HISTORY NEWS ISSUE.343 AUGUST 2019
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
President’s Report Our President’s profi le What’s on HVSG Workshops Destroying our strip shopping centres Halls of Fame: Middle Park Antonio Rodrigues Windows on History W E Standridge Awards Isaac Selby Heritage Initiatives Greater Shepparton Books received and Bookshop Around the Societies
NGV International Glass Ceiling A New President brings a New Era President’s Emeritus Professor Richard Broome was born and educated in Sydney, where he graduated with fi rst class honours from UNSW and a PhD from the University of Sydney.
RHSV NEWS RHSV Report During his career he has risen to become one of Australia’s leading historians. Richard is the author of fourteen books and numerous articles I am honoured to have assumed the costs of refreshments, staff and the venue. and has edited several journals: including the presidency of the RHSV at this exciting Exciting new things are happening as RHSV’s History News and Victorian Historical and challenging time for our Society. Don well. Rosemary Cameron and I have met Journal. Richard lectured at La Trobe University Garden, the immediate past president, gave for most of the period between 1977 and 2012. with the Chairperson of the National In 2006 Richard was appointed a Fellow of the important service to the RHSV over six Trust, Kristin Stegley and the CEO Simon Academy of the Humanities. He supported the years, overseeing important administrative Ambrose. Together we are planning new History Institute of Victoria for ten years and has change, key projects such as the digitisation partnerships, cross promotion of events been Patron of the History Teachers Association of our collection, and the vision of the Drill and exploring joint ventures. We are of Victoria since 2013. Hall as History House. continuing talks on the Drill Hall as well in In May 2019, at this year’s AGM, the Royal Historical Society of Victoria was very pleased to My challenge is the sustainability of the new and fruitful ways. To encourage new announce the election of Richard Broome to the RHSV to ensure its progress through and younger members into the Society, position of President. Richard’s contributions to the twenty-fi rst century. Change can be we are continuing to off er one-year free the RHSV in recent years have supported the diffi cult, but it also creates opportunities memberships to University postgraduates Society’s development and growth. He has as we respond to challenges, leading (university by university in rotation) and been a Councillor of the RHSV and chair of the Publications Committee since 2013 and served to vibrant new arrangements. I am to history teachers to induce new vitality. as Vice-President from 2014‒17. Richard was endeavouring to meet with staff, Members have responded magnifi cently to the driving force behind the highly successful committees and volunteers as well as the off erings in our new drop-down donor’s Remembering Melbourne and once joked that our Ambassador Professor Bill Russell, to box atop our homepage: help for our although he was accustomed to co-operating with explore how best to facilitate sustainability. a few other authors, this was the fi rst time he had publications, collections, and equipment. co-ordinated one hundred contributors! At present Recently, decisions have been made that Please monitor this drop-down box to see Richard is preparing another RHSV cooperative I am sure you will fi nd reasonable and new options as they emerge; ones you may project, Melbourne’s Twenty Decades, for which I hope you will strongly support. fi nd especially attractive. publication. Our membership fees have risen by the In the next six months we will host a range Richard has been a passionate teacher, not only very small amount of $5 per annum for of university students but also in the secondary of interesting functions: an informative education domain; he has lectured for forty individual and affi liated societies, where and fun wine tasting night (Friday 13 years to secondary school history teachers and it includes digital copies of History News September) hosted by a Victorian wine students and written two texts for VCE students. and the Victorian Historical Journal. If judge and a historian of wine in Australia; Richard’s contributions to the teaching of history you wish to receive posted hard copies the launch of our new venture, the Jessie have been recognized with university, industry and national awards. of the VHJ, or of both publications, Webb Society, to engage more fully with While Richard has written on a wide range of fees will be higher to cover the costs RHSV donors; and a series of lectures on of printing and posting. This accords subjects, it is his work on Indigenous history with early Melbourne to launch our new book, its emphasis on Aboriginal agency and capacity with common practice, which we are Melbourne’s 20 Decades. for negotiation and self-empowerment that belatedly adopting. We have introduced The RHSV’s 2.6 paid staff, its many has been most infl uential. His book Aboriginal a three-year membership, including a $10 Australians: A History Since 1788, fi rst published volunteer-staffed committees, and discount for each of the three years. in 1982, is now in its 4th fully revised edition and the host of daytime volunteers, are has sold over 60,000 copies in that time. It is the To be sustainable, we must cover the all engaged in numerous projects to most widely read work in this fi eld and Richard is costs of every event we stage. Therefore, enhance the RHSV. We will continue to now preparing a 5th edition. He has also written the wonderful lectures we present, communicate their eff orts to you month Aboriginal Victorians: A History since 1800, accompanied by a glass of juice/wine and published in 2005 and the most comprehensive by month. account available of Aboriginal history since white nibbles, will now cost members $10 per Richard Broome settlement in this state. His history of the Victorian lecture ($20 for non-members) to cover the Aborigines Advancement League, Fighting Hard: The Victorian Aborigines Advancement League, was published in 2015 to document the fi ght against policies of assimilation and the struggle History News for civil rights. In the clarity and accessibility of his writing, his great capacity for story-telling and his History News is the bi-monthly newsletter of the RHSV meticulous research, Richard has opened up the ROYAL HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF VICTORIA INC. history of Aboriginal Australians to a much wider public readership than academic historians. His PRESIDENT Richard Broome History House early books include Arriving (1984) and Coburg: EXECUTIVE OFFICER Rosemary Cameron 239 A’Beckett Street Melbourne 3000 Between Two Creeks (1987) and his recent book ADMINISTRATION OFFICER Pankaj Sirwani Offi ce & Library Hours: Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm A Naga Odyssey, written with Visier Sanyu, refl ect COLLECTIONS MANAGER & VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR Jillian Hiscock Phone: 9326 9288 his longstanding interest in the immigration EDITOR Sharon Betridge [email protected] Website: www.historyvictoria.org.au experience. DESIGN & ARTWORK Centreforce Pty Ltd 5975 8600 Email: offi [email protected] Known for his kindness and strong interpersonal MARKETING CO-ORDINATOR Jessica Scott ABN 36 520 675 471 skills, Richard is innovative and entrepreneurial. PRINTED BY First Class Mailing 9555 9997 Registration No. A2529 Items for publication should be sent to the Editor Richard’s ability to bridge the gap between the EMAIL [email protected] COVER academy and the wider community has been a History News Copy closes 16th, September, November, January, March, National Gallery of Victoria, great hallmark of his career as a historian. As president May and July, unless in consultation with the editor, Sharon Betridge hall glass ceiling of the RHSV Richard is keen to acknowledge and Photographer Sailko, 11 March 2009, RHSV welcomes submission of articles for inclusion in History News. continue with its many current strengths while https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/ enabling the wider community to understand Publication and editing will be at the discretion of the editor and File:National_Gallery_of_Victoria,_great_ Publications Committee as directed by our Terms of Reference. hall_03.JPG that history is both a ‘creative and truth telling PRINT POST APPROVED PP336663/00011 ISSN 1326-269 enterprise’. As President, Richard’s priorities for the RHSV include developing future multicultural diversity, the importance of tactical efforts to 2 RHSV NEWS AUGUST 2019 generate income, extending its digital imprint and securing a home for this 110-year-old institution. Attendance at any and all RHSV events should
be booked through our website: https://www. RHSV NEWS historyvictoria.org.au/rhsv-events/ All events are held at RHSV, 239 A’Beckett St, What’s On Melbourne VIC 3000, unless otherwise stated.
