Irwin Walter Brinton was born in Southampton England in 1834, he and wife Ann (Cook) emigrated to Port Phillip arriving in Dec 1857. Irwin was a carpenter and joiner by trade and in the early 1860's operated from premises in Rouse Street, by the mid 1870's he was a Furniture Dealer with premises at 227-231 Bay Street (nw cnr Bridge St). By 1880 his business had expanded to include property sales and auctioneering which he undertook from these premises up till his retirement in c 1888. Irwin passed away in 1897 and was living then at 151 Bridge Street.Sepia image of 225 Bay St. Shop opened 1870. Sale rooms. Insurance agent. Shows Ann BRINTON (nee COOK), her 5 year old son and daughter.built environment - commercial, bay street, sale rooms, insurance agent, irwin walter brinton, ann brinton nee cook

Auction and Private Sale Rooms. Plate 267 Chuck Photo Series.r. ludbrook, building, persons, armstrong street north

This set of two posters were displayed in the sale rooms for wool, skin, hides, and tallow at the Wool Exchange in Melbourne, on the corner of King and Little Collins Street. The posters were found in the storeroom under the white sale room in the late 1970s, when the Melbourne Woolbrokers Association moved around the corner to 530 Little Collins Street. The first poster is dated 21st of September 1914. It predates the second poster which replaced it on the 4th of December 1914. The posters detail that the Auctioneer will accept any bid from German or Austrian buyers on the condition that the buyer is not acting on behalf of any country which is at war with Great Britain. The Auctioneer also reserves the right to cancel any purchases found to be in violation of this condition. Presumably, the posters were in use until 1916, when Australia's 7th Prime Minister, Billy Hughes, negotiated the sale of Australia's entire wool clip to the British Government for the remainder of The Great War. The British government agreed to buy Australia’s entire wool production in 1916 at 55% above market price. In the end, £160,000,000 British pounds was paid by the UK Government to Australia for the nation’s entire wool clip between 1916‑1920. This would be equivalent to £7,619,760,000 in 2022 money when accounting for inflation, or $13,239,000,000 AUD.Two posters on yellowed card. The first poster is printed in black text with a title of “NOTICE”. The second poster is printed in red text with the same title, “NOTICE”. Both posters have 4 body paragraphs of text, detailing restraints put on potential wool buyers because of war with Germany in the Great War. Both Posters are finished with a date in the bottom left corner.the great war, world war one, melbourne wool exchange, melbourne wool brokers association, wool sales, 1910s

Coffee Palaces were developed throughout Australia with the backing of the Temperance Movement as an alternative venue to pubs in the late 19th century. Two Coffee Palaces identified in Wodonga in the early days were the Railway Coffee Palace and the Wodonga Coffee Palace. In 1908 Wodonga Coffee Palace was advertised for sale, having 15 rooms, a 15 stall stable and feed-room. In 1921 Wodonga Coffee Palace was taken over by Julia Ronan who had successfully conducted the dining rooms at the Wodonga Sale-yards for 15 years. The building of the Hume Weir was in progress and many of the workers boarded at the Coffee Palace. In 1936 Wodonga Coffee Palace became “Glenburnie” Guest House. Mr. Loftus Henry Moran, born in Winchelsea, Victoria, was well-known in the tea trade, originally working with Griffiths Bros Ltd. He started his own business, Loftus Moran Pty Ltd in 1909. Loftus Moran's company imported chinaware from Britain and sold it into the Australian market. They specialised in supplying to hotels, businesses and institutions.This bowl is an excellent example of earthen ware items used throughout Australia in hotels, cafes and other institutions. Loftus Moran Pty Ltd, was a major distributor and successful Melbourne Company. Mrs. Ronan's Coffee Palace was an important business in Wodonga and an alternate food and accommodation venue for those who preferred not to stay in public houses or hotels.A small white bowl bearing the logo of Ronan's Coffee Palace in Wodonga printed in green.In a scroll at the top edge "RONAN'S COFFEE PALACE" Underneath the bowl in green writing below a green crown "GRINDLEY HOTEL WARE/ENGLAND/VITRIFIED/LOFTUS, MORAN/ MELBOURNE"coffee palace, wodonga business, wodonga, mrs. ronan wodonga, 1920s wodonga

