This is a summary of the articles and events taken from the newsletters sent to the Secretary from SEHA Groups and Societies. September 2018. Compiled by Heather Arnold.

Bass Valley Historical Society

• The Dinner meeting held on Sunday, September 9 had Libby Skidmore as the guest speaker. Her topic was The Active and her men.
• Bass Valley U3A – Local History Group present “Grantville History Day” Public Open Day. When: Saturday, October 6 2018 from 1.00pm to 4.00pm. Where: Grantville Hall, Bass Highway. More information https://seha.org.au/event/grantville-history-day
• The July newsletter (the inaugural newsletter) introduced the Committee and the new website www.bassvalleyhistoricalsociety.com.au and an essay on ‘What is history’ by Roger Clark. The September newsletter promotes the Grantville History Day.

Brighton Cemetorians  http://www.brightoncemetorians.org.au/

• The September Cemetorian has some interesting stories on cemetery ‘residents’ – Jane Stock Greig, who graduated in medicine from Melbourne University in 1895, she was one of the founders of Queen Victoria Hospital and medical officer with the Education Department amongst many other achievements; James Boxshall, the father of Yallock settler Thomas Boxshall; William Rolland, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Victoria in 1904/05 and father of Frank Rolland, who reorganised the training of deaconesses in Victoria and established Rolland House in Carlton, for this purpose.

Chelsea & District Historical Society

• The Society has published Patterson Lakes: a new exciting concept of living, available for the modest price of $3.00.

 Dromana & District Historical Society  http://home.vicnet.net.au/~dromana/

• The June newsletter has a report on the naming of a bridge over Dunn’s Creek in Dromana after local family, the Littlejohns. William Littlejohn came to Dromana in 1917 with his young family of nine children and settled on land along Dunns Creek. In 1927, William successfully tendered to build the reinforced concrete bridge which replaced an old timber bridge and was located at the entrance to the Littlejohn property. You can read more about the event here https://www.mornpen.vic.gov.au/About-Us/News-Media-Publications/News-Media/100-year-Dromana-family-legacy-lives-on
• There is also a list of soldiers who enlisted at Dromana in the Great War.

Friends of Cheltenham and Regional Cemeteries  http://www.focrc.org/

• The July 2018 Raves from the Graves has a report on a tour they conducted for Grade 6 students from St Patrick’s of Mentone. The tour went very well.
• There is an article by Rosemary Reddick on the Fairlam family of Cheltenham. William Fairlam was the local auctioneer, his son Richard was a well known photographer. William’s father, also William, had arrived in Victoria in 1853, hoping to make his fortune with gold digging, instead he married Adeliza Walker the daughter of Cheltenham pioneers and they established a market garden in Jasper Road, East Brighton. William Jnr opened his Estate Agency in Collins Street and also had a branch in Cheltenham. Richard established his studio next to his father’s Estate Agency and took many photos of the local area. After serving in the Great War he settled back into Cheltenham, married Ruth Kennon, whose family owned the Genesta Guest House in Cowes, Phillip Island. They took over his father’s business which had become a home furnishings and hardware business.
• There is also an article by Sue Beazley on the Livingstone Home in Cheltenham, a home for neglected and orphaned children. It opened in 1891 and was closed in 1967. The Southland Shopping Centre now sits on the site.

Hastings Western Port Historical Society     http://www.hwphs.org.au/

• The June issue has an article on Nurses and Nursing in World War One. The September issue has an article on The Armistice (November 11, 1918), it also has photos of the 45^th anniversary of the Society. There is an obituary of Joe Stockton who died in July 2018. The Stockton family were orchardists of Grayden’s Road in Tyabb. There is a proposal to name the access road from the Flinders Yacht Club, ‘Lacey View’ in honour of Ken Lacey, who died in March 2017. Ken was heavily involved in the SEHA and many other community groups including the Yacht Club.

 Koo Wee Rup Swamp Historical Society

• The June newsletter has a report on the annual dinner, held on May 27. The guest speakers were John and Jo Spencer who toured Europe on a motorbike. The July newsletter has an article, by Heather Arnold, on Charles and Ellen Rossiter of Hawkesdale, Koo Wee Rup and the source of the name Rossiter Road in Koo Wee Rup; the August newsletter has an article on the history of Churches in the town and the September newsletter has an article on Sarah Fagan, who operated a hotel in Lyndhurst in the 1850s.

Lang Lang & District Historical Society   http://www.langlang.net/historical.html

• The July newsletter covers the 20^th anniversary celebrations, where you take a ride around the town in a horse and landau; there are plans for a 2019 calendar and the Society has acquired portraits of the Doxey family and other memorabilia. Doxey Road in Lang Lang is named for the family. The Society is working with the Narre Warren & District Family History Group on a World War One tour of the Lang Lang Cemetery on October 14. More information http://seha.org.au/event/peace-at-last-a-world-war-one-walk-in-the-lang-lang-cemetery

Leongatha & District Historical Society   http://www.leongathahistory.org.au/

• The Shingler Memorial Lecture and Dinner was held on September 15 and the guest speakers were Dorothy Giles and Lyn Skillern who spoke about the history of the Great Southern Star newspaper and the Giles and Gannon family.
• The September newsletter has a report that a medal belonging to Private Leslie George Walker of Leongatha, who was Killed in Action at Fromelles on July 19, 1916, turned up in a garden at Tatura. The medal was returned to family members. Leslie’s widowed mother, Rosalie moved to Tatura after the war.

