Historical information

One photograph shows a line of many decorated north-bound single truck tramcars with drivers at controls stopped behind a ceremonial ribbon as a woman reaches upward to cut it. Crowds of adults and children dressed in heavy coats and hats stand behind and in front of barriers. To the right in a lighter coloured overcoat is the chairman of the Prahran and Malvern Tramways Trust (PMTT), Mr Alexander Cameron. The Malvern Town Hall is shown at left with its clock showing 2.30pm on Friday 30 May 1913, the day before the federal election in which the Labor government was defeated by the Liberal Party by one seat. Federal Parliament sat in Melbourne until 1927.

This ceremony officially opened the new double track electric line along Glenferrie Road from the Town Hall at High Street, Malvern to Cotham Road, Kew. Negotiations between the three municipalities had taken much effort to reach an agreement. At Cotham Road, the track branched west to the Kew Post Office at High Street and east to Burke Road. Services were then provided from both these termini to St Kilda Beach via Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn Road and Balaclava Road.

Two further ceremonies occurred at Gardeners Creek and Barkers Road, the boundaries between three municipalities. A second photograph shows the same convoy of tram cars stationary for an additional event at Burwood Road adjacent to the Hawthorn Town Hall (out of shot to the left). A large crowd is gathered as a photographer captures a Lady Mayoress at the driver's controls.

A third photograph shows a larger crowd at the corner of Glenferrie Road and Cotham Road, Kew in front of and hanging from an electric tramcar stationary on double track. The 400 guests in fine attire included state government ministers, spouses, local municipal mayors and councillors. Also present were the Prahran and Malvern Tramways Trust (PMTT) Board, including Chairman Alexander Cameron, at right in a lighter coloured overcoat. The well dressed woman out front may be Councillor Mrs Wood, the Mayoress of Hawthorn.

Significance

Yields information about early Glenferrie Road electric line to Kew and PMTT.

Physical description

Three black and white photographs, some mounted on cardboard with no notes attached