Joan Reuss was the eldest daughter of Bert Reuss and his wife Grace (nee Gray). Albert (Bert) Reuss was born in Albury in 1905. From 1920 until 1926, Bert worked at Mr Nat Gray’s dairy farm at “ Willow Bank” in South Albury. This included ferrying milk across the river from Gray’s Island. In 1927 he married Grace Gray and they moved to a property which they called “Park View” on the Wodonga flats. Here they established Park View Dairy. In the 1930s they ran two milk carts delivering milk twice a day (once on Sundays) to Albury and Wodonga. They also raised a family of eight children. They progressively cleared a few acres every year and raised cows, pigs and hens as well as growing watermelons and other vegetables. Deliveries extended to include milk, cream, eggs, dressed chickens and potatoes. At its peak the dairy had 500 regular customers. The dairy was bought out by Murray Goulburn in the 1970s and the Reuss children continued the property as a beef farm. Bert was active in the Wodonga Branch of the Dairy Farmers’ Association, President of the Albury Wodonga Milk Producers for 15 years and a member of the Albury Wodonga Flood Committee. He was also Head Steward of the Horticulture Pavilion at the Wodonga Show Society for over 30 years for which he was awarded a Life Membership. Bert Reuss died on 16th August 1998 in Albury. After more then 80 years in the Reuss Family, Park View was sold in 2010.This item is significant because it is connected to a well-known Wodonga business and community member.A black and white photo of a woman and two children on a two wheeled milk cart. On side of cart: B. REUSS REGISTERED DAIRYbert reuss wodonga, wodonga dairies, park view dairy

Photograph of horse drawn milk float outside Coram’s Hughesdale dairy with “Bluey” the horsecaulfield, hughesdale, milk carts, carts and wagons, coram’s, dairies, bluey, horses

Sepia photograph, The Oak Farm Dairy premises with horse and milk carts on display along with employees. Probable date early 20th century.A M Pepper Photographer 113 Victoria Road Scarborohorse drawn vehicle, dairy, oak farm dairy, pattison, patterson

Bendigo Advertiser "the way we were" from 1999. Milkman: Symons dairy founder Albert Symons drives one of the dairy's first milk carts in 1919.newspaper, bendigo advertiser, the way we were

Black and white photograph of Callow Park Dairy Co horse drawn milk cart, early 20th century. Brick house in background, with number 30 on window above door. Boxall & Co Photographerpostcard, photograph, horse drawn vehicle

Diggers & Mining. Diggers and Miners. This is how Walhalla was supplied with milk. The country was too hilly to allow the use of milk carts. Picture shows man on horseback, with another horse carrying drums of milk. Markings: 49 994.5 WAL. Used as a teaching aid.hanimounteducation, tertiary, goldfields

Photo of SEC Ballarat trams during a visit to the SEC Wendouree Parade depot during the ARHS/TMSV tours prior to closure of the Ballarat Tramway system. .1 - visitors at the depot with trams in the photo. .2 - that horse drawn milk cart again, taken near Barrett Ave. Kodak cardboard mount slide, taken by Peter Moses 21 August 1971.On the rear of the slides in black ink .1 - "Ballarat / ARHS special / Depot" and "P. Moses" in the bottom right hand corner. .2 - "Ballarat / Dairy Cart / Wendouree Pde / ARHS Special" and "P. Moses" near the top right hand corner.tramways, trams, wendouree parade, depot, milk cart, horse drawn vehicle

Yields information about the use of Wendouree Parade and the milk cart that use to run during the day at the time.Digital image of tram 13 in Wendouree Parade, with a horse drawn milk cart alongside. No. 39 is in the far distance. The tram has the destination of Victoria St and an ANA mutual benefit society roof advert. Photo by John Ward 27 Feb. 1971. Slide title "04410 270269 6926-D SECV Single truck trams 26 & 20 at night time on layover in Sturt St Ballarat Vic"trams, tramways, wendouree parade, horse drawn vehicle, milk cart, victoria st, tram 13, tram 39

