Ron Setford and his wife Grace Setford lived in Tanner Avenue, East Kew, from c.1946 to c.1995. A keen photographer, he recorded the changing face of Kew over a 20 year period. Apart from 30 photographs of built structures and places in Kew dating from 1960 and 1961, 145 of his 35mm colour slides chronicle the development of the Eastern Freeway through the Yarra Valley over a five year period from c.1972 to c.1977. This important collection was donated to the Society by his granddaughter in 2025.This collection of 175 35mm slides is of local and statewide significance, owing to its subject matter, particularly the major development of road transport infrastructure during the 1970s with the construction of the Eastern Freeway. The photographer also took care to annotate and date most of his slides which enable the researcher to pinpoint temporal and spatial locations.Yarra Street was not made a trafficable thoroughfare until October 1956. Until then, the gully was used as a dump, a shortcut to the river, and for communal Guy Fawkes night bonfires. The open landscape in the photo reflects near-total clearing by the original estate owners for grazing livestock. Post-war homes fronting Stawell St dot the landscape. Of particular note are the Broons House (c.1952–54) by Anatol Kagan (top right), and the homes of two architects, Kurt Elsner (c.1950) (middle) and Geoffrey Danne (c.1954) (lower right). Dual carriageways made blocks accessible, but building was difficult due to steeply sloping land and complex drainage easements.  Nevertheless, these challenges resulted in highly innovative designs, making Yarra Street the core of the Yarra Boulevard Heritage Precinct."Yarra St Kew"ron setford, photographs -- kew (vic.) -- 1960s, yarra street -- kew (vic.)

After training as a Cartographic Draftsman within the mining industry, I worked as a property illustrator for real estate firms in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne for 23 years from 1983. I initially photographed houses with a Polaroid camera and made a 'thumbnail' sketch while there. The photos were used to scale off a sketch in pencil and then that sketch was overlaid with drafting film and the 'pen and ink' completed. The pens I used were the Rotring ‘Rapidigraph’ drafting pens. The ink was also made by Rotring (German).The film was ‘Rapidraw’, polyester drafting film, double matte. It takes a very fine line and doesn’t bleed. As well as house sketches, there were often floor plans and site plans ordered. Aerial sketches were ordered when the property needed an overall view. (Margaret Picken, 2020)This drawing is one of a series created by Margaret Picken for a range of real estate agents in Melbourne between c.1983 and c.2003. Each work is signed and dated by the artist.Gift of Margaret Picken, 2020Pen and ink drawing on drafting film of 6 Yarra Street, Kew by Margaret Picken.6 YARRA ST., KEW / MARGARET PICKEN ~99 / WOODARDS ~ HAWTHORNartist -- margaret picken 1950-, architectural drawings -- houses -- kew (vic.), 6 yarra street -- kew (vic.)

After training as a Cartographic Draftsman within the mining industry, I worked as a property illustrator for real estate firms in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne for 23 years from 1983. I initially photographed houses with a Polaroid camera and made a 'thumbnail' sketch while there. The photos were used to scale off a sketch in pencil and then that sketch was overlaid with drafting film and the 'pen and ink' completed. The pens I used were the Rotring ‘Rapidigraph’ drafting pens. The ink was also made by Rotring (German).The film was ‘Rapidraw’, polyester drafting film, double matte. It takes a very fine line and doesn’t bleed. As well as house sketches, there were often floor plans and site plans ordered. Aerial sketches were ordered when the property needed an overall view. (Margaret Picken, 2020)This drawing is one of a series created by Margaret Picken for a range of real estate agents in Melbourne between c.1983 and c.2003. Each work is signed and dated by the artist.Gift of Margaret Picken, 2020Pen and ink drawing on drafting film of 18 Yarra Street, Kew by Margaret Picken.18 YARRA ST., KEW / MARGARET PICKEN ~96 / WOODARDS ~ HAWTHORNartist -- margaret picken 1950-, architectural drawings -- houses -- kew (vic.), 18 yarra street -- kew (vic.)

