Showing 43 items
matching financial difficulties
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University of Melbourne, Burnley Campus Archives
Newspaper - Newspaper Cutting, The Argus, Horticultural Society of Victoria, 1862
... financial difficulties.... Description of the Annual Meeting, mainly financial difficulties... financial difficulties annual meeting ornamental garden Photocopy ...Photocopy of article in "the Argus" 17 July, 1862. Description of the Annual Meeting, mainly financial difficulties. Ornamental portion. Praise for Mr Phillips, the gardener. Fruit tree area cleared and planting commenced.the argus, mr phillips, gardener, curator, fruit trees, financial difficulties, annual meeting, ornamental garden -
Federation University Historical Collection
Article - Article - Women, Ballarat School of Mines: Women of Note; Martha Pinkerton, Established Art Scholarship in perpetuity, (1864 - 1939)
... payment of fees financial difficulties... at the Technical Art School who were experiencing financial difficulties.... were experiencing financial difficulties. women of note ...Martha Pinkerton and her brother Frank Pinkerton were longstanding supporters of the Ballarat School of Mines and its students. Following their deaths in the 1930s, the School became the recipient of two important bequests that were to lead to the establishment in perpetuity of the following student scholarships: firstly, the Frank Pinkerton scholarship valued at £30 per annum for three years and free tuition in architecture, metallurgy, applied chemistry, mining, electrical, mechanical or civil engineering-and secondly, the Martha K. Pinkerton art scholarship of the same value, 'for talented and deserving students from the City and District of Ballarat'. In the early 1930's Martha, who was a past student at the SMB Art and Technical School, began to give a succession of practical donations to the institution which commenced during the Depression years. Thereafter, for approximately a decade until her early death, she continued to donate £50 annually to assist with the payment of the fees of students at the Technical Art School who were experiencing financial difficulties.women of note, ballarat school of mines, martha pinkerton, bequests, frank pinkerton, scholarships, technical art school, art student, bequests in perpetuity, 1930s, depression years, payment of fees financial difficulties -
University of Melbourne, Burnley Campus Archives
Newspaper - Newspaper Cutting, The Argus, The Experimental Gardens of the Horticultural Society of Victoria, 1862
... financial difficulties...the argus w. phillips tobacco financial difficulties ...Copy of article in "The Argus" 8 October, 1862 p6. Horticultural Society short of funds so W. Phillips, manager of the gardens, permitted to grow tobacco in exchange for keeping the gardens in proper order. Description of ornamental gardens and proposal for orchard plantings.the argus, w. phillips, tobacco, financial difficulties, curator, orchard, horticultural society of victoria -
University of Melbourne, Burnley Campus Archives
Newspaper - Newspaper Cutting, The Victorian Farmers Journal and Gardeners Chronicle, The New Gardens of the Horticultural Society, 1862
... financial difficulties... lithograph gardens experimental gardens plan financial difficulties ...Copy of article in "The Victorian Farmers Journal and Gardeners Chronicle" 21 June, 1862 p 13. Advises lithograph of the new gardens is included. They had hoped to open the gardens on 1st january, 1862 but had insufficient funds to complete the work. Description of grounds.Copy of lithograph see B92.632.the victorian farmers journal and gardeners chronicle, lithograph, gardens, experimental gardens plan, financial difficulties, opening of gardens -
University of Melbourne, Burnley Campus Archives
Newspaper - Newspaper Cutting, The Leader, Victorian Horticultural Society, 1867
... financial difficulties...the leader orchard planting fruit trees financial ...Copy of article in "The Leader" (Melbourne) on 3 August, 1867 p9. Annual General Meeting. Due to lack of funds planting had not yet started in the new orchard.the leader, orchard, planting, fruit trees, financial difficulties, annual general meeting, horticultural society of victoria, west orchard -
University of Melbourne, Burnley Campus Archives
Newspaper - Newspaper Cutting, The Victorian Farmers Journal and Gardeners Chronicle, Horticultural Society of Victoria, 1863
... financial difficulties... phillips gardener tobacco growing financial difficulties curator ...Copy of article in "The Victorian Farmers Journal and Gardeners Chronicle" 1 August, 1863 p 12. Description of the annual general meeting of the society. Funds were so low that Mr Phillips, the garden manager, had been given a portion of land (for growing tobacco) as payment for looking after the remainder.the victorian farmers journal and gardeners chronicle, mr phillips, gardener, tobacco growing, financial difficulties, curator, burnley gardens -
University of Melbourne, Burnley Campus Archives
Newspaper - Newspaper Cutting, The Leader, Horticultural Notes, 1889
... financial difficulties... financial difficulties school of horticulture government takeover ...Copy of article in "The Leader" (Melbourne) 13 July, 1889 p14. Discussion of proposal by the Royal Horticultural Society of Victoria to establish a school of horticulture on their grounds to be handed over to the government. It did not have sufficient income to continue managing the gardens.the leader, rhsv, royal horticultural society of victoria, financial difficulties, school of horticulture, government takeover, burnley gardens -
Uniting Church Archives - Synod of Victoria
Photograph, c. 1977
... Broadmeadows families who had fallen into financial difficulties... into financial difficulties. The Rev. Brace Bateman had established ...Linda Blundell had been employed as a social worker to help Broadmeadows families who had fallen into financial difficulties. The Rev. Brace Bateman had established the position within the Maribyrnong Valley Presbytery. Linda herself had experienced financial difficulties in earlier life, brought about by the unscrupulous tactics of some local businesses who encouraged over-spending and borrowing, so she was well equipped to assist families work through the difficulties.Linda Blundell was the first person to be employed as a social worker in the Presbytery of Maribyrnong Valley.B&W photo of Mrs Linda Blundell talking to the Rev. Brace Bateman.linda blundell; brace bateman; presbytery of maribyrnong valley; broadmeadows, social worker, broadmeadows -
Uniting Church Archives - Synod of Victoria
Photograph, c. 1977
... into financial difficulties through excessive borrowing and the somewhat... into financial difficulties through excessive borrowing and the somewhat ...Linda Blundell was employed by the Presbytery of Maribyrnong Valley, arranged by the Presbytery Minister of the time, the Rev. Brace Bateman. She was employed to work with Broadmeadows families, in particular with those who had got into financial difficulties through excessive borrowing and the somewhat unscrupulous advertising tactics of some businesses. The problem was seen as acute at the time.This was the first person to be employed by the Maribyrnong Valley Presbytery in a purely social worker-type capacity.B & W waist length photograph of Mrs Linda Blundell, seated, wearing a white cardigan. linda blundell; brace bateman; presbytery of maribyrnong valley; broadmeadows -
Orbost & District Historical Society
fence post, 1840's
