Small dark blue box with round commemorative plaque inside.

During World War One, to finance the war the Commonwealth Government had a series of war loans, and then peace loans. To recover the cost of the war and fund soldier pensions the government launched 'Peace Loan' campaigns after the war. The various Shires in each State were given quotas that they were expected to raise. The Central Peace Loan Committee endorsed the issue of a metal tablet to each district which secured its quota. The tablet was made of bronze, and it was to be fixed on the wall of the local municipal building. It bore the name of the town, borough or shire to which it was awarded, and the name of the mayor or president. The inscription explaining the object of the award appeared over the signatures of the Prime Minister and the Treasurer of the Commonwealth. In the case of districts which secured double their quota the tablet also included the Commonwealth coat-of-arms. This plaque was presented to the Shire of Wodonga for exceeding its allocated quota which had been set at £10,000. The Wodonga community subscribed more than £12,845 to the Peace Loans which was acknowledged with the presentation of the plaque.A bronze rectangular plaque with raised text and an border. A hole in each corner allowed the plaque to be secured to a wall. COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA / PEACE LOAN/ A.D. 1919/ TO COMMEMORATE THE OVERSUBSCRIPTION / OF THE ALLOTTED QUOTA OF THIS LOAN / BY/ THE SHIRE OF WODONGA/ W. TWOMEY PRESIDENT / W. A. WATT TREASURER/ W. M. HUGHES PRIME MINISTER"ww1, peace loans australia, shire of wodonga peace loans

Heidelberg Golf Club Bowling Club: This plaque was presented the the HGC Bowling Club for hosting the ABN AMRO Australian Open Qualifiers in February 2008.Timber shield with metal inset and black lettering.heidelberg golf club, heidelberg golf club bowling club

Copper commemorative plaque and cardboard brochure container. Brochure reads: Cover: North Ringwood Primary School / 50th Anniversary / 1923 1973 Interior: This etching shows the original school as it was when built in 1923 with fifteen pupils attending. With increased enrolments an extra 12 feet was added to the single class room in 1929 and more windows added. Further rooms were added to the original building in 1955 and in 1968. With the development of the district it was felt that a complete new school would be necessary to cope with the large number of enrolments in the future.......