WORKSHOP: MAKING VICTORIAN HISTORY SHOWCASE USING CATALOGUING SOFTWARE ARCHIVAL BOXES Friday 16 and Saturday 17 August Friday 6 September Presenter: David Thompson 10.30am -3.30pm 1- 4pm Wednesday 11 September 11am-1pm Prahran Mechanics Institute, 39 St Edmonds RHSV Offi cers’ Mess Upstairs, 239 A’Beckett St RHSV Gallery Downstairs Road, Prahran. $25 / $35 $10 / $20 Gold coin donation. Module 2 in our series of 6 graded workshops Learn how to custom make archival boxes for To celebrate National Family History month covering all you need to know on cataloguing books or objects in your collection. Over the the RHSV will have a table at the PMI’s two and digitisation. This workshop is for small years David and other volunteers have made day family history extravaganza. It is ideal for organisations that are going to start using all the beautiful boxes the RHSV uses to protect students, genealogists and anyone interested cataloguing software. Participants will have our more fragile items. The workshops are in learning more about how to and where to the opportunity to create catalogue records limited to 4 persons each and all materials and research their families. We’ll show you how to using cataloguing software, and will learn how equipment will be supplied. put fl esh on the bones of your family history. to import an existing catalogue from Excel. There is great range of organisations taking This workshop is suitable for those who have part and there are great door prizes. created catalogue records using Excel and are CELEBRATING ENGINEERING HISTORY: looking to try some good cataloguing options A MINI-CONFERENCE before committing to one software application. Thursday 15 August TRIVIA-AU-GO-GO 1-5pm Friday 23 August RHSV WINE-TASTING RHSV Offi cers’ Mess Upstairs, 239 A’Beckett St 6-9.30pm Hosts David Dunstan and Ron Leslie Our afternoon mini-conference is organised by RHSV, Gallery Friday 13 September Engineering Heritage Victoria in partnership Downstairs, 239 with the RHSV. A’Beckett Street 5.30-7.30pm Engineering has been defi ned as being “a $25 RHSV, Gallery Downstairs, 239 A’Beckett Street vital art, working with the great sources of Has your society or organisation put together $40 power in nature for the wealth and well-being a table yet? It is always a great night when Join us for a very diff erent and very convivial of the whole of society”. We often mistakenly Andrew Lemon, once again, puts us to the history event. Our hosts, David Dunstan and think of engineering as being something that history test. Time to get competitive and pit Ron Leslie, know their wine and their history started when engineers became a separate yourself against all those other history buff s and will be guiding us through both. A talk profession, but engineering dates back many at the RHSV’s world-famous by David and a tasting of six wines organised thousands of years. Trivia-au-go-go. by Ron will be book-ended with some mood- Victoria has many outstanding world-leading lightening Prosecco. engineering works, but many of these ROYAL BOTANIC achievements are not well documented or GARDENS VICTORIA: BOOK FAIR have been forgotten, and need to be re- NATURE, CULTURE Thursday 3 to Saturday 5 October discovered and celebrated. AND SCIENCE The donations have been staggering (thank This year Budj Bim became the fi rst indigenous Speaker: Professor Tim you everyone) and I’m sure this year will be cultural landscape in Australia to gain World Entwisle, Director and Chief Executive, Royal the best book fair ever. Please keep those Heritage recognition; it also marks the 150th Botanic Gardens anniversary of the Great Melbourne Telescope; donations coming – ring or email the RHSV Friday 30 August and the 100th anniversary of the Electrifi cation to organise pick-up 9326 9288 / office@ of Melbourne’s suburban railways; and the Lunch-time lecture from 12.30-1.30pm historyvictoria.org.au 100th anniversary of the formation of the RHSV, Gallery Downstairs, 239 A’Beckett Street Institution of Engineers, Australia. $10 / $20 HISTORY WEEK To celebrate Melbourne Day, Professor Tim Sunday 13 to Sunday 20 October 2019 Entwisle will talk about the history of the Royal Have you got your History Week events Botanic Gardens Victoria, about what makes planned? If you are ready to load them into the a modern botanic garden and about his plans for the Melbourne Gardens which centre on website go to: historyweek.org.au – or send the the three pillars of culture, nature and science. details to rosemary.cameron@historyvictoria. Tim blogs (TalkingPlants), tweets, and looks for org.au any opportunity to promote science, plants and We’ll be loading up good ideas for events that gardens. He is a frequent guest on Australian you might hold during History Week onto our radio and television, and writes opinion pieces website – keep an eye out for our next email for the major newspapers. Over the summer of 2014-15 Tim hosted ABC Radio National’s bulletins for great ideas. fi rst gardening show, Talking Plants, and he contributes regularly to RN’s Blueprint for Living. He writes for a variety of science, nature and garden magazines and maintains an active social media profi le.
RHSV NEWS AUGUST 2019 3 History Victoria Support Group RHSV NEWS RHSV
Workshops Jan Braham (Numurkah and District HS) with Rosemary Cameron (EO RHSV) and Sophie Shilling.
History Victoria Support Group (HVSG) Jane Nigro, a member of HVSG and the the use of Excel as a cataloguing tool, and have recently held two practical and Malvern Historical Society, spoke on how highlighted the necessary steps required hands on workshops for the benefi t of our to increase membership and get people to set up a spreadsheet. Attendees used country societies, one in June and one in involved in a variety of innovative ways. their own laptops to follow the instructions July. Thank you to the presenters and all Sue Walters, the President of Malmsbury given. Sophie strongly stressed the attendees who have often travelled great Historical Society, took participants on a need for using a thesaurus and ensuring distances to attend. journey she had experienced since she consistency in cataloguing. On the 29 June, on an extremely cold joined Malmsbury in 2002. Sue told how Rosemary has advertised a series of six and wet day, Sebastopol Historical their society has been able to address graduated workshops on cataloguing Society warmly welcomed attendees the technological era. While Rosemary and digitisation to be held by Sophie into their cosy Old School building Cameron, Executive Offi cer for the RHSV, Shilling at RHSV, 239 A’Beckett for a workshop on how to increase shared her expertise on how to involve Street, Melbourne commencing on Friday membership. Guest speakers highlighted volunteers and grow membership. 26 July between 1pm - 4pm. For further the various ways societies can grow Numurkah & District Historical Society details, see RHSV website. their membership and adjust to current hosted the 13 July workshop on basic During the month of August HVSG will times. Speakers disseminated the fact cataloguing. Rosemary Cameron and conduct an online survey of societies to that we live in a changing society, and Sophie Shilling made the long journey to gain an overall comprehension of where explained what the rapid changes in conduct the workshop. Sophie covered and how societies are operating. Please technology mean. Societies need to a variety of topics relating to the pursuit take the time to fi ll in this short survey, adapt their operations to match these of cataloguing of a collection using Excel. as it will assist the RHSV councillors and changes. There are diff erent values in our She commenced with a demonstration HVSG members better understand and various communities. Volunteers often of using Trove and the State Library of appreciate your individual situations. It have diff erent attitudes to volunteering. Victoria’s catalogue. She then explained will correct some errors we know are in the current data base of societies. With the collection of this data, a more defi ned and benefi cial program for 2020 can be planned. Alleyne Hockley Convenor HVSG (RHSV)
Enhance your next book with an Attendees at Sebastopol with speakers Sue Walter (Malmsbury HS) Index by Terri Mackenzie and Jane Nigro (HVSG) sitting in the front row.
Professional Back of Book Indexer Don Gibb Member of Australian and Royal Historical Society of Victoria Prize New Zealand Society of Indexers The 2018 winner of the prize of $300 and three years membership Honorary Victorian of the RHSV is George Ganitis, awarded the highest mark in Historical Journal Indexer undergraduate Australian History at La Trobe University. If you wish to [email protected] top up the Don Gibb prize fund please visit the top tab on the RHSV homepage, labelled ‘donate’.
4 RHSV NEWS AUGUST 2019 RHSV NEWS 5 buildings. Note that it AUGUST 2019 AUGUST cant about the place and see that RHSV NEWS NEWS RHSV committee is also working to raise working to raise committee is also opposing similar awareness though with the Nationalamendments, engaging and making a submission to the Trust that: Heritage Council, emphasising should be appliedBurra Charter principles Heritage Overlayto administration of the starting with the need to understand what is signifi it is conserved. The type of heritage guidelines that have had success in managing heritage precincts in residential areas should also apply to industrial and commercial areas. The heritage part of the shopping strip is usually a small section of the area designated as the activity centre, for intensive and scope usually exists development just beyond this part. These historic strip centres are valued and potential residents. If by existing protected they could continue to be major drivers of urban consolidation. Ian Wight Figure 1: Sight Lines and building envelopes Figure 1: Sight Lines and building envelopes Richmond. Source: City of Swan Street Activity amendment C191 Swan Street Yarra Centre Built Form Framework p. 31 Figure 2: 3D Visualisation of Swan Street Richmond looking west from Church Street showing chopped off is unlikely any of these roofs will survive. C191 Swan amendment Source: City of Yarra Activity Centre Built Form Heritage Street p.77 Review erent ect is not wall ‘street rst step is to establish the appreciated. It will also take some time appreciated. It will also take for their destructive consequences to become obvious, and by the time the outcry does happen it will be too late. has been Queens The one exception Fitzroy where local resident in North Parade groups have combined to try to stop this formula being applied to their centre. The RHSV Heritage Committee supports this coalition, which achieved 400 submissions against the proposal. Our set up between the objectives of the HO, of