Showing 50 items matching bible street reserve
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Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Photograph, Peter Pidgeon, Bible Street Reserve, Eltham, 20 May 2017
... Bible Street Reserve, Eltham, 20 May 2017...bible street reserve... melbourne Photograph Bible Street Reserve, Eltham, 20 May 2017 Born ...Born Digitaleltham, bible street, bible street reserve -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Photograph, Peter Pidgeon, Bible Street Reserve, Eltham, 20 May 2017
... Bible Street Reserve, Eltham, 20 May 2017...bible street reserve... melbourne Photograph Bible Street Reserve, Eltham, 20 May 2017 Born ...Born Digitaleltham, bible street, bible street reserve -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Photograph, Peter Pidgeon, Bible Street Reserve, Eltham, 20 May 2017
... Bible Street Reserve, Eltham, 20 May 2017...bible street reserve... melbourne Photograph Bible Street Reserve, Eltham, 20 May 2017 Born ...Born Digitaleltham, bible street, bible street reserve -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Photograph, Peter Pidgeon, Bible Street Reserve, Eltham, 20 May 2017
... Bible Street Reserve, Eltham, 20 May 2017...bible street reserve... melbourne Photograph Bible Street Reserve, Eltham, 20 May 2017 Born ...Born Digitaleltham, bible street, bible street reserve -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Photograph, Peter Pidgeon, Looking towards the change of Bible Street to Grove Street from Bible Street Reserve, Eltham, 20 May 2017
... from Bible Street Reserve, Eltham, 20 May 2017...bible street reserve... to Grove Street from Bible Street Reserve, Eltham, 20 May 2017 Born ...Born Digitaleltham, bible street, bible street reserve, grove street -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Photograph, Peter Pidgeon, Looking towards the change of Bible Street to Grove Street from Bible Street Reserve, Eltham, 20 May 2017
... from Bible Street Reserve, Eltham, 20 May 2017...bible street reserve... to Grove Street from Bible Street Reserve, Eltham, 20 May 2017 Born ...Born Digitaleltham, bible street, bible street reserve, grove street -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Photograph, Peter Pidgeon, Looking towards the change of Bible Street to Grove Street from Bible Street Reserve, Eltham, 20 May 2017
... from Bible Street Reserve, Eltham, 20 May 2017...bible street reserve... to Grove Street from Bible Street Reserve, Eltham, 20 May 2017 Born ...Born Digitaleltham, bible street, bible street reserve, grove street -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Photograph, Fay Bridge, Flood damage at Nillumbik Medical Centre, 1078 Main Road, Eltham, 26 December 2011
... Bible Street Reserve... flooding houses, through the Bible Street Reserve where... flooding houses, through the Bible Street Reserve where ...Flood damage resulting from a late afternoon storm on Christmas Day 2011. A flash flood occurred from significant rain fall and hail, which accumulated along an old waterway with floodwater submerging cars along Valonia Drive then down Grove Street flooding houses, through the Bible Street Reserve where it then submerged Main Road washing away the small railway trestle bridge opposite the reserve then flooding the Judge Book Village before finally entering the Diamond Creek..fay bridge collection, 2011-12-26, bible street reserve, flood damage, floods, floodwater, main road, nillumbik medical centre -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Photograph, Peter Pidgeon, Main Road, Eltham, 2 Aug. 2022
... Bible Street Reserve... Eltham J.H. Clark Photo (2022) Main Road Cecil Street Bible ...Comparison photo: SEPP_0619 Part of a presentation by Peter Pidgeon to the Society, 13 August 2022 showcasing a series of photographs taken by John Henry Clark over the period 1895 to 1930. John Henry Clark was the youngest of three boys born to William Henry Clark (1823-1877) and Maria White (1843-1914). He and his brothers, William Charles Clark (1872-1945), Clement Kent Clark (1874-1912) operated a photography business (Clark Bros.) from 25 Thomas Street, Windsor near Prahran during the period c.1894 to 1914. Following death of Clement in September 1912 and their mother in 1914, the Clark Bros business appears to have dissolved, the premises demolished, and a new house was under construction in 1915. John set up business independently in 1914 operating out of 29 Moor Street, Fitzroy where he is registered in the 1914 and 1915 Electoral Rolls. By 1916 John had relocated to Eltham where he continued his practice as a photographer and took many of the early images around the district of Little Eltham. Around 1930 John changed professions and opened a small cobbler's shop in 1931 near the pond opposite Dalton Street adjacent to the Jarrold family cottage. He never married and continued his profession as a bootmaker from this little shop, maintaining a close relationship with Mrs Jarrold for the rest of their lives. His bootmaker shop remains today beside the Whitecloud cottage and is one of only three remaining shops in the area from the early 20th century.Comparative photo taken 2022 with one taken from same location over 100 years earlier by noted local photographer J.H. ClarkBorn Digitaleltham, j.h. clark photo (2022), main road, cecil street, bible street reserve -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Album - Photograph, J.A. McDonald, Cecil Street Bridge, Eltham-Yarra Glen Road, Eltham, Oct. 1962
