Tilly Aston, possibly in her thirties, holding a bunch of slighly drooping roses in one hand as she rest upon a table, and a fan in the other. She sits in a chair, leaning forwarded, head tilted towards the flowers, dressed in a black evening gown with elaborate jet beading on the bodice and neckline, and black lace cuffs paired with long white evening gloves. Despite her dress, her hair is held back in a simple clip and she wears small silver sleeper earrings. Image made in black and white, sepia and reverse black and white. Original not held.B/W photograph in various tonestilly aston, association for the blind

Tilly Aston wearing both of the Coronation Medals for Distinguished Citizenry that she was awarded in 1935 and 1937. This photograph was possibly taken at the same time as the profile image used by John Balmain for his portrait of her. She wears a brocaded black top, with a pin in the lapel and a necklace holding a single bead.B/W photograph of woman wearing medalsGainsborough ... embossed on lower right cornertilly aston, medals, gainsborough studio

As well as being an activist, Tilly Aston was also a published author and wrote several books during her lifetime. In this scanned image, from The Weekly Times newspaper, she holds her hand to her face and wears a flounced blouse with a multi-strand pearl choker and a heavy bangle which appears from underneath a decorated cuff. Her hair is swept up in a top knot and a large black bow, turned sideways, rests upon her left side. The photograph was printed as part of an article on the 'Principle Prize Winners of Prahran Competitions'.Black and white scanned newspaper imageMiss Tilly Aston (1st original story)tilly aston, weekly times newspaper

Tilly Aston sits in this studio portrait, her outfit obscured by the oval framing of the image. Her hair has been tied back and around her crown, as per her adulthood. A collared top with long sleeves which have a band around the cuff. She looks to have rosettes on her shoulders, a pin with 'V (crown symbol) R' under her chin, and fuchsias draped around her neck. The image could have been taken around 1897, when Queen Victoria celebrated her jubilee and various ornaments were produced to symbolise the occasion.Young adult female in studio portrait wearing collared, long sleeved dress with fuchsia necklacetilly aston, association for the blind

Tilly Aston wearing a dark coloured plain dress with lace cuffs and a hat adored with flowers and ribbon on the side. She stands with her arm holding the back of a chair, and in her hand she holds a purse. Around her neck rests a multi-swirled scarf and around her neck lays a necklace with a single bead. Unknown date, however this portrait was taken at the Gainsborough studio, which was also used for another portrait shoot. Various tones and sizes have been made.B/W photograph in various tonesGainsborough ... embossed upon lower left cornertilly aston, gainsborough studio

Tilly Aston stands between Miss Lawson and another women, next to the railing of a ship with hills in the background. On the back 'taken on a trip to Queensland, mentioned in "Memoirs".'B/W photograph of three woman aboard a shiptilly aston, miss lawson

Tilly Aston and her live-in companion Miss Lawson. The two stand in a garden, probably in a backyard, and appear relaxed. Miss Lawson wears a patterned jacket with a white high collar blouse, whilst Miss Aston wears a high white collar under-blouse over a dark jacket with a pin on the front.B/W photograph in various shades of two older woman standing in a gardentilly aston, miss lawson

Tilly Aston moved to 42 Raleigh Street in 1913, after her mother had died and her brother married. She died there of cancer on 1 November 1947 and was buried in St Kilda cemetery; her estate was valued for probate at £1149. Her headstone is inscribed: headstone ‘Tilly Aston, Blind Poetess and Philanthropist, Died 1st Nov 1947, Aged 74, Resurgam.’2 x col. photographs of grave and headstonetilly aston, association for the blind

Tilly Aston wearing both of the Coronation Medals for Distinguished Citizenry that she was awarded in 1935 and 1937. This photograph was used for her portrait by John Balmain. She sits with one arm resting upon a table, looking to her right hand side.B/W photograph and negative in various tones of Tilly Aston wearing her medalstilly aston, medals

Framed black and white photograph of Tilly Aston. Tilly sits with one hand resting against a table, and the other in her lap. She is wearing a black collared dress with a white lace neck ruff held with an opal pin. Two medals (the Jubilee medal and Coronation medal) are pinned to the chest (one a red bowtie, the other is a brass medallion). At the base is a handwritten inscription: Miss Tilly Aston/ Founder of Assocation for Advancement of the Blind / in 1895 and Leader until 1947.B/W photograph in black frametilly aston, artwork

Matilda (Tilly Aston), was a blind Australian writer and teacher, who founded the Victorian Association of Braille Writers, and later went on to establish the Association for the Advancement of the Blind. Born in Carisbrook, Victoria in 1873, she was the youngest of eight children born to bootmaker Edward Aston, and his wife, Ann. Tillu was vision-impaired from birth, and totally blind by the age of 7. The memorial was built by the Midlands Historical Society in 1970.Colour photograph of a Memorial to Tilly Aston.carisbrook, church, tilly aston, matilda aston

Tilly Aston is one of the most interesting and significant historic characters associated with the Maryborough district.Grey hardcover book describing the life of the author, written by Tilly (Matilda Ann) Aston (1873-1947) a year before her death.Names of previous owners (three).

