"Dear Alice" Is a collection of 142 Postcards from Australia and around world, almost all of which are addressed to Miss Alice Evans, No. 2 Cox Gardens, Williamstown, dated between 1905 - 1909. These postcards form part of a collection found in the ceiling of No. 2 Cox Gardens by a local builder and carpenter Gordon Peterson. Peterson was contracted to demolish the house in the mid 1970's. The cards were held in the Estate of Gordon Peterson, along with a photo of the cottage, before demolition until donation to the historical society by his descendants in 2024. Alice Edith Evans was born in Williamstown in 1885 to parents Benjamin Samuel Evans (1833-1900), a bootmaker from Ruabon, Denbighshire, Wales and Catherine (nee Jones) (1850-1915) from Eaglehawk, near Castlemaine. Alice had three older step sisters, and two younger brothers, Benjamin and Samuel, who sadly died in infancy. Alice’s father, Benjamin, had been married previously, his wife dying during childbirth, leaving him with three daughters to care for. After leaving school, Alice was employed as a clerk with Trevor Jones & Co. (real estate agents), until her declining health prevented her from working. She was an active and well known member of the Welsh Church and Sunday School on Ferguson Street and enjoyed singing and playing in local concerts. Well known in the community, a Grand Benefit Concert was organised in her honour on 9th April, 1910, at the Mechanics Institute, Williamstown. Hosted by Mayor Cr. Wymark, the event featured a delightful program of musical performances, showcasing both individual talents and the Carlton Club Choir. Tragically, Alice passed away due to the effects of her illness on 3rd December 1910, at the age of just 25. She is buried in Williamstown Cemetery. The postcards, written between 1905 to 1906, illustrate the social history of residents and everyday life at the turn of the century, using postcards as a means of communication.Part of a collection of 142 Postcards. Colour image of Bendigo Fernery with a women in Victorian clothesBendigo Fernerybendigo, gardens, botanic, victoria, alice evans postcards

Hand coloured postcard: image shows Bendigo Fernery, Rosalind Park. Gravel pathway in centre, woman seated on bench dressed in long white dress, hat and holding parasol, on LH side. Fernery dense with ferns and other plants. Possibly late 1890's ? On rear of card: Post card W.T.P. in ornate diamond shape (produced by WT Pater, printers & stationers )W.T.Paterbendigo, parks and gardens, bendigo fernery, rosalind park

Postcard, In the fernery, Bendigo, showing plants and ferns both sides of a path. Printed in Great Britain. Card has a gold coloured braid around it.The Valentine & Sons Publishing Co. Ltd, Melbournepostcard, photograph, bendigo fernery

Bendigo Fernery, showing the bridge.slide, bendigo, fernery, bendigo fernery

Bendigo Fernery, Rosalind Park.slide, bendigo, fernery, bendgio fernery

Bendigo Fernery, Rosalind Park, Bendigo.slide, bendigo, fernery

Bendigo Fernery, Rosalind Park, Bendigo. For the nursing mothers of Bendigo.slide, bendigo, fernery

Hand coloured postcard: image shows Fernery, Rosalind Park, Bendigo. In centre of image, gravel pathway bordered by stonework, ferns on either side. On bottom of card: Fernery,Camp Reserve, Bendigo. Possibly late 1890's ? On rear of card: Post card W.T.P. in ornate diamond shape (produced by WT Pater, printers & stationers )W.T.Pater

Black and white photograph of the Fernery.bendigo, streetscape, the fernery

Black and white photograph of the Fernery in Rosalind Park.bendigo, streetscape, the fernery

Photograph - black and white. Photograph of The Fernery, Rosalind Park, Bendigo. On the right hand side of photo No.11. Dense shrubbery and plants border the path.place, public gardens, fernery, rosalind park, rosalind park the fernery bendigo.

Coloured postcard, grey border embellished with sheaf of wheat left hand side, and kookaburra bottom RH corner. Image shows large ferns and gravel path in centre. Written on bottom of card 'In the Fernery, Bendigo' Receipt number 355/16The Valentine & Sons Publishing Co., Ltd., Melbournebendigo, business, carwardine soap and candle

Bendigo Fernery, Rosalind Park, Bendigo.cottage, miners

colour postcard: Fernery, Rosalind park, Bendigo. Image shows Fernery in Rosalind Park, Bendigo. Lush foliage, including tree ferns, taller eucalypt trees in background. 4 children in foreground, one standing on bridge over waterway. On rear written in black pen: ' this is a good one of the Park, don't you think - I suppose you remember when we went there - With love, May.' Addressed to Miss E M Dahlsen, Nicholson Street, Bairnsdale. Stamp has Victoria, One penny, printed.bendigo, parks and gardens, fernery, rosalind park, bendigo, fernery, rosalind park

Coloured postcard of The Fernery, Bendigo. The postcard has a black background with a gold frame and a three stalk of wheat on one side and a Kookaburra on the other.bendigo, streetscape, the fernery

Bendigo Advertiser ''The way we were'' from 2001. Serenity: the Bendigo fernery. Date unknown. The clip is in a folder.newspaper, bendigo advertiser, the way we were

Photo with a brownish tinge of some ferns, trees, tree fern and a pond with water lilies.place, bendigo, fernery, john jones collection - lilly pond and ferns

Stereographic card made from postcards of the early 1900's , depicting the Fernery in Rosalind park.place, bendigo, fernery, stereo cards , rosalind park , fernery

