This book was written and produced by Edward Vidler, Born in England, Edward Vider, a writer, publisher, journalist and editor, was in Geelong in the 1880s where he produce a commemorative volume of that city. In Warrnambool in the early 1900s Vidler was Secretary of the Warrnambool Chamber of Commerce and Manufactures and of the Warrnambool and District Progress League. In 1907 he produced ‘Warrnambool Past and Present’ to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the founding of Warrnambool. In 1907 he also organized the project that produced the Warrnambool Pioneer Honour Board. Later Vidler lived in Melbourne where he edited magazines and published his own and other writings. He was interested in the promotion of the arts and was a keen naturalist. He was a foundation member of the group that established the Maranoa Native Gardens in Balwyn.These books are of the utmost significance as ‘Warrnambool Past and Present’ is a seminal work in the history of the Warrnambool – second only in importance to Richard Osburne’s History of Warrnambool published in 1887. ‘Warrnambool Past and Present’ is noted for the accuracy of Vidler’s research, its complementary value to Osborne’s history and its presentation of historically valuable material that might otherwise be lost. The photographs in the book are of excellent quality and of great historical value and continue to be scanned and copied today. Intact original copies of this book are very rare today.These are five copies of ‘Warrnambool Past and Present – 88 pages, text by Edward Vidler, 120 black and white photographs and illustrations, local advertisements, original soft cover is missing in all copies. .1 Full original text with letter insert from donor and blue cardboard cover with plastic overlay and black binding .2 Full original copy with added index and soft cover with plastic overlay and red binding .3 Original text to page 76 with added photocopied pages and blue cardboard cover .4 Original text to page 72 and added photocopied pages and no cover with staple binding and some adhesive tape, tattered first and last pages .5 Original text to page 80, added photocopied pages and no cover and no binding .1 Letter from Margaret Wright, Queenscliffe Historical Society .3. ‘S. Wickham’ history of warrnambool, edward vidler, pioneer honour board

This book was written by Edward Vidler (1863-1942), a printer, publisher and author. Born in England, Vidler was in Geelong in the 1880s and produced there a commemorative volume on that city. He came to Warrnambool in the early years of the 20th century and was Secretary of the Warrnambool and District Progress League and the Warrnambool Chamber of Commerce and Industry. While in Warrnambool he produced an important 1907 publication, ‘Warrnambool Past and Present – Sixty Years of Progress’ and also organized the production of the Pioneer Honour Board featuring portraits of 204 Warrnambool and district pioneer men. After he left Warrnambool he lived in Melbourne where he edited magazines and published his own and other writings. He was a foundation member of the group that established the Maranoa Native Gardens in Balwyn and promoted Australian flora and fauna. This book is of great interest s it was written by Edward Vidler, a resident of Warrnambool in the early 1900s and an important and influential figure in our history. He left behind in Warrnambool two most important legacies – the Pioneer Honour Board and the book ‘Warrnambool Past and Present’, a history of Warrnambool that has proved invaluable to researchers today. No information has been found on the original owner of the book, William Ewers. This is a 1931 soft cover book of 96 pages. The cover has a grey-coloured background and a sepia-coloured photograph of two kookaburras on a tree branch on the front cover and an advertisement for a publication called ‘Songs of the Bush’ on the back cover. The book is dedicated to the Gould League of Bird Lovers. It has a Contents page, a Foreword, a Preface, pages on Australian birds and an Index. It has many black and white photographs of Australian birds. It is glued and bound with blue tape.Signature on front cover and inside first page: ‘Wm. D. Ewers’edward vidler, history of warrnambool, warrnambool pioneer honour board, 1907 warrnambool history book, ‘warrnambool past and present’.