ELTHAM’S GROWTH HAS BEEN RAPID IN RECENT YEARS Unknown local paper c.1960s Recent years have seen a rapid change in the appearance of Eltham’s business centre - so rapid, in fact, that the growth of premises has been almost 300%. For more than thirty-five years Eltham had little more than a dozen traders - the town's business area spreading from Pryor Street in the north, to Pitt Street in the south. The greatest density of businesses - no more than a handful of shops - were situated in the present shopping centre but other essential services such as the Post Office, were located half a mile away. As the town's population grew and the need for more shops became apparent, the growth was centralised around the railway station and Shire hall. Few of the old premises are used for their original form of business today, though many are still in existence. One of the oldest (seen clearly in the illustration) still in use is now Ferrari's Greengrocery. This shop was Eltham's butchery in early days, conducted by Jim Ryan. Up to twenty years ago, Mr. Ryan ran his business from the shop. whilst his son toured Eltham in his horse and cart, cutting his customers' orders as he went from door to door. Another business - one of the few still trading in the same goods-was Burgoyne's Hardware. This is now owned by Mr. R. Clinton, a new shop has recently been added and shortly the old premises will disappear completely. The Burgoyne family were well known to Eltham's population. The Post Office and Store (then in Main Road, near Bridge Street) was run by Mr. and Mrs. Burgoyne. The Post Office was later moved, and attached to the hardware store. OLD HOTEL In this same area was the old Eltham Hotel, almost opposite the present hotel. The building still stands, but has been converted into a house. The hitching rail can still be seen by the roadside. Back in the township was Barber's Blue Gum store, later conducted by Mrs. Burges (mother of Garnet Burges) and claimed to be Eltham's oldest shop. Further down the road, just past the hardware store, was the barber shop and billiard saloon. Next door was E. J. Andrew's news agency, library and State Savings Bank. Eltham's original chemist's shop, or dispensary as it was called, is now an electrical repair shop. On this side of the street too, was Mrs. Monteith - Draper. Mr Monteith was the owner of Eltham' s bus service. This bus service had no regular route, but deposited passengers at the point nearest their homes - a. door to door taxi service. Next to Mrs. Monteith stood another grocery - and general store, and next again, the local blacksmith. Another of Butcher Ryan's sons was Eltham's blacksmith and obviously an enterprising man he conducted a timber business next door to his smithy's shop. These two premises are still run by one man - Garnet Burges. BOOM STARTS Twenty years ago, when Thompson's took over Eltham's pharmacy they occupied the old shop adjoining the Shire hall. The building of Thompson's new premises, from which· they operate today, was the beginning of Eltham's recent growth and development. With another grocery store and a bakery at the corner of York Street, a butcher near Franklin Street, a cobbler's shop opposite the State School (did you ever wonder what that-little building attached to one of Eltham's oldest houses had been?), and an estate agency conducted by Mr. Clark, now Eltham Real Estate - only one trader remained - and today, still carries on, the only original owner of one of Eltham's .oldest established businesses - Mr. Dave Lyon, of Lyon Bros. Garage, which was formerly located in what was later used as Chenowyth's Foundry in Main Road. From the early twenties until little more than six or seven years ago that was the picture of Eltham. Some businesses had changed hands - many years before Mr. C. Rains had acquired Andrew's news agency, Mrs. Monteith's drapery had become Mrs. R. Smith's home-made cake shop, to change again and again to many other types of business. But generally, Eltham was unchanged, for nearly thirty years. Then suddenly new shops mushroomed. The new news agency and drapery, the chemist and adjoining shops, a new butcher, a green grocer and several more. POPULATION DOUBLED In the space of a few years, fifteen new shops, two banks, a restaurant and a post office were built at Eltham. New types of businesses found a ready market in an area which was quickly almost doubling its population. A little over twelve months ago, another wave of progress hit Eltham. Since then eight more shops have been built - a cake shop and fish shop in Dalton [sic – Dudley] Street - for building areas are unprocurable in the Main Street shopping centre now – have been built by Mr. D. Kimball; a new ladies’ and children’s wear shop has been opened by Rains; Eltham Dry Cleaners have another of these new shops, and Mr. R. Clinton has built elaborate new premises. Further down the road, Mr. C. Campbell has built a new butcher's shop, and next door, at present under construction, are a self service store and a shop which Mr. J. Hodges will open on completion. In addition to these new shops, Mr. J. Millett has extended his grocery to almost twice its original size. FLOURISHING Outside the central area, other businesses are flourishing. Latimer's felt factory is being developed in a picturesque rustic setting; P. J. Timber and Trading Company have recently completed a large showroom and timber yard, and in the town itself Nicholson and Merritt are now completing the extension of their foot wear factory to double its former area. This is Eltham today. Progress is moving rapidly in this rural area on the fringe of the metropolis. Less than a decade has seen vast development. The years to complete that span of time will see even greater changes and greater prosperity in this heart: of the Diamond Valley. OLD LANDMARK GOES Perhaps the most famous landmark in Eltham's' business section disappeared last Wednesday when the towering blue gum in Pryor Street at the rear of Main Road shops was felled. The tree, stated to be more than 80 feet high, was the one for which the adjoining café was named, when that business was Eltham’s only provision store, long before the turn of the century. Mr. J. Millett, who now owns the property on which the tree stood, deeply regretted its removal, but was mindful of the need for expansion in the business area. The "Old Blue Gum" was removed by Mr. A. Wilson, expert tree feller, from Heidelberg. Its proportions might be assessed by these facts – it took a gang of experienced men two days to completely fell and clear the tree, and, falling sections being brought down by cable tipped electricity wires on the opposite side of Pryor Street.andrew's news agency, bakery, barber shop, barber's blue gum store, billiard saloon, blacksmith, blue gum, burgoyne's hardware, butcher, cake shop, chemist's shop, chenowyth's foundry, cobbler's shop, dave lyon, dispensary, draper shop. mr monteith, dudley street, e. j. andrew's news agency, electrical repair shop, eltham bus service, eltham butchery, eltham dry cleaners, eltham hotel, eltham railway station, eltham real estate, eltham shire hall, eltham shopping centre, eltham shops, eltham town centre, estate agency, expert tree feller, ferrari's greengrocery, fish shop, foot wear factory, franklin street, garnet burges, general store, grocery, heidelberg, horace clark, jim ryan, ladies’ and children’s wear shop, latimer's felt factory, library, lyon bros. garage, main road, mr. a. wilson, mr. c. campbell, mr. c. rains, mr. d. kimball, mr. j. hodges, mr. j. millett, mr. r. clinton, mrs. burges, mrs. monteith, mrs. monteith's drapery, mrs. r. smith's home-made cake shop, nicholson and merritt, p. j. timber and trading company, pitt street, post office, pryor street, self service store, shopping centre, state savings bank, taxi service, thompson's pharmacy, york street