3224_001 - Scout Fete on Ringwood Oval 4March1953 - Norm Pavey milk cart 3224_002 - Scout Fete on Ringwood Oval 4March1953 - International Harvester float arriving 3224_003 - Scout Fete on Ringwood Oval 4March1953 - a stall 3224_004 - Scout Fete on Ringwood Oval 4March1953 - Scout float 3224_005 - Scout Fete on Ringwood Oval 4March1953 - Girl Guide's float 3224_006 - Scout Fete on Ringwood Oval 4March1953 - Ringwood Banjo Club's float 3224_007 - Scout Fete on Ringwood Oval 4March1953 - Scout stall 3224_008 - Scout Fete on Ringwood Oval 4March1953 - Merry Go Round 3224_009 - Scout Fete on Ringwood Oval 4March1953 - Norm Pavey milk cart 3224_010 - Scout Fete on Ringwood Oval 4March1953 - Margaret McCall at lolly stall 3224_011 - Scout Fete on Ringwood Oval 4March1953 - Box Hill Ladies Pipe Band 3224_012 - Scout Fete on Ringwood Oval 4March1953 - Jack Gray, Hugh McCall, Charles Miller selling fruit 3224_014 - Scout Fete on Ringwood Oval 4March1953 - Ellie Pullin selling lollies +Additional Keywords: Pullen, Ellie / Pavey, Norm

Black and White Photograph of Horse and cart with milk cans being unloaded, weighed and emptied at factoryindustry, employee

Set of three photos of SEC Ballarat tram No. 42 and a horse drawn milk cart in Wendouree Parade. All photos have Lake Wendouree in the background. .1 - Tram No. 42 at the Martin Ave. stop in Wendouree Parade. Tram has a SEC Briquette roof advertisement. .2 - Looking along Wendouree Parade towards Forest St and the SEC Depot area, shows tram 42 and the horse drawn milk wagon in the distance. .3 - Close up of the horse drawn milk wagon -Modern Dairy, with the delivery man or milk man stepping from the wagon. Kodak cardboard mount slide, taken by Peter Moses August 1971.On back of slides: .1 -"N42 Ballarat / Wendouree Pde & Lake" and "P. Moses" in black ink. .2 - "N42 Ballarat / Wendouree Pde & Lake" in red ink and "P. Moses" in black ink. .3 - "Ballarat / Horse Milk Van" in red ink.tramways, trams, wendouree parade, milk cart, horse drawn vehicle, tram 42

Yields information about the Grey St. loop and the street scene on a wet day with a milk car and bicycle in the view.Black and white photograph of No. 14 entering the Grey / Gray St. Loop, Albert St, Sebastopol. Taken during a rainy day with a horse drawn milk cart in the background and a cyclist crossing the road. The tram has the destination of Lydiard St. North, is running one man, the motorman / driver has a conductors bag around his neck. The tram also has dash canopy advertisements for "The Age" and Briquettes. Photo taken 25/7/1961 by Dave Macartney. Printed on stipple paper. Two copies held - 2nd in poor order - for temporary display only. Copy 3 - in good condition - added 26/7/2007, ex Alan Bradley 5/2007 - 203H x 252W.tramways, trams, sebastopol, albert st, grey st loop, horse drawn vehicle, milk cart, tram 14

Agfa plastic mount (blue base, white cover) of a photograph of No. 27 and 30 at Grey St. Loop, possibly on a Sunday as a conductor is changing trams. Note the milk cart to the right of the tram. Photo taken early 1960, as both trams are in the process of being fitted with dash canopy lighting. Both trams have White Horse Whiskey advertisements on the dash panels and No. 27, an Age newspaper advertisement as well. No. 27 has destination of Sebastopol and No. 30 - Lydiard St. Nth. The slide appears to be a copy slide, given the nature of the colour and the additional number WP419. Photographer could be Bill Pearce (WP). Slide rescanned at 3200 dpi 25-10-2020, jpg replaced, tiff file retained. This file was scanned in 2003 and may show colour changes."BAS 57 in penciltramways, trams, albert st, sebastopol, grey st. loop, tram 27, tram 30

