Kew achieved independence from the Boroondara Roads Board in 1860. As a new municipality, its first three leaders were designated as chairmen. On becoming a borough in 1863, its leaders were identified as mayors. The earliest photographs date from ca.1906, when the Town of Kew commissioned the noted local photographer Josiah E Barnes to produce standardised portraits of former mayors to be displayed in the Mayoral Chamber of the Town Hall. The collection also includes photographs by other well-known photographic studios such as Burlington Studios, Melba – Melbourne, Stuart Tompkins, Spencer Shier and Talma & Co. The majority of mounts identify the photographer. Eighty photographs are housed in their original frames.This portrait is one of a series of mounted and framed photographic portraits of Mayors and Town Clerks of the former Borough, Town and City of Kew, for the period 1863 to 1969. The portraits were transferred by the City of Kew to the Kew Historical Society in March 1989. A Significance Assessment in 2018, funded by the National Library of Australia confirmed the historic, and often artistic significance of the series. Framed portrait of Cr. W.H.S. Dickinson, Mayor of Kew 1946-47, 1960-61. The mounting and framing of the photograph follows a typical layout or style in that each is framed in dark wood, glazed, and laid down on an inscribed board. The inscription identifies the name of the mayor and the year/s that he/she served.Cr. W.H.S. Dickinson / Mayor 1946-47, 1960-61 Stuart Tompkins / Camberwellmayors of kew (vic), cr. w.h.s. dickinson, australian photographers - stuart tompkins camberwell, kew (vic.) — municipal collection

Tree-planting ceremony on lawn of Kew Civic Hall (now Petrie Square), Cotham Road, Kew, December 1960, part of Centenary of Kew events. Mayor Cr W.H.S. Dickinson M.B.E., J.P., Mayor of Kew 1960-61. Kew Civic Hall, designed by Harold Bartlett, opened 23 April 1960. Centenary events in December included a Special Meeting of Council on 13th December 1960 to commemorate the Centenary, attended by Prime Minister R.G. Menzies, a tree planting ceremony and a youth ball. Original is sepia print. Colourised photograph, December 1960, Kew Civic Hall, Cotham Road, Kew. Mayor Cr W.H.S. Dickinson, black robes with fur trim and gold mayoral chain, planting a young conifer, assisted by man in white coat holding tree. Crowd watching on lawn. Low side wing of Kew Civic Hall behind with brick piers and clerestory windows, house at right.kew civic hall, cotham road, cr w.h.s. dickinson, mayor of kew 1960-61, mayoral robes, centenary of kew

Tree-planting ceremony on lawn of Kew Civic Hall (now Petrie Square), Cotham Road, Kew, December 1960, part of Centenary of Kew events. Mayor Cr W.H.S. Dickinson M.B.E., J.P., Mayor of Kew 1960-61. Kew Civic Hall, designed by Harold Bartlett, opened 23 April 1960. Centenary events in December included a Special Meeting of Council on 13th December 1960 to commemorate the Centenary, attended by Prime Minister R.G. Menzies, a tree planting ceremony and a youth ball. Colourised photograph of Mayor Cr W.H.S. Dickinson, in black robes with fur trim and gold mayoral chain, standing at right watching newly planted conifer on lawn. Crowd of about 20 adults watching. Behind, Kew Civic Hall: main hall block at left in light brick, low side wing with brick piers and clerestory windows in centre, three flagpoles with Union Jack, dark blue and Australian flags, lamp post, house at right, church tower behind trees.kew civic hall, cotham road, tree planting, cr w.h.s. dickinson, mayor of kew 1960-61, mayoral robes, centenary of kew