Tilly Aston was the founder of the Association for the Advancement of the Blind, which became the Association for the Blind, Vision Foundation and later Vision Australia. Her work in expanding the options available to blind and vision impaired Victorians triggered the push for similar conditions inter-state, and she was a pioneer force in challenging perceptions of both the sighted and less-sighted communities. This bust of Tilly Aston was donated by Malcolm and Beverley Daubney and unveiled at the 1997 Annual General Meeting for the Association for the Blind (now Vision Australia) on the 19th September 1997.Bronze relief of Tilly AstonMatilda (Tilly) Aston 1873-1947 Founder of the Association for the Blind Generously donated by Malcolm & Beverley Daubney September 1997tilly aston, association for the blind, malcolm daubney

Framed portrait of Tilly Aston who began the Association for the Advancement of the Blind, a forerunner to the Association for the Blind. It is part of a series of paintings commissioned by the AFB Board to commemorate the work of past presidents of the organisation. Tilly sits with one hand resting against a table, and the other in her lap. She is wearing a black collared dress with a white lace neck ruff held with an opal pin. Two medals (the Jubilee medal and Coronation medal) are pinned to the chest, each consisting of a red and white bowtie with a brass medallion. Tilly Aston was born in Carisbrook, Victoria, in 1873. When she was very young her parents noticed she was having problems with her vision. They took her to a doctor who diagnosed her with no sight in her right eye and the prognosis of loss of vision in the left eye. As a result of this she was totally blind by the age of 7. Despite this her parents endeavoured to give Tilly as many of life’s advantages that their limited means could supply. From an early age she was taught singing, music, poetry, arithmetic, encouraged to read and observe the natural world around her and be independent. At the age of 8 she was sent to the Asylum and School for the Blind (later called the Royal Victorian Institute for the Blind). She excelled in a wide range of subjects and matriculated in 1889. With the help of a public fund was able to attend Melbourne University, being the first blind Australian to do so. Unfortunately the lack of Braille text books made it impossible for Tilly to continue her studies and she left in second year. Tilly was determined that other blind people would not have the same negative experience she had had. In 1894 she organised a meeting to form the Victorian Association of Braille Writers with the aim of producing and supplying Braille to blind Victorians. Braille was produced by trained volunteers with ? recruited in the first six month. Other rights and services for blind people remained very limited. In 1895 Tilly organised a meeting, which formed the Association for the Advancement of the Blind (now Vision Australia). The Association was instrumental in obtaining many benefits for blind people including a blind pension, voting rights and transport concessions. It also established the first nursing homes for blind people, at a time when many blind people were homeless and destitute. Tilly went on to be Australia’s first blind teacher. She was also a very talented musician, author of seven books and was very gifted at arts and crafts. She knew Esperanto and corresponded with people all around the world including Helen Keller. Tilly passed away on November 1st 1947. Her legacy continues through the work Vision Australia which provides services for thousands of blind Australians. A memorial bell dedicated to her is also situated in the King Domain Gardens. 1 art original in gold frameThe plaque at the base of the painting reads 'Miss Matilda (Tilly) A. Aston / President 1904, 1910, 1943 to 1947/ Association for Advancement of the Blind'. association for the advancement of the blind, association for the blind, tilly aston

This Trust agreement declares the intention of the Trustees, namely Albert William Whiteside, Matilda "Tilly" Ann Aston, William Henry Paterson and Charles Monteath to utilise a gift of War Bonds to the value of 200 pounds to form the Jean Bickford Bequest. The income arising from the Bequest would be used to pay for Board, Lodging and Attention at the Associations Home for Adult Blind at Brighton Beach" of Victorian soldiers who were blinded as a result of the War. Dated 18th September, 1918. Signed by Albert William Whiteside, Matilda Ann Aston (after being read the document by Mary Lawson, signature also affixed), William Henry Paterson and Charles Monteath. 2 signed copies are held of this Trust Declaration, as well as one other copy with typed signatures. 3 typed pages establishing trustalbert whiteside, tilly aston, william paterson, charles monteath, jean bickford, fundraising

This book contains verses written by Tilly Aston. Matilda Ann (Tilly) Aston was a blind writer and teacher who was born in Carisbrook, Victoria in 1873. She became totally blind at the age of seven. She learned Braille and gained her Matriculation Certificate, spending a short time at Melbourne University. She helped to establish the Victorian Association of Braille Writers and to found the Association for the Advancement of the Blind. She was the first Secretary and later President of the latter association. She was appointed the Head of the School for the Blind in Melbourne and retired from this position in 1925. She published several books of verse and prose. There is a Parliamentary electorate in Victoria called Aston. This book is of considerable interest because the author, Tilly Aston, has an important place in Australian literature. The book, ‘Maiden Verses’ has a local Warrnambool connection as it contains a poem written about Warrnambool, a town which Tilly Aston visited on occasions.This is a hard cover book of 146 pages. It is a book of poems written by Tilly Aston. The cover is dark red with the printing on the spine and on the cover in gold lettering. There is at least one page at the front of the book torn out. There is a receipt for the purchase of the book pasted on to the inside of the front cover. The date of the receipt made out to ‘John F. Watts’ is for three shillings and sixpence (1900). The book is bound with glue and string.Signature on the first page: ‘John F. Watts, Nov. 18th 1900’ (or maybe ‘1901’)tilly aston, australian literature, history of warrnambool

This agreement between the Association for Advancement the Blind and Trustees (namely William Henry Paterson, George Arnot Maxwell and Bertram Grosbie Goold) lays out the terms and conditions surrounding the Association's access and usage of the Kooyong Clubhouse for the Blind and Cricket Oval. The agreement is Dated 21st August 1933, and is signed by the three Trustees, as well as members of the Association, namely Matilda Ann Aston and William Charles Willmott. There are 2 copies of the agreement, one containing hand-written annotations in pencil, which are largely illegible.2 typed pages of legal agreementassociation for the advancement of the blind, william paterson, george maxwell, bertram goold, tilly aston, william willmott, kooyong club house