Category: SEHA News

Here are the reports from the May 2016 meeting which was hosted by the Dromana & District Historical Society.

SEHA REPORTS MAY 2016

The content of these reports are the sole responsibility of each individual Society and do not necessarily reflect the views of the South Eastern Historical Association. In future, if you do not want your report posted on our website then please notify the Secretary.

This is a summary of the articles and events taken from the newsletters sent to the Secretary from SEHA Groups and Societies. May 2016. Compiled by Heather Arnold.

Friends of Cheltenham & Regional Cemeteries http://focrc.org/

• The newsletter has an article by Annette Guterres on her grandfather, Edward Leake, who is buried at Cheltenham Pioneer Cemetery. Edward served in the Great War and received a Military Medal from the French Government. He was part of the King Edward Horse regiment, which was an English Regiment and so he is not recognised in the rolls at the Australian War Memorial.

Hastings Western Port Historical Society     http://home.vicnet.net.au/~dromana/hastings/aHastingsFrontPage.html

• The March newsletter has a history of the Hastings Yacht Club burgee. The Morning Coffee meeting on May 12 at 10.15am will have Wendy Morrison, antiques expert as the guest speaker. Wendy will appraise one item per person.
• The Society has stocks of two new books on the Hastings Football Club for sale at $15.00 each. They are both by Lance Hodgins and are The Birth of the Blues: a history of the Hastings Football Club Part 1: 1889 – 1904 and The Glory Years: a history of the Hastings Football Club Part 2: 1905 – 1915.

Koo-Wee-Rup Swamp Historical Society

• The March newsletter has an article, by Heather Arnold, on the activities of local Progress Associations as reported in the Dandenong Journal, available on Trove; the April newsletter has an article on the ANZ Bank, also by Heather Arnold. The ANZ Bank (and  predecessors the E.S.& A Bank and the London Bank)  has been in Koo-Wee-Rup since 1905 and is closing down in May 2016.
• The Annual Luncheon is on May 22 at 12 noon at the Koo-Wee-Rup Community Centre. Guest speaker is Geoff Pledge, former Principal of Koo-Wee-Rup Secondary College.

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

• The March 2016 newsletter reports that a split system air conditioner has been installed in the Society rooms. A Clay Bird Thrower, donated to the Society by the Lang Lang Gun Club,  is on display and will soon have an interpretive sign. The guest speaker at the April meeting was the President of the Lang Lang R.S.L, Keith Brown.

Mordialloc & District Historical Society 

• The newsletter has reports of the Societies many activities.

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

• The February newsletter reported on building works at the Museum and the recipients of the Helen Broad History prize – which is a prize presented by the Historical Society to local students to encourage the study of history. Also, Mornington has an audio tour, part of the Main Street Walk. You can access the tour by using the QR code attached to the plaques or listen to the tour and view the images on the website of the Historical Society.

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

• The March 2016 Nepean has a regular Heritage Watch section – this one concentrates on developments at Point Nepean; there is a short history of the Sorrento Baths built in 1874, the building was most recently used as a restaurant and it was destroyed by fire in October 2015. There are reports on past guest speakers – David Pickering, Palaeontology Collection Manager at the Melbourne Museum and Lambis Englezos who spoke about the Missing soldiers of Fromelles.

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

• The Whitecliffs newsletter has part two of an article looking at road names in Postcode 3941 written by Noel Erbs and a history of the Coolgardie Safe written by John Bertacco and a list of Mornington Peninsula Pastoral runs.

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

• The March newsletter reports that the Society is back in the Mechanics’ Institute, as the storm damage from January 2015 has now been repaired. The re-opening was attended by the descendents of many  pioneer families – Murray, Brunning, Shepherd, Thornell, Unthank, Gomm, Scott, Heywood,  Hawkin, Clarke, Webb, Simcock, White, Doherty, Moore, Mair, Slocombe, Sage, Cole and Grant. There is also a list of prices taken from the Western Port News of 1971 – you could buy a Mazda 1800 sedan for $2850.00 and a Simpson fully automatic washing machine for $99.00.