the HO, set up between the objectives heritage fabric, andwhich are to conserve which are to DDO, those of the excessive promote development. case the in almost every Unfortunately, in the historic stripDDOs being introduced greatlycentres provide for development built form. of the existing in excess Despite some variation from centre to centre the basic approach is the same. The fi height’: the maximum height for buildings This is usually 11 at the street frontage. metres, not much more than the existing building heights. A setback for development above 11 metres is then selected. This varies between centres and precincts within centres but is usually only 5 or 6 metres. stage is to determine how much The next of the new development will be visible. This also varies but usually results in development of around 6 storeys. This diagram quickly dispels any thought that heritage fabric might be retained in the setback area. The words in the hatched area of the right-hand buildings read: ‘Heritage Façade’! The falsity of this approach is apparent in the ready visibility of the higher built form, rising just 5 metres back from the It is uncomfortably obvious thatfrontage. the retained façade has nothing to do with the new building behind and appears to have been just ‘pasted on ’. Most of the amendments seem to focus on achieving height controls at the immense cost of encouraging demolition of almost all of the heritage fabric in these centres. This amounts to a major policy shift at state level that has been occurring largely unnoticed. These amendments have all been negotiated one by one by diff councils so their cumulative eff ectively ed, eff ed, ectiveness of the ectiveness of the ected through Design ers a column here on a History House in May 2018, History House in May 2018,
Launching the National Trust’s Advocacy the National Trust’s Launching at Toolkit issued an Chair Kristin Stegley Trust impassioned call to arms against the increasing threat to our built heritage ‘Who alike. from developers and VCAT ever said that facadism is OK?’ she asked. What most of us failed to realise was that the propensity to grant development permits that retain only façades arises not just from overreaching developers or a decisions. Rather, the vagaries of VCAT concerted bureaucratic thrust to legitimise façading of historic buildings throughout the historic strip shopping centres of the inner and middle suburbs threatens to undermine the eff very serious threat to heritage, not onlyvery serious threat to Victorian to all Melbourne’s but in Yarra, strips.and Edwardian shopping Town planner and former National planner and former National Town Ian Conservation Manager Trust the RHSV HeritageWight, a member of Committee, off Heritage Overlay (HO). Inner city councils, frustrated by very loose interpretations of ‘preferred’ height controls, have been lobbying the Department of Environment Land to introduce and Planning (DELWP) Water mandatory height controls, particularly in activity centres where state planning policy encourages intensive development. planning policy it is also state However, to grant mandatory controls only in circumstances. It appears exceptional officers are using this that DELWP as a bargaining chip to exceptionality advance urban consolidation objectives over those of urban conservation. Height limits are eff and Development Overlays (DDOs), which allow preferred and mandatory (both maximum heights and setbacks and minimum) to be specifi creating a building envelope within which development can occur. In heritage areas, if the building envelope form, it buildings’ follows the existing can provide further protection for built if the volume of the Conversely, heritage. that of envelope substantially exceeds built form this would allow the existing what could development that exceeds under a Heritage normally be expected Overlay(HO). An impossible tension is Shopping Centres Shopping Melbourne’s Historic Strip Strip Historic Melbourne’s Planning is Destroying is Destroying Planning RHSV NEWS 6 His ownfi be asked toplaySirBenjaminBackbite. actress’. Accordingly, hewasdelightedto Forbes. Herecallsheras‘afi he hadtaken voicelessonsfromLorna famous playwrightRay Lawler relatesthat Forbes directed,playingMrsCandour. The for Scandal The openingproductionwas tip-up seats. reconfi The stagewasextended, andtheseating into theMelbourneRepertory Theatre. altered thecinemabuilding,toconvertit develop theirtalents.Turnbull leasedand shows togiveyoungpeopleachance wished toproducemusicalanddramatic Forbes Repertory Playersin1941.They Forbes whohadestablishedtheLorna formed abusinesspartnershipwithLorna By 1944Sydney Blacker Turnbull had sometimes forCommunitySinging. it openedonSaturdayeveningonlyand in AlbertPark andPort Melbourne, until reduced asotherpicturetheatresbegan people. Numbersattendinggradually increase theseatingtoaccommodate340 Park PictureTheatre. Itwasrenovatedto installed soundandrenamedittheMiddle by BasilandJackFlaeaslesseeswho his businessin1923Smithwasreplaced cranked, butlatermotor-driven.Selling using twoprojectors,initiallyhand- Alfred KingSmith,acinemaentrepreneur, A laterdevelopmentwasactivatedby and 1913. Biograph entertainment,between1909 Company screenedfi the AmericanMutoscopeandBiograph of MiddlePark’s entertainmentwhen Lodge roomsbeforebecomingthecentre as apostoffi The brickbuildingerectedin1907served that ithasexperienced colourfultimes. Armstrong Street givestheonlyindication A blueplaqueonthewallofHallin Past A Hidden Fame: Halls of RHSV NEWS gured, comprising 210 upholstered gured, comprising 210upholstered rst full-length play, ce, savings bank, and Masonic ce, savingsbank,andMasonic by R.B.Sheridan,whichLorna AUGUST 2019 lms there, known as lms there, knownas ne Australian Hal’s Belles TheSchool , Thring decidedtoclosethe theatre, companies, includingtheArrow. Frank and thisdrewactorsfromlocal amateur the UnionTheatreRepertory Company, University ofMelbourne, withthetitleof formed aprofessionaltheatre atthe Meanwhile, in1953,JohnSumner be ofa‘savage intensity’. considered bythePort PhillipGazetteto interpretation oftheMoorin Brunel playingleadingparts.Later his by OscarWilde, withThringandJune production wassensational–Salome Robin Lovejoy didthedesigns.Thefi Kevin Colebrook,andMoiraCarlton. Brooke, WynRoberts, ZoeCaldwell, as LizzieintheTVseries Springs’, SheilaFlorance, remembered later knownasthephotographer‘Alice were actors,JuneBrunel,wifeofNewton, associated withthistheatrecompany photographer. Otherfamousnames later internationallyrenownedasafashion and thephotographerHelmutNewton, The theatredirectorwasIreneMitchell Francis Burke, textile designerandprinter. subsidy. Redecoration wasundertaken by The theatrereceivednoGovernment and non-mainstreamintheirpresentation. garde fashiontheyweredecidedlyradical three-year existence. Staged inanavant- plays werepresentedduringtheArrow’s aegis ofThring,asactor-manager, 22 who becameresidentdirector. Underthe Frederick Farley, anEnglish actor-director took overasartisticdirector, assistedby Arrow Theatrein1951whenFrankThring called TheatreWorkshop. Itbecamethe became involvedinateachingventure it expired attheendof1949asLorna not renewtheleaseoftheatrewhen Lorna ForbesandSydney Turnbull did performer, playingthepartofHenryVIII. his fi year oldFrankThring(1926-1994)making was producedtherein1945,withnineteen idePr har ihvrnaHall,2010 Middle Park theatrewithveranda rst appearance on stage as an adult rst appearanceonstageasanadult Prisoner Othello , Bunny , Bunny was was rst rst fi turned intoadanceschool.Animportant Productions, whiletheupstairsareawas various meetings,CambridgeFilm&TV company 1960-61,MoralRe-Armament, Arrow in1960, theMalvernTheatre Short leasesorhiringensued,theNew three nightsaweek. for eighteenmonthstoshow16mmfi Australia appliedtoleasethebuilding to acinemawhentheShellCompanyof Charity Players,untilthebuildingreverted their renovations,followedbytheCoburg St. Martin’s Lane, usedtheHallduring The LittleTheatre, SouthYarra, thenin Boyd inthefoyer. ceramic tilesmadebyhisfriendArthur in 1956.Ononeoccasionheexhibited becoming theArrowAssociateCompany to keep theArrowas‘agoingconcern’, Humphries. Thringhadasked Gordon drew packed houses,andincludedBarry evening gatheringsinthetheatrewhich of Thomas’ Record Bar, arrangedSunday and infi where hebecamewell-knownonstage relinquish hislease, andmovetoLondon Group inc. Liaison Officer, Diana Phoenix shoemaker. by adrycleanerandtheotherAris, shops oneithersideoftheentrance, one named theSweatClub, withleased the owner. Itisusedasagymnasium, building in1981andcurrentlyremains community group, tookovertheentire The Lemnian BrothersClub, aGreek Educational ProgressiveAssociation. clubrooms fortheAustralian Hellenic were removedasthebuildingbecame Year Award. In1965thestage andseating Monica MaughamBestActressofthe received anAFIBronzeAward, and lm wasshotthere: lm. BarryJ. Gordon,laterfounder Middle Park History ACity’s Child , which , which lms lms Antonio Rodrigues RHSV NEWS – dancer, musician, sculptor and painter (1930-1986) “He was larger-than-life and one of the most talented and charismatic individuals I’ve known”
It’s difficult to visualize Melbourne in was also the proprietor of a Portuguese the 1960s and 1970s without dancer, restaurant called Kai Kai Curry, located at musician, sculptor and painter, Antonio 121 Little Collins Street, Melbourne and Rodrigues. Antonio was born in Rio would frequently invite students for a meal de Janeiro, Brazil, on 2 March 1930, to after the class. Antonio Ramos Rodrigues and Carmen May and I were usually the last to leave the Rodrigues Rocha. He left Brazil at the age restaurant and became part of Antonio’s Antonio Rodrigues Dancing School of 18 and subsequently joined the New inner circle of friends. We met his wife advertisement (top left), Photo given York-based Katherine Dunham and her Margaret and infant daughter Miranda, the to me by Antonio signed, ‘To Rose, company of African-American dancers, apple of her father’s eye. Antonio spoke Antonio Rodrigues, 11/12/1971’ (above) singers and musicians. Antonio came to about his childhood in Rio de Janeiro Australia in 1956, as a principal dancer and the time he was with the Katherine of the Powerhouse Museum’s permanent with Katherine Dunham and when the Dunham dancers. He asked about us collection in Sydney. troupe left a year later, Antonio stayed too and I told him we’d met during our Antonio died from cancer at his sister behind on a visitor’s permit. His friendship fi nal year at Princes Hill High School in Marlene’s residence in Chatswood, with Dame Zara Holt, turned a string of North Carlton and that May was Australian Sydney, on Sunday 16 November 1986, two-year visas into an invitation from the born of Chinese parentage, while I was a aged 56. He was cremated