Category: Society News

This is a summary of some of the articles taken from the newsletters sent to the Secretary from SEHA Groups and Societies, June 2021. Compiled by Heather Arnold.

Balnarring & District Historical Society

The May 2021 Snippets has an article on Harvey Crimp, a teacher at Balnarring State School from 1913 from 1919; he and his wife Georgina were also involved in many community activities. Other articles are on Captain John Smith, who died at his property, Wingland, Merricks in 1898; Frank Johnson, who purchased a holiday house at Merricks in 1928, based on an interview with his grandson, Phil who is a keen sailor. The other story, Polling Day at Merricks, written by Wendy Doube is a lovely story about a day at the Merricks Polling Booth in 1968 with Phyllis Cole, of Larnoo, Merricks.

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

The Cemetorian has many interesting articles on the people buried at the Brighton Cemetery. The June 2021 issue includes Selina Powell (1881-1964), who nursed with the Imperial Nursing Service during World War One; James Goold (1820-1883), early pioneer; Paula Barry (1928-2017) teacher, Principal and author who received an A.M. in 2016 for services to primary education; and Arthur Rice (1881-1951), considered at one time to be the strongest man in Australia.

Chelsea and District Historical Society

The May newsletter reports on their AGM, the new President is Kaye Musgrove. The Chelsea Clock, a landmark on the Nepean Highway had been dismantled, brick by brick to make way for railway construction. It will eventually be reassembled in a new location. The June newsletter announced that Dr Graham Whitehead, City of Kingston Historian since 1997 is retiring. You can read some of Dr Whitehead’s research on the Kingston Local History website https://localhistory.kingston.vic.gov.au/

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

The June newsletter has part two of the history of the Hastings Boy Scouts, written by Lance Hodgins. Part one was in the March issue. Interesting story and the June article includes their attendance at the 1934/35 Scout Jamboree at Frankston – over 20,000 Scouts and Guides attended, with 35,000 spectators on New Year’s Day 1935 alone.

Koo Wee Rup Swamp Historical Society

The April newsletter has part two of a visit to the Koo Wee Rup region in 1886, an interesting look at the Swamp before drainage works started in 1889. The May newsletter has an article by Heather Arnold on Koalas at Yannathan; in 1887 a newspaper report said the area was swarming with ‘bears’ as koalas were called. There is also a report from the Koo Wee Rup Sun of September 7, 1981 of the centenary celebrations of the Yannathan Primary School. The June newsletter has an article, also by Heather Arnold, about the Koo Wee Rup Electric Light and Power Company, formed in 1927 to supply electricity to the town before S.E.C power arrived in 1935.

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

The June newsletter reports that the Society has recently received an elegant, carved lectern. It was donated in 1919 by the Head family of Yannathan to St John’s Anglican Church in Lang Lang. The Society also received some 16mm films from the late Gordon Sampson. They have since been digitised and one is of the 1956 Lang Lang Rodeo and another on the construction of the local water scheme, also in 1956.

Mordialloc College Alumni Association (MCAA) http://mordialloccollegealumni.org/

The March 2021 Ventured includes memories of past students, including Robyn Fleming who had completed Grade 6 at Somerville, then the family moved to Parkdale and she enrolled at the school in 1957, when she was still only ten years old. The Alumni Webmaster, Mitchell Sundstrom, was named the 2020 City of Kingston’s Young Citizen of the Year.

Mornington & District Historical Society  https://morningtondistricthistory.org.au/

The June newsletter reports on the refurbishment to the Museum including internal painting and new shelving courtesy of the local Mens Shed. One of their members, Libby Gillingham, knits scarves out of teabag strings. Each scarf requires about 9,000 strings. It is a laborious procedure – staples need to be removed, the strings are then tied together and then knitted in garter stitch – the ultimate in recycling, as the heading said. The scarves are used as raffle or auction prizes to raise money for charity.

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

The May 2021 Past Times has an article by Sheryl Opie on Carl Niehoff, born in Hanover in 1820. He and his family make their way to Victoria where they operated a hotel in Talbot. Carl and his children were talented musicians and had a family band. There are topical newspaper reports from 1919 about quarantines and lockdowns in response to the Spanish Flu.

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

The May 2021 Spreading Branches has a story by Marianne Rocke on Fred and Annie Sheard, murdered in their house in Beaconsfield in 1921. The murderer was never found. The Group is the custodian of the Max Thomson collection of photographs and this issue features some of the photos of Harkaway and Beaconsfield Schools. The accompanying article was written by Eileen Durdin.

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

Reflections May 2021 has a story by Elaine Alexander on her 7th great-grandfather, James Pride (or Pryde c. 1678-1748). He was a collier from Prestonpans and worked at the Prestongrange Coal and Salt Works. At the time workers were not much better than slaves and in 1746 James and other family members petitioned Lord Prestongrange asking for improvements in their working conditions. It is unlikely it had any effect and emancipation of miners and salters in Scotland did not occur until 1799.

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

The May 2021 newsletter has an article on Jansson Cottage in Rhyll, built in 1892 for Captain Johan August Jansson and his wife, Hannah. Pamela Rothfield records 96 year-old Lorna Collins (nee McFee) memories of the worst storm in Victoria’s history on November 29 & 30, 1934. The conditions of this storm resulted in the loss of the Coramba, off Phillip Island. None of the seventeen crew members survived. The President of the Society, Graeme Clauscen, has recently written a book on the history of the Woolamai Surf Life Saving Club, Wild About Wooli.

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

Whitecliffs April-June 2021 includes an obituary of and a tribute to Pauline Powell, founding member and inaugural President of the Rye Historical Society. Pauline passed away in January this year. There is an article about ‘Welcome Homes’ to Rye service personnel in 1946, including some great photos.

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

The March newsletter has some interesting newspaper articles looking at various aspects of the area’s history including the sale in 1914 of Samuel Peacock’s Tyabb Park Estate.

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

The essay in The Plod of April 2021 is by C. Landon, Shooting at North Wonthaggi, is about an incident in 1926 when Michael Dunne was shot at close range by his hunting partner, Henry Hitchings. His death was said to be instantaneous. There is an extensive look at the Coroner’s reports and the verdict was that it was an accident. The May Plod essay is an adaption of the presentation notes of Tony Hughes from the launch of his book, Two Rivers Run: the story of Gippsland’s first pioneer-settler, Samuel Anderson on May 1st, 2021. Tony’s book is available to purchase from the Historical Society. The June Plod essay is by Mark Robertson, The Joy of the Toy, a look at toys. Local resident, Edith Dowson, still has a doll she was given ninety years ago on her first birthday.  The Society has a pre-World War Two clockwork tin toy of a monkey riding a donkey. It is Tippco make. They also have a Mamod steam-powered wagon in the original box.

