W.D. Vaughan in 'Kew's Civic Century' (1960) has a chapter (XXII, pp.103-105) on the Kew Swimming Pool (aka Kew Baths). In the chapter he recounts debate in Council from 1912 about the need for a swimming pool. The first concrete step toward achieving this occurred in 1914 when Council purchased the Tramways Sheds on the corner of High and Disraeli Streets in 1914. Further adjoining land in High Street was compulsorily acquired in 1923. The final plans were accepted in 1925 and following public tender, Messrs. Weavill and Keast were appointed to construct the pool at a cost of 5,418/9/-. The baths were formally opened on 18 November 1925 by George Ramsay, Mayor of Kew. (The Kew Swimming Club was founded in the same year.) Vaughan notes that "mixed bathing was not permitted at the Kew Baths until January, 1928, when it was allowed every evening (except Sundays) and Friday afternoons. A few years later these restrictions were removed altogether".Five black and white photographs of Kew in the 1960s donated by Kerstin Fraser. The photographs include 3 pictures of the Mayor of Kew, Gordon Greer at the Kew Baths and two photographs of the Carmelite Monastery in Stevenson Street, Kew.kew baths - kew (vic), carmelite monastery - stevenson street - kew (vic), cr leo hawkins, swimming

W.D. Vaughan in 'Kew's Civic Century' (1960) has a chapter (XXII, pp.103-105) on the Kew Swimming Pool (aka Kew Baths). In the chapter he recounts debate in Council from 1912 about the need for a swimming pool. The first concrete step toward achieving this occurred in 1914 when Council purchased the Tramways Sheds on the corner of High and Disraeli Streets in 1914. Further adjoining land in High Street was compulsorily acquired in 1923. The final plans were accepted in 1925 and following public tender, Messrs. Weavill and Keast were appointed to construct the pool at a cost of 5,418/9/-. The baths were formally opened on 18 November 1925 by George Ramsay, Mayor of Kew. (The Kew Swimming Club was founded in the same year.) Vaughan notes that "mixed bathing was not permitted at the Kew Baths until January, 1928, when it was allowed every evening (except Sundays) and Friday afternoons. A few years later these restrictions were removed altogether".Small B&W photograph of the old Kew Swimming Pool. Girl on diving board at left. The photograph can be dated to the years 1929-33, as the wooden grandstand was not erected until 1929 and it was before a new high swimming platform was erected in 1933."Old Swimming Pool Kew. D2. 92"kew swimming pool - kew (vic), sport and recreation - kew (vic), kew baths - kew (vic), mayors of kew - cr. george ramsay - kew (vic), kew swimming club

W.D. Vaughan in 'Kew's Civic Century' (1960) has a chapter (XXII, pp.103-105) on the Kew Swimming Pool (aka Kew Baths). In the chapter he recounts debate in Council from 1912 about the need for a swimming pool. The first concrete step toward achieving this occurred in 1914 when Council purchased the Tramways Sheds on the corner of High and Disraeli Streets in 1914. Further adjoining land in High Street was compulsorily acquired in 1923. The final plans were accepted in 1925 and following public tender, Messrs. Weavill and Keast were appointed to construct the pool at a cost of 5,418/9/-. The baths were formally opened on 18 November 1925 by George Ramsay, Mayor of Kew. (The Kew Swimming Club was founded in the same year.) Vaughan notes that "mixed bathing was not permitted at the Kew Baths until January, 1928, when it was allowed every evening (except Sundays) and Friday afternoons. A few years later these restrictions were removed altogether".Small B&W photograph of two boys standing beside a diving board at the old Kew Swimming Pool while in the distance a woman dives into the pool. The photograph can be dated to the years 1929-33, as the wooden grandstand was not erected until 1929 and it was before a new high swimming platform was erected in 1933."Old Swimming Pool Kew. D4. 92"kew swimming pool - kew (vic), sport and recreation - kew (vic), kew baths - kew (vic), mayors of kew - cr. george ramsay - kew (vic), kew swimming club