Yields information about the an unusual accident with a milk cart, no horse in the view, on the Mt Pleasant line outside a milk bar.Black and White copy photograph of a newspaper photograph taken by The Courier - Bogie car after collision with horse drawn milk cart, Barkly & Gladstone Sts corner. Photo taken 28/6/1966, published 29/6/1966. Has Frampton's Milk bar in the left hand side of the photo with a Peters ad, workers recovering bottles. Note the milk in the grooves of the track. Would appear tram was inbound with destination of Gardens via Drummond St. Nth, member of the crew reversing the tram to assist in the clean up, with an inspector at the far end. Collected by Alan Bradley from the Ballarat Courier early 1980's. See Excel file "Record of Ballarat Courier Photos SEC era" (Archive Documents) for source of details.On rear stamped "Copyright, The Ballarat Courier Proprietary Limited."tramways, trams, milk cart, accidents, mt pleasant

Photos taken on the last Saturday of full operations by the SECV in Ballarat prior to the first closure of the Victoria St line on 22/8/1971. 1 - Trams 26 and 42 turning from Sturt into Lydiard St North - Has the Berry Anderson, Chinese cafe, George Oyster Bar, Gemmola's Pharmacy and the Town Hall in the background. 2 - Trams 39, 26, 42 and 14 in Lydiard St North for the ARHS/TMSV joint Ballarat tour - has the Provincial Hotel and SF Motors buildings in the photo. 3 - Tram 27 to Lydiard St North with Reid's Coffee Palace, Macleod & Co, J J Coller & Co buildings in the background. 4 - Tram 12 inbound crossing the railway tracks 5 - Tram 13 and milk cart - Wendouree Parade. 6 - Tram 11 turning from Wendouree Parade into Macarthur St View Point. 7 - Trams 17 and 11 - Stones Corner - Victoria St and Bridge St. with K & O Schonell sports store, Marios Fruit shop, Gear Chemist and Bank of NSW in the background. Yields information about the last full Saturday of SEC Tramway operations in Ballarat and has a strong association with the archivist. Set of 7 Kodachrome colour slides - cardboard mountsHave the photographer's slide numbers written on them.trams, tramways, closure, level crossing, lydiard st north, tram 26, tram 42, tram 14, tram 27, tram 12, tram 13, tram 11, tram 17, stones corner, bridge st, view point, wendouree parade

The dairy farm of Eric Lemke and family was located on the Wodonga flats on the Murray River flood plain, west of the Union Bridge. The property was named "Waterford". They ran a large dairy herd (250 cows) and ran five milk carts to Albury to service their customers. The family bought a second property at Wodonga West, on Felltimber Creek, where herds could be rested before calving, and also as an emergency location for milking during times of flood, which sometimes lasted for several weeks at a time. At other times when the cows finished their lactation period at "Waterford" they would be walked to the Lemke property at Wodonga West, for a rest before calving. When the calves were drafted it was a matter of gathering the cows and calves and walking them back home which was an all day job. During the Depression Mr. Lemke took milk to the out-of-work men who slept under the bridges on the causeway and Mrs Lemke would make bread for them. The men would often work on the farm without wages in return for the Lemke's kindness. The Lemke Family are ranked amongst the top early settlers of the district for their perseverance during the hardships of the early days and during the Great Depression. Lemke Road on Gateway Island, Wodonga is named in their honour.This item has local significance because it came from a prominent Wodonga family business.A small metal tag used to label dairy cans on the property of Eric Lemke.E. LEMKE WODONGAe. lemke wodonga, lemke family, wodonga dairy industry, ernie lemke