... Bible Street Reserve... of eltham bridge construction Road construction 1962-10 Bible Street ...Eltham-Yarra Glen Road Cecil Street Bridge Looking upstream Oct. 1962Record of various Shire of Eltham infrastructure works undertaken during the period of 1952-1962 involving bridge and road reconstruction projects, sometimes with Eltham Shire Council Project Reference numbers quoted. It was during this period that a number of significant improvements were made to roads and new bridges constructed within the shire that remain in place as of present day (2022). In many situations, the photos provide a tangible visible record of infrastructure that existed throughout the early days of the Shire. The album was put together by or under the direction of the Shire Engineer, J.A. McDonald.H941 stamped on reverse (film processing #)infrastructure, shire of eltham, bridge construction, road construction, 1962-10, bible street reserve, cecil street bridge, eltham, eltham-yarra glen road, main road -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Photograph, Looking east across Main Road from just north of intersection with Diamond Street, Eltham, February 1968, Feb 1968
... bible street reserve.... duplication eltham main road diamond street bible street reserve ...The watercourse passes under the road and railway at this point. Significant flash flooding occurred along this water course on Christmas Day 2011 causing significant damage to the railway line and road and flooding of Judge Book Village. In February 1968 an unknown person took a series of photos from the Eltham Hotel at Pitt Street heading north along Main Road through the shopping centre to just north of Elsa Court covering the length of the section of Main Road which was duplicated shortly thereafter. Shows the condition and environment of the streesscape of Main Road, Eltham immediately prior to the duplication between Pitt Street and Elsa Court through the shopping centre. Also shows a number of shops and businesses that operated at that time.Black and white photographduplication, eltham, main road, diamond street, bible street reserve, watercourse, drainage -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Photograph, Walter Withers Memorial Plaque, cnr Bible and Arthur Streets, Eltham, 13 Oct 1990, 1990
... was arranged. arthur street bible street walter withers reserve walter ...Unveiled Saturday 13 October 1990. Russell Yeoman advised (14 Jun 2017 society meeting) that the Shire of Eltham had been given a plaque to commemorate Walter Withers and that the rock was sourced from west of Melbourne with funds from a local government grant. The initial crane to lift the rock in place was too small and another crane was arranged. This also proved too small to lift it until a third and larger crane was arranged.Colour photograph 10 x 15 cm. Supplementary material including invitation to unveiling and news clippings (incl. photocopies) of the eventarthur street, bible street, walter withers reserve, walter withers, walter withers rock -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Newsclipping, Angus Thompson et al, Another insurance storm brews, Herald Sun, Tuesday, December 27, pp4-5, 2011
... the Bible Street Reserve where it then submerged Main Road washing..., through the Bible Street Reserve where it then submerged Main Road ...A late afternoon storm on Christmas Day 2011. A flash flood occurred from significant rain fall and hail, which accumulated along an old waterway with floodwater submerging cars along Valonia Drive then down Grove Street flooding houses, through the Bible Street Reserve where it then submerged Main Road washing away the small railway trestle bridge opposite the reserve then flooding the Judge Book Village before finally entering the Diamond Creek. Widespread damage occured from hail and flash flooding.fay bridge collection, eltham, 2011-12-27, flood damage, floods, floodwater -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Newsclipping, Vince Chadwick, Violent storms shatter the peace of Christmas, The Age, Monday, December 26, p3, 2011
... the Bible Street Reserve where it then submerged Main Road washing..., through the Bible Street Reserve where it then submerged Main Road ...A late afternoon storm on Christmas Day 2011. A flash flood occurred from significant rain fall and hail, which accumulated along an old waterway with floodwater submerging cars along Valonia Drive then down Grove Street flooding houses, through the Bible Street Reserve where it then submerged Main Road washing away the small railway trestle bridge opposite the reserve then flooding the Judge Book Village before finally entering the Diamond Creek. Widespread damage occured from hail and flash flooding.fay bridge collection, 2011-12-26, eltham, flood damage, floods, grove street, main road, valonia drive -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Newsclipping, Reid Sexton, Wild day's trail of destruction, The Age, Tuesday, December 27, pp4-5, 2011
