Mrs Walker and Mrs Mealing using their white canes as they walk along a sloping footpath.B/W photograph of two women with white canesMobility - historicalroyal blind society of nsw, white cane day, mrs mealing, mrs walker

This postcard belonged to Blanche Constance (Nina) Casement 1891-1972 whose fiancé, Arthur Woodzell Ayers (1887-1964), enlisted with the Australian Imperial Force in 1914 and served at Gallipoli and the Western Front. Arthur was completing officer training at Oxford New College 23 Feb 1917 - 27 May 1917 when he sent these postcards. Nina and Arthur married in 1919 and moved to Avonsleigh in 1929. This postcard was passed to their daughter Frances Nobelius (Ayers).This is an example of communications between Australian soldiers and family members during World War I.Postcard with photograph of Oxford New College Dining Hall. On the back is a handwritten message postmarked 18 April 1917.On front of postcard, printed: 'Oxford New College Dining Hall (Founded A.D. 1386)' On back of postcard printed: ' POST CARD / This space to be used for Communication. The Address only to be written here.' On back of postcard postmarked: 'MELBOURNE / 6 IF 74 A' 'OXFORD / 8.30 PM / 18 APR 17' On left side of postcard printed: 'George Davis, 7 The Turl, Oxford.' On back of left side of postcard handwritten: 'This is where we / have our meals / and some of / the lectures / We are going/ to Warwick on / Sunday for 5 / days. / Love W' On back of hand side of postcard handwritten: 'Miss Nina Casement / C/o Mrs Quince / Roy Court / Mit-ford St / St Kilda / Melbourne / Victoria / Australia [an alternative street address in Richmond, Melbourne has been crossed out]' world war i, nina ayers, postcard, 1917, arthur woodzell ayers, oxford new college

The diaries belonged to Horace S. GIBSON, clerk with the Victorian Railways, Camberwell, No. 1817, 4th Div. Signal Coy. (Born Bendigo, enlisted Melbourne) on 6.7.1915 in the 12th reinforcements 1st Div Signal Coy. Embarked for Egypt 9.11.1915. Transferred to 4th Div Signal Coy 9.3.16. Embarked for France 2.6.1916. KIA Zonnebeke Belgium 23.9.1917. Horace Gibson was born in Bendigo. Diaries Volume 1 and Volume 2 are written in pen & ink, also contains sketches, names & addresses. Detailed account by day of the weather & what was eaten for each meal, as well as training, the war up to the morning he is killed in action.Inside cover of Volume 1: Horace Stanley Gibson, Clerk, Camberwell Victorian Railways Australia. Private address, c/o Mrs S E Gibson Barrell Street Eaglehawk, Victoria Australia. documents, diaries, personal notes, records, military history

This photograph was taken at the Mission to Seafarers, Melbourne, from the Celia Little Room looking into the kitchen. It was published in the Port of Melbourne Quarterly (July-September 1959) held in the Mission's archives. The little girl is Rosamond Kent, granddaughter of Padre Oliver.Frank Leslie Oliver served as chaplain at the Mission to Seafarers Melbourne for 30 years from 1930 - 1960, including time served as chaplain with the Royal Australia Navy aboard HMAS Australia. He was a live-in chaplain and was supported by his entire family, including wife Moira, for whom a memorial window exists in the chapel. It shows the contribution of the members of the Ladies Harbour Lights Guild providing the comfort of home to visiting seafarers.Black and white photograph of four women plating up and serving several meals in the Mission to Seafarers kitchen. They are being assisted by a young girl, Rosamond Kent (daughter of Beverley and Robin Kent - Beverley was the only daughter of the Revd. Frank and Mrs. Moira Oliver), who is holding a white jug in her right hand. She is positioned on the right of one of the women, who is on the furthest right of the photograph. The woman on the far right is wearing a string of pearls. The three women that can be seen from the waist up are wearing nice clothes, two with aprons (one is hidden by Beverley Kent). The head of the fourth woman is the only part of her that can be seen as she is positioned behind the woman on the left-hand side.On the back of the photograph there are two names: one is undecipherable and the other says 'Ro Kent' to signify Beverley Kent. There is also a number 5 in the top left corner with what appears to be a tick underneath it.kitchen, food, vinegar, mission to seafarers, celia little room, ladies harbour lights guild, pearls, aprons, plates, jugs, necklace, lhlg, children, rosamond kent

One of a collection of 15 photographs/postcards donated by Lois MullinBlack & White postcard of Cora Lynn Guest House, Cowes, Phillip Island."V16" "Cora Lynn, Cowes, Phillip Island" On Back: Letter "Had good trip down. Terrific meals. Went to pictures. Bungalow beaut. See you Sunday. Lois. Sent to Mrs D Doyle, Ashburton.guesthouses cowes phillip island, cora lynn guesthouse, cowes guesthouses, lois mullins

The photograph was taken on board the English four-masted barque Crocodile which was a a regular visitor of the Port Phillip bay ports, transporting wheat from Australia to the UK. A rare photograph of seamen's intimate life on board.Sepia photograph depicting two seamen sitting at a table in the galley of the ship Crocodile. In the background we can see the portholes of the ship. On the table, there is a loaf bread, tin cups and ware. One of the sailors is holding is forehead with his hand and the other one seems like is eating.Written in pencil at the back: "12"cook, barque crocodile, liverpool, tureen, goldsmith album, life on board, meals, steward, portholes, galley, kitchen

Zoo outing on Boxing Day 1905, depicting a large group of men and women gathered around a number of makeshift tables for a meal Small monochrome outdoor photograph, depicting a large group of men and women gathered around a number of makeshift tables for a meal

Zoo outing on Boxing Day 1905, depicting a large group of men seated around a number of makeshift tables on barres for a mealSmall monochrome outdoor photograph, depicting a large group of men seated at makeshift tables under a group of trees. Fading to top half of photograph zoo, boxing day, 1905, goldsmith album, picnics, lhlg, entertainments, social events, seamen, sailors, seafarers, barrels

The photograph was taken on board the English four-masted barque Crocodile which was a a regular visitor of the Port Phillip bay ports, transporting wheat from Australia to the UK. A rare photograph of a ship's cook, a vital crew member on a voyage.Sepia photograph depicting the cook holding a tureen on board the ship Crocodile.Written in pencil at the back: "12"cook, barque crocodile, liverpool, tureen, goldsmith album, life on board, meals, steward

Barque CrocodilePhotograph was taken on the same ship as photograph 1660 and 1858Written in pencil at the back: "12"crews, barque crocodile, ships, tubs, sailors, deck, goldsmith album, life on board, meals

