Research provided by Stuart Tompkins Studio, Box Hill, into alternatives for median strip street lighting to be used in Burke Road, Kew. The photographers identified variants in different suburbs appropriate to Kew's needs.The series from which the photograph is drawn provides a snapshot by a commercial photographic studio of each named vicinity in 1965 as well as providing examples of public works infrastructure being commissioned by local government in the 1960s. The photos originally formed part of the Engineering Department's files in the City of Kew before being donated to the kew Historical Society.Electricity Supply Poles, South Road, Moorabbin, 1965. Stuart Tompkins Studio provided this photograph for the Kew City Council. The photograph of South Road, Moorabbin, west of Jasper Road, looking east depicts steel poles with two lamps in a median strip and supply wires from pole to pole. The poles were described as 100′ apart. The notation on the rear of the photograph was that there were lamps along the median strip except at intersections. A wooden pole is recognised as supporting heavy supply lines across the road. The steel poles in the photograph were said to be between 3′ to 3.5′ whereas the wooden poles were three to 12.25″ in diameter. [There are three copies of this photograph in the Collection.] Typed inscription on reverse: "Electricity Supply Poles. Photographed for Kew City Council 8/2/65. No.2 South Road - Moorabbin, west of Jasper Road, looking east. Steel poles with two lamps in median strip and supply wires from pole to pole along median strip (poles only 100' apart). Lamps along median only except at intersections. Wooden pole supports heavy supply lines across the road. Wooden poles 3' up and 8 1/2" dia. Wooden poles 3' up and 12 1/2 dia." Studio stamp: "Stuart Tompkins Studio. 547 Station Street, Box Hill. WX1439."stuart tompkins studio, street lighting, south road (moorabin) 1965, public infrastructure -- city of kew, city of kew -- engineer's department

Research provided by Stuart Tompkins Studio, Box Hill, into alternatives for median strip street lighting to be used in Burke Road, Kew. The photographers identified variants in different suburbs appropriate to Kew's needs.The series from which the photograph is drawn provides a snapshot by a commercial photographic studio of each named vicinity in 1965 as well as providing examples of public works infrastructure being commissioned by local government in the 1960s. The photos originally formed part of the Engineering Department's files in the City of Kew before being donated to the kew Historical Society.Electricity Supply Poles, North Road, Ormond, 1965. Electricity supply poles photographed for the Kew City Council by Stuart Tompkins Studio. The photograph of North Road, Ormond west of Jasper Road, looking east depicts wooden poles carrying two lamps in a median strip and with two on each side alternately. It was noted that the supply wires were from one side only. The poles were described as 3′ above ground and 11.25″ in diameter. The plan was to use this approach for Burke Road, Kew. [There are three copies of this photograph in the Collection.] Typed inscription on reverse: "Electricity Supply Poles. Photographed for Kew City Council 8/2/65. No.1 North Road - Ormond, west of Jasper Road, looking east. Wooden poles carrying two lamps in median strip and two on each side alternately just as is proposed for Burke Road, Kew. Supply wires from one side only. Poles 3' above ground 11 1/4" dia." Studio stamp: "Stuart Tompkins Studio. 547 Station Street, Box Hill. WX1439."stuart tompkins studio, street lighting, south road (moorabin) 1965, public infrastructure -- city of kew, city of kew -- engineer's department

Photograph of a footpath in High Street Kew, probably donated by the City of Kew's Engineer's Department.Small, original colour positive [polaroid] photograph of the footpath on the north side of High Street, Kew, looking towards Kew Junction from the vicinity of the Greyhound Hotel."Looking back from pub / High St footpath / 22/8/89"high street -- kew (vic.), street works, footpaths

Studley Park Road, like most streets in Kew, was originally a dirt road. Street works during the Great Depression included bituminising major roads in the district. This photograph of Council works originated in the City of Kew Engineers Department as a record of works undertaken. It was given to the collection by a Mrs Fisher in 1998.Well provenanced photograph of Council-funded public works in Kew during the Great Depression. Original sepia monochrome positive of Council workers spreading bitumen in Studley Park Road, Kew.Typed reverse: "B4 / Kew C.C. / Spreading premixed material on Studley Park Road with drag spreader, March 1934"roadworks -- kew (vic.), street works -- kew (vic.), public works kew (vic.), studley park road -- kew (vic.), city of kew -- engineers department, city of kew -- public works -- great depression -- 1930s

