Pru Sanderson, in her groundbreaking ‘City of Kew Urban Conservation Study : Volume 2 - Development History’ (1988), summarised the periods of urban development and subdivisions of land in Kew. The periods that she identified included 1845-1880, 1880-1893, 1893-1921, 1921-1933, 1933-1943, and Post-War Development. These periods were selected as they represented periods of rapid growth or decline in urban development. An obvious starting point for Sanderson’s groupings involved population growth and the associated economic cycles. These cycles also highlighted urban expansion onto land that was predominantly rural, although in other cases it represented the decline and breakup of large estates. A number of the plans in the Kew Historical Society’s collection can also be found in other collections, such as those of the State Library of Victoria and the Boroondara Library Service. A number are however unique to the collection.The Kew Historical Society collection includes almost 100 subdivision plans pertaining to suburbs of the City of Melbourne. Most of these are of Kew, Kew East or Studley Park, although a smaller number are plans of Camberwell, Deepdene, Balwyn and Hawthorn. It is believed that the majority of the plans were gifted to the Society by persons connected with the real estate firm - J. R. Mathers and McMillan, 136 Cotham Road, Kew. The Plans in the collection are rarely in pristine form, being working plans on which the agent would write notes and record lots sold and the prices of these.The subdivision plans are historically significant examples of the growth of urban Melbourne from the beginning of the 20th Century up until the 1980s. A number of the plans are double-sided and often include a photograph on the reverse. A subdivision plan for nineteen ‘bonny, airy building blocks’ on either side of Violet Grove, Kew East. Violet Grove runs between High Street and Harp Road. Like many other subdivisions in Kew and East Kew, older houses (Lots 1 and 13) were often included in the subdivision. Such houses were in some instances the original properties that were subdivided, or in the case of the Violet Grove subdivision, new houses such as the weatherboard villa on lot 13. This villa is advertised as having a tiled roof, 5 rooms, panelled hall, double doors (Rooms 14 x 12 ft. 6 in. (2) 14 x 12, 12 x 11, 13 x 11). A bricked front verandah, a tiled stove recess and existing sewerage connection added to its saleable potential. Water, electric light and power, and gas were all offered as part of the deal. Violet Grove now has about 35 houses, which indicates that the 19 lots of the subdivision were to be further subdivided by purchasers. [A similar plan is in the Batten & Percy Collection of the State Library of Victoria.]subdivision plans - east kew, violet farm estate, violet grove -- kew (vic.), boorool road -- kew (vic.), harp road -- kew east (vic.)

Pru Sanderson, in her groundbreaking ‘City of Kew Urban Conservation Study : Volume 2 - Development History’ (1988), summarised the periods of urban development and subdivisions of land in Kew. The periods that she identified included 1845-1880, 1880-1893, 1893-1921, 1921-1933, 1933-1943, and Post-War Development. These periods were selected as they represented periods of rapid growth or decline in urban development. An obvious starting point for Sanderson’s groupings involved population growth and the associated economic cycles. These cycles also highlighted urban expansion onto land that was predominantly rural, although in other cases it represented the decline and breakup of large estates. A number of the plans in the Kew Historical Society’s collection can also be found in other collections, such as those of the State Library of Victoria and the Boroondara Library Service. A number are however unique to the collection.The Kew Historical Society collection includes almost 100 subdivision plans pertaining to suburbs of the City of Melbourne. Most of these are of Kew, Kew East or Studley Park, although a smaller number are plans of Camberwell, Deepdene, Balwyn and Hawthorn. It is believed that the majority of the plans were gifted to the Society by persons connected with the real estate firm - J. R. Mathers and McMillan, 136 Cotham Road, Kew. The Plans in the collection are rarely in pristine form, being working plans on which the agent would write notes and record lots sold and the prices of these. The subdivision plans are historically significant examples of the growth of urban Melbourne from the beginning of the 20th Century up until the 1980s. A number of the plans are double-sided and often include a photograph on the reverse. The subdivision called the ‘Flower Farm Estate’ in Kew East occurred in 1922. It included 61 lots on either side of Boorool Road between High Street and Harp Road. In an advertisement in The Argus in the same year, the proximity of the estate to the newly erected shops at the corner of Harp Road and High Street is noted. The Flower Farm Estate and similar subdivisions in Kew East were assisted by the extension of the High Street tramline in 1924.subdivision plans - east kew, flower farm estate, high street - kew east (vic.), boorool road -- kew east (vic.), harp road -- kew east (vic.)