The Federation University Historical Collection holds a full range of Victoria Education Gazette and Teachers' Aid from 1900-1968.Ten black hard covered volumes with red tape spine, covering 1900 to 1910. The gazettes include Education Department appointments, transfers, resignations and retirements, notices, queries, notices of books, examination papers, original articles, lesson plans, suggestions for lessons, drawing, obituaries, notes on nature study, mathematics, music, sloyd woodwork, English grammar, Victorian State School Swimming Clubs, Geography, penmanship, science, History, Latin, Geography; The School Garden - Shean's Creek .1) Arbour Day (pg 135) Images: Melbourne Teachers' College 1888 Building (p.8); Union Jack (p. 80); Gasometer (p. 132) .2) Plant Life lesson plans, The Antarctic in 1910, Model Nature Lesson - what plants live on , Superannuation Fund, Saluting the Flag, A.N.A. School Children's Competitions, school garden awards, Teacher Training College, Nature Study - A page from a Teacher's Diary, A Mushroom, Mrs Bush's Kindergarten Christmas Images: Dookie Agricultural College, George R. Button, training college students attending the university, Sloyd teachers, Staff at the Summer School, Outside Wilson Hall, Watt's River Weir, Fungi .3) Images: Walhalla State School; Francis W. Parker (p. 18); Freearm Drawing- Sale State School (p.71) .5) Images: Map of Australia (p.33); Formalin lamps for disinfecting rooms (p. 80); Melbourne Teachers Training College (p. 167) .6) Werribee Gorge Supplement (p. 3, 4, 11, 12, 13) .7) First Exhibition of Women's Work (p. 7, 73-76) .8) Images: Franco-British Exhibition; Memorial to William H. Nichols (p. 191) .9) Temperance Teaching; Birds native to Australia (p.4) Images: Royal Agricultural Show State Schools Exhibit (p. 5-18); Leonard's Hill School; Visit of the American Fleet .10) Funeral of Edward VII Images: Portsea Quarantine Station (p. 33-35)w.o. ryan, f. thomas, a.a. tipping, t.n. considine, w.c. fordyce, e.e. bull, h.w. byrne, j.t. flynn, r.t. smith, a.w. steane, james bagge, theo fink, frank tate, siede, nature, garden, education, school, teacher, teaching, arbor day, arbour day

Built circa 1930s this timber house has 6 rooms and fronts Poulter Avenue Greensborough. It was for sale in 2015 and photographs were taken by a GHS member.These older home sites are being redeveloped and photos give some idea of how Greensborough looked in the early 20th century.Digital copy of colour photograph of advertising.Description of house for sale.poulter avenue

Built circa 1930s this timber house has 6 rooms and fronts Poulter Avenue Greensborough. It was for sale in 2015 and photographs were taken by a GHS member.These older home sites are being redeveloped and photos give some idea of how Greensborough looked in the early 20th century.Digital copy of colour photograph.poulter avenue

Built circa 1930s this timber house has 6 rooms and fronts Poulter Avenue Greensborough. It was for sale in 2015 and photographs were taken by a GHS member.These older home sites are being redeveloped and photos give some idea of how Greensborough looked in the early 20th century.Digital copy of colour photograph.

Built circa 1930s this timber house has 6 rooms and fronts Poulter Avenue Greensborough. It was for sale in 2015 and photographs were taken by a GHS member.These older home sites are being redeveloped and photos give some idea of how Greensborough looked in the early 20th century.Digital copy of colour photograph.

Built circa 1930s this timber house has 6 rooms and fronts Poulter Avenue Greensborough. It was for sale in 2015 and photographs were taken by a GHS member.These older home sites are being redeveloped and photos give some idea of how Greensborough looked in the early 20th century.Digital copy of colour photograph.

Built circa 1930s this timber house has 6 rooms and fronts Poulter Avenue Greensborough. It was for sale in 2015 and photographs were taken by a GHS member.These older home sites are being redeveloped and photos give some idea of how Greensborough looked in the early 20th century.Digital copy of colour photograph.

