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8th/13th Victorian Mounted Rifles Regimental Collection
Booklet - Owen, Owen Gun Instruction Book
The Owen Machine Carbine was designed and manufactured in Australia in 1942 when Australia was in desperate need of weapons.The OMC proved highly effective and remained in service till 1960s.Rare publication to accompanyweapon designed and manufactured in Australia during WW11Natural covered booklet " Owen gun Instruction Book " published by Lysaght's Port Kembla July 1942 to accompany weapons manufactured at te Company's plant. 42 pages and fold out sheet, stapled.military, owen, machine carbine, wwii, world war two, lithgow -
Charlton RSL Sub Branch
Photograph - Framed photograph Edward Owen, Black and white photograph Edward Owen
Small frame with black and white photograph Edward 'Ted' Owen in military uniform.Ted Owen -
Federation University Art Collection
Ceramic - Artwork - Ceramics, Untitled [Jar] by Owen Rye, c1985
Owen RYE (05.11.1944 - ) Born Cooma, New South Wales Internationally recognised in the field of Ceramics, Owen Rye was a lecturer at the School of Visual Arts, Gippsland Institute of Advanced Education (incorporated into Monash University 1992), 1985-91 and senior Lecturer at the Gippsland Centre for Art and Design, Monash University (later Federation University) from 1992-2003. Proficient in the use of the wood-fired Anagama kilm, the surface of his work is dependant upon the placement of the item in the kiln, with ash glaze developing where ash and embers coat the form. Wheelthrown Anagama [woodfired] stoneware. Jan Feder Memorial Ceramics Collectionjan feder memorial collection, jan feder, owen rye, ceramics, gippsland campus, artwork, artist, gippsland centre for art and design -
4th/19th Prince of Wales's Light Horse Regiment Unit History Room
Weapon - Bayonet for Owen, Slazenger, Bayonet for Owen Machine Carbine, 1944
Type of equipment used by the RegimentBayonet for Owen Machine Carbine, 25 cm blade, w/scabbardX CA SLAZ44 SLAZ Government arrowbayonet, owen -
Australian Queer Archives
Uniform - Textiles, Owen Huckel's Roo BC overlay, c.1970s-1980s, c1975
This motorcycle club overlay belonged to former Roo BC [Roo Bike Club] President Owen Huckel, and dates from the mid 1970s. Prior to joining Roo BC, Huckel was a member and President of Australia's first gay motorcycle club, South Pacific Motor Club or SPMC, established in 1970. Among the Papers of Noel Lewington held by the Australian Queer Archives are two large photograph albums compiled by Huckel documenting his involvement in SPMC and Roo BC, including one which documents a trip to the USA in 1972-1973, comprising 366 photographs, maps, and ephemera documenting club runs with many west coast clubs. Sleeveless denim jacket, with yellow ribbon trim around the sleeve holes, with small patches and a metal badge on the chest, and a large back patch on the back.gay, motorcycle club -
Whitehorse Historical Society Inc.