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

• The February Plod newsletter has an article, by Kit Sleeman, about the annual miner’s picnic, held one year at Cowes where Ron Blaskett and Gerry Gee were the entertainment. The trip back home in the ferry (this was before the Phillip Island bridge was built) was rough and lots of people were sea sick – a memorable picnic all round. The March Plod essay, also written by Kit Sleeman is about mushrooming around Wonthaggi in the 1950s.. The April Plod reproduces a letter written by Private George Wyeth of Inverloch.

Here are the reports from the February 2016 meeting which was hosted by the Koo-Wee-Rup Swamp Historical Society.

SEHA reports February 2016

The content of these reports are the sole responsibility of each individual Society and do not necessarily reflect the views of the South Eastern Historical Association. In future, if you do not want your report posted on our website then please notify the Secretary.

This is a summary of the articles and events taken from the newsletters sent to the Secretary from SEHA Groups and Societies. February 2016. Compiled by Heather Arnold.

Chelsea & District Historical Society

• The newsletters report on the closure of the Court House Museum for total refurbishment which will take up to two years. They have re-located to the old Meals on Wheels building at 313a Station Street, Chelsea. Some of their material is in storage, but they will be holding mini displays and still providing a reference service for local history queries.

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

• A Twilight walk of Old Dromana will be held on Tuesday, February 16 at 7.00pm. It starts at the Old Shire Offices, 359A Point Nepean Road ,Dromana.

Friends of Cheltenham & Regional Cemeteries http://focrc.org/

• FOCRC present ‘Ladies of the Cemetery Tour’ on Sunday, March 20 2016 at 2.00pm. The tour will concentrate on ordinary women who made a difference in times of hardship and very little assistance.  Venue: Cheltenham Pioneer Cemetery, Charman Road, Cheltenham. Bookings and more information: 03 9497 1318 or email  info@focrc.org.
• The newsletter has an article by Doreen Seamons James on Alexander Seamons aka Doc Karl Stenning and Carl Stenning, a  professional wrestler who is buried at Cheltenham Pioneer Cemetery.

Hastings Western Port Historical Society     http://home.vicnet.net.au/~dromana/hastings/aHastingsFrontPage.html

• The December newsletter had an obituary of Edwin Mawson. Mr Mawson had spent all his life in Hastings and was a Life Member of the Society.

Koo-Wee-Rup Swamp Historical Society

• The November newsletter had an article on the combined Presbyterian/Methodist Church at Cora Lynn by Heather Arnold; the December newsletter had an article on the Bunyip Dramatic Society, also by Heather Arnold. The February 2016 newsletter article was ‘What happened in Koo-Wee-Rup in 1916?

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

• The January newsletter reported on the passing of Nola Johnson, a foundation member of the Society. It also reported on the Committee meeting which established a list of priorities for the Society for 2016.

Mordialloc & District Historical Society 

• The newsletter has reports of the Societies many activities.

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

• The November newsletter reported on the audio tour, part of the Main Street Walk. You can access the tour by using the QR code attached to the plaques or listen to the tour and view the images on their website.

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

• Spreading Branches November 2015 had a story, by Steven Smith, on Indigenous woman, Lucy Pepper, who with her husband Percy had a Soldier Settlement farm at Koo-Wee-Rup and a bike shop in Tynong. The February 2016 Spreading Branches has an article, by Marianne Rocke,  about the upgrade to the the Victorian Births, Deaths and Marriages index – http://www.bdm.vic.gov.au/home/family+history/ and an article about their website Casey Cardinia Remembers http://www.caseycardiniaremembers.org.au/

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

• The November  2015 Nepean has an article on the late Eileen McCraw, a foundation member of the Society in 1965; an article on new Life Member, Frank Hindley and a look back at Sorrento 100 years ago.