Built circa 1930s this timber house has 6 rooms and fronts Poulter Avenue Greensborough. It was for sale in 2015 and photographs were taken by a GHS member.These older home sites are being redeveloped and photos give some idea of how Greensborough looked in the early 20th century.Links: 01339.01377.01406.01483.01488.01527.01653 Digital copy of colour photograph.

Built circa 1930s this timber house has 6 rooms and fronts Poulter Avenue Greensborough. It was for sale in 2015 and photographs were taken by a GHS member.These older home sites are being redeveloped and photos give some idea of how Greensborough looked in the early 20th century.Digital copy of colour photograph.

Set of 6 postcards produced for sale by Greensborough Historical Society. Postcards Left to right: Plenty River Bridge; Quirk's Tea Rooms; Commercial Bank; Farmer's Arms Hotel, all Main Street; Medhurst Fruit Store, and, Greensborough Hotel, Grimshaw Street.6 black and white postcards in black timber frame, under glass.greensborough historical society, main street greensborough, grimshaw street greensborough

Set of 6 postcards produced for sale by Greensborough Historical Society. Postcards Frame 1, top to bottom: Fallen Soldier's Memorial, Main Street 1923; Greensborough Park Tea Rooms 1920s;Greensborough Railway Station 1920s. Frame 2, top to bottom: Stubley Motors 1930s; Greensborough Township early 1900s; Main Street Greensborough 1956.6 black and white postcards in 2 black timber frames, under glass.greensborough historical society, main street greensborough, greensborough station, stubley motors

These three photos show the early development of Cann River as a small township in the early 20th Century. This was a very remote area, connected by poor roads to Orbost. These three photos are significant early photos of the Cann River district. 2711.1 B/w. photo/postcard showing a road passing through a small collection of buildings. On the right foreground is a building with the sign Tea Rooms. To the middle of the photo is a dark coloured building which looks like a church. Tall trees in the background, along with some cleared land. 2711.2 B/w photo/postcard of two buildings, one with the sign-board 'Cann River Hotel'. Four people standing in front of this building, along with a cat, dog, and sheep. There is also fences and a gate. 2711.3 B/w photo/postcard showing a group of people in the centre, with large trees, a simple roofed building, and cleared land in the front. Many of the people are wearing hats, and some umbrellas. Women with long dresses. 2711.1 on the front: Scene at Cann River. On back: St James Church, CRB board houses, butcher's shop, Massey Herbert's Store (Hunts), Cape Everard Road. 2711.2 on the sign-board of a building: Cann River Hotel. On back: C H Tuckey, Sale 2711.3 on the front of the card: At the Cann River Show. Stanley Vogt, Bairnsdale cann river, cann river show, cann river hotel

796.1 - Crown Land Sale by auction in the township of Mallacoota on Wednesday January 1920 at 2pm. 796.2 - Snowy River farms , 630 acres of river flat land at Orbost on Wednesday April 28, 1909 at 2.30pm. 796.3 - Famous Orbost Flats - "Important Sale of Snowy River Land" , 900 acres subdivided into 13 choice farms on Wednesday 1st December 1920 at 2.30pm. 796.4 - "Second Great Sale in James' Subdivision", adjoining town of Orbost on 16th May, 1919 at 2pm. 796.5 - "Subdivisional Sale Brooklands Estate", 5 rich Snowy River farms on Wednesday 23rd February at 2.30 at Orbost on account of James Hossack Esq. 796.6 - "Subdivisional sale of Splendid Residence Sites and Handy Small Paddocks" adjoining the progressive town of Orbost on 5th March 1915 at 11am at the rooms of H.James & Co. 796.7 - This is a contract drawing on waxed paper. Crossing near Harbecks Cunninghame Signed and traced N. Anderson 17/11/00. 796.8 - A plan and specification on waxed paper. Shire of Orbost Cunninghame Road - signed by the shire engineer. 796.9 - This is a hand drawn map of Orbost Cunninghame Road, November 1896. 796.10 - This is a hand drawn cross-section of a culvert on the Orbost Cunninghame Road. 796.11 - This is a plan of a culvert on Tabbara Road, 13th January 1899 796.12 - This is a poster for an "Important Subdivisional Sale' for land near Orbost Bridge, on Wednesday 16th March 1921 at the rooms of H. James & Co. These documents are an important part of Orbost history in that they show how the town and surrounding areas were subdivided for farming and residential settlement.A set of twelve maps, plans and land sale posters .orbost-land-1900s maps posters h.james

