ELTHAM’S GROWTH HAS BEEN RAPID IN RECENT YEARS Unknown local paper c.1960s Recent years have seen a rapid change in the appearance of Eltham’s business centre - so rapid, in fact, that the growth of premises has been almost 300%. For more than thirty-five years Eltham had little more than a dozen traders - the town's business area spreading from Pryor Street in the north, to Pitt Street in the south. The greatest density of businesses - no more than a handful of shops - were situated in the present shopping centre but other essential services such as the Post Office, were located half a mile away. As the town's population grew and the need for more shops became apparent, the growth was centralised around the railway station and Shire hall. Few of the old premises are used for their original form of business today, though many are still in existence. One of the oldest (seen clearly in the illustration) still in use is now Ferrari's Greengrocery. This shop was Eltham's butchery in early days, conducted by Jim Ryan. Up to twenty years ago, Mr. Ryan ran his business from the shop. whilst his son toured Eltham in his horse and cart, cutting his customers' orders as he went from door to door. Another business - one of the few still trading in the same goods-was Burgoyne's Hardware. This is now owned by Mr. R. Clinton, a new shop has recently been added and shortly the old premises will disappear completely. The Burgoyne family were well known to Eltham's population. The Post Office and Store (then in Main Road, near Bridge Street) was run by Mr. and Mrs. Burgoyne. The Post Office was later moved, and attached to the hardware store. OLD HOTEL In this same area was the old Eltham Hotel, almost opposite the present hotel. The building still stands, but has been converted into a house. The hitching rail can still be seen by the roadside. Back in the township was Barber's Blue Gum store, later conducted by Mrs. Burges (mother of Garnet Burges) and claimed to be Eltham's oldest shop. Further down the road, just past the hardware store, was the barber shop and billiard saloon. Next door was E. J. Andrew's news agency, library and State Savings Bank. Eltham's original chemist's shop, or dispensary as it was called, is now an electrical repair shop. On this side of the street too, was Mrs. Monteith - Draper. Mr Monteith was the owner of Eltham' s bus service. This bus service had no regular route, but deposited passengers at the point nearest their homes - a. door to door taxi service. Next to Mrs. Monteith stood another grocery - and general store, and next again, the local blacksmith. Another of Butcher Ryan's sons was Eltham's blacksmith and obviously an enterprising man he conducted a timber business next door to his smithy's shop. These two premises are still run by one man - Garnet Burges. BOOM STARTS Twenty years ago, when Thompson's took over Eltham's pharmacy they occupied the old shop adjoining the Shire hall. The building of Thompson's new premises, from which· they operate today, was the beginning of Eltham's recent growth and development. With another grocery store and a bakery at the corner of York Street, a butcher near Franklin Street, a cobbler's shop opposite the State School (did you ever wonder what that-little building attached to one of Eltham's oldest houses had been?), and an estate agency conducted by Mr. Clark, now Eltham Real Estate - only one trader remained - and today, still carries on, the only original owner of one of Eltham's .oldest established businesses - Mr. Dave Lyon, of Lyon Bros. Garage, which was formerly located in what was later used as Chenowyth's Foundry in Main Road. From the early twenties until little more than six or seven years ago that was the picture of Eltham. Some businesses had changed hands - many years before Mr. C. Rains had acquired Andrew's news agency, Mrs. Monteith's drapery had become Mrs. R. Smith's home-made cake shop, to change again and again to many other types of business. But generally, Eltham was unchanged, for nearly thirty years. Then suddenly new shops mushroomed. The new news agency and drapery, the chemist and adjoining shops, a new butcher, a green grocer and several more. POPULATION DOUBLED In the space of a few years, fifteen new shops, two banks, a restaurant and a post office were built at Eltham. New types of businesses found a ready market in an area which was quickly almost doubling its population. A little over twelve months ago, another wave of progress hit Eltham. Since then eight more shops have been built - a cake shop and fish shop in Dalton [sic – Dudley] Street - for building areas are unprocurable in the Main Street shopping centre now – have been built by Mr. D. Kimball; a new ladies’ and children’s wear shop has been opened by Rains; Eltham Dry Cleaners have another of these new shops, and Mr. R. Clinton has built elaborate new premises. Further down the road, Mr. C. Campbell has built a new butcher's shop, and next door, at present under construction, are a self service store and a shop which Mr. J. Hodges will open on completion. In addition to these new shops, Mr. J. Millett has extended his grocery to almost twice its original size. FLOURISHING Outside the central area, other businesses are flourishing. Latimer's felt factory is being developed in a picturesque rustic setting; P. J. Timber and Trading Company have recently completed a large showroom and timber yard, and in the town itself Nicholson and Merritt are now completing the extension of their foot wear factory to double its former area. This is Eltham today. Progress is moving rapidly in this rural area on the fringe of the metropolis. Less than a decade has seen vast development. The years to complete that span of time will see even greater changes and greater prosperity in this heart: of the Diamond Valley. OLD LANDMARK GOES Perhaps the most famous landmark in Eltham's' business section disappeared last Wednesday when the towering blue gum in Pryor Street at the rear of Main Road shops was felled. The tree, stated to be more than 80 feet high, was the one for which the adjoining café was named, when that business was Eltham’s only provision store, long before the turn of the century. Mr. J. Millett, who now owns the property on which the tree stood, deeply regretted its removal, but was mindful of the need for expansion in the business area. The "Old Blue Gum" was removed by Mr. A. Wilson, expert tree feller, from Heidelberg. Its proportions might be assessed by these facts – it took a gang of experienced men two days to completely fell and clear the tree, and, falling sections being brought down by cable tipped electricity wires on the opposite side of Pryor Street.andrew's news agency, bakery, barber shop, barber's blue gum store, billiard saloon, blacksmith, blue gum, burgoyne's hardware, butcher, cake shop, chemist's shop, chenowyth's foundry, cobbler's shop, dave lyon, dispensary, draper shop. mr monteith, dudley street, e. j. andrew's news agency, electrical repair shop, eltham bus service, eltham butchery, eltham dry cleaners, eltham hotel, eltham railway station, eltham real estate, eltham shire hall, eltham shopping centre, eltham shops, eltham town centre, estate agency, expert tree feller, ferrari's greengrocery, fish shop, foot wear factory, franklin street, garnet burges, general store, grocery, heidelberg, horace clark, jim ryan, ladies’ and children’s wear shop, latimer's felt factory, library, lyon bros. garage, main road, mr. a. wilson, mr. c. campbell, mr. c. rains, mr. d. kimball, mr. j. hodges, mr. j. millett, mr. r. clinton, mrs. burges, mrs. monteith, mrs. monteith's drapery, mrs. r. smith's home-made cake shop, nicholson and merritt, p. j. timber and trading company, pitt street, post office, pryor street, self service store, shopping centre, state savings bank, taxi service, thompson's pharmacy, york street