This is a summary of some of the articles taken from the newsletters sent to the Secretary from SEHA Groups and Societies, March 2021. Compiled by Heather Arnold.

Balnarring & District Historical Society
• The February 2021 Snippets has an article on Torcroft, formerly Westlea, by Tim Patkin. The property is situated in Clarke Street, Balnarring and was originally part of the Coolart run and later a part of smaller subdivisions. The original house was built in the 1910s. From the 1930s it was on around 60 acres and was operated as a sheep farm by Henry George Parker. The land was sub-divided again in the 1960s and 1970s and the original house replaced in the mid-1970s. The newsletter also has an article by Sarah Hale on Clare Major’s Ballet School, which was established in Balnarring in February 1973 and closed in 1988.

Brighton Cemetorians http://www.brightoncemetorians.org.au/
• The Cemetorian has many interesting articles on the people buried at the Brighton Cemetery. The March 2021 issue includes Frank Wisewould (1858-1926), father of Trentham doctor, Dr Gweneth Wisewould, who wrote that interesting book about her experiences in Outpost: a Doctor on the Divide; George Jane Ruse (1876-1963) First War veteran; Thomas Samuel Harrison (1862-1933) who established the Commonwealth note printing branch in 1912 and Mary Fisher (nee Hickling 1871-1934) State President of the Western Australia Country Women’s Association.

Chelsea and District Historical Society
• The Society have been working with a consultant to get their collection onto Victorian Collections.

Friends of Cheltenham & Regional Cemeteries http://www.focrc.org/
• Raves from the Graves December 2020 includes more memories of Fairlie Taylor and life in Cheltenham and Beaumaris from early times. There is an article on Dr Vera Scantlebury Brown (1889-1946) by Sue Beazley. Dr Scantlebury studied Medicine at Melbourne University, served in a Military Hospital in London during the War and on her return to Melbourne was appointed the Medical Officer of the Baby Health Centres Association. She was a pioneer in the area of infant welfare training and pre and ante natal care. Another article by Sue Beazley looks at the lives of John and Mary Booker, who came out to Victoria to work on Henry Dendy’s property at Brighton in 1842.
• The March 2021 Raves from the Graves has an article by Rosemary Reddick on Harriet Rowell (1852-1902, also called Harriet Elphinstone-Dick). Harriet was a champion swimmer and with her partner, Alice Moon, conducted swimming lessons, a Ladies Gymnasium and a restaurant, the Central Luncheon Tearooms, in Elizabeth Street.

Friends of Edithvale-Seaford Wetlands https://www.edithvale-seaford-wetlands.org/
• Glimpses: a history of FESWI. The Friends Group was formed in 1988 to protect and rehabilitate the Edithvale, Chelsea Heights, Carrum, and Seaford wetlands. They form an important part of our eco-system and are home to over 100 species of birds.

Hastings Western Port Historical Society http://www.hwphs.org.au/
• The December newsletter has a reminder to all of us that it is Western Port and not Westernport. It was named by George Bass in January 1789. The March newsletter has a history of the Hastings Boy Scouts, written by Lance Hodgins. The troop was established in February 1924.

Koo Wee Rup Swamp Historical Society
• The Koo Wee Rup Swamp Historical Society newsletter from December 2020 has an article looking at fierce storms in the area including a cyclone which hit Bayles in 1928 and lifted the roof of the butter factory and carried it half a mile away. The February 2021 newsletter looks at what happened in Koo Wee Rup in 1921 and the March newsletter has part one of a visit to the Koo Wee Rup region in 1886, an interesting look at the Swamp before drainage works started in 1889.
• The Museum has re-opened on the first and third Sundays from 1.30pm to 4.30pm.

Lang Lang & District Historical Society http://www.langlang.net/historical.html
• The January 2021 newsletter has an article on Thomas Cole (1810-1889) a founding member of the Horticultural Society of Victoria in 1861; family members took up land south of Lang Lang and operated pear orchards. There is also a short look at the history of local branch rail lines.

Mornington & District Historical Society https://morningtondistricthistory.org.au/
• The February/March newsletter has a short biography of David Shepherd, who was born in Somerville in 1926 and who is a local orchardist.

Mornington Peninsula Family History Society https://www.mpfhs.org/
• The Peninsula Past Times newsletter of February 2021 has an article by Leonie Marshall on Dr James Bathe (1815-1885) who owned land in the Pakenham area (Garem Gam and Toomah runs) and in 1856 formed the Victorian Jockey club. There is also an account of a tragic boating accident in Western Port, written by Marj Knight. Twelve-year-old Thomas Bell and his father Richard Bell were drowned when their boat overturned in June 1894. They lived on French Island.

Narre Warren & District Family History Group http://nwfhg.org.au/
• The February 2021 Spreading Branches has some highlights from their Casey Cardinia Remembers website http://www.caseycardiniaremembers.org.au/ and articles written by members of their family history discoveries. Their Research Room at the Cranbourne library has now re-opened. Bookings are essential, see their website for details.

Phillip Island & District Genealogical Society http://piadgs.org.au/
• The November 2020 Reflections includes the article 7 Family History Activities for when you can’t focus by Amy Johnson Crow. They are – lable photos; scan photos; share with family; interview family members; journal your experience; index records for Family Search and lastly, use the WANDER method – What do you want to find; Analyze what already have; Note what is missing; Discover new records; Evaluate everything and Repeat as Necessary.
• The February 2021 Reflections has a report on their Australia Day BBQ, a good chance for everyone to catch up after a year of lock-down.

Rye Historical Society http://ryehistoricalsociety.weebly.com/
• The Whitecliffs newsletter January-March has a comprehensive history of Pier Store or Stringer’s Store at Rye, which was established in the 1890s. The article was written by Ann and Noel Erbs.

Somerville Tyabb & District Historical Society http://home.vicnet.net.au/~stdhs/
• The December 2020 newsletter has a newspaper report of the June 1922 marriage of Norman Houfe and Edith Woodhouse at All Saints Church, Tyabb. There is also a lovely photo of the bridal party. Another article looks at the pioneers of Boes Road, Tyabb. As well there are some reprints of historic newspaper reports of local activities and obituaries.