Single page advertisement with black and white photographs of two adjoining timber villas fronting Albert Street and Thanet Street, Ringwood for auction on Saturday, 7th May (1921?).Under instructions from E.W. Smail, esq., Public Accountant, 31 Queen Street, Melbourne. Two well constructed timer villas, each containing 5 rooms, electric light, bath and laundry, good position, land to each 66ft x 258 ft., made road. These well-built homes, so nicely situated in this charming district, only 6 minuts to Ringwood Station, Churhes, Shops, etc., are for positive sale, and are specially suitable for homes and in estments. Terms at sale. J.C. Adams & Son, Auctioneer, 364 Burke Road, Camberwell. J.B. McAlpin, Ringwood, Local Agent.

Various family scenes taken from outside the family home on the southeast corner of the intersection of Nyora Road and Pitt Street with Eucalyptus Road. Also, scenes of the Stokes Orchard and equipment used, construction of water reservoir at the end of Nyora Road near Reynolds Road and Diosma Road as well as early stages of the Stokes Orchard housing development. Frank Stokes worked as a qualified accountant at Kennons leather factory in Burnley, while living at 1 Thomas Street, Mitcham. He suffered from migraines and wanted to go back to the land (he had previously worked on farms and orchards since coming to Australia in 1926 both in WA and Vic.). He first travelled to the district by train in July 1942 to find land with the intention to establish an orchard. By chance he met Arthur Bird of Bird Orchard (bounded by Pitt Street, Eucalyptus Road and Wattle Grove) and they got talking over their common interest. Arthur put Frank up for the night and pointed out the land, 158 acres- Taylor Estate- £900, part of Crown Allotment 15, Section 5, Parish of Nillumbik (CA15) somewhat diagonally opposite Bird Orchard. He applied through the Riverina Agency to purchase the land who in turn had to get permission from Canberra to sell as there was a new government regulation banning land sales except for immediate production. He obtained a loan on his Mitcham house of £600 @ 5% and paid £450 deposit with quarterly payments of £15 over 5 years. The title to the property was issued May 15, 1946. He was helped and advised by Arthur Bird who farmed the neighbouring orchard. Early 1943 he took possession and would catch the train out to Eltham on Fridays after work and began building a hut for shelter and to lock up tools. He was able to pay a neighbour (Hawkins) to help with clearing and fencing 25 acres and with a horse and single furrowed plow, planted approximately 2,500 fruit trees - cherries, peaches, plums, almonds, pears, apricots and lemons as well as a few apples and oranges; a massive job. A huge problem was hares and rabbits eating all the new buds off the tiny trees. As well as laying poison he painted the trees with a mixture of cow manure and lime. Often working by moonlight. It was extremely difficult to get wire and wire netting because of the war but after much effort he obtained a permit from the Agricultural Department for supplies in March 1944. In February 1945 he applied for a permit to build a “packing shed” as no house building allowed. It was to be 33 feet x 21 feet and cost £312. Constructed mostly from second-hand materials, which was hard to obtain, especially iron for roofing. Frank finished work at Kennons October 31, 1945, and in March 1946 he sold the Mitcham house for £1230 plus £170 for furniture. The family of five then moved into a very unfinished at Eltham, which was a struggle to weatherproof. Eventually rooms were divided off and lined with hessian bags and whitewashed. Their income was firewood (cut and sold), selling rockery stones and cut sweet bursaria. (It was discovered during the 1940s that Bursaria contained the sunscreen compound Aesculin. The RAAF utilised this compound from Bursaria during WW2 for pilots and gunners.) The orchard’s first fruit sale was a 1/2 case of Le Vanq peaches in December 1947 - 8 shillings. In 1956 plans for house were drawn and Glen Iris bricks purchased (1956 Olympic Rings variant). The building of the house commenced in 1957 - 12 feet of original packing shed removed – and was completed in 1959. Water was connected from newly built pressure storage on the property at the end of 1959 and the electricity connection for the first time at 3pm on April 29, 1960. In the mid-1970s the Shire of Eltham divided the orchard up into numerous rate-able parcel lots, which became unaffordable for Frank. Consequently, Stokes Orchard was turned into a housing development by Macquarie Builders and marketed as the Stokes Orchard Estate in two stages; Stage 1 encompassing Scarlet Ash Court, Ironbark Close and Peppermint Grove bounded by Nyora and Eucalyptus roads c.1976 and Stage 2 encompassing Stokes Place, Orchard Way, The Crest and The Lookout bound by Nyora and Diosma roads c.1979. The development of Orchard Way, The Crest and The Lookout did not proceed as planned due to the lack of the sewer along Diosma Road and so many of the proposed lots were incorporated into five-acre parcels instead. With the arrival of the sewer along Diosma Road many years later, most of these five-acre parcels have since been subdivided many times.Representative of the orchard growing areas of ElthamMP4 00:24:39; 426MB Digital file only - Digitised by EDHS from a DVD copy on loan from Beryl Bradbury (nee Stokes), daughter of Frank Stokes. 24 min duration compilation of home movie Super 8mm film shot by Frank Stokes brother-in-law.beryl bradbury (nee stokes) collection, frank stokes, nyora road, stokes orchard, stokes orchard estate, stokes place, video recording

