Plum Cottage is covered by Heritage Overelay HO256 in the Nillumbuk Planning Scheme This two-lot land holding was created as a subdivision and sold to Charles Stuart McNeil by May 1955. Sometime in the period 1955-1960, the builder-designer, John Harcourt had created a pise house on the site, straddling the two subdivision lots. The designer, John M. Harcourt was a pioneer builder in pise-de-terre and mudbrick in the Eltham Shire, Eltham being synonymous with alternative lifestyles and building practises until the onset of suburbia in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. This hipped-roof house is set high above Main Road on a V-shape plan characteristic of the Arts & Crafts style, with rammed earth or pise walls, timber joinery and a cement tiled roof. The V shape plan was used by important English and Eltham Arts & Crafts designers. The use of natural materials such as stone and timber construction is an essential part of the Arts & Crafts style and Harcourt’s work. So too is the application of the style on both the exterior and interior of the house as a holistic concept. The house adjoins the Lim Joon adobe house built and designed by Alistair Knox in the same era (HO119), thus forming a distinctive pair, both using an uncommon plan form. This house was identified in the Shire of Shire of Eltham Heritage 1992 as contributory to the Eltham Gateway Conservation Area, then proposed as an urban conservation area (now Heritage Overlay Area). Land Ownership Emily Jane Smith of 12 Woodside Street Fitzroy owned Crown Allotments 1 & 2 Sections 14, 27 by August 1918, selling to William Henry Smith of 12 Woodside Street, Nth Fitzroy May 1921. (John) James Isherwood of Main Road, Eltham owned the property by 1928 (the year of his death) with the beneficiary of his estate and next owner of this site being his widow, Minnie Maria Isherwood of Cemetery Road, Eltham. His holding in Main Road included parts of what was described in rate records as allotments1 & 2 Section E6. In the late 1930s, early 1940s her son Alfred John Isherwood was also rated for the land around this site, with the rated nett annual value varying between £2 and £5. Alfred Isherwood also lived at Main Road, Eltham with his wife Ellen: her early death at the age of 24 was reported in the Argus of 1923. Part of the Isherwood land was divided off and sold to Charles Stuart McNeil by May1955. Sometime in the period 1955-1960, the builder-designer, John Harcourt had created a pise house on the site, straddling the two subdivision lots. The house is visible on an aerial photograph from 1960s. Reputedly the house was called Plum Cottage and erected for Harcourt’s mother-in-law. A garage was added in 1959. Charles McNeil died in1971 aged 87: he was the son of Don McNeil and Margaret Arkell. Available rate records from the construction era start in the of the 1970s (1972-3) and list Mr H.C. & M/S A.V. Charity at 616 Main Road Eltham of this property with a nett annual value of $740. More recent valuer's data describes the property as lots 1 & 2 LP25668, located in the Central Riding of Eltham Shire, owned by Ann Valerie Charity and later, in 1990, by the Chincarini family. Building Description This hipped roof 11 .5 square house is set high above Main Road on a characteristic-shape plan and has rammed earth or pise walls, timber joinery and a cement tiled roof. The V-shape plan was used by Important designers such as C.F.A. Voysey (UK) who interpreted medieval domestic architecture as part of the Arts & Crafts style of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The pise walls are covered with a textured render while the cement roofing tiles are also seen in