Photograph, Cr. Owen Goldsborough - Mayor, 1963
Coloured Photograph of Cr. Owen Genn Goldsborough , Mayor, City of Nunawading, August 1963 to August 1964goldsborough, owen, city of nunawading, mayor -
Ringwood and District Historical Society
Document, In Memorium leaflet for Reginal Owen Spencer 19th. July 1917-12th. May 1896 St. Paul's Church , Ringwood
Reginald Owen Spencer was on the Ringwood Council from 1953-1963 and was Mayor in 1958/59. Buff coloured bifold leaflet with typed printing . In memorium to Reginal Owen Spencer. Two hymns printed inside. -
National Vietnam Veterans Museum (NVVM)
Audio - Audio, CD, Doug Owen: the folk song album with encores by Lenore Somerset
Popular songs from the 1960'spopular music - australia -
National Vietnam Veterans Museum (NVVM)
Audio - Audio, CD, Doug Owen at the Copper Inne with the Hayes Brothers
Songs recorded by Doug Owen (a Vietnam Veteran)popular music - australia -
Ringwood RSL Sub-Branch
Edged weapon, Owen gun bayonet
Bayonet made to fit Owen machine gun complete with leather and metal scabbardHandle - Slaazenger 52. Scabbard - Mangrovite 44 -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Document - Folder, Owen, Bob and Barbara
Bob and Barbara Owen operate a beekeeping business in Eltham. Bob published The Australian Beekeeping Manual. Contents Newspaper article: "Bob Owen", The Weekly Review, 28 October 2015, Bob and Barbara Owen operate a beekeeping business in Eltham.Newspaper clippings, A4 photocopies, etcbob owen, barbara owen, beekeeping in eltham, the australian beekeeping manual -
4th/19th Prince of Wales's Light Horse Regiment Unit History Room
Document, Owen Machine Carbine, 1950's
A two page document giving a general description of and line drawings of the Owen Machine Carbine This firearm has been rendered inoperativeowen machine carbine -
Greensborough Historical Society
Photograph - Digital image, Marilyn Smith, Grave of Eva and William Owen, St Helena Cemetery, 02/10/1969
The Grave of Eva Christina Owen (died 02/10/1969) and William Richard Owen (died 13/06/1972), St Helena Cemetery.St Helena Cemetery was originally the burial place of the Beale family and friends. The first burials took place in the 1850s. There are now over 200 burials.Digital copy of colour photograph (grave)st helena cemetery, owen family -
Federation University Historical Collection
Letter - Correspondence, The Owen Williams - 3BA Man of the Day 21/12/1967 - E.J. Barker, 22/12/1967
A typed letter on 3BA letterhead announcing that E.J. Barker had been awarded the Owen Williams - 3BA Man of the Day award for 21 December 1967.e.j. barker, owen williams - 3ba man of the day, letterhead -
National Vietnam Veterans Museum (NVVM)
Memorabilia, Memorabilia of Owen Stephen Lind
Contains 1 Article, Clipping showing a photo of 2nd Lt. Owen Lind & Pte. Peter Tonkes in Phuoc Long shortly before they were to return to Australia.vietnam war, 1961-1975 - veterans - australia, 1 rar -
Wangaratta RSL Sub Branch
Bible, Owen RASMUSSEN, 1915
Presented by the British and Foreign Bible Society Victoria to the members of the Victorian Contingent of the Australian Imperial Force volunteering for service in the Defence of the British Empire. Presented to Owen Rasmussen of Castlemaine dated 30/5/1916 - Owen RASMUSSEN MM 6069 60 Battalion AIFThe British and Foreign Bible Society, often known in England and Wales as simply the Bible Society, is a non-denominational Christian Bible society with charity status whose purpose is to make the Bible available throughout the worldSmall light brown coloured bound bookNew Testamentowen rasmussen, ww1, 60 battalion -
Ringwood and District Historical Society
Photograph, Lyell Owen MacKinlay (undated)
P0099c appears to be restored version of original photoWritten on backing, "Lyell Owen MacKinlay". Front of backing sheet lists photographer as "Eden Photo Studios, Melbourne". -
Greensborough Historical Society
Advertisement - Digital image, Diamond Valley News, Owen Holmes - Engine Reconditioning, Greensborough, 1973, 21/08/1973
Advertisement for Owen Holmes - Engine Reconditioning, 171 Para Road Greensborough, 1973.Digital copy of newspaper advertisement.owen holmes, para road greensborough -
City of Ballarat Libraries
Postcard - Card Box Photographs, Owen Sports Store, Sturt Street. Ballarat
W. Owen. Wholesale Tobacconist. Sports Depot. Plate 398 Chuck Photo Series.w. owen, owen's sports store, sturt street, building, commerical -
Bendigo Historical Society Inc.