After training as a Cartographic Draftsman within the mining industry, I worked as a property illustrator for real estate firms in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne for 23 years from 1983. I initially photographed houses with a Polaroid camera and made a 'thumbnail' sketch while there. The photos were used to scale off a sketch in pencil and then that sketch was overlaid with drafting film and the 'pen and ink' completed. The pens I used were the Rotring ‘Rapidigraph’ drafting pens. The ink was also made by Rotring (German).The film was ‘Rapidraw’, polyester drafting film, double matte. It takes a very fine line and doesn’t bleed. As well as house sketches, there were often floor plans and site plans ordered. Aerial sketches were ordered when the property needed an overall view. (Margaret Picken, 2020)This drawing is one of a series created by Margaret Picken for real estate agents in Melbourne between 1983 and 2006. Each work is signed and dated by the artist.Gift of Margaret Picken, 2020Pen and ink drawing on drafting film of 11 Boorool Road, Kew East by Margaret Picken.11 BOOROOL ST., KEW E. / MARGARET PICKEN ~97 / WOODARDS ~ HAWTHORNartist -- margaret picken 1950-, property illustrations — buildings — kew (vic.), property illustrations — buildings — kew east (vic.), 11 boorool road - kew east (vic)

After training as a Cartographic Draftsman within the mining industry, I worked as a property illustrator for real estate firms in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne for 23 years from 1983. I initially photographed houses with a Polaroid camera and made a 'thumbnail' sketch while there. The photos were used to scale off a sketch in pencil and then that sketch was overlaid with drafting film and the 'pen and ink' completed. The pens I used were the Rotring ‘Rapidigraph’ drafting pens. The ink was also made by Rotring (German).The film was ‘Rapidraw’, polyester drafting film, double matte. It takes a very fine line and doesn’t bleed. As well as house sketches, there were often floor plans and site plans ordered. Aerial sketches were ordered when the property needed an overall view. (Margaret Picken, 2020)This drawing is one of a series created by Margaret Picken for real estate agents in Melbourne between 1983 and 2006. Each work is signed and dated by the artist.Gift of Margaret Picken, 2020Pen and ink drawing on drafting film of 51 Boorool Road, Kew East by Margaret Picken.51 BOOROOL RD., KEW E. / MARGARET PICKEN ~96 / WOODARDS ~ HAWTHORNartist -- margaret picken 1950-, property illustrations — buildings — kew east (vic.), 51 boorool road - kew east (vic)

Subdivision plans are historically important documents used as evidence of the growth of suburbs in Australia. They frequently provide information about when the land was sold on which a built structure was subsequently constructed as well as evidence relating to surveyors and real estate and financial agents. The numerous subdivision plans in the Kew Historical Society's collection represent working documents, ranging from the initial sketches made in planning a subdivision to printed plans on which auctioneers or agents listed the prices for which individual lots were sold. In a number of cases, the reverse of a subdivision plan in the collection includes a photograph of a house that was also for sale by the agent. These photographs provide significant heritage information relating house design and decoration, fencing and household gardens.An old inscription on this photograph identifies it as ‘an elegant timber villa in High Street. It occupied part of Lot 91, bought by Edward Glyn in the land sale of 16th October 1851, and run as a flower farm’. The subdivision called the ‘Flower Farm Estate’ in East Kew occurred in 1922. [The subdivision plan is on the reverse of this photo.] The Estate included 61 lots on either side of Boorool Road between High Street and Harp Road. In the MMBW Detail Plan 2017 of 1926, a number of these new villas had already been built. Matching houses with MMBW maps can always be a challenge, however if this house was near the corner of Boorool Road and High Street, it seems to fit the profile of a house called ‘Maxton’ (demolished).Photographer's name on photograph, lower right, and stamp on mount lower right: "A. Aberline, Glenferrie".houses - maxton - high street - kew (vic.), violet farm estate, subdivisions - kew (vic.)