Romantic, charming . . . ''SUNNYBROOK'' ON the slope of a hill on the East side of Bolton street and overlooking willows that trail gracefully in a creeklet which shows no great haste to blend with Diamond Creek and so to the Yarra, there stands a great old-fashioned home. Outwardly it speaks of past opulence rather than beauty of design, but the velvet green lawns and the formal neatly weeded rose gardens, the well established trees, tennis courts, wisteria covered pergolas and the great curved fronds of old palms produce an atmosphere that cannot be built-up in less than decades. Here is irresistible old-world charm. The jangle of today cannot penetrate ... it is a place to remember ... a place where events to be remembered have a perfect setting ... it is "Sunnybrook." From the neighbouring ‘Beranto Lodge’ Mrs. Lenne can catch glimpses of ‘Sunnybrook,’ but the old home is well hidden from all quarters and only the faultlessly kept lawn can be seen by the curious. Like many other people, Mrs. Lenne was curious. Who can blame her. ‘Sunnybrook’ is a name to conjure with in Eltham. When the elderly men of the township were young bucks ‘Sunnybrook’ stood alone, a proud home that was known and established. Amongst the simple homes of the valley of the Diamond Creek, ‘Sunnybrook’ was Queen. In the roistering days of the Diamond Valley, when Kangaroo Ground was the seat of the Shire and when five pubs dotted the road from Lower Plenty to the civic centre, ‘Sunnybrook’ was off the track of the boisterous and tipsy. ‘Sunnybrook’ is still off the beaten track . . . but only slightly so; it no longer looks over cow pastures, but the neat, newly built houses which dot the length of the Main Road. They are still no closer than half a mile and while these houses have sprung up the fine trees and shrubs have quietly closed in around the boundaries of ‘Sunnybrook' as if to keep the old place to itself. That is how it has become something to whet the curiosity. When the course of events put the place on the market Mrs. Lenne bought it. When a modern house is bought it is pliable in the sense that the owner moulds it according to personality. It can remain severe, utilitarian and with a little neglect soon run to an ugly shabbiness. But with old 'Sunnybrook' it is different. There is in existence a character indelibly written into every line of the place . . . it is a LOVE OF ENGLAND. Upon ‘Sunnybrook’ has been lavished the devoted love of England to such a degree that it must be seen. The gardens and lawns are formal, and though lovely and speaking of the leisure of past years they are not English . . . they are just lovely, with the beauty that only the long established seem to possess. It is inside ‘Sunnybrook’ that the intense love of England is seen. Years ago the home was bought by a Mr. Martin, who was getting on in years, as a home for his much younger wife. The couple spent thousands of pounds as well as endless care and imagination in the complete redecorating of their home. Oak panelling imported from England was built in. Huge fireplaces shed their Colonial appearance to be become the fireplaces of England . . . and they were so in every sense because they were also imported from England. One lovely specimen whose gracious lines are remarked upon by all who see it, is a certified antique of finest English Oak. Care was taken to see what hand made wrought iron light fittings were in keeping. The old place has three lounge, dining or living rooms according to taste and requirements, and all are bigger than the biggest attempted in a “big” modern home. This does not include an outside living space of ample proportions, all fine flywired in and enclosing a fernery. A turn of a tap and spray as fine as mist is released over the rockery. On a scorching summer day when no relief short of a swim could help ordinary people, the resident of ‘Sunnybrook’ found the coolness of a dell in which to sit and enjoy their evening meal. What is more, the temperature of the whole house could be reduced by merely turning on this extensive spray water system. Yes, comfort to luxury standard is built in. And what happens to 'Sunnybrook' now? Mrs Lenne is famous to thousands for her quite fabulous catering. Her home and her "Wanda Inn" at Hepburn Springs have long been a Mecca for those who want the different in catering . . . different in the sense that every client is treated as a friend, not a customer and the hospitality and attention one would give to an honoured friend is accorded. And the food! – ask anyone who has enjoyed the privilege. Ask those who attended the reception given to Mr. Menzies by Eltham Shire Council; ask those members of the Diamond Valley Chamber of Commerce who enjoyed it! [See EDHS_04736-1/2 https://victoriancollections.net.au/items/5d4c2fb521ea6727d892df72] There is only one word anyone ever uses . . . “unbelievable!” it must be seen and eaten to be believed. And ‘Sunnybrook’ will ring to the laughter, and offer its spaciousness for the fun of all who join in the happiest occasion in the life of those just married, whose wedding reception is intended to be “remembered.” Mrs. Lenne is a dynamic ball of energy whose enthusiasm is not to be brooked. She has acquired the home of her dreams. 13 March 2020 Note: Historian Stella M. Barber via the GSV members Forum cites that Clair Samwell and Doris Good ran a nursing home in Balwyn called Penquite (1946-1952). Prior to that the women had run a rest home called Beranto in Eltham. Single newsprint page separated rest of paperberanto lodge, bolton street, houses, mrs. lenne, prime minister, properties, robert gordon menzies, sunnybrook

Gellibrand station was one of the larger and more important stations possessing a waiting room, station office, parcels shed and refreshment room joined by a common verandah. The refreshment room was managed for many years by Mrs. O'Neill who, with her staff, around 1920, offered a hot meal for one shilling. In the afternoon, a "cuppa and rock cakes" was available to passengers on the train to Colac. Other patrons were workers from the various establishments in the railway yard.Gellibrand Station Master and Refreshment Room staff, plus two men, under the verandah of the Refreshment Rooms, in front of two railway lines.gellibrand; railways; refreshments; mrs. o'neill;

This photograph shows a group of WW1 returned soldiers at a special dinner which was held at the old show ground. Those in the photograph are: Frank Cowell; Jack Irving; Les Waller; Tom Martin; Dick Beattie; Bill Russell; Bill Cowell; Dave Williams; Col Cameron; Bert Shaw; Jack Gluth; Henry Thomas; Alec Butters; Mrs A. G. Nixon; Nell Cameron; Grace Cameron; Ivy Richrdson; Nita WinchesterThis is a contemporary pictorial record of a significant event in Orbost. This item, associated with WW1 is a reminder of the involvement of the Orbost men who served in that conflict and the appreciation of their efforts by the Orbost communityA long black / white photograph of a large group of men sitting at tables having a meal . There are some women standing behind them. They are outdoors. The photo is in a light pink wooden frame under glass. 1010.2 is a copy.at front on paper label - "A DINNER GIVEN TO RETURNED SOLDIERS OF 1914 - 1918 WAR" and a list of names.armed-services ww1 orbost-soldiers