Book - LETTERS FROM THE BENDIGO DIGGINGS
John Owens (1831-1892) was a Welshman who spent 1853-1863 in Australia, predominantly on the Bendigo goldfields.He was a miner who also initially set up a horse drawn puddling machine, although he sold this in 1857. He gave first hand insight into life on the goldfields through letters he wrote home to his parents. He returned to Wales in 1863 and in 1864 he married his uncles widow, Jane Davis. Jane died in 1872 and John then married Mary Ellen Jackson.Letters from the Bendigo diggings comprising copies of letters written by John Owens to his family in Wales during the years 1854 - 1863 & Letters from Bendigo written by John Owens, Great Grandfather of Charles Paterson. John Owens was in the goldfields of Victoria during the years 1853 - 1863. . One of two books donated by Charles Paterson. Both books spiral bound and contain coloured prints & maps. Books enclosed in plastic sleeve.John Owensperson, family, john owens, history-bendigo-goldfields-family-owens -
Clunes Museum
Photograph, HORNBY STUDIOS, 1933
IT IS ON PERMAMENT LOAN FROM HEPBURN SHIRE CR. S. OWENS J.P. WAS ELECTED TO THE CLUNES BOROUGH COUNCIL IN 1926 AND SERVED AS MAYOR 1933-34. THE PHOTOGRAPH ORIGINALLY HUNG IN THE CLUNES TOWN HALL DURING HIS TERM OF OFFICE.FRAMED PHOTOGRAPH OF CR. SAMUEL OWENS, J.P.CLUNES BOROUGH COUNCIL SAMUEL OWENS, J.P. ELECTED COUNCILLOR 2.12.1926 MAYOR 1933-34 HORNBY STUDIOS. BALLARAT.local history, photography, photographs, councillors & officers -
Port Fairy Historical Society Museum and Archives
Weapon - Sword and Scabard, late 1800s
Associated with Captain William Robertson, Captain of the S.S.Casino, Port Fairy Naval Reserve,Naval Dress Sword and scabard: Naval Dress Sword with brass handle with safety catch and gold thread tassle. Scabard of leather with brass decorationsSword and Crown E.R.VII- Owen Harries 15 Russell Street Landportlocal history, arms, edged weapons, captain william robertson, s.s.casino, port fairy naval reserve, belfast and koroit steam navigation co., boxer rebellion -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Document, Mary Owen, Mary Owen's speech at the unveiling of the Memorial Plaque to her grandfather, Walter Withers, at Walter Withers Reserve, cnr Arthur and Bible Streets, Eltham, 13 October 1990, 1990
Mary Owen was the granddaughter of Walter WithersA4 cream copy paper, typed, 5 pagesdedication, mary owen (walter withers granddaughter), walter withers rock -
Orbost & District Historical Society
photograph, H.M.S. Rattlesnake, leaving Port Essington 1846-1849 BY STANLEY, OWEN
"The marine Hydrographers of the British Admiralty wanted desperately to chart a safe passage through the Great Barrier Reef and the gap between the northern tip of Australia and Papua New Guinea, which would open up the new colony to the East Indies trade. They commissioned the Rattlesnake, a 28 gun frigate of the Royal Navy, whose captain was a keen amateur artist and whose name, Owen Stanley, was given to the mountain ranges of PNG. After the passage out, Stanley brought aboard Oswald Brierly, later to be the marine painter to Queen Victoria, and together these men made two voyages through the Great Barrier Reef, painting and sketching all the while. They produced a visual record of 19th century contact between Europeans and the indigenous people of Northern Australia and New Guinea in an album which contains the original of this copy. It is held in the Mitchell Library in Sydney." (ref. State Library New South Wales) Sir Oswald Brierly, a young marine artist, arrived in Sydney in 1842 on the yacht Wanderer. Settling at the whaling station of Boyd Town in Twofold Bay, he painted extensively and left a vivid account of the whaling life during the five years he spent there. However it was the open sea and adventure that lead Brierly to accept a position on the HMS Rattlesnake as shipboard artist. This item is associated with the anchor of the The Rattlesnake. This anchor is in the main street of Orbost in front of what was once the museum.This is a copy of a picture of the H.M.S. Rattlesnake at sea with a canoe of Aborigines rowing towards it.h.m.s.-rattlesnake brierly-oswald stanley-owen -
Friends of Westgarthtown
Newspaper, Queenslander Herald, No. 963, 1914
Newspaper fragments with German text. Queenslander Herald, In three separate pieces.As per photo.documents, newspapers, queenslander herald, brisbane, german, owen, gardner & sohne, queensland, newspaper. -
Warrnambool and District Historical Society Inc.
