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Here are the reports from the November 2016 meeting which was hosted by the Friends of Cheltenham and Regional cemeteries at the Cheltenham Public Hall. Afterwards we had  a tour of the Cheltenham Pioneer Cemetery. Visit their website http://www.focrc.org/

seha-reports-november-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. November 2016. Compiled by Heather Arnold.

Chelsea & District Historical Society

• The September 2016 newsletter has an article about the Aspendale Palais also known as The Road House. It was built in 1925 and had a hall with a dance floor, a café, golf course and beach access. The November 2016 newsletter had an article on the Aspendale racecourse written by Margaret Jacobs.

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

• Christmas luncheon. When: Sunday, December 4 at 12.30pm. Venue: Dandenong Club, cr Heatherton and Stud Roads, Dandenong. Cost: $30.00 per head. Bookings and payment to be received by Wednesday, November 23. Dandenong & District Historical Society P.O Box 8029, Dandenong, 3175. More information: 03 9794 8967 or email dandhist@internode.on.net

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

• The September newsletter has an article on the 150 year old Hastings Jetty Fish shed

Koo-Wee-Rup Swamp Historical Society

• The September newsletter has an article on the Eleven Mile bridge at Cora Lynn, the October newsletter has a short history of Tooradin and  the November newsletter a history of Western Port Road, all written by Heather Arnold.

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

• • At the recent AGM, Jean Hayden was returned as President, Peter Hayden as Sectary and Joy Adderley was elected Treasurer after the retirement of Joy Kay, who has had the Treasurer’s role for a number of years. The 2017 calendar of historic street scenes is available for sale; email Jean the President on ralph6@dcsi.net.au if you wish to purchase a copy. The 2017 calendar of historic street scenes is available for sale; email Jean the President on ralph6@dcsi.net.au if you wish to purchase a copy.

Mordialloc & District Historical Society 

• The Society had a training session with Victorian Collections in July and in August some members attended the Kingston City Council Historical Society network meeting.

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

• The August newsletter has an article on the Bates family of Moorooduc and Mornington. Albert Bates was a Shire of Mornington Councillor, who was killed in a motor car accident in 1917. The Mornington community raised £40 to erect a clock on the front of the Mechanics’ Institute as a memorial to Albert. The Mornington & District Historical society restored the clock in 2004.

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

• Spreading Branches August 2016 has a report on the AGM, where Cameron and Marianne Rocke presented their research into the history of the Old Cheese Factory in Berwick. There is part 2 of Max Thomson’s memories of Narre Warren in World War Two and an article by Di Christensen on Frederick Percy Williams, a chaplain to the 58^th Battalion of the 15^th Brigade of the 5^th Australia Division, who fought at the Battle of Fromelles.

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

• The September 2016 The Nepean has an article on the Sorrento Baths, based on the recollections of Marius Webb. The Society has republished the book Miss Gymkhana, R.G Menzies and me by Kathy Skelton, her memoir of growing up in Sorrento in the 1950s. It is being officially launched in November 13.

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

•  Christmas Function. When: Saturday, December 3 2016 at 6.30pm for 7.00pm at the St Phillip’s Parish Hall, Thompson Avenue, Cowes. The guest speaker is Graeme Clauscen, President of the Society, ‘Big game hunting with a camera’ Cost is $30.00 by pre-purchased tickets. Either send payment to Judy Gittus, Phillip Island & District Historical Society  P.O Box 816, Cowes, 3922  or Direct Deposit to Bendigo Bank BSB: 633-000 Account 151829389 and email Judy with details to j.gittus43@gmail.com  RSVP by November 25 to Judy Gittis on 03 5952 6498.

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

• The Whitecliffs newsletter has part four of an article looking at road names in Postcode 3941 written by Noel Erbs. John Bertacco has written an article about the history of rabbits in Australia and there is a reprint of a 1900 obituary of Rye pioneer, Samuel Sherlock.

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

• There is an article on the Omega band, also known as Cooks Band who played at dances all over the Mornington Peninsula and as far away as Korumburra, Tooradin and Koo-Wee-Rup in the 1940s. There are obituaries of locals William Rennie Rae and Gloria Taylor (nee Perriam)

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

• The essay in the August  Plod, written by Geoff Johnston, is about Clara Letitia Johnston (nee Ah Chow, 1883-1972) Clare married Julius Johnston in 1910. When they were on their honeymoon in Blackwood, they discovered some gold, which was valued at £600, a large amount of money in those days. This money allowed them to move to Wonthaggi where they purchased several blocks of land which they built shops on.  In Wonthaggi, they operated ‘The Hamburger shop’, one of the first of its kind in Wonthaggi (or possibly anywhere) Clara was very entrepreneurial and operated and invested in many other businesses as well. The September Plod essay is A story of Wonthaggi by the man who opened the first business in Wonthaggi about Mr Cain’s butcher shop and other early businesses. The October Plod essay is Kit Sleeman’s memories of bath night when he was young and the carious hot water services including the Donkey, coal fired hot water service.
•  Annual Dinner. When: Friday, November 25 2016 at 6.30pm at the Vick’s Bistro at Capital, 140 McKenzie Street, Wonthaggi. The theme is  Wonthaggi Garages and a range of speakers will entertain with a history and stories associated with local garages. Cost is $30.00 per head by pre-purchased tickets – available at the Railway Station Museum – open Saturday 10.00am to 2.00pm and Thursday 10.00am and 1.00pm or Direct Deposit to Bendigo Bank BSB 633 000 Account 1323 14543 with your name. RSVP to Mr Laurie Culph on 03 5674 4658 by November 18.

