The availability of reliable regular and frequent public transport was very important to the land speculators of the 1880s. Charles H James, an early land speculator, had large holdings in the Shire of Moorabbin at Black Rock, Sandringham and Mentone. In 1884 he was advertising the auction of 109 blocks of land at ‘Picnic Point’ in the Brighton Southern Cross.[1] He provided free railway passes and conveyance to the grounds to prospective buyers. A proposal to extend the Brighton Railway to Sandringham and Black Rock seemed remote in 1884 so James acted to resolve the lack of public transport by forming his own tramway company. From the discussion between the Council and James it was agreed that the Council would apply for permission to construct a tramway on Beach Road. By February 8, 1889 the horse drawn trams were running from Cheltenham Station to Rickett’s Point and from Sandringham Station to ‘Blackrock Corner’. Although stricken with financial problems for its entire existence, Beaumaris Tramway Company continued until 1915.

Black and white image of two horses. harnessed to a double decker tram, being pulled along the tram tracks laid in the street. There are men sitting on the top level of the tram, in the open air. Other trams are lined up behind this one, although with no people in them. The tram belongs to the Beaumaris Tramway Company.

Handtinted colour image looking east across Mordialloc Creek towards the Bridge Hotel. A row boat is moored in the foreground and lush gardens are visible in front of the hotel on the other side of the creek.

Black and white image of Norman McSwain (1838-1908), Councillor of Shire of Moorabbin 1882-1893. Norman was born in Skye Scotland and arrived in Australia with his parents Ewen and Margaret (nee McLeod) McSwain & five brothers & sisters on the 'Miltiades'. He married Margaret Mary Macdonald, daughter of Isabella and Alexander McDonald, and later in their marriage, they moved to Western Australia.

Norman McSwain standing between a chair and a table, dressed in a three piece suit.

Black and white image of Norman McSwain (1838-1908), Councillor of Shire of Moorabbin 1882-1893. Norman was born in Skye Scotland and arrived in Australia with his parents Ewen and Margaret (nee McLeod) McSwain & five brothers & sisters on the 'Miltiades'. He married Margaret Mary Macdonald, daughter of Isabella and Alexander McDonald, and later in their marriage, they moved to Western Australia.

Head and shoulders portrait of Norman McSwain.

Margaret Mary McSwain was born in Mordialloc in 1848, the daughter of Isabella Munro and Alexander Macdonald. Margaret died in Perth, Western Australia, in 1930.

Sepia toned head and shoulders portrait of Margaret Mary McSwain.

Margaret Mary McSwain was born in Mordialloc in 1848, the daughter of Isabella Munro and Alexander Macdonald. Margaret died in Perth, Western Australia, in 1930.

Black and white studio portrait of a woman wearing a long (black) dress, standing beside a chair which is in front of a table covered in a tablecloth, with books on top. Her hair is tied up and there is a ribbon tied in a bow at the top of her head.

mordialloc, macdonald

Mary Munro was the mother of Isabella Munro. They travelled to Australia together aboard the Glen Huntley, although Mary travelled using her maiden name of McKenzie. They arrived in Port Phillip District in 1840. After an arduous crossing, they were required to go into quarantine at Point Ormond on arrival as the ship had several outbreaks of infectious diseases and arrived flying the yellow quarantine flag. She died in 1882 at 'Wattle Grove', Mordialloc. Isabella went on to marry Alexander Macdonald.

Hand tinted colour image of Mary Munro, nee McKenzie, wearing black dress and a white bonnet, tied at the chin.

Born in 1817 to Murdo Macdonald and Flora Morrision at Bracadale near Sleat on the Isle of Skye in Scotland, Alexander Macdonald sailed on the Earl Durham to Sydney where he arrived on 2 January 1839. He was 21 years of age. After only a few months in the new country he set out overland for Melbourne where he joined his brother on a sheep run. He also became involved with his brother in conducting the Travellers’ Rest a stopping place for travellers at the Mordialloc Creek. Alexander married Isabella Munroe at Scots Church, Melbourne on 17 February 1841. After their marriage they started the sheep run named Stringy Bark, on the Yarra, near where Kew is today. Together, they had ten children. On the morning of 20 December 1881, Alexander’s hat was found floating in Mordialloc Creek. He had last been seen crossing the bridge the previous evening at ten o’clock. A few days later the body was later found only yards from the Bridge Hotel. A magisterial enquiry conducted by Thomas Attenborough concluded Alexander Macdonald’s death was an accidental drowning.