Studley Park Road, like most streets in Kew, was originally a dirt road. Street works during the Great Depression included bituminising major roads in the district. This photograph of Council works originated in the City of Kew Engineers Department as a record of works undertaken. It was given to the collection by a Mrs Fisher in 1998.Well provenanced photograph of Council-funded public works in Kew during the Great Depression. Original sepia monochrome positive of Studley Park Road, Kew.Typed reverse: "B4 / Kew C.C. / Studley Park Road after surfacing with one coat of premixed material spread with drag, March 1934"roadworks -- kew (vic.), street works -- kew (vic.), public works kew (vic.), studley park road -- kew (vic.), city of kew -- engineers department, city of kew -- public works -- great depression -- 1930s

Studley Park Road, like most streets in Kew, was originally a dirt road. Street works during the Great Depression included bituminising major roads in the district. This photograph of Council works originated in the City of Kew Engineers Department as a record of works undertaken. It was given to the collection by a Mrs Fisher in 1998.Well provenanced photograph of Council-funded public works in Kew during the Great Depression. Original sepia monochrome positive of Council workers standing on and beside a dray in Studley Park Road, Kew while resurfacing of the street was taking place. The Kew Junction is just visible behind the men.Typed reverse: "B4 / Kew C.C. / Spreading premixed material on Studley Park Road with drag spreader, view from rear of machine, March 1934"roadworks -- kew (vic.), street works -- kew (vic.), public works kew (vic.), studley park road -- kew (vic.), city of kew -- engineers department, city of kew -- public works -- great depression -- 1930s

Studley Park Road, like most streets in Kew, was originally a dirt road. Street works during the Great Depression included bituminising major roads in the district. This photograph of Council works originated in the City of Kew Engineers Department as a record of works undertaken. It was given to the collection by a Mrs Fisher in 1998.Well provenanced photograph of Council-funded public works in Kew during the Great Depression. Original sepia photographic positive of a drag used to spread bitumen in Studley Park Road, Kew.Typed reverse: "B4 / Kew C.C. / Drag spreader used for premixed material on Studley Park Road, showing end of strip just with spread, with unsurfaced work on left and completed section on right, March 1934"roadworks -- kew (vic.), street works -- kew (vic.), public works kew (vic.), studley park road -- kew (vic.), city of kew -- engineers department, city of kew -- public works -- great depression -- 1930s

Studley Park Road, like most streets in Kew, was originally a dirt road. Street works during the Great Depression included bituminising major roads in the district. This photograph of Council works originated in the City of Kew Engineers Department as a record of works undertaken. It was given to the collection by a Mrs Fisher in 1998.Well provenanced photograph of Council-funded public works in Kew during the Great Depression. Original sepia photographic positive of Studley Park Road, Kew while resurfacing of the street was taking place. The Kew Junction is just visible in the distance. Boys sitting on a drum at right. Behind them is the brick fence and front entrance to Tara Hall.Typed reverse: "B4 / Kew C.C. / Studley Park Road showing drag spread surfacing with premixed material, unrolled material on the right, March 1934"roadworks -- kew (vic.), street works -- kew (vic.), public works kew (vic.), studley park road -- kew (vic.), city of kew -- engineers department, city of kew -- public works -- great depression -- 1930s

Studley Park Road, like most streets in Kew, was originally a dirt road. Street works during the Great Depression included bituminising major roads in the district. This photograph of Council works originated in the City of Kew Engineers Department as a record of works undertaken. It was given to the collection by a Mrs Fisher in 1998.Well provenanced photograph of Council-funded public works in Kew during the Great Depression. Original sepia photographic positive of Studley Park Road, Kew while resurfacing of the street was taking place. Typed reverse: "B4 / Kew C.C. / Spreading premixed material on Studley Park Road with drag spreader, March 1934"roadworks -- kew (vic.), street works -- kew (vic.), public works kew (vic.), studley park road -- kew (vic.), city of kew -- engineers department, city of kew -- public works -- great depression -- 1930s

The Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works (MMBW) was established by an act of the Victorian Parliament in 1890 to prepare for and to implement a sewerage and water reticulation system across what was then inner Melbourne, its surrounding and middle distance suburbs, including Kew. The MMBW was disbanded in 1991.The map collection of the Kew Historical Society has at its core the historic maps assembled and originally stored in the City Engineer's Department of the City of Kew. These include maps in a number of scales. The vast majority of maps were produced by the MMBW in the first two decades of the twentieth century, and are solid working maps, backed by linen for durability. These maps are historically significant to Kew, the City of Boroondara and to the history of the development of state utilities in Victoria. A number of the Kew maps have additional details added by former municipal officers, including the levels reached by various floods. As these were working documents, information was added to them long after the period of their initial production and distribution.Early map of the Town of Kew, created after 1910, at a scale 440 ft to 1 inch. The 'assembled' map by the City of Kew Engineer's Department includes scaled down copies of The Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works maps, Nos. 39, 40, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, and 117. The map covers the entirety of the Town of Kew, bordered on its north and west by the River Yarra, by Burke Road in the East and Barkers Road in the south. The map shows the extent of urban development by that time, prominent institutions and the outlines of built structures in the municipality. TOWN OF KEW / SCALE 400 FEET TO 1 INCHmelbourne & metropolitan board of works, mmbw maps, mmbw plans, town of kew, cartography

The Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works (MMBW) plans were produced from the 1890s to the 1950s. They were crucial to the design and development of Melbourne's sewerage and drainage system. The plans, at a scale of 40 feet to 1 inch (1:480), provide a detailed historical record of Melbourne streetscapes and environmental features. Each plan covers one or two street blocks (roughly six streets), showing details of buildings, including garden layouts and ownership boundaries, and features such as laneways, drains, bridges, parks, municipal boundaries and other prominent landmarks as they existed at the time each plan was produced. (Source: State Library of Victoria). This plan forms part of a large group of MMBW plans and maps that was donated to the Society by the Mr Poulter, City Engineer of the City of Kew in 1989. Within this collection, thirty-five hand-coloured plans, backed with linen, are of statewide significance as they include annotations that provide details of construction materials used in buildings in the first decade of the 20th century as well as additional information about land ownership and usage. The copies in the Public Record Office Victoria and the State Library of Victoria are monochrome versions which do not denote building materials so that the maps in this collection are invaluable and unique tools for researchers and heritage consultants. A number of the plans are not held in the collection of the State Library of Victoria so they have the additional attribute of rarity.Original survey plan, issued by the MMBW to a contractor with responsibility for constructing sewers in the area identified on the plan within the Borough of Kew. The plan was at some stage hand-coloured, possibly by the contractor, but more likely by officers working in the Engineering Department of the Borough and later Town, then City of Kew. The hand-coloured sections of buildings on the plan were used to denote masonry or brick constructions (pink), weatherboard constructions (yellow), and public buildings (grey). In MMBW Plan No.1592, the pink line indicates that area of the plan for which the contracting engineer was responsible. Included in the Plan are a number of primarily brick villas in a section of Belmont Avenue off Cotham Road. The house ‘Uvadale’ north of Belmont Avenue, and facing Cotham Road is also included in the contract. Excluded from the contract but shown on the Plan are ‘Glendonald’, ‘Mont Belmont’ and ‘Gilden’.melbourne and metropolitan board of works, detail plans, survey plans - borough of kew, mmbw 1592, cartography

One of three traffic warning lanterns donated by the City of Kew in 1984. The lanterns were used by the City Engineers Department for emergency street lighting to indicate dangerous conditions. The red glass in the lanterns symbolically represented danger.The Kew Historical Society is fortunate that the City Engineer, Mr Poulter, donated a number of items held by the City of Kew to the Society for safekeeping, rather than identifying them for destruction. The most significant items donated included old maps, including those issued by the Board of Works. Other items included photographs of public works undertaken by the Department. These traffic warning lanterns, while less historically significant, are indicative of a period of rapid urban development in the district during the post war period.City of Kew warning lantern (left) previously located in various streets and plant nurserytraffic lanterns -- city of kew, emergency lighting, public works -- kew (vic.)