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

• The Whitecliffs newsletter has part one of an article looking at road names in Postcode 3941; it also has article on a ‘high profile land dispute in 1869 between William Blair, lime merchant and Charles  Duffy, M.L.A. Both articles written by Noel Erbs.

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

• The December 2015 newsletter has an article by Ruth about growing up in Somerville and attending Frankston High from 1942 to 1945.

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

• The November  Plod newsletter has an article, by Kit Sleeman  about his days at Wonthaggi State School, especially the day a fire broke out in a house opposite the school

The Phillip Island and District Historical Society won an award from Museums Australia Victoria for their work on the Phillip Island and San Remo Oral History Radio Project in conjunction with South Gippsland Community Radio Station 3MFM.  You can read  a report about the awards from Insite Magazine, August – October  2015 by clicking on this link  Insite August to October 2015 Phillip Island Hist Soc

Insite is the magazine of Museums Australia Victoria http://www.mavic.asn.au/

Phillip Island & District Historical Society website http://www.pidhs.org.au/

The Dromana and District Historical Society has recently refurbished their Museum. Kitty Owens, Roving Curator of Museums Australia Victoria, assisted the Society. You can read  a report about the Museum refurbishment from Insite Magazine, May-July 2015 by clicking on this link  Insite May to July 2015 Dromana Hist Soc

Insite is the magazine of Museums Australia Victoria http://www.mavic.asn.au/

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

Here are the reports from the November 2015 meeting which was hosted by the Mordialloc and District Historical Society.

SEHA meeting November 2015 reports

The content of these reports are the sole responsibility of each individual Society and do not necessarily reflect the views of the South Eastern Historical Association.

This is a summary of the articles and events taken from the newsletters sent to the Secretary from SEHA Groups and Societies. November 2015. Compiled by Heather Arnold.

 Chelsea & District Historical Society

• The August 2015 newsletter has an article on Captain Lonsdale’s cottage built in the 1830s in Wellington Street in Melbourne and later shifted to 694 Nepean Highway, Carrum by a Dr Cohen. It was later bought by the National Trust, who dismantled it but it has not been re-erected.  The September 2015 newsletter has a report on the current closure of the Chelsea Museum for refurbishment and an article about the Chelsea ‘Detention Yard’ or pound for stray animals written by Leonie Taylor. The October 2015 newsletter has a short article on the Edithvale gasometer and a report on the ‘Back to Chelsea’ held in September 2015.

Cranbourne Shire Historical Society

• The Annual Christmas Dinner will be held on Thursday, December 3 2015  at 6.30pm  at the Tooradin & District Sports Club.  The guest speaker will be Dave Wright who is the manager of the Jacinth-Ambrosia Mining Company silica sand mine north of Coober Pedy. See the Events column for more details.

Dandenong & District Historical Society      http://ddhs.com.au/

• The October 2015 Gipps-Land Gate has two articles by Chris Keys about  Dandenong men who enlisted in the Great War; an article by Ken Masters about his relatives, Albert and Charles Masters, who served in the War – they were the sons of William and Sarah  Masters of Kirkham Road in Dandenong. There is also an obituary for Gwen Jarvis (nee McPhee) who passed away in August.

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

• The July 2015 newsletter has a report on the redevelopment of the Museum which was officially re-opened on August 22 2015.

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

• The September 2015 issue of Raves from the Graves has a report about the 150^th anniversary celebrations of the Cheltenham Pioneer Cemetery; there is an article about the first person buried in 1865, John Fullerton Hunter, and the last person buried in 1865, Sarah Dwight.

 Hastings Western Port Historical Society     http://home.vicnet.net.au/~dromana/hastings/aHastingsFrontPage.html

• The September newsletter has an article about the history of the Remembrance poppy written by Shirley Davies.