This commemorative plaque was made for the round, stained glass memorial window titled “Christ showing the helmsman the way”, originally installed at the St Nicholas Seamen’s Church in Williamstown. The window was donated as a memorial to the members of the Merchant Navy whose lives were lost in the Second World War, 1939-1945. The donor was the Williamstown Lightkeepers Auxiliary, an independent ladies' association that worked with the Williamstown Missions to Seamen (renamed the Mission to Seafarers in 2000). The window was officially dedicated on December 14, 1947, by Geelong's Anglican Bishop, Rt. Rev. J.D. McKie. In the early months of 1948, this bronze plaque was also placed in the chapel above the altar. The Williamstown St Nicholas Seamen’s Church ceased operation in 1966. In 1979, the Victoria Missions to Seamen donated this round, stained glass window and the memorial plaque to Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village, along with many other items and furnishings. These items have been used to simulate the Williamstown Mission and Chapel as much as possible. THE MISSIONS TO SEAMEN: - The Missions to Seamen was an Anglican charity that served seafarers since 1856 in Great Britain. Its symbol is a Flying Angel, inspired by a Bible verse. Today, there are centres in over 200 ports worldwide where seamen of all backgrounds are offered a warm welcome and provided with a wide range of facilities. In Victoria, the orgainsation began in Williamstown in 1857 as a Sailors’ Church, also known as ‘Bethel’ or the ‘Floating Church’ in an old hulk floating in Hobson’s Bay, Port of Melbourne. It soon became part of the Missions to Seamen, Victoria. In the year 2000, the organisation, now named Mission to Seafarers, still operated locally in Melbourne, Portland, Geelong and Hastings. The Ladies’ Harbour Lights Guild was formed in 1906 to support the Missions to Seamen in Melbourne and other centres such as Williamstown. Two of the most significant ladies of the Guild were founder Ethel Augusta Godfrey and foundation member Alice Sibthorpe Tracy (who established a branch of the Guild in Warrnambool in 1920). The Guild continued its work until the 1960s. In 1943, a former Williamstown bank was purchased for the Missions to Seamen Club. The chapel was named St Nicholas’ Seamen’s Church and was supported by the Ladies’ Harbour Lights Guild, the Williamstown Lightkeepers’ Auxiliary and the League of Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Friends. It ceased operation in 1966. A Missions to Seamen Chapel and Recreation Room was a significant feature of ports during the late 1800s and into the 1900s. It seemed appropriate for Flagstaff Hill to include such a representation within the new Maritime Village, so the Melbourne Board of Management of Missions to Seamen Victoria gave its permission on 21st May 1979 for the entire furnishings of the Williamstown chapel to be transferred to Flagstaff Hill. The St Nicholas Seamen’s Church was officially opened on October 11, 1981 and closely resembles the Williamstown chapel. This plaque is significant for its connection with the round Sanctuary window above the altar in the chapel at Flagstaff Hill. The window was originally installed at the chapel of the St Nicholas Seamen’s Church in Williamstown in 1947, and is listed on the Victorian War Heritage Inventory No. 196973 as an object of significance. The plaque is also significant for its recognition of the members of the Merchant Navy who lost their lives in service to our country during World War II. The plaque is important for its connection with the Williamstown Lightkeepers’ Auxiliary and Missions to Seamen, which were dedicated to supporting seafarers from all over the world. The funds the group raised helped to furnish the St Nicholas Seamen’s Church in Williamstown, including the Sanctuary window, pews, carpets and hangings. These items are now part of the St Nicholas Seamen's Church Williamstown Collection at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village, Warrnambool. Plaque: rectangular brass commemorative plaque. Each corner has a round hole. Inscription impressed into the metal and filled in with black paint. Plaque refers to the memorial, a stained glass window titled "Christ Showing the Helmsman the Way," donated by the Williamstown Lightkeepers' Auxiliary to the Willimastown Missions to Seamen. This plaque is part of the St. Nicholas Seamen's Church Collection. “IN MEMORY OF THE MEMBERS / OF THE MERCHANT NAVY WHO WERE LOST / IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR 1939-1945 / FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH / THE WINDOW ABOVE THE ALTAR / WAS ERECTED BY THE WILLIAMSTOWN / LIGHTKEEPERS AUXILIARY / 1947.”flagstaff hill, warrnambool, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, mission to seamen williamstown, st nicholas seaman’s church williamstown, missions to seamen victoria, mission to seafarers, lightkeepers auxiliary, ladies harbour light guild, 139 nelson place williamstown, religion, religious service, sailors rest, bethel sailors’ church, bethel floating church, e. s. & a. bank williamstown, christ directing a sailor, christ showing the helmsman the way, quartermaster’s hand on the wheel, stained glass window, church window, religious window, sanctuary window, memorial window, war memorial window, victorian war heritage inventory, victorian heritage database, merchant navy ww2, 1939-1945, anglican church, bishop mckie, flying angel club, williamstown lightkeepers' auxiliary, ladies' harbour lights guild, commemorative window, memorial plaque, merchant navy, ww ii, st. nicholas seamen's church

Colour photograph of Commemorative plaque marking the conclusion of the Shire of Eltham 1994plaques, eltham shire council, municipal restructuring, commemoration

