Historical information

The first electric train arrived on schedule at 10.50 am on Sunday 15th April 1923. Over 200 people were at the station to witness this. The train driver was Francis (Frank) Bond who lived in Bridge Street. He died in 1952 aged 85 and is buried at Eltham.

A picture published in the Argus 16 April 1923 p.7 and shows the driver (Bond) and the conductor. He would have been around 56 years of age at this time. One of his son's William Joseph Bond was killed in France in July 1916. The men on the tracks may be engineers and transport officials from the railways who were pictured but may also include Councillors Bradbury (president), Andrew and Shallard who were on the platform
RAILWAY ELECTRIFICATION: FINAL STEP COMPLETED. (1923, April 16). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 7. Retrieved July 30, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1890701

(Research notes from Alan Sheehan c.2014)

Pages from a scrapbook belonging to Heather Jenkins (nee Cone) who lived as a child in the Police Residence at 728 Main Road, Eltham in the 1920s.

Significance

Heather Jenkins was the daughter of Constable John Thomas Cone, Badge #3935 served at Eltham Police Station 1 May 1911 to 9 July 1922.

Physical description

Glued on a brown paper scrapbook page (torn from scrapbook) with 9 black and white/sepia photos of varying sizes, 1 newspaper clipping and handwritten captions in ink.

Inscriptions & markings

On verso in pencil "Const. W.C. Sargeant 1922-1927 - see Police list"