... the area Orbost. After financial difficulties in the 1870's the run... the area Orbost. After financial difficulties in the 1870's the run ...This fence post is from the original Snowy River Station stock yards which were where "Merindah" stands today. It was probably owned by the Marshall family at the time of transfer to "Merindah" in 1985. It was lifted out by Geoff Stevenson with a bucket on a tractor in 1986. The post was originally twice the length. The Snowy River Station was established in 1842 by Peter Imlay. In 1845 the land was sold to Norman MCLeod who named the area Orbost. After financial difficulties in the 1870's the run was taken over by W.J.Clarke and known as Orbost Station.Peter Imlay established the first white settlement in 1842 settling on the eastern side of the Snowy River where the township of Orbost now stands. This settlement was the Snowy River Station. A corner post from a post and rail fence. It is possibly made of red box.. On one side are three rectangular sections cut out with a similar one on the other sides. The post is hollow and has metal staples in the sides for attaching wires.orbost-station mcleod fence-post -
Melbourne Legacy
Document, President's Fund, 1985
... to assist a legatee in financial difficulties. Legatee Kemsley... in financial difficulties. Legatee Kemsley was almost 90 ...A document dated February 1985 was written by Legatee Kemsley about the President's Fund that was established in 1933 with funds donated from the estate of Walter Berry in the name of his Company. The Henry Berry Fund was to be used by the President to assist a legatee in financial difficulties. Legatee Kemsley was almost 90 and was passing on his knowledge of the history of the fund and its uses. He had served with Walter Berry in France when he was a personal assistant to General Monash. Was in a binder of documents that is passed from an outgoing President to the incoming President. It is primarily from the 1930s to 1990s. Most documents are being catalogued separately.A record of the inception of the President's Fund.White foolscap paper x 2 pages with black type about President's Fund in 1985.Signed in blue pen on second page, 'AN Kemsley'.presidents fund, kem kemsley, walter berry -
Orbost & District Historical Society
book, D.S. Ford, Benjamin Boyd in Australia 1842 -1849, 1940's
... ; before suffering financial difficulties and becoming bankrupt...; before suffering financial difficulties and becoming bankrupt ...This is the second edition of the book. Benjamin Boyd 1796 - 1851) was a Scottish-born Australian pioneer and entrepreneur, and briefly, a politician. He arrived in Hobson's Bay, Port Phillip District, on his schooner, the Wanderer, on 15 June 1842, and reached Port Jackson, Sydney, on 18 July 1842. He was a shipping magnate, merchant, banker, pastoralist and station owner, Member of the Legislative Council, town planner and a whaler Boyd became one of the largest landholders and graziers of the colony of New South Wales; before suffering financial difficulties and becoming bankrupt. Boyd briefly tried his luck on the Californian goldfields before being purportedly murdered on Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands. Many of his business ventures involved blackbirding, the practice of coercing and kidnapping South Sea Islanders as slave labourers. This book is a useful reference tool.A small thin 48 pp paper covered book titled, "Benjamin Boyd in Australia". The cover is black and white. The price is noted at 1/6.on front cover - handwritten in green pen : "M.J. Gilbert"book-benjamin-boyd-in-australia boyd-benjamin boydtown -
Melbourne Legacy
Document, Presidents' Fund Origin - Howard and Georgina Berry Trust, 1985
... was to be used by the President to assist a legatee in financial... was to be used by the President to assist a legatee in financial ...A collection of documents about the Presidents Fund that was collated in 1985. First page is a summary by Legatee Isherwood dated 14/12/1966. Also included a document dated February 1985 written by Legatee Kemsley about the President's Fund that was established in 1933 with funds donated from the estate of Walter Berry in the name of his Company. The Howard and Georgina Berry Fund was to be used by the President to assist a legatee in financial difficulties. Legatee Kemsley was almost 90 and was passing on his knowledge of the history of the fund and its uses. He had served with Walter Berry in France when he was a personal assistant to General Monash. Also a poor quality copy of the original letter dated 24th February 1933 by Legatee Kemsley to the Trustees. There are two pages of a bank statement in 1984 showing the balance as being approximately $1,000. Was in a binder of documents that is passed from an outgoing President to the incoming President. It is primarily from the 1930s to 1990s. Most documents are being catalogued separately.A record of the inception and workings of the President's Fund.White A4 paper x 5 pages with black type about President's Fund in 1985 and two pages of bank statements.Signed in blue pen on fifth page, 'AN Kemsley, February 1985'.presidents fund, kem kemsley, walter berry -
Wodonga & District Historical Society Inc
Souvenir - Souvenir Plate - Union Bridge, Albury, Hancock and Sons, c1930s
... . In 1935 the business was in financial difficulty and was made.... In 1935 the business was in financial difficulty and was made ...This item is from a collection donated by descendants of John Francis Turner of Wodonga. It is one of many souvenirs produced to represent landmarks in the Albury-Wodonga district. The first punt across the Murray River at Albury was established by Robert Brown in 1843. In 1861 the first Union Bridge was built. It was demolished to make way for the second Union Bridge which opened in 1898. This second bridge closed and was eventually demolished after the third and existing bridge was opened in 1961. Hancock and Sons, Stoke on Trent - Sampson Hancock, a prominent Wesleyan Methodist, started potting in 1857. In 1891 he established the business of Sampson Hancock & Sons. Sampson died in 1900 and the business was continued by his three sons - Jabez, Harry and Arthur. In 1935 the business was in financial difficulty and was made bankrupt. It was restarted as S Hancock & Sons (Potters) Ltd. and moved to the Gordon Works, Hanley - which was renamed the Corona Works. The restarted company was not a success and it finally closed in 1937, having been put into receivership on 23rd March. This information helps to establish provenance of this plate.This item comes from a collection used by a prominent citizen of Wodonga. It is representative of a items produced to represent historic landmarks or features of the district.Fine China round plate with gilt edge and image of the Union Bridge, AlburyBeneath image: " THE BRIDGE OVER THE MURRAY AT ALBURY, NSWALESalbury souvenirs, union bridge albury, albury-wodonga border, murray river bridges -
Wodonga & District Historical Society Inc
Photograph - Wodonga Herald, Issue No. 1, Wodonga Herald, April 19, 1873