W.D. Vaughan in 'Kew's Civic Century' (1960) has a chapter (XXII, pp.103-105) on the Kew Swimming Pool (aka Kew Baths). In the chapter he recounts debate in Council from 1912 about the need for a swimming pool. The first concrete step toward achieving this occurred in 1914 when Council purchased the Tramways Sheds on the corner of High and Disraeli Streets in 1914. Further adjoining land in High Street was compulsorily acquired in 1923. The final plans were accepted in 1925 and following public tender, Messrs. Weavill and Keast were appointed to construct the pool at a cost of 5,418/9/-. The baths were formally opened on 18 November 1925 by George Ramsay, Mayor of Kew. (The Kew Swimming Club was founded in the same year.) Vaughan notes that "mixed bathing was not permitted at the Kew Baths until January, 1928, when it was allowed every evening (except Sundays) and Friday afternoons. A few years later these restrictions were removed altogether".Small B&W photograph of a crowd of onlookers watching swimming events in the old Kew Swimming Pool in High Street. The photograph can be dated to the years 1929-33, as the wooden grandstand was not erected until 1929 and it was before a new high swimming platform was erected in 1933."Old Swimming Pool. D1. 92"kew swimming pool - kew (vic), sport and recreation - kew (vic), kew baths - kew (vic), mayors of kew - cr. george ramsay - kew (vic), kew swimming club

W.D. Vaughan in 'Kew's Civic Century' (1960) has a chapter (XXII, pp.103-105) on the Kew Swimming Pool (aka Kew Baths). In the chapter he recounts debate in Council from 1912 about the need for a swimming pool. The first concrete step toward achieving this occurred in 1914 when Council purchased the Tramways Sheds on the corner of High and Disraeli Streets in 1914. Further adjoining land in High Street was compulsorily acquired in 1923. The final plans were accepted in 1925 and following public tender, Messrs. Weavill and Keast were appointed to construct the pool at a cost of 5,418/9/-. The baths were formally opened on 18 November 1925 by George Ramsay, Mayor of Kew. (The Kew Swimming Club was founded in the same year.) Vaughan notes that "mixed bathing was not permitted at the Kew Baths until January, 1928, when it was allowed every evening (except Sundays) and Friday afternoons. A few years later these restrictions were removed altogether".Small B&W photograph of the old Kew Swimming Pool showing seating at right. The photograph can be dated to the years 1929-33, as the wooden grandstand was not erected until 1929 and it was before a new high swimming platform was erected in 1933."D3. 92"kew swimming pool - kew (vic), sport and recreation - kew (vic), kew baths - kew (vic), mayors of kew - cr. george ramsay - kew (vic), kew swimming club

The Victorian Government's policy was that primary school children should learn to swim.The children of Chatham Primary School were taken by tram to the Kew Baths. The certificate testifies that Gail Norman could swim 25 yards. The Herald Learn to Swim Campaign was founded in 1929. Paper certificate printed in shades of blue and white. The document has the name of the campaign and the promoter at top centre. Other information includes the name of the person to whom the certificate was awarded and the distance swum. The illustration at bottom centre represents Neptune with two mermaids.GAIL NORMAN / KEW BATHS / [UNREADABLE NAME OF EXAMINER] / 8-2-63swimming certificates, gail norman, kew baths, herald learn to swim campaign

The first Kew Municipal baths were built on a site in High Street (Kew) in 1925. Since then, various rebuilding have occurred, most involving extending or relocating the pool. Photograph of an architectural drawing of the proposed Kew Recreation Centrekew municipal baths, kew recreation centre

The first Kew Municipal baths were built on a site in High Street (Kew) in 1925. Since then, various rebuilding have occurred, most involving extending or relocating the pool. Photograph of construction activities at the Kew Recreation Centre.kew recreation centre, public works -- kew (vic)

The first Kew Municipal baths were built on a site in High Street (Kew) in 1925. Since then, various rebuilding have occurred, most involving extending or relocating the pool. Photograph of construction activities at the Kew Recreation Centre.kew recreation centre, public works -- kew (vic.)

The first Kew Municipal Baths were built on a site in High Street (Kew) in 1925. Since then, various rebuilding have occurred, most involving extending or relocating the pool. Photograph of construction activities at the Kew Recreation Centre.kew recreation centre, public works -- kew (vic.)

The first Kew Municipal Baths were built on a site in High Street (Kew) in 1925. Since then, various rebuilding have occurred, most involving extending or relocating the pool. Photograph of construction activities at the Kew Recreation Centre.kew recreation centre, public works -- kew (vic.)

The first Kew Municipal Baths were built on a site in High Street (Kew) in 1925. Since then, various rebuilding have occurred, most involving extending or relocating the pool. Photograph of construction activities at the Kew Recreation Centre.kew recreation centre, public works -- kew (vic.)

The first Kew Municipal Baths were built on a site in High Street (Kew) in 1925. Since then, various rebuilding have occurred, most involving extending or relocating the pool. Photograph of construction activities at the Kew Recreation Centre.kew recreation centre, public works -- kew (vic.)

The first Kew Municipal Baths were built on a site in High Street (Kew) in 1925. Since then, various rebuilding have occurred, most involving extending or relocating the pool. Photograph of construction activities at the Kew Recreation Centre.kew recreation centre, public works -- kew (vic.)

