"Photocopy of an original which was published in the Herald 2 Aug 1956 showing a group of Eltham residents protesting against tree felling undertaking a ceremonial tree planting L-R foreground (adults): Susan, Mavis and Laurel Gill; Hal Peck; Alistair Knox (centre); Tim Burstall; Jack Gill; Gordon Ford; Matcham Skipper" Protest against the depradations of the State Electricty Commission 1956 - Alistair Knox (1980), We are what we stand on, pp48-49 “The fact that the number of trees in central Eltham has more than doubled since 1945 is an indication of how universal and powerful the movement has been. Eltham was fighting the S.E.C. and other government authorities in the 40's and 50's over the retention of indigenous trees. In the Christmas season of 1956 our conflict with them came to a dramatic confrontation that made headline news in all the daily papers for a week. It started in the Herald, was repeated in the Sun and taken up by the Age two days later. After four days, it was appearing in the New York Times. Some S.E.C. workers cut down two 100-year-old oak trees in Franklin Street. The inner Eltham community launched a frontal attack on bureaucratic bungling and arrogance that they have never forgotten. When the chairman of the Commission delivered his New Year's speech some weeks later, he emphasised that the commission's first responsibility was to protect trees. This was the antithesis of their previous attitude. For many years to come, tree-lopping Commission workers always pretended they were not there when our small explosive group passed by. With Council assistance, we also carried out free native tree plantings on the nature strips of most roads in the Central Riding in the l 950's, when the rhododendron and the gladioli flanked by pampas grass and flowering fruit trees were still being introduced into the most 'desirable' eastern suburbs.”Photocopy of an original which was published in the Herald 2 Aug 1958 showing a group of Eltham residents protesting against tree felling undertaking a ceremonial tree planting L-R foreground (adults): Susan, Mavis and Laurel Gill; Hal Peck; Alistair Knox (centre); Tim Burstall; Jack Gill; Gordon Ford; Matcham Skipperevents, susan gill, mavis gill, laurel gill, jack gill, hal peck, tim burstall, gordon ford, matcham skipper, alistair knox, trees

"Notes for houseviewing on Sunday, 25th July 1965". References to Hal Peck, Gordon Ford, Peter Glass, Alistair Knox and Alan Hempel Folder 86 of the Harry Gilham Collection1 page (extended), typed both sides. Original copyharry gilham collection, mud brick, adobe, hal peck, gordon ford, peter glass, alistair knox, alan hempel, earth building, pise

Image 25A Frank and Morag Jackson House 1960 Original building designed by Hal Peck Built by Horrie Judd and Hal Peck Extension designed by Macgregor Knox Built by Shane Aumont, commenced 1977 Completed 1978 - Exterior view The Alistair Knox Collection The Alistair Knox Collection is a series of mounted enlarged photos of mud brick houses and related subjects. The collection is understood to have been put together by Alistair Knox although it is the work of several unacknowledged photographers. For some years it was held by the Building Department of the former Eltham Shire Council and was then passed to our Society for safekeeping. Some of the photos have been used in Knox's books and from time to time some of them have been part of various historical displays. As far as we know there has not been a public display of the whole collection which numbers about forty photographs. The collection has been copied on to slides for the purpose of this meeting and to be retained as part of the Society's pictorial collection. Alistair Knox 1912 - 1986 is acknowledged as the founder of Eltham's mud brick building movement. Many of the buildings shown in the collection are of his design and he was also involved with the construction of several of them. Others are the work of his contemporaries and associates such as Peter Glass, Gordon Ford, and John Harcourt. (EDHS Newsletter No. 145 July 2002)Handwritten notes in pencil re details of building, year of construction, owner, designer, builder, etcfrank and morag jackson house, frank jackson, hal peck, horrie judd, houses, macgregor knox, morag jackson, mud brick construction, alistair knox collection