One of three traffic warning lanterns donated by the City of Kew in 1984. The lanterns were used by the City Engineers Department for emergency street lighting to indicate dangerous conditions. The red glass in the lanterns symbolically represented danger.The Kew Historical Society is fortunate that the City Engineer, Mr Poulter, donated a number of items held by the City of Kew to the Society for safekeeping, rather than identifying them for destruction. The most significant items donated included old maps, including those issued by the Board of Works. Other items included photographs of public works undertaken by the Department. These traffic warning lanterns, while less historically significant, are indicative of a period of rapid urban development in the district during the post war period.City of Kew warning lantern (centre) previously located in various streets and plant nurserytraffic lanterns

One of three traffic warning lanterns donated by the City of Kew in 1984. The lanterns were used by the City Engineers Department for emergency street lighting to indicate dangerous conditions. The red glass in the lanterns symbolically represented danger.The Kew Historical Society is fortunate that the City Engineer, Mr Poulter, donated a number of items held by the City of Kew to the Society for safekeeping, rather than identifying them for destruction. The most significant items donated included old maps, including those issued by the Board of Works. Other items included photographs of public works undertaken by the Department. These traffic warning lanterns, while less historically significant, are indicative of a period of rapid urban development in the district during the post war period.City of Kew warning lantern (right) previously located in various streets and plant nurserytraffic lanterns

One of seven photographs produced by the Portland Cement Association in 1921 showing how concrete kerbs could be created. Portland Cement Association (PCA) was founded in 1916. From 1917, the association actively promoted the benefits of concrete for road works in Australian newspapers. In the nineteenth century in Melbourne (Vic.) 'made roads' typically had gutters and kerbing lined with bluestone.The photographs are important evidence of the availability of instructional models for the use of concrete in street works in Victoria. While the photographs date from the early 1920s, the use of concrete for kerbing did not reach its maturity until after World War 2. The photos demonstrate knowledge about and the use of concrete in street works in a major Melbourne municipality at an early period.Black and white photograph with printed instructions on the reverse showing the production of concrete kerbing on 67th Street, West Allis, Milwaukee, Wisconsin (USA). The photograph was produced by the Portland Cement Association of Chicago in 1921 and used within the Chief Engineer's Department of the City of Kew (Vic.)."1st - Filling forms with Concrete. Construction of Combined Concrete Cerb and Gutter"street works, kerbing, gutters, concrete, portland cement association

One of seven photographs produced by the Portland Cement Association in 1921 showing how concrete kerbs could be created. Portland Cement Association (PCA) was founded in 1916. From 1917, the association actively promoted the benefits of concrete for road works in Australian newspapers. In the nineteenth century in Melbourne (Vic.) 'made roads' typically had gutters and kerbing lined with bluestone.The photographs are important evidence of the availability of instructional models for the use of concrete in street works in Victoria. While the photographs date from the early 1920s, the use of concrete for kerbing did not reach its maturity until after World War 2. The photos demonstrate knowledge about and the use of concrete in street works in a major Melbourne municipality at an early period.Black and white photograph with printed instructions on the reverse showing the production of concrete kerbing on 67th Street, West Allis, Milwaukee, Wisconsin (USA). The photograph was produced by the Portland Cement Association of Chicago in 1921 and used within the Chief Engineer's Department of the City of Kew (Vic.)."2nd - Tamping Concrete into Approximate Contour"street works, kerbing, gutters, concrete, portland cement association