Medal commemorating the Centenary of Government of Victoria and the Discovery of Gold, commissioned by the Victorian Government and gifted to the Shire of Glenlyon. Designed by Andor Mészáros and minted by K.G. Luke, Melbourne, 1951. 1951 marked the centenary of Victoria's separation from the colony of New South Wales. As part of the celebrations, the Victorian Government commissioned this medal from Andor Meszaros. Drawing on his classical background, Mészáros developed the imagery for 'Equality and Justice through Freedom'. The man holding the torch represents equality; the blindfolded woman holding a sword is the symbol of justice, and both are mounted on a horse that has broken its shackles. Features on the reverse a design of a banksia and bottlebrush. There was another version of this medal which depicted a pair of gold prospectors on the reverse.This medal was presented to the Shire of Glenlyon in 1951. For over half a century, sculptors Andor (1900-1973) and Michael (1945- ) Meszaros have created medals that reflect the high points of life in Australia. From major awards and portraits of eminent Australians to artwork celebrating popular culture and the natural world, these objects illuminate our culture and history. Grounded in a centuries-old European art tradition, the medals create connections across disciplines and link such diverse subjects as scientific advances, religious themes, sport, the performing arts and motherhood. Through their public and private commissions and their personal artworks, the Meszaros sculptors have defined the modern Australian medal.Bronze medal with images and text insetObverse Description: Horse bounding left, broken shackles on foreleg, carrying woman holding sword and man holding torch; around, EQUALITY AND JUSTICE THROUGH FREEDOM Artist's name behind horse's tail: A MESZAROS Reverse Description: Stake supporting plant; above, CENTENARY OF GOVERNMENT OF VICTORIA 1851 - 1951; inscribed, Presented to / the Shire of / Glenlyon / 1951 Artist's initials to left of stakeglenlyon, hepburn shire, centenary of government, centenary of gold discovery, history of victoria, victorian governement, meszaros, kg luke, commemorative, commemorative plaque, centenary 1951

Colour Photo of Commemorative Plaque of Opening by Sir Rohan Delacombe, Governor of Victoria, 17/10/1965.delacombe, rohan, sir, schwerkolt cottage

Small polished metal commemorative plaque mounted on a wood block."The first Service was held at St Andrew's Warrigal Road Oakleigh 4-6-1865, This emblem was dedicated 5-7-1959 and remained in the sanctuary until Church Union 22-6-1977."

The Tom Flood Sports Centre was originally called The Bendigo Show Grounds. This plaque was unveiled by the City of Greater Bendigo & the Bendigo RSL Sub Branch to Commemorated the venue as a "Training Camp" during WW2. Order of Service was, Welcome, Mr Alan Holmes (President Bendigo RSL) Introduction of Recruits & Others associated with the Camp. A brief history of the Camp and Anecdotes was read by Mr Alan Holmes. Presentation and unveiling of the Plaque by Cr Barry Ackerman, Mayor City of Greater Bendigo. The wording: "Commemorating this site as an Australian Imperial Force Training Camp during WW2. "To the following Corps we pay Tribute" "10th AIF Training Depot" "Australian Army Medical Corps" "Australian Army Ordnance Corps" "Australian Army Service Corp". "Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers" Prayer of Thanksgiving & Commemoration by; Rev J. South. This was followed the "ODE, Last Post, One minutes Silence, Reveille and The National Anthem. As far as records available the Camp was first set up on 17.6.1940 with an Advance Party. The last Troops left there on 30.4.1943 for Ingleburn NSW, the Camp was vacated in May 1943. Pamphlet white paper, A4 folded making 4 pages, all print in black.On the front, "This Commemorative Plaque was unveiled at the Tom Flood Sports Centre Park Road Bendigo Sunday 27th April 1997"brsl, smirsl, plaque, tom flood, training camp

Brass commemorative plaque. This Tree was planted in commemoration of 100 years of State Education and completion of the school oval 17th March 1973. Eucalyptus Maculata (Spotted Gum)As aboveschool, equipment

Commemorative Plaque purchased by Gary Cooke while on tour in Vietnam in 2016 for the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan 2016. Gary served in RAAF, No. 1 Operational Support Unit in 1970-71 as a clerk in Financial Accounts. Wooden shield shaped plaque with gold shield shaped interior. A white cross with 50 in gold in centre, two hands clasped in hand shake with Vietnamese flag on left and Australian flag on right. Black and gold wreath surrounds image. Under wreath is scroll with "Vietnam - Australia/ 2016 "50th anniversary, battle of long tan, plaque, gary cooke