Wonthaggi and District Historical Society http://www.wonthaggihistoricalsociety.org.au/
• The December 2020 Bulletin lists the January program of short talks on the history of Wonthaggi. Each talk went for 15 minutes and was held in the local park. The essay in the February 2021 Plod looks at two interesting items in their collection – a wheelchair and steel frame. They were donated by Mary Mabin whose twin uncles were polio victims. The boys, John and William McFarlane, spent two years in hospital. The boys had to sleep upright in the steel frame as it was hoped this would strengthen their legs, however John never recovered the use of his legs and spent his life in a wheelchair. It is a great article by C. L. Landon and a reminder of the impact of those childhood illnesses before vaccinations. The March Plod essay is by Sam Gatto and he talks about his first day in Australia – he arrived in January 1951 with his mother, brother and two sisters. His father had arrived 18 months previously. After spending the day in Melbourne, they took the train to their new home in Wonthaggi. Great story.
• The Society’s annual report lists some achievements including revamping the museum and updating the Inmagic catalogue and due to Covid 19 moving all communication on-line. They recorded 2,348 hours of volunteer time over the year. The 15-minute history sessions were very successful with a satisfactory attendance.
• The Society is hosting the launch of Tony Hughes’ book Two Rivers Run: the story of Gippsland’s first pioneer-settler, Samuel Anderson on May 1st, 2021.

This is a summary of some of the articles taken from the newsletters sent to the Secretary from SEHA Groups and Societies, November 2020. With Covid 19, our groups have had to close their Museums and Research rooms, and some have also stopped producing newsletters, but there are still some coming through. We are all doing the best we can under unusual circumstances. Let’s all hope we can get back to ‘normal’ in 2021 and re-open to the public and share our history in person again. Compiled by Heather Arnold.

Bass Valley
• The History of the Bass Valley area is recorded in the Western Port Times, a monthly on-line newsletter. You can access it through the Granville history website http://www.grantvillehistory.com.au/

Brighton Cemetorians   http://www.brightoncemetorians.org.au/
• The Cemetorian has many interesting articles on the people buried at the Brighton Cemetery. The September issue includes Sir Henry Cecil Colville (1891-1984), honorary paediatric surgeon at the Alfred Hospital, 1924-1951; Joseph Wolfenden (1850-1922) resident surgeon at the Dunolly hospital for 40 years and George Peter Desailly (1823-1876) Riverina pastoralist. The December issue includes John Plisch (1864-1933) Prahran baker; John Joseph Coffey (1871-1957), coachbuilder; Jan Learey (1820-1900) early East Brighton resident and Charles Brewer (1856-1925) Anglican Minister. All articles are written by Lois Comeadow.

City of Moorabbin Historical Society http://home.vicnet.net.au/~cmhsbcm/
• The Society turned 60 this year. Celebrations were limited due to the Covid 19 restrictions, but they had an interesting write-up in the Glen Eira News of October 2020. More information https://seha.org.au/moorabbin-historical-society-turns-60

Dandenong & District Historical Society http://ddhs.com.au/
• Their Annual report from 2019/2020 includes the following facts – their volunteers worked the equivalent of 253 days with 2,025 hours contributed by volunteers for the year. It would have been more, but the Research Room was closed from March 11, 2020 due to Covid 19 restrictions.

Friends of Cheltenham & Regional Cemeteries http://www.focrc.org/
• Raves from the Graves October 2020 includes more memories of Fairlie Taylor and life in Cheltenham and Beaumaris from early times. Sue Beazley has written an article on Charles William Morrison (1899-1943) a POW who died at the Hainan Island Prison Camp. He has a memorial plaque at the Cemetery. Sue has also written an article on Hector St Clair (1898-1932) English comedian, who died of consumption and is buried at the Cheltenham Pioneer Cemetery. Another comedian buried at Cheltenham is ‘Lucky’ Grills. His ashes were placed in his parent’s grave at the Cheltenham Memorial Cemetery.

Hastings Western Port Historical Society http://www.hwphs.org.au/
• The September 2020 newsletter has an article, by Linda Tredwell, on Dr Robert Dane, descended from a Tyabb family, who invented an unmanned surface vessel (USV) or sea-going drone. The drone is solar, wind and wave powered, and it can travel vast distances. His company, Ocius, was granted $5.5 million by the Australian Defence Department to test and develop a fleet of 6 USVs. This article is a reminder to us all that history is now, not just 100 years ago.

Heritage Hill, Dandenong
• Words of Wisdom Exhibition Curator’s Talk – this presentation explores the narratives of life as told and recorded through the printed word and features material from the City of Greater Dandenong Civic and Cultural Heritage Collection, Dandenong and District and Springvale and District historical society collections as well as private collections. You can view it on YouTube here https://youtu.be/ZlhVzhDCLnE

Koo Wee Rup Swamp Historical Society
• The September 2020 newsletter has part three of Henry Boxshall’s history of Yallock. It was written in 1957 and published in the Koo Wee Rup Sun in July 1968. The October newsletter takes a light-hearted look at the use of potatoes in health and beauty. The Koo Wee Rup Swamp used to be a major potato growing area. The November newsletter looks at Cora Lynn in 1907, the year the State School opened. It was written by Heather Arnold.

Mornington Peninsula Family History Society https://www.mpfhs.org/
• The Peninsula Past Times newsletter of November 2020 includes pages of useful genealogical resources as well as an article by Mary Vanderfeen on Robert Smith, a convict sent to Van Diemen’s Land who later became a publican at Geelong.

Narre Warren & District Family History Group http://nwfhg.org.au/
• The November 2020 Spreading Branches has an article by Lynne Bradley on the fall of Rabaul and the sinking of the Montevideo Maru, our greatest maritime disaster when over 1,000 lives were lost in 1942. Marianne Rocke has written an article on some of the interesting facts she gleaned from the Berwick State School registers.

Phillip Island & District Genealogical Society   http://piadgs.org.au/
• In the August 2020 Reflections newsletter Duncan McPherson writes about the 1919 Spanish Influenza epidemic which took four members of his wife’s extended family – Ada Spink and three of her children, 16-year-old Ada, 14-year-old Joshua and 13-year-old Herbert. The family lived at Salford, near Manchester.

Rye Historical Society    http://ryehistoricalsociety.weebly.com/
• The Whitecliffs newsletter October – December has a history of the Rye jetty, first constructed in 1866, written by Noel Erbs. Noel has also written a history of the tea-rooms on the Rye foreshore.

Wonthaggi and District Historical Society http://www.wonthaggihistoricalsociety.org.au/
• The essay in the October 2020 Plod is titled Thoughts on the Origins of the Street Names in the Old Part of North Wonthaggi and is written by Sam Gatto. Sam writes that the ‘suburbs’ of North Wonthaggi, Edgartown, Dudley and Hicksborough were not part of the State Model Town project of 1909/1910. They were private subdivisions, outside the boundaries of the proposed State Model Town’. Interesting read. The essay in the November Plod is an account of life on the Powlett River coal field from The Argus, 31 December 1909

This is a summary of some of the articles taken from the newsletters sent to the Secretary from SEHA Groups and Societies. August 2020.