Photo of Stathi and Kassiani Raftopoulos dining on the Colonial Tramcar Restaurant which was a much loved tourist attraction in Melbourne.The Colonial Tramcar Restaurant which commenced in 1981 is a restaurant operating from a converted fleet of three vintage W class trams in Melbourne, Australia. As of October 2018, the restaurant's operations were suspended indefinitely due to a dispute between the restaurant operator and Yarra Trams, the tram operator.A coloured photograph of a couple enjoying a meal on Melbourne's tram restaurant. Written on the back: ON THE RESTAURANT TRAM/ IN MELBOURNE 1995/TO THE FAMILY OF MRS. DOLLY VASILtrams, restaurants

A novelty postcard with pull-out strip of 9 miniature photographs that was produced by the Valentine Publishing Co as a souvenir of Marysville.A novelty postcard with pull-out strip of 9 miniature photographs that was produced by the Valentine Publishing Co as a souvenir of Marysville.Having a High Old Time at MARYSVILLE KEEP WELL/ AND BRIGHT/ KEEP SMILING/ AND WRITE 1902 VALENTINE'S/ MAILING NOVELTY From VALENTINE'S "MAIL NOVELTY" POSTCARD. COPYRIGHT/ PRINTED IN GT. BRITAIN To Dear Mrs Bannan, I was expecting/ you down to meet "my folks" while they/ were over. Sorry you couldnt fit it in/ They went back last Tuesday & we came/ up here on Wednesday. Weve settled in/ to have a restful holiday. its a lovely/ place spotlessly clean & beautiful meals/ Ive never eaten so much for years. We/ will be here for 10 days so I should put/ on at least a stone the way Im eating/ love & best wishes to you all from Wm Staceymarysville, victoria, postcard, souvenir, valentine publishing co, crossways cabaret (image 1), taggerty river (image 2), acheron way (image 3), blacks spur road (image 4), nicholl's lookout (image 5), main street marysville (image 6), sugarloaf bay eildon (image 7), steavenson falls (image 8), cumberland falls (image 9)

