught Boys Scheme where 5595 boys immigrated between 1911-1939. The boys were considered of “good British stock”. There was a “Home Page For The Ladies” showcasing the latest fashions in women’s clothing, millinery and hairstyles and tips and trends in home furnishings.“Children’s Corner for Dear Little Folks” which featured puzzles, jokes and stories and members could send in photographs of their children. “Road Echoes” devoted to “The Man On The Road” and his doings. “Face Massage, Smiling is the Best Face Massage”, the humour page full of jokes and funny stories. “Railway Rumbles” news of innovations, timetables, tickets and grumbles about lavatories, food and drinking water on trains and at railway stations. And in case we forget that members had a home away from their CTA home, gardening tips with “The C.T. as Gardener”column. The annual magazine “Australia To-Day” was a vehicle to promote Australia here and overseas as a modern, prosperous country with abundant opportunities and pleasant climate. It sought to showcase its manufacturing, agriculture and tourism and encourage British immigration to Australia. The magazine featured articles about recently arrived migrants at work, quirky native flora and fauna, beach culture, recreation and the Australian way of life in the settler nation. Many of the articles were written by politicians of the day, including Robert Menzies. The UCTAA commissioned original artwork for the front covers and feature articles of “Australia To-day” from leading Australian artists. These included Norman Lindsay, Frederick McCubbin, Napier Waller, Lionel Lindsay, Hans Heysen, C Dudley Wood, Louis McCubbin, Penleigh Boyd, Louis Buvelot, Christian Waller and Ellis Rowan and her Australian wildflowers. Some of the photographs in “Australia To-Day” were provided by state and federal government departments as well as manufacturers, newspapers and mining companies. Amongst of the credited photographers was Helmut Newton who later earned world acclaim as a fashion photographer and architectural and industrial photographer Wolfgang Sievers (unfortunately their photographs remain in copyright and aren’t available online). Also featured was Richard C. Strangman, a professional photographer from Canberra, William Howieson of Melbourne, who has 22 photographs in the collection of NGV, Tasmanian wilderness photographer Frederick Smithies, Athol Shmith, portrait photographer and educator from Melbourne, Gordon de Lisle, a Melbourne commercial, industrial, aerial and society portrait photographer. (One of Gordon’s assignments was as the stills photographer for the 1959 movie “On The Beach” filmed in Melbourne). Photographs taken by acclaimed Antarctic and official war photographer Captain Frank Hurley OBE for Adelaide’s Centenary were also featured. The Australian Government was keenly aware of the influence and quality of the UCTAA publications. On 1 June 1914 The Age reported that to advertise Australia in Great Britain and elsewhere, the Department of External Affairs purchased 6500 copies of “Australia To-Day” magazine for £515 to distribute free to “places where they are most likely to come under the notice of a desirable class of immigrants.” In 1950, the office of Prime Minister Robert Menzies ordered 2550 copies of that year’s issue of “Australia To-Day” for the Department of Commerce and Information to distribute. The CTA donated their archives to University of Melbourne Archives which includes original artworks and photos used in “Australia To-Day” (Melbourne University has digitised 1114 photos) and sundry items including trophies, ashtrays, commemorative souvenirs, menus, a rare “Safechek” sovereign changer, a bust of James Davies and even a CTA embossed wash bowl and chamber pot. After the death of General Secretary James Davies in 1931, the CTA held the annual “James Davies Memorial Cup” golf tournament at various Melbourne golf courses, the winner receiving a splendid silver cup. “Table Talk” magazine photographs from 29 June 1933 depict the travellers beautifully (and I would say correctly) attired in tweedy plus fours, Fair Isle knitwear, flat caps and of course fringed brogues. I have been unable to ascertain whether the trophy in our photo is for golf or another CTA social activity. The CTA Victoria membership peaked in 1951 with 4,672 Aassociation members and 3,693 Club members. In 1959, Hollywood came to Melbourne when film stars Gregory Peck, Ava Gardner, Anthony Perkins and Fred Astaire descended to film ‘On the Beach,’ directed by Stanley Kramer. The film is based on the bestselling Neville Shute novel about the aftermath of World War Three, a nuclear war that has obliterated most of the Northern Hemisphere. Radioactive dust is heading toward Australia and everyone is preparing for death. Scenes with Anthony Perkins were filmed in the CTA billiards room as the exclusive Pastoral Club. Anthony Perkins’ character, Lieutenant Commander Peter Holmes of RAN tells Gregory Peck’s character, Commander Dwight Lionel, that The Pastoral Club is…”A mahogany and polished brass sort of place-some people claim it was the