Silk programs, at that time, were only produced for a very prestigious night at the theatre. Historical note: The town of Gisborne was named after one of the members of the first committee of the Mechanics’ Institution (renamed in 1872 to Melbourne Athenaeum), formed in November 1839. His full name was Henry Fyshe Gisborne 1813-1841. The program, crafted of printed silk with a silk fringe all around the four edges is unique in the program collection. The program reveals an interesting fund-raising entertainment held at the Melbourne Athenaeum theatre in 1884. As the theatre was available for hire by everyone in the Melbourne community, over the course of its history it was hired by a large variety of theatrical performers, political groups, sporting and arts groups, in addition to fundraising groups, as found here. Proceeds of this concert were donated to the Melbourne-based Sick Children’s Hospital and the Upper Macedon Episcopalian Church – an unusual combination of charities. The Mount Macedon area became a popular place for holiday- makers from Melbourne in the 1870s and many professional people built holiday retreats with beautiful gardens in the area. The development of the area created a further need for places of worship. The names of the people taking part numbered over 70, several having the same family names as those listed as members of the Melbourne Athenaeum at that time but there is no proof that the people involved with the performance were subscribers to the Melbourne Athenaeum. At the time the Athenaeum hall consisted of a large flat space requiring chairs to be placed in lines, with hand-written alphabetical signs to indicate the rows and individually numbered chairs. The hall seated 900 patrons. When the hall was used for balls, banquets and exhibitions all the chairs were removed and stored under the stage and in a room at the side of the hall. The layout of the hall can be seen in this photograph from the archives, taken in the early 1900s. This fringed, silk program was produced for a concert held on 9-10 October 1884 under the patronage of the Governor Sir H Brougham Loch at the Athenaeum Hall in aid of the Convalescent Fund of the [Melbourne] Sick Children’s Hospital and the Episcopalian Church of Upper Macedon. The evening of light entertainment comprised eleven solo musical performances and thirteen tableaux, some humorous, referencing biblical and classical themes from plays, paintings and operasm enhanced with painted scenery and a multitude of costumes.melbourne athenauem hall, the sick children's hostipal, episcopalian church

William Crozier was born 1823 in County Armagh, Ireland. Mary Jane Vance was born 1829 in Desecrete, County Tyrone, Ireland. They were married in 1848. On New Year's Eve, 1849, together with their baby daughter Sarah, William and Mary embarked from Plymouth aboard the Eliza Caroline, as assisted immigrants, for Port Phillip, arriving 31 March 1850 from where they journeyed out to Eltham on a bullock wagon. The Croziers were Episcopalians and soon after arriving in Eltham the Wesleyans of Little Eltham were holding services in the Crozier's home, among other locations. It was not until January 1856 that the Wesleyan church first acquired land in Henry Street for a chapel, which later became the home of the Eltham Hall. The Crozier home, known as ‘Belmont’ was weatherboard with a rammed earth floor. It was situated on twenty-four acres along the track at its rise, about half-a-mile east of Maria Street (Main Road) bounded by Mt Pleasant Road on the south and Pitt Street northwards. William Crozier used the land for cultivation and grazing. The track the Eltham Wesleyans took, by foot or horse, was along the Mt Pleasant Road, and like most roads of the time, a dusty trail in summer and a hoof and cart rutted quagmire in winter. William and Mary Crozier had seven children: Sarah, (1848 Ireland), John McClelland (1851 Eltham), Eliza (1855 Eltham), William (1857 Eltham), Jane(1859 Yarraville), Charlotte Amelia (1861 Yarraville), and Thomas Vance (1864 Eltham). The Crozier farm prospered and in 1870, William applied for, and was granted a leasehold on an additional sixty-three-acre selection, half-a-mile east of his twenty-four-acre Mt Pleasant Road property. Upon this property he built a two-roomed dwelling of slats and bark and a storeroom of log and bark, ten feet square. In 1880 he applied for a Crown grant of the property. Tragedy struck the family in 1882 when the youngest, Thomas Vance at age 17 