Published: The Age, Sat 14 October 1933 Published title: A Royal Portrait Published caption: "Seen at his studio, Alphington, Mr. W. B. Mclnnes's portrait of the Duke of York, which he painted recently on commission from the trustees of the Castlemaine Gallery, at St. John’s Wood, London, impresses as a vital record of one whose natural habitat is a palace, and whose place in life is one of near relationship to the throne of England. The Duke is painted in the uniform of the admiral of the fleet, a highly ornate vesture entailing much elaboration of gold and numerous medals, in dealing with which the artist has not failed to centre his attention on the head, and has succeeded in producing what is undoubtedly a soundly painted portrait and a good likeness. During the five fittings Mr. Mclnnes, apart from the ordinary social amenities, found his Royal sitter little inclined to talk, though he spoke feelingly of his trip to Australia and the pleasure it had given him: but with the Duchess the tendency to be sociable was much more clearly pronounced. She took, and expressed, a keen interest in the social and political matters of the day with a special concern for the supremacy of England and Australia in all questions relating to sport, such as cricket, tennis and golf. She spoke well of her portrait painted by Quinn, and regretted that she would not see the two hung side by side at the Castlemaine Gallery." Description: An unframed painting of a standing, middle-aged man dressed in the uniform of a Royal Navy admiral of the Fleet with medals, sash, ornate belt, cuffs and epaulettes. His left hand rests on the handle of a sword in its scabbard and his bicorn hat and white gloves are on a table beside him. To his right is a globe of the world showing Australia. Research by project volunteer, Fiona Collyer: In 1933, Castlemaine Art Gallery trustees commissioned artist W.B. McInnes (1889-1939) to paint a portrait of Prince Albert, Duke of York as a companion piece to the portrait of his wife, the Duchess of York, that the gallery had commissioned Australian official war artist James Quinn (1869-1951) to paint in 1930. During the First World War, the Duchess’s childhood home, Glamis Castle in Scotland was used as a makeshift military hospital and convalescence home for wounded soldiers. Many servicemen from the Castlemaine area recuperated there and had fond memories of the kindness of the teenage Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (1900-2002, later Duchess of York) who spent the war years running errands and aiding in the welfare and morale of the patients. In 1927, the Duke and Duchess of York (later King George VI and Queen Elizabeth) came to Australia to formally open the newly built Parliament House in Canberra and to tour the country. While visiting Victoria in April, they embarked on a whistle-stop train journey to Bendigo, stopping at Kyneton for ten minutes and Castlemaine for 15 minutes. At Kyneton, an excited crowd of 10,000 people welcomed the couple with “three cheers and three cheers for Baby Betty” before the Duchess was presented with a bouquet of locally grown roses and the Duke a bound album of photographs of noted beauty spots of the district. Next the Royal Couple stopped at Castlemaine to the cheers of 15,000 people. There the couple were presented with a basket of prime quality Harcourt apples and a pair of cot blankets, manufactured at Castlemaine Woollen Mills, a birthday gift for baby Princess Betty. The Duchess recognised Colonel W.E. James, of the Seventh Battalion, who had convalesced at Glamis Castle in 1917, and they chatted before the train departed, while the Duke shook hands with returned soldiers. Last stop was the town of Bendigo which was colourfully decorated with bunting and flags, arches and flowers. 3000 pigeons were released on their arrival and the liberated birds circled overhead for several minutes as if to welcome the Royal Couple. A crowd of 50,000 cheering people lined the streets in bright sunshine as the couple drove by. From an arch over Hargreaves Street, pretty girls showered the pair with rose petals. The Duke was presented with a gold nugget and an album, handsomely bound in morocco, of a history of the Bendigo mining industry, while the Duchess received a bouquet of prize winning white chrysanthemums. After 75 minutes in Bendigo they journeyed back to Melbourne for a State reception. While the couple were in Melbourne, the Duke often played lawn tennis at the Government House courts with three times Grand Slam champion Norman Brookes, who declared that while he considered the Duke a second class player whose serve lacked sting, he had a fine backhand and with time and practice he could become a first class player. The federal Parliament had previously been situated in Melbourne, but Canberra was chosen as the location for Australia’s capital as a compromise between fierce rival states, Victoria and NSW. It is written in the Constitution that the federal capital would be in “the State of NSW... distant not less than one hundred miles from Sydney.” The word Canberra is thought to derive from the local Ngunnawal word “Kanbarra” meaning “meeting place”. The Provisional Parliament House was a large, white, three storey building facetiously dubbed “The Wedding Cake”, plonked down in a bare, former sheep paddock. It was decorated for the event with Union Jacks and Australian red ensign flags. On 9 May, the day of the opening, the expectant crowd assembled in front of the building. Only two of the spectators were Aboriginal. One was Jimmy Clements (1847-1927, aka Nangar or Yangar, but popularly known as “King Billy”), accompanied by his three dogs. (The title “King” or “Queen” was often given by white settlers to Aborigines who were seen as allies and could maintain good relations between First Nations groups and the colonists. Some were given inscribed brass breastplates or gorgets to wear.) Jimmy was an excellent horse breaker and expert tracker for the police. He was also the nephew of “Queen” Nellie Hamilton (1842-1897) of the Canberra-Queanbeyan region, home of the Ngambri and Ngunnawal people. Nellie was the oldest surviving full-blooded Aboriginal woman in the district. The other was George John Noble (1840s-1928, aka Ooloogan, also “Marvellous” due to his regular use of the word). Both were initiated Wiradjuri walamira elders: “clever men” believed to have the ability to heal physical and spiritual ailments. They were also travelling showmen, skilled at boomerang and spear throwing and often performed at country agricultural shows and football matches. They had walked barefoot for three days from the Brungle Mission, near Gundagai. 11 May 1927, The Argus reported that “King Billy... claims sovereign rights to the Federal Territory” which the National Archives of Australia describes as “possibly the first recorded instance of Aboriginal protest at Parliament House in Canberra.” 10 May 1927, The Argus reported on Jimmy Clements: “During the wait great interest was taken in the appearance near the east stand of an aborigine, a member of the Gundagai tribe, and a well known character in the district. He was very old and grey and ruggedly picturesque. He was determined to go his own way in spite of the arguments of two inspectors and one sergeant of police. Immediately and instinctively the crowd in the stands rallied to his side. There were choruses of advice and encouragement for him to do as he pleased. A well-known clergyman stood up and called out that the aborigine had a better right than any man present to a place on the steps of the House of Parliament and in the Senate during the ceremony. The old man’s persistence and the sympathy of the crowd won him an excellent position and also a shower of small change that must have amounted to 30/ or 40/ [shillings].” At 10.30 am, Australia’s eighth Prime Minister, Mr Stanley Bruce (1923-1929) welcomed the Royal couple onto the crimson carpeted portico. Unfortunately, Dame Nellie Melba’s rendition of “God Save the King” and the greater part of the Duke’s reply was drowned out by the roar of squadrons of aeroplanes circling overhead. A brief religious service followed, conducted by leaders of the Methodist, Presbyterian and Anglican churches. Interestingly, there was no Roman Catholic representation at the ceremony even though around one quarter of Australians were Catholic at the time. The Duke unlocked the front doors with a golden key, then unveiled a statue of his father King George V by sculptor Sir Bertram Mackennal in the King’s Hall. Then the official party, Senators, members of the House of Representatives and invited guests entered the Senate chamber where the Duke read a message from the King, establishing Canberra as the seat of the Federal Government, watched on by Australia’s elite. The conclusion of the ceremony was announced by a gay fanfare of trumpets from the entrance of Parliament House and a 21 gun salute and answered by cheers from the crowd. The dignitaries then feasted on a luncheon of turtle soup, poached schnapper, fillets of beef, roast chicken and ham, straw potatoes, green peas, Canberra Pudding (a pudding made with dripping, dried fruit and jam), fruit, ices, coffee and cheese. They toasted the King with non-alcoholic fruit punch as the Federal Capital Territory (later ACT) was a “dry” area and no speeches were made. The diary entry that day of Ethel Baird, Lady Stonehaven, the wife of the Governor-General, is brief and to the point: “To P.H. & waited for Yorks. Ceremony went off without a hitch. Ghastly Banquet Lunch.” Later that day, the Duke mounted a coal black mare, police horse Number 303 which had been hastily re-named “Black Bess” for the occasion, to receive the final salute from the assembled troops and returned soldiers dressed in mufti. The RAAF squadron were flying overhead in “V” formations when suddenly, one of the planes, piloted by Flying Officer Francis Charles Ewen, left the formation, nose-diving 900 metres from Parliament House and landing behind the Y.W.C.A. refreshment marquee. Francis, aged only 28, tragically died of his wounds later that day. The Federal Capital Commission contracted Sargent’s Pies of Sydney to supply 5000 meals for the event. They supplied pies, sausage rolls, scones and sandwiches with the agreed price of 3 shillings a head. Only 1200 meals were served and the uneaten remainder dumped, with the Commission bearing the cost of the unsold food. An estimated crowd of 20,000 attended the opening, far fewer than the expected 100,000. Many visitors travelled long distances, bringing their own hampers of food and camping in tents as there was very limited accommodation available. Thousands of people around Australia listened to the ceremony broadcast on the wireless, with receiving sets installed in schools, public halls and workplaces and it was also filmed for posterity. The next morning, the Royal couple, along with Prime Minister Bruce and Mrs Bruce held an informal public reception on the steps of Parliament House where early settlers, residents and visitors to Canberra filed past them. The Press widely reported Jimmy Clements’ encounter with the Duke and Duchess. The Sun-Pictorial reported 11 May 1927: "MET THE DUKE. ABORIGINE KING HE APPROVED Sugarbag: Sports Suit. John Clements, otherwise King Billy, a full blooded aborigine king, aged 86, was among the 2000 who filed past the Duke and the Duchess at the public reception at Canberra to day. “How you likem Duke and Duchess Billy?” he was asked afterwards. “I think they are both very nice.” he replied in good English. King Billy was a very bedraggled figure, with tangled locks and a beard which almost hid his wrinkled and black face. He wore an old sports suit and carried a sugarbag. Passing the Duke and Duchess he turned full towards them. The crowd cheered, and the Duke and Duchess smiled. The Duke was particularly amused.” The Canberra Times reported 13 May 1927: "A REAL AUSTRALIAN. A quaint but pathetic figure stood in broad relief in the queue of ranks at the reception. Where his dusky forbears have gathered in native ceremonial for centuries past, a lone representative of a fast vanishing race saluted visiting Royalty. Despite the grotesque garb and untamed mane the aborigine comported himself not