Category: SEHA News

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

 Casey Cardinia Library Corporation

• Casey Cardinia Heritage Festival will be held on  May 17 11.00am to 3.00pm, Narre Warren Mechanics’ Institute, 59 Webb  Street. Historical and Heritage Groups in the City of Casey and Shire of Cardinia are holding a Heritage Festival. Groups involved, so far, include the Beaconsfield History Interest Group, Berwick Mechanics’ Institute, Berwick Pakenham Historical Society, Cranbourne Shire Historical Society, Casey Cardinia Branch of the National Trust, Dandenong High School Ex-Students Association, Edrington History Research Group, Koo-Wee-Rup Swamp Historical Society, Narre Warren & District Family History group, Narre Warren Mechanics’ Institute and Casey Cardinia Library Corporation. Free.

Chelsea & District Historical Society

• In the March newsletter Patricia Batchelor writes about her time spent working at the Dairy Queen shop in 1961 as a 14 year old. In the April newsletter Margaret Jacobs writes about her first cookery lesson in 1941, when she commenced High School. They were taught ’how to clean a rubbish bin’! The May newsletter has some reminiscences of Dorothy Meadows about her early married life and making sure the nappies were whiter than her neighbours! The Carrum Uniting Church had just turned 114, the Chelsea Air Scouts turn 50 next year and the Chelsea Red Cross branch are 75 years old.

Cranbourne Shire Historical Society

• Christmas in July will be held on July 23 at the Tooradin Sports Club. The Guest Speaker will be Alan Gray who will talk about the history of Puffing Billy.

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

• The April 2015 edition of the Gipps-Land Gate has an article on the Linton family written by Frank and Beverley (nee Linton) Hammond. Generations of the Linton Family were and still are involved in the nursery trade. There is an article by Jan Bateman on the history of Doveton and an article by Valda McCoy on the McCoy family who lived in Dandenong from the 1890s.

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

•  Held successful activities to mark the 150^th anniversary of Cheltenham Cemetery. The weekend  attracted over 280 people, many of whom went on the free tours.

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

• The March newsletter has an article by Edwin Mawson about his school days at Hastings Primary School, where he started in 1945.

Koo-Wee-Rup Swamp Historical Society

• The February newsletter had an article, by Heather Arnold, on the beginnings of the Royal Hotel in Koo-Wee-Rup. The hotel opened on September 9, 1915. The March newsletter had an article by Andrew Slade, on Koo-Wee-Rup’s cycling heritage – including information on Percy Osborn who participated in the 1928 Tour de France.  The April newsletter had  a transcription of Freda Thomas’ memories of growing up in Yallock, between 1928 and 1940.
• Their Annual Luncheon will be held on May 24 at the Koo-Wee-Rup Community Centre. The guest speaker is Lambis Engelzos, The lost soldiers of Fromelle.

Mordialloc & District Historical Society 

• The newsletters have reports of the Societies many activities.

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

• The February 2015 newsletter reports that 530 visitors toured the Museum over summer school holidays.
• The publication The names on the Mornington Honour Roll by Val Wilson was  launched on April 24.

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

• Spreading Branches February 2015 has an article on Francis Langley – Melbourne Footballer and a Medical Doctor who practiced in Dandenong. He is buried at Berwick Cemetery. There is also a list of resources for World War One research.

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

• The March 2015 Nepean has a report on the Australia Day luncheon, where Professor Robert Pascoe was the guest speaker. Joy Kitch has also written an account of attending a polo match at Portsea over summer.

Phillip Island & District Genealogical Society         www.piadgs.org.au

• Reflections newsletter from February 2015 has various articles including one looking at strange wills and one on newspaper articles about Phillip Island from 100 years ago.

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

• The Whitecliffs newsletter (April-June 2015) reports that the book He volunteered for service: the men of Rye and districts who enlisted during WW1 will be launched on Anzac day. John Bertacco has written an interesting article on aerial photography – Historical studies from the air. The newsletter also has a list of publications available for sale. This  list is also available on their website.

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

• The March 2015 newsletter has a report on the recent storm that blew the roof of the Somerville Mechanics’ Institute.

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

The February Plod newsletter has an article about explosions, a dangerous by-product of the mining industry. The March Plod has an article on Durham’s Grocery store in Wonthaggi and  the April Plod newsletter has an article on the history of the word Anzac and the concept of Anzac Day and the music that was associated with the Day

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

Chelsea & District Historical Society

• There is a short history of the Carrum Mechanics’ Institute in the November newsletter. The book The fallen: those who served and died in World War One from Chelsea and Carrum by Margaret Diggerson, was launched on January 15. It is available from the Society for $10.00. Leonie Taylor shares her memories of collecting ‘cow cakes’ from Kelberg’s dairy farm in Chelsea, when she was a girl.