Bass Valley Historical Society   https://bassvalleyhistoricalsociety.com.au/
• The Bass Valley Historical Society is sad to share the news of Anwyn Martin, who passed away on July 23, 2020 at Banfields Aged Care in Cowes. Anwyn was a foundation member of the society and contributed in many ways from executive committee member, researcher and world class contributor to the knowledge of our area and the explorers and pioneers who made it. Her work on Matthew Flinders has been acknowledged worldwide. She will be farewelled in a private cremation service and a memorial service will be held at a later date.

Brighton Cemetorians     http://www.brightoncemetorians.org.au/
• The June The Cemetorian has interesting articles on the people buried at the Brighton Cemetery. This issue includes John Thomas Thynne (1889 -1945), Secretary to the Minister for Agriculture; Severino de Marco (1894 -1961), who operated De Marco Brothers terrazzo business in South Melbourne from 1936; Matthew Bennett (1862 -1951), M.L.A and Cranbourne Shire Councillor; Alice Lovell Clarke (1851 -1916), wife of the Archbishop of Melbourne; Torrington George Ellery (1872 -1923), Town Clerk of Melbourne.

Friends of Cheltenham & Regional Cemeteries   http://www.focrc.org/
• Raves from the Graves August 2020 reports on the update to the Cheltenham Railway Station which, for a time, prevented access to the Cemetery. There are memories of Fairlie Taylor of life in Cheltenham and Beaumaris from early times. Sue Beazley has written an article on Cr Edwin Thomas Penny J.P (1849 -1916) farmer and Moorabbin Shire Councillor. There is a push to have some of Cheltenham renamed Pennydale.
• Sue has also written an article on artist Clarice Marjoribanks Beckett (1887-1935). The City of Bayside have named one of their new Council Wards after her. You can see the others, here – https://www.bayside.vic.gov.au/news/new-wards-new-names The final article in the newsletter is on another artist, John Mather (1848 -1916), written by Travis M. Sellers and Sue Beazley. Mather was a contemporary of artists Fred McCubbin, Tom Roberts and Arthur Streeton.

Hastings Western Port Historical Society http://www.hwphs.org.au/
• The June 2020 newsletter has a story by Shirley Davies, Found Dead, about Peter Orsini, found shot dead in July 1868. Peter was a 24-year-old fisherman from Hastings. The inquest verdict was that it was an accidental death but was there more to the death – was he actually murdered and was the Mafia involved?
• The porch from the old Hastings Reorganised Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-Day Saints (built in 1887) is being re-erected in the Museum gardens; after many months, the Council has finally approved the paperwork, so the work can commence.

Koo Wee Rup Swamp Historical Society
• The June 2020 newsletter has an article by Heather Arnold on Matthew Bennett, M.L.A. It’s the same article which was published in the Brighton Cemetorians newsletter. The July and August newsletters have parts one and two of Henry Boxshall’s three-part history of Yallock. It was written in 1957 and published in the Koo Wee Rup Sun in June 1968.

Mornington and District Historical Society www.morningtondistricthistory.org.au
• The May newsletter has an article on the Society’s trip to the Emerald Museum and Nobelius Heritage Park in February. You can read all about the Emerald Museum and Park here, https://www.emeraldmuseum.org.au/ There is also an interesting article by Malcolm Rosier on Roman Numerals and Clocks. The number four in Roman numerals is written as IV, but on clocks it is always IIII. Why? Two theories – Jupiter, the Roman supreme deity was spelt as IVPPITER in Latin and thus it was considered to be disrespectful to have part of his name on a clock. The other theory is that it looks more symmetrical to have IIII opposite the eight, VIII. Interestingly, Big Ben has the four as IV.

Mornington Peninsula Family History Society https://www.mpfhs.org/
• The Peninsula Past Times newsletter of August 2020 includes an article, by Leonie Marshall and Pam Norman, on Thomas Rennison – Carpenter, Hotelier, Huntsman and Horse Trainer. He operated the Schnapper Point Hotel in Mornington and later the Mordialloc Hotel. He was also a Shire of Mornington Councillor. He died in 1905, aged 81.
• There are articles on family history websites you can access from home and Irish Records. It is a myth, says the writer Mary Vanderfeen, that all Irish records were destroyed in the fire of 1922.

Narre Warren & District Family History Group http://nwfhg.org.au/
• The August 2020 Spreading Branches has an article on Officer by Ray Welsford, whose mother was a Tivendale, an early family in the area. There is the second part of the story on Lieutenant Charles George de Beauvoir Tupper, by Lynne Bradley. There are also two articles connected to Harkaway, written by Barbara Sharp – one is on her father, Ron Wanke and the other on her great, great grandmother Caroline Charlotte Aurisch, nee Tschirner.

Rye Historical Society http://ryehistoricalsociety.weebly.com/
• The Whitecliffs newsletter July – September 2020 has a history of the Tyrone Homestead at Rye. It was built in the 1850s by Owen and Sarah Cain. One hundred years later it was the club house at a golf course, which was later sub-divided. Fortunately, the homestead still remains and is now a private home. Owen and Sarah Cain’s son, John, was a councillor for 34 years with the Flinders & Kangerong Shire. John Hazledine has written an article on Early mail services to Rye and John Bertacco on the use of drones in historical research.

Wonthaggi and District Historical Society http://www.wonthaggihistoricalsociety.org.au/
• The essay in the June 2020 Plod is called Wild Times in a Mining town, based on interviews conducted by Joe Chambers in 1983 with ‘old timers’ Alan Bremner and Harry Haddow. They covered the 1934 strike, weekend entertainment, the two-up school, street fighting and fights down the mine.

Australia: land of milk and politics by Bill Pyle, with Kevin Carmody
• This book was sent to the SEHA from Russell Broadbent, M.H.R for Monash. Bill Pyle was the President of the United Dairyfarmers of Victoria, after it was established in 1976. Bill, born in 1934, grew up on a dairy farm at Cranbourne. The family later moved to Gainsborough (south of Warragul). Bill and his wife Bev bought a farm in the same area where they raised their family of seven children. The book is about both his farming life and his political life with his involvement with the UDV.

This is a summary of the articles and events taken from the newsletters sent to the Secretary from SEHA Groups and Societies. May 2020. Compiled by Heather Arnold.

Balnarring & District Historical Society

• The February Snippets has an article by Mary Karney based on some entries from Georgina Oswin’s diary. Georgina was her grandmother and she lived in Merricks. She also has an article on the Fritsch family of Balnarring.  Mary Ross (nee Nobelius) writes about her childhood days at Balnarring. The May Snippets has an article about some of the servant girls who worked at Tom & Elsie Cole’s house, Larnoo, at Merricks in the 1920s and 1930s. These girls were wards of the State and they were given board and wages and the Coles were responsible for their medical and religious welfare. Terry Mulcahy has an article about the building of a family home at 2 York Avenue in Balnarring in 1954/1955.

