The Municipality of Kew (1860-1863), the Borough of Kew (1863-1910), the Town of Kew (1910-1921) and the City of Kew (1921-1994) were local government instrumentalities in the State of Victoria. In 1994, the City of Kew was amalgamated, together with the former Cities of Camberwell and Hawthorn, into the new City of Boroondara (1994- ). Like other local government entities of the period, Kew was administered by town clerks. The two notable town clerks in Kew's history were H. H. (Henry Hirst) Harrison (1868-1955) and W. D. (William Dickie) Birrell (1899-1974). Harrison was appointed to the position in 1901 and retired in 1938 after 37 years. Birrell, appointed Acting Town Clerk in 1921, became Town Clerk in 1938, following Harrison's retirement. He continued in this role until his retirement in 1966. A large part of this collection of civic ephemera was assembled by W. D. Birrell. This is part of an historically significant civic collection, containing hundreds of separate invitations, documents, greeting cards, programmes and tickets issued and/or collected by successive town clerks. Items in the collection illuminate the political, social and cultural history of the district. As a continuous record, ranging across most decades of the Twentieth Century, they reveal changing tastes in design, values and relationships in the history of local government in Victoria.ephemera, civic ephemera, mayoral balls, civic invitations, city of box hill, box hill (vic.) -- mayoresses, mrs r h l sparks

Built in 1888, the building at Port Melbourne was in need of renovation. In February 1929 a fundraising was organised by the Box Hill branch of the Ladies Harbour Lights Guild: "The Mayoress of Box Hill (Mrs. C. Palling) opened a very successful Australian tea, held on Tuesday afternoon in St. Peter's Parish Hall, by members of the Box Hill branch of the Ladies' Harbour Lights Guild, to raise funds towards the cost of renovating the Port Melbourne Seamen's institute. The building is in a very dilapidated condition, and is totally inadequate for the extensive requirements of the Mission to Seamen." (1929 'AUSTRALIAN TEA.', Box Hill Reporter (Vic. : 1925 - 1930), 15 February, p. 7.) "Additional buildings at the Seamen's Institute, conducted by the Victoria Missions to Seamen, at Port Melbourne, were officially opened and dedicated yesterday (23 January 1930) by Archbishop Head. The additions, which have been erected at a cost of £3000, comprise an extension of the recreation hall, new canteen and office, ladies' rest room, apprentices' room, officers' room, and five-roomed dwelling, for the caretaker." 1930 'MISSION TO SEAMEN.', The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), 24 January, p. 13.Rectangular foundation stone with inscription inlayed in a bluestone wall.To the glory of God and the welfare of seamen/ This stone was unveiled by the most Rev. Frederick Waldegrave Head B.O. Archbishop of Melbourne, on the 23rd day of January 1930archbishop head, port melbourne, reverend h. s. bailey, building renovations, 1930, port melbourne mission

Reflects formal civic relationships between the municipalities of Nunawading and Broadmeadows during the mid twentieth century and illustrates the social role of municipal leadership in Victoria during the 1960s.This invitation provides documentary evidence of inter municipal civic culture and social practices in suburban Melbourne during the 1960s, highlighting the ceremonial functions of mayors and the importance of formal municipal events.Single square cornered printed invitation card with black ink on cream paper. Recto contains municipal coat of arms and formal script text. Verso is blank apart from an adhered later collection label.Recto, printed:“The Mayor & Mayoress of Nunawading/(Cr. & Mrs O. G. Goldsbrough)/request the pleasure of the company of/The Mayor and Mayoress of Broadmeadows/at a Ball to be held/in the Town Hall, Box Hill, on/Thursday, 30th April, 1964, at 8.30 p.m./The favour of a reply addressed to the Town Clerk, Nunawading, is desired/not later than Thursday, 16th April, 1964./On receipt of acceptance, entree cards will be forwarded.” Back (verso, adhesive label): “WI 4055” local government, municipal ceremonies, civic hospitality, city of nunawading (vic.), city of broadmeadows (vic.), box hill town hall