The Victorian Railways guard's hat would have been part of a uniform guards were required to wear as on-board train staff.The Victorian Railways guard's hat has local significance as it was donated by a Wodonga resident. It also has historic significance due to its relative rarity and representativeness as part of the uniform worn by Victorian Railways staff, as well as its relatively good condition. Dark blue/grey felt Victorian Railways hat with the word 'GUARD' in gold on the front of a faded brown band. The hat has the VR logo and size on the inner sweat band. "Superior /Quality /Fur Felt / VR 7 1/4" in gold letters on one side of the inner leather sweat band.victorian railways hat, victorian railways guard's hat, v.r., victorian railways uniforms, railways uniforms, railways guard's hat

Victorian Railway Guard Hat, Navy cloth with black face brim. Has black band around the base of the hat. Red interior lined Metal Badge Guard 401

Very sturdy brown leather fully lined with red velvet. Base has a velvet lined insert to hold the hat in position. A 2.5cm wide braid, attached at each side, fastens with a silvery, metal clip, to secure the hat in position. A velvet covered frame sits at the top of the hat box, this has an oval shaped hole over the centre of the hat. A very sturdy, heavy lid has a strap across the lid - part of which is now missing-this strap would have fastened and locked into the circular brass locking fastener on the hat box. Two metal circular studs and stitching, hold the handle in place on the lid. A label and stamp have been attached to the lid, but are now badly worn, and a third Victorian Railways stamp can be identified.A card inside the hat box reads box 564 Cowling Collection hat box/hat. We are however unable to find any evidence of a Cowling Collection. Contains Top Hat 11400.836, packed in Clothing Box 158.costume accessories, male, leather hat box

Photograph shows six men and a 5 year old girl sitting on the street outside a shop front bearing signage in large print "Australian Tramway Employees Association Victorian Branch No. 2" (ATEA). Three of the men wear the uniform and cap of the Prahran and Malvern Tramway Trust and the young girl sits on the knee of one of these men. The other three men wear suits, ties and two wear hats and may be association/union officials. The ATEA was formed in 1910 and rented rooms at 636 Bourke Street from the Australian Railways Union, virtually opposite the tramways head office. This photograph of the outside the No.2 Branch office may be in Barkers Road, Kew at the Prahran and Malvern Tramways Trust's Kew Depot. This depot was opened in 1915 and included several shops in its design to help it blend into the local streetscape. The Trust was taken over by the Melbourne and Metropolitan Tramways Board in 1920 and its staff uniforms replaced over the following couple of years. This helps date the photo at between 1915 and 1921. Yields information about the Australian Tramway Employees Association Sepia photograph with postcard markings on rear. prahran and malvern tramway trust, australian tramway emplyees association, atea, 1910, 636 bourke street, melbourne and metropolitan tramways board, australian railways union, kew depot, barkers road, several shops, staff uniforms

HatboxMelbourne Stawell Railway LineCrocodile Patterned Hat Box provided with compliments to guests of the federal Hotel in Melbourne, who were travelling with Victorian Railways Victorian railways - Luggage Melbourne (Spencer Street) to Stawelltransport, railways

Large rectangular trunk lined with green and cream material. On each side is a mesh dome which opens with a clasp (to protect certain items?) including top and bottom. Brass clasp with locking mechanism, who smaller latches on either side. Leather handle, leather re-enforcements on each corner, attached with tacks. Exterior made of flaxite fiberBrass plaque on left hand side, 'Warranted Flaxite fiber rec trade mark featherweight' with feather in the centre. Sticker saying 'luggage Melbourne (sp.-st.) Cootamundra (NSW) Victorian Railways' on right hand side.personal effects, travel goods, trunk, travel, lock, storage, flaxite, featherweight

The Port of Echuca railway platform (next to Echuca Wharf) was an integral part of moving goods from the paddlesteamers to the train carriages heading to Melbourne. Numerous railway sidings existed given the volume of goods, meaning carriages were shunted regularly. While there is no known recorded official hat as a 'Shunters' hat, such hand-crafted items weren't unusual given the often singular, long-term nature of employment during the 20th and 21st centuries. Pure fur felt hat manufactured by John Bardsley & Son P/L specifically for Vic Rail. Brown in colour with dark band with "Shunter" sown into band."Shunter" sown into band.victorian railways, shunter, hats