A digital copy of a black and white photograph of the Barton Bros fleet of taxis in Marysville in Victoria.A digital copy of a black and white photograph of the Barton Bros fleet of taxis in Marysville in Victoria. Thomas John Barton was born in 1836 in Gloucestershire and after his father died in 1850 arrived in Melbourne in 1852 along with his mother, adult sisters, younger brothers, his uncle, his uncle's wife Suzanna and their family. Thomas tried gold mining at Woods Point but found it too difficult. He then partnered with Ewen Hugh Cameron to provide the miners with meat. In 1864 they purchased a plot of land in Marysville and set up a butchers/abattoirs and from there began their business of taking supplies to the miners at the nearby Woods Point and Jamieson goldfields. In 1865 the business was firmly established and Thomas married Selina Croker at Heidelberg and brought her back to Marysville. Their first home was 'The Chestnuts', which included the store, and was situated on the town side next to the Steavenson River. Sadly, in 1876 Selina died of complications after giving birth to their sixth child. Thomas was in need of a nanny to care for his six children, including the newborn baby, and so he employed Emily Ada Sparke, who is the eldest daughter of the local school teacher. Thomas and Emily subsequently marry in 1878 and they go on to have a further 10 children over the next several years. Thomas assisted in the establishment of the first school in Marysville in 1870 and remained a very active member of the community including as a Councillor for the Shire of Healesville, Shire President and he was also appointed as a Justice of the Peace. Thomas died in Carlton in 1911. After their father's death, his sons Fred and Frank took over the family business, which was then known as Barton Bros Store which continued to operate until sometime in the 1970's.marysville, victoria, barton's store, thomas john barton, ewen hugh cameron, woods point, jamieson, gold mining, goldfields, selina croker, the chestnuts, emily ada sparke, shire of healesville, fred barton, frank barton, barton bros store, francis adam barton, frederick john barton, photograph, barton's garage, barton bros stables, super six hudson

Twin Telescopes - "Lemair Paris" - believed to be owned by Charles Grayden c 1870's. Traded to english settlers for cannon balls used as ballast in his boat he rowed passengers across the Eastern Passage. He may have had the first water taxi license in Victoria.283-01 and 02. Coloured photographs of twin telescopes, one with carrying bag.telescope, twin telescope, charles grayden, lloyd john grayden