 Koo-Wee-Rup Swamp Historical Society

• The August 2015 newsletter has copies of two articles from the Koo-Wee-Rup Sun about the formation of the Koo-Wee-Rup Girl Guides in 1961 and the opening of the Koo-Wee-Rup Scout Hall in October 1963; the September 2015 newsletter has a copy of a 1961 Koo-Wee-Rup Sun article on the ball held to mark the 50^th anniversary of the opening of Keast Hall at Cora Lynn in August 1911. The October 2015 newsletter has a copy of the Koo-Wee-Rup pages from a 1973 telephone directory.

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

• The Society has taken over the hosting of the Lang Lang Flower Show which has been running now for 109 years. The Flower Show will be held on November 7 2015 from 10.00am at the Community Centre, Westernport Road, Lang Lang.

 Mordialloc & District Historical Society 

• The newsletters have reports of the Societies many activities.

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

• The August  2015 newsletter has a report on the Order of Australia Medal (O.A.M) awarded to Val Wilson, for “service to the community of Mornington as an historian”

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

• Spreading Branches August 2015 has a report on the Annual General Meeting held in August and a report on the Group’s activities for the past year. Lynne Bradley was elected as the new President. There is also the story of Albert Lowerson, who was awarded the Victoria Cross in the Great War, written by Jeanette Angee.

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

• The August 2015 Nepean has an article about Major James Welch who was a foundation member and the foundation President of the Nepean Historical Society when it was established on March 2, 1965.

Phillip Island & District Historical Society        http://www.pidhs.org.au/

• Christmas Function will be held on Saturday, December 5 2015 at 6.30pm for 7.00pm at the St Phillip’s Parish Hall, Thompson Avenue, Cowes. The guest speaker is Russell Kenery,  the author of  “Matthew Flinders Open Boat Voyages” See the Events column for more details.

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

• The Whitecliffs newsletter (October-December 2015) has a report on the Society’s activities for the past year. There is a history of the Rye Lions Club from 1972 to 1985 and an article by John Bertacco on Telegraph communication and the Flinders Cable Station.

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

• The September 2015 newsletter has an article about the Tyabb Tennis Club; remnisences of sing-alongs at Percy and Ruth Unthank’s home in Tyabb in the 1930s and an obituary of Lucy Shepherd who died aged 95 on September 4, 2015. Miss Shepherd had lived in Somerville all her life.

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

• The August 2015  Plod newsletter has an article, by Kit Sleeman,  called “Sounds of Silence” about the sounds of the town of Wonthaggi that he heard as a boy – the steam trains, the mine whistle, the frogs, the cattle etc. The September 2015  Plod Essay, written by Barbara Moyle, is about electricity supply in Wonthaggi – the first power was supplied by the State mine and later by the SEC. The October 2015 Plod essay is also written by Kit Sleeman and is about Space – Space movies at the Picture Theatre; space shows on T.V, the Sputnik satellite and the Space Race culminating with men landing on the moon in 1969.

• Wonthaggi & District Historical Society Annual Dinner will be held on Friday, November 27 2015 at 6.30pm at the Wonthaggi Hotel, McBride Avenue, Wonthaggi. The theme is the Wonthaggi Ski Club and a range of speakers will entertain with a history and stories of the Ski Club. See the Events column for more details.

This is a summary of the articles and events taken from the newsletters sent to the Secretary from SEHA Groups and Societies. August 2015. Compiled by Heather Arnold.

Chelsea & District Historical Society

• In the June newsletter reports that in 1955, sixty years ago, four Children’s Centres opened in Chelsea – Aspendale Infant Welfare Centre, Carrum Infant Welfare Centre, the Nola Barber Kindergarten at Aspendale and Edithvale Pre-school  – obviously it was baby boom time in the area. In the I remember when column Ron Jacobs talks about being a ‘lollyboy’ at the Chelsea Plaza Picture Theatre – not only did he earn some pocket money but he also saw the pictures for free!

