Historical information

The City of Kew (1860-1994) was a municipality within the boundaries of suburban Melbourne, bordering on the inner suburbs. It was governed by a Council who employed council officers and workers. Services offered to ratepayers included garbage collection. Workers also carried our rubbish removal. From the evidence of photographs, garbage trucks has a semi-circular top with openings on the side of the top and at the rear. Rubbish carts were simple open top containers. Both garbage trucks and rubbish carts were drawn by horses and, in the interwar years and after, operated out of the Council Depot in High Street (formerly the 'horse tramway' sheds and later was to be replaced by the Kew Recreation Centre. The depot was on the corner of High and Disraeli Streets, kew.

Physical description

Small, original black and white positive photograph of a council worker, horse and rubbish cart. This rectangular cart has an open top. An unidentified house is in the background.

Inscriptions & markings

Annotation in pencil by donor verso: "Kew Council Rubbish cart / Pre & during WWII / from Eliz Bentley"