This magazine contains a number of small news items with the front cover story relates to Mary Betello and her poetry book on The Holy Land. Others relate to local Rotary club , theatre group, Council news and local district news. There are display advertisements listing such businesses as Ron Jessen Fabric, Owen's of Warrnambool, Crazy Dave's Lighting, Bob Sloan Butchers Rainbow Health Foods, Jetaime B & P Hoy Wholesale.A good collection of businesses from around the 1980's in Warrnambool. Small newsprint document with blue headline and blue banner at top of page with black text. There is a photograph and accompanying story on front page. Back page has blue outline on page with white print. 40 pages.District traders Buying Guide . The news & Trader Post 145 Kepler Street Warrnambool. Ph 055 621055warrnambool,the householders news and trader post,

Miscellaneous documents relating to the Ringwood Chamber of Commerce and Whitehorse Traders.Packet includes: . Correspondence to Council re Ringwood Xmas Carnivals in the 1930's. . Hand written minutes of meetings of Ringwood Traders- c1930's. . Miiscellaneous newspaper clippings relating to Ringwood Traders- 1909 to 1990's. . Plan of proposed 'Fat Boiling Down Room' for Mr G. Pratt, butcher in Junction Rd Ringwood. c1937. . Description and rough sketch of proposed building for "My Ease (Vict.) Pty. Ltd." as factory for Manufacturing Worcestershire Sauce. c1929. . Price list for H. J. Bently, Timber Merchant, Ringwood, dated June 1917. . Literature compiled by the Ringwood Chamber of Commerce advertising Ringwood as a business centre.