... " had also run into financial difficulties. In October 1874..." had also run into financial difficulties. In October 1874 ...The establishment of the "Wodonga Herald" was an attempt to create a publication to cater to the needs of the growing local township of Wodonga and the surrounding townships. The proponents of the publication aimed to promote the area and its interests on a wider scale at the same time as the railways were extending into the district. It was intended for circulation in Wodonga as well as Barnawartha, Yackandandah, Kiewa, Towong, Koetong, Tallangatta, Mitta Mitta and the Upper Murray as well as Chiltern, Brown's Plains. Rutherglen, Wahgunyah, Albury and its vicinity. The publication did not meet is objectives and folded on 4 October 1873. The "Murray and Hume Times" was founded as its successor. It was published in Wodonga and Albury on Tuesdays and Fridays and circulated through the whole of the Murray and Hume Districts. The place the new publication was printed seems to have fluctuated between a printing office in Dean Street, Albury, and the main printing office in Sydney Street, Wodonga. By June 1874 the "Murray and Hume Times" had also run into financial difficulties. In October 1874, only one year after its launch the second paper changed hands to the owner of the Albury Banner, George Adams. This item is significant as it represents one of the earliest newspaper publications for the Wodonga district.A photo of the front page of the first issue of the Wodonga Herald published in Wodonga on Saturday, April 19, 1873. Price Sixpence. The image has been mounted with a card backing in a metal frame. The publication included circulation to Barnawartha, Yackandandah, Kiewa, Towong, Tintaldra, Koetong, Tallangatta, Mitta Mitta and Upper Murray Advertiser.wodonga herald, early wodonga newspapers, the murray and hume times, the albury banner, george adams publisher -
Vision Australia
Photograph - Image, W.H. Paterson - Blind Cricketers of Australia, 1957
... at that time was in financial difficulties, a Trust was set up... was in financial difficulties, a Trust was set up to handle the management ...When the Victorian Blind Cricket Association approached Mr Paterson for assistance in gaining access to a permanent cricket pitch upon which games could be played, it set in chain a series of events that remain in place today. Mr Paterson had been heavily involved in the formation of the Association for the Blind and saw this as a problem to be solved. Raising money through public donation and door knocking, Mr Paterson arranged the purchase of land on the banks of Gardiner's Creek, and adjacent to the tram and train lines. The land was raised, to avoid flooding, and a surface prepared. The sportsground was adjacent to the AAB, however due to the interest of Malvern Council in the land and knowing that the AAB at that time was in financial difficulties, a Trust was set up to handle the management with Mr Paterson, Mr Gould the Malvern Council Town Clerk and George Maxwell as trustees. A clubhouse was also needed to allow players to take shelter during matches and once again, Mr Paterson came to the rescue. Using their personal funds, Mr and Mrs Paterson loaned the Trust the monies required for the building. This plaque recognises the dedication and support that Mr Paterson gave to help establish the first blind cricket playing ground in Australia.Digital image of metal plaqueErected to the Memory of W.H. Paterson, M.B.E. Obit. Feb. 19 1957 By his personal efforts and sacrifice these playing fields were obtained and this clubhouse erected The first for blind cricket in Australia Erected by the Blind Cricketers of Victoria October 22nd 1957william paterson, victorian blind cricket association -
Melbourne Legacy
Document - Document, letter, Ex-Legatee Louis Vavijinski, 1969
... war. By the 1960s he was in financial difficulties... war. By the 1960s he was in financial difficulties ...Various documents recording the discussions around helping an ex-Legatee who needed financial assistance. Louis Vavjinski was a member of Legacy in the early years (1920s and 1930s) and gave remarkable service especially to boys' classes where he was an excellent instructor. He had married a French lady at the end of World War 1 and they returned to France after the second world war. By the 1960s he was in financial difficulties and the correspondence points out that he was not eligible for an Australian pension due to living in France. A group of Legatees worked together to raise funds (over £1000) to send Louis, in one letter they approached Legacy President Ivan Layton for funds from the Presidents fund. This shows that legatees form strong bonds with each other and have a desire to help anyone in need. The Presidents Fund was created in 1932 with the aim to give the President a way to help needy cases with discretion and without having to gain approval from committees. In many cases the money was repaid by the recipient. This document was in a folder labelled President's Fund Correspondence and was with other file items about donations to help appropriate cases. The folder was marked with H40 which is part of an early archive project from the late 1960s and early 1970s.The Presidents Fund was a significant help to legatees and junior legatees who were unable to obtain help from other sources.File copy of correspondence about sending money to Louis Vavijinski in France in 1969.financial help, presidents fund -
Kew Historical Society Inc
Newspaper, Kew Festival Gazette, No.1, October 5th 1895, 1895
... , the Mission was in financial difficulties and it was hoped..., the Mission was in financial difficulties and it was hoped ...The first known use of the term 'Kew Festival'.The Kew Festival Gazette, 5 October 1895 is a four-page mock-up newspaper, published from the Boroondara Standard office to advertise and publicise a Kew Festival. The Festival was not associated with the current Kew Festival, which was founded in 1974, but was principally a bazaar held in the Kew Recreation Hall to raise money for the Kew Catholic Church Building Fund which was associated with the Jesuit Mission. Perhaps because of the recent economic depression, the Mission was in financial difficulties and it was hoped that the bazaar would raise enough money to ease the situation. According to the Gazette, ‘All Kew has been in a gentle simmer of excitement for some time past over the coming Sacred Heart Bazaar in aid of the Jesuit Mission funds. Wherever one goes the talk is of the bazaar, and whoever one meets is either a stallholder, an assistant or an intending purchaser.’ There are a few items in the Gazette about other local events, including a cake fair and sale of works, and a history of bazaars that traces them from the Middle East via Britain to Kew. One article contains some examples of nineteenth century humour, including ‘the lady stallholders will not have to pay income tax on their takings’. The advertisements reflect the goods and services available to Kew residents in 1895 – groceries, wine & spirits, hay, corn, chaff, ironmongery, timber, drapery, millinery, gas cookers, and an undertaker and embalmer. kew festival gazette, kew catholic church, boroondara standard -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Photograph - Digital Photograph, Alan King, Eltham Hotel, cnr Main Road and Pitt Street, 28 December 2007