Octagonal cream china commemorative plaque with 6 labelled transfer print images and text on border and a central image of John Wesley. Border images: Wesley's teapot; He, being dead, yet speaketh; Wesley's chair; First head-quarters of Methodist; A brand from the burning; John Wesley. Born 17 June, 1703 Died, March 2, 1994.; "The world is my parish". wesley, john

h.v. mckays, sunshine harvester works, russell street, devonshire road, sunshine

City of Portland collectionRelates to the Portland Lifeboat and the wreck of the AdmellaCommemorative bronze plaque to Cpt. James Fawthrop and the crew of the Portland life boat, who rescued the survivors from the wreck of the SS Admella. Mounted on wooden stand with stained finish, plaque slopes towards viewer. 1859Front: In commemoration of the brave and gallant action of Captain James Fawthrop and crew of this lifeboat who rescued 19 survivors of the ill fated SS Admella wrecked near Cape Northumberland S.A. 10 August 1859. -Life boat crew-W.Rosevear - Cox W.Booth P.Francis H.McDonald A. Carey W.Guy C.Patterson J.Dimond J.Kean T.Tweedle J.Dusting W.Kerkin T.J.Ward Back: (no inscriptions)portland lifeboat, captain james fawthrop, admella, shipwreck

1951 Commemorative Plaque (Centenary of Government in Victoria and Centenary of the Discovery of Gold) THE obverse side of this Medallion represents the three qualitities of democratic Government which makes the citizen's life worth living. Freedom, Justice and Equality. But the basic quality, through which Equality and Justice can be achieved or which results in Equality and Justice is FREEDOM. So the artist, in agreement with the sub-committee, selected a beautiful horse, gallantly bounding forward, his broken shackles still on his foreleg, carrying a woman representing Justice and a man representing Equality on its back. Without Freedom there is no Justice and Equality, but if there is Freedom, Justice and Equality are its natural results. The Stake on the reverse side represents strong democratic Government. Supported by it society grows and blossoms freely.Medal: OBVERSE: Depiction of a bucking horse with two nude riders. The first rider is a man wielding what appears to be a torch. The second rider is a blind folded woman wielding a sword. The horse has a broken shackle on the left foreleg. Information sheet in case. Case: Black leather, white satin lining and green velvet insert. Top bears gold coat of arm of Government of Victoria.Front: Equality and Justice through freedom. Back: CENTENARY OF THE GOVERNMENT OF VICTORIA 1851-1951 (edge) Presented to THE TOWN OF PORTLAND 1951 (engraved, centre)medal, commemorative, centenary, victoria

Commemorative plaque installed at Linton Cemetery in November 2007.Colour photograph of Chinese memorial tablet on red pavers with Chinese graves behind."Chinese commemorative plaque with new plantings in background Linton cemetery 4.11.07".linton cemetery, chinese memorial

Installed 29-May-1956.Plaque, engraved, white infill, text: 'This tablet commemorates the official opening of the Norwood State School/ by/ The Honourable J.S.Bloomfield M.L.A.,/ Minister of Education/ on the 29th May, 1956.' +Additional Keywords: Bloomfield, J.S. MLAThis tablet commemorates the official opening of the Norwood State School/ by/ The Honourable J.S.Bloomfield M.L.A.,/ Minister of Education/ on the 29th May, 1956.'

Installed 12-April-1987 on the poppett head near the Ringwood Lake. It was removed c.2005.Plaque 'City of Ringwood/ Poppett Head' embossed. +Additional Keywords: Rosewarne, Lillian, Cr'City of Ringwood/ Poppett Head/ This Poppett head is a replica of one which was used at/ the Ringwood Antimony Mine located at the present/ Civic Centre Site, Mines Road, Ringwood east./ The Poppett head was erected by the/ Ringwood City Council, in conjunction with the/ Ringwood Historical Research Group, and was/ commissioned by the Mayor of Ringwood/ Councillor Lillian Rosewarne, JP/ on 12th April 1987/

Soft Cover without Dust Jacket – 41 pages

Black and white photographWritten on rear of backing sheet: "At Library 1974 - Frank Parker with hands together. Mayor of Ringwood 1944/45."

Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 1 stripFuji 100 Nwalter withers rock, walter withers reserve, bible street, arthur street, eltham, plaques

Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 1 stripFuji 100 Nwalter withers rock, walter withers reserve, bible street, arthur street, eltham, plaques

Six colour photographswalter withers rock, walter withers reserve

[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

[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

Seven colour photographswalter withers rock, walter withers reserve

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

Colour photograph2013, plaques, warrandyte aboriginal reserve