Historical information

Norm Smith was a former bus driver who worked for U.S. Motors Belgrave in the early 1950s. Formerly known as U.S. Bus Lines, the bus and coach company first formed in Monbulk in 1921. They offered a total of six routes under a contract with Public Transport Victoria, including services to Olinda, Belgrave South, Dandenong to Belgrave, as well as Melbourne to Emerald to Dandenong. As of July 2023, Norm is currently the President of the Gembrook RSL Club; at age 90, he is the oldest sub-branch President in Victoria.

Mitzi Ryberg was the daughter of Gus Ryberg OAM; a former employee of the Nobelius and Sons Nursery. Gus was a significant figure in the Emerald community: he played an important role in securing the last remnant of the Nobelius Nursery as a heritage area, and was pivotal in establishing the Emerald Museum as a founding member in 1981. Mitzi passed away in July 2023.

Significance

The record holds strong historic significance as it offers insight into prominent residents of the local area. This significance is further enhanced by the provenance of the record, having been donated to the Emerald Museum by one of the people depicted in the photograph, thus confirming a strong and reliable chain of ownership.

Physical description

Black and white rectangular photograph printed on matte photographic paper. This photograph depicts three smiling people dressed in formal attire, possibly at a social event. From left to right, the people are: Mitzi Ryberg, Norm Smith, and Helen Williams. Norm is positioned in the middle with his arms around Mitzi and Helen. There are three tall drinking glasses visible in the photograph.

Inscriptions & markings

Reverse:

Mitzi Ryberg. Norm Smith /
+ Helen Williams /
Norm Smith U.S. MOTORS bus driver /
VEMUP0961 /
JOB6673 3 of 5 /