... the gold from the diggers. Warren ran into financial difficulties... the gold from the diggers. Warren ran into financial difficulties ...The Eltham Hotel is the oldest continually operating hotel in the Eltham district. Initially referred to as the Little Eltham Hotel, it has been known as the Eltham Hotel since the mid-1850s through to the present except for a brief period as the Eltham Tavern in the late 1980s. The original hotel opened in 1854 by Richard Warren was built by Benjamin Oliver Wallis. The Fountain of Friendship Hotel on the opposite side of Maria Street (Main Road) opened shortly after. The hotel was a well-known resting place for gold diggers during the gold rush at Woods’ Point and Warren would buy the gold from the diggers. Warren ran into financial difficulties and determined to return to England. Wallis bought the hotel in 1861 and ran it till 1886 when he sold it to Christopher Watson Snr. When Christopher Watson Snr died a year after purchase, his son Christopher took over until his death in 1909 when it passed to wife Emily and then their youngest son, Herbert James (Jim) Watson in 1915. In July 1925, Jim Watson demolished the original building and, in its place, erected a modern hotel which remains the foundation of the present-day Eltham Hotel. Covered under Heritage Overlay, Nillumbik Planning Scheme. Published: Nillumbik Now and Then / Marguerite Marshall 2008; photographs Alan King with Marguerite Marshall.; p41This collection of almost 130 photos about places and people within the Shire of Nillumbik, an urban and rural municipality in Melbourne's north, contributes to an understanding of the history of the Shire. Published in 2008 immediately prior to the Black Saturday bushfires of February 7, 2009, it documents sites that were impacted, and in some cases destroyed by the fires. It includes photographs taken especially for the publication, creating a unique time capsule representing the Shire in the early 21st century. It remains the most recent comprehenesive publication devoted to the Shire's history connecting local residents to the past. nillumbik now and then (marshall-king) collection, eltham, eltham hotel, main road, pitt street -
Ballarat Heritage Services
Photograph - Image, Shrine of Remembrance, Melbourne, c1934, 1934
... the country was faced with frightful unemployment and financial... unemployment and financial difficulty in the late 1920s and the 1930s ...The design for the Shrine of Remembrance was selected by competition among Australian artists and architects. Eighty-three designs were submitted and the winning design was by two Melbourne returned-soldier architects, Philip Hudson and James Wardrop. The inspiration for the external outline came from one of the seven wonders of the ancient world—the mausoleum at Halicarnassus to Mausolus, King of Caria in South West Asia Minor. Although the country was faced with frightful unemployment and financial difficulty in the late 1920s and the 1930s, so great was the gratitude of the people that the huge amount required to build the Shrine was raised or promised within six months from the opening of the appeal in 1928. (https://www.shrine.org.au/About-Us/History) Lodge Bros were commissioned to build the Shrine of Remembrance in St Kilda Rd in the late 1920s. In 1947, Lodge Bros were manufacturing a further stage at the Shrine of Rememberance, that being the carving and fixing of the bluestone servicemen on the top of the 1939-1945 War Memorial at the Eternal Flame. When funding became available for the new undercroft development at the front of the Shrine in 2001, the Shrine Trustees were eager to explore the possibility of the original stonemasons who built the Shrine, to complete the new development. This came to fruition in 2002-2003 when Lodge Bros constructed all the exterior walls of the undercroft development. Phil Luchetta (Managing Director) was able to source and secure the use of the same granite from Tynong Victoria that was used in the original works of the 1930s.Photograpic image of Melbourne's Shrine of Remembrance.shrine of remembrance, melbourne, war memorial, lodge brothers, world war one, remembrance -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Photograph, David Potts (Latrobe University), Koornong School collection, c.1940-c.1945
... school to run. Financial difficulties became more serious.... It was an expensive school to run. Financial difficulties became more serious ...Photos include: Log building which the students constructed and used as a co-operative shop, Primary Class, Science class outside their classroom, Government meeting held in the outdoor theatre, Janet and Lawrence Nield. "Koornung School, Warrandyte was established by Clive and Janet Blake Nield in 1939, after they had visited progressive schools in Europe and America. They believed children should be given freedom to grow while learning to accept responsibility; that school should be a miniature democracy and education not a preparation for life but experience of life itself. A government of children and all staff (whatever their jobs in the school) met regularly, made the rules and dealt out punishment for breaking them. The few rules set down by staff related to health and safety, for instance, no pupils were allowed to go into the river without supervision. The school could not have been started at a worse time. Food rationing and coupons, petrol shortages and men at war limiting teaching staff made difficulties. It was an expensive school to run. Financial difficulties became more serious and eventually the school had to close in 1946. Efforts by the children and a Board of Management of notable people failed to save it. Janet Nield (M.A., Dip Ed.) was an inspired teacher of history. She was one of the few women at Melbourne University at that time to gain a Masters degree in history. The Nields left Melbourne to live in Sydney, Clive to work at Sydney University in lecturing in Education and particularly interested in Colombo Plan students. Janet devoted herself to children as a Lay Analyst. She was awarded the title of Training Analyst by a meeting of international psychoanalysts in Europe. - Pat Scott (Mrs Wynne Scott), a former member of staff at Koornung School Collection of five black and white photographs a, letter and descriptive material relating to Koornong School, Warrandyte showing various teachers and students and Connie and Alec Smith's studio.schools, koornong, warrandyte, danila vassilieff, lorna carter, adrian rawlins, teachers, janet nield, clive nield -
The Beechworth Burke Museum
Audio - Oral History, Jennifer Williams, Gwendoline Warden, 1st June 2000
... prevailing. They faced financial difficulties and, ultimately... prevailing. They faced financial difficulties and, ultimately ...Gwendoline Warden was born in Ararat in 1913. When she was 13 years old, she moved to Wangaratta, where her parents owned the “Hibernian Hotel”. Her father`s name was William Lavender. When Gwen was around 16 years old, she moved to Beechworth, where she met her husband and they got married in 1935. They had their wedding reception at Warden`s Hotel and they had two children together, a boy and a girl. She recounts how difficult it was for them during the war to manage their grocery's shop and source the supplies they needed, having coupons for food and the black-market prevailing. They faced financial difficulties and, ultimately, they had to sell the shop. After the war she did a few other jobs and she retired when she was nearly sixty. Gwendoline portrays Beechworth as a quiet place, where people were happy and peaceful, enjoying the many opportunities they had for entertainment, such as dances and balls, or the celebrations for the New Year's Eve. She also witnessed the beginning of the famous wheelbarrow race, which started just outside the post office and a big crowd gathered to farewell the two barrowmen. When comparing the past with the present, she points out how much Beechworth has changed over the last decades, with many new people coming to town, making her feel as “the only one around”. She also remarked that young people have changed as well; in her day they were entertaining themselves but nowadays they want to be entertained. This oral history recording was part of a project conducted by Jennifer Williams in the year 2000 to capture the everyday life and struggles in Beechworth during the twentieth century. This project involved recording seventy oral histories on cassette tapes of local Beechworth residents which were then published in a book titled: Listen to what they say: voices of twentieth century Beechworth. These cassette tapes were digitised in July 2021 with funds made available by the Friends of the Burke.Gwendoline Warden's account