stuffiest club in the Commonwealth” before assuring him that despite shortages, the club is likely to have some Scotch left. In a scene at the Pastoral Club two, old (probably red faced) codgers discuss the challenge of drinking all of the 400 bottles of Gould Campbell vintage port in the club wine cellar before they succumb to radiation sickness in five months time. The NGV has 12 photographs in their collection of wardrobe stills of Ava Gardner modelling costumes designed by the Fontana Sisters of Rome for “On The Beach”, taken by Italian photographer G.B.Poletto. During the filming, Gregory Peck and his family stayed at “Kurneh” 206 Domain Road, South Yarra, the former home of three times Grand Slam winner Norman Brookes. Through the decades, Australian society was changing and in order to stay relevant, the CTA had to change too. In 1971, two women were elected for club membership, although they were only granted limited access to the club’s facilities and in 1972, women were invited for the first time to participate in the previously men only annual “Smoke Social”. In 1975, dwindling membership forced the closure of The Commercial Travellers’ Association building and in 1977, the building was sold, with the CTA ceasing to operate in 2014. It was the end of the road for the “Knights of the Road”. In 1992, the CTA building at 328 Flinders Street was placed on the Victorian Heritage Register in recognition of its architectural and cultural significance. The building has been meticulously restored with many of the original fittings, decorative plasterwork, mosaic flooring, stained glass windows, columns, chandeliers and the panelling made from Australian timbers retained. After renovations the building became first the Euro Asia Hotel, then the Duxton Hotel and in 2005 The Rendezvous Hotel, Melbourne. In tribute to the history of the building and the film “On The Beach”, the Rendezvous Hotel has the Ms Ava Bar, Perkins room, Mr Tompkins restaurant, Commerce Room and the Davies Room. References: COMMERCIAL TRAVELLERS' ASSOCIATION OF VICTORIA. (1899, May 27). The Australasian (Melbourne, Vic. : 1864 - 1946), p. 25. Retrieved February 21, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article138615498 COMMERCIAL TRAVELLERS. (1914, May 30). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 8. Retrieved February 13, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article7272511 NEWS OF THE DAY. (1914, June 1). The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), p. 8. Retrieved February 19, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article189414314 COMMERCIAL TRAVELLERS' "AT HOME." (1914, June 11). Punch (Melbourne, Vic. : 1900 - 1918; 1925), p. 32. Retrieved March 19, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article129699692 https://archives.library.unimelb.edu.au/nodes/view/69669 https://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/places/757 http://www.pikitiapress.com/blog/2015/1/26/australia-today Commercial Travellers at Yarra Yarra (1933, June 29). Table Talk (Melbourne, Vic. : 1885 - 1939), p. 6. Retrieved February 28, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article149547845 https://archives.library.unimelb.edu.au/nodes/view/537460 https://viewer.slv.vic.gov.au/?entity=IE7420895&file=FL19171568&mode=browse https://www.history.sa.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Barwell_Boys_Catalogue-compressed-compressed-compressed.pdf Australia Today," 1927 (1926, December 11). Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic. : 1869 - 1954), p. 15. Retrieved March 17, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article223844810 https://blogs.unimelb.edu.au/librarycollections/2020/12/19/an-inhabited-space-helmut-newtons-lovers/ https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/explore/collection/artist/2075/ https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/?s=Poletto+&type=collection https://rendezvousmelbourne.com.au/digital-history-tour/Photographer notations on slide: "Commercial Travellers Group B6".clubs, department stores, 1930-1939, commerce, manufacturing, federation/edwardian style architecture, railways, tourism, games, agriculture

Photographer notations on slide: At the Leather Exhib. at T. Hall Melb 1933 Age Published: Age (Melbourne, Vic.: 1854- ), 1933 THE EXHIBITS. (1933, September 20). The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), p. 16. Retrieved January 25, 2026, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article205109730 Published title: THE EXHIBITS. A COMPREHENSIVE RANGE. Curios, Novelties, Working Displays Published Caption: ONE OF THE NOVELTIES – AN OUTSIZE IN SHOES Research by Project Volunteer, Louise McKenzie: Our photo is dated 20 September 1933, and shows a happy, chubby-faced young girl sitting in a very over-sized girl’s shoe. It is labelled – “Shoe, An Out Size, loaned by Messrs Blackman & Rose”. (1) It is an effective way to capture the attention of the readership and alert them to the Melbourne Leather Show 1933. This show was designed to be a drawcard of extraordinary proportion, and there is