These wooden trees for riding stocks are a concept that was brought to early colonial days from "mother" England. Gentle folk of wealth and status used these trees from early 1800's to keep and maintain their riding boots in their correct form. This form of maintaining the tall riding boot structure was maintained in Australia by the rural "elite" both on cattle properties and smaller cattle stations in the early 1900's. Good riding boots were a status symbol in rural and outback Australia. The riding stocks "wooden trees" are very significant in the Kiewa Valley because they were used by members of some of the original grazing cattle families to settle there. Both cattle and sheep properties occupied large areas of the Kiewa Valley and they also herded their flock and herd on the Bogong High Plains region. These stocks and boots were worn by Fred Roper whose great grand daughter donated them to KVHS. Therefore these boots and stocks would date from 1880's to 1920's and are a good representation of the style of boots worn during this period. This pair of wooden stocks for riding boots trees has been manufactured to a very high standard. Each of the four boot tree parts fit snugly together and maintain their form, and that of the boot that they occupy. The groove channels and foot forms (tongue and groove) are exact and once snapped together become very solid. There is a brass ring, attached by a small brass "peg" on each of the thin "sliding" middle uprights. See KVHS 0177 - Riding boots.On top "L" (for left boot), "R" (for right boot)horse. country. leather. gaiters. high plains. grazing. cattlemen. laces. studs. stocks. roper family. bogong high plains.

Edwin Parr Hood cam to heathcote in 1891. at the age of twenty he had already leaned the tailors trade.He set up his business in High Street opposide the Mt. Ida Hotel. he advertised his stocks of mens clothing in the McIvor Times.2 suits made by E. P. Hood donated to the Museum by a local family whose father had purchased the suits in Heathcote. Worn on several occasions in and around the district of Heathcote.3piece man's suit, navy blue with pale blue and grey pin stripe,wool woosted material fully lined with silk tafeta. has label on back of inside jacket collar E P Hood /Heathcotenavy blue pinstripe mans suit

Albert Stocks born Archer fostered by Alice and Edgar Stocks Seventh Day Adventists after his parents deathBlack and white postcard showing Albert Stocks on right fostered son of Alice nee Grant and Edgar Stock. Also in picture is Ted Fish Bairnsdale Victoriagenealogy, families

Also buried in the grave is Mrs Alice Stocks buried 1955. This fact verified by family members who attended including grand daughter Bette Archer of Maffra. Funeral director mistakingly recorded the burial at BairnsdaleColour photograph of headstone on graves of George and Sarah Grant early settlers of Metung in the Bumberrah Cemetery near Johnsonville Victoriacemeteries, memorials, settlers

non-fictionLost letters of Dutton Wood and unpublished letters from the Boer War written by Fred Stocks, Dutton Wood's Uncle. Also many photos of WW1 Diggers from the author's family and anecdotes about their lives. An amazing collection of original letters came to light 100 years after the events of Anzac in WW1, and written by Edwin Dutton Wood, [known as Dutton], named after his maternal family name, and was in the first wave of soldiers at Gallipoli and wrote 28 letters and cards. Written to his hopeful sweetheart who was sister to his best mate, Norman Talbett. Duttan wrote to his mate's mother to console her on the sad news that her son Norman had been killed at Gallipoli. Dutton named his eldest son, Norman, after his best mate.world war 1914-1918, world war 1, boer war, fred stocks, edwin dutton wood

non-fictionTo her daughter Marianne Stocks (nee Dutton), great great grandmother of Rob Wilson. Tracing one upper class family's struggles as they lose their fortune in England 1794-1844sarah dutton, marianne stocks