of her life in Beechworth and the local area during the 20th century is historically and socially significant as it offers valuable information about the business activity in the region and provides a deeper insight into the way hotels and grocery shops were operating during the first half of the previous century. Additionally, along with all the details provided for many aspects of social life, her personal account of the war period is of great importance, offering vital information to research on the way the Australian society experienced WWII. This is a digital copy of a recording that was originally captured on a cassette tape. The cassette tape is black with a horizontal white strip and is currently stored in a clear flat plastic rectangular container. It holds up 40 minutes of recordings on each side.Mrs Gwendoline Warden/ararat, wangaratta, hibernian hotel, gwendoline warden, william lavender, beechworth, warden`s hotel, grocery`s shop, coupons, black-market, war, dances, new year`s eve, balls, new people, listen to what they say: voices of twentieth century beechworth, jennifer williams, cassette tapes, friends of the burke, oral histories -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Photograph - Digital Photograph, Jim Connor, The Pavillion, Eltham Living and Learning Centre, 739 Main Road, Eltham, 29 November 2016
... into financial difficulty in 1858, Wallis purchased the hotel. That same... into financial difficulty in 1858, Wallis purchased the hotel. That same ...The Pavillion was an extension to the Eltham Living and Learning Centre which was opened 8 October, 1994 In 1857, tanner John Pearson purchased three and a half acres of land in Little Eltham, at the western end of Pitt Street, with a 70-foot frontage to Maria Street (Main Road) and stretching down to the Diamond Creek for £100. He contracted Benjamin Oliver Wallis to build house for him. Wallis, a mason by trade who originated from the Cornish village of Newlyn, migrated to Melbourne in 1853 and was shortly engaged by Richard Warren to build the Eltham Hotel, which opened in 1854. When Warren fell into financial difficulty in 1858, Wallis purchased the hotel. That same year, Pearson constructed a tannery below the house with access to the water in the Diamond Creek. When Pearson became bankrupt in 1867, Wallis similarly acquired the house from Pearson’s creditors in 1868 and lived there until his death in 1896. For some of this time the house was in the name of Wallis’s son Richard but following his death in 1888, ownership reverted to his father. It was purchased by retired teacher Richard Gilsenen in 1899. Gilsenen was made acting head teacher at the Eltham State School in 1906 following the sudden death of head teacher John Brown. In the 1950s the house was bought by retired engineer Dr Alfred Fitzpatrick and his wife Claire who made various modifications to house goats and poultry as well as structural modifications to the house. In the early 1970s, Eltham Shire Councillors Frank Maas and Don Maling proposed an extended communities’ activities program be set up and the Commonwealth Grants Commission was approached for financial assistance. In 1974 a $50,000 Commonwealth Grant was received by the Shire Council to acquire the Fitzpatrick property as part of the planning to establish an extended communities’ activities program. The Fitzpatricks moved next door and Claire taught at the new Living and Learning Centre, which began in 1975, one of the first community education centres in Victoria.jim connor collection, eltham, eltham living and learning centre, living and learning centre, pavilion -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Ceramic - Gravy Boat & Plate, Burleigh Pottery, 1930
... later on Europe. After a run of financial difficulty... later on Europe. After a run of financial difficulty ...Burleigh Pottery (also known as Burgess & Leigh) is the name of a pottery manufacturer in Middleport, Stoke-on-Trent. The business specialises in traditionally shaped and patterned domestic earthenware of high quality. The business was established in 1851 at the Central Pottery in Burslem as Hulme and Booth. The pottery was taken over in 1862 by William Leigh and Frederick Rathbone Burgess, and traded from that date as Burgess & Leigh. The trademark "Burleigh", used from the 1930s, is a combination of the two names. Burgess and Leigh moved to different works, first in 1868 to the Hill Pottery in Burslem and then in 1889 to the present factory at Middleport, that at the time was regarded as a model pottery. Its scale and linear organisation was in contrast to other potteries constricted sites and haphazard layout of their working spaces. In 1887 Davenport Pottery was acquired by Burleigh primarily for its moulds. These historic moulds are still used today in the production of Burleigh ware. Leigh and Burgess died in 1889 and 1895 respectively, and were succeeded by their sons, Edmund Leigh and Richard Burgess. On Richard's death in 1912, the business passed entirely into the ownership of the Leigh family. In 1919 it became a private limited company, Burgess & Leigh Ltd. The years between the wars are often regarded as the company's "golden age", with a number of extremely talented designers and artists such as Harold Bennett, Charles Wilkes and Ernest Bailey. Perhaps the best known was Charlotte Rhead, who worked between 1926 and 1931, noted particularly for her work in tubelining. By 1939, the factory was employing over 500 people. The business took great pains, from as early as 1897, to build up a thriving export network, concentrating primarily on the Empire later becoming the Commonwealth and American markets, focusing later on Europe. After a run of financial difficulty, the company was sold in 1999 to the Dorling family, Rosemary and William Dorling, and traded as Burgess Dorling & Leigh. In 2010 it was acquired by Denby Holdings Ltd, the parent company of the Denby Pottery. A significant company producing pottery over many generations and exporting their products all over the world. Its designs are still in use today demonstrating the longevity and significance of the Burleigh Ware trade mark.Gravy Boat & plate-willow pattern Burleigh Ware "WILLOW" within a floral decoration & Made in England flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, willow pattern -
Melton City Libraries
Newspaper, Mowbray Funding, Unknown
... situation. The community had lost faith in the school’s financial... situation. The community had lost faith in the school’s financial ..." Designed by architect Norman Day, the school was built in an innovative postmodern style. Day’s vision was for the school’s students to feel as comfortable and familiar at school as in their own homes. He based the design on the local suburban typology. The buildings consisted of individual self-contained classrooms, each with a front door, back door and garden. Each class retained the same homeroom for the duration of their schooling. Norman Day won the inaugural Lustig & Moar Architectural Prize in 1988 for his Mowbray College design, and the Australian Library Promotion Council/RAIA Library Design Award for the school’s library building. The school officially opened on 7 February 1983 with an enrolment of 93 students from Prep to Year 7. Mark Fergus was a Prep student in the school’s inaugural year. He later remembered: It was good then because everyone knew each other. Our first few weeks at school we had classes in the Guide Hall because the Mill wasn’t finished. The rest of the school where the Labs and Coppin Court are now was only a big paddock. Another Prep student, Brooke Harrison, recalled: The only recreation we had was the rough playground