without dignity. With his three faithful dogs, he made an immediate target for a battery of cameras.” "The Argus reported 11 May 1927: "...an ancient aborigine who calls himself King Billy and who claims sovereign rights to the federal Territory walked slowly forward alone and saluted the Duke and Duchess. They cheerily acknowledged his greeting. The old aborigine, with his long, matted beard and nondescript clothing, is a popular identity of Canberra, and must be one of the most extraordinary figures who has received a Royal salute.” The Sun (Sydney) reported 10 May 1927: “Suddenly, in the midst of the forest of green and white colored hats of women, appeared a head with a shaggy leonine mane and a patriarchal beard. Jacky, the aboriginal, an identity of the district, who is also known as the King of Canberra, had arrived to testify to his loyalty. He saluted the Duke with an excellent dash, and shambled past with his faithful sheep dog aide-de-camp at his heels. The Duke and Duchess were highly amused at this quaint figure moving along with a sort of bodyguard of shrieking young boys and girls.” The Sydney Morning Herald 11 May 1927 mistook Jimmy for his friend “Marvellous”: “...the appearance of an aged aboriginal widely known in the district as “Marvellous, the uncrowned king of Queanbeyan." His beaming black countenance was almost hidden beneath a shock of hair and beard. Bare-footed and carrying a sugar bag in one hand and a tiny Australian flag in the other, he at first mistook a policeman at the foot of the steps for the Duke. To his great embarrassment and to the vast amusement of the onlookers, the policeman became the object of a hearty salutation. However, "Marvellous" was quickly shepherded back to a position in the procession and as he passed along brought his hand up to an approved military salute for the benefit of their Royal Highnesses. The Duke returned it with a special wave.” The Labor Daily 11 May 1927 irreverently reported on the scene: "People March Past. Some 400 people, old identities of Canberra marched past. They were mostly aged ladies with memories faithfully preserving the traditions of other days and curtsied reverently. The younger generations, who speedily joined the procession, behaved differently however. Surely it was the most motley collection that ever passed before Royalty. Men without collars jostled others well dressed. Fat women, young women, children of all heights and ages were there. The oldest inhabitants, in the persons of the abo, "Marbly", and his companion were present. The poor old fellows evidently were keen to get closer to the Duke than the procession dared go, but they were overawed by the stern glances of military men.” The Canberra Times reported 13 May 1927: "...and towards the end of the procession, a full-blooded aboriginal, bareheaded and barefooted, and carrying an old swag on his back, made a picturesque figure as he several times saluted the Royal couple, his old eyes beaming inexpressible delight.” The Register reported 11 May 1927: "PUBLIC MARCH PAST. Old “Jacky”, an aboriginal identity of the district, who has been following the proceedings of the various ceremonies with apparently great interest, appeared in the march past. He halted in front of the steps and raised his hand to his shaggy grey locks in an attempt at a salute. Smiling, the Duke returned the salute, and the Duchess bestowed a charming smile on the figure of mingled pathos and comedy.” Tweed Daily reported 12 May 1927: “King Billy” WAS THERE. Appropriately enough, the inevitable “King Billy” with his refreshing impression of possum and gum-leaves, was present at the dedication of the Federal capital at Canberra. Bare-footed, in a dingy old suit and battered felt hat, he wandered on to the empty stand after the illustrious assemblage had passed into Parliament House. A desolate figure in all that he stood for, he proved, an amiable representative of the dispossessed race. He cheerfully waved a Union Jack for the camera man, and grinned into the very eye of a movie man’s camera without flinching.” Footage of Jimmy filmed that day features in the film “The Birth Of White Australia” produced in 1928 and shows him enthusiastically waving a small Union Jack flag in front of Parliament House with his three dogs at his feet. The caption reads " "King Billy" calls for cheers for the son of the great white King across the seas. “Mine tinkit that pfellers father budgeree King liket me” supposedly says Jimmy." Jimmy told the Daily Telegraph, 13 May 1927 “I have opened your Parliament House on my own ground, now you can go and look at it." Jimmy died on 28 August 1927, aged 80. The Herald newspaper on 30 August 1927, published an illustration depicting Jimmy’s dog standing on his grave, his customary chimney pot hat leaning on his headstone. The caption reads: “The Dead King — His Only Mourner. Drawn by Will Dyson (King Billy, last of the Canberra aborigines, lived just long enough to see the Duke of York open Australia’s capital on the site where his tribe once roamed. He died in the Queanbeyan Hospital yesterday morning.)” A letter published in the Sydney Morning Herald, 19 September 1927 reported: "Old King Billy... Sir, ...I would like to mention... the passing away of one, if not the last remaining aboriginal chieftains. He may be called “Old King Billy,” and his death occurred here in Queanbeyan a few weeks ago. The removal of this well-known black has left another big gap in all that remains distinctively Australian in character. He was one of the last remaining tribe of the Monaro district, and one of the most predominant personalities throughout the Commonwealth. ...he had lived through 80 years all told. He was on many occasions sought by artists for his splendid physique and personality as a model, and many a journey he has had to make to Sydney on that account. A more striking and pronounced type could not be found. ...A very fine cast in lifelike form is to be seen in the Australian Museum, Sydney ...his last important appearance in public was at the Commonwealth celebrations at Canberra, to which territory he partly belonged. ...we have no aborigine statue chiselled to the memory of their race, a more fitting and lasting memorial could not be undertaken than to have one modelled from this fine figure and erected to the memory of his race at Canberra... It would be a fitting adornment if planted with the Australian gumtrees for any avenue or garden. [King Billy] ...a very intelligent fellow, responding readily to kindness and common sense. Hoping yet to see a befitting testimonial and a lasting memorial to a race that is rapidly and I may say, unfortunately, disappearing, I am etc., SYDNEY R.OAKLEY, Queanbeyan." The “lifelike form” referred to by the correspondent was a sculpture that Jimmy Clements had posed for: “The Wunderlich Aboriginal Group” for The Australian Museum in Sydney. In 1925, Mr Ernest Wunderlich, director of Wunderlich Limited, manufacturer of building materials and President of the Board of Trustees at The Australian Museum, commissioned renowned sculptor George Rayner Hoff (sculptor of the Anzac Memorial in Hyde Park, Sydney, National War Memorial in Adelaide, and “Lion” the original Holden Motor Company car emblem) to sculpt a life sized Aboriginal family group diorama as a gift to the Museum. There was much concern at this time that the Aboriginal population and especially the “full blooded” were fading into oblivion so fast that they may soon become extinct. Three “full blooded” Aborigines were chosen for models. An article in The Australian Museum magazine, July/September 1926 about The Wunderlich Aboriginal Group explained “...it will not be many years before the aborigine, in New South Wales and Victoria at least, will be an entity of the past. Every year sees a shrinkage in their number, and the coastal tribes that once roamed the Sydney district are, unfortunately, no longer with us. ...the man, who is hurling a boomerang, is Yangar, or “Jimmy Clements,” son of Gayan-Bleuet-Galoom, the late “King of Orange,” western New South Wales. “Jimmy” is an old man, but well preserved. He has a very retentive memory and recollects the various tribal customs and initiation ceremonies, but regarding these he is extremely reticent and will not communicate his “honoured secrets.” The female figure is “Nellie Walker,” a daughter of Geri-Bungel, and a native of Bombala, Monaro district, southern New South Wales. The boy is Harold Marsh, aged nine years, who was born at Kinchela, Macleay River, northern New South Wales. He is now living at the Brewarrina settlement... In the selection of aborigines great care had to be taken to ensure that the individuals were pure bloods, and to the Aborigines’ Protection Board and the Police Department of this State thanks are due for the valuable assistance rendered by them.” Ngarigo woman, Nellie Bungil Walker (1867-1932) had five children, two died as babies and her remaining children were taken from her. She worked as a domestic and was living at La Perouse Aboriginal Community, Sydney at the time of her sculpture’s creation. In the years after the sculpture was made, Nellie and Rayner remained friends. Yaegl boy Harold “Harry” Marsh was from the Kinchela Aboriginal Training Home for boys near Kempsey, (1924-1970), an agricultural training institution under the jurisdiction of the Aboriginal Protection Board to house Aboriginal boys forcibly removed from their families “in the interest of the moral or physical welfare” of the boys. The boys at Kinchela were aged 5-15 years old and referred to as numbers, not names and any connection to Aboriginal culture or language was forbidden. Brutal and cruel physical punishment and sexual assaults were rampant. Survivors recall being flogged and chained naked to a huge Morton Bay fig tree overnight or “sent down the line” where every boy was ordered to punch the “wrong doer” as hard as possible for fear that they would be next. The Kinchela children are acknowledged as part of the Stolen Generation. In 1925, Rayner Hoff created a terracotta bust “Harry Marsh” which is in the collection of the Art Gallery of New South Wales. The figures of the trio were modelled in clay before being cast in plaster and hand-coloured by Museum artist Miss Ethel A. King. The finished figures were completed with wigs and fur pelts and with Jimmy hurling a boomerang and Nellie holding a dilly-bag. They were placed in a glass cabinet in the Australian Ethnology Gallery. The subjects were not named. The Sydney Morning Herald 1 July 1926 critiqued the sculptures. "A GROUP OF STATUARY. MUSEUM’S ACQUISITION. Artistically the group is very fine, for the sculptor has caught his subjects in attitudes that reveal all the stalwart athletic lines of their bodies... The man, who is depicted as about 60 years of age, is bearded, immense, and savagely primitive-is throwing a boomerang, and beside him a boy, aged about 11 years is following beneath a shading hand, the flight of birds at which the hunter aims. Behind them, patient, obedient, stand(s) the woman waiting with her dilly bag to gather the spoils.” In 1996, Nellie’s daughter, Victoria Kempsey née Walker, happened to visit The Australian Museum and saw the sculpture of her mother, displayed semi-naked in a glass cabinet, alongside glass cabinets of taxidermied animals. She had last seen her mother 62 years previously when Nellie was dying from tuberculosis. Greatly distressed, Victoria wrote to the Museum requesting that they remove the sculpture, which they did. In 2023, a documentary was produced called “Her Name Is Nanny Nellie” which follows the journey of Nellie Walker’s great-granddaughter Auntie Irene Ridgeway discovering Nellie’s story, honouring her life and restoring her sculpture. Irene told Refinery29 Australia that “It was about reclaiming her life, reclaiming her history and who she really was as a real person. She was not a naked and unnamed lady standing in a museum. It's giving them back their families, they weren't just there to be looked at as flora and fauna or as 'natives'." The documentary was written and directed by Irene’s son Daniel King and premiered at the 2023 Adelaide Film Festival and broadcast on NITV. The restored sculpture of Nellie, dressed in 1920s style