The Municipality of Kew was proclaimed on 19 December 1860, then upgraded to a Borough (1863), a Town (1910) and finally a City (1921). From 1865, its offices were based in the former Athenaeum Hall in Walpole Street, which, although extended in 1883, inevitably became inadequate. Plans for a new purpose-built Town Hall were first mooted in the late 1880s, but fell prey to six subsequent decades of debate. During that time, many sites were considered and rejected, and several schemes prepared. Finally, in 1945, it was resolved to build a new civic centre as a war memorial. The council acquired Southesk, a mansion on the south-west corner of Cotham Road and Charles Street – first mooted as a possible Town Hall site two decades earlier – and plans for a civic precinct were drawn up by John Scarborough. The project stalled until 1957, when a Town Hall Committee was formed and a new architect appointed: Harold Bartlett of Leith & Bartlett. He also proposed an entire civic precinct, of which a large public hall would constitute Stage One. Designed to accommodate almost any public or official function, the space had had a small stage at one end for intimate theatrical productions, a larger stage at the other (with operable sunken orchestra pit) for musical performances, plus the most up-to-date equipment for live TV transmission. The building, befitting its original intent as a war memorial, was also to include a sculpted monument, for which a separate design competition was held. First prize went to George H Allen (1900-1972), long-time head of the Sculpture Department at RMIT and a former war artist himself (the only one, in fact, to have worked in the medium of sculpture). At the time of the Kew project, Allen was best known for his Cenotaph at the Shrine of Remembrance (1955) and a controversial abstract sculpture at Hume House in William Street (1957). Tenders for the new hall were called and the contract (worth £104,986) was awarded to H F Yuncken. The foundation stone was laid by the Mayor, Cr F C O'Brien, on 1 June 1959. Completion (initially scheduled for October) was delayed by the unavailability of certain materials; it was barely finished in time for the official opening (by Premier Henry Bolte) on 23 April 1960. The war memorial was unveiled two days later (Anzac Day) by Bolte's deputy, the Hon A G Rylah. Fittingly, that year also marked Kew's municipal centenary, and many celebratory events were held in and around the new civic centre in December, including a special council meeting (attended by the Prime Minister), a tree planting ceremony and a youth ball. Source: Survey of Built Heritage in Victoria: Stage Two (Built Heritage Pty Ltd., 2010)Historically significant commemorative plaqueMetal plaque relating to special Council meeting to mark centenary of Kew, 13th December 1960. This plaque was given to the Kew Historical Society in 1991 by the former City of Kew.A Special Meeting Of The / Kew City Council Was Held In / This Hall On 13th December 1960 / To Commemorate / The Centenary of Kew / Cr. W.H.S. Dickinson, M.B.E., J.P., / Mayorkew city hall, foundation stones - kew (vic), cr. w.h.s. dickinson, local government -- kew (vic.)

Centenary Celebrations Garden Party, Alexandra Gardens, Kew, 15 December 1960. Mayor Cr W.H.S. Dickinson M.B.E., J.P., Mayor of Kew 1960-61, giving Mayor’s Address. Part of Centenary of Kew events, December 1960, including Special Meeting of Council on 13th December 1960, tree planting of blue cedar outside Kew Civic Hall, and youth ball. Colourised photograph, large crowd seated on lawn in Alexandra Gardens, Kew. Marquee tent at left with tables set for afternoon tea, crowd in hats and coats seated on chairs and benches. In foreground, Mayor Cr W.H.S. Dickinson, robes and gold mayoral chain, back to camera, speaking at microphone. Large tree trunk in centre, lawn, umbrellas.alexandra gardens (kew), garden parties, centenary of kew, cr w.h.s. dickinson, mayor of kew 1960-61

Outdoor ceremony on lawn of Kew Civic Hall, Cotham Road, Kew, part of Centenary of Kew events, 1960. Hon Arthur Rylah, Deputy Premier of Victoria and Member for Kew. Cr W.H.S. Dickinson M.B.E., J.P., Mayor of Kew 1960-61. Dickinson was Mayor for the Special Meeting on 13th December 1960 to commemorate the Centenary, at which speeches were given by Prime Minister R.G. Menzies, MHR for Kew, and Cr Dickinson. Colourised photograph, man in dark suit standing on low platform at right, speaking at microphone, hand in pocket. Audience seated on folding chairs on lawn, under large trees, men in suits, women in hats and coats, some holding papers. Hats on grass in foreground. Sunny, outdoor.kew civic hall, cotham road, centenary of kew, arthur rylah, cr w.h.s. dickinson, mayor of kew 1960-61

Part of City of Kew Centenary celebrations 1860-1960. Original photograph of the Kew Centenary Ball in the new Kew Civic Hall in 1960. A special Meeting of the Kew City Council Was Held in This Hall on 13th December 1960 to Commemorate the Centenary of Kew: Cr. W.H.S. Dickinson M.B.E., J.P. Mayor, 1960 including a special council meeting (attended by the Prime Minister), a tree planting ceremony and a youth ball. Speeches by The Hon RG Menzies, MHR for Kew, and Cr WHS Dickinson, Mayor of Kew recorded on 13th December 1960 at the Kew City Hall. The Kew City Hall in Cotham Road, designed by Harold Bartlett, was intended as the initial phase in a scheme to develop an entire civic precinct.Colourised photograph of garden party in the grounds of Kew Civic Hall, Cotham Road, Kew, taken 13 December 1960. Shows mayoral procession on lawn with Mayor in robes leading, official party following, brass band trombone section in foreground playing, guests standing around tables and benches.kew centenary 1960, kew civic hall, city of kew, cr w.h.s. dickinson, garden parties, brass bands

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.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, cr w h s dickinson, city of kew -- 1947, mayoral balls, civic invitations

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.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, greeting cards, city of kew (vic.) -- 1946, cr w h s dickinson, christmas cards