accompanied by John Anderson, went into "Hall's Dam" to bathe, neither of them being able to swim. On wading out together, Crozier suddenly slipped into a part about 10ft. deep, and sank, after rising only once. Anderson pluckily tried to save him, nearly losing his own life in the attempt, saving himself when sinking for the last time by seizing hold of a projecting root. The body was not recovered until two hours after, when Mr. Thomas Bell, a farmer in the locality, who was attracted to the spot, on hearing of the occurrence, although unable to swim, plunged in with a rope around his waist, and succeeded with some difficulty in bringing it to the surface. Their eldest son, John also died prematurely at age 42 when he was killed by a falling tree branch whilst engaged in ring-barking trees at Eltham. A still cold wind was blowing and John, and others who were working with him, sheltered themselves at lunch time by sitting on the side of a large tree. When thus seated, the wind detached a limb of the tree which sheltered them, and though they heard the cracking, they had not time to get clear before the limb fell. It struck John on the head, and felled him to the ground, He appeared to be suffering severe pain, and two of his companions conveyed him to the Melbourne Hospital, where during the night he was operated upon for a fracture of the skull. Despite the operation being successful, John ultimately succumbed to his injuries the following afternoon. In good times William was known for his wealth of reminiscences of the early days of the district however his health failed him for several years until his death in March 1909. He was a man of very industrious habits, of a retiring disposition and much esteemed by those who knew him best. Mary died in January 1915 after a long illness. They are buried together along with their sons John and Thomas in the Eltham Cemetery. In Loving Remembrance William Beloved husband of Mary Jane Crozier Who departed this life March 31st 1909, aged 85 years Also Mary Jane Beloved wife of the above Who departed this life January 3rd 1915, aged 86 years Also John McCelland Son of the above Who departed this life May 20th 1894, aged 42 years also Sacred Memory of Thomas Vance Dearly beloved son of William J. Crozier Who departed this life at Eltham, February 3rd 1882 Aged 17 yearsBorn Digitaleltham cemetery, gravestones, john mccelland crozier, mary jane crozier (nee vance), thomas vance crozier, william j crozier

William Crozier was born 1823 in County Armagh, Ireland. Mary Jane Vance was born 1829 in Desecrete, County Tyrone, Ireland. They were married in 1848. On New Year's Eve, 1849, together with their baby daughter Sarah, William and Mary embarked from Plymouth aboard the Eliza Caroline, as assisted immigrants, for Port Phillip, arriving 31 March 1850 from where they journeyed out to Eltham on a bullock wagon. The Croziers were Episcopalians and soon after arriving in Eltham the Wesleyans of Little Eltham were holding services in the Crozier's home, among other locations. It was not until January 1856 that the Wesleyan church first acquired land in Henry Street for a chapel, which later became the home of the Eltham Hall. The Crozier home, known as ‘Belmont’ was weatherboard with a rammed earth floor. It was situated on twenty-four acres along the track at its rise, about half-a-mile east of Maria Street (Main Road) bounded by Mt Pleasant Road on the south and Pitt Street northwards. William Crozier used the land for cultivation and grazing. The track the Eltham Wesleyans took, by foot or horse, was along the Mt Pleasant Road, and like most roads of the time, a dusty trail in summer and a hoof and cart rutted quagmire in winter. William and Mary Crozier had seven children: Sarah, (1848 Ireland), John McClelland (1851 Eltham), Eliza (1855 Eltham), William (1857 Eltham), Jane(1859 Yarraville), Charlotte Amelia (1861 Yarraville), and Thomas Vance (1864 Eltham). The Crozier farm prospered and in 1870, William applied for, and was granted a leasehold on an additional sixty-three-acre selection, half-a-mile east of his twenty-four-acre Mt Pleasant Road property. Upon this property he built a two-roomed dwelling of slats and bark and a storeroom of log and bark, ten feet square. In 1880 he applied for a Crown grant of the property. Tragedy struck the family in 1882 when the youngest, Thomas Vance at age 17 accompanied by John Anderson, went into "Hall's Dam" to bathe, neither of them being able to swim. On wading out