Pamphlet, Owens of Warrnambool
This is a brochure produced for the Owens of Warrnambool Farm and Workshop Expo. The story of Owens of Warrnambool began in the 1880s when Flett and Hopkins began a plumbing and blacksmith business in Lava Street. In the early 1900s the business was taken over by Bruce and McClure who added a foundry and produced and serviced farm equipment. In 1945 the business was purchased by four Owen brothers. In 1953 the business became known as Owens of Warrnambool. In 1987 the business was purchased by Alan Lane and following his death in 1995 the business became part of the Alan Lane Foundation. In 2000 the business was transferred to Caramut Road. This brochure is of some interest as it contains information on Owens of Warrnambool, a prominent business in Warrnambool today and one with a significant history in the city. This is an Owens of Warrnambool A4- size fold-out brochure of three pages, printed back to back. There is information on the history of Owens of Warrnambool, Owens Water Industries, Owens Rural and Industrial Supplies and associated firms with their logos. There are black and white and colour photographs and the front page features the Owens logo and a photograph of the shop front in Caramut Road, Warrnamboolowens of warrnambool, warrnambool -
Benalla Art Gallery
Ceramic, WORCESTER ROYAL PORCELAIN, Reticulated vase and cover, c. 1900
Established: Worcester, Worcestershire, England in 1751 by Dr John Wall and William DavisVictorianLedger Bequest, 1993Vase of pierced porcelain with two handles and decorated with gilding.Verso: ROYAL WORCESTER ENGLAND maker's mark in gold centre of base; "871" in gold under maker's mark; "G owen" inscribed below maker's mark; " 61" in black underglaze below inscription; "1K" stamped into base on right of inscription.vase, ceramic, handles, intricate modelling, gilded, worcester -
Hume City Civic Collection
Photograph, 1939 - 1945
This photo is part of a collection of World War II and returned soldiers held in the George Evans Museum and collected by Jeff Cossum, previous curator (1989-1995)A black and white photograph of Owen Edwards wearing a RAAF uniform. (Bust only)on back: Owen Edwards / 119995 LAC RATworld war 2, raaf, uniforms, portraits, royal australian air force, clothing and dress, exservicemen, cossum, jeff, george evans collection -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Photograph, Mary Owen, granddaughter of Walter Withers, unveiling the commemorative plaque on Walter Withers Rock at the corner of Bible and Arthur Streets, Eltham, 13 Oct 1990, 13/10/1990
[from EDHS Newsletter No. 75, November 1990:] WALTER WITHERS PLAQUE At long last we have unveiled our plaque in the Walter Withers Reserve. The function was attended by a number of members and friends of the Society and descendants of the Withers family. Following the unveiling, the group proceeded to the Eltham Shire Office for afternoon tea and a small exhibition of Withers' paintings arranged by Andrew Mackenzie. The unveiling was performed by Mary Owen, a grand-daughter of Walter Withers. Her speech provided an interesting personal perspective on Withers and is repeated in full here: I feel somewhat overwhelmed by the responsibility of paying tribute to the man you have all come to honour today. I have the feeling that most of you probably know more about him and his work than I do. Walter Withers died nearly seven years before I was born and so I never knew him. Sadly, although other members of his family inherited some of his talent, I was not among them and I know very little about art. This is doubly hard to bear because my husband had some ability to draw and my second daughter also has some talent in this direction. My children are all artistic - mostly in the field of music inherited partly from their father - a Welshman who sang like a Welshman - and partly from my grandmother, Fanny Withers who, I believe was no mean pianist. However all this talent gave me a miss and for many years I felt a complete ignoramus in the fields of the arts. It was not until I was nearly fifty years old that I walked into a gallery in Brisbane and, as I wandered around the room, suddenly one picture leapt at me and I knew instantly that it had been painted by my grandfather. I had never seen the picture before and it gave me quite a shock to find that I had recognized the style of painting. I realized then that I had absorbed more than I realized simply by living with pictures and with people who painted them and talked about their painting and the painting of others. When I was a child I sometimes spent school holidays with my Aunt Margery Withers and her husband, Richard McCann. Aunt Marge painted me several times but I'm afraid I was a restless subject and used to sit reading a book and look up grudgingly when she wanted to paint my eyes. During the September holidays my aunt and uncle were