Cranbourne Shire Historical Society

• The Annual Dinner was a success, with an attendance of 120 people. We were entertained by Award winning country singer and National Road Transport Hall of Fame inductee, Ian Castles.

Friends of Cheltenham & Regional Cemeteries          www.focrc.org

• March 2015 is the 150^th anniversary of the first burial at the Cheltenham Pioneer cemetery and there will be three days of events to celebrate this milestone.
• The Friends would love to hear from you if you have any relatives buried at the Cheltenham cemeteries (Cheltenham Pioneer Cemetery and the Cheltenham Memorial Park) and are happy to share your family stories.

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

• The newsletter has a copy of the Christmas Dinner menu from the Royal Hotel, Hastings from 1940 and 1950.  In 1950, the meal cost 20 shillings.

Koo-Wee-Rup Swamp Historical Society

• The November newsletter had some advertisements from the Koo-Wee-Rup Sun from September 1964. The December newsletter had an article about the Great flood of 1934.

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

• They are re-printing Protector’s Plains, a history of the area, first published in 1988.

Mordialloc & District Historical Society 

• The Annual Report lists the many achievements of the Society over the past year.

Mornington Peninsula Family History Society        http://www.mpfhs.org/

• Peninsula Past Times from November  2014 continues their look at Pioneer women from the Mornington Peninsula. There is also an article on growing drugs on the Well’s farm at Frankston during the Second World War as there was a shortage of botanical drugs such as opium poppy and belladonna.

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

• Spreading Branches November  2014 has an account of the Berwick Cemetery tour which took place on October 26; and an article about Benjamin Muffett (1861-1903) one time assistant station master at Narre Warren.

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

• The December 2014 Nepean has an article about Sorrento in 1914.

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

• The Whitecliffs newsletter (January-March 2015) has an obituary on and some memories of Nell Arnold who passed away recently at the age of 103. Nell attended Rye State School and was the last survivor of the pupils who had their schooling at the original 1875 building, which was replaced in 1923 (and is now the Headquarters of the Rye Historical Society)

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

• There is a lovely account of some local Flinders girls attending a dance at the Naval Base, at the end of the Second World War. The truck run out of fuel and the seven young ladies had to walk home in their glamorous evening attire.

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

• In the November Plod there is an article by Alistair Stirton about holidaying at Inverloch in the 1940s or 50s (I think, there are no years mentioned) The Stirton/ Grieves family from Wonthaggi used to spend the six weeks of the school holidays at Inverloch. Their property was next door to the Chambers family and the Davis/Dobson family.

This is a summary of the articles and events taken from the newsletters sent to the Secretary from SEHA Groups and Societies. November 2014. Compiled by Heather Arnold.

Chelsea & District Historical Society

• The newsletters have an engaging “I remember when” column. Ron Jacobs wrote about Charlie North’s passenger bus that went from Carrum to Chelsea. In 1945, it stalled on the railway crossing and was hit by a train. The bus was considered a write-off by all except Charlie, so not being able to get anyone to fix it, he wrote to Reg Ansett of Ansett Bus and Pioneer Coach service, who had the bus fixed in Ansett’s workshop. Frances Sneddon moved to Chelsea in the 1950s, then moved to Chelsea Heights as it was country. Frances was an operator at the Chelsea telephone exchange and sometimes you had to wait 30 minutes for a line to become free to be connected and on Monday morning when all the businesses were calling their suppliers the wait could be 2 hours! Dorothy Meadows recalled that in 1958 when she became pregnant with her first child there was an article in The Argus that said that Chelsea had the highest birth rate in Victoria.

Cranbourne Shire Historical Society

• Annual Dinner – Award winning country singer and National Road Transport Hall of Fame inductee, Ian Castles, will entertain with his songs and music and stories about his life on the road. When: Thursday, December 4 at 6.30pm. Where: Tooradin and District Sports Club. Cost: $35.00 per head. RSVP by Monday, December 1 to Polly Freeman on       5998 3454 and please include any special dietary requirements.

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

• The October 2014 Gipps-Land Gate has an article about Marg Stork who started writing for the Dandenong Journal as a 15 year old. She lived at Lyndhurst and wrote about the social news of Hallam, Hampton Park, Cranbourne and Lyndhurst.  This lead to a paid position in 1940, when she was 17 and Marg continued to write for the Journal until she passed away in June this year. Tom Stein has an article about the Dandenong Swimming Club; Chris Keys has an article, including family trees, about the Keys family who gave their name to Keysborough and Keys Road. There is also an article about the Lonsdale Ski Club at Mt Baw Baw.