Sepia toned image of Alexander Vause Macdonald (1817-1881).

Sepia toned digital image of Isabella Macdonald nee Munroe (1820-1906) Born in Skye, Scotland, Isabella arrived in Melbourne on the 'Glen Huntly' on April 17, 1840. She died at Cranbourne in 1906.

Isabella Munroe travelled to Australia with her mother, travelling under her maiden name of Mary McKenzie, on the Glen Huntley, arriving in the Port Phillip District 17 April 1840. The Glen Huntley arrived flying the yellow quarantine flag indicating it was carrying passengers with infectious diseases. Of a passenger complement of 170 passengers, during the voyage 105 contracted various diseases including fever, scarlatina, measles, small pox, and chicken pox. Both Mary and Isabella were held for a period in the camp at Little Red Bluff or Red Cliffs, known today as Point Ormond. Isabella married Alexander Macdonald at Scots Church, Melbourne on 17 February 1841. After their marriage they started the sheep run named Stringy Bark, on the Yarra, near where Kew is today.

Sepia toned digital image of Isabella Macdonald standing beside a table.

Until 1911 Cheltenham had a local Voluntary Fire Brigade. In that year the Metropolitan Fire Brigade was formed and through it a hall was built on the Highway at a cost of £350. Eight years later a brick house costing £1151 was added. There were two full time firemen; several others served part time. In 1960 the fire protection system was re-organised; the building on the Highway was demolished and replaced by the Ambulance Station.

Two images on one strip of negative film. The first image is a black and white image of five firefighters pictured inside Cheltenham Fire Station, Nepean Highway. The second image is of the firefighting truck at the station.

Colour negative portraying the former Coffee Palace at Mentone, now Brigidine convent, with a view down Mentone Parade. There are children standing in a group out the front of the convent.

Colour image of people walking across the bridge at Mordialloc Creek toward the Bridge Hotel. In the background are houses and businesses, a large conifer stands on the other side of the creek and, in the foregrround, is some type of small cart. The original image appears to have been a postcard.

Black and white image featuring Mr Whalebone's bicycle shop, the post office and the Poultry Auction Centre along Nepean Highway, Moorabbin. In front of the shops is a telephone booth. There is a bike leaning against the front window of the post office and between the post office and the poulty auction shop is a picket fence with a gate, and two boys are coming through the gate, one of them wheeling a bike.

Black printed ink on a round white sticker on reverse: 160

A car travelling along South Road Moorabbin, with the Tucker Road intersection on the left hand side. Houses are on either side of the road which also has wide shoulders and nature strips.

A car travelling along a sealed road with wide shoulders and houses on either side of the road.

Handwritten in red ink on reverse: 72% Handwritten in blue ink on reverse: 2192 [circle around all text, including red ink]

transport, moorabbin, cars, houses

The St John of God Home for Disadvantaged Boys was located on Nepean Highway Chletenham, and was previously known as the Methodist Children's Home. It opened in approximately 1953 and was later demolished to make way for Southland Shopping Centre.

The Brothers of St John of God were a Catholic order that first arrived in Australia in 1947, establishing their first school for boys with learning difficulties. They soon acquired 20 acres in Cheltenham in 1953, which became home to 100 boys and young men who could no longer live with their families

Black and white image of a demolition site where the St John of God Home for Disadvantaged Boys once stood. Buildings are visible behind the boys' home site, although also slated for demolition.

Black printed text on white round sticker on reverse: 231 Handwritten in red ink on reverse: 95%

religion, cheltenham, orphanage, boys home

Aerial photograph of Moorabbin, including Chesterville Road, Keys Road and Wickham Road, Moorabbin, Briggs cottage, Neill's waterhole, McKittrick property, site of FRUMEL

Black and white aerial view of Moorabbin. Houses, market garens, roads, and water features are all clearly visible.

Handwritten in red ink on reverseL A 603 / 97% [in red circle] Handwritten in blue ink on reverse: 9502 06111 / M'bbin

moorabbin, city of moorabbin, chesterville, keys, wickham

Moorabbin station was originally called South Brighton station and the name can be seen painted on the back of the bench seat on the platform. There are six men standing on the platform.

Moorabbin station was opened on 19 December 1881 as South Brighton station. On 1 May 1907 it was renamed Moorabbin station and has maintained that name every since.

