Historical information

The Governor of Victoria, General Sir Dallas Brooks, laid the foundation stone on November 24th, 1950, in memory of those who fell in the Second World War. The Eltham Infant Welfare Centre was opened November 15th, 1952, the Pre-school on December 1st, 1956, and the Children’s Library on November 11th, 1961. In late 1966 the children’s library service was integrated into the Heideberg Regional Library Service and the building was officially renamed the Eltham War Memorial Hall.

Images from the private collection of Mrs Noel Williams (nee Hughes)
Noel’s parents, George Elgar Hughes and Jean Alice Hughes had a combined milk bar and fruit shop in Main Road, Eltham. Noel worked in the shop after leaving Eltham High School aged 15 (1950), until she married George Williams in 1956, whose grandparents, Violet and Will Williams, owned the Bellevue estate in Livingston Road, Eltham. Her father, then sold the property. George and Noel raised 3 children on their farm in Kangaroo Ground and Noel, who turned 90 years old in July 2025, is a life member of the Andrew Ross Museum.

Physical description

Digital copy of original black and white print