together, Crozier suddenly slipped into a part about 10ft. deep, and sank, after rising only once. Anderson pluckily tried to save him, nearly losing his own life in the attempt, saving himself when sinking for the last time by seizing hold of a projecting root. The body was not recovered until two hours after, when Mr. Thomas Bell, a farmer in the locality, who was attracted to the spot, on hearing of the occurrence, although unable to swim, plunged in with a rope around his waist, and succeeded with some difficulty in bringing it to the surface. Their eldest son, John also died prematurely at age 42 when he was killed by a falling tree branch whilst engaged in ring-barking trees at Eltham. A still cold wind was blowing and John, and others who were working with him, sheltered themselves at lunch time by sitting on the side of a large tree. When thus seated, the wind detached a limb of the tree which sheltered them, and though they heard the cracking, they had not time to get clear before the limb fell. It struck John on the head, and felled him to the ground, He appeared to be suffering severe pain, and two of his companions conveyed him to the Melbourne Hospital, where during the night he was operated upon for a fracture of the skull. Despite the operation being successful, John ultimately succumbed to his injuries the following afternoon. In good times William was known for his wealth of reminiscences of the early days of the district however his health failed him for several years until his death in March 1909. He was a man of very industrious habits, of a retiring disposition and much esteemed by those who knew him best. Mary died in January 1915 after a long illness. They are buried together along with their sons John and Thomas in the Eltham Cemetery. In Loving Remembrance William Beloved husband of Mary Jane Crozier Who departed this life March 31st 1909, aged 85 years Also Mary Jane Beloved wife of the above Who departed this life January 3rd 1915, aged 86 years Also John McCelland Son of the above Who departed this life May 20th 1894, aged 42 years also Sacred Memory of Thomas Vance Dearly beloved son of William J. Crozier Who departed this life at Eltham, February 3rd 1882 Aged 17 yearseltham cemetery, gravestones, memorials, film - kodak gold gc 400-9, john mccelland crozier, mary jane crozier (nee vance), scan - 35mm negative, thomas vance crozier, william crozier, william j crozier

Presbyterian Church Melton Background: A Combined Denominational Church and School was established in Melton by Protestants from the Presbyterian, Episcopalian, Wesleyan and Baptists denominations. A wooden church was built on the flat area east of the Toolam Toolern Creek. A photo of this church shows the buildings with small houses nearby. In the background the bluestone Presbyterian Church built in 1867 can be seen to the north on Yuille and Sherwin street. The flat area beside the road to Ballarat was subject to flooding and the site was eventually abandoned for a settlement. By the latter part of the 1860s the Church of England and Wesleyan bluestone churches were also being erected in the centre of the township of Melton. The commercial centre developed in High Street from Smith to Palmerston Street. Township of Melton Crown Grants Issued Under Common Law refers to the site of the Combined Denominational Church and School on the east side of Sherwin Street on the corner of Pyke Street. Section 4 Allotments 1 and 10 situated on the corner of Pyke, Bryan and Sherwin Street. The early map has the name of Thomas Cridge on this site. The area known Common (flat) remained open level ground with some cottages and buildings and a milk cooler in the 1930s, Granny Watts house “Lynch Cottage was moved in 1964. Sherwin Street was used until the 1960s with the open area being the used for playing golf. Alterations to the flat occurred when the golf course added to the height and removed the Sherwin Street access. The greens were developed and the height of ground altered the vista across Common. The first Presbyterian Minister in the district was the Reverend Alexander McNicol an advanced student and an experienced missionary from Glasgow, arriving in Melbourne in 1850. He was ordained on the 8th of June and was called to the Bacchus Marsh and Mount Macedon district. On the 1st of May 1851 he was called to Geelong and returned to Bacchus Marsh on February 1856 remaining until July 1859. Group of people in front of the church and school.churches, local identities, education