Originally built in the 1850s by Charles Souter from earth excavated from his property. It was a forerunner for a building style that was later to be synonymous with Eltham. The house is historically significant as the oldest mud brick building in the Shire of Nillumbik, as one of less than half a dozen buildings from the 1850s that survive in the Shire. It underwent several additions and alterations between c.1950s-1980s. It is also significant for its associations with Mervyn Skipper from the well-known Eltham family who was one of the founders of the artist's colony at Montsalvat. The house is architecturally significant because its north section was designed by the noted 'Eltham-style' architect, Alistair Knox, and the two long Oregon beams supporting the main floor were added by the noted 'Eltham-style' builder, Horrie Judd who built the southern room. A onetime tenant in the house, Judd built many Eltham houses and was a major builder of Montsalvat. The 1934 flood destroyed the south wall and the house remained unoccupied for some time. Sonia Skipper, one of Montsalvat’s builders who also worked for Alistair Knox oversaw rebuilding it. She employed landscape designer Gordon Ford, artist Peter Glass and Tim Burstall. The house originally had a cellar for making and storing wine, reputedly the first made in the district according to Alistair Knox in his book ‘We are what we stand on’ (p33). Water would seep into the cellar so Sonia’s father and then owner of the house, Mervyn Skipper bulldozed a channel outside to divert it. The Brocksopp family purchased the house in 1950 and added an outside door to the cellar and converted it into a gallery. Covered under Heritage Overlay, Nillumbik Planning Scheme. Published: Nillumbik Now and Then /​ Marguerite Marshall 2008; photographs Alan King with Marguerite Marshall.; p51This collection of almost 130 photos about places and people within the Shire of Nillumbik, an urban and rural municipality in Melbourne's north, contributes to an understanding of the history of the Shire. Published in 2008 immediately prior to the Black Saturday bushfires of February 7, 2009, it documents sites that were impacted, and in some cases destroyed by the fires. It includes photographs taken especially for the publication, creating a unique time capsule representing the Shire in the early 21st century. It remains the most recent comprehenesive publication devoted to the Shire's history connecting local residents to the past. nillumbik now and then (marshall-king) collection, eltham, falkiner street, mud brick building, mudbrick houses, souter house

September Meeting (Newsletter No. 152, Sep. 2003) This meeting is one in an occasional series where we get together a panel of speakers to talk about a particular aspect of Eltham's history, its character or its people. As has been the case for past speaker panels, we have organised a buff et dinner to precede the meeting and details of this are given below. Eltham has a well-known tradition of building with mud brick, second hand materials and other innovative or uncommon materials. Although this trend dates mainly from the 1930 's there are examples from the pioneer days of Eltham. Part of the Brocksopp house at Eltham South is an 1850' s mud brick construction by George Souter. But the alternative building tradition in Eltham really began at Montsalvat in the 1930's. Justus Jorgensen's building complex of earth construction, stone and items from wreckers' yards inspired a number of builders and owner builders, particularly in adopting mud brick or adobe as their building medium. The tradition continues today with our area remaining home to a relatively high proportion of builders using these alternative materials. The panel we have selected to talk on this subject are either builders in the Eltham tradition or have had close contact with builders of the past. The panel will be introduced by Russell Yeoman who will talk briefly about George Stebbing, an early Eltham builder responsible for many of our remaining historic buildings, but known for traditional buildings of his time rather than the later buildings which give Eltham its particular character. The panel members are as follows:- • John Pizzey, architect. John will speak on the work of Alistair Knox designer and builder in mud brick and the person who has most contributed to the environmental building traditions of Eltham. • Peter Jarvis who will talk about his own work as a builder in mud brick and his views on traditional and modern construction methods. • Leigh Wykes, a present day builder of stone houses, will talk about his own work in the district and its relevance to Eltham traditions. • Diana Bassett-Smith will talk about her experience with owner-builders constructing their earth houses in Eltham in the 1950's. Pise and mud brick presented a cheap building material provided that you could do it yourself or persuade your friends to help. Prior to the meeting there will be a buffet dinner of casseroles and other courses prepared by some of our members. We will be starting at 6.00pm with dinner scheduled for 6.30. Harry Gilham will be providing drinks, including wines from his personally made collection. Cost of the dinner will be $10 which can be paid on the night. However, for catering purposes we need to know numbersCompact audio cassette Sony EF 90 Type I / IEC I Cassette labelled "Eltham Builders Historical" Converted to MP3 file; 100MB, 1:18:57 alistair knox, audio cassette, audio recording, building construction, diana bassett-smith, eltham, john pizzey, leigh wykes, peter jarvis, society meeting

Contained in Volume 1 of a set of two spiral magnetic photo albums, each containing 10 leaves, 20 pages; Vol. 1 labelled "Houses - Eltham South" and Vol. 2 labelled "Eltham Houses". Newspaper article promoting house auctioneltham, houses, charles souter, eltham south, neville emerson real estate, real estate advertisement, souters cottage

Photograph - black and white - group Portrait of the Orchestra. Written on the back ' To Our Patron, Fred W. Bush, whose wonderful hospitality has meant so much to the Bendigo Concert Orchestra. 19th August, 1946, signed E.G. Jarrett, President. Signed on back, Jarrett, Taylor, Taylor, Mansell, Palmer, Watson, Limbs, Perryman, Kennedy, Gant, Flight, McNair, Souter, Boulton, Favaloro, Kerr, Hampton, Briggs, Flynn, Evans, Ricketts, Evans, Jarrett, Cowling, Flynn, _____, Boylan, Coutts, Roylan, Flynn, Anquetil, Taylor, Meagher, Hillman.organization, club/society, bendigo concert orchestra., bendigo concert orchestra. edgar jarrett, president. fred bush.