Alfred 'Alf' Spencer grew up on a dairy farm run by his mother, west south west of Beechworth 'down Robertson Road', and was very well connected to the wider Beechworth area. In this oral history, he recalls his time driving the milk cart around Beechworth as well as the time he spent buying lollies and seeing the pictures. He talks extensively about working as a butcher at his brother's store, including how the butchers interacted with the rest of the town and the staff, as well as his time constructing roads and the pipe network of Beechworth. He discusses the dynamics of other workplaces around Beechworth, describing issues with how the local tannery treated its workers as well as how post-war migrants integrated across the town. He briefly discusses racial tensions between Chinese migrants and other miners on the goldfields. He also discusses the experience of health care in a rural area during his childhood. This oral history recording was part of a project conducted by Jennifer Williams in the year 2000 to capture the everyday life and struggles in Beechworth during the twentieth century. This project involved recording seventy oral histories on cassette tapes of local Beechworth residents which were then published in a book titled: Listen to what they say: voices of twentieth century Beechworth. These cassette tapes were digitised in July 2021 with funds made available by the Friends of the Burke.Alfred Spencer's oral history of his life around Beechworth during the 20th century is historically and socially significant to the cultural history of the region and Victoria. There is a lot of detail about workplaces, their staff, and how the resources of the town interacted. He explores themes that are important to Victorian history, such as migration. This oral history account is socially and historically significant as it is a part of a broader collection of interviews conducted by Jennifer Williams which were published in the book 'Listen to what they say: voices of twentieth-century Beechworth.' While the township of Beechworth is known for its history as a gold rush town, these accounts provide a unique insight into the day-to-day life of the town's residents during the 20th century, many of which will have now been lost if they had not been preserved.This is a digital copy of a recording that was originally captured on a cassette tape. The cassette tape is black with a horizontal white strip and is currently stored in a clear flat plastic rectangular container. It holds up to 40 minutes of recordings on each side.Mr Alfred Spencer /listen to what they say, beechworth, oral history, burke museum, spencer, alfred spencer, migration, post-war migration, goldfields, health care, farm, farming, dairy farm, black springs, butchers, meat processing, butcher, road, road network, labour relations

Small booklet titled Mandurang School Centenary September 1977. It has a black and white picture of the school on the front cover. Mentioned in the book is the History of Mandurang State School and District, Industries, Wine, Milk, Gold, Tannery, The Look-Out, Timber, Hotels, Water Race, Floods, Post Office, Sports, Churches, Fire Brigade, List of Head Teachers 1861 - 1975, The School opens 1877 and Mothers' Club. Photos include Mr & Mrs J T Deravin Pioneer settlers of Mandurang, Deravin's Barn & Wine Cellars, Bernado Togno's Vineyard, Hargreave's Milk Cart, J Pearce & Sons Milk Delivery Bike, The Tannery, Wooden Poppet Head Tower, Kerr's Hotel, The Wine Hall (Previously Junction Hotel), Harry & Len Kofoed's Wood Trucks, Mandurang Recreation Reserve 1977, Mandurang Cricket Club (1889 or thereabouts), Methodist Church, School Pupils 1894, Early School Group, School Pupils 1960 and 1962, Working Bee before shifting School Building to it's Present Site, School Pupils 1922 and School Pupils 1977.Edwin J. Watts. Express Print, Bendigoeducation, primary, mandurang primary school no 1952, john jones collection - mandurang school centenary september 1977, edwin j watts, kevin o'brien, g pearce, j sloan, v togno, r pearce, j french, i adams, b adams, g grose, i kofoed, j pearce, f pentland, g shaw, n todd, i grose, h koefoed, m macdonald, k pearce, t french

Rose Series postcard No. P 202, titled "Collins Street Melbourne" with a view from Russell St looking west. W2 class 574 (East Preston, route 9) is climbing the hill with another four W2's in the view as well. There is a horse-drawn delivery cart (milk? - Marche ?) parked on the north side of the street. 2 - Coloured postcard - does not have the company name on the rear. Only coloured Rose series seen as at 1/2025 by the Museum.Yields information about Collins St, late 1940sPostcard - printed real photograph with Rose Stereograph Co. name on the rear. Second copy has been coloured printed.tramways, collins st, tram 574, w2 class, trams

Black and white photograph of a wooden house with verandah and water tanks to the right. Eight horse-drawn carts with milk containers (tin) stand in front. Photograph affixed to cream card. Card is mounted onto dark grey matt board with typed label below image.Front: (no inscriptions) Back: (no inscriptions)

Document, Sedgwick, was known as Upper Emu Creek until 1901. It is located ten miles south of Bendigo in hilly sedimentary and granite country.The first freehold grants were taken up in 1854. In 1861 the Strathfieldsaye Road District was Proclaimed. Five years later it became the Shire of Strayhfieldsaye.Mining west of the Axe Creek commenced in 1863. Agriculture, farmers made modest livings from vineyards, orchards,dairy cattle, eggs and tomatoes. The Osborne family had seventy acres planted to apples. Prior to 1934 Favaloros collected cream from district farms, then fresh milk in cans was carted to Bendigo until 1970.document, sedgwick