Glynn’s farm Originally Section 7, Parish of Nillumbik marked Aborigine Reserve in 1866 Crown Allotment 8, Section 7, Parish of Nillumbik, County of Evelyn, Certificate of Title Volume 4095, Folio 818.835, approx. 93 acres purchased by Joseph Panton in 1881 for £1/acre and known as Panton’s Point. By 1924 owned by S.S. Sergeant and called Riverswood. Sergeant commissioned Edna Walling to design the garden. In September 1929 the property was sold at auction by Mortgagee’s sale. Described as well built, brick, tile roof, Attic Villa containing downstairs 7 good rooms, bath, scullery, inside lavatory, etc. Upstairs 2 bedrooms and sleep out. Outbuildings compromising of brick and weatherboard wash house, stables, workshop, feed room, cow bails, large G.I. Hay shed, etc In January 1931 Riverswood property was proclaimed a sanctuary for native game for the entire year. A private swing bridge crossed the river at Pound Bend was known as Pearson’s bridge after C.W.K. Pearson who bought Riverswood in the early 1930s. The bridge was swept away in the December 1934 floods. Riverswood was sold by C.W.K. Pearson at auction on 25 November 1936. Described as a beautiful farm home of 93 acres and over one mile of River Yarra frontage, modern brick residence, lovely garden, rich river flat pastures, model poultry farm. The fine brick home was destroyed on Black Friday (13 Jan.) 1939. It was still a ruin when the Evelyn Evans purchased Waikowhane above Riverswood in 1940. The Glynn family purchased the Riverswood property in 1941 from Robert and Emily Hannon. Their son Kenneth Patrick Glynn inherited the property and he set about clearing the land during WW2 selling wood. Prior to marriage, Kenneth was living alone on the farm in a house he had built from whatever was available. He used the bluestone foundations from the original fine brick home. He met and married Honora Elizabeth Drew in early 1945 and their daughter Anna grew up on the farm. It was compulsorily acquired by the Board of Works in 1976 who then rented the house out in the 1980s. The property was transferred to Melbourne Parks and Waterways in 1996. Waikowhane was a pretty timber house built on top of the hill on 50 acres above Riverswood by retired nurse Jessie MacBeth. (This would be at the intersection of Glynns Road and Overbank Road where the big water tank is now situated on what was once James Orford’s property.) It was also destroyed Black Friday and she rebuilt it from the plans living in a caravan on site supervising the build. It was almost complete when she died May 1939. The property was bought by Evelyn Evans (a city girl) and her estranged husband in 1940. She had two sons, one only 9 months old at the time. It was a timber house with no power or water connected. The Ewen Cameron family bought Waikowhane in 1957. They had to evacuate when the 1961 bushfires swept through. The house was saved by Matcham Skipper. It was demolished by Melbourne Water in the 1990s when they acquired it.fay bridge collection, 2018-08-31, glynn's, glynn's dairy farm, glynns road, north warrandyte, parks victoria, ruins, riverswood, kenneth patrick glynn