One of seven photographs produced by the Portland Cement Association in 1921 showing how concrete kerbs could be created. Portland Cement Association (PCA) was founded in 1916. From 1917, the association actively promoted the benefits of concrete for road works in Australian newspapers. In the nineteenth century in Melbourne (Vic.) 'made roads' typically had gutters and kerbing lined with bluestone.The photographs are important evidence of the availability of instructional models for the use of concrete in street works in Victoria. While the photographs date from the early 1920s, the use of concrete for kerbing did not reach its maturity until after World War 2. The photos demonstrate knowledge about and the use of concrete in street works in a major Melbourne municipality at an early period.Black and white photograph with printed instructions on the reverse showing the production of concrete kerbing on 67th Street, West Allis, Milwaukee, Wisconsin (USA). The photograph was produced by the Portland Cement Association of Chicago in 1921 and used within the Chief Engineer's Department of the City of Kew (Vic.)."3rd - Metal template for Trimming Concrete 1/2" below Finished Surface ready for Application of Mortar facing." street works, kerbing, gutters, concrete, portland cement association

One of seven photographs produced by the Portland Cement Association in 1921 showing how concrete kerbs could be created. Portland Cement Association (PCA) was founded in 1916. From 1917, the association actively promoted the benefits of concrete for road works in Australian newspapers. In the nineteenth century in Melbourne (Vic.) 'made roads' typically had gutters and kerbing lined with bluestone.The photographs are important evidence of the availability of instructional models for the use of concrete in street works in Victoria. While the photographs date from the early 1920s, the use of concrete for kerbing did not reach its maturity until after World War 2. The photos demonstrate knowledge about and the use of concrete in street works in a major Melbourne municipality at an early period.Black and white photograph with printed instructions on the reverse showing the production of concrete kerbing on 67th Street, West Allis, Milwaukee, Wisconsin (USA). The photograph was produced by the Portland Cement Association of Chicago in 1921 and used within the Chief Engineer's Department of the City of Kew (Vic.)."4th - showing the three principal filling operations - 1st Trimming base course; 2nd Mortar facing applied and Trimmed 1/8th high with wooden template; 3rd - Mortar face finished to exact contour with metal finishing trowel, having a rounded face in contact with mortar facing." street works, kerbing, gutters, concrete, portland cement association

One of seven photographs produced by the Portland Cement Association in 1921 showing how concrete kerbs could be created. Portland Cement Association (PCA) was founded in 1916. From 1917, the association actively promoted the benefits of concrete for road works in Australian newspapers. In the nineteenth century in Melbourne (Vic.) 'made roads' typically had gutters and kerbing lined with bluestone.The photographs are important evidence of the availability of instructional models for the use of concrete in street works in Victoria. While the photographs date from the early 1920s, the use of concrete for kerbing did not reach its maturity until after World War 2. The photos demonstrate knowledge about and the use of concrete in street works in a major Melbourne municipality at an early period.Black and white photograph with printed instructions on the reverse showing the production of concrete kerbing on 67th Street, West Allis, Milwaukee, Wisconsin (USA). The photograph was produced by the Portland Cement Association of Chicago in 1921 and used within the Chief Engineer's Department of the City of Kew (Vic.)."5th Detail. showing use of finishing tool on Mortar Surface" street works, kerbing, gutters, concrete, portland cement association

One of seven photographs produced by the Portland Cement Association in 1921 showing how concrete kerbs could be created. Portland Cement Association (PCA) was founded in 1916. From 1917, the association actively promoted the benefits of concrete for road works in Australian newspapers. In the nineteenth century in Melbourne (Vic.) 'made roads' typically had gutters and kerbing lined with bluestone.The photographs are important evidence of the availability of instructional models for the use of concrete in street works in Victoria. While the photographs date from the early 1920s, the use of concrete for kerbing did not reach its maturity until after World War 2. The photos demonstrate knowledge about and the use of concrete in street works in a major Melbourne municipality at an early period.Black and white photograph with printed instructions on the reverse showing the production of concrete kerbing on 67th Street, West Allis, Milwaukee, Wisconsin (USA). The photograph was produced by the Portland Cement Association of Chicago in 1921 and used within the Chief Engineer's Department of the City of Kew (Vic.)."6th - Tooling and Edging the back edge of curb. Metal dividing plates partly withdrawn" street works, kerbing, gutters, concrete, portland cement association

