The Wodonga Historical Society Haeusler Collection provides invaluable insight into life in late nineteenth and early twentieth century north east Victoria. The collection comprises manuscripts, personal artefacts used by the Haeusler family on their farm in Wodonga, and a set of glass negatives which offer a unique visual snapshot of the domestic and social lives of the Haeusler family and local Wodonga community. The Haeusler family migrated from Prussia (Germany) to South Australia in the 1840s and 1850s, before purchasing 100 acres of Crown Land made available under the Victorian Lands Act 1862 (also known as ‘Duffy’s Land Act’) in 1866 in what is now Wodonga West. The Haeusler family were one of several German families to migrate from South Australia to Wodonga in the 1860s. Handmade from recycled materials from the family farm, this toy Xylophone belonged to Alfred Haeusler (b.1922) and was played with during his childhood in Wodonga c.1920s-1930s. This toy is one of several objects in the Haeusler Collection concerning early childhood that provide insight into family and home life in early twentieth century Wodonga. The item is handmade and unique, with well documented provenance. It forms part of a significant and representative historical collection which reflects the local history of Wodonga. It contributes to our understanding of domestic and family life in early twentieth century Wodonga, as well as providing interpretative capacity for themes including local history, social history, and women’s history. Handmade toy xylophone with wooden mallet "C D E F G A H C" notes engraved on xylophone keys toy, music, xylophone, children, child, domestic, home, game, haeusler, haeusler collection, wodonga

Xylophone Hair Tidy in colour cream. Part of manicure set

Frank Wright was a renown resident of Smeaton, where he was born. He lived at Laura Villa, and attended Smeaton State School. His father William was a gold miner and his mother's name was Sarah. Their family won many singing and instrumental awards. Frank was tutored by Percy Code and became the Australian Open Cornet Champion by the age of eighteen. A year later, Frank conducted the City of Ballarat Band, and later the Ballarat Soldiers’ Memorial Band. He formed the Frank Wright Frisco Band and Frank Wright and his Coliseum Orchestra. These bands won many South Street awards, and Frank as conductor won many awards in the Australian Band Championship contest. In 1933 Frank Wright sailed to England to conduct the famous St Hilda’s Band and was later appointed Musical Director of the London County Council, where he organized many amazing concerts in parks, in and around the London district. He was made Professor of Brass and Military Band Scoring and conducted at the Guildhall of Music and Drama. Frank was often invited to adjudicate Brass Band Championships around Europe, in Australia, including South Street and in New Zealand. The Frank Wright Medal at the Royal South Street competition is awarded to an individual recognized as making an outstanding contribution to brass music in Australia..1) black and white photograph of six men dressed in formal attire - one standing beside a double bass, one holding a violin, one holding a trumpet, one seated in front of a piano, one holding a clarinet, and one standing behind a xylophone. They are situated in the Ballarat Town Hall's A Hall. Frank Wright (cornet), Roy Ogilvey (piano), E.L. Bentley (violin), C. Mills (clarionet), William Morris (Bass), T. McManamny (drums). .2) sepia photograph of six men dressed in formal attire - one standing beside a double bass, one holding a violin, one holding a trumpet, one seated in front of a piano, one holding a clarinet, and one standing behind a xylophone. They are situated in the Ballarat Town Hall's A Hall. .3) sepia photograph of seven men dressed in formal attire - one holding a flute, two holding cornets, one holding a violin, one seated in front of a piano, one holding a clarinet and one holding drum sticks. They are situated in front of a backdrop of a large painting and curtains at the Coliseum, Ballarat. .4) black and white photograph of six men dressed in formal attire - one is steated holding a clarinet, with two banjos and other clarinets on the floor in front, another is seated holding a violin. Both have saxophones on their knees. Another man is standing holding a trombone, one is seated in front of a piano, one is holding a cornet, and one is standing behind a xylophone with drum kit beside. They are situated in the Ballarat Town Hall's A Hall. .1) on back - Richards & Co, Photo, Ballarat, Post Card, Kodak Australia; handwritten - "Frank Wright and his Coliseum Orchestra", Left to Right - W. Morris Bass, E. Bentley Violin, Frank Wright Trumpet - MD, Roy Ogilvie Piano, C. Mills Clarinet, T. McMannamy Drums, Taken City Hall Nov 25th 1926 .2) on front - City Hall-Ballarat,1926 .3) on front - Coliseum-Ballarat, October 1925, on back - Richards & Co, Photo, Ballarat .4) on back - Richards & Co., Photographers, Ballarat, Proofs not returned charged for; handwritten - Ballarat Town Hall, probably Coliseum Orchestra?frank wright, coliseum orchestra, city hall ballarat, cornet, piano, clarinet, banjo, violin, xylophone, trombone, drums, w. morris, e. bentley, roy ogilvie, c. mills, t. mcmannamy, ballarat town hall, ballarat town hall interior, "a" hall