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

• The March The Cemetorian has interesting articles on the people buried at the Brighton Cemetery. This issue includes Philip Ack Hing (1864-1939) a herbalist and leader of the Chinese Masonic Society; Maureen White (1924-2016) who grew up on Ocean Island, was taken captive by the Germans in World War two and then worked for the Red Cross; Elizabeth Nissen (1918-2016) the first registered dietitian in Victoria; Henry Buck (1860-1933)  the clothing retailer. There is also an article on members of the Beadle family who arrived in Australia in 1852.

 Frankston Historical Society    http://www.frankstonhs.org.au/

• The February 2020 newsletter has an article on Frankston’s Aerated Spring Water & Cordial making factory, established in 1889 on the corner of Clarendon Street and Frankston-Flinders road. The natural spring water came from a spring on Hastings Road.

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

• Raves from the Graves April 2020 reports that the old Cheltenham Railway Station has been dismantled due the Sky Rail project. It is hoped that the building will eventually be able to be used for community purposes. There are a number of articles about people buried at the Cemeteries. George (Roy) Beardsworth (1888 -1939), was a tireless worker for the City of Chelsea. He was a committed Trades Unionist, local councillor and instrumental in establishing the Mordialloc Chelsea High School in 1924. There is also an article on William Stanley Caulfield, who was awarded the Military Medal  in World War One. He died at the Caulfield Military Hospital in September 1919. A headstone was unveiled in January for Private John Ernest Dunbar, who was buried in an unmarked grave in 1925. He had served in the 13^th and 34^th Battalions. Sue Beazley, who also wrote the article on George Beardsworth, has written an article on the life of Eliza of the Bunurong Tribe, who died on the bank of the Mordialloc Creek in 1877, aged 55.

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

• The March 2020 newsletter has a story by Lynda Tredwell on the Great Air race of 1919 from England to Australia. The prize of £10,000 was won by South Australians – Captain Ross Smith, Lieutenant Keith Smith, Sergeant Wally Shiers and Sergeant James Bennett. To win the prize they had to complete the journey in 30 days and they touched down in Darwin in 27 days and 20 hours.

Koo Wee Rup Swamp Historical Society

• The March 2020 newsletter has a report of the Museum re-opening. It was closed for over 2 years due to maintenance issues. 75 people attended and Mayor of the Cardinia Shire, Cr Jeff Springfield did the official opening. The April newsletter has an article, by Heather Arnold, on Infectious Diseases in the past and the impact on local communities. The May newsletter has a comprehensive list of local place names and their meanings, written and researched by Heather Arnold. You can see her full list here https://seha.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Place-names-and-their-meanings-1-2.pdf

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

• The March 2020 newsletter has a report of the Australia Day display at the Memorial Hall. There are some articles from the newspapers looking at aspects of Lang Lang’s history.

Mordialloc College Alumni Association  (MCAA)    http://mordialloccollegealumni.org/

• The March 2020 Ventured reports that the MCAA were nominated for the City of Kingston Australia Day Community Group of the Year award. Even though they did not win it is wonderful that the Group are getting some recognition for the work they are doing to preserve the history and memories of the College.

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

• The February newsletter has an article on Lady Tallis (nee Amelia Young) of Beleura, Mornington. Lady Tallis established the first Opportunity Shop in Australia; it was to raise funds for St Vincent’s Hospital. Previous to this there had been one-off jumble sales, but Lady Tallis’ shop was the first that was an on-going concern. It was in the old Cyclorama building in Victoria Parade. The information about Lady Tallis’ work came from Robyn Annear’s book Nothing New: the history of second-hand shops (Text Publishing, 2019)

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

• The Peninsula Past Times newsletter of May 2020 has an article, by Pam Norman, on James and Mary (nee Tennant) Somers who arrived in Melbourne in 1874 on the Oakworth. They lived for a time in the Cranbourne area, then moved back to Melbourne. Mary Vandefeen has written an article on Melbourne and the Irish famine and Gerry Adams on Dr Sidney Plowman, a pioneering Frankston doctor.

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

• The May 2020 Spreading Branches looks at Lawson Poole, the namesake of Lawson Poole Reserve in Cranbourne; it has some photos from the Max Thomson collection of students at Harkaway State School performing the play Rose of Joy. The accompanying article is written by Eileen Durdin. Lorraine Taylor has written an article on her grandfather, Francis Sharp, who died in 1945 at the age of 66.

Phillip Island & District Genealogical Society

• The February Reflections has an article on St Patrick and his Saint’s day. The May Reflections has an article by Rose O’Meara on her great-uncle, Leslie Carter, who died of wounds in Belgium in 1917.There was an article by Sue Viney on the benefits of being  a member of the Find My past forum – even if some of her ‘brick walls’ were not solved she received useful information and help. The newsletter also has a regular column Philip Island in the News – a look at the history of the Island through newspaper articles.

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

• The Whitecliffs newsletter from April – June 2020 reported that the Rye Historical Society turns 20 in May 2020 and a timeline of significant events of the second decade of their history is included. There is an article on the HMS Renown. In May 1920, the Prince of Wales was on board, coming to Melbourne for a Royal tour. The Renown was stuck at the Heads due to thick fog and the Royal entourage had to be transferred to the HMAS Anzac, off Rye, to make the final part of the voyage to Melbourne. In another maritime story the newsletter has a story on the RMS Orsova, which run aground near Rye in July 1932.

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

• The essay in the February 2020 Plod has an article A Hive of Activity by Jack Moyle who worked in the family carrying business and carted goods to and from the Wonthaggi Railway Station from 1949 until 1977, it was indeed a ‘hive of activity’. The March Plod essay is a look at the first thirty years of the Society, which turned 50 in 2019. The April Plod is a story about the Wonthaggi connection to the Lone Pine on the Gallipoli Peninsula, written by C. Landon.  The last of the Allied soldiers retreated from Gallipoli in December 1915 and Sergeant Thomas Keith McDowell, a former miner from Wonthaggi, souvenired a pine cone from the destroyed tree and carried it with him during the rest of his service and after he arrived home he gave the cone to his aunt, Emma Gray, who lived near Warnambool. Mrs Gray produced some seedling from the pine cone seeds and gave one to the Warnambool Botanic Gardens and one was eventually planted at the Shrine of Remembrance. The May Plod has a story on the family and working life of Wonthaggi miner, Joe Soppitt (1902-1999) based on an interview he did with Joe and Lyn Chambers in 1982.

 

This is a summary of the articles and events taken from the newsletters sent to the Secretary from SEHA Groups and Societies. February 2020. Compiled by Heather Arnold.

