The photo is of a painting of the dam formed on land between Grovedale Road and James Street, Surrey Hills. It was painted in 1927 by Miss Muriel Pornitz, an art teacher, who lived in Grovedale Road. The land had been part of Mr James Maling Snr’s property and in the 1880s clay was removed to build houses, including his own located on the corner of Weybridge and James Streets. Maling grazed cattle on this area and used it as a dam. The land was subsequently made into parkland, the quarry / dam having been filled in after several drownings had occurred in the 1920s/1930s. See also SHP94, another copy of the same. Muriel Hedwig Lucy Pornitz lived at 22 Grovedale Road, Surrey Hills. She was born c1894 in Balwyn; died in Kew on 1 December 1982. She was the daughter of Konrad Pornitz (1864-1903) and his wife Charlotte Richardson Gooderidge (1863-1942), known as Tottie, who married in 1890. Konrad Pornitz is listed in the 1892 directory as living in Edgevale Road, Kew and the business Pornitz and Ross at 291 & 293 Little Collins Street, importers and commission merchants. The 1896 directory gives the Kew address as 176 Edgevale Road, Kew, however the business Pornitz and Ross was dissolved on 1st day of October 1892, by mutual agreement. Legal notice advised that: Mr Pornitz will hereafter carry on the business on his own behalf at the same address, under the style "Pornitz and Ross". Muriel is buried in Box Hill Cemetery (B-086-0042) along with Ulrich Horst Holm Pornitz known as Horst or Bon (d 1957) and Edith Olga Pornitz (d 1951), her brother and sister. A further sibling (Konrad b 1891) died in infancy. He is buried with his mother in Boroondara (Kew) Cemetery - C/E A 0366. Konrad died at his home 'Yarran' in Lane Cove Road, North Sydney on 31 October 1903; reported in the Sydney Morning Herald. Buried Gore Hill Cemetery, St Leonards, North Sydney. The headstone reveals he was born in Chemnitz, Saxony in 1863. Muriel was also known as Muriel Pornett. She studied at the South Australian School of Arts & Crafts in 1911 under James Ashton and Fred Britton, and at the Australian School of Etching in Sydney. She was also an illustrator and cartoonist. The photo, and the painting from which it is derived, documents the landscape prior to close settlement and is material to early building and farming in the Surrey Hills area.A black and white photograph of a painting of a landscape of parkland. Two trees are on top of a rise and are reflected at the bottom in water. The signature of the artist is in the bottom right corner: "AUST MP 192" (and the rest is cut off).(miss) muriel pornitz, grovedale road, james street, surrey hills, artists, parks and reserves, (mr) john butler maling, snr, quarry, dam, (miss) muriel hedwig lucy pornitz, box hill cemetery, muriel pornett

The waterbody was the site of a quarry that existed between Grovedale Road and James Street, Surrey Hills on land owned by J B Maling (senior). Clay from it was used to make bricks for local houses. The quarry became a hazard and after several drownings was filled in. The Grovedale Park now occupies the site. Muriel Hedwig Lucy Pornitz, also known as Muriel Pornett, lived locally. She was born in Melbourne in 1894 and studied at the South Australian School of Arts & Crafts in 1911 under James Ashton and Fred Britton, and at the Australian School of Etching in Sydney. She was also an illustrator and cartoonist. She died in 1982.A small oil painting on canvas board in a dark wood frame of a water body with a clay bank behind and 2 trees above the bank. Lower front right hand corner: "AUST. M P 1927" On the rear upper edge, in ink on badly degraded brown paper backing: " "The Old Quarry" Surrey Hills, Melb." / [Second line of writing is illegible.] A label is stuck to the middle section of the paper backing. It indicates that the painting was framed by Toska Art Studio (N. Cl Colliver, Proprietor) of wyndham Street, Shepparton. Lower rear edge, in ink on badly degraded brown paper backing: "by / Muriel ...... / "Darnok", / 22 Grovedale Rd / Surrey Hills, Melb" painting, grovedale road quarry, quarry, grovedale road park, john butler maling (snr), surrey hills, muriel pornitz, muriel pornett