... the Bible Street Reserve where it then submerged Main Road washing..., through the Bible Street Reserve where it then submerged Main Road ...A late afternoon storm on Christmas Day 2011. A flash flood occurred from significant rain fall and hail, which accumulated along an old waterway with floodwater submerging cars along Valonia Drive then down Grove Street flooding houses, through the Bible Street Reserve where it then submerged Main Road washing away the small railway trestle bridge opposite the reserve then flooding the Judge Book Village before finally entering the Diamond Creek. Widespread damage occured from hail and flash flooding.fay bridge collection, eltham, 2011-12-27, flood damage, floods, floodwater -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Newsclipping, Shaun Campbell, Clean-up to take weeks, Diamond Valley Leader, December 2011
... the Bible Street Reserve where it then submerged Main Road washing... then down Grove Street flooding houses, through the Bible Street ...A late afternoon storm on Christmas Day 2011. A flash flood occurred from significant rain fall and hail, which accumulated along an old waterway with floodwater submerging cars along Valonia Drive then down Grove Street flooding houses, through the Bible Street Reserve where it then submerged Main Road washing away the small railway trestle bridge opposite the reserve then flooding the Judge Book Village before finally entering the Diamond Creek. Widespread damage occured from hail and flash flooding.fay bridge collection, eltham, flood damage, floods, floodwater -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Newsclipping, Shaun Campbell, Mayor backs under-fire, under-water CFA crew, Diamond Valley Leader, December 2011
... the Bible Street Reserve where it then submerged Main Road washing..., through the Bible Street Reserve where it then submerged Main Road ...A late afternoon storm on Christmas Day 2011. A flash flood occurred from significant rain fall and hail, which accumulated along an old waterway with floodwater submerging cars along Valonia Drive then down Grove Street flooding houses, through the Bible Street Reserve where it then submerged Main Road washing away the small railway trestle bridge opposite the reserve then flooding the Judge Book Village before finally entering the Diamond Creek. Widespread damage occured from hail and flash flooding.fay bridge collection, eltham, flood damage, floods, floodwater, main road, research fire brigade -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Photograph, Installation of commemorative rock for Walter Withers at corner of Bible and Arthur Streets, Eltham, 17 May 1990, 1990
Roll of negatives of the installation of commemorative plaque and rock to Walter Withers installed in Walter Withers Reserve. Russell Yeoman advised (14 Jun 2017 society meeting) that the Shire of Eltham had been given a plaque to commemorate Walter Withers and that the rock was sourced from west of Melbourne with funds from a local government grant. The initial crane to lift the rock in place was too small and another crane was arranged. This also proved too small to lift it until a third and larger crane was arranged. Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 6 stripsFuji 100bible street, arthur street, eltham, walter withers reserve, walter withers rock -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Photograph, Unveiling of the commemorative plaque on Walter Withers Rock at the corner of Bible and Arthur Streets, Eltham, 13 Oct 1990, 13/10/1990
... walter withers rock walter withers reserve bible street arthur ...Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 1 stripFuji 100 Nwalter withers rock, walter withers reserve, bible street, arthur street, eltham, plaques -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Slide - Photograph, Memorial Plaque, Walter Withers Reserve, cnr Bible and Arthur Streets, Eltham, c.1993
... , cnr Bible and Arthur Streets, Eltham 35mm colour positive ...35mm colour positive transparency Mount - Black and Whitearthur street, bible street, eltham, memorial plaque, public art, walter withers reserve, walter withers rock -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Slide - Photograph, Memorial Plaque, Walter Withers Reserve, cnr Bible and Arthur Streets, Eltham, c.1993
... , cnr Bible and Arthur Streets, Eltham 35mm colour positive ...35mm colour positive transparency Mount - Black and Whitearthur street, bible street, eltham, memorial plaque, public art, walter withers reserve, walter withers rock -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Photograph, Walter Withers Memorial Plaque, cnr Bible and Arthur Streets, Eltham designed by Joh Ebeli, c.October 1990, 1990
Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 4 stripsKodak GC400-8arthur street, bible street, walter withers, walter withers reserve, walter withers rock -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Photograph, Walter Withers Memorial Plaque, cnr Bible and Arthur Streets, Eltham designed by Joh Ebeli, c.October 1990, 1990
Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 4 stripsKodak GC400-8arthur street, bible street, walter withers, walter withers reserve, walter withers rock -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Document, Mary Owen, Mary Owen's speech at the unveiling of the Memorial Plaque to her grandfather, Walter Withers, at Walter Withers Reserve, cnr Arthur and Bible Streets, Eltham, 13 October 1990, 1990
... Withers Reserve, cnr Arthur and Bible Streets, Eltham, 13 October ...Mary Owen was the granddaughter of Walter WithersA4 cream copy paper, typed, 5 pagesdedication, mary owen (walter withers granddaughter), walter withers rock -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Photograph, Commemorative plaque mounted rock at corner of Bible and Arthur Streets, Eltham, donated by R.C. McLellan, Nov 1988
Russell Yeoman advised (14 Jun 2017 society meeting) that the Shire of Eltham had been given the plaque to commemorate Walter Withers and that the rock was sourced from west of Melbourne with funds from a local government grant. The initial crane to lift the rock in place was too small and another crane was arranged. This also proved too small to lift it until a third and larger crane was arranged and the rock was installed 17 May 1990.Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 2 stripsFuji 100arthur street, bible street, memorials, r.c. mclellan, walter withers, walter withers reserve, walter withers rock -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Photograph, Unveiling of the commemorative plaque on Walter Withers Rock at the corner of Bible and Arthur Streets, Eltham, 13 Oct 1990, 13/10/1990
Six colour photographswalter withers rock, walter withers reserve -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Photograph, Mary Owen, granddaughter of Walter Withers, unveiling the commemorative plaque on Walter Withers Rock at the corner of Bible and Arthur Streets, Eltham, 13 Oct 1990, 13/10/1990
[from EDHS Newsletter No. 75, November 1990:] WALTER WITHERS PLAQUE At long last we have unveiled our plaque in the Walter Withers Reserve. The function was attended by a number of members and friends of the Society and descendants of the Withers family. Following the unveiling, the group proceeded to the Eltham Shire Office for afternoon tea and a small exhibition of Withers' paintings arranged by Andrew Mackenzie. The unveiling was performed by Mary Owen, a grand-daughter of Walter Withers. Her speech provided an interesting personal perspective on Withers and is repeated in full here: I feel somewhat overwhelmed by the responsibility of paying tribute to the man you have all come to honour today. I have the feeling that most of you probably know more about him and his work than I do. Walter Withers died nearly seven years before I was born and so I never knew him. Sadly, although other members of his family inherited some of his talent, I was not among them and I know very little about art. This is doubly hard to bear because my husband had some ability to draw and my second daughter also has some talent in this direction. My children are all artistic - mostly in the field of music inherited partly from their father - a Welshman who sang like a Welshman - and partly from my grandmother, Fanny Withers who, I believe was no mean pianist. However all this talent gave me a miss and for many years I felt a complete ignoramus in the fields of the arts. It was not until I was nearly fifty years old that I walked into a gallery in Brisbane and, as I wandered around the room, suddenly one picture leapt at me and I knew instantly that it had been painted by my grandfather. I had never seen the picture before and it gave me quite a shock to find that I had recognized the style of painting. I realized then that I had absorbed more than I realized simply by living with pictures and with people who painted them and talked about their painting and the painting of others. When I was a child I sometimes spent school holidays with my Aunt Margery Withers and her husband, Richard McCann. Aunt Marge painted me several times but I'm afraid I was a restless subject and used to sit reading a book and look up grudgingly when she wanted to paint my eyes. During the September holidays my aunt and uncle were busy preparing paintings far the annual exhibition of the Melbourne Twenty Painters, to which they both belonged. I remember how important I used to feel when they took me along to the Athenaeum Gallery on the Friday night before the opening to help hang their pictures. There were many artists