Six men standing on the station at Moorabbin Railway Station.

Stamped in blue ink on reverse: COPYRIGHT / Public Transport Corporation / For re-ordering photographs / Please quote negative No H3380 / Enquiries C/- PTC Photographic Unit / Telephone switchboard 619 111 Handwritten in red ink on reverse: 116 / ? % Handwritten in black ink on reverse: 50% Ch.4. Handwritten in blue pencil on reverse: H3380

Vic Peterson and his mother, Ida Peterson, are seated in a carriage with a horse harnessed to the front. Their property was between East Boundary and Brady Road, East Bentleigh.

Black and white image of a horse and cart, with a man and woman sitting in the cart.

Black ink printed on white round sticker on reverse: 335 Handwritten in red ink on reverse: 70%

horse drawn wagon, east bentleigh

A truck, fully loaded with cauliflower travelling along McKinnon Road towards Tucker Road. The road is unsealed and recent rains have left large puddles along the sides. Open paddocks appear on either side of the road.

Black and white image of a truck fully loaded with cauliflowers travelling along an unsealed boggy road, to market.

Black ink printed on a white circular sticker: 32 Handwritten in red ink: 70%

vegetables, cauliflower, market, truck, transport

Horse and wagon were used to haul produce from the market gardens of the area now known as Kingston into Melbourne city for sale, well into the 20th Century. From about 1910 onwards, motorised transport became increasingly popular.

Black and white image featuring a woman standing in front of a fully loaded wagon, with a man sitting atop the load and holding the reins. There are three horses harnessed to the wagon. It appears to be a residential street with a picket fence in front of a hedge in the background, along with what appears to be an electricity pole.

Handwritten in blue ink on reverse: 67 [inside a hand drawn circle] Handwritten in red ink: 80%

horses, horse drawn wagon, transport, market

Market gardening was an integral part of the development of the area now known as Kingston. In this image there are two men standing beside a truck loaded with vegetables. Painted on the truck are the words South Rd, A & H Marriott, indicating these men are from the Marriott family. The truck appears to be a Republic Commercial Car by Republic Motor Truck Co, Michigan, c. 1916.

The Marriott family arrived in Port Phillip in 1857. It wasn't until 1876 that the family purchased 30 acres with a four-roomed house in East Boundary Road, in the area then called East Brighton.

Black and white image of two men standing in front of a truck fully loaded with vegetables intended for market. There are also two children standing in front of the truck.

Handwritten in black ink on a round red sticker on the reverse: X18 Handwritten in red ink on reverse: 35%

Edwin Thomas Penny was born in Marylebone in 1849. He moved to Australia with his family in 1852. Shortly after arrival in Melbourne, the Penny family settled on ten acres of land on Bay Road, Cheltenham. The family took up ten acres of land where three acres were devoted to fruit trees with the remaining arable land being given over to vegetables. After the death of his father in 1866, Penny, took over the running of the property. In addition to his work as an orchardist and gardener, he was very involved in community activities and the work of his church. He was president of the shire on two occasions; once in 1898-99 and again in 1899-1900. Edwin Penny married Sarah Ann Coleman. Sarah was born in Collingwood where her father was a member of the first Collingwood Council, but at the time of her marriage was living in Mordialloc where her father, William Coleman, built the Bridge Hotel. Edwin and Sarah had seven children, Albert Edwin Coleman, Percival Thomas, Lytton William, Reubin Ernest, Edwin Clarence, Clifford Frederick and Hilda Eleanor. Sarah died in 1890 at 35 years of age and was buried in the Cheltenham Pioneer Cemetery. The following year Edwin Thomas married Emily Maria Haselgrove in North Melbourne. Emily was 42 years old. They had two boys Leslie Thomas and Robert Frederick Carl.

Sepia toned image of family, consisting of one woman and six men. The men are all wearing three piece suits and the three men standing at the back have visible fob chains. The woman, seated in the centre front, is wearing a broad brimmed hat adorned with artificial flowers and wearing a dress with lace and 'leg o'mutton' sleeves.

penny family, cheltenham, mordialloc, bridge hotel, moorabbin shire council

The unidentified man has decorated his wagon to take part in the Easter Carnival of the Australian Native's Association. The Australian Natives Association was formed in Melbourne in 1871 and originally known as the Victorian Natives Association. The association was a friendly society and membership was restricted to white people born in Australia. Friendly society membership required a small fortnightly contribution and, in return, members received free medical care for their whole family, a funeral benefit to avoid a pauper’s grave and sick pay if they were unable to work. The ANA, as it became known, did not admit women members until the 1960s.