Image 25B Frank and Morag Jackson House 1960 Original building designed by Hal Peck Built by Horrie Judd and Hal Peck Extension designed by Macgregor Knox Built by Shane Aumont, commenced 1977 Completed 1978 - Interior view The Alistair Knox Collection The Alistair Knox Collection is a series of mounted enlarged photos of mud brick houses and related subjects. The collection is understood to have been put together by Alistair Knox although it is the work of several unacknowledged photographers. For some years it was held by the Building Department of the former Eltham Shire Council and was then passed to our Society for safekeeping. Some of the photos have been used in Knox's books and from time to time some of them have been part of various historical displays. As far as we know there has not been a public display of the whole collection which numbers about forty photographs. The collection has been copied on to slides for the purpose of this meeting and to be retained as part of the Society's pictorial collection. Alistair Knox 1912 - 1986 is acknowledged as the founder of Eltham's mud brick building movement. Many of the buildings shown in the collection are of his design and he was also involved with the construction of several of them. Others are the work of his contemporaries and associates such as Peter Glass, Gordon Ford, and John Harcourt. (EDHS Newsletter No. 145 July 2002)Handwritten notes in pencil re details of building, year of construction, owner, designer, builder, etcfrank and morag jackson house, frank jackson, hal peck, horrie judd, houses, macgregor knox, morag jackson, mud brick construction, alistair knox collection

This was a protest that came about when some S.E.C. workers cut down two 100-year old Oak trees in Franklin Street. We have examined aerial photos from February 1956 and two large trees are present near where number 91 is today and were gone in a January 1960 image. Alistair Knox wrote about their protest against the depradations of the State Electricty Commission in his 1980 book, We are what we stand on, pp48-49. You can read about online at https://alistairknox.org/chapters/45 “Protest against the depradations of the State Electricity Commission 1956” - Alistair Knox (1980), We are what we stand on, pp48-49 “The fact that the number of trees in central Eltham has more than doubled since 1945 is an indication of how universal and powerful the movement has been. Eltham was fighting the S.E.C. and other government authorities in the 40's and 50's over the retention of indigenous trees. In the Christmas season of 1956 our conflict with them came to a dramatic confrontation that made headline news in all the daily papers for a week. It started in the Herald, was repeated in the Sun and taken up by the Age two days later. After four days, it was appearing in the New York Times.” “Some S.E.C. workers cut down two 100-year-old oak trees in Franklin Street. The inner Eltham community launched a frontal attack on bureaucratic bungling and arrogance that they have never forgotten.” “When the chairman of the Commission delivered his New Year's speech some weeks later, he emphasised that the commission's first responsibility was to protect trees. This was the antithesis of their previous attitude. For many years to come, tree-lopping Commission workers always pretended they were not there when our small explosive group passed by. With Council assistance, we also carried out free native tree plantings on the nature strips of most roads in the Central Riding in the l 950's, when the rhododendron and the gladioli flanked by pampas grass and flowering fruit trees were still being introduced into the most 'desirable' eastern suburbs.” The protest involved personalities such as Matcham Skipper; Lesley Martin; Alistair and Margot Knox and youn Hamish; Jack, Susan, Mavis and Laurel Gill; Hal Peck; Tim Burstall and Gordon Ford The location is about halfway between Main Road and Bible Street looking north, around number 91. Looking up the hill in a northerly direction, the house on the left is George Stebbing's original cottage at 88 Pitt Street, built around 1861. Little is recorded of this early Eltham builder and we have no picture of him. He arrived from England in August 1857 and settled at Eltham after a short period at Kangaroo Ground. His occupation is often listed as a farmer but he built a number of important buildings between 1860 and 1880. Those remaining include Shillinglaw Cottage (c.1858), St. Margaret’s Church (1860), Uniting Church (formerly Methodist Church 1880) and his house at 88 Pitt Street (1861). This photo was possibly used in a presentation by Russell Yeoman to the 10 November 2004 Society meeting on "Significant Trees, Wildflowers and Local Gardens" - Research by Peter Pidgeon, EDHS, June 2026 Black and white print on photo paper Also black and white slide copy of print Mount - white 7 dots (Technodia Italy)trees, eltham, protests, george w bell collection, significant tree, alistair knox, george w. bell collection, gordon ford, hal peck, hamish knox, jack gill, laurel gill, lesley martin, margot knox, matcham skipper, mavis gill, stebbing cottage, susan gill, tim burstall