The 'Alexandra Bros' London Café at 25 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne (close to Flinders Street Station) was owned by brothers John and George Alexandratos (Alexander) who migrated to Australia from the village of Frikes in Ithaca, Greece in the early years of the twentieth century. As well as selling fruit and confectionery, afternoon teas were served and wedding parties were catered for. The London Café became one of Melbourne's fashionable cafes at the time. George and John Alexandratos were founding members of the Ithacan Philanthropic Society which was formed in October 1916.Many Greeks who migrated from Ithaca during the first half of the twentieth century and settled in Melbourne opened cafes in the city. Many of these cafes employed fellow Ithacans upon their arrival in Melbourne.A non-digital black and white photograph of the interior of the London Cafe at 25 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne. Written on the photograph: Interior of/ Alexandra Bros/ London Cafe/ 25 Elizabeth St. Melbourne Fruit, confectionery, afternoon tea /Wedding parties a speciality/Attention and civility assured.london cafe, alexandros bros, cafes, businesses

A studio portrait of Peter Karantgis. Peter, together with his brother John and brother-in-law John Raftopolous (Patakia) owned and operated the London Cafe in Elizabeth Street. The cafe was previously owned by the Ithacan Alexandratos brothers.A sepia photograph of a studio portrait photograph of a well-dressed young man.

Photograph - looking south along Elizabeth Street Melbourne to towards Flinders Street station. Has three cable trams in the photo, including one shunting at the terminus. Has signs for the London Cafe and Federal Cafe in the view, along with many horse-drawn vehicles and a few motor cars. There is a telegraph/telephone line on the east side of the street. Original photo by Rose Stereograph Co. P 957 - see reference. Yields information about the south end of Elizabeth St and the cable tram terminus.Kodachrome cardboard duplicate slide - Black and white reproduction photograph - Elizabeth St c1920 "CB9" in penciltrams, tramways, cable trams, elizabeth street, flinders st station

The portrait photo is of John (Yiannis) Raftopoulos, father of Michael, Theodora and Dennis. John arrived in Australia in 1912 at the age of 13 together with his father Mihalis Raftopoulos. Mihalis had first come to Australia in 1895 and again in 1906; he finally returned to Ithaca in 1918. John however remained and eventually established his own business, Central Fruit Agency, in Melbourne's Victoria Market. He was also in partnership with his brothers-in-law John and Peter Karantgis in the London Cafe in Elizabeth Street Melbourne.John Raftopoulos was typical of many early young Ithacan males who settled in Melbourne and who with a strong entrepreneurial spirit gradually established themselves in various businesses.A black and white studio portrait photograph of a smartly dressed young man. Original photograph was in a black oval frame .

Blue postmarked Airmail/Air Letter from Grand Council, O.S.M. London, dated 13th April, 1959 to A.J.B. Aird regarding accepting the Office of Past Grand Standard Bearer and ability to attend the Grand Conclave Meeting for Investiture on 13th June, 1959, at the Cafe Royal, London.

Invitation in the form of a typed letter from the General Secretary of the Melbourne Swimming Club,, L M (Les) Phillips to attend a picture night at Leonards Cafe Baths on Monday 29 August. The films shown included films of the 1948 London Olympics and other films of swimming and general interest. The year of the event is unspecified. It could have been 1949 or 1955. The Club was established in 1894 and is not the same as the present day competitive swimming club of that name. Quarto sized page of buff coloured paper, typed and written in black on one sideHandwritten correction of typed venue of event, changed from Gymnasium Richmond to "Leonards Cafe" St Kildamelbourne swimming club

