James Albon is credited with building the first bowling green in Surrey Hills at his home on the corner of Mont Albert Road and Wilson Street (later occupied by the Roman Catholic convent). This green was so popular with his friends that he organised the formation of a bowling club at the corner of Montrose and Wilson Streets. It opened in 1912. Earliest club records date from 1916. The original club-house was rebuilt in 1922/23 using interlocking blocks as recommended by Walter Burley-Griffin. This was quite an innovative design at the time. In turn cream brick buildings replaced this building in the 1950s. The Surrey Hills Bowls Club disbanded in 1995. The donor believed that this spoon belong to her grandfather David Miller (Dave) Mair who lived at 20 Barton Street until his death in 1938. Dave was an extremely keen sportsman (particularly bowls and cricket). He started the Kangaroo Cricket Club and worked for the Melbourne Cricket Club. She initially sent the spoon to the Surrey Hills Bowling Club in 1996, not realising that it had closed the previous year. It was returned to her and over 20 years later was donated to this collection. This is part of a large donation of material relating to the Deakin, Mair and Young families, all with connections to the Surrey Hills and Mont Albert area. This augments other material relating to the history of the Surrey Hills Bowling Club that was saved by Jocelyn and Ken Hall after the club closed in 1995. The official records of the club were deposited with the State Library of Victoria, but prior to this some summary notes were made by the Halls. The material is evidence of one of the earliest sporting clubs established in the area.An EPNS metal teaspoon, consisting of a curved bowl with a decorative plaque at the top of the handle. On the front of this is an image of a lawn bowls ball and a jack within a scroll and linked with a band containing the words "SURREY HILLS BOWLING CLUB VIC". The plaque is inlaid in red, navy, white and black enamel. The makers name is impressed into the back of the handle.Rear: "Paramount" / "E.P.N.S."surrey hills bowling club, souvenir spoons, david miller mair, dave mair, laurie young, laurie newton

The pencil sketch from which this photo was taken had been hidden from view from 1919 - 1996 when it was located behind a framed photo retrieved from the Surrey Hills Bowling Club at the time of its closure. The sketch had been used as backing when photo framed in 1919. Jocelyn Hall gave the original to great nephew, [name TBC], who was a pharmacist at the Mont Albert tram terminus at the time. Initially the subject's identity was not known. A scribbled name 'Walduck' on a different photo finally resulted in the identification as John Robert Gray, who died 1917. He was engaged at the time of enlistment and after his death his fiancee did not marry. He attended Surrey Hills Primary School and was a salesman at the time of enlistment on 9 May 1916. He embarked from Melbourne on board HMAT A60 Aeneas on 3 October 1916. His AIF papers list his mother as his next of kin, both resident in Suffolk Road, Surrey Hills. He was a gunner in the Howitzer Brigade 120. He was Killed in Action on 21 June 1917 and was buried at Bapaume Australian Cemetery (Row C, Grave NO. 5), France. It is believed that the sketch was made prior to him going overseas to France. John Robert Gray was the eldest son of Emma (nee Beckett) and John Gray. His father John Gray was "actively associated with all movements for the benefit of neighbours and fellow citizens". [Quote from the official tribute on his death in 1909.] He was very active in the Surrey Hills Progress Association in the early 1900's. The rotunda built in the Surrey Gardens by the Progress Association in 1912 was dedicated to him. He married Emma Beckett in 1888 at 'Guildford Villa' in Essex Road, the Beckett home. They are listed in both the 1903 and 1906 electoral rolls in Arundel Crescent; his occupation is given as bootmaker. The Alan Holt property register identifies this as 24 Arundel Crescent, known as 'Tumberumba'. John and Emma had a large family: (Gunner) John Robert Gray (1888, Surrey Hills - 21 June 1917, France) Benjamin Walter Gray (1890, Surrey Hills - 1949, Heidelberg) Herbert Harry Gray (1892, Surrey Hills - 1959, Queensland) William Beckett Gray (1897, Surrey Hills - 1899, Surrey Hills) Norman Douglas Gray (1901, Surrey Hills - 1947, Sydney) Evelyn Lizzie Gray (1906, Surrey Hills - 1983) Evelyn married Reginald Roberts and donated a number of photos to the collection. Both the Beckett and the Gray families were important in the early history of Surrey Hills. This is the only known image of John Robert Gray in WW1 uniform.A black and white photo of a hand-drawn image of a young man in uniform.world war, 1914-1918, (mrs) emma gray, (miss) emma beckett, (mr) john gray, walduck family, (mr) john robert gray, (mr) robert gray, world war, 1914-1919, surrey hills bowling club, bapaume australian cemetery, france