For 100 years Doncaster-Templestowe was a major fruit producing area. The industry had a profound effect on the landscape and vegetation. Although orcharding families came from a variety of backgrounds, German families were an important sub-group.A comprehensive history of fruit growing in the Doncaster-Templestowe area between 1850s and 1950s when orchards began to be subdivided for housing. It includes B&W photos and line drawings and maps. It covers details of the varieties grown, the families involved, pests, machinery involved, markets, blacksmiths and reasons for the demise of the industry in the area.irvine green, eric collyer, doncaster-templestowe historical society, gottlieb thiele, ruffey creek, bismarck street, victoria street, thomas petty, george hislop, john whitten, john clay, august aumann, carl hanke, gottfried uebergang, waldau, max schramm, german lane, george street, john tully, henry crouch, george tortice, august zerbe, jane serpell, sidney williams, phylloxera, joseph bosisto, richard serpell, frederick thiele, w s williams, edwin lawford, james read, john finger, richard clay, ferdinand finger, leeds street, wetherby road, john russell, sarah uebergang, mary hislop, rudolph werner, john petty, archibald mclaren, john hicks, joe hicks, john smedley, william smedley, william hunter, sylvester mullens, laurie's forge, curtis hillman, anne hillman, dan harvey, calder's forge, hillman's blacksmith works, thomas serpell, gill smith, victorian fruit growers association, h g reynolds, alfred thiele, william webb, fred zerbe, mary anne clay, orchardist's coolstore, r h werner & co, j h land, orchardists and fruit cool stores association, a t petty, r read, r chivers, jack noonan, arthur ireland, jack robinson, george knee, donvale cool store, herb petty, frank petty, fred tolly, gordon white, blue moon fruit co-operative ltd, kathleen petty, peg chivers, jack russell, mathew adams, george mcgahy, edwin bullock, james hodson, edwin wilson, david corbett, edwin lowford, thomas beavis, william hanke, tom petty, edward crossman, andrew zander, carl aumann, heinrich fromhold, thomas chivers, william williams, reinhold denhert, henry finger, august furhmann, henry serpell, john ireland, frank smedley, william kent, william knee, thomas buck, henry white, gottlieb leber, alexander speers

Frederick Birkin No VX32484 enlisted in the 2nd AIF on 25.6.40 age 24 years. Attached to 2/22nd Batt known as “Lark Force” they were stationed in Rabaul awaiting a possible attack by the Japanese. The attack came in early 1942. Birkin was taken POW and his death was on 1.7.42. Numbers escaped, others were massacred at the TOL Plantation and many more of the total Force and civilians lost their lives on the Japanese prison ship “Montivedeo Maru” which was sunk by an American Submarine on 1.7.42. A small number survived this. The cards were all written on the back with name and number of men in Birkins unit prior to embarkation to Rabaul. All were traceable as to their fate or transfer to another unit prior to embarkation. Refer also 182.2, 183. Set of playing cards, red in colour, with 2 white figures sword fighting. Owned by Frederick Birkin.Cards have been written on reverse, in ink, by colleagues of Fred Birkin.documents, cards, personal effects, leisure activities