no doubt that this leather exhibition was a really big deal for Melbourne. It completely took over the Melbourne Town Hall, and was open from 10.30 am until 10.30 pm. It seemed to contain something for everyone – the military, the man about town, the home handyman, the housewife, the child, the sporting types, the domestic workers, the outdoor enthusiasts, the horseracing fans, car enthusiasts, those wishing to show off the latest fashion – both men and women - and those just intrigued by a lot of fascinating and wide ranging exhibits. One of the most comprehensive descriptions of the Exhibition accompanies the photograph, and is worth quoting in full: “PROMINENT among exhibits which first attract attention in the foyer of the Town Hall is a comprehensive display of leather articles used by the defence forces. A conspicuous legend states that leather plays an important part in national defence, being used for saddlery, tool containers, holdalls, range-finding, surveying and signalling equipment, explosives factories, harness accoutrement, bandsmen's equipment and clothing. Three models of horses and several figures of soldiers wearing leather equipment illustrate the lesson, and a great range of leather goods used in military training and work variegate the display. Nearby are Texas cowboy, buckjumping and breaking-in saddles; whips, a walking stick, made of leather and numerous other curios. The general exhibition occupies the whole floor space of the main Town Hall, and is subdivided by partitions running most of the length of the hall. A bewildering variety, of leather goods presses for close and leisured inspection. Here and there operatives in charge of working machinery give practical demonstrations of factory processes in the production of footwear. Polishing materials are well represented. One attractive exhibit includes two bush huts constructed of leather, with wattle bark for roofing. Opossums, rosellas and a kookaburra add touches of bush realism. Adjacent exhibits include bags, fishing boots, leggings, leather covers in all colours. Factory Processes. One exhibitor has installed an automatic cinema apparatus and screen, which projects various factory processes in making a shoe, the operator being shown at work. Elsewhere an interesting exhibit depicts the five stages in the manufacture of sole leather, and the tanning materials employed. "Very handsome effects are achieved in the interior appointments of motor cars, which are attended by figures of smart chauffeurs in leather coats. Motor-trimming leather is said to be more durable and hygienic than fabric materials, and cheaper. The neat finish of the material, its excellent appearance, certainly make a very favourable impression. It takes the hides of three beasts to cover the cushions, squabs and door panels of a full-sized sedan, while to finish the entire interior, including quarter-panels and head linings would take four or even five. Special Exhibits. Amongst the special sections the display arranged by the handicrafts and home industries- committee of the Country Women's Association of Victoria is a notable one. In all there are about 130 entries which are in four classifications, viz., hand-tooled or embossed leathers, suede, hand-made gloves and undecorated leather. The glove section attracted the most numerous entries, a number being the work of members and craft subscribers of the Country Women's Association. In the leathercraft competition, organised by the Country Women's Association, the judges yesterday awarded the first prize for bookbinding (the only prize given in this division) to Miss M. Alston, of South Yarra. There is also a creditable display of exhibits submitted by boys of the orthopaedic section of the Children's Hospital at Frankston. Amongst the novelties on view in other portions of the exhibition were the following: — Leather coats worn by Sir C. Kingsford Smith on his Atlantic flight. Model Wellington boot, Phar Lap's saddle. Melbourne Cup winner's saddle. Longest whip in world, 108 feet long. (33 metres) [See our photo, to left of Girl in Shoe] Diminutive shoes. Pair of shoes 65 years old. Pair of men's working boots 75 years old. Larwood's, Tate’s and Pataudi’s cricket boots. [Three internationally revered cricketers of the day] (2) Picture frame made of leather bought 63 years ago. [See our photo, to right of Girl in Shoe] Leather frame, powder bowl, &c. Saddle used by world's champion buckjumper in U.S.A. Mexican cowboy outfit. Miniature saddle and bridle. A fireman's helmet made of sole leather. (3) Sample of the leather hat worn by porters at the Billingsgate Fish Market, London. (4) From South Australia there have been obtained sets of harness for donkeys, goats and camels, the equipment being displayed to good advantage on stuffed representations of the animals mentioned. Close to the platform is a glass case containing snow shoes and coats which have been used in Antarctic exploration work. Trade Display. Amongst the trade exhibits may be seen in operation a slipper turn shoe sewing machine, with heeling and channelling facilities, and the