As a youth while working on his father's farm, Hugh Victor McKay became tired of the labour involved in winnowing wheat by hand. In 1884 he built the first machine in the world which did the winnowing in conjunction with the reaping. On Monday 21st August 1944, which coincided with the birthday of the late H. V. McKay, more than 2000 employees and friends of H. V. McKay Massey Harris Pty Ltd were entertained at the Melbourne Town Hall, in celebration of the Diamond Jubilee of the Sunshine Harvester Works.The event was planned to "turn it on for the boys' in a manner befitting the occasion." The compere was Eric Pearce (of later TV newsreader fame) and the entertainment was provided by leading performers of song (W.M.Laird and Mary Miller), of music (John Robertson, W.M.King, and the Sunshine Brass Band), and of humour (Charles Sherman). The accompanists for some of the performances were Betty Miller and Eric Fox. Two films depicting the activities of the Sunshine Works were shown, and the managing director Mr C. N. McKay, was presented with a book by Mr Fred Bult who had 50 years service with the company. The book contained more than 1000 signatures from invited employees who had completed more than 10 years of service, Supper was provided in the Lower Hall, and the MC for dancing to the Synco-Harvesters Dance Band in the Main Hall was James Patrick. The committee which organised the function were Messrs. L.W. King (Chairman), G. Baker, J. Downing, R. Stewart, F. J. Lee, V. Armstrong, F. Fields, J. Aird, G. Wilson, J. G. McKay, T. N. McArthur, and R. Webb, with secretaries Messrs. G. Shaw and D. J. McKay. The above information was compiled from the Souvenir Programme, and from The Argus of Tuesday 22 August 1944 which can be viewed at http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article11357700, and from the Sunshine Advocate of Friday 30 June 1944.The Souvenir Programme provides a historical record of how the Diamond Jubilee was celebrated, as well as the type of entertainment and the names of the entertainers and other people involved. It also lists the types of dances such as the 'Fox Trot' and the 'Pride of Erin' that were normal entertainment in 1944. The Souvenir Programme is also significant in what it does not tell us. There is absolutely no indication of what would be considered to be a supper for an event like this in 1944, especially in the Melbourne Town Hall. From a historical point of view it would be interesting to know.Beige coloured cardboard document which is folded in two, and has brown coloured printing on three of the four sides. The document provides a detailed list of the entertainment and the presentations held in the Melbourne Town Hall, to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of the Sunshine Harvester Works.1884 1944 / SOUVENIR PROGRAMME / DIAMOND JUBILEE of the SUNSHINE HARVESTER / MELBOURNE TOWN HALL / Monday 21st Aug.sunshine harvester, diamond jubilee, h. v. mckay, massey harris pty ltd, 21 august 1944, 1884, 1944, melbourne town hall, sunshine harvester works, sunshine harvester, diamond jubilee, h. v. mckay, massey harris pty ltd, 21 august 1944, 1884, 1944, melbourne town hall, sunshine harvester works

Photocopy of Luther College Year 10 History assignment telling the story of Alwyn Terrance Till who died on 21 August 1944 in Germany and is buried at Hotton War Cemetery, Belgium.Luther College Year 10 History assignmenttill, alwyn, war memorial lilydale, war memorial mitcham, war memorial box hill, war memorial blackburn, royal australian air force, hotton war cemetery, belgium, world war, 1939 - 1945

Program for a supper to celebrate Councillor Burnett Gray's 30 years service with St Kilda Council, held at St Kilda Town Hall on 21 August 1944. It contains the toasts and menu. Burnett Gray served on St Kilda City Council from 1914 to 1915 and from 1920 to 1948 and was Mayor from 1922 to 1923 and from 1926 to 1927. He was the first returned soldier to serve as mayor of any Victorian city.Cream coloured textured card, enclosing a glossy sheet of paper, folded and fastened with an orange ribbon and printed in gold and green. Inserted into the back of the card is a gold coloured piece of paper on which the initials R G in gothic font, with a patterned border, are printed in red.st kilda mayoral function, burnett gray, st kilda council

The aircraft depicted is a DAP MK 21 Beaufighter of 93 Squadron RAAF. The squadron formed in January 1945 and was disbanded in August 1946. It saw little combat in WW2.1/72 scale model of a Bristol Beaufighter Mk 21 as built by the Australian Dept of Aircraft Production in 1944.beaufighter