Alice Sedgman (nee Percy) – 1873-1945 Alice was born in Maldon in 1873, one of 9 children of William Henry Percy and his wife Unice King. Alice married Francis Sedgman, occupation painter, in 1896 and they went on to have 8 children, all born in Kew or Hawthorn before the family came to Surrey Hills. The electoral roll for 1903 shows the family living in Liddiard Street in Hawthorn and Alice’s occupation is given as home duties. It is the same in 1909 when they are living at 65 Croydon Road, Surrey Hills and continues to be thus listed in all electoral rolls until the 1943 edition, just before her death. However Mrs Sedgman was also an active nurse and midwife who often worked with Dr James Blakie, who had arrived in Surrey Hills in 1905, initially practicing from 171 Union Road and then in 1913 moving across the road to the purpose-built home and practice at 174 Union Road, now Surrey Hills Medical Centre. At this period most babies were born at home. Sometime after 1931 Alice and Francis Sedgman moved from 65 Croydon Road into 10 Grovedale Road and lived with their son Francis William Sedgman and his family for the remainder of their lives. The photo shows Mrs Alice Sedgman in early 1930s with grand-daughter Joy in the garden of her son. Behind her can be seen the fenced 'quarry' which is now parkland. Alice died in 1945 and Francis in 1951. They are buried in Boroondara Cemetery along with an infant son Clarence and daughter Marjorie. Alice Sedgman was one of the area's early midwives when women for the main part delivered their children at home.A black and white photograph of a lady sitting in a cane chair holding a young girl on her knee.mr francis william sedgman, mr francis sedgman, mrs alice sedgman, miss alice percy, miss joy sedgman, mrs joy scanlon, grovedale road park, grovedale road quarry, croydon road, grovedale road, midwife, nurse

The quarry was part of John Butler Maling's property. He was one of the original settlers of the area and farmed the area between Weybridge Street and Whitehorse Road. Clay was quarried from part of this area and used to make the bricks used in the construction of his home, known as 'Ancyra'. This is still extant at the corner of Weybridge and James Streets. Maling grazed cows and used the quarry as a water source. He was the uncle of John Butler Maling, Mayor of Camberwell. He was married to Kate Conlon in 1882. They had 3 children: Silas Young, Alick and Zillah. Maling was born in c1829 in Shepreth, Cambridgeshire; he died in Surrey Hills on 9 October 1912 and is buried in Box Hill Cemetery - CE-*-0586. Mrs Kate Maling (born c1859 in Co Meath, Ireland) died at the property on 8 March 1921. She is buried in Brighton General Cemetery. Probate was valued at over 10,000 pounds and included other properties in Sandringham, Hawthorn and Macedon. At the time of her death the Surrey Hills property was described as being 23 acres with 2 brick houses, 1 cow, 2 heifers and 40 fowls or chickens. The property was subdivided after her death. The property was subdivided into 110 house blocks in c1923 - see Maling's Estate subdivision flyer on the State Library of Victoria's website. This shows that the Grovedale Park site had been acquired by Camberwell Council by this time. An attached newspaper clipping documents prices realised for a cross-section of blocks. The MMBW map of 1925, also on the SLV website, shows the outline of the clayhole / quarry. The quarry was filled in after several drownings or near drownings and the land is now occupied by a park and playground, known as Grovedale Road Park, maintained by the City of Boroondara. Beckett Park is sited on horizon to the left beyond the trees. This documents the landscape prior to close settlement and is material to early building and farming in the Surrey Hills area.Black and white photo of the quarry between Grovedale Road and James Street taken in the 1920s and looking south. In the foreground is an area of water with reeds in the LH corner. Beyond on the high banks there are single storey houses in the background and (?) some light poles. An object that looks like a tank on posts is in a cutting on the far bank.quarries, grovedale road, james street, clay quarries, farming, kate conlon, kate maling, john butler maling, ancyra