busy preparing paintings far the annual exhibition of the Melbourne Twenty Painters, to which they both belonged. I remember how important I used to feel when they took me along to the Athenaeum Gallery on the Friday night before the opening to help hang their pictures. There were many artists there but the two I remember are perhaps surprisingly both women: Miss Bale and Miss Tweddle. I remember how cold it used to be up in that gallery at night. They used to heat water on a gas ring to make tea and Aunt Marge used to bring sandwiches and fruit for our evening meal. Everyone seemed to be poor in those days and no-one dreamed of going out for a meal. It was a case of make-do - even to cutting down frames to fit pictures or cutting pictures to fit the frames. They had to use the same frames from year to year if the pictures didn't sell. The opening was an exciting event for me. I felt I was privileged to meet important people - people who knew a lot more than I - and Uncle Dick would get quite merry after a couple of the tiny sweet sherries which were always distributed. I realise now that quite a lot of "art talk" rubbed off on me during my visits to the Athenaeum and during my stays with my aunt and uncle. I suspect that much of our most useful learning comes this way and those of us who have had the privilege of associating with artists, writers, philosophers and other thinkers have a richness in our lives of which we may be unaware. Walter Withers was a prolific painter and, although he painted for love of it, I suspect that the need to provide for his family drove him, like Mozart, to greater efforts than he might otherwise have achieved. Reading old letters and articles about the Heidelberg artists, I have come to realize something of the constant strain placed on many of them - particularly Withers and McCubbin - by poverty and the need to make ends meet. Withers was ever conscious of the need to provide for his wife and his five children and there are touching letters to his wife, regretting that he was not able to earn more for them. In addition to his painting, he worked hard at teaching and illustrating and, as he grew older, the strain began to tell and his health deteriorated. He seems never to have had a very strong constitution and suffered from rheumatism, which must have made painting quite painful at times. His eldest daughter, Gladys, was eventually confined to a wheelchair with rheumatoid arthritis and I have a tendency to arthritis myself, so I am particularly aware of what this could have meant to him. Recently I found a short letter written by my mother to her mother, Fanny Withers on the anniversary of her father's birthday in 1919, in which she said: "Poor old Dad, I often think now what a lot he must have suffered. His life was too hard and too strenuous for him. He had too many chick-a-biddies, I think. He wasn't equal to so much town life and train journeys with so many delicacies as he had. Since I have been ill, I have realised what he must have felt like.” He certainly drove himself to produce. He travelled all over Victoria by train, buggy, bicycle and on foot and for a time he travelled from Eltham to Melbourne every day by train, although later he lived in Melbourne during the week and only returned to Eltham for the weekends. My mother died seven years after her father's death, when my twin sisters were 10 days old and I was 16 months. So I never knew my mother or my grandfather. But my two aunts, Gladys and Margery, sometimes took me to stay with Gan Withers at Southernwood in Bolton Street . No cars in those days and it seemed a very long hot and dusty walk from the Station. Three memories remain with me of Southernwood. One is the well at the back which I found quite terrifying; the second is Gan killing a snake - even more terrifying. She was a formidable woman, my grandmother and a great ally and support to her husband. I think she was the business end of the partnership. The third memory of Southernwood is my grandfather's studio – down what seemed like a toy staircase inside the room. This and the big walk-in fireplace stayed in my mind from the age of about six until I saw them again about forty years later when the house was being used as a Sunday School. I just wish that money could be found to purchase this old house for the City of Eltham so that a permanent museum could be established in memory of a man who did so much to put Eltham on the map of art history. Recently I have become interested in family history and spent some time in England, Ireland and Wales looking for traces of my ancestors. I realized then how important it is to have records of people who have contributed to our society. We forget so soon and it is amazing how often, within two generations, names, dates and many details are forgotten. We are fortunate that so many of Walter Withers' works have been bought by galleries