clothing was displayed at The Australian Museum, Sydney in The Bayala Nura Gallery in 2023. Irene wanted Nellie to be depicted in the way she actually was when she posed for the sculpture in 1925. The other two sculptures were not displayed due to ongoing conversations with family members and the fragility of the sculptures. It is anticipated that they may be displayed in the future. Melbourne born William Beckwith (Bill) McInnes (1889-1939) studied drawing at National Gallery School in Melbourne from the age of 14 under the tuition of artist Frederick McCubbin before succeeding his former teacher as Master of Drawing at the School from 1916-1934. He was acting Director of the NGV and Head of the National Gallery School from 1934. In 1927, Bill and official war artist H. Septimus Power were commissioned to paint the opening of the new federal Parliament House in Canberra. Septimus painted the general scene of the arrival of the Royal entourage in front of Parliament House, while Bill depicted the ceremony inside the Senate chamber. Bill was widely acclaimed for his landscapes and lauded as the heir to great Australian landscape artist Arthur Streeton. He won the Archibald Prize seven times (including the inaugural, a portrait of architect Desbrowe Annear) which made him a highly sought after portrait painter and he earned kudos for his commission to paint the Duke of York. During the breaks in painting the portrait, the pair chatted and Bill was surprised by the Duke’s wide knowledge of Australian affairs. The Duke was particularly interested to hear how the rabbit crisis was being handled. Bill’s work is held in major Australian galleries including the NGV, which has 12 of his paintings in their collection. Bill was married to fellow artist Violet McInnes and they lived at “The Poplars” in Alphington with their six children. Violet painted still life of flowers and portraits. In 1941, she entered her portrait of fellow artist Sybil Craig into the Archibald Prize and in 1945 Violet was appointed an official war artist. Defending his traditional style Bill said “...we in Australia have not been bitten by Cubism or Futurism or other of the “isms”...and I am glad of it”. References: THE DUCHESS OF YORK. (1931, December 7). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 8. Retrieved April 3, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4427568 WAR NURSE (1930, March 11). The Sun (Sydney, NSW : 1910 - 1954), p. 1. Retrieved April 3, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article223714728 The Royal Visit. (1927, April 29). The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), p. 9. Retrieved April 4, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article205813465 Canberra. (1927, April 30). Advocate (Burnie, Tas. : 1890 - 1954), p. 5. Retrieved January 10, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article68233606 Australian Dictionary of Biography, Nangar, https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/nangar-33736 Australian Dictionary of Biography, Jimmy Clements, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Clements Wikipedia, George John Noble, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_John_Noble PARLIAMENT AT CANBERRA. (1927, May 14). The Australasian (Melbourne, Vic. : 1864 - 1946), p. 37 (METROPOLITAN EDITION). Retrieved December 25, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article140733921 CANBERRA CEREMONY (1927, May 10). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 19. Retrieved November 3, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3853643 CANBERRA. (1927, May 11). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 20. Retrieved November 24, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3853897 THE FINAL SCENES (1927, May 11). The Labor Daily (Sydney, NSW : 1924 - 1938), p. 5. Retrieved January 10, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article236614453 TWIN SONS (1927, May 10). The Sun (Sydney, NSW : 1910 - 1954), p. 11. Retrieved April 4, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article223616143 National Archives of Australia, Aboriginal [Jimmy Clements, a Wiradjuri elder] on steps of Parliament House (King Billy), https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=3050026 Sydney Morning Herald, The chant of Jimmy Clements: I’ll do the honours on my ground, thanks, https://www.smh.com.au/national/the-chant-of-jimmy-clements-i-ll-do-the-honours-on-my-ground-thanks-20241023-p5kkt5.html MET THE DUKE (1927, May 11). The Sun News-Pictorial (Melbourne, Vic. : 1922 - 1954; 1956), p. 14. Retrieved November 3, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article275177101 PUBLIC MARCH PAST. (1927, May 11). The Register (Adelaide, SA : 1901 - 1929), p. 11. Retrieved April 2, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article54271512 A REAL AUSTRALIAN (1927, May 13). The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995), p. 12. Retrieved December 18, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1213124 THE PEOPLE'S DAY (1927, May 13). The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995), p. 3. Retrieved April 3, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1213105 KING BILLY" WAS THERE. (1927, May 12). Tweed Daily (Murwillumbah, NSW : 1914 - 1949), p. 2. Retrieved November 27, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article190193273 A BUSY DAY. (1927, May 11). The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), p. 15. Retrieved November 3, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article16374845 Nothing Wrong With Canberra Opening, Says "King Billy" (1927, May 13). The Daily Telegraph (Sydney, NSW : 1883 - 1930), p. 2. Retrieved November 3, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article245750627 THIS IS MARVELLOUS! (1927, May 11). The Sun News-Pictorial (Melbourne, Vic. : 1922 - 1954; 1956), p. 16. Retrieved December 9, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article275177155 Mildenhall's Canberra, Royal Visit, May 1927. Canberra citizens passing the Royal Party on the front steps of Parliament House at the Civic Reception 1927 [photograph], https://mildenhall.moadoph.gov.au/rephoto/62 Australian Dictionary of Biography, 1927 - Jimmy Clements, John Noble, and the Opening of Parliament House, https://adb.anu.edu.au/the-quest-for-indigenous-recognition/jimmy-clements YouTube, The Birth of White Australia (1928), amateurish racism on the big screen [Jimmy Clements at 11.12 minutes in], https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OByX4iPsTgo YouTube, We Were Just Little Boys, https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=u4Hw9d91k2E WASTE AT CANBERRA. (1927, May 20). The South Eastern Times (Millicent, SA : 1906 - 1954), p. 1. Retrieved April 4, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article200058308 YouTube, Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House, Whispers in the Corridors-An Aboriginal Presence, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwifXP61M5Y History Snoop, Air Fatality in Canberra Scars an Historic Day in Australia, https://www.historysnoop.com/air-fatality-in-canberra/ YouTube, NFSA Films, The Opening Of Canberra, Australia's Capital City, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOA8llA0iE0 Pauline Conolly, Pudding & Pies at Parliament House, https://paulineconolly.com/2022/pudding-and-pies-at-parliament-house/ THE MENU (1927, May 5). The Sun (Sydney, NSW : 1910 - 1954), p. 13 (FINAL EXTRA). Retrieved April 2, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article223623278 PROMISING (1927, May 7). The Sun (Sydney, NSW : 1910 - 1954), p. 2. Retrieved December 15, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article223616208 The Dead King -- His Only Mourner (1927, August 30). The Herald (Melbourne, Vic. : 1861 - 1954), p. 6. Retrieved November 3, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article244196114 The VOICE of the CITY (1927, August 31). The Daily Telegraph (Sydney, NSW : 1883 - 1930), p. 4. Retrieved December 26, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article246406061 THE LAST OF HIS TRIBE. (1927, September 2). Bairnsdale Advertiser and Tambo and Omeo Chronicle (Vic. : 1882 - 1946), p. 6. Retrieved December 24, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article269318935 GONE WEST. (1927, September 17). The Irwin Index (Mingenew, WA : 1926 - 1956), p. 1. Retrieved December 23, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article251554113 King Billy Dead. (1927, September 10). The Port Macquarie News and Hastings River Advocate (NSW : 1882 - 1950), p. 5. Retrieved December 1, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article112534982 DEATH OF KING BILLY OF CANBERRA. (1927, September 16). Huon Times (Franklin, Tas. : 1910 - 1933), p. 5. Retrieved December 23, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article136428435 OLD KING BILLY. (1927, September 19). The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), p. 5. Retrieved November 19, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article16404722 "Marvellous" is Dead. (1928, March 30). The Gundagai Times and Tumut, Adelong and Murrumbidgee District Advertiser (NSW : 1868 - 1931), p. 2. Retrieved December 8, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article122748136 LAST OF LACHLAN RIVER TRIBE (1926, May 3). Evening News (Sydney, NSW : 1869 - 1931), p. 7. Retrieved December 18, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article117289515 Coal Strike Effects (1926, June 11). The Daily Telegraph (Sydney, NSW : 1883 - 1930), p. 14. Retrieved November 30, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article245759732 SBS On Demand, Her name is Nanny Nellie, https://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/movie/her-name-is-nanny-nellie/2300137539512 The Australian Museum Magazine, Vol. 2, No. 11, July-Sept 1926, The Wunderlich Aboriginal Group, https://shorturl.at/uViTe ABC News, King Billy and Marvellous were not invited to the 1927 opening of Parliament House — but that didn't stop their fight for sovereignty, https://shorturl.at/HGpjC Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House, The thieving diva: behind the scenes of the opening ceremony at Parliament House, https://www.moadoph.gov.au/explore/stories/heritage/the-thieving-diva-behind-the-scenes-of-the-opening-ceremony-at-parliament Refinery29, Beyond a museum glass case: one First Nations woman's quest to reclaim her ancestors' story, https://www.refinery29.com/en-au/my-name-is-nelly-documentary-irene-ridgeway-interview Sydney Morning Herald, Why it took 100 years to restore the dignity of Nanny Nellie, https://www.smh.com.au/national/why-it-took-100-years-to-restore-the-dignity-of-nanny-nellie-20230719-p5dpjo.html Australian Museum, Meeting Nanny Nellie, https://australian.museum/publications/explore_summer2024/nanny-nellie/ ABORIGINES. (1926, July 1). The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), p. 14. Retrieved November 29, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article16302447 Wikipedia, Kinchela Aboriginal Boys Training Home, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinchela_Aboriginal_Boys%27_Training_Home Art Gallery NSW, Harry Marsh by Rayner Hoff, https://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/collection/works/59.2000/ Art Gallery of South Australia, Lion (produced for the Holden Motor Company) by Rayner Hoff, https://www.agsa.sa.gov.au/collection-publications/collection/works/lion-produced-for-the-holden-motor-company/27253/ Wikipedia, William Beckwith McInnes, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Beckwith_McInnes DUKE OF YORK PORTRAIT UNIVEILED IN CASTLEMAINE GALLERY (1933, December 4). The Sun News-Pictorial (Melbourne, Vic. : 1922 - 1954; 1956), p. 18. Retrieved April 4, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article276125581 Castlemaine Art Museum, Portrait of His Royal Majesty the Duke of York, https://collection.castlemaineartmuseum.org.au/objects/181/portrait-of-his-royal-majesty-the-duke-of-yorkPhotographer notations on slide: "Portrait of Duke of York by W.B. McInnes 1933 B4".1930-1939, aboriginal culture, royal visits, openings (events), sculpture, land rights, museums, museum displays