One of seven photographs produced by the Portland Cement Association in 1921 showing how concrete kerbs could be created. Portland Cement Association (PCA) was founded in 1916. From 1917, the association actively promoted the benefits of concrete for road works in Australian newspapers. In the nineteenth century in Melbourne (Vic.) 'made roads' typically had gutters and kerbing lined with bluestone.The photographs are important evidence of the availability of instructional models for the use of concrete in street works in Victoria. While the photographs date from the early 1920s, the use of concrete for kerbing did not reach its maturity until after World War 2. The photos demonstrate knowledge about and the use of concrete in street works in a major Melbourne municipality at an early period.Black and white photograph with printed instructions on the reverse showing the production of concrete kerbing on 67th Street, West Allis, Milwaukee, Wisconsin (USA). The photograph was produced by the Portland Cement Association of Chicago in 1921 and used within the Chief Engineer's Department of the City of Kew (Vic.)."7th - Brushing Surface with flat brush, wet with clean water, to remove tool marks and small surface irregularities." street works, kerbing, gutters, concrete, portland cement association

Kilpatrick & Co., Melbourne were active 1853-1925.A brass protractor, used in developing plans in the Engineer's Department of the City of KewCircular brass protractor in a square mahogany lidded case, retailed by Kilpatrick & Co., Melbourne. The protractor was used by staff in the Engineering Department of the former City of Kew. Handwritten inscription on label on lid:" J.R. Gray. G.P Russell,1951, Kew City Engineers used this".protractor, mathematical instrument, city of kew (engineering department)

The ‘Alexandra Gardens’ in Cotham Road were designed and laid out by George and Thomas Pockett. The Governor of Victoria officially opened them in 1908. A report of the opening stated that “…the gardens have been laid out in large sloping lawns, divided by wide graveled paths, and dotted with tastefully arranged flower beds, which are now bright with autumn bloom”. The massed beds of shrubs and flowers included beds of chrysanthemums, a specialty of George Pockett, the Garden’s first curator. A large rotunda was constructed in 1910 to mark the Jubilee of Kew. A plaque memorialising the contribution of George Pockett, was attached to the original rotunda after his death in 1922. By 1911, electric lighting was installed to allow the public to access the Gardens, and the concerts that were held within them on summer nights. The Gardens were later to include the Jubilee Fountain, moved from the front of the Kew Post Office in 1925. The Kew Council commissioned the substantial bluestone entrance gates in 1933.The Kew Historical Society is fortunate that the City Engineer, Mr Poulter, donated a number of items held by the City of Kew to the Society for safekeeping, rather than identifying them for destruction. The most significant items donated included old maps, including those issued by the Board of Works. Other items included photographs of public works undertaken by the Department. The By-laws are part of that donation and tell us lots about the social values of the period.The Mayor, Councillors and Burgesses of the Borough of Kew published By-Law No.45 in 1908 to regulate the “Conduct of Persons whilst at or Within the Gardens known as the Alexandra Gardens”. The By-Law also set a charge for “Persons Using or Entering in or upon the said Gardens”. The 17 by-laws included predictable prohibitions on expectorating, using indecent language, interfering with the floral displays, or indeed with the caretaker gardeners. Other acts prohibited included a warning that “Children under the age of ten years not being under the control of some competent person may be removed from said gardens”. The Alexandra Gardens were at one stage surrounded by a picket fence. This might explain the prohibition on climbing upon or getting through over or under any fence at or within the gardens. The financial penalty for breaching the By-Law was determined as “…not exceeding Ten pounds and not less than Five shillings”. This original copy of the By-Law was donated to the Kew Historical Society by the City of Kew.alexandra gardens (cotham road, kew), city of kew

Gwen Barton McWilliam (nee: Nelson), OAM, BA (1933- ). Gwen McWilliam is well known as an authority on the history of Boroondara and the author of a large number of books and pamphlets about the City. She was awarded the medal of the Order of Australia in 2001 ‘for service to the community of Hawthorn and district, particularly through the research, documentation and publication of its history.’ Primary source annotated by a distinguished local historian.Plan of number of areas in the City of Heidelberg showing municipal and ward boundaries, subsequently annotated by the historian Gwen McWilliam, identifying significant landholdings, subdivisions and key dates.The base map was printed in 1970 and annotated c.1993. The plan was donated to the Kew Historical Society by Gwen McWilliam. Handwritten annotations by Gwen McWilliam, 1993city of heidelberg, maps -- heidelberg (vic.), gwen mcwilliam

The Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works (MMBW) plans were produced from the 1890s to the 1950s. They were crucial to the design and development of Melbourne's sewerage and drainage system. The plans, at a scale of 40 feet to 1 inch (1:480), provide a detailed historical record of Melbourne streetscapes and environmental features. Each plan covers one or two street blocks (roughly six streets), showing details of buildings, including garden layouts and ownership boundaries, and features such as laneways, drains, bridges, parks, municipal boundaries and other prominent landmarks as they existed at the time each plan was produced. (Source: State Library of Victoria)This plan forms part of a large group of MMBW plans and maps that was donated to the Society by the Mr Poulter, City Engineer of the City of Kew in 1989. Within this collection, thirty-five hand-coloured plans, backed with linen, are of statewide significance as they include annotations that provide details of construction materials used in buildings in the first decade of the 20th century as well as additional information about land ownership and usage. The copies in the Public Record Office Victoria and the State Library of Victoria are monochrome versions which do not denote building materials so that the maps in this collection are invaluable and unique tools for researchers and heritage consultants. A number of the plans are not held in the collection of the State Library of Victoria so they have the additional attribute of rarity.Digital copy of the original survey plan, issued by the MMBW to a contractor with responsibility for constructing sewers in the area identified on the plan within the Borough of Kew. The plan was at some stage hand-coloured, possibly by the contractor, but more likely by officers working in the Engineering Department of the Borough and later Town, then City of Kew. The hand-coloured sections of buildings on the plan were used to denote masonry or brick constructions (pink), weatherboard constructions (yellow), and public buildings (grey). This plan is part of a large and historically significant group of MMBW plans and maps that was donated to the Society by the Mr Poulter, City Engineer of the City of Kew in 1989. When the contracts were let for surveyors to identify and record the extant houses and landscapes within an area for the Board of Works, the contracts were let at separate times, hence the anomaly where two copies of Plan No.1571 exist in our collection. The first of these plans identifies the building materials used in houses bordering Fitzwilliam Street, Edgevale Road, May Street, Malin Street, Davis Street and Wellington Street. The cut off point for the survey was the south side of Wellington Street. By 1903 when the survey was undertaken many of the sites were already built on, particularly those facing Edgevale Road. The plan identifies the preponderance of weatherboard houses in the area. The other version of the plan identifies the buildings between Wellington Street and Cotham Road.melbourne and metropolitan board of works, detail plans, mmbw 1571, cartography

An original photograph donated to the Kew Historical Society by the City's Engineering Department preceding the amalgamation of Kew into the City of Boroondara. The photograph can be dated to the period 1961-1994 when the Victorian Totalisator Agency Board (TAB) began operations as a state enterprise. The latter was privatised in 1994.Public works. An ironic sign in a workplace requesting donations for a hamper. Inscription on reverse: "THE BILL DAWSON APPEAL / PLEASE GIVE (CIGARETTE BUTTS OLD TAB TICKETS) / R. GOULD (SEC) P. HUGGINS (TREASURER) / A HAMPER FOR BILL"workplace humour, city of kew