Harry Ingram delivered milk, bread, groceries and meat to towns between Delegate and Orbost with his eldest son. The pair generally drove a four wheeled wagon pulled by five horses along a hand carved winding track through the mountains. This is a pictorial record of transport in the early 20th century in Orbost. It is associated with the Ingram family settlers in Orbost from 1938.A black / white photograph of a man on a horse drawn cart.on back - "Harry Ingram"ingram-harry transport-c19th

Milk was delivered by the "milk man" direct to the homes of consumers. Delivery to homes in Orbost and district and was made initially by horse and cart and later by truck. .The dairy industry in Orbost and the surrounding area has always been a major contributor to the milk supply of Victoria.A clear glass half-pint milk or cream bottle. Moulded in two halves, made to take either a cork or cardboard disc pressed into top with wire grip. The bottle was meant to be recycled and the glass is therefore quite thick. IMPERIAL HALF PINTglass-bottles commercial-milk-containers food dairy

About 1912 work began at Newmerella on clearing the track for the railway line from Bairnsdale to Orbost. A canvas town sprang up on the higher land adjacent to the river flats. Local farmers supplied meat, milk and fresh produce to the camp, as well as gaining employment carting and labouring. The line opened in 1916, the Orbost railway station being built on the Newmerella side of the river. This item is associated with the history of the Orbost-Bairnsdale railway line and therefore reflects the role that the rail line played in the social and economic history of Orbost. On April 10 1916, the first scheduled train service left Orbost for Bairnsdale. The Bairnsdale-Orbost railway was opened to serve the agricultural and timber industry. Because of the decline in traffic and heavy operating costs, the line was finally closed in August, 1987.A black / white photograph of a group of people standing next to a train carriage.orbost-railway east-gippsland-railway celebration-opening-of railway

The Smithy job is very important in any town or settlement, horses need shoeing reguarly, and drays, carts and jinkers need their Tires replaced or tightened, also their are many other jobs that they perform.Negative Black white Scanned at 600 dpi. "Smithy Workshop Millgrove" In the immediate and far background is the bush, central to this is the Smithys Workshop, it has a pailing roof and walls, there is a door left front, to the left above the dray wheel is a young man milking a brown and white cow, front left is the dray, with a young boy standing between the dray shafts holding a horse, next is a young Mother with a little girl, next to her is Dad with a hat and apron, he is the Smithy, he is holding a horse still with its yoke on, next is an older man wearing a suit and hat, holding a horse still yoked and harnessed, behind them is another horse near the workshop door, next is a horse yoked and harnessed to another horse and behind that is a sawn load of timber, next to the last horse is a man holding it, he is dressed with a vest and shirt sleeves and hat, at the end of the workshop is a lean-to shed which is probably the dunny, behind the load of timber there is a building with a 4 pane window and making an L shape another building, they appear to be on stumps , roof line is not distinguishable, the horses all seem like "Clydsdales".blacksmith, horses, millgrove, smithy, workshop, shed, cart sandy ross

The North-Eastern Dairy Company was established on 14th December 1892 as a butter factory and built in 1893. In 1928 a new butter factory was built and a milk products factory in 1952. Whole milk sales commenced in 1951, with pasteurised, homogenised milk in both bottles and cartons being sold in the 1980's. Devondale / Murray Goulburn was established in 1950. Cartons enabled the safe transportation and storage of milk. The North East Dairy Company enabled the dairy farmers in the Kiewa Valley to send their milk and milk products eg. cream to the factory at Kiewa. The factory bought its own cream carting vehicles during WW1. The 'full cream / homogenised / pastuerised / milk' is an example of the milk available in the 1980's as many different varieties of ingredients followed in later years.Blue, red & white waterproof sealed cardboard box used for storing fresh milk from the Kiewa factory 'Murray Goulburn'. The large box contains 2 litres and the smaller box, 1 litre. Each of the 4 faces have print - 2 have the title, 1 has advertising and 1 has instructions on how to store the carton of milk2 litre - Use by Date stamped at the top: 'Un Ed Oct 19' 1 litre - Use by Date stamped at the top: 'Ned Feb. 13'milk, murray goulburn, kiewa butter factory, kiewa milk products