Brighton Cemetorians    http://www.brightoncemetorians.org.au/
• The December The Cemetorian has interesting articles on the people buried at the Brighton Cemetery. This issue includes Lieutenant Julius Saulwick (1925-1945) Killed in Action and remembered on the family headstone; Kevin Wallace (1915-1953) founder of the Catholic Worker publication; Eliza Ralph (1874-1920) a nice little story written by Eliza’s great-granddaughter, Vicki Callanan. There is also an article on merchant Thomas Roxburgh (1851-1931) who was also the first person to grow asparagus commercially on the Koo Wee Rup Swamp, written by Heather Arnold.

Chelsea & District Historical Society
• The November newsletter reports on their successful fashion parade held last year. The Society is back in the Chelsea Court House, which has been extensively renovated by the City of Kingston. The February newsletter announces that they will no longer hold luncheons due to lack of volunteers and this same issue impacts on their ability to hold exhibitions as they cannot always get two people to staff the exhibition. There was also a short history of the Patterson Lakes development written by Ron Jacobs. In the 1950s Carrum farmer, Alf Priestly, built a boat ramp on the Patterson River, then added boat storage and two marinas, including the Inner Harbour one. It wasn’t until 1974 that the Patterson Lakes housing estate on canals was established, inspired by Alf’s boating facilities says Ron Jacobs.

Frankston Historical Society     http://www.frankstonhs.org.au/
• The November / December newsletter reports that Alan Ireson who hired out surfboards at Frankston beach from 1958 to 1974 has donated two of the original hire paddle boards and oars to the Society.

Friends of Cheltenham & Regional Cemeteries      http://www.focrc.org/
• Raves from the Graves December 2019 reports on their October Cemetery tour – Streets where we live – looking at cemetery ‘residents’ whose families have had streets named after them. There is Part Two on the article on Michael ‘Mick’ Ward, World War One veteran, who passed away in 1962. When his wife died in 1986, their belongings went to members of her family. Amongst their possessions was a suitcase of memorabilia from Mick’s time at the War and on his return to Australia in 1918. The suitcase was acquired by Museums Victoria in 2016. There is also an article on the Beaumaris Churchyard Cemetery, written by Sue Beazley. There were 125 settlers in the cemetery in the grounds of the Beaumaris Methodist Church and in 1954 the Moorabbin Council allowed the church to subdivide and houses were built over the graves – the new street was called Bickford Court, named for James Bickford Moysey. The cemetery operated from 1855 to 1866. There is a memorial at the Cheltenham Pioneer Cemetery listing those who were buried at Beaumaris.

Hastings Western Port Historical Society    http://www.hwphs.org.au/
• The December 2019 newsletter is their 100th newsletter. It has an article about Christmas at Castle Howard in Yorkshire. It is elaborately decorated and attracts 40,000 visitors to the Estate. In the look back ‘100 years ago’ there is an obituary of Joseph Haddock of Hastings who died aged 75 years of age. He was a builder and built the original Hastings Public Hall and Catholic Church.
• There is a Back-to Hastings on Saturday, March 21, 2020. Venue is the Hastings Club from 2.00pm. If you grew up in Hastings from the 1940s to the 1960s then this is for you. Register or more information from Glynn Staggard glynnstaggard@gmail.com

Koo Wee Rup Swamp Historical Society
• The December 2019 newsletter has an article about Frank McNamara, V.C. taken from the Department of Education’s Record of War Service, 1914-1919 book. Frank McNamara taught for a time at Koo Wee Rup North State School. The February 2020 newsletter has an article by Heather Arnold, looking back 100 years at what happened in Koo Wee Rup and surrounds in 1920.

Mordialloc College Alumni Association (MCAA) http://mordialloccollegealumni.org/
• The September 2019 edition of Ventured has a history of the MCAA, which is five years old. There is an article on Tony Edwards who attended the College in 1956 (and then the family moved to Sydney) – it is interesting and nostalgic. Tony became a cartoonist, illustrator with Fairfax newspapers, where he won a Walkley award, and an artist. The December Ventured had a story on past student, Bob Cumberlidge, who left the school in 1949 and became a civil engineer and later a director of various companies including the Adelaide Steamship company and SPC.

Mornington and District Historical Society   www.morningtondistricthistory.org.au
• The November 2019 newsletter has a photo of their past president, Dianne White, receiving her Order of Australia medal from the Governor of Victoria, Linda Dessau. There is also an article on the Moorooduc Quarry, which commenced operations in 1887.

Narre Warren & District Family History Group    http://nwfhg.org.au/
• The February 2020 Spreading Branches reports on the re-organisation of the Lorraine Taylor Research Room at the Cranbourne Library. It’s very spacious now. There is an article on Charles George de Beauvoir Tupper (1872-1893) written by Lynn Bradley. The article was prompted by a photo of George, given to the Group by member Val Holland, who had found it in her in-laws garage. Charles served in the Navy and was killed by the explosion of a powder magazine in Brazil. His connection to Melbourne will be the subject of another story.

Phillip Island & District Historical Society       https://pidhs.org.au/
• The November 2019 newsletter had an article on the proposed Cultural and Community Centre which will include a Library, theatre, galley and space for the Museum. They also have a new Facebook page. The December newsletter reminded us that if you are searching for information on Port Phillip then there are over 50 essays and talks on-line on the website, click on left hand side under ‘Essays and Talks’.

Rye Historical Society   http://ryehistoricalsociety.weebly.com/
• The Whitecliffs newsletter from January-March 2020 has an article on the new interpretive signs in Rye. There eleven signs around the town, showing ‘before’ photos. There is also an article on the Lady Nelson which explored the Victorian coast in 1801/1802 and was the first known boat to have entered Port Phillip Bay. The Rye Historical Society turns 20 in May 2020 and a timeline of significant events of the first ten years of their history is included.

Wonthaggi and District Historical Society   http://www.wonthaggihistoricalsociety.org.au/
• The essay in the November Plod is about Wonthaggi Technical School, which opened in February 1922 with 110 students. A new book has just been published on the school, Deserve Success: the story of the Wonthaggi Technical School by Glenn Sullivan, who was both a student and a teacher at the school. It is available from the Historical Society.

This is a summary of the articles and events taken from the newsletters sent to the Secretary from SEHA Groups and Societies. November 2019. Compiled by Heather Arnold.

Bass Valley Historical Society    https://bassvalleyhistoricalsociety.com.au/
• Dinner Meeting Friday, December 13, 2019. Guest speaker is Tony Hughes: Two Rivers Run – The Andersons of Western Port revisited. All the details are here https://seha.org.au/event/bass-valley-historical-society-dinner-meeting-10

Berwick Pakenham Historical Society
• They now have a website – https://bphs.com.au/

Brighton Cemetorians          http://www.brightoncemetorians.org.au/
• The September The Cemetorian has interesting articles on the people buried at the Brighton Cemetery. This issue includes Philomena McKenna (1912-1932) who drowned at Yarrawonga with Ellen and Nancy Naughtin; Robert Gray Ford (1833-1891) blacksmith, engineer and inventor; Harry Browse Gibbs (1858-1918), Architect; Thomas Edward King (1867-1918), Barrister; Ernest Petherick, Presbyterian Minister and Army Chaplain (1879-1956) and David Tully (1857-1909), pastoralist.