which consisted of monkey bars, old tractor tyres and a sandpit and high bars. Accidents were a frequent occurrence in those days! It was a friendly atmosphere, you know everyone and their business ... During some classes we used to do horticultural work and planted trees out the front of the school. In 2003, Mowbray College celebrated two decades of educating students in Melton. By that stage, the school had expanded to two campuses with over 1,450 students and 120 staff. It was estimated that over the twenty years since its establishment, 13,000 students passed through the gates. By the mid-2000s, the school offered an International Baccalaureate program and operated across three campuses: the original campus, named Patterson after the first principal, and the Brookside and Town Centre campuses, both located in Caroline Springs. Unfortunately, in 2012 Mowbray College found itself in an unmanageable situation. The community had lost faith in the school’s financial security and as a result some parents withheld their school fees, fearing the school would collapse. It had been in financial difficulty since the mid-2000s and by 2012 was $28 million in debt. 84 In June 2012, all three campuses closed and within four months, each of the campuses of the former Mowbray College had been purchased by other education institutes. Heathdale Christian College bought the original Mowbray campus and established its own campus there and Grace Children’s Services bought the Brookside campus. The Town Centre campus was purchased by Intaj Khan from the Western Institute of Technology but remained vacant after some failed attempts at re-establishing a school. In 2017 the Australian International Academy established an Islamic school on the site".The Express article about a grant for Mowbray Collegeeducation -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Binnacle, Early to mid 20th Century
... established in London in 1812), found themselves in financial... established in London in 1812), found themselves in financial ...Mr John Wilson Gillie was born on the 31st of March 1864. On the 31st of July 1880 he was apprenticed for four years to J.J. Wilson and Sons, Nautical Instrument Makers of Sunderland. Following the apprenticeship he spent six months to a year as an ‘improver’ in Glasgow, and then started a new company ‘Wilson and Gillie’ in North Shields. At this time sail had just given way to steam and wooden ships to steel, and the railways were competing with colliers for the carrying of coal from the North East of England to London and the South. In 1858 only seven out of 44 shipyards on the Tyne were using iron, but by 1862 there were ten, employing around 4,000 men. These changes had a significant effect on nautical instrument manufacturers, as the magnetic compass for a wooden sailing vessel was very simple and required little in the way of compensation. For steel vessels much more was required and this was a period of great development, both in the compass bowl and the binnacle in which it was housed. In 1870 Sir William Thomson (later Lord Kelvin) designed his dry card standard compass, which completely replaced all previous designs. Wilson and Gillie started as agents for the Thomson compass, but later J.W. Gillie, using similar principles, redesigned the compass suspension and patented the ‘UNIT’ standard compass. It became popular with local shipowners and shipbuilders. In 1910 the firm of John Lilley and Son (which had been established in London in 1812), found themselves in financial difficulties and were saved with the help of John Wilson Gillie, who established, on the 8th of August 1911, a new firm of John Lilley and Son Limited. John Lilley and Son had been the sole London agents for Sir William Thomson, a very enviable position during this period, when the Thomson compass led the field. Unfortunately, Mr. Lilley had quarreled with the Glasgow company, who withdrew the agency and established their own branch in London (later to become Kelvin White and Hutton). On November 7th 1913, the firm of John Lilley and Son Limited of London amalgamated with Wilson and Gillie of North Shields, and after this date instruments manufactured by the two companies bore the name John Lilley and Son Limited of London and North Shields. During the 1930s many of the London nautical instrument makers were in difficulties, including John Lilley and Son Limited and Reynolds and Son, Dobbie and Clyde Limited, and Mr. J.W. Gillie arranged an amalgamation between these two companies. The new firm became Lilley and Reynolds Limited. In 1943, with estate duties in mind, the North Shields company was reconstituted and took the name of John Lilley and Gillie Limited, although the shareholders, directors and personnel remained unchanged In the early 1970s Lilley and Gillie developed close links with Observator in Rotterdam, who manufactured one of the first fully reliable transmitting magnetic compass systems. The Observator shareholders, Holland America Line, bought the share capital of John Lilley and Gillie Limited., but retained all the personnel and the directors. (See Links for more information)A significant item of early 20th century marine navigational equipment made by a leading manufacturer in the field from a company that is still producing marine navigational instruments today. John Lilleys company began in 1812 growing at a time when the transition of compasses from timber ships, to steel vessels. Compasses at this time required a method of compensation to allow their inclusion in steel vessels without magnetic deviation. This therefore was a period of great development, both in the compass bowl and the binnacle in which it was housed and the Lilley company were leaders in the field. Ships binnacle, wood with brass fittings, consists of 2 brass lamp holders, place for compass, Also has an inclinometer with a scale 40 to 0 to 40, one red and one green iron Kelvin compensation balls, one on each side of binnacle denoting port and starboard, a brass cylinder attached perpendicular at the rear for storing a Flinders Bar, 2 hinged cupboards containing adjustable wooden racks with drilled holes in them to hold iron Heeling error magnets.Textured brass plate attached to front stating "JOHN LILLEY & SON LTD (WILSON & GILLIE), NAUTICAL INSTRUMENT MAKERS, NORTH SHIELDS" . Inclinometer has "JOHN LILLEY & SON LTD (Wilson & Gillie) LONDON & NORTH SHIELDS" engraved. flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, binnacle, john lillie & son ltd, compass -
Wodonga & District Historical Society Inc
Photograph - The Carriers' Arms, Wodonga