Here are the reports from the August  2016 meeting which was held at the Narre Warren Mechanics’ Institute.

SEHA reports August 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. August 2016. Compiled by Heather Arnold.

Chelsea & District Historical Society

• The May 2016 newsletter has an article about the move into their temporary premises while the Court House Museum is being renovated. The August 2016 newsletter has a photo of the old level crossing gates at Bonbeach and accounts of visits from the local Scouts and information supplied to the Chelsea Walkers who were doing a walk around the historic landmarks of the area. Vale to Margaret Jacobs, a dedicated Historical Society member and community volunteer, who was ‘Chelsea, through and through’.

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

• The Autumn 2016 newsletter, Raves from the Graves, has some reports of past Cemetery tours; an article on Madame Agnes Greenwood, written  by Sue Beazley. Her parents operated Mackie’s Circus, an all female circus from New South Wales. When Agnes married William Greenwood they operated a circus school, Greenwood’s Acrobatic Academy in Melbourne. There is also another article by Sue Beazley on Thomas Gomm, a convict.

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

• The June newsletter has a history of Victoria Day commemorated on July 1 every year. There were also reports on the successful May Morning Coffee morning with Wendy Morrison, Antique Appraiser and a visit from the Werribee Half Battery who examined the 40lb Armstrong gun to gain information to restore their own gun. Vale to Leila Shaw, local historian and Stewart Watt, local orchardist, saddler and community volunteer.

Koo-Wee-Rup Swamp Historical Society

• The May newsletter has an article (available on Trove)  reproduced from The Leader of March 14, 1868 entitled A day in the Fen Country: Mr Lyall’s Breeding Station, about William Lyall of Harewood; the June newsletter has a short history of Nar Nar Goon by Heather Arnold; the July newsletter has a history of Local Cemeteries by Heather Arnold and an article on the Leadbeater Possum by Libby Skidmore (one of these rare possums was found at Koo-Wee-Rup in 1915). The August newsletter has an article on the Colvin family of Koo-Wee-Rup written in 1990 by Olive Murray, a daughter of Pomp Colvin.

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

• The June 2016 newsletter reports that storyboard signage has been installed next to the Clay Bird Thrower on display. The Heritage Centre is in the old Infant Welfare Centre and the building has just turned 65 and is on the Cardinia Shire Heritage register.

Mordialloc & District Historical Society

• The newsletters have reports of the Societies many activities. The Society hosted the Kingston City Council Historical Society Network in May. A note in the June newsletter says that they will discuss offering local schools membership of the Society. That’s a good idea.

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

• The May newsletter has an article entitled  Mornington Memories of World War One of the Donnelly Brothers, Tom and Jack, written by Val Wilson. A plaque has been fitted to a seat outside the Museum dedicated to Margaret Grice, who passed away in 2013. Margaret was a enthusiastic supporter of the Historical Society and also the South Eastern Historical Association.

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

• Spreading Branches May 2016 has an article on Max Thomson’s memories of Narre Warren in World War Two and an article reproduced from The Weekly Times of January 22, 1910 (available on Trove)  by Annie Glismann telling the story of the Glissman family in Beaconsfield Upper.

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

• The June 2016 The Nepean has an article, by Bergliot Dallas, on the inventor of the Electric ball. The Society logo shows the Mechanics’ Institute and a big ball, which was part of a device deigned by Alfred Robshaw in 1908 to provide electricity to Sorrento by harvesting the power of the sea. The project was abandoned when Robshaw died in 1910.

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

• The Whitecliffs newsletter has part three of an article looking at road names in Postcode 3941 written by Noel Erbs. It also has an article on early land sales in the Rye township and  the naming of Capel Sound. There is a push by locals to rename Rosebud West to Capel Sound.

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

• There are obituaries of locals Alan Ray Baker; Stewart James Watt, local orchardist; Keith White, market gardener and Leila Shaw, local historian. There is also a story by Evelyn Sage (nee Young) on sinking a bore on her parents farm in 1960, total cost was one thousand, two hundred pounds.

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

• The essay in the May Plod, called Strange Visitors, by Kit Sleeman, looks at visitors to the house – the milkman, the bread man, the night man. The June Plod has an article on drains by Kit Sleeman, a light hearted look at the drains in the town. The July Plod has an article entitled Gravity, by Kit Sleeman, a look at gravity as it was connected to the recreation of billy carts.

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.