Research provided by Stuart Tompkins Studio, Box Hill, into alternatives for median strip street lighting to be used in Burke Road, Kew. The photographers identified variants in different suburbs appropriate to Kew's needs.The series from which the photograph is drawn provides a snapshot by a commercial photographic studio of each named vicinity in 1965 as well as providing examples of public works infrastructure being commissioned by local government in the 1960s. The photos originally formed part of the Engineering Department's files in the City of Kew before being donated to the kew Historical Society.Electricity Supply Poles, South Road, Moorabbin, 1965. Stuart Tompkins Studio provided this photograph for the Kew City Council. The photograph of South Road, Moorabbin, west of Jasper Road, looking east depicts steel poles with two lamps in a median strip and supply wires from pole to pole. The poles were described as 100′ apart. The notation on the rear of the photograph was that there were lamps along the median strip except at intersections. A wooden pole is recognised as supporting heavy supply lines across the road. The steel poles in the photograph were said to be between 3′ to 3.5′ whereas the wooden poles were three to 12.25″ in diameter. [There are three copies of this photograph in the Collection.] Typed inscription on reverse: "Electricity Supply Poles. Photographed for Kew City Council 8/2/65. No.2 South Road - Moorabbin, west of Jasper Road, looking east. Steel poles with two lamps in median strip and supply wires from pole to pole along median strip (poles only 100' apart). Lamps along median only except at intersections. Wooden pole supports heavy supply lines across the road. Wooden poles 3' up and 8 1/2" dia. Wooden poles 3' up and 12 1/2 dia." Studio stamp: "Stuart Tompkins Studio. 547 Station Street, Box Hill. WX1439."public infrastructure -- kew (vic.), city of kew - engineers department

Research provided by Stuart Tompkins Studio, Box Hill, into alternatives for median strip street lighting to be used in Burke Road, Kew. The photographers identified variants in different suburbs appropriate to Kew's needs.The series from which the photograph is drawn provides a snapshot by a commercial photographic studio of each named vicinity in 1965 as well as providing examples of public works infrastructure being commissioned by local government in the 1960s. The photos originally formed part of the Engineering Department's files in the City of Kew before being donated to the kew Historical Society.Electricity Supply Poles, South Road, Moorabbin, 1965. Stuart Tompkins Studio provided this photograph for the Kew City Council. The photograph of South Road, Moorabbin, west of Jasper Road, looking east depicts steel poles with two lamps in a median strip and supply wires from pole to pole. The poles were described as 100′ apart. The notation on the rear of the photograph was that there were lamps along the median strip except at intersections. A wooden pole is recognised as supporting heavy supply lines across the road. The steel poles in the photograph were said to be between 3′ to 3.5′ whereas the wooden poles were three to 12.25″ in diameter. [There are three copies of this photograph in the Collection.] Typed inscription on reverse: "Electricity Supply Poles. Photographed for Kew City Council 8/2/65. No.2 South Road - Moorabbin, west of Jasper Road, looking east. Steel poles with two lamps in median strip and supply wires from pole to pole along median strip (poles only 100' apart). Lamps along median only except at intersections. Wooden pole supports heavy supply lines across the road. Wooden poles 3' up and 8 1/2" dia. Wooden poles 3' up and 12 1/2 dia." Studio stamp: "Stuart Tompkins Studio. 547 Station Street, Box Hill. WX1439."city of kew -- engineers department, public infrastructure -- kew (vic.)

The Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works (MMBW) was established by an act of the Victorian Parliament in 1890 to prepare for and to implement a sewerage and water reticulation system across what was then inner Melbourne, its surrounding and middle distance suburbs, including Kew. The MMBW was disbanded in 1991.The map collection of the Kew Historical Society has at its core the historic maps assembled and originally stored in the City Engineer's Department of the City of Kew. These include maps in a number of scales. The vast majority of maps were produced by the MMBW in the first two decades of the twentieth century, and are solid working maps, backed by linen for durability. These maps are historically significant to Kew, the City of Boroondara and to the history of the development of state utilities in Victoria. A number of the Kew maps have additional details added by former municipal officers, including the levels reached by various floods. As these were working documents, information was added to them long after the period of their initial production and distribution.Early map of part of the Borough of Kew, created in the first decade of the twentieth century, at a scale 160 ft to 1 inch. The map covers what was then the north western section of Kew, bordered on its north by Wills Street and the Kew Lunatic Asylum, in the west by the River Yarra [and the later added Yarra Boulevard] , by Princess Street in the East and Holroyd Street in the south. The map shows the extent of urban development by that time, prominent institutions and the outlines of built structures in the municipality. Contour lines were added in ink to the map at a later stage.MELBOURNE AND METROPOLITAN BOARD OF WORKS / PLAN NO. 39 / KEW & HEIDELBERGmelbourne & metropolitan board of works, mmbw maps, mmbw plans, borough of kew, cartography