at the Immigration Department for Australian Chinese born Australian of Polish Jewish Northern Suburbs Crematorium, North citizenship. “They were shocked when I ancestry. Antonio and I had arrived in Ryde followed by a memorial service at walked into the offi ce, they thought I was Australia the same year but in somewhat the Toorak Uniting Church, Melbourne. white,” he remarked, “they said it would diff erent circumstances. Antonio married twice and had three take a little longer than they fi rst thought Antonio Rodrigues was not only an children, Antonio Arandy, Miranda and when they found out I was coloured.” extraordinary dancer, portrayed in Urska. In his lifetime, Antonio had been Antonio settled in Melbourne, performing Australian Dances: Creating Australian nominated by the South American and in a number of extravaganzas in the 1960s Dance 1945-1965 but his sculptures, Australian Friends Society as ‘the fi rst and establishing a dancing school in the primitive in nature, are also represented South American Cultural Ambassador 1970s, where he taught Jazz, Latin and in the Encyclopaedia of Australian Art. to Australia’. He was larger-than-life and Primitive dance. Rodrigues performed in a number of one of the most talented and charismatic In 1971, I came across a newspaper productions at Melbourne’s Lido Theatre individuals I’ve known. The death notice advertisement for the Antonio Rodrigues Restaurant and in the stage musical from Antonio’s family summed up the Dancing School, located on the 2nd Finian’s Rainbow at the Princess Theatre impact he had on all of us, ‘friend and fl oor, 41 Little Latrobe Street, Melbourne. in Spring Street. He organised the fi rst entertainer of many’. I showed the ad. to my former school street carnival in Melbourne and led the Rose Raymen friend and work colleague, May Howah, iconic Moomba Festival parade on more Acknowledgements who was interested in joining a jazz National Library than one occasion. Bruno Benini, the of Australia, State Library of Victoria, ballet class. The two of us were not only Melbourne-based fashion photographer’s introduced to the wonderful world of AusStage, Toorak Uniting Church, artistic black and white portraits of Melbourne modern dance but to an eclectic mix of Antonio taken in the 1960s, are now part Latin, African and Israeli music. Antonio
An amendment In our RHSV History News, June 2019, page eleven ‘Halls of Fame: Horticultural Hall, Victoria Street Melbourne’ there was some confusion between the ‘Victorian Horticultural Improvement Society’ and the ‘Horticultural Society of Victoria’. Please note: ‘They were different organisations and the Victorian Founded Horticultural Improvement Society had nothing to do with the Burnley Gardens which were set up by the Horticultural Society of Victoria’. Over 30,000 items of Victorian 9510 3393 The Oxford Companion to Australian Gardens (2002), page 316, has a good explanation under Horticultural Societies. ‘… the HSV catered for and interstate history, resources www.pmi.net.au the wealthy amateur gardeners, elite professional gardeners and the for family history and much 39 St Edmonds Road, nursery trade and ran shows and Burnley Gardens while the Horticultural more available for loan. Prahran Improvement Society followed the British model and concentrated on lectures and shows.’ I would like to thank Jane Wilson, Manager of the Burnley Campus Archives, University of Melbourne, for noticing this error and providing the information above to help us better understand these two organisations. Sharon Betridge Editor RHSV NEWS AUGUST 2019 7 RHSV NEWS 8 Traditional stained glass,inwhichglasspieces withtheseasonsandtime ofday.changing multi-faceted forestcanopythatwas always thought, thenFrench’s canopy referenceda the slendersteelcolumnsastrees asitis 13 metreshigh.IfRoy Groundsenvisaged 60.9 x15.24metres andsoaringmorethan austere building,agrandspace, measuring become thevibrantheartofotherwise part ofthisoverallconcept,butitwasto for theGreatHallmayhavebeenonlyone the endofFirstWorld War. Theceiling major publicbuildinginMelbournesince before itwouldopenedin1968,thefi group ofindividualsandorganisations sustained commitmentbyanextraordinary It tookpost-1945enthusiasmandyearsof but hadneverbeenmorethanabrightidea. Museums inSwanstonStreet, wasnotnew, separated fromthePublicLibraryand The ideaofanewNationalGallery, in Italianglassmosaic. interior friezeandtheexternal tilesexecuted At theBeaurepaire, French designedan French thatwereintegraltothearchitecture. Douglas Annand,Lyndon Dadswelland (1956-7) hadcommissionedartworks from by Eggleston,MacDonaldandSecomb and theBeaurepaireCentredesigned McCutcheon’s newWilsonHall(1956) of Melbourne, suchasBates,Smartand Signifi the post-SecondWorld War buildingboom. in theplanningprocesswasnotunusual Bringing togetherartistandarchitectearly massive fi that wouldbeessentialtorealisingthe symbolic referencesandmonumentality underlying understandingofboldforms, collectors. GroundsrecognisedFrench’s receiving justifi was creatingdistinctivepaintingsand boy fromBrunswickandformersignwriter, early 1960s,Leonard WilliamFrench,the selected hisartistwisely. At thetime, the the Gallery’s Director, EricWestbrook, had But Grounds,undoubtedlyencouragedby a materialhehadworked withpreviously. grand concept,especiallyasglasswasnot French wassomewhattaken abackbythe site inSt KildaRoad, Melbourne. Gallery ofVictoriaontheWirth’s Circus ‘art work’fortheproposednew discussions onthepossibilityofanew architect, Roy Grounds,openinginformal Thus, Leonard Frenchrecalledthe ceiling intheworld,laddie?’ ‘How wouldyouliketodothebiggestglass National Gallery of Victoria Windows onHistory: cant newbuildingsattheUniversity RHSV NEWS nished work. nished work. able acclaim from critics and able acclaimfromcriticsand AUGUST 2019 National National rst rst
take almostfi It wasamassive taskthatwouldultimately across all224trianglesofhisdesign. he achievedthedesiredglittering eff apron andbandagedfi the hardwayashisbloodstained leather glass atdiff refract andrefl slab edgestocreateclam-shellshapesthat de verre shape. But thesuccessfuluseof the approvedmethodofbreakingout ‘make-do’ anvilwasnotsodiff and whackingthe3kg slabagainst a methods failed,hiscrudemethodofscoring of cuttingslabsglass.After lessvigorous French settoworkteachhimselftheart duly arrivedfromFranceandBelgium More than20tonnesof French’s assistant,Les Hawkins. cut totheshapesofcolouredglassby (Alumply) puncturedbyhundredsofholes black surfacedaluminium-plywoodsandwich the mosaicceilingwereachievedbyusinga glass inplace. Theblackoutlinesthatdefi was madetousearubberyresinholdthe well asbeingveryheavy, andthedecision a typeofconcrete, provedunsuccessful,as demands ofthecommission.Cimentfondu, the aesthetic,architecturalandengineering outlines couldbefi the designandinterplayofcoloursblack (pattern) ofthecompleteceilingtoensure progress. Frenchmadeafull-sizedcartoon accommodate suchanambitiouswork-in- fl spacious studioattachedtotheoldMcIvor Materials andprocessesweretestedinthe fi gave asenseofscaletheceiling,while radiated triangularsectionsofcelluloid,which a marquetteofbalsawoodcolumnsthat By 1963theconceptwastransposedinto modern useofthe symbols wereequallyadaptabletothis French’s approachtopainting,themesand with Christiansymbolismtogreateff the boldCubistabstractionofhispaintings Audincourt, France, inwhichhecombined work attheChurchofSacredHeart, 52 FernandL popular inEuropeandAmerica1950- or epoxy resin.Theprocesswasalready glass -andsetintoamatrixofcimentfondu de verre glass sectionsweretobemadefrom a vastnetworkofstructuralsupport.Instead, them, wouldnothavebeensuitablewithout are heldinplacewithleadcamesbetween our millinHeathcote, boughtbyFrenchto ner detailsremainedto befullyresolved. –2.5cmthickfl method involves faceting of the methodinvolvesfacetingofthe erent angles.Frenchlearned ect light passing through the ect lightpassingthroughthe éger created a monumental éger createdamonumental ve yearsofback-breaking dalle deverre ne-tuned andmaintain ngers showed,but dalles agstone slabsof in 50 colours in50colours erent from from erent method. dalle dalle dalle dalle ect. ect. ect ect ne ne
University Press Zimmer, Jenny(1984), Publishing Leonard FrenchABiography MacDonald, Reg (2018), (1989), Lee, Lawrence, Seddon,GeorgeandStephens, Francis Centre Gallery Farwell, George(c1968),‘TheConcept’, References Stained GlassHistorianandConsultant. Dr BronwynHughesOAM completed in1968. of Leonard French’s glassceilingthatwas Last yearmarkedthefi did beforethem. triangles andrectangles,justasgenerations among itsgeometriccircles,pyramids, upwards todiscoverturtleandserpent interplay, manylying on thefl captures colour, lightandpatterninavibrant adults alike appreciatethewayceiling re ceiling (andtheequallylovedwaterwall) Victorians wouldnothearofit,andsothe the buildingprovoked animmediateoutcry. or removedaspartofthere-imagining that theGreatHallceilingmightbemoved major redevelopmentbutthesuggestion Gallery wasundergoingamuch-needed 1960s oralasthurrahoftheheroic.The as out-dated-acolourfulproductofthe and bythelate1990swasseensome the GreatHallceilinggraduallylostitslustre Over thedecadesfollowingitsinstallation, the world. right –itwasthebiggestglassceilingin its doorsin1968.AndRoy Groundswas form, wellbeforethenewbuildingopened based onbirthandcreation,graduallytook the steelstructureandgeometricdesign one carefullyintoitsallottedplaceagainst a slingbeforepainstakinglycraningeach triangle tookfourmentomanhandleinto work tomake, moveandinstall.Each biography from Brunswick:Leonard French,a Leonard French:coverof mained firmlyinplace. Childrenand Stained byReg MacDonald(2018) Glass, Spring Books, Glass, SpringBooks, Stained GlassinAustralia The BoyfromBrunswick. fty-year anniversary , Australian Scholarly The Boy oor gazing gazing oor Victorian Arts Victorian Arts , Oxford , Oxford
RHSV NEWS W. E. Stanbridge: ‘a sheep farmer’ promoting recognition of Indigenous Australians and women’s rights