Chelsea & District Historical Society
• The August newsletter has a look back to 1959 – a new pavilion was built at the Chelsea Football Club at a cost of £4,000; Aspendale Technical school opened. There are obituaries of Frederick Frewin, who arrived in Chelsea in 1913 and died in 1947; and George Gilding, who came to Chelsea in 1927 as a policeman and remained at the Chelsea Police Station until his death in 1945.

Dandenong & District Historical Society     http://ddhs.com.au/
• The October 2019 Gipps-Land Gate has a comprehensive history of Dandenong High School, which is celebrating its centenary this year. There is also an article on Alf Goldburg, Dandenong local, who received an Order of Australia medal in the 2019 Queen’s Birthday Honours list. The Annual report has many interesting statistics including the fact that volunteers contributed 3,284 hours of their time in carrying out all the functions and activities of the Society.

Friends of Cheltenham & Regional Cemeteries   http://www.focrc.org/
• Raves from the Graves September 2019 has an article on Michael ‘Mick’ Ward, World War One veteran, who passed away in 1962. When his wife died in 1986, their belongings went to members of her family. Amongst their possessions was a suitcase of memorabilia from Mick’s time at the War and on his return to Australia in 1918. The suitcase was acquired by Museums Victoria in 2016 and this is the first part of a two-part story on the contents of that suitcase. There is also an article on Catherine Childerhouse, who died in 1923 at the age of 105.

Hastings Western Port Historical Society   http://www.hwphs.org.au/
• The September 2019 newsletter has an article on the 75th anniversary of the Cowra Breakout and an article on Shirley Davies, who received an Order of Australia medal in the 2019 Queen’s Birthday Honours list. Shirley was the President of the Western Port Historical Society for many years and their SEHA delegate. Also mentioned in the article is Dianne White, past president of the Mornington & District Historical Society, who also received an OAM.
• The next morning coffee is on November 14, 2019 at 10.15am. Guest speaker: Ian Thompson on Paddle steamers of Port Phillip Bay. All the details are here https://seha.org.au/event/hastings-western-port-historical-society-morning-coffee-4

Heritage Hill, Dandenong
• Join the Dandenong and District Historical Society to hear enthralling tales of the characters who lived or were associated with Laurel Lodge, November 14, 2019 at 1.30pm. All the details are here https://seha.org.au/event/the-characters-of-laurel-lodge

Koo Wee Rup Swamp Historical Society
• The August 2019 newsletter has an article from The Argus on the train accident at Koo Wee Rup, which occurred on December 24, 1928. 54 people were injured. The September newsletter has an article on William Lyall and the Acclimitisation Society by Heather Arnold. The October newsletter has an article by Henry Boxshall, Families at Yallock, transcribed from the book The Good Country: Cranbourne Shire by Niel Gunson. The November newsletter has some photos of the Monomeith Railway Station in the mid-1960s showing the train that transported 760 head of cattle from Lismore in NSW on account of Hughie Bourke, of Monomeith.

Lang Lang & District Historical Society http://www.langlang.net/historical.html
• The November newsletter has an article on Allan Robert Eden, from Caldermeade. Allan went Missing in Action in World War Two in February 1942, his body was never found and he was declared ‘Presumed Dead’ in April 1946. There is also an article from the Lang Lang Guardian of 1909 on A.T. Priestley’s model dairy farm at Yannathan, where he employed 18 people and could milk 50 cows an hour in his modern dairy.

Mordialloc College Alumni Association (MCAA) http://mordialloccollegealumni.org/
• We have received three of their newsletters which contain, amongst other things, stories of past students – the December 2018 issue has a story on Marjorie Kean (nee George) who started at Mordialloc-Chelsea High School in 1939; Marjorie was the first secretary of the ex-students association which started in the 1940s after the War. The March 2019 issue reports that the MCAA have been given access, by the City of Kingston, to the former Parkdale Infant Welfare centre for their meetings. Tony Palmer, Executive Designer at Penguin Random House, shares his memories of the school from the 1970s. In the June 2019 issue Stan Alves, AFL coach, talks about his time at the school, he started in 1963. Alumni Historian, Paula McCarthy, was nominated for the City of Kingston, Woman of the Year. Paula also runs the Edithvale-Aspendale History group on Facebook.

Mornington and District Historical Society www.morningtondistricthistory.org.au
• The August 2019 newsletter has an article on their past president, Dianne White, who received an Order of Australia medal in the 2019 Queen’s Birthday Honours list. There is also a short biography, by Val Wilson, of Herbert Dyce Murphy, Mornington Shire Councillor and President and a member of Sir Douglas Mawson’s 1912 Antarctic Expedition.

Narre Warren & District Family History Group http://nwfhg.org.au/
• The August 2019 Spreading Branches has an article on Member of the Year, Barbara Sharp. Barbara received the Award at the August AGM. There is an article by Eileen Durdin on haystacks, illustrated with photographs from the Max Thomson collection. Max also donated a number of photos to the State Library of Victoria, just use his name as a search term if you are interested in finding them. There is an article, written by Jane Rivett-Carnac, on Sister Madeline Kirkpatrick, who has a tree in the Cranbourne WW1 Avenue of Honor. The Casey Cardinia Combined Index is 15 years old. Members of the Family History Group have indexed over 140 publications with a Casey Cardinia connection and there are now 134,000 names on the Index, a valuable resource for researchers looking for information on their ancestors. The Index can be accessed in the Group’s Research Room at the Cranbourne Library Complex. The November Spreading Branches has a report on the Bunyip Cemetery tour, that took place on October 27. Eileen Durdin has another article, also illustrated with Max Thomson photographs, on local roads. Barbara Sharp has an article on Bayview Park, a new park in Narre Warren on the old Bayview Quarry. The land was originally owned by the Aurisch family.

Rye Historical Society http://ryehistoricalsociety.weebly.com/
• The Whitecliffs newsletter from October-December 2019 has an article on the horse trough that was in front of the Gracefield Hotel and later the Rye Hotel. There was some thought it may be a Bills trough, but as it was installed in 1926, it can’t be. George Bills, who left the money for horse troughs, died in 1927. There is also some information about Bills’ troughs. Noel and Ann Erbs have written an article on Anders and Martha Andersen of the Rye General store. They operated a store in Rye from around 1881 until 1911.