Friends of Cheltenham & Regional Cemeteries          www.focrc.org

• Rosemary Reddick took over as President of this Group early this year.
• March 2015 is the 150^th anniversary of the first burial at the Cheltenham Pioneer cemetery and there will be three days of events to celebrate this milestone.
• The Friends would love to hear from you if you have any relatives buried at the Cheltenham cemeteries (Cheltenham Pioneer Cemetery and the Cheltenham Memorial Park) and are happy to share your family stories.
• The Friends are also working on a project to identify the graves of World War One soldiers, over 200 have been identified so far, with 12 in unmarked graves. One of the aims is to have a head stone or marker placed on the unmarked graves.

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

• The Society has a new President, Andrew Tredwell. The September newsletter has a history of the Furphy water cart.
• Noted historian, Valda Cole, is the guest speaker at the morning coffee meeting being held by the Hastings Western Port Historical Society at 10.15am on Thursday, November 6 2014. The subject of Mrs Cole’s talk is ‘My journey with history’ Venue: Hastings Museum, cr Marine Parade and Skinner Street Hastings.

Koo-Wee-Rup Swamp Historical Society

• The August newsletter has an article about the Cora Lynn War memorial; the September newsletter has an article about the Koo-Wee-Rup Brass band and a list of the 261 members of the Koo-Wee-Rup Red Cross in 1943/44; the October newsletter has a history of St George’s Anglican Church in Koo-Wee-Rup.

Mordialloc & District Historical Society 

• ‘We Remember: an exhibition of historical photographs and memorabilia relating to World War One’ will officially open on November 11 at 2.00pm at the Laura and Charles Ferguson Museum, Old Bakery Lane, Mentone.

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

• The Society has been awarded two Mornington Shire Heritage awards – one for restoring the Fenton Grave at the Mornington Cemetery and the second for Heritage Interpretive signage at the Fenton Grave as well at the Football Disaster Memorial. Follow this link for information about James Fenton (Member of Parliament and acting Prime Minister in the Scullin Government in 1930) and his grave. http://www.morningtoncemetery.com/Denominations/Methodist/Fenton/Fenton-James.shtml
• The October 2014 newsletter also has an interview with Ron and Nan Dunstan. Ron’s dad owned the first general store in Mt Eliza.

Mornington Peninsula Family History Society        http://www.mpfhs.org/

• Peninsula Past Times from August 2014 has an article about the Burnell family of Mornington and one on Pioneer women of the Mornington Peninsula.

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

• Spreading Branches August 2014 has an account of the Group’s AGM. New President is Wendy Eldridge.

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

• The September 2014 Nepean has an article about the ‘First Shot centenary’ event that commemorated the first shot of World War One being fired. The Society also has a Heritage and Planning Group who are currently concerned about the Quarantine Station development and matters relating to the Collins Settlement site.

Phillip Island & District Genealogical Society         www.piadgs.org.au

• Reflections newsletter from November 2014 has an article about early motor cycle racing on Phillip Island.

Phillip Island & District Historical Society    http://home.waterfront.net.au/phillipislandhistory/

• Graham Patterson, the author of ‘Walks around Western Port’ and ‘Port Philip Bay: Coastal guide to nature and history’ is the guest speaker at the Phillip Island & District Historical Society Christmas Function. When: Saturday, December 6  at 6.30pm for 7.00pm.  Where: St Philip’s Parish Hall, Thompson Avenue, Cowes.  $30.00 per head by pre-purchased ticket, RSVP by November 28 2014.  Contact: Judy 5952 6498 or PO Box 816 Cowes 3922.

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

• The Whitecliffs newsletter (October-December 2014) has an article about an early Rye family, the Albress family, written by Linda Berndt. Antonio Albress came from the Cape Verde Islands, a Portuguese Colony, 570 km off the coast of west Africa.  One of the family, Billy Albress played for Richmond in the VFL in 1917, 1918. There is also an article about St Andrew’s Church in Rye.

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

• The Society has received a grant from the Bendigo Bank which will be used to purchase picture frames and hangers for the Leila Shaw Gallery.

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

• In the August and September editions of The Plod Sam Gatto talks about the Wonthaggi Citizens band, which he joined in 1954 as a lad and the various competitions the band participated in. The October Plod has part 2 of the story of Clifford and Jean Osborne who migrated from England in 1948 and moved to Wonthaggi. Part one was in the July issue.
• Annual Dinner – Sonia Weston, Business manager at the South Gippsland Aboriginal Health Service will be the guest speaker at the Wonthaggi and District Historical Society Annual Memorial Dinner. Sonia is a local Boon Wurrung woman who will share some stories of her Dreamtime and give insights into the history of the Wonthaggi area from the perspective of the traditional owners of the area. When: Thursday, November 20 at 6.30pm. Where: Kirrak Room, Wonthaggi Workmens Club, Graham Street, Wonthaggi. $30.00 per head by pre-purchased ticket. RSVP by November 13, 2014 to the Workmens Club on 5672 1083 or email functions@wonthaggiworkmens.com

This is a summary of the articles and events taken from the newsletters sent to the Secretary from SEHA Groups and Societies. August 2014. Compiled by Heather Arnold.