The Cutty Sark was launched on 22 November 1869. She was named by the wife of George Moodie, the ship's first master who had also supervised her construction. Cutty Sark left the Clyde on 13 January 1870. A month and two days later, she set sail from London for China. Cutty sark was designed and built by Scott & Linton of Dumbarton for 16,150 pounds. But much of the money was to be paid by Willis when the ship was launched. Just before they finished her, Scott & Linton ran out of money and went bankrupt. She was completed by William Denny & Brothers. The Cutty Sark was the first ship to reach London with a tea cargo in 1877. But she was one of only nine sailing ships that returned that year - in 1870 there had been 59. Steamships were now dominating the tea trade. In 1883 the Cutty Sark joined the booming trade in transporting Australian wool. Every year until 1895 she set out in the summer for Australia, to load a cargo of wool bales and return to England in time for the wool sales ini the first three months of the new year. Cutty Sark soon established herself as the fastest of the wool clippers. Under her last master, Richard Woodget she set record times of 70 days or less for the voyage which no other sailing ships could match.cutty sark, exhibition, wool, australia, china, sailing, woodget, moodie, london, willis, dumbarton, scott & linton, william denny, tea, cargo, immigration, trade

Set of 6 transparencies taken on 21/11/1962 on Kodak mounts. 1189.1 - Bendigo No.11 at Quarry Hill terminus. Photo taken looking in along the route. Tram has destination of North Bendigo. 1189.2 - No. 21 in Pall Mall bound for North Bendigo. Tram has roof ads for Mamouney's furniture and SEC. In the background are the National Bank building, Dad and Dave's Cafe and the Beehive Buildings and the London Pharmacy. 1189.3 - No. 2 in Mitchell St, just after crossing over railway bridge. Photo taken after tram has passed photographer. Has what appears to be an SEC road works crew in the background. Has destination of Quarry Hill. 1189.4 - No. 17 climbing Mitchell St. on the start of the single track section, just before crossing the railway bridge. Has destination of Quarry Hill and the large Maples building sign in the background. 1189.5 - as for 1189.4 but after tram has passed photographer. Has an Ilford film roof ad and an SEC roof ad. Railway bridge in the background. 1189.6 - No. 21 at Charing Cross with passengers boarding. Tram has destination of North Bendigo and roof ads for SEC 'Electric Cooking' and Sandhurst Milk. In background are the buildings on the south side of High St. Also has a SEC worker in white overalls sweeping the track.Information written on in black ink and date stamped on purple ink. 1189.1 - "Birney car No. 11 in High St. Bendigo at Golden Square terminus" 1189.2 - "No. 21 in Pall Mall Bendigo near Charing Cross" 1189.3 - "No. 2 in Mitchell St. Bendigo, just after crossing bridge over railway line (Quarry Hill route)" 1189.4 - "No. 17 in Mitchell St. Bendigo, climbing the hill the bridge over the railway line. (Quarry Hill route)" 1189.5 - "No. 17 in Mitchell St., Bendigo approaching bridge over Railway line (Quarry Hill route)" 1189.6 - "No. 21 at Charing Cross, Bendigo"tramways, trams, bendigo, golden square, pall mall, mitchell st., quarry hill, tram 2, tram 11, tram 17, tram 21

Pictured in Ithaca are Stathi and Spiro Alexandratos who are the brothers of Yianni Alexandratos who lived in Melbourne until returning to live permanently in Greece with his wife Zoi and children Penny and George in the early 1970s. In the early 1900s their father Giorgos Alexandratos was a partner in the 'Alexandra Bros' London Café at 25 Elizabeth Street. Giorgos was a founding member of the Ithacan Philanthropic Society. He eventually returned permanently to Ithaca where his three sons were born.A small black and white photograph of two men dressed in suits standing in a rock garden and in front of a tall prickly pear cactus. The small photograph is surrounded with a white frame.Written in Greek on the back: STATHIS ALEXANDROS SPIROS ALEXANDROScafes, alexandratos brothers

A wedding reception, possibly held in a Melbourne city venue which catered for such occasions. As the signage on the window indicates the venue also provided afternoon teas and luncheons. There were a number of such venues run by Ithacans in the early 20th century, e.g. The Town Hall Cafe, The Paris Residential Cafe, The London Cafe.A sepia photograph of people in a reception centre sitting at three long tables at a wedding reception. The bridal table is at the back of the group in front of three large windows.