My Recollections of Eltham Past by Margaret Joy Harding (nee Joy Chapman.) My family of Elizabeth and Alec Chapman moved to Eltham in 1946 into a cottage on the opposite side of the Diamond Creek from where the little train now operates in the Lower Park. At that time Eltham truly was a country town and the Pub was the main meeting place for most inhabitants on a Saturday afternoon in the beer garden. I attended Eltham Primary School where I started as a 4-year-old (my birthday being slightly after the mid-year intake) that happened then. My mother spent a lot of days taking me back to school when I had dismissed myself and walked the one kilomtre home alone. Bremner's Common (now Wingrove Park) was a big attraction with its dam and tad poling which I found much more entertaining than school. (Mrs Bremner ran a Service Station on the site of the current one). Another attraction at this site was the circus that came a couple of times a year. Watching them put up the circus tent was very interesting and even more of an attraction was the feeding of the Lions in cages and the monkeys and elephants among the other animals that are not found in a circus these days. At school then we were provided with hot chocolate at morning recess where the mothers would prepare it in the shelter shed. The only form of classroom heating was an open fire. Worse was the warm milk given in the summer months. By the time I was near finishing at Primary school we used to be able to walk along the Main Road at lunchtime to Mrs. Mitchell's shop to a delicious hot pie. As I recall there was no supervision for this departure from the school grounds. It is interesting that some of the other children I started school with I still have contact with, in fact one is a very good friend although now living in Perth. That is the other thing about Eltham; many who grew up here continue to live in the area. Following primary school, the natural progression was to Eltham High School. There was only the main building at that time and I can remember our first assembly at the front entrance. During the time I was at High School several new class rooms were added and the school hall. I remember the musical plays such as HMS Pinafore and other classical musicals being performed. I also remember countless hours doing marching practice. The main street shops when I was young consisted of the Blue Gum milk bar at the far end, a Grocery store and a shoe maker where Coles currently stands. Opposite there was Lyon's Garage. They also provided a bus service and when we got off the train this little bus would tour the back streets taking each individual to their home, sometimes this could take quite considerable time. There was also a Black Smith next to the Chiropractic Practice opposite Alistair Knox Park, another Milk Bar/General Store on the comer of Bridge Street/Main Road where a shop currently still operates. There was also a Butcher's shop down from the pub opposite Franklin Street. The only doctor was next to the courthouse on the other side of Brougham Street. On Saturday afternoon I was occasionally allowed to go the movies in the Town Hall which also stood on the site of the Coles centre. Often the Fire Alarm would sound and everyone would run outside to watch the fire truck leave with the volunteers clutching on the back. The other attraction during summer of course was the swimming pool which was a small concrete pool filled with water pumped from the Diamond Creek, sometimes it was like a mud puddle so for me the nearer to home Yarra/Diamond Creek junction was a much better option. We swam in the water hole which was quite deep and with fallen trees and sometimes carcasses of cows and kangaroos floating past. As recreation, the churches were another attraction for the Sunday school picnics to Mordialloc in the back of the moving van with benches tied into the back for us to "sit" on. Too bad when we went around a corner! In the early days