Enlarged copy of photograph, original held by Myers Family, formerly of Barmah. Cafe in photograph served meals, afternoon tea. Meals 1/6 each (18 c), pot of tea 9 d (8 c), sandwiches 1/- (10 c), wages 1 pound per week ($2). 1930. Smaller duplicate also. Shop had been a jewellery store beforehand. Later proprietors: Mr and Mrs Nicholls, Misses May and Annie Maher, Mr and Mrs H. Hedges, Mr and Mrs N. Cuthbert, Mr and Mrs J. King, Mr and Mrs Meola, Turkish Cafe, C.Y.S.S. Centre, Pizza bar.Black and white photograph of early cafe in Hogan Street, Tatura, operated by Nell Myers and Sarah Colliver, 19301930 - Nell Myers and Sarah (girlie) Colliver Boomerang Cafe (177) Hogan Street, Tatura.nell myers, sarah colliver, boomerang cafe tatura, n. lenehan

This traditional wagga blanket was made by Mrs Eileen Pattle between 1942 and 1950. The wagga was used as everyday bedding, as Eileen and her husband had very few possessions. They boarded with a man who they called “Old Harry” in Footscray. Old Harry had recently lost his wife and looked after the young couple well. They could stay with him and use his house as their own, and all that Old Harry asked for in return was for Eileen to cook him one good meal a day. The blanket was given to Mrs Beverley (Bev) Maguire, the daughter of Eileen, when she and her husband went camping one winter. Her husband was a “mad” fisherman and on one trip on which Bev joined him, her father offered the couple his old tent, that had a wall missing, and the wagga. The wagga was much appreciated as when the couple woke in the countryside, it was freezing, and they could see snow through the missing tent wall. From then on, the tent and the wagga were theirs. The wagga saw many more camping trips until the arrival of Bev’s “lovely new lightweight and down filled sleeping bag”. The wagga was made with a “make do, waste not, want not” attitude. The wagga started as an army issued blanket. The front layer has clothing and panels of mismatched material which has been added to over time. This includes an overcoat, two knitted garments, a panel from a skirt, and a panel from Old Harry’s Trousers. It also includes a man’s sleeveless knitted vest, and a knitted pram blanket. This is all stitched together with string, and the odd button. Bev said she would love to unpick the quilt to see what else is hiding inside but has resisted the urge to do so. All these layers have made the blanket incredibly warm, and heavy. The wagga has been within Bev’s family since creation and comes into the National Wool Museum Collection after serving the family well. It was used to keep everyone warm when not camping over many a winter’s night. Beverley is now getting on in years and donated the Wagga to the National Wool Museum in 2021. Her family referred to the wagga as a “collection of rags”, indicating to her that they did not wish to inherit the blanket. The wagga started as an army issue blanket. It has been made by stitching the khaki army blanket onto a hessian rear. The front layer has clothing and panels of mismatched material. This includes an overcoat, two knitted garments, a panel from a skirt, and a panel from Old Harry’s Trousers. It also includes a man’s sleeveless knitted vest, and a knitted pram blanket. This is all stitched together with string, and the odd button. It is thought that other materials are hiding within the layers of this wagga, however, uncovering these layers would involve unpicking the quilt. The wagga is 1360 x 1880mm, sized to suit a double bed. It is a heavy blanket, originating from all its panels of mismatched reused clothing. The wagga is well worn but has lasted almost 80 years. It has holes that have been lovingly re-stitched.wagga, quilt, upcycle