Hastings Western Port Historical Society     http://home.vicnet.net.au/~dromana/hastings/aHastingsFrontPage.html

• The June newsletter has an article about Jim Barclay whose murdered (and headless) body was found in the Wonangatta area in the High Country in 1918. The Barclay family were early pioneers of the Hastings area. You can read about the murder in John Ricketts’ book Victoria’s Wonnangatta Murders, available at Farrell’s Bookshop in Mornington or the Karingal Newsagency in Frankston or from the author – P.O Box 160 Beaconsfield Upper 3808 or 5944 3644.

Koo-Wee-Rup Swamp Historical Society

• The May newsletter has an article about growing up on a dairy farm at Cora Lynn – the reminisces of Frank Rouse; the June newsletter has some advertisements from the Koo-Wee-Rup Sun  of 1925. The Society is in the process of digitizing the Koo-Wee-Rup Sun form 1918 to 1981.  The July newsletter has an article from the Koo-Wee-Rup Sun about the Yannathan State School reunion held in November 1964. It includes a long list of attendees,  if you are interested in the names you can read the full transcript here http://caseycardinialinkstoourpast.blogspot.com.au/2015/07/yannathan-state-school-re-union.html

Mordialloc & District Historical Society 

• The newsletter has reports of the Societies many activities.

Mornington and District Historical Society     http://morningtondistricthistory.org.au/

• The May newsletter reports on the launch of the book The names on the Mornington Honour Roll by Val Wilson held on April 24.
• There is also an account of a visit of Diane Basilone Hawkins, whose uncle John Basilone (1916-1945) served with the United States Marine Corp in the Second World War. The 1st Marine Division spent 9 months based at Mt Martha in 1943 at the Balcombe Army Camp. The John Basilone Foundation supports veterans who suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. http://www.sgtjohnbasilone.com/

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

• Spreading Branches May 2015 has an account of the Berwick Cemetery tour covering the 100 military personnel who served in World War One; the Groups tour to Springvale Cemetery and the trip to Williamstown. The Williamstown trip was help in conjunction with the West Gippsland Genealogical Society.

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

• The May/June 2015 Nepean reports on the successful street stalls held by the Society, in three months they raised over $2,500 and a sausage sizzle raised nearly $1,300. The Society turns 50 in September.

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

• The Whitecliffs newsletter (July-September 2015) includes an extract from the book White Pearls and Jersey Gold by Linda Berndt about the Jennings family of Rye. The book is available from the Society for $30.00. John Bertacco has written an article about the New South Wales/Victoria border. The border consists of the Murray River and the ‘straight portion’ the Black-Allan line named after the surveyors, Alexander Black and Alexander Charles Allan, who surveyed the line in 1870. They were assisted by Surveyor William Turton, who ‘received little recognition for his contribution. You can read more about the Black-Allan line here http://www.dtpli.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/217783/Surveying_the_Black-Allan_Line.pdf

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

• The June 2015 newsletter has a short story about Les Brown, a plumber from Pearceale in the 1930s and Ernest Duffield a tailor who worked in Somerville in the 1920s to 1950s.

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

• The May Plod newsletter has an article, by C.R. Landon, about May Day celebrations in Wonthaggi; the June Plod has an article, by Kit Sleeman, ‘Elephant hunting in Wonthaggi’ about  elephants who had visited Wonthaggi with the various  Circuses. The July Plod  has an article, also by Kit Seeman,  on Sir Arthur Warner, who was the Victorian Minister for Transport and made the decision in 1958 that the Wonthaggi mine would close in ten years. He was also a keen sailor and got ship wrecked in Bass Strait, luckily all the crew made it to safety just outside Wonthaggi. However so afraid was he of the reaction to his presence by the locals that he spent the time on the beach, rather than go to Wonthaggi, and was smuggled back to Melbourne.