there but the two I remember are perhaps surprisingly both women: Miss Bale and Miss Tweddle. I remember how cold it used to be up in that gallery at night. They used to heat water on a gas ring to make tea and Aunt Marge used to bring sandwiches and fruit for our evening meal. Everyone seemed to be poor in those days and no-one dreamed of going out for a meal. It was a case of make-do - even to cutting down frames to fit pictures or cutting pictures to fit the frames. They had to use the same frames from year to year if the pictures didn't sell. The opening was an exciting event for me. I felt I was privileged to meet important people - people who knew a lot more than I - and Uncle Dick would get quite merry after a couple of the tiny sweet sherries which were always distributed. I realise now that quite a lot of "art talk" rubbed off on me during my visits to the Athenaeum and during my stays with my aunt and uncle. I suspect that much of our most useful learning comes this way and those of us who have had the privilege of associating with artists, writers, philosophers and other thinkers have a richness in our lives of which we may be unaware. Walter Withers was a prolific painter and, although he painted for love of it, I suspect that the need to provide for his family drove him, like Mozart, to greater efforts than he might otherwise have achieved. Reading old letters and articles about the Heidelberg artists, I have come to realize something of the constant strain placed on many of them - particularly Withers and McCubbin - by poverty and the need to make ends meet. Withers was ever conscious of the need to provide for his wife and his five children and there are touching letters to his wife, regretting that he was not able to earn more for them. In addition to his painting, he worked hard at teaching and illustrating and, as he grew older, the strain began to tell and his health deteriorated. He seems never to have had a very strong constitution and suffered from rheumatism, which must have made painting quite painful at times. His eldest daughter, Gladys, was eventually confined to a wheelchair with rheumatoid arthritis and I have a tendency to arthritis myself, so I am particularly aware of what this could have meant to him. Recently I found a short letter written by my mother to her mother, Fanny Withers on the anniversary of her father's birthday in 1919, in which she said: "Poor old Dad, I often think now what a lot he must have suffered. His life was too hard and too strenuous for him. He had too many chick-a-biddies, I think. He wasn't equal to so much town life and train journeys with so many delicacies as he had. Since I have been ill, I have realised what he must have felt like.” He certainly drove himself to produce. He travelled all over Victoria by train, buggy, bicycle and on foot and for a time he travelled from Eltham to Melbourne every day by train, although later he lived in Melbourne during the week and only returned to Eltham for the weekends. My mother died seven years after her father's death, when my twin sisters were 10 days old and I was 16 months. So I never knew my mother or my grandfather. But my two aunts, Gladys and Margery, sometimes took me to stay with Gan Withers at Southernwood in Bolton Street . No cars in those days and it seemed a very long hot and dusty walk from the Station. Three memories remain with me of Southernwood. One is the well at the back which I found quite terrifying; the second is Gan killing a snake - even more terrifying. She was a formidable woman, my grandmother and a great ally and support to her husband. I think she was the business end of the partnership. The third memory of Southernwood is my grandfather's studio – down what seemed like a toy staircase inside the room. This and the big walk-in fireplace stayed in my mind from the age of about six until I saw them again about forty years later when the house was being used as a Sunday School. I just wish that money could be found to purchase this old house for the City of Eltham so that a permanent museum could be established in memory of a man who did so much to put Eltham on the map of art history. Recently I have become interested in family history and spent some time in England, Ireland and Wales looking for traces of my ancestors. I realized then how important it is to have records of people who have contributed to our society. We forget so soon and it is amazing how often, within two generations, names, dates and many details are forgotten. We are fortunate that so many of Walter Withers' works have been bought by galleries and that people like Andrew Mackenzie have taken the trouble to search out people who knew him and to write about him and his work. And I am very grateful to the Historical Society of Eltham for recognizing the importance of having a permanent tribute in Eltham to the contribution made by Walter Withers, who loved Eltham so much and who has assured this lovely district a place in the annals of history. I am indebted to Kathleen Mangan; the