we had an Ice Man deliver the ice once a week for "refrigeration". The green grocer came around in a horse and cart as did the milkman and the bread was delivered but I constantly got into trouble for eating the middle out on the way from the box it was delivered to in Mt Pleasant road across the paddock. The milkman finally would not come down our street after his horse bolted one morning and took off across the paddock. We also had the "Pan Man" come weekly and whose visit I would avoid. Our nearest shop was where the flower stall is located opposite the Lower Park. It consisted of a Tea Room and Milk Bar. There was a Public Telephone there which was the only contact to anyone else. We were a one car family so my mother’s movements were very limited as the Eltham Station was a couple of kilometres away and a trip to the city was an event. Being an only child growing up was a little lonely however rambling along the creek with my Mum, picking mushrooms and picking cherry plums for jam and the dogs catching rabbits which we ate if we could get them away from the dogs. We also liked to go into the Lower Park during school holidays when the Greek people came to camp and they would sing and dance around the camp fire and it all seemed so different to us as this was early days of immigration. Childhood was relatively simple and carefree and I wish the kids of today had the freedom of my youth and the healthy outdoor lifestyle of the "olden days".   SHOW GIRL COMPETITION In 1965 Eltham was more like a country town than the suburb it has become today. People knew each other, if not personally then certainly of the family name. The big event for the year was a Gymkhana or show at Lower Eltham Park. I can remember marching as a teenager from the town centre to the park in the marching girls with the decorated floats. In 1965, just on a whim on the day, I decided to enter the Miss Eltham Show Girl which was a part of the festivities at the park. I seem to remember that the show mainly consisted of horse events, cattle judging and dog show. As I had not given any serious thought to entering the competition, I wore a suit that I had for work which was brown wool, with a coffee coloured shirt under, black shoes, bag, and gloves but no hat. I duly paraded for the judges and much to my surprise I was announced the winner. I eventually went on to compete at the Miss Victoria Show Girl competition which was held at the Royal Melbourne Show. There I met many country girls who were representing their rural Victoria home. I made it into a final round of judging but I think justice prevailed when someone from a country background was crowned. It was fun to go into the show as I had not really been before and to see the displays of handcraft, cooking and wood chopping events was great as well as the judging of farm animals interesting. It is hard to remember the Eltham I grew up in. The Lyons Garage company bus that actually drove you home (or close to it) when we got off the train at night. The Eltham Hotel on a Saturday afternoon a usual social meeting place where people just sat and chatted. The pictures held in the Town Hall and when the fire alarm sounded all the men just jumped up and ran to help. Suburbia has now swallowed most of that life but thankfully we at least do have the trestle bridge and parkland. Digital file only - Black and white photo print on loan for scanning by EDHSalec chapman, annie bremner, blacksmith, bremner's flat, brougham steet, bus services, circus, diamond creek, dianne bell, doctor bradbury, easter gymkhana, elizabeth chapman, eltham high school, eltham hotel, eltham lower park, eltham public hall, eltham state school, eltham trestle bridge, general store, grace mitchell, ice man, joy chapman, lyons garage, margaret harding, milk bar, miss eltham 1965, miss victoria show girl, mount pleasant road, pan man, rodda parade, shops, show girl competition, swimming pool, water hole, yarra river