Short typed notes on the Wesley College Dramatic Society performances. Mentioned is The Monkey's Paw, Captain X and The New Boy. Mentioned are Stuart Hall and Winks Smith who played the xylophone.document, wesley college dramatic society, the monkey's paw, captain x, the new boy, shakespeare, stuart hall, winks smith, ?erry

John Alfred Lyell "Alf" Haeusler was born on 3rd February 1922, and was the only child of Louis and Ilma Haeusler. He lost his mother Ilma at the age of six and was raised by his father and his Aunt Nellie. He was a quiet lad with a limp, possibly caused by an illness early in life, later diagnosed as polymyositis. As a young boy, Alf was fascinated by electricity and radios. Like his father Louis, Alf had the ability to engineer and fabricate almost anything using humble materials, from mending the broken handle of a teapot, to making a toy xylophone, a homemade crystal radio set or a homemade drill. Alf attended Wodonga West School No.1058 until the eighth grade. Due to his medical condition, in order to avoid the two-mile walk to school, Alf travelled by pony, which was hired from another student, Tom Ardern for sixpence a week. The two boys remained lifelong friends. Tom Ardern died in Wodonga, Victoria on 10th January 1996 and Alf Haeusler died on 5th October 1997. The Haeusler Collection consisting of manuscripts, personal artefacts used by the Haeusler family and a set of glass negatives was bequeathed to the Wodonga & District Historical Society. It offers a unique visual snapshot of the domestic and social lives of the Haeusler family and local Wodonga community in the early 20th century.This photo is significant because it depicts an important aspect of the early life of Alf Haeusler of Wodonga.Framed black and white image of two boys on horseback on their way to school.haeusler family of wodonga, thomas ardern, alf haeusler

Edison cylinders were the earliest commercial medium for recording and reproducing sound. These hollow cylindrical objects have an audio recording engraved on the outside surface which can be reproduced when they are played on a mechanical cylinder phonograph. Beginning in 1889, pre-recorded wax cylinders were marketed. These have professionally made recordings of songs, instrumental music or humorous monologues in their grooves. The earliest cylinders were made from soft wax and later hard wax was utilised. Further developments by several companies, led to the introduction of celluloid cylinders. In late 1908, Thomas Edison had introduced wax cylinders that played for about four minutes (instead of the usual two) under the Amberol brand. The Amberols were manufactured with flat rim-ends, to prevent confusion with the earlier bevel-edged two-minute version. In 1912, the Edison company eventually acquired patents to the celluloid technology, and almost immediately started production under new brand as Edison Blue Amberol Records. Cylinder records continued to compete with the growing disc record market into the 1910s. In 1912, Columbia Records, which had been selling both discs and cylinders, dropped the cylinder format, while Edison introduced his Diamond Disc format, played with a diamond stylus. From 1915, new Edison cylinders were re-recordings from Edison discs. Although his cylinders continued to be sold in steadily dwindling quantities, Edison continued to support the owners of cylinder phonographs by making new titles available in that format until the company ceased manufacturing all records and phonographs in November 1929.This item is significant because it is representative of home entertainment in the late 19th and early 20th century.Two phonograph cylinders in cardboard boxes. The first cylinder is an earlier 2 minute Edison Gold Moulded Record with Issue Number 9184. It features a recording of "Paddle your own Canoe" by Arthur F. Collins and Byron G. Harlan and was released in January 1906. The second cylinder is a 4 minute Edison Amberol Record (NO. 647) featuring the Levy-Athan Polka performed by Charles Daab on xylophone and accompanied by an orchestra. It was released in February 1911. The case is cylindrical in shape and made of cardboard. It is coloured green, white, and black on the outside, while the base is not coloured. The tube is open at the top, and sealed at the base. Inside the tube is a white fabric lining. The top section of the outside of the tube is dark green. Below this is an outer sleeve. The outer sleeve has a half white, half green background with a black stripe, with gold outline, running horizontally around the top and bottom. The words "Thomas A. Edison" are printed in green cursive along the band. In the centre of the sleeve is the text " EDISON AMBEROL RECORD FOUR MINUTE" in green ink. To the left of that text is a green-toned image of Thomas Edison in an ornate, gold border. This is surrounded by the words “Copyright 1900 by the National Phonograph Co. Orange N.J. U.S.A". To the right of the text is a rectangular text box with a black border, which contains patent information in green text. edison phonograph, home entertainment, music early 20th century