Leadcourt Homestead was built about 1868 by Mr. John Holt. Stone was transported from Mr Difficult. The Governor was entertained here in 1868 when he opened the Stawell Railway Station. One Sectionof the gable wing contained a bath large enough to swim in. 7115, 7115.1 Exterior of Ledcourt. 7115.2 Mrs Ethel Cooper facing lleft at the front entrance. 7119.3 View showing the office and rear of the homestead. 7114.4 Toilet block two section each able to seat two adults and one child at a time. 7115.5 Office Block. 7115.6: John Holt drowned in this dam in November 1876 in 10 feet of water. 7115.7 view of the grindstone ath the bace of an Oak tree. the bell was used to to call people to eat meals.A Group of 9 Colour Photos showing Leadcourt Homested.

John Grant was ordained in 1974 and served at Devonport-La Trobe in Tasmania, St Kilda, the Presbytery of Maribyrnong Valley as Presbytery Minister. He resigned from the ministry following his service as Presbytery Minister.B & W photograph of the Rev. John Grant, Mrs Rosemary Grant, and adopted Korean girl being served a Korean meal."Church and Nation" for 17 October 1984rev. john grant; mrs rosemary grant; presbytery of maribyrnong valley; st kilda; devonport-la trobe tasmania; presbytery minister, korean adoption

Published in c1948 by Wightons Print, 215 Moreland Road, Coburg. These chapbooks were sold door to door after WWII by members of the Partially Blinded Soldiers Association in Victoria to fundraise for the association. The Association was established in 1924 to serve the interests and welfare of partially blinded returned soldiers. The author, George Robert Riley (late AIF and AMF) was born in Drouin in 1890; died in 1952. He trained as a compositor. Served in France and was partially blinded during WWI. He also enlisted during WW2 when he seems to have lowered his age. There do not appear to be many copies of this publication that have survived. It does not appear in either the State Library of Victoria or the National Library of Australia catalogue. The Museum of Victoria may have a copy. Apart from its significance as a fundraiser for returned soldiers, it documents culinary fashions in the post-WW2 period. Although a number of the recipes in Part 1 have exotic names, they are yet to be influenced by post-war migration to Australia.A 32 page booklet held by 2 metal staples. The paper is stained and embrittled but was probably originally cream. The cover depicts a soldier at rest under a palm tree dreaming of home and a hearty meal. Printed in shades of green and grey-black. This is Part One of Two. The chapbook contains 140 recipes, mostly broadly Anglo-European. Nilchapbooks, ww2, wightons print, mrs kate brennan, partially blind soldiers association, george robert riley