"In 1928 the land on the east side of Johnson Street was subdivided in 60 lots for the ‘Heart of Richmond Estate’. The houses in the subdivision, along the east side of Johnson Street, and in the newly created Hollick, Cole and Kennedy streets were constructed from 1928 to 1937." (Source: City of Yarra Heritage Gaps Review One 2013)Portion of subdivision plan pasted on to cardboard. Area includes Johnson Street, Victoria Street, Kennedy Street, Cole Street, Hollick Street, Bennett StreetTitle Certificate Vol.2381, Folio 476130 Phillips, Fox & Masel, 440 Little Collins Street, Melbourne (Local estate agent: Jas. R. Mathers & McMIllan, 136 Cotham Road, Kew)subdivision plans - richmond (vic.), heart of richmond estate

Pru Sanderson, in her groundbreaking ‘City of Kew Urban Conservation Study : Volume 2 - Development History’ (1988), summarised the periods of urban development and subdivisions of land in Kew. The periods that she identified included 1845-1880, 1880-1893, 1893-1921, 1921-1933, 1933-1943, and Post-War Development. These periods were selected as they represented periods of rapid growth or decline in urban development. An obvious starting point for Sanderson’s groupings involved population growth and the associated economic cycles. These cycles also highlighted urban expansion onto land that was predominantly rural, although in other cases it represented the decline and breakup of large estates. A number of the plans in the Kew Historical Society’s collection can also be found in other collections, such as those of the State Library of Victoria and the Boroondara Library Service. A number are however unique to the collection.The Kew Historical Society collection includes almost 100 subdivision plans pertaining to suburbs of the City of Melbourne. Most of these are of Kew, Kew East or Studley Park, although a smaller number are plans of Camberwell, Deepdene, Balwyn and Hawthorn. It is believed that the majority of the plans were gifted to the Society by persons connected with the real estate firm - J. R. Mathers and McMillan, 136 Cotham Road, Kew. The Plans in the collection are rarely in pristine form, being working plans on which the agent would write notes and record lots sold and the prices of these. The subdivision plans are historically significant examples of the growth of urban Melbourne from the beginning of the 20th Century up until the 1980s. A number of the plans are double-sided and often include a photograph on the reverse. This plan shows a subdivision with two sections: the ‘Boulevard Section’ and the ‘Riverside Section’. The first of these sections bordered Burke Road between Kilby Road and the farm beside the Yarra. Kilby Road, Munro Road, Burke Road and Old Burke Road bordered the 102 lots in the Boulevard Section of the plan. The streets within the Section included Walbundry Avenue, Inverness Way, Riverside Avenue, Cascade Street and Kyora Parade. These street names, at least in this subdivision plan linked the two Sections of the subdivision. At a later date, the City of Kew decided to alter the street names. Walbundry, Inverness, Riverside, Cascade and Kyora were all renamed as ‘Drives’ (e.g. Kyora Drive). The subdivision plan is of interest in that it names High Street in Kew as Doncaster Road. It also shows the location of the wooden church that was later removed to Yarraville on the corner of Kilby Road and High Street. The plan predates later developments such as the S. E. Dickens Supermarket.subdivision plans - east kew, boulevard estate, munro road -- kew east (vic.), kilby road -- kew east (vic.), burke road -- kew east (vic.), walbundry avenue -- kew east (vic.), inverness way -- kew east (vic.), riverside avenue -- kew east (vic.), cascade drive -- kew east (vic.), nyora parade -- kew east (vic.)

The party of the British surveyor Charles Grimes were the first Europeans to view the River Yarra, as it was later to be named. Members of the party reached the area now known as Studley Park in 1803. This local re-enactment commemorated 175 years since that event. Charles Grimes Re-Enactment, Yarra River, Kew, 1978. The photograph is of a student of Trinity Grammar School and the Mayor of Kew, Cr. Whiting. Inscription on reverse: "KH-161. Society's contribution to the 1978 Festival of Kew. Re-enactment of first white man's journey and discovery of the Yarra River and the area now know (sic) as Kew. 1978. This was in the year 1903 when Grimes and party came upon the Yarra to seek a possible site for a new convict settlement. Cr. Whiting, Mayor of Kew, receiving the report from Grimes, 'Andrew Allen'. Cr. Hutchinson in top hat 'town cryer'. Bush band in backround." Ripped stamp on reverse: "Standard N[ewspapers]."charles grimes re-enactment, trinity grammar school, cr whiting -- mayors -- kew (vic.), yarra river, andrew allen, kew historical society

The party of the British surveyor Charles Grimes were the first Europeans to view the River Yarra, as it was later to be named. Members of the party reached the area now known as Studley Park in 1803. This local re-enactment commemorated 175 years since that event.Charles Grimes, Re-enactment, Yarra River, Kew, 1978. Inscription on reverse: "Trinity Grammar School students taking part in Grimes' journey up the Yarra, 1803. Re-enactment Historical Society Kew contribution to the 1978 Festival of Kew."charles grimes re-enactment, trinity grammar school, cr whiting -- mayors -- kew (vic.), yarra river, andrew allen, kew historical society