the Harcourt Hill examples. Reputedly the ceiling joists are of a deep section and span long lengths with no need for hanging beams in the roof space. The ceilings are low and panelled in main rooms with apparently Caneite soft board infill panels between the exposed ceiling beams. These are painted white but may have been stained at one time. The focus of the house is the large living area with its vast random stone fireplace. Significance Plum Cottage is significant to the locality of Eltham because: Historically: • Plum Cottage is closely associated with the important historical theme of earth construction evident in Eltham and elsewhere in the Shire since theear1y Arts & Crafts inspired creations at Penleigh Boyd's The Robins (1912, HO101) and those at Montsalvat (1934-, HO82) but more prominent from the Second War period when earth building in Eltham was promoted in national periodicals as an alternative building method that avoided the building materials shortages of that era; • The choice of the earth building technique also expresses the theme of refuge or alternative living, synonymous with Eltham in the early to mid 20th century; • as a good example of domestic architecture from John Harcourt who was the first major post Second War figure in an important phase of Eltham’s earth building development, using his characteristic Old English or Arts& Crafts style that relies in this case on the pise wall construction, pitched roof forms, exposed ceiling joists, half timbering, random stonework, and panelled internal wall finishes. Architecturally: • Plum Cottage's pise wall construction is uncommon among the early earth-walled structures in the Shire, that are mainly of adobe or mud brick, and as a building material is uncommon among the Shire’s suburban dwellings generally which are clad typically with either fired clay bricks or timber boarding. Aesthetically: • Plum Cottage is a good and well preserved example of a modern Old English or Arts & Crafts style earth-walled building in the Shire • For the proximity of the significant Lim Joon adobe house designed by Alistair Knox adjoining to the north, providing a distinctive earth wall house pair, with uncommon plan forms. Reference Heritage Assessment of Plum Cottage, 616 Main Road, Eltham; Graeme Butler & Associates 2010main road, eltham, property, houses, (john) james isherwood, alfred john isherwood, ann valerie charity, arts and crafts style, charles stuart mcneil, chincarini family, eltham gateway zone, emily jane smith, h.c. charity, heritage assessment, john harcourt, john m. harcourt, lim joon house, main road eltham, minnie maria isherwood, pise construction, plum cottage

Headstones from the Guildford Cemetery. Headstones found in the cemetery include: ALFORD Phyllis Edith ANDERSON Phyllis Mary BARASSI Guiseppi, Jemima, Ann Conolly, Carlo Guiseppi, Carlo Guiseppi BAUD Catherine Edith BIRD Axel Jackson BISHOP George F, Elizabeth Futtrel BLACKMORE Lindsay Horace, Thelma Phyllis BLIGHT Edith Ann BLINKHORN Billinge, Amy Clark BOOTH Lyn BOURKE Gordon, Margaret BRANDON Janet Annie BYATT Elizabeth CANEVASCINI Vincenzo CARTER David, Ruth Vida CARTER Frank Noel CARTER Peggy Dawn CARTER Ruth, Strutten CASLEY George Alfred CERCHI Brian Maxwell CHAPMAN Stephen Henry James COX James, Sarah DARROCH Jennifer Anne DARROCH Robert Henry, Madge Annie DAVIES Marlene Kaye DAVIS Mark Richard DELL John, Anna DELMENICO Charles David, Robina May DELMENICO Giuseppe, Margaret DELMENICO Ivy May DELMENICO Jack, Adeline Marie DELMENICO Morris Charles DELMENICO Morris Vivian, Christina DELMENICO Pasqual Levio, Mary Ann DELMENICO Victor Guildford, Daisy Evelyn DELMENICO Victor M, Catherine DELMENICO