Autograph Album ('My Friends'). All pages with autographs have been cut out. A coloured illustration on each page has a blank insert for the addition of a single autograph per page. Publisher: James Hawkins, London. Embossed on inner cover page: R Souter Bookseller Sandhurstorganization, business, bendigo businesses

Waverley Novels Pocket Edition. Volumes 13 -24. Set of Novels awarded to William Fraser as the Waverley Prize 1878 at the Sandhurst Corporate High School Volume 1 has a Dark green book plate inserted inside the front cover. Book plate edged in gold and details printed in gold. First page has an imprint of the Bookseller - R Souter Sandhurst. The books are covered with a red, blue and orange marbled pattern. This patterned paper is also inside the front and front covers. The spine and corners are trimmed with dark green leather. Published by Adam and Charles Black 1873. The Waverley Novels were a series of more than two dozen historical novels published by Sir Walter Scott between 1814 and 1832. The Waverley Novels are a long series of novels by Sir Walter Scott (1771–1832). For nearly a century, they were among the most popular and widely read novels in Europe.Sir Walter Scottbooks, fiction, waverley novels

Land Sale Agreement dtaed 5th November 1855 signed and selaed by Charles Hotham Allotment 20 Section 10 Township of White Hills Sold to George Souter Butter for the sum of six pounds and fifteen shillings

Waverley Novels Pocket Edition. Volumes 1 -12. Set of Novels awarded to William Fraser as the Waverley Prize 1878 at the Sandhurst Corporate High School Volume 1 has a Dark green book plate inserted inside the front cover. Book plate edged in gold and details printed in gold. First page has an imprint of the Bookseller - R Souter Sandhurst. The books are covered with a red, blue and orange marbled pattern. This patterned paper is also inside the front and front covers. The spine and corners are trimmed with dark green leather. Published by Adam and Charles Black 1873. The Waverley Novels were a series of more than two dozen historical novels published by Sir Walter Scott between 1814 and 1832. The Waverley Novels are a long series of novels by Sir Walter Scott (1771–1832). For nearly a century, they were among the most popular and widely read novels in Europe.Sir Walter Scottbooks, fiction, waverley novels

Blue cover 160 page book 'The Wonderful Pocket', title barely discernible on front cover. Circular coloured painting of small child climbing upwards on rocks to reach bird nest, centred on front cover. Written on fly page, very faded, 'Presbyterian Sabbath School Axedale, Awarded to Jonathan Harris for attendance, October 1886 (? faint) Impress of bookseller ' Bookseller, R. Souter, Sandhurst' on top RH corner of flyleaf. Book is an instructive text 'an attempt to embody some useful truths in a form to interest the young' and contains a chapter at the end titled: 'wise sayings from Africa'. Author Chauncey Giles. Published by Wakefield, William Nicholson and Sons, London. S.D. Ewins and Co., and W. Tegg.Chauncey Gilesperson, individual, jonathan harris

Robin Boyd’s desk cupboard contained two exercise books (item D482.1-D482.2) and assorted articles, essays and other material regarding the building of the Sydney Opera House, inserted inside the front cover of Walkabout magazine, July 1966 (item P1377). This publication is one of those inserts. Many of these were collected by Boyd’s eldest daughter, Mandie, who recalls that her father was writing a book, but was very disillusioned with the way the entire Opera House saga unfolded.Newspaper clipping'Age, June 4 1966', in Robin Boyd's handwritingsydney opera house, utzon, sydney opera house project, walsh st library

Robin Boyd’s desk cupboard contained two exercise books (item D482.1-D482.2) and assorted articles, essays and other material regarding the building of the Sydney Opera House, inserted inside the front cover of Walkabout magazine, July 1966 (item P1377). This publication is one of those inserts. Many of these were collected by Boyd’s eldest daughter, Mandie, who recalls that her father was writing a book, but was very disillusioned with the way the entire Opera House saga unfolded.Newspaper clipping, with an article on the two sidessydney opera house, utzon, sydney opera house project, walsh st library

Robin Boyd’s desk cupboard contained two exercise books (item D482.1-D482.2) and assorted articles, essays and other material regarding the building of the Sydney Opera House, inserted inside the front cover of Walkabout magazine, July 1966 (item P1377). This publication is one of those inserts. Many of these were collected by Boyd’s eldest daughter, Mandie, who recalls that her father was writing a book, but was very disillusioned with the way the entire Opera House saga unfolded.Newspaper clippingsydney opera house, utzon, sydney opera house project, walsh st library

Image No. 1 Brocksopp House erected about 1860 Originally known as Souters Cottage Eltham's first mud brick building Falkiner's Cottage The Alistair Knox Collection The Alistair Knox Collection is a series of mounted enlarged photos of mud brick houses and related subjects. The collection is understood to have been put together by Alistair Knox although it is the work of several unacknowledged photographers. For some years it was held by the Building Department of the former Eltham Shire Council and was then passed to our Society for safekeeping. Some of the photos have been used in Knox's books and from time to time some of them have been part of various historical displays. As far as we know there has not been a public display of the whole collection which numbers about forty photographs. The collection has been copied on to slides for the purpose of this meeting and to be retained as part of the Society's pictorial collection. Alistair Knox 1912 - 1986 is acknowledged as the founder of Eltham's mud brick building movement. Many of the buildings shown in the collection are of his design and he was also involved with the construction of several of them. Others are the work of his contemporaries and associates such as Peter Glass, Gordon Ford, and John Harcourt. (EDHS Newsletter No. 145 July 2002)Handwritten notes in pencil re details of building, year of construction, owner, designer, builder, etcbrocksopp house, falkiner cottage, houses, mud brick construction, souters cottage, alistair knox collection