The first Kew Municipal Baths were built on a site in High Street (Kew) in 1925. Since then, various rebuilding have occurred, most involving extending or relocating the pool. Photograph of construction activities at the Kew Recreation Centre.kew recreation centre, public works -- kew (vic.)

James Robbie Mathers was born in Pleasant Creek [Stawell] in 1867 to James Allen Mathers, a storekeeper and former councillor. He was later to become a storekeeper in Gippsland and then at Heywood, near Portland. Following a move to Melbourne, he established a real estate business. He initially lived in Hawthorn, before moving his business to Kew where he traded as Mathers & McMillan, 136 Cotham Road, and later at 283 Burke Road. For a short time, the family resided at Landene, in Cotham Road. They were to finally move to Rosalea, in Dale Street, Deepdene. Following the death of Cr Henry Kellett in 1924, Mathers was elected unopposed as representative of College Ward. Elected Mayor in September 1930, he convened a meeting of citizens in the Town Hall in Walpole Street to form a local unemployment relief committee. His social initiatives included handing over council-owned premises in Brougham Street, the building re-purposed as a workshop for the unemployed, who were also granted free use of the Kew Municipal Baths. The Mayoress, Jean Mathers, set to work raising funds through charity balls, and also raised funds for St Anthony’s Orphanage in Wellington Street. James Robbie Mathers died on 8 April 1945. He was buried at Box Hill Cemetery. This rare civic testimonial is historically significant, especially locally, as it contains the signatures of all present councillors and parliamentarians representing the City of Kew as well as the names and signatures of leaders of local churches, schools, public officials and leaders of community groups.Boxed presentation folder and correspondence presented to the retiring Mayor of Kew, James Robbie Mather, in 1931. The book is leather bound with gilt lettering on the front. The 4 page testimonial includes and hand written statements about his contribution to Kew and its civic life. Other pages are signed by councillors, parliamentarians and community leaders.james robbie mathers, mayors of kew, civic testimonials

Prue Sanderson, in her groundbreaking ‘City of Kew Urban Conservation Study : Volume 2 - Development History’ (1988), summarised the periods of urban development and subdivisions of land in Kew. The periods that she identified included 1845-1880, 1880-1893, 1893-1921, 1921-1933, 1933-1943, and Post-War Development. These periods were selected as they represented periods of rapid growth or decline in urban development. An obvious starting point for Sanderson’s groupings involved population growth and the associated economic cycles. These cycles also highlighted urban expansion onto land that was predominantly rural, although in other cases it represented the decline and breakup of large estates. A number of the plans in the Kew Historical Society’s collection can also be found in other collections, such as those of the State Library of Victoria and the Boroondara Library Service. A number are however unique to the collection.Subdivision plans are historically important documents used as evidence of the growth of suburbs in Australia. They frequently provide information about when the land was sold on which a built structure was subsequently constructed as well as evidence relating to surveyors and real estate and financial agents. The numerous subdivision plans in the Kew Historical Society's collection represent working documents, ranging from the initial sketches made in planning a subdivision to printed plans on which auctioneers or agents listed the prices for which individual lots were sold. In a number of cases, the reverse of a subdivision plan in the collection includes a photograph of a house that was also for sale by the agent. These photographs provide significant heritage information relating house design and decoration, fencing and household gardens.In 1928, five residential allotments bordering Segtoune and Windsor Streets were advertised for sale as part of a subdivision. Four of the blocks faced Segtoune Avenue. The auctioneers proclaimed the advantages of the sites: ‘Situate one minute from the High Street Electric Tram, which now runs direct to Spencer Street via Bridge Road and Flinders Street. Opposite the East Kew Railway Station (Outer Circle Line), which may be reopened In connection with the new Line from Kew to Doncaster; Adjacent lo the Kew Recreation Reserve, Sports Oval, and Swimming Bath; Half Minute from the Shopping Centre of East Kew, Accessible to the State School and Other Educational Centres’. The Harp of Erin Hotel and the route of the Outer Circle Railway line are marked on the plan. The Recreation Reserve and Sport Oval refer to Victoria Park. The Swimming Baths were located on the site of the current Kew Recreation Centre.subdivision plans - kew, segtoune street -- kew (vic.), windsor street -- kew (vic.)

The North Kew Baby Health Centre was located in Peel Street, Kew. It opened in 1930 and closed in 1992.Item with strong provenance used at the a local Kew baby health centre in the 1950sGreen and white enamel oval baby bath donated by Sr Bell of the North Kew Baby Health Centre following its closure in 1992 after 62 years.north kew baby health centre, babies' baths