Welcome
East MelbourneWelcome to the East Melbourne Historical Society.
East Melbourne is a tiny suburb adjoining the city of Melbourne bounded by Treasury and Fitzroy Gardens to the west, Victoria Parade to the north, Hoddle Street to the east and Yarra Park to the south, home of the famous Melbourne Cricket Ground. East Melbourne was included in Robert Hoddle's original 1837 plan for the city but the first private house was not built until 1853.
The suburb today reflects a history of Victoria with its beautiful gardens, grand houses of the gold rush era and workmen's cottages. Cast iron lacework adorns the houses, bluestone cobbled lanes lead to old coach houses and brick dunnies. Artists, scientists, politicians, judges, educators, priests, explorers, entrepreneurs, courtesans, philanthropists and social activists lived here and many a tale is told of characters wild and exotic.
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Military History and Heritage Victoria
If you have a strong interest in military history you may be interested in joining Military History and Heritage Victoria which currently has two vacancies on its executive committee. MHHV provides a forum for people and groups who are passionate about military history and heritage in Victoria. It promotes research, preservation, education, and commemoration of Australian and Victorian military history and heritage. Amongst others, MHHV is supported by the City of Melbourne, the RSL and the Shrine of Remembrance. More information can be obtained fron the MHHV web site. If you are interested in joining MHHV or serving on its committee please use the contact form on their site.
EMHS and Planning Applications
EMHS members are invited to contribute their thoughts on the Society's involvement in planning and heritage issues. Follow this link to join the forum.
Pandora's Box
Pandora's Box is to acquire some new contents. And it relates to you! The East Melbourne Historical Society has agreed to a request from the State Library of Victoria for our website to be periodically archived on PANDORA, the web archive of the National Library of Australia. This will improve the accessibility of our website and ensure its continuing availability for future generations - even after your current committee has joined Pandora in Never Never Land.
Premier of Victoria passes the buck on Yarra Park
The tree versus the bull barThe EMHS referred its photographic essay on the devastation of Yarra Park to the Premier of Victoria. Similar letters were also sent to the Lord Mayor and the local State Member of Parliament, Bronwyn Pike. The Premier's office, unlike the local member, at least gave us the courtesy of a reply. Unfortunately the Premier passed the buck to the Minister for Sustainability and Environment who in turn passed it to one of his divisional heads. By this time the buck, which was already on very thin ice, sank without a trace. The reply we received was a triumph of obfuscation and spurious argument.
Quote of the week
"Widening roads to solve traffic congestion is like loosening your belt to cure obesity,"says Walter Kulash, a traffic engineer from Orlando, Florida - something to keep in mind when contemplating the planned roadworks on Hoddle Street.
News from the State Library of Victoria
Forthcoming activities
Visit to St. Nicholas Antiochian Orthodox Church, East Melbourne
Dr. Trevor Batrouney will lead our tour and tell us about the history of the Antiochian Orthodox Church in Melbourne, of its establishment in East Melbourne; as well as the history of St. Nicholas and the significance of its contents.
The Mercy Hospital in East Melbourne
Helen Monkivitch started her association with the Mercy Hospital in 1965 as a religious sister at Mercy Private. She is now the Director of of Mercy Health and Aged Care. She has a thorough knowledge of the hospital's history, its work, and of the life and people within it.
Victorian Town House Gardens
Helen Page is a foundation member of the Australian Garden History Society since 1980 and Chair of the Victorian Branch 1994-2004. She played an important role in saving the garden at Bishopscourt from subdivision and development in 1998, and has led a team of enthusiastic volunteer workers in restoring and maintaining the garden ever since.
Recent acquisitions
Preservation of Melbourne's Heritage
Two newspaper articles on preservation of Melbourne's heritage. Published on successive days in The Age 22nd and 23rd November 2011.
Victorian Historical Journal June 2011
Articles and reviews on a variety of aspects of Victoria's history
MCG Hotel: Renomination to Heritage Victoria, July 2011
Further submission to Heritage Victoria to have MCG Hotel listed. It provides extra source material, and many illustrations in support.
2 items:
1. Report
Girls' Training Home for Domestic Service
Brochure, not dated but c.1910. The institute was founded in 1883 and effectively closed in 1939. The brochure is yellowed with age and moth or insect eaten. It is about 25cm wide by 20cm high.
Sketches at the Servants' Training Institute
Wood engraving.
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