This secretaire once stood proudly in the de Kerilleau homestead at Wodonga. The homestead had been built for William Huon, son of the early pastoralist Paul Huon, in 1870 and named after the family's ancestral estate in France. The original lease of the Wodonga Run was granted to Paul Huon as No. 202 on 7th February 1837, about a year after his cousin Charles Huon had squatted on the land. Kenneth Darnton Watson bought de Kerilleau homestead in 1922 where the Watson family lived for three generations, caring for the land and serving the Wodonga community. Kenneth, his son Ian Darnton Watson and his grandson John Kenneth Darnton Watson all served on the Wodonga Council. John Kenneth Darnton Watson was born on 28 August 1960 in Wodonga. After completing his primary schooling locally, he boarded at Geelong College from 1973. John joined the rowing crews, starting in the 8th VIII crew and reaching the 1st VIII crew in 1978. He received multiple House colours awards for cross country, athletics and rowing and received School colours for rowing. On completion of his schooling, John spent some time jackarooing before studying farm management at Marcus Oldham College. He then returned home to de Kerilleau, Wodonga to manage the family property. In 1984 John married Christine Honybun, daughter of David Lewis Honybun and Marian Josephine Edkins. John and Christine had three sons. John was community minded and involved in a number of local organisations such as Apex and agricultural societies. He was elected to Wodonga City Council in 1997, serving until 2004. Due to increased pressure on available land to cater for the growth of Wodonga, some of the property was sold and in 2003 John donated 200 ha of Huon Hill ‘s western slopes to the City of Wodonga. After this time, he moved away from farming to become a Hungry Jack's franchisee. In 2009, the hard decision was made to sell de Kerilleau and John and his family moved into Wodonga. After sadly losing Christine to cancer in 2017, John became a member and Deputy Chairperson of the Albury Wodonga Regional Cancer Centre Trust Fund Board and Ambassador for the Sunshine Walk. Tragically after his own cancer battle, John Kenneth Darnton Watson passed away on 24 August 2023, aged 62 years following a life of service to the Wodonga community.This item is significant because it was owned by a prominent Wodonga family and came from a Historic Homestead in WodongaA secretaire with bookcase made of cedar. The bottom section has two cupboards with shelves. These doors support the desk when it is fully opened. Above this section is one large drawer, the front of which opens by pressing a small internal button on each side. The open drawer reveals a desk with a leather writing mat and several compartments. The desk is topped by a book shelf with 3 adjustable shelves. It has lockable glass doors.watson family wodonga, de kerilleau homestead, john watson

This bookcase was from Fintona private school Camberwell Melbourne. Fintona was a Presbyterian school for girls founded by Annie Hughston in 1896 and was originally in Camberwell and now Balwyn, Melbourne. The daughters of Pompey Elliot attended the school and the bookcase contains one of their several awards. Colonial Australian cedar secretaire bookcase c.1880 with a piano lid action to the desk lid instead of the more common drop down type.Two door cabinet base with two deep shelves, desk slope inset with gilt tooled leather. desk has rear drawers and one secret compartment and lid. Top section is simple two door glazed cabinet with three moveable cedar shelves topped with a simple pediment.secretaire, fintona, bookcase, violet elliot, pompey elliot

Brass gift box, presented to serving military personnel in World War 1. Attributed as being the brainchild of Princess Mary, daughter of King George V and Queen Mary. On top of tin the head of the Princess is surrounded by a laurel wreath. Embossed on top 'Imperium Britannicum', on bottom 'Christmas 1914' This tin was found in a secretaire given to Graham Hookey, inside the tin is gold woven epaulette, nibs for a dip pen and a small lock 'Miller' embossed on front. Also enclosed are two medals - one metal 'volunteered for active service' printed around outside of medal, other two appear to be off a uniform, another 'corps of engineers' gold badge. Rising sun medal with 'Australian Commonwealth Military Force' embossed.australia, military, brass comfort tin

A red hard covered book with an illustration of an anchor on the front cover. Titled ''The Navy League Annual.'' '' (corrected to October 10th, 1909). Founded and edited by Alan H. Burgoyne. :The Fleet of England is her all in all.'-Tennyson. Third year of issue. Part 1 The Editor Part 11Lord Elcho; Graf Ernst Von Reventlow; Hector C. Bywater; Maurice Loir, Secretaire Central de la Ligue Maritime Francaise; Satori Kato; Maxime Laubeuf, late Engineer in-Chief of the French Navy; J. Alec Mitchell; ''Naval Constructor''; 'Blue Peter.' Part 111 List of ships, comparative, statistical, dock and ordnance tables : The Editor.'' October 21st (Trafalgar Day), 1909. London John Murray, Albemarle Street, W. 279pgs. (ii.)Alan H. Burgoyne, Editorbooks, military, navy, book, books, ships, shipping, navy, navies, war, warships, battleships, bendigo free library view street

John Henry Lockett OAM (22 January 1891 – 25 May 2002) was the oldest man ever in Australia when he died aged 111 years, 123 days. As one of the last surviving veterans of World War I, he was acclaimed as a national hero during the last decade of his life. Lockett was born in the small Victorian town of Waanyarra, near Bendigo. He left school aged nine to work on a local farm. Later, he worked for his uncles in the Mallee. On 24 March 1916, he travelled to Mildura to enlist in the Australian Imperial Force. He served in France with the 38th Battalion, earning promotion to sergeant and was discharged on 20 September 1919. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Lockett After the war, Jack returned to The Mallee and selected a 640 acres (260 ha) block of land in Linga, Victoria, deciding to make his living as a farmer. In 1923, he married Maybell Ingwerson and they had four children together. In 1963, the couple retired to Bendigo, leaving the farmland (which now covered more than 130,000 acres (53,000 ha), in the care of their children and grandchildren. In 1998to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War One the French Government awarded the Chevalier (Knight) Legion of Honour to all surviving Allied veterans who had fought in France A certificate on cream coloured thick paper with black printing. A decorative scroll with leaves and berries and RF is around the border. Printed text REPUBLIQU FRANCAISE HONNEUR PATRIE LE PRESIDENT DE LA REPUBLIQUE FRANCAISE GRAND MAITRE DE L'ORDE NATIONAL DE LA LOGION D'HONNEUR nomme par decret de ce dour, Monsieur John, Henry LOCKETT Ancien Combattant australien de la Premiere Guerre Mondiale CHEVALIER DE LA LEGION D'HONNEUR Fait a Paris, le 1er Octobre 1998 Scelle du sceau de I'Ordre sous le n' 253 LHE 98 Le Secretaire General adjiont singed F. SISNE Par le president de la Republique LE GRAND CHANCELIER DE LA LEGION D' HONNEUR signed General DOUIN Also included is two A4 pages description of Jack Lockett's life and War Record compiled by Alan Holmes, President of Bendigo Sub Branch Returned Servies League of Australia and a letter (now laminated) from the French Ambassy signed Dominque Girard a jack lockett, mabel ingwersen, world war 1, france, 38th battalion, legion of honour