Somerville Tyabb & District Heritage Society http://home.vicnet.net.au/~stdhs/
• The September newsletter reprints an article from the Mornington Standard of March 29, 1902 of a case heard at Frankston Court of five youths from Somerville, who behaved in a ‘riotous manner’ – sand throwing, quarrelling, fighting and disturbing the peace. The chaps had attended a ‘tin potting” or welcome home and had a few drinks. They were all fined £2 with 3s in costs. ‘Tin potting’ appears to be beating cans or tins to make a noise. There are also some illustrations of Charles Hammond, who in 1893 drew some local scenes at Langwarrin and Hastings. Finally, the newsletter reproduces Dick Ovenden’s caricatures of local Somerville and Tyabb men, as published in the Weekly Times in 1949.

Wonthaggi and District Historical Society http://www.wonthaggihistoricalsociety.org.au/
• The essay in the August 2019 Plod is about Llewellyn Rhun Davies-Griffith, the first European settler in the Wonthaggi area. He arrived in 1878. The September Plod essay looks at some of the members of the Society and their special personal items. The October Plod essay is on the Wonthaggi and District Post-War Reconstruction Plan written by the Wonthaggi District Trades and Labour Council around 1945.
• The Annual Dinner will be held on November 29, 2019 at 6.00pm. All the details are here https://seha.org.au/event/wonthaggi-historical-society-annual-dinner

This is a summary of the articles and events taken from the newsletters sent to the Secretary from SEHA Groups and Societies. August 2019. Compiled by Heather Arnold.

Brighton Cemetorians       http://www.brightoncemetorians.org.au/
• Forthcoming events: October 6 – Jewish graves – https://seha.org.au/event/brighton-cemetorians-cemetery-tour-jewish-contribution
• October 20 – Graves connected to the Boyd family https://seha.org.au/event/brighton-cemetorians-cemetery-tour-boyd-family-of-artists-walk

Chelsea & District Historical Society
• The May newsletter contained a report on the Chicken and Champagne luncheon attended by 105 people. There is a short biography of Hugh Rigby, who arrived in Carrum in 1898 and operated a dairy farm. He was also a builder. He died in 1950 aged 86. There is an excerpt from the City of Chelsea News of August 6, 1959 about the death of Frank Groves, the first Mayor of the City of Chelsea, who died June 3, 1959, at the age of 86.

City of Moorabbin Historical Society    https://victoriancollections.net.au/organisations/box-cottage-museum#collection-records
• The Society operates Box Cottage in Jasper Road in Ormond, thought to have been built in the 1840s. William and Elizabeth Box lived there from 1865 to 1914. It is opened on the last Sunday of the month from 2.00pm to 4.00pm or by appointment.

Dromana & District Historical Society    http://avoca.vicnet.net.au/~dromana/welcome.htm
• The May newsletter has a request for family information on their WW1 soldiers for a proposed publication. They are looking for information about the soldier’s lives before and after they enlisted.

Friends of Cheltenham & Regional Cemeteries      http://www.focrc.org/
• Raves from the Graves May 2019 has a story by Rosemary Reddick on the Reverend Canon Fred Wray (1864-1943). He was a Chaplain in the Boer War and the Great War, serving at both Gallipoli and the Western Front. When he returned to Australia, he was appointed to Holy Trinity Cathedral at Wangaratta. He retired in 1935 lived in Sandringham. Sue Beazley is the author of an article on the Brigidine Nuns who established St Patrick’s College and Kilbreda College, both in Mentone.

Hastings Western Port Historical Society     http://www.hwphs.org.au/
• The June issue has an article on two Scottish fishing families – the Carstairs and the Mentiplays. William Carstairs was the brother-in-law of Thomas Mentiplay, Thomas being married to Margaret Carstairs. The families moved to the Gippsland Lakes in the late 1870s, when the Melbourne to Sale railway line opened up the area. The article has information on the early days of the fishing industry at the Gippsland Lakes. William Carstairs is the great-uncle of John Woolley, who attends our SEHA meetings for Hastings. One of their guest speakers at their Morning Coffee meeting was Jenny Bryant, who rescues and cares for injured koalas, with the aim being to return them to their original habitat. The newsletter has a report on her interesting talk.

Koo Wee Rup Swamp Historical Society
• The June newsletter had an article by Heather Arnold on local High Schools. The July issue has reproduced the Koo Wee Rup and Lang Lang Identities, published in the Weekly Times in February 1950. See the Koo Wee Rup feature here http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article225452841 and the Lang Lang here http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article225443615

Lang Lang & District Historical Society     http://www.langlang.net/historical.html
• The June newsletter has a biography of Peter James Post (1872 – 1928) the foundation President of the Lang Lang RSL. He was a Boer War and Great War veteran.

Mornington and District Historical Society      www.morningtondistricthistory.org.au
• The May 2019 newsletter has an article about the Langwarrin Military Reserve and Toorak College in Mt Eliza, which started in 1874.

Narre Warren & District Family History Group       http://nwfhg.org.au/
• The May 2019 Spreading Branches has a report on the Group’s 30th anniversary celebrations. The Research room at the Cranbourne Library has been named the Lorraine Taylor Research Room. The Group first met in Lorraine’s lounge room at her house in Narre Warren. There is a story by Fay McCoubrie on her great-uncle, James Roulston, who was one of the ‘Lost Soldiers of Fromelles’ whose grave was discovered by Lambis Englezos and his colleagues in 2008.

Phillip Island & District Historical Society       https://pidhs.org.au/
• The May 2019 newsletter had an article on Alice Robinson, a generous supporter of the Society who passed away in April 2018.

Rye Historical Society       http://ryehistoricalsociety.weebly.com/
• The Whitecliffs newsletter from July-September 2019 has an article by John Bertacco on local Indigenous place names, such as Balnarring, Moorooduc and Tyabb. There is also an article on a proposed railway line that was to go from Frankston, to Rye and Sorrento, in the 1880s. It never eventuated.

Somerville Tyabb & District Heritage Society      http://home.vicnet.net.au/~stdhs/
• The June 2019 newsletter an obituary on Arthur Comelli (1921-2019), who operated the Welcome Motors garage in Somerville for over 50 years. There is also an obituary on Eric Unthank (1923-2019) educated at Tyabb State School and Frankston High he became a teacher, then a lecturer at Melbourne University and Dean of Burwood State college.

Wonthaggi and District Historical Society      http://www.wonthaggihistoricalsociety.org.au/
• The essay in the May 2019 Plod is by Rod Churchill on racing pigeons and the Wonthaggi Pigeon Club. The June 2019 Plod essay is a look at old remedies such as ‘cures’ from coughs, piles, tumours and wounds. The July Plod essay has reproduced cartoons from the Criterion, Wonthaggi’s first newspaper. The cartoonist was Cyril Dodds.