Owen Loftus and his mother lived in this house in the 1930's. Owen was a postman and also ran a taxi service.He died in the second World War and is remembered in the memorial window at Christ Church, Mitcham. Present owners (1998) are Anna and Gorden Seward. The previous owners were the Rev and Mrs Barnsley, a retired Church of England vicar. They came to Australia to be near Anna, who was their daughter.Coloured photograph of a house in Lucknow Street, Mitcham. Flowers in the sunshine with grey roof. Wooden eaves over windowslucknow street, mitcham no 58, streets, houses

Rose Series - P1713, titled "The Town Hall and Sturt St, Ballarat Vic" with an ESCo tram with a "Vote No" on the front dash panel, two taxis mid-block, and the Town Hall in the background. Drivers standing along both taxis. On the rear in pencil in a note to Ken Magor of Newcastle, Wal Jack has written: "Ballarat old type No. 6. Note route colors square coloured sheet right hand side above driver's head & lower destination sign. Also note side adverts boards on car roof. See item 3581 for a copy negative and 5177 for a digital image of this postcard. Yields information about Ballarat 's trams in the 1930's and three street scene at the City Centre with the Town Hall in the background. Shows nature of the area with street lights and parked motor vehicles and a sign on the tram regarding prohibition and a vote on the banning of the sale of alcohol.Postcard black and white, divided back, with a handwritten note on rear.See image 2 for details of the handwritten note by Wal Jack on the rear. tramways, trams, esco, sturt st, lydiard st, taxis, town hall, tram 6

Copy of an image and associated text for reference purposes only. Original document held by Sovereign Hill and Gold Museum. See the related document file for more details of holdings. The Museum does not hold the original of the document. Image from a printed sepia toned postcard of a Sebastopol type tram travelling on the south side of Sturt St at the Lydiard St intersection. Photo mid 1930's, has a taxi waiting at the median strip with other cars in the photograph as well. In the background is the Town Hall and National Mutual buildings. The statue of Robert Burns is on the left hand side of the image. The original postcard might give the tram number. Note the keywords given in the document file are incorrect.trams, tramways, sturt st, sebastopol type, lydiard st, taxis

Yields information about the appearance of trams at Hospital corner in the early 1960's and the Sturt St streetscape.Black and white photograph of Ballarat tram 30 and 34 in Sturt St, at Drummond St or Hospital corner. Dated 21/3/1962. Printed on Agfa Gevaert paper in a postcard format. Has a taxis sign and ????? No. 30 has a dash panel advert for The Age newspaper and two roof adverts. Photo by Lloyd Rogers.In ink "Ballarat cars 30 & 34 in Sturt St during morning peak 21/3/1962 and 6/43".trams, tramways, sturt st, hospital corner, drummond st, tram 30, tram 34

10.00AM - Received call to prepare and proceed to S. S. Time aground on Corsair Rock with other members of salvage party. Took taxi home to pick up warm clothing and gear returning at once to Fleet Forge works. Arrangements made to board tug Eagle at 5 North Wharf at 1.30PM with diving gear and salvage pumps.Scale model of SS timess time, wrecks, port phillip, corsair rock, model ship

BHS Collection32 pages of copies of Bendigo businesses and hotels including photos, sketches, or illustrations of D & W Chandler, Kirkby's, Langley & Plumbe's name plate, City Family Hotel, The Bendigo Taxi Cab & Motor Garage, Morley Johnsons, Leggo's, Plane Trees, Lansell Statue, Soldier's Statue, Gold Jubilee Statue, View Point, Queen's Statue, In the Conservatory, Chief Officer W M Chellew, Deputy Chief J Turner, Chief Mechanic J Trengove, Senator Captain David Andrew, Lieut-Col T S Marshall, Mr T R J Brown, Mr Sinclair, Sandhurst Hotel, Metropolitan Hotel, The Dug-out,Crown Hotel, Stilwell's and Irvine Motors. Advertisements mention business name, location, phone number, proprieter and goods and services for sale.bendigo, history, long gully history group, the long gully history group - collection of advertisements, chandlers, d & w chandler ltd, casamento's ballarat and daylesford daily motor service, casamento's garage, george pethard, kirkby's, c j kirkby, langley & plumbe, f c wright, cta, racv, city family hotel, f h mcintosh, the bendigo taxi cab & motor garage, catling & roberts, the arcade stores, george bennetts, morley johnsonsmr j w hill, pethard motors, bendigo mutual permanent land & building society, andrew balsillie, leggo's, h m leggo & co ltd, a stroll along pall mall bendigo, prominent men of victoria's country fire service, chief officer w m chellew, deputy chief j turner, cjief mechanic j trengove, senator captain david andrew, lieut-col t s marshall, mr t r j brown, mr sinclair, andrew & son, farmers & citizens trustees company bendigo limited, r a rankin, chatfield bros, jas andrew & co, j d andrew, mr t e andrew, lougoon and strahan, andrew's buildings, w h gurton tire co ltd, webb's old mill, b b b, sandhurst hotel, les patten, w cowling, metropolitan hotel, m walsh, dowel's, the dug-out furniture stores, the dug-out, thomas & newell, 59th battalion, 38 battalion, state savings bank, crown hotel, r w leahy, stilwell's complete house furnishers, the advertiser, the bendigo advertiser, morris minor, irvine motors, webster bros