various stages in the production of ladies' sandals are shown. There is a wide contrast between sole leather of varying degrees of thickness on view in one stall and the choice samples of ladies' footwear in another — footwear, by the way, which could almost be used as ornaments, so dainty in colour and production are they. Again, there are displays of upholstering leathers of such soft texture that they could he readily mistaken for some of the finest cloth. Those who may be particularly interested in the production of chamois leather may gain an insight into the materials and chemicals used in the "working up” of this variety of leather. Supplies of glace kid (5) are tastefully arranged, and there may also be seen bags of all shapes and sizes, including satchels, suit cases and "sporting" cases, and bags for tennis players and golfers. Further variety is given to the exhibition by the display of antique hides, brightly coloured, with punching balls, boxing gloves and batsman's pads. There are crocodile skins and snake skins so cleverly "Worked up" that one could be almost pardoned for betraying an affection for such unpopular creatures.” “ Another wonderful article on this Exhibition, published the same day in one of the opposition daily newspapers, The Argus, is in the weekly article “Women to Women”, entitled “A Great Victorian Industry: Many Uses for Leather”. This weekly column was penned by Vesta, and she writes, with much purpose: “Yesterday afternoon I paid a hurried visit to the Leather Exhibition now being held in the Melbourne Town Hall and I was disappointed to find that the early visitors to the main exhibition were almost all men. Women, I think, should make a point of seeing every exhibition of our great industries, for women are the buyers of household requisites and goods for their own use and their tastes, and opinion influence also, to a large extent, the purchases of men. So, the welfare of industries is more or less in their hands and it becomes a duty for them to inform themselves fully of the extent and the quality of the manufacturing that is done here. The value of the output of the Australian boot and shoe factories alone was in 1930-31, the latest year for which the figures are given, Stg 3,750,000. Fully two thirds of that amount must have been spent by women on boots and shoes for themselves and their children. In a host of other directions, in the purchase of handbags, travelling bags, belts and straps, cushions, furniture coverings, purses, notebooks, spectacle cases, their annual expenditure must be very high. Their interest, therefore, in this industry is practical, and their support of it should be governed by knowledge of comparable values and qualities of the goods they buy. From the point of view of women, however, the exhibition itself is rather disappointing. There is an amazing collection of good stuff on show, but most of it is not displayed in a fashion that attracts attention. I was surprised, for example, at the range and quality of the leathers displayed, the suppleness of the finer qualities, and the varied range of colours and designs. But they are shown in such a fashion that if one set out deliberately to look for them it would be quite easy to miss most of them.” …It was surprising, too, that no one seemed to have taken advantage of the present fashion of wearing coloured gloves, or the cult of glove making, which the Country Women’s Association has fostered so successfully. Outside the collection of chamois leathers I saw no skins which were suitable to glove making. (6) However, it is perhaps a little unfair to be highly critical of the exhibition, inasmuch as it is the first of its kind. The material is there, undoubtedly, for a splendid show of every phase of this enterprising industry, and I am confident that experience will prove to those concerned that it will be worth while next time to devote a great deal of attention of the method of display.” With further research, it transpires that “Vera” is in fact NZ born Stella May Allen (nee Henderson) (1871-1962), a journalist, the first woman in NZ to begin a law course, in 1890-91). She later worked at a law firm while she completed her degree. Study of the law had always been open to women in NZ, but its practice was still barred to them. Her case “…led to amending legislation in 1896 allowing women to practise as barristers or solicitors. However, on gaining her LL.B. in November 1897 she did not apply for admission to the Bar. Instead, she became the Wellington-based correspondent and leader-writer for the Lyttelton Times. Her appointment, the first for a woman, was not welcomed by the all-male Press Gallery, and special permission had to be obtained from a subcommittee of the House before her presence was accepted. In 1900 she married Edwin Allen, a senior leader-writer for the Wellington Evening Post, and they moved to Australia in 1903 when Edwin Allen took up the post of foreign affairs leader-writer and parliamentary man for the Melbourne Argus. As Patricia Keep notes in her excellent entry of Stella Allan in the Australian Dictionary of