Mordialloc College Alumni Association  www.mordialloccollegealumni.org

• Ventured July 2018 has memories of the school from David Tindal (at the school 1950 – 1954) and Ray Shamray (1963 -1968). Ventured September 2018 has an article about the school in World War Two and various memories of the school including those of Gus Johnson (1964-1968) and Nancy Pond (nee Sirett) 1956-1958. Nancy loved science but in those days girls weren’t allowed to do Science beyond Form 2 and she had to do Mothercraft and Needlework instead!

Mornington and District Historical Society      www.morningtondistricthistory.org.au

• The June newsletter had a look back at the 1980 Rye Pizza Parlour shooting where the owner, Mrs Zimbarti, was left paralysed and a policeman, Sergeant Liefting was shot and sustained damage to his liver. Society member, Dr David Price, was the surgeon on call at the Frankston Hospital that night. Interesting account and a reminder that collecting and writing about our more recent history is just as important as writing about long term history.
• The August newsletter reported on the Balcombe fountain at Mornington Park. It was donated to the people of Mornington by the Balcombe family, in memory of Alexander Balcombe. It has moved a few times and has now been replaced close to its original position and restored.
• The Museum at the old Mornington Post Office turns 50 on December 6 this year.
• Mornington Cemetery Walk is on October 7 – more information https://seha.org.au/event/mornington-cemetery-tour
• The Leslie Moorhead lecture is on October 27 – more information https://seha.org.au/event/leslie-moorhead-lecture-indigenous-culture

Narre Warren and District Family History Group    http://nwfhg.org.au/

• The August 2018 Spreading Branches has a report on the AGM; an article by Marianne Rocke on Frances Elmes, a journalist who wrote for The Argus, under the name Lino. She died in London in 1919 of influenza. Marianne has created a list of articles and has more information on Frances which you can access here https://upperbeaconsfieldhistory.org.au/elmes.htm
• The newsletter has three entries in a writing competition from the Group’s members – on Joachim Popp, one on Godwin George Crespin and William Doherty.
• Peace at last: a World War One walk in the Lang Lang Cemetery will take place on October 14. More information https://seha.org.au/event/peace-at-last-a-world-war-one-walk-in-the-lang-lang-cemetery

Nepean Historical Society          http://nepeanhistoricalsociety.asn.au/

• The June 2018 newsletter, the Nepean, has an article on Alfred Sandle Ford, the grandson of James Sandle Ford an early pioneer, who was responsible for naming Portsea. Alfred served in the Great War. There is also an obituary of Gwen Sapiano (nee Skelten) who was born in Sorrento in 1925. The September newsletter has the Annual Report – over the year July 2017 to June 2018 the Society hosted 22 group events with 631 visitors. Seventy two Society members gave 223 hours to the Society (in total) and raised over $3,800.

 Phillip Island & District Genealogical Society   http://piadgs.org.au/

• Reflections newsletter August 2018 has an article about the launch of the Society’s searchable database to the Shire of Phillip Island and Woolamai Rate Books from 1872 – 1900.

Rye Historical Society       http://ryehistoricalsociety.weebly.com/

• The Whitecliffs newsletter from July – September 2018 has an article on the official opening of the ‘Dorothy Houghton walk’ on May 4. The walk is around the base of Eastern Sister, near Sorrento. Mrs Houghton was Life Member of the Society, local business woman and involved community member. There is an article on the history of the White Cliffs store by David Trufnell and the first part of a history of the Rye Mechanics’ Institute by Noel Erbs.

Somerville Tyabb & District Heritage Society      http://home.vicnet.net.au/~stdhs/

• The June newsletter has an article by Len Heywood ‘Memories of my early cricket playing days’ including playing on French Island, which they would travel to by Peterson’s fishing boat. They were met by an old truck that took them to the ground. There is a reprint of an obituary of 89 year old Mrs Jane Unthank of Somerville who died in 1921. The September edition has a reprint of an article from the Frankston and Somerville Standard on the Better Farming train visit to Somerville.

Wonthaggi and District Historical Society      http://www.wonthaggihistoricalsociety.org.au/

• The essay in the June 2018 The Plod is called A brief history of the Wonthaggi State School Swimming pool by Sam Gatto; the July Plod essay by Terri Allen, called Paperbark Thicket, is about ‘a place called Wonthaggi before it was named Wonthaggi’ from ancient times to 1909 when the mine was established. The August Plod essay is about Beatrice Ridley, the first supervisor of Rose Lodge Aged Care Centre. Mrs Ridley’s daughter, Barbara Robertson, was a guest speaker at a meeting and spoke about her mother. The September Plod essay is a history of the Wonthaggi Rifle Club by Terri Allen.
• Wonthaggi & District Historical Society Annual Dinner will be held on Friday, November 30 2018 at 6.00pm. The theme is ‘Wonthaggi & District Hospital School of Nursing 1912 – 1967’ More information https://seha.org.au/event/wonthaggi-district-historical-society-annual-dinner