ticket - MMTB ticket printed on off white (may have yellowed) or light brown paper, "Special Concession Check Ticket" with a large letter "D", issued in exchange sold by the Board at 8 for 1/-. Ticket No. Qa 473983. Understood to be used during the 1930's. On rear has an advertisement for Bushels Delicious coffee with a well dressed couple leaving a movie theatre and about to board a taxi.trams, tramways, tickets, mmtb, advertisements, check ticket

Postcard photo of W2 637 at the corner of Collins and Russell St Melbourne with the T&G life society building and a FJ Holden Taxi in the view. The tram has the destination of Kew Depot, Route 42. In the background is the Town Hall and the National Mutual building. Possibly mid to late 1950's. Divided back with places for stamp, address, correspondence and details with makers details "Vic Post Card"?, Series 1/12.trams, tramways, collins st, route 42, russell st, tram 637

Postcard - Black and White - Rose Series P13352, titled "St Kilda Road, from Princes Bridge Melbourne Vic", featuring a traffic in St Kilda Road, all stopped (by a traffic policeman) at the intersection with City Road - has 7 motor vehicles all neatly stopped in a line and two tramcars (W2). Includes three black and white taxis - tow of the FJ Holden type. The City Road tram tracks are in the foreground. On the rear - has a divided back, and "A Real Photograph" " & Produced in Australia".On the rear has the stamp of Graeme S Breydon - see image i2.trams, tramways, melbourne, princes bridge, st kilda rd, city rd

Pamphlet, folded sheet, four folds, full colour on white gloss paper titled "Commuters' Companion", published by the Ministry of Transport, providing transport information, contact numbers for bookings, special party hiring's, lost property, VicRail, Tramways Board, Transport Information line. On inside has photos of Silver train, Z 1, main city rail stations, map of central Melbourne, the Transport information centre work room (not a PC to be seen - early cubicles), a Yellow cab taxi at TRB Port Melbourne and a School bus. Telephone numbers a mix of 6 and 7 digit numbers. Mid to late 1970's.In ink in top left hand corner "4J40" - AETA Library location.trams, tramways, minister for transport, melbourne

Black and white photograph of X1 462 turning from Leeds St Footscray into Hopkins St, en route to Ballarat Road. In the photo is a Phillips store and a taxi. Behind the tram just behind the front window is a tram stop. circa 1960's. Printed on Fujichrome paper. Not known who took the photograph or when it was printed.Stamped in black ink on back "TMSV Sales"trams, tramways, footscray, ballarat rd, hopkins st, tram 462

"Post" 19/3/1964 - John Usher in BP Rally, "Mail" 19/3/1964 - John Usher joins family company and resigns as a teacher but continues studying Commerce part time at Melbourne University and Unknown April 1964 - Croydon Show at Hughes Park and Croydon Bus Service will run a bus there and backPage of school exercise book with newspaper cutting/s

A5 size publication of the Gipps-Land Gate, October, 2002 featuring an old picture of Dandenong on the cover. Working AT Heinz In 1961 Three Years In Australia 1953-1955 Southern Obedience Dog Club Co-Op Ltd Vale: Beth Ellen Oldmeadow 1924-2002 Painting To Preserve The Birth Of Ariel Taxis Vale: Geoffrey Maggs 1916-2001 Hemmings Park - A Park With Many Memories Ella Athorn Time Is Up For Rail Icon Mushrooming In The 1940's Society News Harking Back 75 Years An interesting group of Early Dandenong Personalities, Places and Eventshotel history, early education in dandenong, interesting milestones, family histories