daughter of another famous Australian painter , Fred McCubbin, - featured in The Age this morning (thanks again to Andrew Mackenzie) for the most apt tribute to Walter Withers. Kathleen is not well and she rang me a couple of days ago, regretting that she could not be present today “to pay tribute” as she said, “to Walter Withers for I always think Walter Withers is the spirit of Eltham.” Thank you, Kathleen. And now I have much pleasure in unveiling the plaque commissioned by the Eltham Historical Society from Bob McLellan of Charmac Industries to commemorate the life and work of Walter Withers, the spirit of Eltham. Mary Owen, 13 October 1990.Three colour photographswalter withers rock, walter withers reserve, mary owen -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Photograph, Mary Owen, granddaughter of Walter Withers, unveiling the commemorative plaque on Walter Withers Rock at the corner of Bible and Arthur Streets, Eltham, 13 Oct 1990, 13/10/1990
[from EDHS Newsletter No. 75, November 1990:] WALTER WITHERS PLAQUE At long last we have unveiled our plaque in the Walter Withers Reserve. The function was attended by a number of members and friends of the Society and descendants of the Withers family. Following the unveiling, the group proceeded to the Eltham Shire Office for afternoon tea and a small exhibition of Withers' paintings arranged by Andrew Mackenzie. The unveiling was performed by Mary Owen, a grand-daughter of Walter Withers. Her speech provided an interesting personal perspective on Withers and is repeated in full here: I feel somewhat overwhelmed by the responsibility of paying tribute to the man you have all come to honour today. I have the feeling that most of you probably know more about him and his work than I do. Walter Withers died nearly seven years before I was born and so I never knew him. Sadly, although other members of his family inherited some of his talent, I was not among them and I know very little about art. This is doubly hard to bear because my husband had some ability to draw and my second daughter also has some talent in this direction. My children are all artistic - mostly in the field of music inherited partly from their father - a Welshman who sang like a Welshman - and partly from my grandmother, Fanny Withers who, I believe was no mean pianist. However all this talent gave me a miss and for many years I felt a complete ignoramus in the fields of the arts. It was not until I was nearly fifty years old that I walked into a gallery in Brisbane and, as I wandered around the room, suddenly one picture leapt at me and I knew instantly that it had been painted by my grandfather. I had never seen the picture before and it gave me quite a shock to find that I had recognized the style of painting. I realized then that I had absorbed more than I realized simply by living with pictures and with people who painted them and talked about their painting and the painting of others. When I was a child I sometimes spent school holidays with my Aunt Margery Withers and her husband, Richard McCann. Aunt Marge painted me several times but I'm afraid I was a restless subject and used to sit reading a book and look up grudgingly when she wanted to paint my eyes. During the September holidays my aunt and uncle were busy preparing paintings far the annual exhibition of the Melbourne Twenty Painters, to which they both belonged. I remember how important I used to feel when they took me along to the Athenaeum Gallery on the Friday night before the opening to help hang their pictures. There were many artists there but the two I remember are perhaps surprisingly both women: Miss Bale and Miss Tweddle. I remember how cold it used to be up in that gallery at night. They used to heat water on a gas ring to make tea and Aunt Marge used to bring sandwiches and fruit for our evening meal. Everyone seemed to be poor in those days and no-one dreamed of going out for a meal. It was a case of make-do - even to cutting down frames to fit pictures or cutting pictures to fit the frames. They had to use the same frames from year to year if the pictures didn't sell. The opening was an exciting event for me. I felt I was privileged to meet important people - people who knew a lot more than I - and Uncle Dick would get quite merry after a couple of the tiny sweet sherries which were always distributed. I realise now that quite a lot of "art talk" rubbed off on me during my visits to the Athenaeum and during my stays with my aunt and uncle. I suspect that much of our most useful learning comes this way and those of us who have had the privilege of associating with artists, writers, philosophers and other thinkers have a richness in our lives of which we may be unaware. Walter Withers was a prolific painter and, although he painted for love of it, I suspect that the need to provide for his family drove him, like Mozart, to greater efforts than he might otherwise have achieved. Reading old letters and articles about the Heidelberg artists, I have come to realize something