Biography: “In 1907 The Argus commissioned her to write a series of articles on the first Australian Women's Work Exhibition held in October. They aroused much interest and next year The Argus invited her to join its full-time staff and begin a weekly section on the particular interests of women. She adopted the nom de plume 'Vesta' and called the column 'Women to Women'. Her work was unique in an Australian daily paper at that time. Her pages extended to cover every aspect of women's affairs, children's interests and community welfare, and 'Vesta' became a household word for authoritative information and advice on such matters. An excellent needlewoman and first-rate cook herself, she thoroughly tutored her staff in the work and needs of women in both country and city, as well as providing the usual training for cadet journalists. She conducted interviews and also visited the country to see at first hand the results of bushfires, mouse plagues, droughts and floods. In 1910 she was one of three women foundation members of the Australian Journalists' Association. “…she found time to become deeply involved in community affairs. She was an original committee-member of the Victorian Association of Crèches and of the Free Kindergarten Union of Victoria, and had much to do with the early days of the Victorian Bush Nursing Association, the Baby Health Centres Association and the Queen Victoria Hospital. She was a member of the National Council of Women, first in New Zealand and then in Melbourne, and of the Country Women's Association from its inception. … in 1924 she was appointed substitute delegate for Australia to the fifth assembly of the League of Nations at Geneva and was a delegate to the second Pan Pacific Women's Conference in Hawaii in 1930. A meeting held in the Melbourne Town Hall in 1938 by representatives of all the main Victorian women's organizations paid special tribute to her work and influence. She retired next year to England where she continued to write for the Argus, contributing articles on the experiences of women and children in wartime.” It is little wonder that “Vesta” was unafraid to take to task both the women of Victoria, and those who created the exhibition! One item which appears to have gone unnoticed, or at least unreported, is a framed article in the background of the photo of the chubby girl in the shoe. The display frame is labelled “Leather from the Human Skin, Tanned and Dressed by French artists.” The exhibition was certainly a cabinet of curiosities! A charming article in The Argus is a nice note on which to end. It gives a quick history and overview of the Australian leather industry and its unprecedented, and possibly unexpected, development and success, and states with pride: “Though Victoria is the largest leather producer in the Commonwealth all tanners in the Commonwealth can look back with pride on the long march of progress.” Footnotes: (1) “Blackman and Rose”. Messrs Blackman and Rose were shoe manufacturers, from 1927 located at 200 Noone Street, Clifton Hill. The Melbourne Circle describes their building as a “fine-looking building in the Federation ‘blood and bandage’ style.” It was built around 1912 for Puttifoot and Bloom, boot manufacturers, and today the building is apartments. (2) These cricketers were household names in the day: Tate: Maurice Tate, “English cricketer of the 1920s and 1930s, and leader of England’s Test bowling attack for a long time during this period. The founder of modern seam bowling. “ Larwood: Harold Larwood, “English right-arm fast bowler and the main exponent of the bowling style known as “bodyline”. Used to considerable effect in the 1932-33 Test series in Australia. Pataudi: Iftikhar A K Pataudi, “an Indian prince who in the 1930s played Test cricket for England, and in the 1940s played Test cricket for India (as Captain) – the only test cricketer to have played for both India and England. (3) “sole” leather “… is the thickest and most resistant material existing in the tanning industry … made from vegetable tanned leathers, usually bovine butts, processed in a special way to make them the hardest type of leather in existence.” (4) The hats worn by porters at Billingsgate Fish Market were also known as a “Bobbin” and look quite squat and rather unsophisticated. They were made of wood and tarred leather, with a “flat, hardened top designed to support large rectangular boxes of fish. The upturned brim protected the porter’s head against fish juice draining from the boxes of fish which would be carried on top of the hat. Some hats featured a small drain hole at the rear to allow this collected juice to drain down the back of the carrier. The hats were made using the ‘cuir bouilli’ technique. The leather was immersed in water which was heated until the leather began to shrink. It was then removed and put on a wooden former. The leather was stitched together to make the hat while still wet, and then held in place until dry.” (See article and photo on the London Museum website) (5) Glace kid – described on the Boston Museum of Fine Arts’ Cameo database as “A smooth glossy