William Edward Stanbridge was born and the Ethnological Society of London, in Astley, Warwickshire about 1816, the where he presented an extended version eldest son of Edward and Ann and brother of his Aboriginal Astrology and Mythology, to Edith and Oliver. His father is recorded something that must have given him great as being a ribbon maker, later a hosier. pleasure. His early education is unknown, but his On his return to Australia in 1862 he was later writings showed he had a reasonably appointed the Honorary Correspondent good grounding. in Aboriginal Aff airs for the Daylesford Stanbridge came to Australia in 1841 at the area, an appointment with very little work W. E. Standbridge age of 24, and was immediately involved attached as by then local Dja Dja Wurrung in grazing and shearing sheep, fi rst at people had largely either died or been £1000 to build a female ward at the Broken River near Wangaratta in 1842 moved to the community established at Daylesford Hospital. Also, in his Will was and later at Mt Gambier in 1846; on both Healesville, called Coranderrk. Stanbridge £5000 to build a chancel onto the Church occasions he was working for someone farmed large fl ocks of sheep, supplying of England in Daylesford, with a tablet to else. By 1847 Stanbridge had amassed fl eeces to wool merchants and meat to the commemorate. The chancel still stands, enough money to lease a large acreage increasing numbers of gold seekers. His the tablet being affi xed to the fl oor. near Sea Lake where he established good fortune enabled him to send £100 Tyrrell Station later named Astley after per annum to his sister for her remaining Among the many donations listed in his his birthplace. While he managed this years and £200 annually to his brother. Cash Book are the names of the Ladies Benevolent Society, the football and pastoral run, he befriended the local In 1863 Stanbridge was elected as a cricket clubs, the hospital, the Church of Aboriginal tribe, the Boorong people, member of the Anthropological Institute of England and many others. He also gave to a clan of the Wergaia language group, Victoria in recognition of the contribution institutions in other towns such as Maldon, who taught him their customs and beliefs. of his knowledge of Aboriginal Astronomy Castlemaine, and Kyneton. This made an immense impression on and Myths. Stanbridge was elected to the Stanbridge who later put his knowledge very first Daylesford Borough Council Stanbridge’s philanthropy, his support of into words when he wrote The Astronomy and was its fi rst chairman. In 1868 he was women’s suff rage, women’s education and Mythology of the Aborigines of elected to the Victorian Parliament where and promotion of Aboriginal culture Victoria ten years later. He presented he served almost continuously until 1892, are to be celebrated. His work on his work to the Philosophical Institute of and he was a Magistrate in the Daylesford Indigenous astronomy continues to Victoria in 1857. Court from 1862 to 1880. be referred to by researchers and educators throughout Australia. In 1851 he had purchased the Holcombe Stanbridge showed great respect for Run near Glenlyon, from Robert Clowes; opportunities and education for women in Les Pitt Stanbridge named it the Wombat Run. In various ways. In 1863 he gave permission a very happy stroke of luck it happened for two milkmaids, daughters of his to cover a vast alluvial goldfi eld, buried workers, to mine on a reef close to his Annual Wesson in the ancient creek beds, covered with house. The reef, later named Milkmaids rich volcanic soil. By giving permission Reef, must have been quite lucrative as it Lecture: A to miners to sink shafts and tunnel into enabled one of the young girls, Elizabeth this cornucopia, Stanbridge received a Abbott, to purchase a dairy farm at Ararat. Case for Space return of twelve percent. Signs of these He also made a speech in Parliament on Presenter: Associate Professor Alan mines can still be seen on the Malmsbury women’s suff rage saying that any woman Duff y, noted lecturer at Swinburne Road, where the huge mullock heaps of who paid the same rates on a property as University of Technology, professional the Astley and Cosmopolitan mines bear a man should be just as entitled to vote: astronomer and science commentator testament to the work of the miners. at this time property ownership was one Saturday 21 September • 11am This wealth enabled Stanbridge to travel of the requirements to vote. In 1864 he Prahran Mechanics’ Institute, 39 St back to England in 1860 to see his family donated money to the Church of England Edmonds Road, Prahran for the last time and to fulfi ll his desire to in Daylesford to add a girl’s wing to the present his Aboriginal studies to a wider existing church school. A plaque affi xed Further Information: audience. While in England, we can gain to the room reads ‘This Girl’s School is a http://mivic.org.au/wesson-lecture.html a small insight into his life through the gift to education by W. E Stanbridge out of An inspiration to challenge the national 1861 Census, when fortuitously, he was gold obtained from the Concordia Tunnel delivery of science in education and to counted as staying with his mother and and the Defi ance Paddock’. our daily lives. Australia was a pioneer at brother in Islington, London. His age is In his Will Stanbridge donated a sum of Woomera from 1947 and the Australian given as 44 and his occupation as a ‘sheep £1100 to create the ‘Florence Stanbridge’ Space Agency has placed space back farmer in Australia’. While in England he women-only scholarship at Trinity College, on the curriculum in 2018. became a member of the Royal Society Melbourne University, and also gave
RHSV NEWS AUGUST 2019 9 RHSV NEWS 10 Historical Society asafounderand John’s involvementwith the Leongatha Institute ofVictoriaAssociation. Library andasamemberoftheMechanics’ Rural Movement,astreasurerof theFree advisory council,intheNational Catholic leader, Johnservedonthe high school Catholic andcommittedcommunity trips inVictoriaandfurtherafi John’s companiononnumeroushistory they hadafamilyof8children.Kath was Kathleen O’Brien fromtheMalleeand on hisfather’s farm.In1950hemarried during theSecondWorld War toassist for fi John worked forthePMGas atelegraphist his prolifi on theavidreadingthatwouldunderpin memorised reamsofpoetryandstarted and laterthehighschoolinLeongatha. He at thelocal‘one-teacher’primaryschool immersion inliteratureandhistorybegan family property, Rubybank. John’s long North, thusthedelightfulnameof farm adjoiningRubyCreekinLeongatha siblings onhisfather’s dairyandonion Born in1924,Johngrewupwithhissix relating totheGipplslandregion’. contributor tothepreservationofhistory 2004 forservicetothecommunity‘asa celebrations, JohnreceivedanOAM in Coinciding withhis80 and statelevels. contribution tohistoryatlocal,regional on Johnin2000, citinghisoutstanding home. TheRHSVbestowedaFellowship return drivesfromhisSouthGippsland William Street, Melbourne, involvedlong 5 pmto7atthesociety’s roomsin to 2000;attendingmeetingsheldfrom Gippsland ontheRHSVCouncilfrom1988 various functions.Johnalsorepresented across Victoriaforquarterlymeetingsand including aspresident;hetravelled society’s State Committeefor12years, John hadrepresentedGippslandonthe A longtimesupporteroftheRHSV, serving bowlsofonionsoup. fostered theconvivialatmosphereby Helen Broad,RHSVvolunteercaterer, recently publishedbook Gippsland andauthoroftheinformative, knowledge asaformeroniongrowerin from directexperience andspecialist of oniongrowinginGippsland.Hespoke the RHSVonhistoryandeconomics historian JohnMurphygavealectureat On Thursday22May2008regional ve years,beforebeingcalledback John Murphy OAM FRHSV Gippsland Historian: An Esteemed RHSV NEWS cwriting. AUGUST 2019 One BaginSix eld. A devout eld. Adevout th birthday . Parish, Leongatha Father: AHistoryofSt LaurenceO’Toole’s John wrotesuccessively the MirbooNorthBushNursingHospital Star many articlesfor was oneofhisearlybooks, andhewrote The springboard forsuccessasanauthor. inaugural presidentin1964wasthe base thistribute onhiseulogy. I thankDamian Murphy forpermissionto Carole Woods he waseducated’. up theroadfromhighschool where a townthathewrotethehistory of[and] in whichhewasmarried69years ago, in that heworshippedinforhiswholelife, service forJohn‘tookplaceinachurch oldest sonDamianobservedthatthe Laurence O’Toole CatholicChurch,his 2019. InagraciouseulogyattheSt John Murphydiedaged95on1June location. organised after itsremoval,Johnandaneighbour Leongatha Northisnotforgotten; long posterity. Eventhelittleprimaryschoolat and hedevotedlychartedtheirhistoryfor formed ananchoragethroughouthislife, local featuresthattogetherwithfamily writing. Repeatedly hereturnedtothe is perfectlyexemplifi of contemporarysociety, andthistheme counterbalance tothedisconnectedness hallmark ofVictoria’s communityhistory, a Attachment toplacehasbeenthe large SouthGippslandShire. on theeveofabsorptionin1994into are avaluableportrayalofthetwoshires a richtapestry, fullofstriking detail,they giving asenseofimmediacy. Resembling are interspersedwithfi comprehensive inscope, thesetwobooks in 1994.Meticulouslyresearchedand centenary oftheneighbouringshire The ShireofMirboo centenary in1988and The Woorayl Shire to theStrzelecki Ranges. and fertileregionextending fromthecoast reveal hisidentifi John’s twomajorcommissionedbooks and indexed. were allclearlywritten,well-illustrated and townwaterworks. Thesesmallbooks the Leongatha ButterandCheeseFactory Leongatha MemorialHall . Starting in1996withahistoryof Leongatha asignboardmarkingits
Labour Colony1893 cation withabeautiful ; The celebrated the shire celebratedtheshire ed inJohnMurphy’s The MeetingPlace: coincided with the coincidedwiththe rst-hand accounts,
Great Southern ; and histories of ; andhistoriesof On theRidge: Faith ofOur No Parallel: ‒ 1919
generational biography. been broughttogetherinthisimpressive their careersweresointertwined,theyhave caricaturists andphotographicartists.Because – asthetitlesays,portraitists,miniaturists, Australia coloniesinthenineteenthcentury who worked inBritain,NewZealandandthree of thehighlytalentedandartisticFrithfamily the artisticcareersofthreesiblings,members This isanimpressivepieceofworkthatfollows and photographicartists century portraitists,miniaturists,caricaturists is The winneroftheDonGrantAward for2018/19 for thisyear’s award. particularly fi Award thisyear. Thejudgeshavechosena There werefourentrantsintheDonGrant DON GRANTAWARD 2018 lives inEnglandandAustralia. writing, haveleftaveryvaluablerecordoftheir class professionalswho, throughtheirletter interesting familyoflargelyeducatedmiddle transition fromDevontoVictoria.Theywerean basis ofaninsightfulaccountthefamily’s of Merrifieldfamilyletterstoprovidethe This bookhasmadeexcellent useofacollection Merrifi narrative throughunpublishedlettersofthe From DevontoAustralia: anineteenthcentury SECOND PLACE: family membersandtheirdescendants. numerous individualdetailedbiographiesofthe in Westgarthtown, nearMelbourne. Itcontains Victoria justbeforethegoldrushesandsettled Wendish Germanfamilywhomigratedto Sarka toWestgarthtown Wuchatsch. Family inGermanyandAustralia Sarka toWestgarthtown: theWuchatsch AND marriage. time hadtheirfamiliesinterconnectedthrough parts oftheAustralian colonies,butwhoover in thenineteenthcenturyandsettleddiff families whocamefromvariouspartsofBritain that tracesthehistoriesoffiveconnected Threaded Lives Walker, HitchandMoodyfamilies Threaded Lives:storiesoftheSymonds, Price, JOINT WINNERS to namejointwinnersandarunnerup. time choosingawinnerandeventuallydecided a delighttoread.Thejudgeshadverydiffi criteria. Thisyear, therewereelevenentries,all family historythatcomplieswiththespecifi considerable efforttoresearchandwritea award, giventoanauthorwhohastaken The Alexander HendersonAward isaprestigious ALEXANDER HENDERSONAWARD 2018 26th MayattheBox HillGolfClub. Connections annuallunchonSunday announced attheFamilyHistory and DonGrantAwards for2018were The winnersoftheAlexanderHenderson Winners Awards November 2019. Entries forthe 2019 Awards closeon30 web sitewww.familyhistoryconnections.org.au entry formsforboth awards)canbefoundonthe further informationabouttheAwards (including 1/41 Railway Rd, Blackburn.Openinghoursand the FamilyHistoryConnectionsResource Centre, All enteredbooks canbeviewedondisplay at knowledge ofthetalentaparticular family. contribution toarthistoryas well asour Snips andSnaps:TheFriths:nineteenth eld family ne example ofafamilybiography is an impressive piece of work isanimpressivepieceofwork , inalphabeticalorderofauthor: , byVirginiaNoonan. It makes asignifi , byNoelTozer. is thehistoryofa byErilJolly. byRobert erent erent cant cant cult cult ed ed