This is a colour postcard of the River Yarra at Studley Park, circa 1905. The postcard, which has handwritten notes on the reverse. It was printed in Prussia as part of the Victoria Stamp Market (VSM) Series. Coloured postcard of the Yarra River looking north from Galatea Point, near the Johnson Street Bridge.Donated by Miss B. Challen. ?Taken from bend above Galatea Point, looking north. Identified by Darcy Dugan, Yarra Bend Parks.river yarra, victoria stamp market (vsm) series, postcards

Valentine's Series postcard, printed in Great Britain by Valentine’s Co. Ltd. (Valentine & Sons 1825-1963) for Australian distributionEarly postcard of the Hawthorn to Burnley Railway Bridge on the River Yarra. Station picnic on left. Tay Creggan on right. Buildings and location identified by Marshall Slattery in 1977. The postcard was printed in Great Britain and was published as one of Valentine's Series. "KH.87. Donated by Mrs B. Challen 2.2.76. Burnley to Hawthorn Railway Bridge. Station Picnic on left. "Tay Creggan" on right. Marshall Slattery 1977".river yarra, railway bridge - hawthorn, postcards -- hawthorn (vic.)

The Kew Historical Society's postcard collection includes views of Kew, Melbourne and Greater Melbourne as well as those including overseas scenes sent or received from Europe or the Middle East. They date from the 1890s to the 2000s. These postcards may or may not include the name of the publisher or printer. A number of the cards were published as parts of popular series. A way of dating early postcards is to identify whether the reverse was divided by a central line which became the norm after 1902 in the United Kingdom. However, other postcards produced after this date do not always conform to this print layout.The item forms part of the Laurie Bennett collection of thirty-six postcards and photographs of Kew and early Melbourne, donated to the Kew Historical Society in 1980. The postcards in the Bennett collection, like other images in the Society's holdings date from the 1890s to the present and comprehensively indicate points-of-view or scenes considered historically, aesthetically or socially significant in the period in which they were produced.Monochrome photo postcard of Macauleys' Boat Shed in Kew and its position on the Yarra at the end of Molesworth Street."KH-393. Macauley's Boat Shed, Kew. Lower Molesworth St, Donated by L. Bennett"boat sheds - kew (vic), river yarra - kew (vic), macaulay's boat shed - kew (vic), recreation - yarra river - kew (vic)

The Kew Historical Society's Pictures Collection is comprised of photographs, postcards and original works of art. The postcards include original (mainly) images dating from the 1900s to the present. A number of postcards, some of which have numerous variants, were published as parts of series. Others are original images customised as postcards. Many of the postcards in the collection depict places within the suburbs of Kew and Kew East. Others depict locations in Victoria or internationally.View of two women and two children in a canoe at Macauleys' Boat Shed at the end of Molesworth Street, Kew. At the left of the image stands a man and his dog, presumably the manager of the boat shed. On the bak of the seat of one of the canoes is its name - sunbeam. Another item in the collection includes one of these name boards."Lower Molesworth Street, 1900. Home restored still standing 1980."postcards, recreation - yarra river - kew (vic), yarra river - kew (vic), macauley's boat house -- boat shed

Copy of a painting (or etching) by S.T. Gill showing the Yarra River at Princess Bridge, Melbourne.Inscription reverse: "Eastern side of old Princess Bridge from Yarra"reproductions -- s t gill, princess bridge -- river yarra - melbourne (vic.)

Victoria Bridge is a riveted and welded steel Warren truss bridge over the Yarra River completed in 1884 to a design by Fraser & Chase following a controversial design competition held in 1880. Funds for the bridge's construction were provided by the councils of Collingwood, Hawthorn, Kew and Richmond. The contract was awarded to Mr P. Platt. Charles Rowand was officially appointed Supervising Engineer in 1883. The winning design was based on the theoretical work of William Charles Kernot (1845-1909) who campaigned for economy in public works design and the application of scientific principles in engineering. ... The bridge was widened in 1890 by the addition of a third line of truss on new piers on the up stream side to carry horse trams. Work commenced in 1914 to convert the horse tramway to an electric tramway by the Prahran & Malvern Tramways Trust, part of the Trust's extension of its tramway into the eastern suburbs between 1913-18. In 1915 the bridge was further strengthened to accommodate the extra weight of electric trams and widened by the addition of two six feet cantilever footpaths. During this period the Prahran & Malvern Tramways Trust erected two ornamental gantries over the roadway to support overhead wires for the electric tramway. Further widening and reconditioning of the bridge took place in 1933, including the addition of four new welded trusses, two intermediate and two on the outside. The latter were supported on new cantilevered truss cross beams attached to the top of the piers. (Source: Heritage Victoria)Early and rare postcard of the Victoria Street Bridge linking Victoria Street and Barkers Road.Polychrome postcard of the Victoria Street Bridge which links Richmond and Abbotsford with Kew and Hawthorn.View from Harrison Cres embankment / former Xavier College boatshed on site of tree in foreground. / Chimney left corner - Wool Scoring Mils in Victoria St. / On horizon - Studley Villa, Studley House circa 1880s, Studley Hall / Chinese gardens to be seen behind three set of columns / M.J. Slatterypostcards -- yarra river, postcards -- bridges. -- greater melbourne (vic.), victoria street bridge

