Historical information

This work forms part of the collection assembled by the historian Dorothy Rogers, that was donated to the Kew Historical Society by her son John Rogers in 2015. The manuscripts, photographs, maps, and documents were sourced by her from both family and local collections or produced as references for her print publications. Many were directly used by Rogers in writing ‘Lovely Old Homes of Kew’ (1961) and 'A History of Kew' (1973), or the numerous articles on local history that she produced for suburban newspapers. Most of the photographs in the collection include detailed annotations in her hand.

Significance

The Rogers Collection provides a comprehensive insight into the working habits of a historian in the 1960s and 1970s. Together it forms the largest privately-donated collection within the archives of the Kew Historical Society.

Physical description

'Yarra Bluffs' was the home of George Henry (1831-1906) and Allegra Charnock Mott (1831-1905), newspaper proprietor (and also a friend of John Inglis, father of Kew doctor, Edgar Inglis, who bought land adjacent to this property in the 1890s). Walter was a son who drowned in the Yarra in a swimming accident January 2, 1890. George & Allegra had fourteen children and the family continued newspaper publishing interests from 1853 until 1986, over four generations.' (Andrew Mott, 2015)

Inscriptions & markings

[Annotation on reverse by Dorothy Rogers] "Walter Mott's house - formerly Yarra Bluff, Redmond St Kew. This was formerly the back entrance. It is now 2 flats. The upper is occupied by the present owner Mr. Tyler. Walter was drowned in the Yarra. He built the house about ____. He commenced the Kew Mercury in 188_. Back view of George Motts home (1890) Redmond Street".