of the constant strain placed on many of them - particularly Withers and McCubbin - by poverty and the need to make ends meet. Withers was ever conscious of the need to provide for his wife and his five children and there are touching letters to his wife, regretting that he was not able to earn more for them. In addition to his painting, he worked hard at teaching and illustrating and, as he grew older, the strain began to tell and his health deteriorated. He seems never to have had a very strong constitution and suffered from rheumatism, which must have made painting quite painful at times. His eldest daughter, Gladys, was eventually confined to a wheelchair with rheumatoid arthritis and I have a tendency to arthritis myself, so I am particularly aware of what this could have meant to him. Recently I found a short letter written by my mother to her mother, Fanny Withers on the anniversary of her father's birthday in 1919, in which she said: "Poor old Dad, I often think now what a lot he must have suffered. His life was too hard and too strenuous for him. He had too many chick-a-biddies, I think. He wasn't equal to so much town life and train journeys with so many delicacies as he had. Since I have been ill, I have realised what he must have felt like.” He certainly drove himself to produce. He travelled all over Victoria by train, buggy, bicycle and on foot and for a time he travelled from Eltham to Melbourne every day by train, although later he lived in Melbourne during the week and only returned to Eltham for the weekends. My mother died seven years after her father's death, when my twin sisters were 10 days old and I was 16 months. So I never knew my mother or my grandfather. But my two aunts, Gladys and Margery, sometimes took me to stay with Gan Withers at Southernwood in Bolton Street . No cars in those days and it seemed a very long hot and dusty walk from the Station. Three memories remain with me of Southernwood. One is the well at the back which I found quite terrifying; the second is Gan killing a snake - even more terrifying. She was a formidable woman, my grandmother and a great ally and support to her husband. I think she was the business end of the partnership. The third memory of Southernwood is my grandfather's studio – down what seemed like a toy staircase inside the room. This and the big walk-in fireplace stayed in my mind from the age of about six until I saw them again about forty years later when the house was being used as a Sunday School. I just wish that money could be found to purchase this old house for the City of Eltham so that a permanent museum could be established in memory of a man who did so much to put Eltham on the map of art history. Recently I have become interested in family history and spent some time in England, Ireland and Wales looking for traces of my ancestors. I realized then how important it is to have records of people who have contributed to our society. We forget so soon and it is amazing how often, within two generations, names, dates and many details are forgotten. We are fortunate that so many of Walter Withers' works have been bought by galleries and that people like Andrew Mackenzie have taken the trouble to search out people who knew him and to write about him and his work. And I am very grateful to the Historical Society of Eltham for recognizing the importance of having a permanent tribute in Eltham to the contribution made by Walter Withers, who loved Eltham so much and who has assured this lovely district a place in the annals of history. I am indebted to Kathleen Mangan; the daughter of another famous Australian painter , Fred McCubbin, - featured in The Age this morning (thanks again to Andrew Mackenzie) for the most apt tribute to Walter Withers. Kathleen is not well and she rang me a couple of days ago, regretting that she could not be present today “to pay tribute” as she said, “to Walter Withers for I always think Walter Withers is the spirit of Eltham.” Thank you, Kathleen. And now I have much pleasure in unveiling the plaque commissioned by the Eltham Historical Society from Bob McLellan of Charmac Industries to commemorate the life and work of Walter Withers, the spirit of Eltham. Mary Owen, 13 October 1990.Two colour photographswalter withers rock, walter withers reserve, mary owen -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Photograph, Unveiling of the commemorative plaque on Walter Withers Rock at the corner of Bible and Arthur Streets, Eltham, 13 Oct 1990, 13/10/1990
Seven colour photographswalter withers rock, walter withers reserve -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Photograph, Mary Owen, granddaughter of Walter Withers unveils the commemorative plaque on Walter Withers Rock at the corner of Bible and Arthur Streets, Eltham, 13 Oct 1990, 13/10/1990
... rock walter withers reserve bible street arthur street eltham ...Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 1 stripFuji 100 Nwalter withers rock, walter withers reserve, bible street, arthur street, eltham, plaques