My Recollections of Eltham Past by Margaret Joy Harding (nee Joy Chapman.) My family of Elizabeth and Alec Chapman moved to Eltham in 1946 into a cottage on the opposite side of the Diamond Creek from where the little train now operates in the Lower Park. At that time Eltham truly was a country town and the Pub was the main meeting place for most inhabitants on a Saturday afternoon in the beer garden. I attended Eltham Primary School where I started as a 4-year-old (my birthday being slightly after the mid-year intake) that happened then. My mother spent a lot of days taking me back to school when I had dismissed myself and walked the one kilomtre home alone. Bremner's Common (now Wingrove Park) was a big attraction with its dam and tad poling which I found much more entertaining than school. (Mrs Bremner ran a Service Station on the site of the current one). Another attraction at this site was the circus that came a couple of times a year. Watching them put up the circus tent was very interesting and even more of an attraction was the feeding of the Lions in cages and the monkeys and elephants among the other animals that are not found in a circus these days. At school then we were provided with hot chocolate at morning recess where the mothers would prepare it in the shelter shed. The only form of classroom heating was an open fire. Worse was the warm milk given in the summer months. By the time I was near finishing at Primary school we used to be able to walk along the Main Road at lunchtime to Mrs. Mitchell's shop to a delicious hot pie. As I recall there was no supervision for this departure from the school grounds. It is interesting that some of the other children I started school with I still have contact with, in fact one is a very good friend although now living in Perth. That is the other thing about Eltham; many who grew up here continue to live in the area. Following primary school, the natural progression was to Eltham High School. There was only the main building at that time and I can remember our first assembly at the front entrance. During the time I was at High School several new class rooms were added and the school hall. I remember the musical plays such as HMS Pinafore and other classical musicals being performed. I also remember countless hours doing marching practice. The main street shops when I was young consisted of the Blue Gum milk bar at the far end, a Grocery store and a shoe maker where Coles currently stands. Opposite there was Lyon's Garage. They also provided a bus service and when we got off the train this little bus would tour the back streets taking each individual to their home, sometimes this could take quite considerable time. There was also a Black Smith next to the Chiropractic Practice opposite Alistair Knox Park, another Milk Bar/General Store on the comer of Bridge Street/Main Road where a shop currently still operates. There was also a Butcher's shop down from the pub opposite Franklin Street. The only doctor was next to the courthouse on the other side of Brougham Street. On Saturday afternoon I was occasionally allowed to go the movies in the Town Hall which also stood on the site of the Coles centre. Often the Fire Alarm would sound and everyone would run outside to watch the fire truck leave with the volunteers clutching on the back. The other attraction during summer of course was the swimming pool which was a small concrete pool filled with water pumped from the Diamond Creek, sometimes it was like a mud puddle so for me the nearer to home Yarra/Diamond Creek junction was a much better option. We swam in the water hole which was quite deep and with fallen trees and sometimes carcasses of cows and kangaroos floating past. As recreation, the churches were another attraction for the Sunday school picnics to Mordialloc in the back of the moving van with benches tied into the back for us to "sit" on. Too bad when we went around a corner! In the early days we had an Ice Man deliver the ice once a week for "refrigeration". The green grocer came around in a horse and cart as did the milkman and the bread was delivered but I constantly got into trouble for eating the middle out on the way from the box it was delivered to in Mt Pleasant road across the paddock. The milkman finally would not come down our street after his horse bolted one morning and took off across the paddock. We also had the "Pan Man" come weekly and whose visit I would avoid. Our nearest shop was where the flower stall is located opposite the Lower Park. It consisted of a Tea Room and Milk Bar. There was a Public Telephone there which was the only contact to anyone else. We were a one car family so my mother’s movements were very limited as the Eltham Station was a couple of kilometres away and a trip to the city was an event. Being an only child growing up was a little lonely however rambling along the creek with my Mum, picking mushrooms and picking cherry plums for jam and the dogs catching rabbits which we ate if we could get them away from the dogs. We also liked to go into the Lower Park during school holidays when the Greek people came to camp and they would sing and dance around the camp fire and it all seemed so different to us as this was early days of immigration. Childhood was relatively simple and carefree and I wish the kids of today had the freedom of my youth and the healthy outdoor lifestyle of the "olden days".   SHOW GIRL COMPETITION In 1965 Eltham was more like a country town than the suburb it has become today. People knew each other, if not personally then certainly of the family name. The big event for the year was a Gymkhana or show at Lower Eltham Park. I can remember marching as a teenager from the town centre to the park in the marching girls with the decorated floats. In 1965, just on a whim on the day, I decided to enter the Miss Eltham Show Girl which was a part of the festivities at the park. I seem to remember that the show mainly consisted of horse events, cattle judging and dog show. As I had not given any serious thought to entering the competition, I wore a suit that I had for work which was brown wool, with a coffee coloured shirt under, black shoes, bag, and gloves but no hat. I duly paraded for the judges and much to my surprise I was announced the winner. I eventually went on to compete at the Miss Victoria Show Girl competition which was held at the Royal Melbourne Show. There I met many country girls who were representing their rural Victoria home. I made it into a final round of judging but I think justice prevailed when someone from a country background was crowned. It was fun to go into the show as I had not really been before and to see the displays of handcraft, cooking and wood chopping events was great as well as the judging of farm animals interesting. It is hard to remember the Eltham I grew up in. The Lyons Garage company bus that actually drove you home (or close to it) when we got off the train at night. The Eltham Hotel on a Saturday afternoon a usual social meeting place where people just sat and chatted. The pictures held in the Town Hall and when the fire alarm sounded all the men just jumped up and ran to help. Suburbia has now swallowed most of that life but thankfully we at least do have the trestle bridge and parkland. Digital file only - Black and white photo print on loan for scanning by EDHSalec chapman, annie bremner, blacksmith, bremner's flat, brougham steet, bus services, circus, diamond creek, dianne bell, doctor bradbury, easter gymkhana, elizabeth chapman, eltham high school, eltham hotel, eltham lower park, eltham public hall, eltham state school, eltham trestle bridge, general store, grace mitchell, ice man, joy chapman, lyons garage, margaret harding, milk bar, miss eltham 1965, miss victoria show girl, mount pleasant road, pan man, rodda parade, shops, show girl competition, swimming pool, water hole, yarra river