The Butcher Mr Bill Ellin delivering meat to Mrs J.L.Smith in front of the house Law Muir Den 510 Centre Rd Bentleigh c 1915. Groceries, Ice, Milk, Bread, Eggs, Poultry were delivered to housewives by the traders in horse drawn carts, Also Hawkers and Pedlars plied their wares by visiting the cottages. John Logan Smith 1860-1932 , the son of Irish immigrants James and Marianne Smith was born at their home near the 'Toll Gates' on Point Nepean Road and Dendy Street. East Brighton. At that time the area had many orchards that were later replaced by market gardens. J.L.Smith at first rented a cottage 'Law Muir Den' & Shed from Mr Box and commenced business as a wood merchant - sawing logs into shorter pieces using one horse to power the saw. He purchased the property, added to the buildings , began trading in fuel and fodder as well and installed a chaff cutting mill powered by 10hp steam engine. The business prospered 1909 following the death of Tommy Bent, J/L Smith was nominated for Councillor of the Shire of Moorabbin. WW1 1914 - 18 both John and Mary Ann supported local War Relief Auxiliaries and their son Vic served as a Signaler in AIF. As Motor transport was increasing 1926 J L Smith built a small Garage on the opposite corner (Woolworths Supermarket 2005) , employed a good mechanic ( Reg Hunt ) and developed another successful business. The Grain Store was managed by family until 1930. In 1932 JL Smith assisted a man whose car had broken down, pushing it to the garage and sadly suffered a heart attack and died. He is buried in Cheltenham Cemetery. J.L.Smith was an early settler in East Brighton now Bentleigh and established successful Wood cutting, Grain & Chaff cutting and Motor garage businesses in Centre Road . He was elected Councillor of the Shire of Moorabbin and, with Mary Ann, his family were involved with local Church, Red Cross, and other community organizations.A Black and white photograph c 1915 showing the Butcher delivering meat to Mrs J.L Smith Bentleighsmith j l, smith mary ann, stanley helen, smith vic, smith harry redvers, chaff cutter, horse drawn carts, toll gates brighton, motor cars 1900, steam engines, early settlers, bentleigh, parish of moorabbin, city of moorabbin, county of bourke, moorabbin roads board, shire of moorabbin, henry dendy's special survey 1841, bent thomas, charman s, highett william, ormond francis, market gardeners, vineyards, orchards, william ellin, butcher

Black and white photo. Inside the corner shop at Farrell and Ross Streets. Alice BAKER serves two local lads. Charles and Alice BAKER opened their shop around 1933 although a shop had been at this site since 1900 as variously a butcher and pastry cook and general store. The shop passed into other hands around 1955. The photo was used in the PMHPS Calendar for 2007 (May)business and traders - milkbars, alice baker, charles baker, ross street, farrell street

Fisherman's Bend photos from Butcher family (set of nine): .09 7 x 11 B&W photo of man with cow & calf on Butcher's farm fishermans bend, business and traders - dairies, gladys butcher, butcher family dairy

Fisherman's Bend photos from Butcher family (set of 10): .07 8.5 x 6.0 B&W photo of Jessie Butcher fishermans bend, business and traders - dairies, gladys butcher, butcher family dairy, jessie butcher

Claude's was the last horse delivery of milk in Melbourne, finishing with his death in 1990.Lasercopy enlarged from a photo of Claude BUTCHER, dairy man, in the Seaside Dairy delivery cart with horse; 'Fresh Milk from Our Own Cows' (original photo was obviously in poor condition)business & traders - dairies, transport - horse, claude singer butcher ii, seaside dairy

B&W photo of Martha, Jessie, Gladys, Claude (seated) and Alice Butcher c1910business and traders - dairies, martha butcher, jessie butcher, gladys butcher, claude butcher, alice butcher

B&W photo of Butcher family dairy in 1920s. Showing cattle, man on horse, harnessed horse and cart.business and traders - dairies, butcher family dairy, fisherman's bend, claude butcher

Arthur Butcher and his wife Martha arrived at Fisherman's Bend in 1911and established a dairy, sheep and goat farmFisherman's Bend photos from Butcher family (set of 9): .01 6 x 8.5 B&W photo of cows grazing on Butcher's farmfishermans bend, business and traders - dairies, gladys butcher, butcher family dairy

Arthur Butcher and his wife Martha arrived at Fisherman's Bend in 1911and established a dairy, sheep and goat farmFisherman's Bend photos from Butcher family (set of 9): .02 6 x 8.5 B&W photo of calf & lamb on Butcher's farmfishermans bend, business and traders - dairies, gladys butcher, butcher family dairy

Arthur Butcher and his wife Martha arrived at Fisherman's Bend in 1911and established a dairy, sheep and goat farmFisherman's Bend photos from Butcher family (set of 9): .03 6 x 8.5 B&W photo of goats grazing on Butcher's farmfishermans bend, business and traders - dairies, gladys butcher, butcher family dairy