The bonfire at Beckett Park was the culmination of the EMPIRE DAY/CELEBRATIONS in Surrey Hills in 1935 and 1936. In 1937 vandals lit the fire prematurely but residents hastily rebuilt it - about/100 tons including old tyres. A volunteer fire-watcher had his caravan close by until lights-up time on Saturday night. From glass negative taken by Ian Barkla's father, Frank Leslie Barkla of 37 Grovedale Road, who was a keen photographer and a member of the Melbourne Camera Club.Image depicting the building of a large bonfire made primarily from rubber tyres, supported by a wooden frame c1937/8. There is a significant crowd of people watching the erection of the pyre from ground level. Several members of the crowd are seated or holding bicycles. There are multiple persons situated on the pyre or on a ladder propped up against the mound of tyres. The area containing the pyre has been fenced off with rope (?). A young boy in the image (second from left with bike) has been identified as Alex Walker.Black and white, W 25.3 cm x H 20.4 cm, landscapeparks and reserves, 1937, beckett park, bicycles, crowds, empire day, bonfires, alex walker, frank leslie barkla

The quarry was part of John Butler Maling's property. He was one of the original settlers of the area and farmed the area between Weybridge Street and Whitehorse Road. Clay was quarried from part of this area and used to make the bricks used in the construction of his home, known as 'Ancyra'. This is still extant at the corner of Weybridge and James Streets. Maling grazed cows and used the quarry as a water source. He was the uncle of John Butler Maling, Mayor of Camberwell. He was married to Kate Conlon in 1882. They had 3 children: Silas Young, Alick and Zillah. Maling was born in c1829 in Shepreth, Cambridgeshire; he died in Surrey Hills on 9 October 1912 and is buried in Box Hill Cemetery - CE-*-0586. Mrs Kate Maling (born c1859 in Co Meath, Ireland) died at the property on 8 March 1921. She is buried in Brighton General Cemetery. Probate was valued at over 10,000 pounds and included other properties in Sandringham, Hawthorn and Macedon. At the time of her death the Surrey Hills property was described as being 23 cres with 2 brick houses, 1 cow, 2 heifers and 40 fowls or chickens. The property was subdivided after her death. The quarry was filled in after several drownings or near drownings and the land is now occupied by a park and playground maintained by the City of Boroondara. Beckett Park is sited on horizon to the left beyond the trees. This documents the landscape prior to close settlement and is material to early building and farming in the Surrey Hills area.Black and white photo of the quarry between Grovedale Road and James Street taken in the 1920s and looking north. In the foreground is an area of water with high banks dividing the horizontal centre. Beyond are paddocks and trees behind which is a row of at least 3 single-storey houses. Light poles can be seen along a distant street. There are many mature trees in the background. The houses and trees are positioned along Whitehorse Road in the vicinity of Westminster Street. Shadows indicate the photo was taken in early morning or evening.quarries, grovedale road, james street, surrey hills, balwyn, clay quarries, ancyra, kate conlon, kate maling, john butler maling, farming

This belonged to Sue Slonek, who at the time was Secretary of the Surrey Hills Historical Society and an active volunteer working with the collection. She died unexpectedly and this and a book were formally donated to the collection by her son Alex. Wilfred Shipman Bishop was Sue's father. As a young man he grew up at 21 Grovedale Road, Surrey Hills. His father Frederick James Joseph Bishop was a bookbinder. Wilfred enlisted in the AIF in WW2 (V46365). He married Lucy Isobell Legge in 1943. They had 4 children - Sue and 3 boys. 1st Mont Albert Scouts meet in the scout hall at Surrey Park, where they share facilities with 9th Box Hill Scouts.A Black and white photo within a brown matt board of 25 boys and young men dressing in scout uniform. The setting is formal with a drape at the back and the troop arranged in 4 rows standing and sitting on carpet. This suggests that it was taken in a studio. Along the bottom edge are the words: 1ST MONT ALBERT TROOP. JULY 1932.On the rear of the photograph in grey lead "From R 2nd Bk Row / * / Wilfred Shipman Bishop"1st mont albert scout troop, scouts, wilfred shipman bishop, wilfred bishop, surrey park, grovedale road, 1932