Postcard image of W. Morris Evelyn Hotel, cnr. Main Road and Pitt Street, Eltham, opposite present hotel. Built in 1852 as the Fountain of Friendship Hotel, later named the Fountain Hotel it was located on the southwest corner of Maria (Main) and Pitt streets. Also later known as the Evelyn Hotel, it was de-licensed in 1919. The hotel was totally destroyed by fire on Wednesday, February 18, 1931 Sometime between June 1851 and 1854, the property at the top of the hill of Little Eltham described as Lot 235 of plan of subdivision, of portion number 12, of section number 4, of the parish of Nillumbik, on the county of Evelyn was purchased from J.M. Holloway and the Fountain of Friendship Hotel was built using prefabricated sections constructed from cedar timber, imported from Singapore. By 1854, John O’Brien, a somewhat shady character was the proprietor of the hotel when he put it up for sale in November 1854. It is not clear whether he was the original owner / builder. John O’Brien purchased several other lots in Little Eltham from a Robert Wells but did not pay the balance for these lots and skipped town as soon as he sold the Fountain Hotel to Charles Roberts. Following the somewhat dodgy business practices of John O’Brien, little is known of Charles Roberts but it is possible he enjoyed several years of ownership. It was put up for sale again in 1858 but no outcome of that sale is known, and it was advertised to let in 1863, again possibly to no avail. James Trew took it over in July 1864 but his association was short lived with his premature death in December of that year leaving his widow Mary to take over and run the enterprise. No other details regarding ownership or issuances of licenses to run a public house have been identified so it is possible that Mary Trew managed the business until it was eventually advertised To Let in December 1870. George Merrick took over the hotel and was granted a license at the end of March 1871 but he too was destined to follow in the footsteps of James Trew and died prematurely at age 40 just six months later, in September 1871. John Treloar then took over the hotel but sometime between 1872 and 1873 the license was transferred to Bejamin Gane. Gane it seems held the license for the majority of the 1870s At some point between December 1874 and September 1878 the name of the hotel is changed from the Fountain Hotel to the Evelyn Hotel. In March 1880, ownership is transferred to James Purcell, a former Councillor of the Shire of Eltham’s North Riding. Purcell’s ownership of the hotel is associated with the 1880s though there is a brief period in 1887 where the license is granted to a Lawrence Brennan, reasons unknown. In December 1889, James Purcell ownership of the Evelyn hotel throughout the 1880s comes to an end when William Morris purchases the property and the license is transferred to him. Ownership of the property remains within the Morris family for the next 40 plus years and it is the Morris name that is most associated with its history. William Morris was a Councillor with the Shire of Eltham for a continuous 24 year period. He served as Shire President for three terms. It appears he did very well with the Evelyn Hotel and his entertainment and dining experiences are well regarded. Morris is also closely asspotaieted with local horse racing events and often provided the hospitality for the Diamond Creek races and various races held at Eltham Park (Eltham Lower Park). It is during Morris’ stewardship that major changes occurred to the hotel. On June 2, 1892 a fire broke out in one of the lodger’s rooms from a candle that had been left burning. The hotel is constructed of timber and three rooms are destroyed. Christopher Watson, proprietor of the Eltham Hotel across the road comes to Morris’ assistance and the hotel is saved but there is significant damage. It is suspected that the lodgers rooms were at the southern end of the building in the two-story section. It is further suspected that it is a result of this fire that the building was modified and the two story section rebuilt as single story and the shingle roof converted to tin. From this point on, Morris appears to enjoy a relatively long and quiet period of ownership. He signs a 5 year lease to let the hotel out in 1903 and the license is transferred to an Ann Evans. Morris intended to live in a house near the railway station but the license ris renewed in his name just two years later in December 1905. Morris is charged with illegal Sunday trading in August 1917. The case is dismissed through lack of evidence. It seems that this was fairly commonplace amongst the various hostelries of the countryside. In June 1919 the Evelyn Hotel is de-licensed. Though considered clean and well maintained, the Licensing Board did not believe having two hotels directly opposite each other was warranted for the existing trade. The case for the Eltham Hotel to remain in business was stronger. Morris was subsequently awarded £480 in November of that year as compensation. The property then was used for various businesses such as hairdressing and dining rooms as well as lodging. William Morris died in December 1922 and his wife Mary inherited the property. She had listed it for sale in August 1929 but nothing eventuated from that. In February 1931, whilst occupied by Hector and Louise McLean and their young family, the old building caught fire. Ashes from one of the fires had fallen through the cracks in the floorboards and took hold in the basement. A firsthand account of that harrowing experience was recorded by Mrs Edith Jones (nee McLean) in 1998, who was six years old at the time, and held by Eltham District Historical Society (04749). It was published in EDHS Newsletter No. 226, October 2022. On July 3, 1931 the Advertiser published the following endnote to the Evelyn Hotel. Last Traces of Fire The traces of Eltham's largest fire are being obliterated by the removal of debris from the site of the old Evelyn Hotel, which was destroyed a few months ago, and all that now remains is a blackened spot and fire colored bricks and stones. The site is one of the most imposing in the district, being in the heart of the old township. The township is really in two sections, old and new, the latter is situated round the station. The passing of the old hotel was regretted by all, as it was so closely associated with the pioneering, days. - Research by Peter Pidgeon, EDHS, June 2026Postcard photoRetun to Garnet Burges c/o Judge Bookhotels, evelyn hotel, eltham, main road, pitt street, fountain hotel, william morris