... and Michael McNamara, After running into major financial difficulties... and Michael McNamara, After running into major financial difficulties ...In October 1874, Thomas Reidy and Andrew McCormack opened the Carriers’ Arms on the corner of South and Church Streets. They also established a general store next door, which they soon extended. The Carriers’ Arms was a coach stop for the Bethanga Express Coach. On 8 December 1882 the licence for the Carriers’ Arms was granted to Ann Reidy. In 1883, Edmund T. Powell, and his Irish-born wife, Mary Ann, purchased the Carriers’ Arms. By 1898 the Licence was in the name of M. A. Powell. She was still the licensee at the time of her death in August 1906. For a short time, the property was in the hands of Miss Maud Powell but in February 1907, the licence for The Carriers’ Arms Hotel was transferred to Mr George L. Leighton. On Monday 5th February 1917 a clearing sale of all furniture and effects of the Carriers’ Arms Hotel was held. The new proprietor and licensee was Henry R. Baker. In April 1920, the Carriers’ Arms had another new proprietor, Mrs A. E. Frauenfelder but by October 1921 it was transferred to Kathleen Hickey. Mrs. Hickey was at the Carriers’ Arms until she died in January 1926. In 1927, Mr H.W. Allen, formerly proprietor of the Terminus Hotel took over the Carriers’ Arms but in August 1928 the balance of the lease was transferred to Mrs Mulrooney. In 1932 it again changed hands, with the licence being transferred to Mrs Eileen Dorothy Hemphill, of Wodonga. In 1933 the Carriers’ Arms was licensed to Mrs. M.G. O’Brien, a sister of Mrs Hemphill. In 1935 Leo Houlihan took over the business but 6 months later it was transferred to A C Ferguson. The next year the licence was transferred yet again to Zelda Allen. By 1937 it was in the hands of Percy Cumberland then to Lila Maud MacPherson and soon followed by Ronald Dobson. By 1940 Herbert V.A. Callender had taken over the Carriers’ Arms and in 1942 the licence was transferred again to Sarah Jane Callander. In July 1943 Mr G. A. Adams disposed of the freehold of the Carriers’ Arms Hotel in Hume Street to Mr J.H. Perry. By September 1955 Edward Spencer held the Victualler’s licence for Carriers Arms Hotel and the licences was transferred to Kevin Patrick Howell. Mr Howell operated the hotel for many years. At some stage in the 1980s Geoff Milne operated the Carriers’ Arms. In 2007 he was killed in a light airplane crash. In 1991 David McLeish and Bob Craig, took over the Carriers’ Arms and were joined in 1993 by James Carroll. They continued to operate it until 2003. In 2010 Greg Evans held the Freehold with Licensees Cate Nightingale and Michael McNamara, After running into major financial difficulties it was run by Greg Evans. In 2010 the Carriers’ Arms was put up for auction but failed to sell. From 2013 - 2016, Ron Montgomery and his wife Michelle took over the lease of the Carriers’ Arms. In 2018, the Carriers’ Arms was purchased from Greg Evans by Leigh Esler. After opening to the public in 1874, The Carriers’ Arms was closed in 2019 and following extensive refurbishment opened as Church Street These items are significant as they document the history of a long-serving business in the Wodonga community.A collection of photos and advertisements documenting the life of the Carriers' Arms Hotel, Wodonga.early wodonga businesses, carriers' arms wodonga -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Instrument - Barometer, 1952
... established in London in 1812), found themselves in financial... established in London in 1812), found themselves in financial ...Mr John Wilson Gillie was born on the 31st of March 1864. On the 31st of July 1880 he was apprenticed for four years to J.J. Wilson and Sons, Nautical Instrument Makers of Sunderland. Following the apprenticeship he spent six months to a year as an ‘improver’ in Glasgow, and then started a new company ‘Wilson and Gillie’ in North Shields. At this time sail had just given way to steam and wooden ships to steel, and the railways were competing with colliers for the carrying of coal from the North East of England to London and the South. In 1858 only seven out of 44 shipyards on the Tyne were using iron, but by 1862 there were ten, employing around 4,000 men. These changes had a significant effect on nautical instrument manufacturers, as the magnetic compass for a wooden sailing vessel was very simple and required little in the way of compensation. For steel vessels much more was required and this was a period of great development, both in the compass bowl and the binnacle in which it was housed. In 1870 Sir William Thomson (later Lord Kelvin) designed his dry card standard compass, which completely replaced all previous designs. Wilson and Gillie started as agents for the Thomson compass, but later J.W. Gillie, using similar principles, redesigned the compass suspension and patented the ‘UNIT’ standard compass. It became popular with local shipowners and shipbuilders. In 1910 the firm of John Lilley and Son (which had been established in London in 1812), found themselves in financial difficulties and were saved with the help of John Wilson Gillie, who established, on the 8th of August 1911, a new firm of John Lilley and Son Limited. John Lilley and Son had been the sole London agents for Sir William Thomson, a very enviable position during this period, when the Thomson compass led the field. Unfortunately, Mr. Lilley had quarreled with the Glasgow company, who withdrew the agency and established their own branch in London (later to become Kelvin White and Hutton). On November 7th 1913, the firm of John Lilley and Son Limited of London amalgamated with Wilson and Gillie of North Shields, and after this date instruments manufactured by the two companies bore the name John Lilley and Son Limited of London and North Shields. During the 1930s many of the London nautical instrument makers were in difficulties, including John Lilley and Son Limited and Reynolds and Son, Dobbie and Clyde Limited, and Mr. J.W. Gillie arranged an amalgamation between these two companies. The new firm became Lilley and Reynolds Limited. In 1943, with estate duties in mind, the North Shields company was reconstituted and took the name of John Lilley and Gillie Limited, although the shareholders, directors and personnel remained unchanged In the early 1970s Lilley and Gillie developed close links with Observator in Rotterdam, who manufactured one of the first fully reliable transmitting magnetic compass systems. The Observator shareholders, Holland America Line, bought the share capital of John Lilley and Gillie Limited., but retained all the personnel and the directors. Tug Melbourne: The barometer was salvaged from a 496-ton tug that had been built in 1952 and had sunk in Port Philip Bay on the 9th of August 1972 after a collision with the SS Nieuw Holland, in 1973 it had been raised and scraped at this time the barometer was salvaged. The tug had been renamed from the Howard Smith to the “Melbourne” after the Adelaide Steamship Co was taken over by Howard Smith& Co, who were heavily involved in towage, salvage and the stevedoring industries in 1961.The significance is that the item was on a vessel that was evolved in a serious collision in Port Philip Bay in 1972. It is linked with the activities of the Port at that time and helps to form a picture of what the maritime industries that operated from Port Melbourne were like and the activities that stevedore and towage companies underwent.Ship Barometer, in brass caseInscribed "Compensated" , "John Lilley & Gillie Ltd London & North Shields." and "Millibars".flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, barometer, ship's barometer, weather instrument, john lilley & gillie ltd, shipwreck artefact, the tigboat melbourne, north shields, howard smith, the melbourne, salvage -
Port Fairy Historical Society Museum and Archives
Photograph, Mason, John
