Mrs Harding's Premier Tea Rooms, Mt Alexander Rd, Essendon

This shop was a little hard to identify, but with what appeared to be a saddle in the window of the shop to the right, and the beginning of a word 'SAD' at the bottom of the next door window, I went looking for a saddler's shop next door to a confectionery shop. On the left side of the confectionery shop is a shop advertising Medicated Soap, Weights (possibly scales), and cigarettes. This combination of shops appeared in Mt Alexander Rd, in the 1925 Sands & McDougall Directory:

In the window of the confectionery shop is an indistinct painted sign, saying "The Premier Tea Rooms". The store stocked Wrigley's Spearmint Chewing Sweet, Pascall Sweets, Fry's Chocolate and Cadbury's Chocolate. It must have been a great relief to Wrigleys when someone came up with the idea of replacing "Chewing Sweet" with "Gum". You can learn more about Mrs Harding and her Tea Rooms at the Time Travellers website.

Miss Stife's Pharmacy, Rose Street, Essendon, circa 1930

Miss Sylvia Margaret Stife's pharmacy in Rose St, Essendon. She seems to have been at this address from 1925, when she was first registered as a chemist, until at least 1931 when she appeared there in a Sands and McDougall Directory. Learn a little more about Miss Stife at the Time Travellers website.

Bibliography update

I have just taken a few moments to trawl through the catalogues of the State Library of Victoria and the Sam Merrifield Library, looking for any recent publications which I hadn't yet included in my bibliography of Local and Family History Resources for Essendon,  Flemington and Keilor.  

I last updated the bibliography in 2017.  Among the books of local interest I saw the above Remarkable: the Good Guys Story, and also "Whose Little Cottage is This?" 33 Vida St, Essendon: a history, 1945-2014 by Grant and Steven Barlow.   

Some of the books I added have been recently published, others are a little older.  The additions are all highlighted in red.

The Good Guys story started in 1952, when Ian Muir withdraw all his savings to open a small shop in Essendon. Ian Muir had a vision of the future in the electrical appliances industry, and he showed that he could make his vision good.

Percy H Judd, House and Land Agent, Ascot Vale

Source: State Library of Victoria, 'Cheltenham Cycle Club Outings, ca 1897'. 

Actual date closer to 1906-07. Photo by T J A Tinker, Moonee Ponds.  

 http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/295597

The State Library of Victoria has two photographs relating to the business of Percy H Judd, House and Land Agent, which I have investigated, with some further assistance from Alex Bragiola, to establish the location of each of the buildings - one 'Opposite Station' Ascot Vale, and the other in Union Rd, Ascot Vale.  I have created a page on the website to reveal what I learnt.

Another interesting feature of those two photos is the previously unknown photographer, T J A Tinker.  There is a further webpage about T J A Tinker and his activities.

Skating in the Ponds

Looking into Puckle St from Pratt St.  Photo: Lenore Frost 2018

The ice skating rink in Pratt St.  Photo: Lenore Frost 2018.

Winter fun for kids in Pratt Street, Moonee Ponds in 2018 - but Time Travellers should grab their skates and Pierrot Costumes and take a little walk across the road to Puckle St, and turn to the left where Bonds outlet and the travel shops are now, to visit the Moonee Ponds Skating Rink - and it will only cost you one shilling.

Flemington, Bob Smith, carrier, 1927

Bob Smith, Duncan St, Flemington, carrier. Picnics, Parties, anything. 

It is not clear where this photo was taken, any ideas gratefully received.


Source:  Museums Victoria Collections https://collections.museumvictoria.com.au/items/765583
Accessed 19 May 2018.