Angelina (Quadri) DERRETT Edith Ellen DERRETT John William DOWNEY C L DOWNEY John Neville ELLIS Louisa, James, Emily, Edith Mary EMMETT Elsie Victoria, Robert Gordon ENVALL Paul Persson EVANS William George EVANS Florence Jane, William George EVANS John Herbert EWIN George Alton Cedric EWIN - MARTIN Marjorie Patricia FARRELL Lawrence John FLEMING James FOLETTI James Desmond FOLETTI John, Beatrice Emily FOLETTI Joseph, Susan Juliet FOLETTI Nell FOLETTI Virginia, John Alfred FOUND Joyce Lily FOUND Laurence Charles FRANZI Ann, Guiseppi Angelo FRANZI Clifford J, Ivy I FRANZI Marjorie, Harcourt F FRANZI Norman Charles FRANZI Sydney Gladstone, Augustus Lewis FRANZI Walter Edward, Amelia Selina FRANZI Giuseppi, Mary Ann Geeves, Edgar Alberto GALLICIOTTI G D GIBSON Frank D, Irene E GILL Charles Clifford GILL Gordon E, Alma M GILL Henry J E, Jane GLEN Douglas William GLEN Heather Lynette GLEN Winifred, Robert Alexander GLEN Robert Maxwell Stuart GLEN Ronald William GREENING Alfred James, Joyce HARDING Albert HARRIS Baby daughter of Raymond and Gail HARRIS Raymond John Wright HARRIS F D, Olwen Jennett HASSELL Marian HILL Daniel, Ada Maude HILL Isobel Mary, Daniel HILL Louisa Elizabeth, Emilie Jane, Robert, Sarah Jane HILL Frederick T HOLLAND Derek Patrick HOLLAND Anthony HOWLETT Walter , Zillah May HUNTER Bruce Andrew INGRAM Florence Ada KAY Gordon F, Beatrice KELLY Margaret KIDMAN Ann, John William KIDMAN George W, Mary Ann, Charlotte, Thomas KIDMAN Mary Jane, George J, George, Robert KIMPTON Violante O, Albert KINGSLEY Elizabeth KIRKPATRICK Colin McKay KIRKPATRICK Cyril E KIRKPATRICK Israel, Maria KIRKPATRICK Roy D KIRKPATRICK William H, Margaret LEE Annie Isobel (Vosti) LEONI Amy, Celestino LEONI Rosa LOMAS Robert A MANNING Roger Fielding MARSH Anthony Joseph MARTIN Sarah Jane, Wilfred MARTINOJA Filippo, Antonio, Domenica MARTINOJA Margaret McDONALD Ronald, Doris Annie McELHINNEY David G, Charles Galbraith McELHINNEY David Lewis, Mary Dorothy McELHINNEY Emily McGARRIGLE William L McKENDRY James Henry McQUEEN Charles, Olive May MEANEY Albert John, Emma Tomsey MEGEE Kay Leonore MEIN Alma Joan MEIN Ethel Muriel MEIN Eva, Norman D MEIN Florence MEIN Leonard Alvin, Hilda Margaret MEIN Wilfred Gordon MINHINNICK James Henry, Kathleen Dorothy Rose MOLLOY Matilda Seraphina, Richard, Matilda Winifred NICHOLLS G D, William NORTH Henry NORTH Henry, Margaret, Susannah OAKFORD W OLIVER PALLOTT Ernest Hiram PASSALAQUA Albert John, Louisa Emily PASSALAQUA Frederick, Prospero, Mary Ann PASSALAQUA John Antonio PASSALAQUA Laurie, Joyce PASSALAQUA Peter Francis PASSALAQUA Ronald Francis PASSALAQUA Virginia PASSALAQUA Zoe Victoria PASSALAQUA Frank PEDLER Horace Roy, Thelma PERRY Betty May (Simms), Alan Graham PIETSCH Allan William PIETSCH Florence Annie PINCINI Venanzia (formerly Bonetti, Leoni) POOLE Harry, Beryl Lyell POWELL Mary J, John PROWSE William Hubert PYWELL Albert James RALPH George RANKIN Percy, Harriet RASMUSSEN Eileen RAY Arthur Thomas REECE Ernest, Katie ROBERTS David, Lily ROBERTS Hannah Vernon ROBINS Davina B J RUSCONI Jane, John, Carlo, Carlo, William SCOTT Marietta SEWART Isaac, Margaret SHEEN Kenneth, Louisa SIMMONDS Lance Kurt, Rachael Pamela SIMMS Leslie T, Veronica Victoria SIMMS Margaret Jane, Harold Norman SIMMS Thomas, Louisa Emily SMARK Michael Joseph SMITH Annie Ethel SMITH Leslie Victor SOUTHWOOD William, Emily Thorpe STEVENS Clarence David, Ida STEVENS Daphne Jean, Arthur STEVENS Herbert Charles STEVENS Isobel, George STEVENS John, Fanny, Sarah STEVENS Leslie, Elaine STEVENS Mary K, Samuel STEVENS Mavis Ina, Roy Clifford STEVENS Roland Oswald STEVENS Samuel STEWART Charles, Catherine, Philip STEWART Francis, Ann STEWART