The Yarra River was a major subject for the producers of postcards in Melbourne. This dual image postcard shows images of the Yarra in two locations. Studley Park in Kew was a major location for recreation activities by the people of Melbourne.Image of the Yarra at Sudley Park shows remnant vegetation preserved on the banks of the Yarra in this part of Kew.Monochrome postcard with two images of the Yarra River, the lower image showing the Yarra at Studley Park. The reverse has a handwritten birthday greeting from Eileen to her mother Mrs Clark. Original postage stamp has been removed and slight tearing in top right corner. Two ink stamps KEW HISTORICAL SOCIETY have been added."Mrs Clark, Harp Road, East Kew / Wishing Mother a very happy Birthday and many returns / from Eileen"yarra falls, dual image postcards, yarra river -- studley park -- melbourne (vic.), monochrome postcards

View of the River Yarra at Kew, photographed by Sydney Walter Jackson in 1953.river yarra - kew (vic)

Without bridges, Kew remained cut off from the City of Melbourne, only being accessible by Punt. Private and public bridges were constructed from the 1850s, beginning with the Hawthorn Bridge linking Bridge and Burwood Roads. A bridge across the Yarra at Burke Road was created as early as 1873. Since that first wooden bridge, a number of later bridges, typically on concrete pylons have been built, in 1926 and again during the 1970s.Angle view of the new Yarra bridge [ie. The Burke Road bridge] taken from the Kew side, showing the bridge’s structure. Trees line the river’s edge. In the distance can be seen a distant line of houses stretching to the horizon. The river appears to have an S-shaped bend beyond the bridge. The postcard, No. 227, was produced by the Valentine Publishing Co. Pty Ltd., of Queen Street, Melbourne.burke road bridge - kew (vic), bridges - kew (vic)

History of Greenacres Golf Clubnon-fictiongreen acres golf club, golf clubs - kew (vic)

The Municipality of Kew (1860-1863), the Borough of Kew (1863-1910), the Town of Kew (1910-1921) and the City of Kew (1921-1994) were local government instrumentalities in the State of Victoria. In 1994, the City of Kew was amalgamated, together with the former Cities of Camberwell and Hawthorn, into the new City of Boroondara (1994- ). Like other local government entities of the period, Kew was administered by town clerks. The two notable town clerks in Kew's history were H. H. (Henry Hirst) Harrison (1868-1955) and W. D. (William Dickie) Birrell (1899-1974). Harrison was appointed to the position in 1901 and retired in 1938 after 37 years. Birrell, appointed Acting Town Clerk in 1921, became Town Clerk in 1938, following Harrison's retirement. He continued in this role until his retirement in 1966.This card is part of an historically significant civic collection, containing hundreds of separate invitations, documents, greeting cards, programmes and tickets issued and/or collected by successive town clerks. Items in the collection illuminate the political, social and cultural history of the district. As a continuous record, ranging across most decades of the Twentieth Century, they reveal changing tastes in design, values and relationships in the history of local government in Victoria.THE CHAIRMEN AND COMMISSIONERS / OF THE MELBOURNE AND METROPOLITAN BOARD OF WORKS / REQUEST THE / PLEASURE OF THE COMPANY OF / Mr W D Birrell / AT THE / OPENING OF THE UPPER YARRA RESERVOIR / BY HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR OF VICTORIA / GENERAL SIR DALLAS BROOKS KCB KCMG KCVO DSO KStJ / ON TUESDAY, 26TH NOVEMBER, 1957, AT 2 O'CLOCK P.M. / RSVP TO THE SECRETARY, 110 SPENCER STREET, MELBOURNE, C1, BEFORE 8TH NOVEMBER, 1957civic invitations -- kew (vic), melbourne & metropolitan board of works, upper yarra reservoir