RHSVSOCIETIES NEWS
11
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winner
Collaborative Award 2014 penfolk.com.au 21 Ronley Street AUGUST 2019 AUGUST @ Community History speech brought rey’s www.penfolk.com.au Blackburn Vic 3130 openedrey Blainey publish p RHSV NEWS NEWS RHSV rey wove in Leonie Kramer’s Kramer’s rey wove in Leonie Isaac Selby: Isaac Selby: Historian, Lecturer, Assassin! Professor Geoff ‘Isaac Selby: Lecturer, our exhibition, on Thursday 13 Historian, Assassin!’, Geoff June 2019. his cockadedIsaac Selby to life from Napoleonic hat and cape to his siren- And somehow melodious voice. like Geoff kindergarten and Don Chipp. Selby was an intriguing man with a broad and interests. range of experiences One of the many things he lobbied and advocated for was the reinstatement of John Batman as the founder of Melbourne. Historical Selby organised, with the (Royal) annual pilgrimages to Batman’s Society, he grave for over 30 years. Macabrely, commissioned photographs of Batman’s when the body was exhumed skull, taken from the Old Melbourne Cemetery. curated by the talented This exhibition, Alison Cameron, with assistance from Richard Barnden and David Thompson, is well worth checking out and it will be All the launch in situ until January 2020. photos are on Facebook in an album. will be putting the speeches on our We website as a podcast shortly. is open 9am - 5pm, Mon The exhibition Melbourne. St, - Fri, RHSV 239 A’Beckett
; f c d d n Victorian Historical Journal ings Historical Society. ings Historical Society. Bendigo Historical Society. of Merit in 2018. an RHSV Award Mornington & District Historical Society. Hast • James Andrew Lerk OAM, • OAM, James Andrew Lerk James was the recipient of Ivanhoe. • Cariddi OAM, Lella Diane Elizabeth White OAM, • Shirley Davies OAM, • Reverend the next decade. He was treasurer, vice- was treasurer, He decade. the next of the Friends ofpresident and president being honoured with Library, the State He served on the a life membership. Development Committee, Library State Library of Victoria the Board of the State a member of thefor eight years and was Victoria, chairing itsHeritage Council of for several yearsaccreditation committee to 2003. for the tirelessly Andrew has worked Society of Victoria since Historical Royal his longest voluntary commitment 1990, grateful. He for which we are extremely edited the for a decade; was a Councillor from 2009 and then president till 2014; and since then continues his work for the Society by devising the events program and acting as MC at each RHSV monthly lecture. Richard Broome President RHSV Further congratulations The RHSV also honours the following historians who were recognised in Birthday honours list: the Queen’s
. training and support;training and consultation the finished product. proof reading;proof illustration; graphic development; writing, editing and and photographic reproduction; and advice; printing and delivery of »» Our services include design and The Age PenFolk produces high quality books for historians For allFor publishing your needs … (2018), reveals (2018), reveals
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k the story of L. R Garnett, a principal of the story of L. R Garnett, a principal of Geelong Grammar and a noted garden and environmental writer for Lemon AM AM FRHSV Lemon has been honoured, Andrew Lemon of the Order of becoming a Member history for services to community Australia the Queen’s in and the racing industry, Birthday list of honours. four has written 16 books, Andrew Lemon prizes, in subjects of which have won sport education, ranging from local history, His recent publication, and biography. The Master Gardener Dr Andrew Grant Andrew Dr Congratulations Andrew received his doctorate of letters from the University of Melbourne in 2004 of a body of because of the excellence work, not one single piece as in a thesis. history of three-volume Andrew’s thoroughbred racing completedAustralian over twenty years, is monumental. These volumes have made Dr Lemon regularly authority on racing. He a key advertises the Melbourne Cup for the to VRC, touring throughout Australasia show the Cup and speak of its history. He has even slept with the Cup under his venues. at country bed for safe keeping Andrew is also a highly skilled public from and is continually in demand speaker radio stations, historical societies, U3A groups and other community groups to speak, which he does gratis. Andrew is a volunteer par excellence. In the late 1970s he helped to create a professional body for archivists, served and edited its journal. on its executive He was a co-founder of the History Institute of Victoria in 1981 and served as treasurer and then secretary over F o l k We takeWe pride in producing work of the highest possible quality, and provide a service your project, or provide assistance guidance project,your or and may include design and production of books, tree charts. We can take you through all stages of with specific elements. with writing; designing and compiling family papers and charts; reproducing and retouching documents; and photos assistance advice and P ePP ePPe n n F o »» Our service is adapted to suit your needs, and SOCIETIESRHSV NEWS 12 heritage andbring theirexpertise toa research into, andpreservation of, local representatives arecommitted tothe building andconstruction. AllHAC agriculture, educationaswell private enterprise, localgovernment, from arangeofbackgrounds, including HAC representatives,therefore, come works andcomprehensivemanuscripts. area, includingproducingpublished aspects oftheGreaterShepparton undertaken researchintohistorical of localimportance, andothershave holding anddisplayingsignifi are preserversandguardiansofmuseums and experience. Somerepresentatives professional andheritagequalifi bring totheCommitteeagreatrangeof a non-votingmembership. Members and Council’s HeritageAdvisorhave of Council’s Strategic PlanningTeam with theseorganisations.Two members and sixcommunitymembersunaffi including localIndigenousrepresentation, ten HistoryGroupswithinthemunicipality Councillors, onerepresentativeofthe the Committeeconsistsofuptotwo biennially. Thevoting membershipof under Terms ofReference reviewed authority, operatesinan advisorycapacity meets monthly, andhaving noexecutive advice toCouncil.TheCommittee heritage mattersandprovideinformed role toactasanadvocateforcultural which wasformedin2012withtheprimary the HeritageAdvisoryCommittee(HAC) Many initiativeshavebeendrivenby cultural heritageofthearea. identifying, protectingandpromotingthe is veryactiveinfosteringstrategicprojects Greater SheppartonCityCouncil(GSCC) heritage buildings,butcommendably glaringly obvious,eye-catchinggrand central Victoria.Sheppartonmaynothave place intheCityofGreaterShepparton, refl ection ontheexcellent initiatives in local heritagearrangements,caused May thisyearseekinginformationon for theHeritageCouncilofVictoriain The surveyconductedthroughRHSV CityShepparton Council Initiatives Heritage Greater SheppartonHeritageAdvisoryCommitteeMembers2018 RHSV NEWS AUGUST 2019 cant items items cant cations cations liated liated providing fi nancial supporttomaintain Committee supports thisprogramme Heritage GrantsProgramme Cultural Heritage. exposure toavariety oftopicsrelatingto History Groups,providingstimulating to thegeneralpublicandinterested local matters, isinvitedtopresentthislecture person, havingexpertise inheritage Biennial HeritageLecture Municipality. training orawareness-raisingwithinthe education, promotion,interpretation, to culturalheritageconservation,research, who havemadeoutstandingcontributions Awards recognisethose in thecommunity Cultural HeritageAwards days infuture. are nowplannedtobeheldoverthree days duringthesecondyearandthey held ononedayinthefirstyear, two have beensosuccessfulthattheywere available tothepublic.TheseOpenDays are allfree, andincludemanyplacesrarely tours andvisitstoover50heritageplaces for thepasttwoyears.Bustours,walking conducted inassociationwithCouncil Heritage OpenDays Heritage AdvisoryCommitteeare: Particular programmesinitiatedbythe hear from‘experts inthefi bi-monthly, togivemembers opportunityto at theendofCommitteemeetings,usually familiar localarea.MasterClassesareheld in placesbeyondCommitteemembersown, broadening knowledgeofheritageassets educational visitsacrosstheMunicipality, Committee membersparticipatein support, recordingandcirculatingminutes. Council employeesprovidesecretarial profi responds toanyopportunityraisethe monthly meetings.TheCommitteekeenly fostered betweenCommitteemembersat Valuable networkingopportunitiesare reports backtoCommitteemeetings. and sub-committeesthatprovideregular range ofactivestrategicworkinggroups leoflocalheritagerelatedissues. : These have been : Thesehavebeen eld’. : Ahighprofi : Biennial Greater : The le le Advisory Committee:Kay Ball Compiled bymemberofthe Heritage as educationandpromotion. successful intermsofpreservation, aswell heritage programisenviableand hugely Greater SheppartonCityCouncil’s were quicklybooked out. the communityasmanyofvenues demonstrated theinterestthatisoutin Open Days,forexample, clearly Committee arealwaysfilled.Recent Greater SheppartonHeritageAdvisory are wellattendedandplacesonthe education programs.Alloftheevents significant placesthroughwider community’s awarenessofculturally their heritageassetsandincreasingthe is itscommitmenttoregularlyreviewing Greater SheppartonCityCouncilunique varying degreesofsuccess.Whatmakes schemes manageheritageissueswith protection ofheritageplaces.Planning different levelsofcommitmentto government areastellustheysee Associates whomoveacrosslocal on theVictorianHeritageRegister. lighted worthynominationsforinclusion 1000 