leather originally prepared from goat or sheepskin. Early glace kid had a shiny surface that was originally prepared by tawing the skin in a mixture of alum, table salt, flour, and egg yolk. Today, glace kid is prepared from many types of vegetable or chrome tanned leathers. The smooth polished surface is obtained mechanically by shaving, glazing, ironing, and/or rolling the dry leather.” (6) In the 1930s, Melbourne’s glovemaking industry was characterised by local manufacturing, with key producers like Simpson’s Gloves Pty Ltd in Richmond and the Stagg Glove Company in Clifton Hill leading the market. These factories produced high-quality leather gloves, handbags, and specialty gear, often employing a clear gendered division of labour and training young, local women. Museum Victoria holds the Simpson’s Gloves Collection, comprising over 1200 items, and the University of Melbourne Archives holds the company’s business records. References: THE EXHIBITS. (1933, September 20). The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), p. 16. Retrieved January 25, 2026, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article205109730 EXPORT LEATHER. (1929, September 17). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 17. Retrieved January 19, 2026, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4037647 LEATHER EXHIBITION (1933, September 18). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 10. Retrieved January 19, 2026, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article11693362 (1933, September 23). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 21. Retrieved January 19, 2026, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page522766 WOMEN TO WOMEN (1933, September 20). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 13. Retrieved January 19, 2026, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article11694034 Australian Dictionary of Biography, Stella May Allan (1871–1962) https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/allan-stella-may-4998 WOMEN TO WOMEN (1930, January 22). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 13. Retrieved January 19, 2026, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4063888 Museums Victoria, Simpson’s Gloves, 486-496 Victoria Street, North Richmond, VIC, Australia https://collections.museumsvictoria.com.au/articles/2702 The Argus. (1927, October 31). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 20. Retrieved February 7, 2026, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3888451 Melbourne Circle: stories from the suburbs: “Boots and all in Clifton Hill” https://melbournecircle.net/2015/11/20/bootmakers-of-clifton-hill/ Wikipedia, Maurice Tate, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurice_Tate Wikipedia, Harold Larwood, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harold_Larwood Wikipedia, Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iftikhar_Ali_Khan_Pataudi Buy Leather Online Italy, Sole leather: https://buyleatheronline.com/en/blog/outsole-and-insole-leather-n7 London Museum, Porters hats, https://www.londonmuseum.org.uk/collections/v/object-731122/hat-porters-hat/ Cameo Database, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Glace Kid, https://cameo.mfa.org/wiki/Glac%C3%A9_kid VICTORIAN LEATHER HAS WON RENOWN (1937, September 22). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 31 (March of Progress Supplement). Retrieved February 7, 2026, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1108704 Photographer notations on slide: "At the Leather Exhib. at T. Hall Melb 1933 Age B5".displays, melbourne town hall, leather, children, shoes, 1930-1939, industry, hats, gloves

The Ironmonger Diary 1894 is a hard covered book bound book with gold lettering on the front cover and spine. The front cover includes an index to the information inside. It is titled on top of the inner pages "The Ironmonger Diary and Text Book". The inner pages contain blank diary pages, two weeks to an opening, with a light weight, blank pink page between the weeks. There are also Cash Book pages. The front and back sections of the diary contain product advertisements for ironmonger's wares, hardware, household goods, farm machinery, bicycles and even some clothing. There are Tables of measurements, a green-aged section called Classified List of Trade Marks and Brands, The Buyer's Guide and a list of Hallmarks on Plate (such as gold) identifying the years of manufacture.non-fictionThe 1894 edition of The Ironmonger Diary is not a personal, handwritten journal, but rather a highly specialized, annual commercial trade publication and desk reference book. It was published by The Ironmonger, the premier British trade journal for the hardware, metallurgical, and tool-making industries during the Victorian era. It served a dual purpose: part practical office desk calendar and part comprehensive trade directory. It was engineered to be the ultimate daily companion for anyone buying, selling, or working with metal goods.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, ironmonger diary, 1894, hardware catalogue, hardware diary