Photographer notations on slide: Footscray State School Boys Band 1933 B5 Published: JUNIOR BAND CHAMPIONS--BEFORE THE HOLIDAYS--BELGIAN CARNIVAL--A ROYAL YACHTSMAN. (1933, September 1). The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), p. 3. Published caption: “Proud Champions.- The drum-major of the band of the Hyde-street State School, Footscray, leads his players in a march past for visitors during Music Week. Under Mr. Frank Johnston’s conductorship this band has held the championship for two years.” Trove article identifier: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article205116143 Scope and Content: Footscray’s Hyde Street State School Band, led by their drum major, prepare to march past a group of mothers while playing their instruments. The band held the record for winning the most Victorian State Schools Association Championships between 1931 and 1966. Research by project volunteer, Fiona Collyer: Description: A large group of boys, most of whom are dressed in long trousers and peaked band hats, led by their drum major, prepare to march past a group of women dressed in overcoats and hats and an infant in a pram. In the background is a school shelter shed, a railway line, houses and a netball ring on a wooden stand. The Hyde Street State School Band was formed in 1928 as the school band for Hyde Street State School No. 1912 at 10 Hyde Street Footscray (now Footscray City Primary School). Their bandmaster, Francis Charles Johnston,(1880-1953) nicknamed “Massa” as a boy for his love and admiration of southern American jazz music, also conducted the Victorian Police Band, Collingwood Citizens Band, and the Melbourne Metropolitan Fire Brigade Band, amongst others, leading to scores of wins in brass band competitions. Even into his sixties, “Massa” ran three laps around the South Melbourne Oval every morning in order to maintain fitness for his busy conducting schedule. He was a cornetist and horn player, and performed in and lead brass bands for more than fifty years including bands that farewelled Australian troops from the Boer War to the Second World War. The Argus 13 December 1947, described “Massa” - “Bandsmen say he is a genius in brass band music, and the best conductor in the Southern Hemisphere. He still retains the romance and Bohemianism of the old German bandsmen he played with in the streets of Melbourne 50 years ago.” In 1925, a bequest of £10,000 from the estate of the late writer, William Gillies was made to the Education Department of Victoria. It was devoted to three purposes - “1) The encouragement of instrumental music (school bands or orchestras) in the State schools of Victoria, leading, it is hoped, to an increase in the number of village bands and orchestras, and, most important of all, family orchestras; (2) The encouragement of the art of reading aloud, leading, it is hoped, to an increase of the admirable pastime of reading aloud in the family circle; and (3) The encouragement of any branch of nature study, the aim of all three being to make home life, especially in the country, more attractive.” The Director of Education, Mr. M.P. Hansen wrote in his book “Thoughts That Breathe” published in 1932, that, as a result of the Gillies Bequest- “£3,030 has already been made available for the purchase of band instruments, and thanks largely to the encouragement given by this fine bequest, there are now in State schools in Victoria, each under expert tuition, 31 brass bands, 9 orchestras, 13 fife bands and 23 violin classes. That the effect of such work has a significant bearing on the right use of leisure, is undeniable.” By 1937, at least 50 State school bands had been set up in Victoria and the Victorian State Schools Association Championships were hotly contested. Frank quickly and skilfully brought the inexperienced boys of the Hyde Street Brass Band to A grade level, winning their first Victorian State Schools Association Championships in 1931. The band went on to win multiple times, holding the record for winning the most Victorian State Schools Association Championships between 1931 and 1966. The band soon became an integral part of community events. Whenever the Footscray Football Team played a home game at the perpetually blustery Western Oval, (Whitten Oval since 1995) the band performed at half time, marching around the boundary line, belting out the Footscray Football Team theme song- “Sons of the ’Scray” played to the tune of “Sons of the Sea” by British music hall songwriter Felix McGlennon. Volunteers walked behind the band carrying a large tarpaulin to catch the shower of coins thrown by fans from both teams, which helped pay for new instruments, repairs and uniforms. The old footy joke goes- Q. Who played on the wing at the Western Oval for 20 years, but never kicked a goal? A. The Hyde Street Band. Now called the Hyde Street Youth Band Inc, it is a not-for-profit organisation, supported by the City of Maribyrnong. Their aim is to make brass music accessible to young people aged from 5-25 years, by supplying the instruments and lessons for a modest annual membership fee. The traditional British brass band comprises of three musical ensembles according to ability. The Hyde Street Youth Band Inc. play at community events including the AFL Grand Final Parade, ANZAC Day March at the Shrine of Remembrance, Moomba Parade and Yarraville Carols by Candlelight. Their repertoire includes classical, marches, hymns, contemporary music and movie themes. https://bandblastsfromthepast.blog/2018/04/08/victorian-state-school-brass-bands-their-legacy-lives-on/ Massa" and His Musical Firemen (1947, December 13). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 2 (The Argus Week-end Magazine). Retrieved May 5, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article22532344 http://www.hydestreethistory.8m.net/photo2.html MUSIC AND MUSICIANS (1932, March 9). The Mercury (Hobart, Tas. : 1860 - 1954), p. 2. Retrieved May 8, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article29946674 https://hsyb.org.au/about/history-2/ https://hsyb.org.au/about/ MUSIC AND READING ALOUD. (1925, June 1). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 10. Retrieved May 5, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2122525 Shake! Narrow Escape From Shark The Birdcage Walk Champion Schoolboy's Band (1931, December 24). The Sun News-Pictorial (Melbourne, Vic. : 1922 - 1954; 1956), p. 14-15. Retrieved April 8, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article276259073 AROUND THE SCHOOLS: THE ARGUS JUNIOR (1947, September 23). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 6 (The Argus Super Comic). Retrieved April 20, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article22509356 https://bandblastsfromthepast.blog/tag/hyde-street-youth-band/ THE GILLIES BEQUEST (1933, September 2). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 22. Retrieved May 5, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article11688410 https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/johnston-francis-charles-massa-13009 Hyde Street, Footscray, State School Children (1930, March 8). Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic. : 1869 - 1954), p. 40. Retrieved May 8, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article223899955Photographer notations on slide: Footscray State School Boys Band 1933 B5bands, 1930-1939, musical instruments, schools, state schools, uniforms, footscray

Photograph shows bogie car VR tram 39 with destination Elwood Depot, most likely on an outside track in the depot yard. The tram sits at a turnout surrounded by vegetation with trolley pole raised and all weather blinds down on the off-side. Male with hat ,perhaps workshop staff, appears to be in driver cabin. Yields information of Railways tramcar 39 and Elwood Depot Black and white photograph with letter G showing in lower left corner of print from previous collection. No notes on rear.victorian railways, elwood depot, vr tram 39