From the 1860s, colonists in the Moorabbin district discovered tomato growing was very successful. Tomatoes and tomato products from the Moorabbin District won prizes as far afield as NZ., London, Philadelphia, Amsterdam, India as well as in Melbourne. Two particularly successful growers were Henry Comport of Cheltenham, and Edward Zorn at Clayton. As a result of this extensive tomato growing many factories 'sprang up' in the Moorabbin district to process the produce, one of which was the "Tom Smith Pty Ltd" factory. An Advertisement on the 29th August c1912, in the Brighton Southern Cross newspaper for Tom Smith's Tomato Sauce states that it is - "Superior. From absolutely Pure Locally Grown Tomatoes. Put up in our own bottles. A High-Grade Article. Manufactured at Highett Railway Station. Smith & Lambert Manufacturers" Phone Cheltenham 206.This item is significant because it relates to the prize-winning major industry of tomato growing that the Moorabbin colonist market gardeners commenced in the 1860s. Many tomato processing factories also sprang up in the district at that time. Because the tomato industry was virtually wiped out by a virus that attacked the plants in the very early 1900s very few tangible artefacts now remain that relate to what was once an important industry.A clear glass machine-made tomato sauce bottle. The neck of the bottle indicates that the contents were originally sealed with a cork at the top. The glass appears to be of poor quality as air bubbles are evident and was moulded, not hand-blown. The bottle is embossed on the front with the manufacturer's name, and location. The glass embossing on the bottle reads Tom Smith Pty Ltd, Highett Railway Station, Moorabbin, Victoria.tomato, market gardeners, pioneers, early settlers, henry comport, edward zorn, colonists, industry, prize winning, 1860s, moorabbin district, cheltenham, clayton, glass sauce bottle, manufactured glass, bottles

The City of Moorabbin Historical Society was formed c 1960 by a group of Moorabbin residents who were concerned that the history of the area should be preserved. A good response to a call for items related to the historical area of Moorabbin Shire brought donations of a wide variety of artefacts which are now preserved by the current members of CMHS at Box Cottage Museum . Helen Stanley, Secretary of CMHS, began producing a Newsletter for members in April 2007 to provide current information and well researched items of historical interest.Helen Stanley has produced a bi-monthly Newsletter, 2007 - 2013, for the members of the City of Moorabbin Historical Society that contains well researched interesting historical items, notification of upcoming events, current advice from Royal Australian Historical Society , Museums Australia Victoria and activities of Local Historical Societies. The Newsletter is an important record of the activities of the CMHS. Tom Sheehy, a past President of CMHS, was an Historian and Author of ‘Battlers tamed the Sandbelt’, the Lawson family were early settlers, Dr Graham Whitehead, is Historian for Kingston CC and the Henry Lawson Society promotes the Poet’s works.A4 paper printed both sides x1. Issue 3 of the bi-monthly, City of Moorabbin Historical Society Newsletter produced by Society member and Secretary, Mrs Helen Stanley in August 2007. Members of the CMHS are shown 3 photocopies of ‘quaint Account Overdue ‘ notices c 1940,. An excerpt from the 1962 Moorabbin Historical Society Newsletter, edited by the President Tom Sheehy, describing the 1860’s decade that saw ‘the establishment of Edward Zorn’s Tomato factory in Clayton’s Road in 1862 and then Henry Comport’s Sauce factory in Cheltenham. ‘New settlers’ arriving in the area were William Highett , near Hampton, Mr McKinnon , an Oakleigh farmer, and Mr Stephen Tuck and wife to Cheltenham while Mr John Kingston was looking for land.. 60 children were enrolled at St Stephen’s Common School on Tucker Road. George Higginbotham., William Highett and Tommy Bent were confident of the years ahead.’ Upcoming events at CMHS were August 26th Mr Bob Lawson will talk about World War 1, on October 28th a talk by Dr G Whitehead titled ‘Murder’, and at the last meeting for year November 25th Frank Thatcher, CMHS, will welcome the Henry Lawson Society and Australian Natives Association who will again come to Box Cottage to celebrate their Bryan Kelleher Memorial Picnic Day. CITY of MOORABBIN HISTORICAL SOCIETY / AUGUST 2007 NEWSLETTERcity of moorabbin historical society, stanley helen, melbourne, moorabbin, brighton, cheltenham, ormond, bentleigh, oakleigh, kingston, highett, hampton, clayton, market gardeners, pioneers, early settlers, moorabbin shire, sheehy tom, thatcher frank, tucker road, st stephen’s common school, henry lawson society, australian natives association, whitehead dr graham, lawson bob, lawson nan, kelleher bryan, comport henry, zorn edward, highett william, bent tommy, higginbotham george, kingston john, le roy tracy pty.ltd, sydney, tomato sauce factory