and that people like Andrew Mackenzie have taken the trouble to search out people who knew him and to write about him and his work. And I am very grateful to the Historical Society of Eltham for recognizing the importance of having a permanent tribute in Eltham to the contribution made by Walter Withers, who loved Eltham so much and who has assured this lovely district a place in the annals of history. I am indebted to Kathleen Mangan; the daughter of another famous Australian painter , Fred McCubbin, - featured in The Age this morning (thanks again to Andrew Mackenzie) for the most apt tribute to Walter Withers. Kathleen is not well and she rang me a couple of days ago, regretting that she could not be present today “to pay tribute” as she said, “to Walter Withers for I always think Walter Withers is the spirit of Eltham.” Thank you, Kathleen. And now I have much pleasure in unveiling the plaque commissioned by the Eltham Historical Society from Bob McLellan of Charmac Industries to commemorate the life and work of Walter Withers, the spirit of Eltham. Mary Owen, 13 October 1990.Three colour photographswalter withers rock, walter withers reserve, mary owen -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Photograph, Mary Owen, granddaughter of Walter Withers, unveiling the commemorative plaque on Walter Withers Rock at the corner of Bible and Arthur Streets, Eltham, 13 Oct 1990, 13/10/1990
[from EDHS Newsletter No. 75, November 1990:] WALTER WITHERS PLAQUE At long last we have unveiled our plaque in the Walter Withers Reserve. The function was attended by a number of members and friends of the Society and descendants of the Withers family. Following the unveiling, the group proceeded to the Eltham Shire Office for afternoon tea and a small exhibition of Withers' paintings arranged by Andrew Mackenzie. The unveiling was performed by Mary Owen, a grand-daughter of Walter Withers. Her speech provided an interesting personal perspective on Withers and is repeated in full here: I feel somewhat overwhelmed by the responsibility of paying tribute to the man you have all come to honour today. I have the feeling that most of you probably know more about him and his work than I do. Walter Withers died nearly seven years before I was born and so I never knew him. Sadly, although other members of his family inherited some of his talent, I was not among them and I know very little about art. This is doubly hard to bear because my husband had some ability to draw and my second daughter also has some talent in this direction. My children are all artistic - mostly in the field of music inherited partly from their father - a Welshman who sang like a Welshman - and partly from my grandmother, Fanny Withers who, I believe was no mean pianist. However all this talent gave me a miss and for many years I felt a complete ignoramus in the fields of the arts. It was not until I was nearly fifty years old that I walked into a gallery in Brisbane and, as I wandered around the room, suddenly one picture leapt at me and I knew instantly that it had been painted by my grandfather. I had never seen the picture before and it gave me quite a shock to find that I had recognized the style of painting. I realized then that I had absorbed more than I realized simply by living with pictures and with people who painted them and talked about their painting and the painting of others. When I was a child I sometimes spent school holidays with my Aunt Margery Withers and her husband, Richard McCann. Aunt Marge painted me several times but I'm afraid I was a restless subject and used to sit reading a book and look up grudgingly when she wanted to paint my eyes. During the September holidays my aunt and uncle were busy preparing paintings far the annual exhibition of the Melbourne Twenty Painters, to which they both belonged. I remember how important I used to feel when they took me along to the Athenaeum Gallery on the Friday night before the opening to help hang their pictures. There were many artists there but the two I remember are perhaps surprisingly both women: Miss Bale and Miss Tweddle. I remember how cold it used to be up in that gallery at night. They used to heat water on a gas ring to make tea and Aunt Marge used to bring sandwiches and fruit for our evening meal. Everyone seemed to be poor in those days and no-one dreamed of going out for a meal. It was a case of make-do - even to cutting down frames to fit pictures or cutting pictures to fit the frames. They had to use the same frames from year to year if the pictures didn't sell. The opening was an exciting event for me. I felt I was privileged to meet important people - people who knew a lot more than I - and Uncle Dick would get quite merry after a couple of the tiny sweet sherries which were always distributed. I realise now that quite a lot of "art talk" rubbed off on me during my visits to the