Loose copies of coloured photographs of, Bendigo Fernery, Town Hall, Easter Fair Procession, Post Office & Albert Bush's Store circa late 1800's.W.T.P.& Co.bendigo, buildings, civic buildings

Bendigo Advertiser ''The way we were'' from 2000. Greenery: Bendigo Fernery. (Photograph-painting from a booklet produced by Bush's Stores in 1909. The clip is in a folder.newspaper, bendigo advertiser, the way we were

Bendigo Advertiser ''The way we were'' from 2000. Greenery: Bendigo Fernery. (Photograph painting from booklet produced by Bush's Stores in 1909). The clip is in a folder.newspaper, bendigo advertiser, the way we were

Bendigo followed much the same pattern as Ballarat, and was not ready for an up-to-date studio until 1880 when the Bartlett Bros. (Francis and Henry) who bad conducted a successful business in Melbourne for many years opened a small studio there. It was such a success that they decided to build large modern premises, and Francis made two trips to England and the Continent for the latest ideas. In 1884 Henry died, and to replace him, Francis secured the services of Robert W. Bugg, then employed by Foster & Martin (both pupils of Batchelder's) in Collins Street, Melbourne. In that studio Bugg made some fine portraits of Anthony Trollope during the novelist's long tour of Australia. Francis Bartlett was a keen business man, and Robert Bugg was a great operator and a fine painter. Together, their success was quite outstanding. Fifteen years later Bartlett retired with a fortune, and Bugg took over the studio. Robert William Bugg, one of our leading Painter-Photographers, was born in London in 1853, and came to Melbourne when he was five years old. He became a pupil of Louis Buvelot and, in 1879, a member of the Victorian Academy of Arts. In Bendigo he gave annual exhibitions of his oils and water colours, a number of his exhibitions being officially opened by his friend Alfred Deakin. There are a number of Bugg's Paintings in the Bendigo Art Gallery. All the portraits, landscapes, buildings, and city views illustrated in "Bendigo and Vicinity, 1897", are from photographs taken by Robert Bugg. He was a clever, genial and popular soul, and his influence on the cultural life of his adopted city was considerable. He retired in 1932 and died in his early eighties.Eleven Photos of Bendigo from Glass Plate Negatives, Campaspe River at Axedale, Axe Creek, Lake Weroona, White Hills Botanical Gardens, Conseratory Gardens, Bendigo Fernery. Slides are ex Bartlett Brother Bendigo. history, bendigo, bendigo conservatory gardens, campaspe river axedale, axe creek victoria, lake weroona bendigo, white hills botanical gardens bendigo, bartlett brothers bendigo, rosalind park bendigo

Group of four black and white photographs depicting Bendigo landmarks in 1912. (a) The Bendigo Conservatory, (b) Interior of the Fernery, (c) Photograph showing a set of ornamental gates set into a picket fence, with many large mature trees behind. On the reverse is written ' Entrance to Lake ' , (d) Bendigo Benevolent Asylum.place, bendigo, landmarks, bendigo conservatory, fernery, entrance to the lake, benevolent asylum

Slide. Bendigo Views. The Fernery. Rosalind Park.slide, bendigo, bendigo views, bendigo views

Glass ashtray with photographic representation of Rosalind Park Bendigo.ashtray, bendigo, rosalind park, fernery

black and white postcard: on bottom ' In the Fernery, Bendigo', 300.367 (JV) Image shows pathway winding between ferns, ivy fringed pathway.Valentine & Sons Publishing Co., Melbournebendigo, parks and gardens, rosalind park, fesrnery, fernery, rosalind park, bendigo

Slide. Bendigo Views. The Fernery, Rosalind Park. Ferns, trees and creepers growing in the fernery. A rock lined gravel path winds among the ferns.slide, bendigo, bendigo views, bendigo views

Book of twelve coloured postcards - "12 Pictures of Colored Views of Bendigo". 1909 calendar printed in gold lettering on rear cover. Brown card cover with gold lettering. Abbott's Bush Stores (Williamson & Mollison Stores) 1909. Next St. Paul's Tower. Includes Post Office Bendigo, Albert Bush's Stores and Tea Warehouse x 2, Bendigo Fernery x 3, Easter Fair Procession, Queen's Monument Camp Reserve, Fern Pond Camp Reserve, Fountain Charing Cross, Mitchell street, Pall Mall, Town Hall, Hargreaves Street.bendigo, albert bush, tea warehouse

black and white photos: small grey envelope containing black and white photographs of beauty spots in Victoria. Envelope contains photos of Bendigo. Produced in Australia by 'The Rose' Stereograph Co. Printers and Photographic publishers, Armadale, Victoria. (a) Pall Mall and the PO. Bendigo, (b) Queens Gardens, Bendigo ©Pall Mall and the P.O. Bendigo. (d) Alexandra Fountain, Bendigo. (e) The Upper Reserve, Bendigo (f) The Fernery, Bendigo (g) Pall Mall, Bendigo (h) Pall, Mall Bendigo (I) Alexandra Fountain, Bendigo (j) Queens Gardens, Bendigo.place, bendigo

Reproduction photograph of a group of four ladies in dark coloured dresses and hats. They are posed on some stone steps with a lot of Ivy in the background and several Tree Ferns. (possibly the Fernery in Bendigo ?).person, group, adults, fernery