Digitised from scanned print of original postcard of Fountain Hotel, Main Road Eltham (later Evelyn Hotel) early view showing two storey section. Built in 1852 as the Fountain of Friendship Hotel, later named the Fountain Hotel it was located on the southwest corner of Maria (Main) and Pitt streets. Also later known as the Evelyn Hotel, it was de-licensed in 1919. The hotel was totally destroyed by fire on Wednesday, February 18, 1931 Sometime between June 1851 and 1854, the property at the top of the hill of Little Eltham described as Lot 235 of plan of subdivision, of portion number 12, of section number 4, of the parish of Nillumbik, on the county of Evelyn was purchased from J.M. Holloway and the Fountain of Friendship Hotel was built using prefabricated sections constructed from cedar timber, imported from Singapore. By 1854, John O’Brien, a somewhat shady character was the proprietor of the hotel when he put it up for sale in November 1854. It is not clear whether he was the original owner / builder. John O’Brien purchased several other lots in Little Eltham from a Robert Wells but did not pay the balance for these lots and skipped town as soon as he sold the Fountain Hotel to Charles Roberts. Following the somewhat dodgy business practices of John O’Brien, little is known of Charles Roberts but it is possible he enjoyed several years of ownership. It was put up for sale again in 1858 but no outcome of that sale is known, and it was advertised to let in 1863, again possibly to no avail. James Trew took it over in July 1864 but his association was short lived with his premature death in December of that year leaving his widow Mary to take over and run the enterprise. No other details regarding ownership or issuances of licenses to run a public house have been identified so it is possible that Mary Trew managed the business until it was eventually advertised To Let in December 1870. George Merrick took over the hotel and was granted a license at the end of March 1871 but he too was destined to follow in the footsteps of James Trew and died prematurely at age 40 just six months later, in September 1871. John Treloar then took over the hotel but sometime between 1872 and 1873 the license was transferred to Bejamin Gane. Gane it seems held the license for the majority of the 1870s At some point between December 1874 and September 1878 the name of the hotel is changed from the Fountain Hotel to the Evelyn Hotel. In March 1880, ownership is transferred to James Purcell, a former Councillor of the Shire of Eltham’s North Riding. Purcell’s ownership of the hotel is associated with the 1880s though there is a brief period in 1887 where the license is granted to a Lawrence Brennan, reasons unknown. In December 1889, James Purcell ownership of the Evelyn hotel throughout the 1880s comes to an end when William Morris purchases the property and the license is transferred to him. Ownership of the property remains within the Morris family for the next 40 plus years and it is the Morris name that is most associated with its history. William Morris was a Councillor with the Shire of Eltham for a continuous 24 year period. He served as Shire President for three terms. It appears he did very well with the Evelyn Hotel and his entertainment and dining experiences are well regarded. Morris is also closely asspotaieted with local horse racing events and often provided the hospitality for the Diamond Creek races and various races held at Eltham Park (Eltham Lower Park). It is during Morris’ stewardship that major changes occurred to the hotel. On June 2, 1892 a fire broke out in one of the lodger’s rooms from a candle that had been left burning. The