Athenaeum and during my stays with my aunt and uncle. I suspect that much of our most useful learning comes this way and those of us who have had the privilege of associating with artists, writers, philosophers and other thinkers have a richness in our lives of which we may be unaware. Walter Withers was a prolific painter and, although he painted for love of it, I suspect that the need to provide for his family drove him, like Mozart, to greater efforts than he might otherwise have achieved. Reading old letters and articles about the Heidelberg artists, I have come to realize something of the constant strain placed on many of them - particularly Withers and McCubbin - by poverty and the need to make ends meet. Withers was ever conscious of the need to provide for his wife and his five children and there are touching letters to his wife, regretting that he was not able to earn more for them. In addition to his painting, he worked hard at teaching and illustrating and, as he grew older, the strain began to tell and his health deteriorated. He seems never to have had a very strong constitution and suffered from rheumatism, which must have made painting quite painful at times. His eldest daughter, Gladys, was eventually confined to a wheelchair with rheumatoid arthritis and I have a tendency to arthritis myself, so I am particularly aware of what this could have meant to him. Recently I found a short letter written by my mother to her mother, Fanny Withers on the anniversary of her father's birthday in 1919, in which she said: "Poor old Dad, I often think now what a lot he must have suffered. His life was too hard and too strenuous for him. He had too many chick-a-biddies, I think. He wasn't equal to so much town life and train journeys with so many delicacies as he had. Since I have been ill, I have realised what he must have felt like.” He certainly drove himself to produce. He travelled all over Victoria by train, buggy, bicycle and on foot and for a time he travelled from Eltham to Melbourne every day by train, although later he lived in Melbourne during the week and only returned to Eltham for the weekends. My mother died seven years after her father's death, when my twin sisters were 10 days old and I was 16 months. So I never knew my mother or my grandfather. But my two aunts, Gladys and Margery, sometimes took me to stay with Gan Withers at Southernwood in Bolton Street . No cars in those days and it seemed a very long hot and dusty walk from the Station. Three memories remain with me of Southernwood. One is the well at the back which I found quite terrifying; the second is Gan killing a snake - even more terrifying. She was a formidable woman, my grandmother and a great ally and support to her husband. I think she was the business end of the partnership. The third memory of Southernwood is my grandfather's studio – down what seemed like a toy staircase inside the room. This and the big walk-in fireplace stayed in my mind from the age of about six until I saw them again about forty years later when the house was being used as a Sunday School. I just wish that money could be found to purchase this old house for the City of Eltham so that a permanent museum could be established in memory of a man who did so much to put Eltham on the map of art history. Recently I have become interested in family history and spent some time in England, Ireland and Wales looking for traces of my ancestors. I realized then how important it is to have records of people who have contributed to our society. We forget so soon and it is amazing how often, within two generations, names, dates and many details are forgotten. We are fortunate that so many of Walter Withers' works have been bought by galleries and that people like Andrew Mackenzie have taken the trouble to search out people who knew him and to write about him and his work. And I am very grateful to the Historical Society of Eltham for recognizing the importance of having a permanent tribute in Eltham to the contribution made by Walter Withers, who loved Eltham so much and who has assured this lovely district a place in the annals of history. I am indebted to Kathleen Mangan; the daughter of another famous Australian painter , Fred McCubbin, - featured in The Age this morning (thanks again to Andrew Mackenzie) for the most apt tribute to Walter Withers. Kathleen is not well and she rang me a couple of days ago, regretting that she could not be present today “to pay tribute” as she said, “to Walter Withers for I always think Walter Withers is the spirit of Eltham.” Thank you, Kathleen. And now I have much pleasure in unveiling the plaque commissioned by the Eltham Historical Society from Bob McLellan of Charmac Industries to commemorate the life and work of Walter Withers, the spirit of Eltham. Mary Owen, 13 October 1990.Two colour photographswalter withers rock, walter withers reserve, mary owen