Chelsea & District Historical Society
· The June 2014 and July 2014 newsletters have an engaging “I remember when” column. Dorothy Meadows moved into 25 French Avenue in 1955 – the roads were unmade so they use to walk to the Railway Station in gum boots, change into ‘work’ shoes and leave the boots at the Station and collect them in the evening! Pat Batchelor moved into 37 Edithvale Road, Edithvale in 1958, as a girl, and couldn’t believe the size of her back yard, compared to the small concrete yard they had in their small terrace in Windsor.

Dromana & District Historical Society    http://home.vicnet.net.au/~dromana/welcome.htm
· The Guest speaker at the June Morning Coffee was Tess De Araugo author of Boonoorong on the Mornington Peninsula. The Guest speaker at the September 16 Morning Coffee (starts at 11.00am) is Don Garden, President of the RHSV. His topic is “The Community History Movement’

Hastings Western Port Historical Society    http://home.vicnet.net.au/~dromana/hastings.htm
· The June 2014 newsletter reports that over 1,300 photographs have been catalogued in the past four years

Koo-Wee-Rup Swamp Historical Society
· The May 2014 & June 2014 newsletters have a series of newspaper reports of activities at the Catani Hall in 1941 and in 1950/51 written by Ron Smith. The July 2014 newsletter has an article about early shops in Koo-Wee-Rup.

Mordialloc & District Historical Society
· By the creek: a Mordialloc history by Graham Whitehead and Leo Gamble was officially launched at the Bridge Hotel in Mordialloc on July 3.
· An exhibition of photographs to commemorate the events of World War One was to have opened in August but is now scheduled to late September or early October.

Mornington & District Historical Society        http://morningtondistricthistory.org.au
· The May 2014 newsletter has a report of the Society’s 50th anniversary celebrations.
· The Annual Leslie Moorhead lecture will be held on Saturday, October 25 at 2.30pm. Guest speaker is Val Latimer the author of Echoes from the Past about the men who enlisted in the Great War from the Peninsula.
· Walk around Mt Martha cemetery, Sunday Oct 26 at 1.30pm.

Mornington Peninsula Family History Society               www.mpfhs.org
· The May 2014 Peninsula Past Times has an article about Minnie MacKay, Post Mistress at Frankston and Mornington from 1918 to 1924. There is also an article about Policing in Colonial Victoria.
Narre Warren & District Family History Group http://nwfhg.org.au/
· The May 2014 issue of Spreading Branches has a full account of the group’s 25th anniversary celebrations.

Nepean Historical Society                               http://nepeanhistoricalsociety.asn.au/
· The Nepean from June 2014  has an article about a cot in their collection that was used by children of the Victorian Premier, James Service, who was Premier of Victoria from March 1883 to February 1886. Reflects that such a commonplace piece of furniture could have such an interesting provenance. The Museum is also hosting the Postcards: stories from the Mornington Peninsula exhibition until August 17. http://www.mornpen.vic.gov.au/Whats_On/Postcards

Phillip Island & District Genealogical Society                       http://piadgs.org.au/
· Reflections from May 2014 has an article about tracing ancestors in the Schleswig-Holstein region

Rye Historical Society                                     http://ryehistoricalsociety.weebly.com/
· The July – September 2014 edition of Whitecliffs has a report on the Postcards: stories from the Mornington Peninsula exhibition which was officially launched on the Queen’s Birthday weekend. There is also a history of the Rye Post Office and an article on early public transport in Rye.

Somerville Tyabb & District Heritage Society                            http://home.vicnet.net.au/~stdhs/
· The June 2014 newsletter has an article on Jack Quade who operated Somerville’s Newsagency from the 1930s to1954.

Wonthaggi and District Historical Society                           http://www.wonthaggihistoricalsociety.org.au/
· The Plod newsletters from May 2014, June 2014 and July 2014 have articles about mutton birds – an interesting account of historical sightings of mutton birds and their behavior; Mrs Connelly and her Cairo orchestra – a popular local dance band in the 1920s and 1930s; and the July article is a lovely story about Clifford and Jean Osborne who migrated from England in 1948 and moved to Wonthaggi.