Woodbury College was an indirect predecessor of Preshil School in Kew. Woodbury College was founded in Glenferrie Road by a Miss Harcourt, former principal of Sydenham College, Moonee Ponds. Miss Harcourt maintained the school until the goodwill was purchased in 1908 by Miss LJ Macey, who had previously operated Lillsden Ladies' College in Edgevale Road, between c.1891 and c.1903. The first school was in a rented building on the south side of Cotham Road between Atkins and Davis Streets. In 1910, a new school building was built on the corner of Uvadale Grove and Cotham Road [the building is still extant as of 2020]. Woodbury College was operated by Miss LJ and Miss HJ Macey until 1920. In 1921, the school amalgamated with the newly formed St Andrew's College, Mont Victor Road, Kew (Vic) under the leadership of Rev JT Lawton [who had previously been principal of St Andrew's School of the 'Pathfinder' in South Yarra]. Miss Macey was for a period the Headmistress of the amalgamated school. Another teacher at the school was Miss Margaret JR Lyttle, who in 1931, left St Andrew's to form the Preshil School.Rare ephemera relating to an early private school in Kew (Vic). The badge was donated by Helen Lade.Brass school badge which includes the initials WL within a large C, surrounded with the school crest - VERITAS VINCIT [Truth Prevails] of Woodbury Ladies College (1903-1920). woodbury college, schools - cotham road - kew - vic, private schools - kew (vic)

Woodbury College was an indirect predecessor of Preshil School in Kew. Woodbury College was founded in Glenferrie Road by a Miss Harcourt, former principal of Sydenham College, Moonee Ponds. Miss Harcourt maintained the school until the goodwill was purchased in 1908 by Miss LJ Macey, who had previously operated Lillsden Ladies' College in Edgevale Road, between c.1891 and c.1903. The first school was in a rented building on the south side of Cotham Road between Atkins and Davis Streets. In 1910, a new school building was built on the corner of Uvadale Grove and Cotham Road [the building is still extant as of 2020]. Woodbury College was operated by Miss LJ and Miss HJ Macey until 1920. In 1921, the school amalgamated with the newly formed St Andrew's College, Mont Victor Road, Kew (Vic) under the leadership of Rev JT Lawton [who had previously been principal of St Andrew's School of the 'Pathfinder' in South Yarra]. Miss Macey was for a period the Headmistress of the amalgamated school. Another teacher at the school was Miss Margaret JR Lyttle, who in 1931, left St Andrew's to form the Preshil School.Rare ephemera relating to an early private school in Kew (Vic). The hatband was worn by Lilian McCrae in circa 1918 and donated by her sister Heather Houston. The badge was donated by Helen Lade.Navy blue hatband with narrow white and yellow stripes of Woodbury Ladies College (1903-1920). woodbury college, schools - cotham road - kew - vic, private schools - kew (vic)

The Kew Golf Links Estate was a major subdivision in North Kew. It derived its title due to the land being previously occupied by the Kew Golf Club, which transferred its course to a number of locations before occupying its current site. The Plan advertises 180 choice home sites. The street names are somewhat different today as those on the map are named after the proposed Kodak Factory to be built on the site. The subdivision of the Kew Golf Links Estate was a major subdivision of farmland in Kew. The site was at one stage designated for industrial development and the building of a new Kodak factory. The decision by Council to oppose the redevelopment makes the beginning of the period when all industrial development was banned in Kew.Monochrome printed, folded subdivision plan for the Kew Golf Links Estate, to be auctioned on 7 November 1936. Streets named include: Carnegie Avenue, Willsmere Road, Kilby Boulevarde, Kodak Avenue, Coleman Avenue, Beresford Avenue, McConchie Avenue, Cole Avenue, White Avenue, Baker Avenue, Spruzen Avenue, Tanner Avenue, Ratten Avenue, Mathers Avenue, Railway Avenue, Sutherland Avenue, and Belford Road. The position of the Yarra River and a large Drainage Reserve are marked on the plan. Lots for sale are numbered. Existing buildings are designated with a square.subdivision plans - kew (vic), kodak factory - kew (vic)

South Yarra, Vic. : Hyland House, 1986 xii, 288 p., [36] p. of plates : ill., facsims., ports. ; 25 cm. non-fictionHistory of the War Widows Guild of Australiawar widows -- australia -- societies and clubs -- history., war widows' guild of australia -- history.