hotel is constructed of timber and three rooms are destroyed. Christopher Watson, proprietor of the Eltham Hotel across the road comes to Morris’ assistance and the hotel is saved but there is significant damage. It is suspected that the lodgers rooms were at the southern end of the building in the two-story section. It is further suspected that it is a result of this fire that the building was modified and the two story section rebuilt as single story and the shingle roof converted to tin. From this point on, Morris appears to enjoy a relatively long and quiet period of ownership. He signs a 5 year lease to let the hotel out in 1903 and the license is transferred to an Ann Evans. Morris intended to live in a house near the railway station but the license ris renewed in his name just two years later in December 1905. Morris is charged with illegal Sunday trading in August 1917. The case is dismissed through lack of evidence. It seems that this was fairly commonplace amongst the various hostelries of the countryside. In June 1919 the Evelyn Hotel is de-licensed. Though considered clean and well maintained, the Licensing Board did not believe having two hotels directly opposite each other was warranted for the existing trade. The case for the Eltham Hotel to remain in business was stronger. Morris was subsequently awarded £480 in November of that year as compensation. The property then was used for various businesses such as hairdressing and dining rooms as well as lodging. William Morris died in December 1922 and his wife Mary inherited the property. She had listed it for sale in August 1929 but nothing eventuated from that. In February 1931, whilst occupied by Hector and Louise McLean and their young family, the old building caught fire. Ashes from one of the fires had fallen through the cracks in the floorboards and took hold in the basement. A firsthand account of that harrowing experience was recorded by Mrs Edith Jones (nee McLean) in 1998, who was six years old at the time, and held by Eltham District Historical Society (04749). It was published in EDHS Newsletter No. 226, October 2022. On July 3, 1931 the Advertiser published the following endnote to the Evelyn Hotel. Last Traces of Fire The traces of Eltham's largest fire are being obliterated by the removal of debris from the site of the old Evelyn Hotel, which was destroyed a few months ago, and all that now remains is a blackened spot and fire colored bricks and stones. The site is one of the most imposing in the district, being in the heart of the old township. The township is really in two sections, old and new, the latter is situated round the station. The passing of the old hotel was regretted by all, as it was so closely associated with the pioneering, days. - Research by Peter Pidgeon, EDHS, June 2026Digital file scan of photo print copy and photocopy of original image of Fountain Hotel, Main Road Eltham (later Evelyn Hotel) early view showing two storey section Also 9 x 12.5 cm print copy (with more scratches)hotels, eltham, fountain hotel, evelyn hotel, main road, pitt street

North New Moon Gold Mine was situated at Brown leather bound share register,; three hundred and fifty pages of which one hundred and ninety have entries. Index in front of register with reference to relevant pages detailing share trading. Dates of entries range from 1918 to 1921. Written on spine in gold leaf: 'North New Moon Company N.L". Inserted in book on back pages accounts from Andrew James & Co., re sale of forfeited shares in Andrew's Auction Rooms, Bendigo. Share register is part of the Margaret Roberts Collection. bendigo, margaret roberts, , goldmining, north blue consolidated gold mine