placesofsignifi Heritage Advisoridentifyingmorethan Studies havebeencompiledbythe from HAC members,extensive Heritage Assisted byresearchersandwithinput Conservation, HistoryandUrbanPlanning. GSCC iswellqualifi ed inArchitecture, The HeritageAdviseremployedby the mediumandlongerterm. heritage protectioninthemunicipalityfor which outlinesthevisionandprioritiesfor input totheCouncilHeritageStrategy, Heritage Strategy up to$15,000. currently setat$65,000off the threeyearsinoperationandis available hasincreasedmarkedly over of theprogramme, thepooloffunds Heritage Overlay. Owingtothesuccess and conservepropertieswithinthe Days guide Cover of2019Open : The Committee has : TheCommitteehas cance andhashigh- ering grants booklet BOOKS 13 Joy Damousi ered to AUGUST 2019 AUGUST Geoffrey A. Sandy, Busybird Busybird Geoffrey A. Sandy, RHSV NEWS NEWS RHSV ict. Conscription for overseas military and Judith Smart (eds), Monash University ISBN pp.vii-264. Publishing, 2019, 9781925835069 The essays in this collection honouring reflect her historian Marilyn Lake uence on the academic discipline infl over the past four decades. in Australia ect her work in promoting They also refl at a national history in the community, eld of fi and international level. Lake’s endeavour has spanned the impact of Anzac, feminism the history of war, post- gender, history, and women’s labour history colonialism, biography, and social reform among other areas. Eminent colleagues and former students have contributed to this collection, borne of a Festschrift held at the University of Melbourne in December 2016. Contesting Australian History: Essays Contesting Australian in Honour of Marilyn Lake. Conscientious Objection: A Personal A Personal Conscientious Objection: Story. Publishing, Montmorency, 2018, pp.1-22, pp.1-22, 2018, Publishing, Montmorency, ISBN9781925830903. In a brief personal account of his conscientious objection on moral and religious grounds to the Vietnam War, Geoffrey Sandy points to the historical revisionism that has lately seen COs diminished in the dialogue around that confl service has always been contentious in rejected by referendum Twice Australia. 1 and allowed only in War during World War limited circumstances during World 2, its introduction during the Vietnam conflict prompted widespread disquiet and opposition. A tiny minority (1,242) of conscripts managed to avoid military service, compared to those who served in the by claiming a conscientious army (63,735) do so involved a court To objection to war. hearing, the outcome of which was by no writes Sandy, means certain. “Our stories,” history and should “are part of Australia’s not be forgotten, nor should conscientious non-compliers.”
Geoff Heather R. Heather R. ghters, racehorse trainers,ghters, racehorse refi the bookshop by authors, please check the shop catalogue. please check the by authors, the bookshop Authors, publishers and Historical Societies are invited Societies Historical and publishers Authors, library and for RHSV for the books to the to contribute in Books Received. for inclusion consideration off listed are not necessarily these books Please note: elds. James, who became a butcher, scientists, process workers, family and scientists, process workers, nation builders. This detailed work will be of great interest to family historians. Arnott, Croydon North, 2018, pp. i-236, 2018, pp. Arnott, Croydon North, ISBN 9780648361718. James and Jessie Ball arrived in the colonies in the 19th century Australian as a convict and a bounty immigrant By the time Jessie died in respectively. 1916, there were no fewer than seven Ball families and 1000 direct descendants. the age of 90, who lived to Jessie, herself gave birth to 13 children of whom four died in childhood and another two The seat of the Ball predeceased her. in the central family was Wedderburn goldfi Their took his own life at the age of 57. descendants fanned out across Australia the Gulf country, Australia, – to Western the Pilbara and across Victoria. These women and men became farmers, miners, railway soldiers, blacksmiths, fi workers, Two Armstrong Uncles. Two The Ball Family from Wedderburn – – Wedderburn The Ball Family from Leaders. Pioneers and Community Mathew, Penfolk Publishing, Blackburn, Penfolk Mathew, iv-208, ISBN 9781925467031. 2018, p. It is the very ordinariness of these two them so important. stories that makes Arthur William Armstrong and Oliver John Armstrong were brothers, born 17 years apart in East Gippsland. Arthur 1 and John in World War served in World John 2. Arthur died at Pozieres, War Their deaths were not at Singapore. by heroics and might otherwise marked have passed unnoticed but for the determination of Heather Mathew to ensure that her uncles would not be forgotten. Collected and transcribed here are their letters home from the wars, preceded by a short biography of each man. Mathew has done a great service by underlining the futility of war through these intensely personal family records. Frankston by schoolboy eld to Oakleigh Glen Eira Historical Society By John John Schauble By Books Books Received Along the Line: Caulfi Stories. Rail Dust From Unmade Roads – Frankston. Roads Dust From Unmade Follestudio Publishing, Alfonso Folle, ISBN pp.1-197, 2018, 2nd ed., Australia, 9780648453284. This photographic essay documents past and present and was Frankston inspired by a similar project Alfonso Folle the Interestingly, witnessed in Poland. former Italian military engineer had no particular attachment to the Melbourne became In what evidently bayside suburb. up images he collected a labour of love, past, restoring many of themof Frankston while replicating and juxtaposing the modern view of several scenes. There streetscapes, are buildings, people, organisations – many from the time when was a popular seaside holidayFrankston destination for Melburnians – all set out in a large landscape format. By way of introduction, he reproduces a remarkable four-part history written for the and Somerville Standard (and later noted author) Don Charlwood. Inc, Caulfield, 2019, pp. v-196, ISBN v-196, ISBN pp. Inc, Caulfield, 2019, 9780648540601. Along the Line owes its origins to the recent removal of the railway level crossings through the elevation of the line between Caulfield and Oakleigh. That work has also meant the demolition of the ground level stations of Carnegie, The Murrumbeena and Hughesdale. was pivotal in opened in 1879, line, linking Melbourne to Gippsland but later developed into a busy commuter route to suburban expansion serving the city’s the east. The decision to elevate the line was divisive at community level, but this book is carefully neutral. Its focus is on the paying homage to the lost stations and celebrating the memories and of those who have lived along and used the line through more than 40 personal stories. BOOKS
Aboriginal People and Australian Martha Needle. Brian Williams, New George Higinbotham and Eureka. Football in the Nineteenth Century. Holland Publishers, Sydney, 2018, pp.1- Geraldine Moore, Australian Scholarly Roy Hay, Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 390, ISBN9781921024955. Publishing, North Melbourne, 2018, pp.i- Newcastle-upon-Tyne, 2019, pp.v-306, There is evidently still much interest in 381, ISBN 9781925801491. ISBN 9781527526488. the ghastly deeds of Martha Needle well As the most comprehensive biography The AFL made a surprising decision in over a century after her execution at the of George Higinbotham to date, the June 2019 to draw a direct link between Old Melbourne Gaol. Needle poisoned fractured development of democracy Aboriginal ball games (especially and killed her husband and at least two in colonial Victoria is central to Moore’s marngrook) and the original Australian of their children, probably three other account. Higinbotham’s time in politics football. This was despite the fi nding by people and possibly even four more. Cast spanned an era when questions of a panel of eminent historians a decade as the ‘Black Widow’, she garnered the self-government, constitutional law and ago that there was no real evidence of sort of notoriety up until then reserved for the rule of the people were essential such a link, which makes this book timely bushrangers. Was she insane, a sociopath, questions. Looking back from an era in indeed. Many, including Hay, consider driven by greed or just unremittingly evil? which governance in Victoria is mostly the AFL is trying to rewrite history for its Just what drove Needle to slowly poison about service provision, Higinbotham still own purposes. His book clearly shows her victims with arsenic (a key ingredient has much to teach us. As a journalist and that indigenous players adopted the in the ‘Rough on Rats’ rodenticide she editor, parliamentarian, Attorney-General game from the 19th century onwards, allegedly used) remains a matter of and Chief Justice, he was noted as a transformed it and became exceptionally conjecture. Some clues may be found liberal who put the public interest and the good at it, despite many barriers put in in her brutish upbringing. Lawyer and quest for responsible government ahead their way. Through historical scholarship, historian Brian Williams looks at the old of his own or sectional interests at a time the stories of the people and places and and some new evidence in a fresh quest of chaotic and often corrupt growth. Even the indigenous embrace of the game is set for answers. so, one suspects he would be unsurprised out here is detail. A prohibitive list price by the lamentable state of politics today. means this work will be, for most, library access only.
See our online catalogue at History Victoria Bookshop www.historyvictoria.org.au/bookshop/ New Books in store for August 2019 or visit the Bookshop at the RHSV.
Australia: a Australian lives: Blackburns, The: Flinders Island Grass-seeds and cultural history. an intimate private lives, public Secret: WW11 thistles: … Moora, John Rickard history. Anisa Puri ambition. Carolyn Radar Station. Gobarup and $39.95 et al. $39.95 Rasmussen Ian McKellar $15 Wanalta. Alan $44.99 McLean. $35
Lost Pipe Organs Maldon: a Order in the Outcasts, Mists Port Fairy: a of Australia. new history, court! …. & Shadows: … history of Port Geoff rey Cox, 1853-1928. Rushworth Yarra Bend. Fairy 1835 2018. et al $50 Brian Rhule district. Alan Colin Briton Marten Syme $50 McLean $35 $15 $42.50 14 RHSV NEWS AUGUST 2019 We welcome Societies to submit an article/event of around 50 words, or email your Around the SOCIETIES Newsletter to us and we will write up around
50 words for you around twice per year. BOOKS Societies FOR THE OCTOBER 2019 ISSUE please send details to Prepared by volunteer Glenda Beckley on offi [email protected] behalf of the History Victoria Support Group. by 8th September 2019.