A man in a bowler hat is holding the reins of a Clydesdale horse that is attached to a decorated wagon which is stacked with produce.

Handwritten in red ink on reverse of image: A26 / 71% Handwritten in pencil: A26 / Chap 3

market gardens, friendly societies, australian natives association, welfare, horse, horse drawn wagon

Produce grown in market gardens in what is now Kingston were taken to market by horse-drawn wagon.

Black and white image of two men standing in front of a heavily loaded horse-drawn wagon. There are two horses attached to the wagon and the tray is filled with what appear to be hessian bags and covered in canvas which is tied to the wagon. The men have been identified as Roy Northrop and Thomas (Dick) Marriott.

Text printed in black ink on a white sticker on reverse of image: 33 Handwritten in red ink on reverse of image: 60%

market gardens, transport, horse drawn wagon, horses, commerce

The first picnic was held in association with the Market Gardeners and Fruit Growers’ Association on April 3, 1884 at Lilydale. Groups of market gardeners travelled by train with their families from Cheltenham, and stations further north, to Lilydale at a cost of three shillings and six pence for adults and two shillings for children under 15 years. On arrival a band played music to accompany dancing ‘on the green’, and foot races were held as well as other sporting events. This pattern of activities was followed for more than fifty years although the location of the picnic changed and the mode of transportation varied.

Black and white image of men and women sitting and standing together around a picnic laid out on the ground in front of them.

Handwritten in pencil: A25 - CHAP 3 Handwritten in red ink on a white square sticker: A25 / 71%

market garden, picnic, celebration, seaside, community

This image has been taken at the side of St Matthew's Church, Cheltenham.

Sepia toned image of cricket team. There are twelve (12) people in the photograph, including two men lying down at the front, with cricket bats in their hands. While it appears to be a men's team, there are three young boys in the back row.

sport, cricket, cricket club, cheltenham, cheltenham cricket club, st matthew's church

Percy Wilson was a member of the Cheltenham community and his woodyard serviced the area.

Black and white image of people standing in front of the wood piles at Percy Wilson's yard. There is also a horse with a loaded wagon in the background. Wilson was the local wood man and fuel merchant and is in the centre of the photograph with son in pram.

cheltenham, wood, commerce, family, horse drawn wagon, briquettes

Percy Wilson's woodyard was on Point Nepean Road, Cheltenham. Wilson was the local wood man and fuel merchant.

Black and white image of a wood yard with a corrugated iron fence. Advertising is painted on to the fence, indicating they also sell briquettes. There is a sign on top of the fence including the business name, phone number and that it sells wood, coal, coke, and briquettes.

cheltenham, wood, coal, briquettes, commerce, domestic

Judd's General Store was on the corner of Centre and East Boundary roads in East Bentleigh. This image shows unsealed roads at an intersection with loaded wagons for transporting (or recently transported). The building in the immediate background has a ghost sign which is now illegible. The photograph was apparently taken nine (9) days after the declaration of World War I. Orlando Judd is second from left.

Black and white image of four men standing outside in front of three horse drawn wagons loaded with hessian bags. They are standing in front of Judd's General Store which was on the corner of Centre and East Boundary roads, East Bentleigh.

White round sticker on reverse with black printed text: 79 Handwritten in red ink on reverse: 60%

east bentleigh, horses, horse drawn wagon, commerce

Percival White was a blacksmith who set up shop in South Road, Moorabbin. The advertising on the front of the shop indicates he also made and repaired buggies, wagons, etc.

Percival White opened his blacksmith shop in 1853. The business continued until 1973.

Black and white image of a group of men, standing either side of a Clydesdale horse, in front of Percival White's shop in South Road, Moorabbin. The man to the far right appears to be in a military or police uniform. The man immediately next to him is wearing a long apron. There are two more men standing in a row and then the Clydesdale. There is a man sitting sideways on the horse. Another man is holding the horse by the reins. Another man is standing next to him, with his hands on his hips and another man, or boy, is seated. In the background there is another man with a long white beard.

Handwritten in blue ink on reverse: 124 Handwritten in red ink on reverse: 55%

moorabbin, blacksmith, repair