Francis, Delfina STEWART Francis, Mary STEWART James A, Alice STEWART Leslie William STEWART Mary Madalene STEWART William STEWART William D, Gladys Irene STREETER Margaret Eugenie STREETER W G STURGESS Alan Robert STURGESS Albert John TAYLOR T R THOMAS Lily Ann THOMPSON Edwin James THOMSON - EWIN Kimley THORNHILL Peter Charles THRUSSELL R J - wooden cross TIRINANZI Pasqual TITHER Arthur, Mary Elizabeth TOGNI Angelina May, Massimo TOGNI Mary Caroline, Antonio Battista TRACEY Jacquiline Carol TRANTER Phyllis Elsie, Benjamin Alfred TREVENA George Robert TRUDGEON Eric, Vera May TULLO George TULLO John, Catherine TULLO John, Isabella TYZACK Dorothy Edith, Thomas William Paul TYZACK Harold Gordon, Louisa Caroline TYZACK Helen Adele UDEN Dorothy UNKNOWN Ron UNWIN Edward J, Edward G T VACA Milan, Margaret Mary VERLIN Elizabeth, James VOSTI Antonio Domenico, Victoria Kate VOSTI Brian Joseph VOSTI Giovanni Antonio VOSTI Joseph Charles, Ivy Elizabeth VOSTI William Francis VOSTI Antonio Domenico VOSTI Lucinda Margaret (Keating) WALKER David, William WATSON Mary Ascot (Vosti) WERNER George William WESTBROOK Dawn Frances, Eric Ernest WHARTON Richard, Jane WHARTON Thomas, Mary WHIDBOURNE Joyce Eileen WILLOUGHBY Trevor John WOOD Caroline V, E May WOOD Edwin David, Edna Letitia WOOD Edwin, Madeline WRIGHT Margaret, Annie Jane WRIGHT Reuben, Jessie, Elijah, Olive WYLIE William Abecrombie ZEPNICK Dennyvosti, delmenico, martonoja, sellars, guidlford, guildford cemetery

1930 – Phyllis O. Storey 1931 – Nancy E. Williams 1932 – Mavis J. Ross 1933 – Elizabeth M. Johansen 1934 – James P. Symes 1935 – Michael Herrick 1936 – Lorna Thompson 1937 – Dorothy Gaasch 1938 – Francis Ian Alexander 1939 – Elaine Jackson 1940 – Winsome Warren 1941 – Leon Symes 1942 – Kathleen Grant 1943 - Ralph Straw 1944 - William Milford 1945 - Elizabeth H. Grant 1946 - Monica Simmons 1947 - Dorothy Burrows 1948 - Gloria Burrows 1949 - Bruce Bingham 1950 - John Williams 1951 - Glenice Franklin 1952 - Loris Gaasch 1953 - Marie Felstead 1954 - Pamela Williams 1955 - Helen Barclay 1956 - R. Tabutrau 1957 - Elizabeth Leversha 1958 - Lynette Edwards 1959 - Jean Leversha 1960 - Beryl M. Dann 1961 - Judith Pellas 1962 - Peter Dann 1963 - Gregory Symes 1964 - Gayle Franklin 1965 - Christine Cordy 1966 - Robyn Bertuch 1967 - Christine Black 1968 - Phillip Hoare 1969 - Margaret Black 1970 - Janet Carr 1971 - Judith Ann Warren 1972 - Elisabeth Carr 1973 - Christine Elleryharcourt primary school

Photocopies of some pages mentioning the Museum. Part of a letter by P H MacGillivray, President, Report on the Botany Class, Report on the Chemistry and Metallurgy Classes, The Museum, including what exhibits, attendance of visitors and opening times. A number of pages of Donations to the Museum from 1/7 1891 to 30/6/1892, including the names and address of the donors. There is a list of the Classification of Specimens (received during the year). Also mentioned is Botany - Lecturer - J B Lillie Mackay and Zoology - Lecturer - J B Lillie Mackay. There is also a part of the printing about Architectural and Geometrical Drawing, Machine and Building Construction - Teacher - W H E Nicolai.museums, peter ellis collection, bendigo school of mines, dr macgillivray, rev j garlick, dr colquhoun, mr g alec thomson, mr j eardsley edwards, dr quick, j m harcourt, j robshaw, r bloomfield rees, j d crofts, w h carwardine, dr dendy, professor marshall hall, professor baldwin spencer, department of education, sir frederick mccoy, baron von mueller, j w faul, john robshaw, henry jackson, j b lillie mackay, melbourne university, mr a south, department of forestry, mr perrin, the pharmacy board of victoria, education department