Burke & Wills photos from the National Library

E.W. Searle collection of photographs, National Library of Australia, http://nla.gov.au/nla.pic-vn4654382.

David Phoenix of the Burke & Wills Web told me about two other images of the Burke and Wills tree at the National Library of Australia which had been misidentified as being at Royal Park.  I have been in touch with the NLA to suggest they review the description of the two photos.  

The photos are interesting because they show the gas lamp standards in Mt Alexander Rd.  By April 1883 the gas lamps had got as far as Taylor st. The tree was further along Mt Alexander Rd, just past Albert St.  The two images of the tree can be see at the Time Travellers website.

Early Libraries in Essendon and Flemington

A bookplate from the Essendon Public Library which was formed in 1884.  Courtesy of the Moonee Valley Library Service.

What was the very first library in Essendon?  There were many personal libraries in the great homes in the district - George Newsom's personal collection was burnt in a fire in 1849, but few probably  merited the privilege of borrowing from it.

The first known subscription library was formed in 1854 at the St John's Presbyterian Church.  It was another 30 years before the Essendon Public Library was formed.  Early Libraries of Essendon and Flemington explores the nature of the earliest libraries in our district - who started them, what was stocked on the shelves, and how did the library function, are questions that are addressed in this first article about libraries.  To follow will be another article about circulating libraries, but that may have to wait for you to hang your Christmas stockings.  

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Burke and Wills Tree - further details

Having had some very useful comments on the Burke and Wills tree page on the Time Travellers website, and done some further research in Trove, I have reviewed and changed some of the dates of the photos there.  Dave Phoenix of the Burke & Wills Web helpfully put me onto two further images of the tree at the National Library of Australia website (currently waiting for permission to publish them).  These have been mislabelled as being at Royal Park, which is how I came to miss them. The NLA photos have gas lamp standards in them, which had dating implications - not before 1883.

Alex Bragiola pointed out that the houses in the background were built in 1883.  Also that one of the photos was taken looking at Queen's Park, and the picket fence had been replaced by a wire fence in 1915.  The picket fence was built by Council in 1885. It is great to have some help in refining the dates on these photos, so thank you Dave and Alex.

The Burke and Wills Tree, Essendon

I was inspired by a recent post in the Moonee Valley Libraries Facebook on 6 November 2015 to put together a timeline of photos of the Burke and Wills tree under which the explorers were said to have camped in 1860.  By the time photographers began to record the tree, it was long dead.  A search through Trove enables us to give the last possible date to the above photo from the State Library of Victoria Collection as 1938.  (see H91.50/569)  The Essendon Historical Society collection includes photos of the dedication of the new memorial in 1938.

You can see the photo timeline on my Time Travellers website.  If you wish to keep up with additions to the website, follow by email. (See above, right).

Strathmore North Primary School, Grade 1D, 1964

Does anyone recognise anyone amongst this cheery group of first graders?  You will find this and a small number of other Strathmore North photos on my blog.  And go to Articles to see more local history.

Kensington State School, before button-up boots went out

This detail shows some real personalities from Kensington State School in 1913, in their button-up boots and sporting Eton collars, sailor collars, and Little Lord Fauntleroy collars.  You can view the larger photo here, and perhaps identify some of the little people if you can.

Essendon State School, Grade 2, 1922

Named on the back of the photo are:

Front row, from left: 1 Geoffrey Hollingsworth, 2 -- 3 -- 4 -- 5 Reg Urquhart, 6 --, 7 --, 8 Ronnie Tame/Same, 9 --, 10 --, 11 -- 

Second row, from left:  1 --, 2 --, 3 Geoffrey Bunch, 4 --, 5 -- Alan Ladd, 6 --, 7 --, 8 --, 9 --, 10 --, 11 --, 12 --, 13 --. 

Third row, from left:  1 --, 2 --, 3 Grace Nicholson, 4 Elsa Tucker, 5 Mavis Narracott, 6 Melba Anderson, 7 Lily White, 8 --, 9 Joyce Wilcox.

Back Row, from left:  1 Ivy Wiles, 2 --, 3 --, 4 Doreen Middleton, 5 --, 6 Gwen Richard, 7 --, 8 --, 9 Myra Bull, 10 Veta Jackson.  

Can you add any more names?

A further four photos from 1915 to 1920 can be seen on the website:

http://timetravellers.pbworks.com/w/page/102771904/Essendon-State-School

Flemington Basket Ball Team, 1937

This delightful studio portrait shows the Flemington Basket Ball Team,  Runners Up in the Victorian Women's Basket Ball Association, BZ Grade in 1937.  There is only one known (at this stage) identity - Nancy Crook, aged about 14, standing fourth from the left.  Nancy lived at 18 Byron St, Moonee Ponds, and attended Flemington Girls School.  This may be her connection to a Flemington team.  The portrait was in the studio of Edward A Roberts, Moonee Ponds.  Follow the links to read more about them. 

Essendon North State School Photos, 1923-1926

Four class photos of Prep classes from Essendon North, from 1923 to 1926 have been kindly shared  by Ian Reiher.  If you can recognise any of your relatives in these photos, please get  in touch.  Go to the Time Travellers website to see all photos.