ANGLESEA AND DISTRICT: Sunday 4 August of Mill Street. It is a cast iron structure of the transformed into a museum and archives for the at 2:00: members to bring a very old item and pattern installed between 1860 and 1920. The area. We are grateful to those early members briefl y talk about it. Thursday 19 September: Kilmore box dates back no further than 1891. who had the foresight to establish the Society, outing to Dean’s Marsh and Film at Waterlands There are several references in the Kilmore collect records and photographs and give us ‘Interrupted Melodies’ - story of Marjorie Free Press to Council sessions between March the security of owning our own building by Lawrence Cost: $15 plus lunch at Moriac Hotel. and April of 1891 discussing the erection of what purchasing ‘Mallow’. Members and visitors welcome to all activities. was originally intended to be three boxes in NARRE WARREN FAMILY: To celebrate Family Transport can be provided to all meetings and Sydney Street. The most serious threat to the History Month, join members and the local activities by phoning 0448 526 311. existence of the Pillar Box came as recently as History Librarian, Heather Arnold, for a morning CAMBERWELL: Boroondara Historical 2000, when Australia Post resolved to replace of family and local history. Ask us a question Societies Valuation Day Sunday August 25 at all the old cast iron boxes in Victoria. According about your family history or local history. We the Hawthorn Community Precinct (next to the to the National Trust, this was to be done for the also want to collect information and images, so Hawthorn Library), 584 Glenferrie Rd, Hawthorn. sake of effi ciency and standardisation, and the come along and tell us what you know about 1-4pm. Please check your cupboards and bring plan was to replace them with the newer swing your area from the past. If you want to share along a piece or two to be valued. Cost: $5.00 door boxes. At that time the Kilmore Historical your photos, we can scan them on the spot for 2 items. Afternoon tea provided. Queries: Society and the National Trust co-operated in and return the original to you straight away. All 98078081 or hawthornhistoricalsociety@ a campaign which was ultimately successful. welcome, no bookings required. All sessions gmail.com The box was retained, and restored in 2007. are 10am-1pm. FRIENDS OF CHELTENHAM REGIONAL MURCHISON: Our book, Art Captured, Doveton: Wednesday, 7 August; Endeavour CEMETERIES: The Committee had planned received another publication award at the Hills: Monday, 12 August; Emerald: Wednesday, that our first tour for 2019 would be The Greater Shepparton City Council Cultural 14 August; Pakenham: Thursday, 15 August; Streets Where We Live – however we will now Heritage Awards recently. President Kay Ball Hampton Park: Friday, 16 August; Cranbourne: present this tour later in the year, in October. It provided a stimulating talk about the Prisoner Tuesday, 20 August; Bunjil Place: Friday, 23 will be based on streets named after some of of War and Internment Camps in the local area. August. the families and individuals buried at Pioneer Plans for 50th anniversary celebrations of the Cemetery. Streets that may be included fall of the Murchison meteorite are progressing PHILLIP ISLAND: AGM, 14 August All members are Comport and Woff Streets Beaumaris, well. Leading scientists in the fi eld of meteoritics are welcome to nominate for any committee Cullinane Street Black Rock, Tootal Road will give presentations to the public over the position and we are always looking for new Dingley, Bloxsidge Lane Mordialloc, Kingston weekend of 28th and 29th September as well input and ideas. Instead of a speaker we will Road Heatherton, Watkins Street Aspendale, as activities for the whole family. have a ‘Show and Tell’. Bring along anything Ferdinando Lane Sandringham, Crawford interesting. It doesn’t have to be old or relating Street Cheltenham and the three streets in KEW: Kew Tapestry Project - During 1988 and to Phillip Island. So, something picked up in Cheltenham named Charles Edward Booker. 1989, six of the eight panels were completed, your travels, or even bought from a market stall! framed and displayed on the south wall of the If you are able to contribute to our research POLISH MUSEUM AND ARCHIVES: With The on these families and streets or would like Kew Library. The six tapestries were ‘rested’ after thirty years on permanent display and Rats of Tobruk Association, we invite you to to suggest another interesting street, please the opening of the exhibition – ‘Destination contact us. are now stored under archival conditions. Two tapestries have not been completed. In Australia - Post WWII Odysseys of Polish GLENTHOMPSON: Temporary closure. We recognition of the contribution of Joy Stewart Soldiers’ on Saturday, 17 August 2019, 2pm operate out of the old railway station and the at Tobruk House, 44 Victoria Avenue, Albert owners, Victrack, along with representatives and Dorothy Benyei, as well as the stitches of those who part-completed the remaining two Park. In 1947/48 Australia accepted 1,500 of the Southern Grampians Shire Council have Polish military who were part of the Polish been through and assessed the building. They panels, we are aiming to complete the Kew Tapestry. Our Collections Group is leading the free forces in the UK and who decided not are going to do the required repairs and upgrade to return to Poland which was in the Soviet a few things to assist us in both managing our completion of the panels. We are treating the activity as a conservation exercise, ensuring sphere of infl uence. Thanks to the lobbying and collection better and removing the risks to both support of the Australian Rats of Tobruk, their our volunteers and the general public. We look that the completion follows the standards set by the designer, using moth-proof embroidery comrades in arms in 1941, this special group forward to notifying everyone of our re-opening, of men were the prelude to the large post anticipated for August or September. wool in the colours designated on the original templates. Each of the two remaining panels war migration of displaced Poles to Australia. GREENSBOROUGH: The society was raised is mounted on wooden stretchers to facilitate This exhibition presents this unknown story of in March 2010 when a large attendance their completion. Jan is seeking volunteers from Australian Polish relations and comradeship of interested people responded to an within and outside the Society to complete the between these veterans. During the opening, article prepared by Noel Withers and printed fi nal stages of this living history project that the accompanying booklet Destination in the Diamond Valley Leader (11/3/2010). The Australia: Polish Soldier Migrants 1947-48 meeting quickly formed a working committee pays tribute to the eff orts of the men, women and children who began these panels over will also be launched. RSVP – 11 August 2019 and an active group of committed members [email protected] formulated the necessary requirements for a thirty years ago. new society. Thanks to the Banyule Council KOO WEE RUP: Early years of the Society, PORT FAIRY: Vintage Weekend 27, 28 and a location was found at Glenauburn Road, from The Good Country: Into the dawn of 29 September. As extra activities to mark the Lower Plenty. To suit all the members’ needs, a new day, 1968- 1988 by Fred Hooper Vintage Weekend celebration we will organise the monthly meetings are held alternatively on (1988). The Koo Wee Rup Swamp Historical a special exhibition of vintage clothing in the the last Friday or Saturday of each month. The Society was formed in 1974 as a result of the museum and a book sale to be held on the Club room is open each Thursday for research. threatened demolition of an historic landmark, portico. The AFL Grand Final creates a long Members have produced and printed two Ward Hubbard’s blacksmith shop in Station weekend and the book sale will be held Friday books on local history, edited by archivist Street. The old timber building on railway 2-4pm and Saturday 10am-3pm. The Museum Sue Ballantyne. Their latest success is the land was demolished and three citizens opening times will be extended to include installation of thirteen plaques in Main Street Jack Mills, Lindsay Black and Ken Huxtable those times. The second hand books for sale Greensborough marking historical land marks. decided to form an historical society with the will include quality donations received from Many old timers have shown their delight that aim of preserving sites and records of historic the estates of Tim Reeve and Victor Gillatt who their families are remembered. Enquiries: signifi cance. The disused Island Road Primary were both avid collectors of books and history. President Noel Withers 9435 4513 or email School became the headquarters for meetings Members able to donate quality vintage books [email protected] in 1985, after 11 years of eff ort by the Society. for a place in the sale will be very welcome. KILMORE: Kilmore’s pillar box to be restored. In 1984, the Society acquired the former Working teams will sort and price the books. The Postal Department has agreed to renovate home of pioneer O’Riordan family, ‘Mallow’, and re-paint the old post box at the corner (1916) as its headquarters. The old house was
RHSVRHSV NEWS NEWS AUGUST APRIL 2019 15 REMEMBERING MELBOURNE Returns - and for $35!
On Melbourne Day, 30 August, the updated version of Remembering Melbourne 1850-1960 was launched at the RHSV and is now on sale. This stunning book, which sold out at the RHSV in just four weeks, is currently available to enhance your book shelves and delight those who receive it as a gift. The price is again a sensational $35 (pick up from the RHSV), or plus postage and handling for mail orders http://www.historyvictoria.org.au/
All proceeds from sales will boost our growing Victorian Historian Journal Future Fund, aimed to secure our century-old journal, currently the second oldest, continuously published, history journal in Australia.
Flagstaff Gardens, which are just to your right, are Melbourne’s oldest gardens. They take their name from a fl agstaff erected in GUIDED WALKSIN 1840 at the settlement’s highest point, in order to communicate between the harbour and town. This became known as “Flagstaff HISTORIC FLAGSTAFF Hill”. Before this, the area was used as a cemetery and was known as Burial Hill. (There is a memorial in the gardens that marks the GARDENS graves of the fi rst European settlers.)
GUIDED WALKS EVERY MONDAY
Time 11am Where Meet here at the Royal Historical Society of Victoria, 239 A’ Beckett St Cost $10 Children under 16 free Duration 75 minutes Booking preferred At reception, or 9326 9288 email offi [email protected]