... himself in financial difficulties and his reputation was challenge... himself in financial difficulties and his reputation was challenge ...Captain John Mason came from Stirling in Scotland, arriving at Port Fairy in 1844. One year after James Atkinson obtained his Special Survey of the area. Thus his life covers all the history of Port Fairy when it was known as Belfast. He married Jane Murray in Portland in 1846 and they had 5 children, Jane died in 1855 and ten years later he married Ann Brown widow of Abijah Brown. They had no children and she died in 1887. In due course he became known as Captain Mason, he was not a sea captain, but captain of the Belfast Volunteers, a Rifle Corps formed in 1859 as a consequence of the Crimean War, and later reconstituted as the Belfast Volunteer Corps. For 40 years he displayed a remarkable versatility in his various occupations. Starting as an Innkeeper - he took over the Stag Inn from Captain Saunders in 1852, for 3 years. He then became a carpenter, stonemason, architect, estate agent honorary technical advisor to the Borough and treasurer to the Shire, and Savings Bank Secretary. They thought so well of John mason in Belfast that they elected him to the first Roads Board in 1853 and to the first Municipal Council in 1856. He was Chairman four times and with Councillors David Talbot and Joseph Whitehead designed the Council's Common Seal and the Motto "Commune Bonum".He was the first Mayor of the Borough in 1863 for a period of 7 weeks. He was responsible for the design, supervision or construction of many of the buildings in the town; most still standing today. He built the Rosebrook Bridge in 1855 and the first official Post Office ( a timber structure in Bank Street) in 1857, replacing it with a stone office in 1865. he built the Court house in 1859 and completed the breakwater between Rabbit Island and Griffith Island started by James Atkinson and John Griffith in 1849, also the first bridge over the Moyne river which connected with Battery Lane and the Bay. Among the many buildings associated with John Mason are Gobles Mill, Tynemouth Villa, 10-12 Princes Street, the Mechanics Institute, the Commercial Hotel, Yambuk and Mickey Bourke's Pub in Koroit. However, he did not build "Riverdale" in Gipps Street as is thought. He had a store and workshop on this site but sold the property in 1872 before the house was built. After an almost uninterrupted term as Councillor starting with the Municipality in 1856, John resigned from the Council in 1873. He well deserved the illuminated address they gave to him and the toast that they drank in the Bank Hotel champagne. Within the year he was working for the Borough as its engineer., surveyor, general supervisor and advisor of public works, simply as the man to whom all difficult problems were referred and at very little expense. John Mason was a great worker for his town and devoted himself unsparingly to the community. That his work was appreciated was shown by the way in which people rallied to his aid when, in the end, he found himself in financial difficulties and his reputation was challenge; arrested for embezzling from the Savings Bank of which he was the actuary in 1882. The money was repaid and the charges found not proven at his trial. He was an early member of the Loyal Prince Albert Lodge, and a founding member of the smaller Loyal Belfast Lodge in 1863. He was also a member of the Horticultural Society. Captain John Mason Died on the 14th of October 1891 (see also 62-04-046 photo)Sepia photograph on heavy cardStevenson & McNicoll photo. 108 Elizabeth Street Melbourne copies can be obtained at anytimedefence, captain, mason, carpenter, councillor, mayor -
Melton City Libraries
Newspaper, Lack of support may close hall, 1977
... , and often, financial difficulties’. In addition to being... is a story of tremendous community effort, and often, financial ..."The Mechanics Institute movement flourished in Victoria from 1839 to 1950. It was based on the development of Mechanics’ Institutes in Scotland and England from the 1820s, which were intended to educate and enlighten the working classes. The term ‘mechanic’ in those days meant an artisan, craftsman or working man, especially those who had moved from rural areas to work in new city factories during the Industrial Revolution. The early Institutes were usually equipped with a reading room, a library and a lecture room. Although enjoying mixed success in Britain, they contributed to the development of public education and library services. The movement was adopted more enthusiastically in the colonies. It began slowly in Victoria but its expansion after the gold rushes population influx was rapid, especially in rural areas. Every suburb and town wanted to have a Mechanics’ Institute. During the 1850s approximately forty Institutes were established, with even greater growth in the period 1860 to 1900. By 1900 there were 400 Institutes in Victoria. The establishment of a Mechanics’ Institute was often a great achievement for a local community, requiring organising committees to raise substantial funds for a building site (where this had not been granted by the Government), and the building. Once built, the committee then had to purchase books, provide a caretaker or librarian, and finance the ongoing use of and improvements to the building. ‘The history of many Institutes is a story of tremendous community effort, and often, financial difficulties’. In addition to being monuments to local enterprise and community life, the Mechanics’ Institutes played a vital role as an intellectual forum, and in contributing to an informed and participatory democracy in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. They provided journals and other reading matter on local, state, national and international issues, and hosted of lectures and held debates about wider issues such as Federation, colonial nationalism, defence, female suffrage, the price of land and labour. With the development of the school and technical education in the latter part of the nineteenth century, the need for community technical and adult education declined. As a result of the introduction of government library grants in 1867, many Mechanics’ Institutes incorporated a free library in their buildings to finance collection of their books. By 1884-85, there were 257 free libraries in Victoria. However, government support and library grants dropped off in the 1890s depression. Entertainment took on a greater role in the 1890s, with the introduction of moving pictures, billiards rooms, games rooms (chess), concerts and dances. The First World War had a devastating impact on many rural communities, and some Mechanics’ Institutes were no longer viable. On the other hand the early twentieth century was also a time of agricultural development, and many country towns were growing in this period. The 1930s depression further limited growth of many libraries and reduced grants substantially. In response many Mechanics’ Institutes were renamed, for example as memorial halls, in order to retain and attract more patrons (eg at nearby Sunbury). The diminishing role for Mechanics’ Institutes and the preference for larger and better appointed halls (with supper rooms, cloak rooms etc) resulted in demolition of some small Institutes. The advent of cars, radios, and television also provided other opportunities for recreation, learning and entertainment. The greater role of municipalities in providing library services also eroded the need for free libraries. While over 500 Mechanics’ Institutes or halls are extant, very few of these retain their original role as ‘diffusers of useful knowledge’. Most are still available for community purposes, as venues for meetings, socials, civic occasions etc, while others are employed as museums, shops and theatres. Most buildings are on Crown land, and managed by a delegated committee of management, who are responsible for raising revenue to maintain aging buildings. Many of those which were originally established on private land, such as Melton, have since reverted back to the Crown, and municipal Councils. The most common Mechanics Institute building form is the simple weatherboard gable building with iron roofs, notable for their ‘honest simplicity’ rather than as ‘monuments of the ancients’. At the other extreme there are some magnificent two storeyed brick and stucco structures with elaborate ornamentation (as was apparently envisaged by some in Melton in 1905-10)". The future of Melton Mechanic Institute Gazette articlelocal architecture