Welcome
Welcome 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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Recent articles
Ormiston Educational Establishment for Young Ladies
East Melbourne from its earliest days was full of schools. The larger, purpose-built church schools eventually grew too big for the small parcels of land available and moved to more spacious suburbs; and the smaller privately run schools generally died a natural death when their principals retired or failed to make a go of it.
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Remembering Joyeux
366 Albert St., East Melbourne, lies on the north side of the street between Lansdowne and Clarendon Streets. The house was built in 1909 for the Rev. Llewelyn David Bevan on the land which had once been the garden of the neighbouring house, No 364, which Bevan also owned. The house is built to the footpath, unusual for its time and the East Melbourne area.
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A Tale of Two Sisters
Ball and Welch was once one of Melbourne’s landmark department stores, along with others such as Buckley and Nunn. History tells us that the store was founded by Charles Ball and his nephew, William Henry Welch. But perhaps there is more to the story. It is likely that their wives had more than a little to do with the store’s establishment.
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Gone, But Not Forgotten
"Some months ago the parks and gardens committee decided to make the Fitzroy gardens more attractive by erecting a rustic kiosk, where tea coffee and light refreshments might be dispensed. Aided by the Government, a suitable structure was erected in the park and after arrangements had been made, whereby the Misses F. and K.
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Died due to War Service
With Remberance Day coming up it seems a fitting time to acknowledge one of East Melbourne’s many residents who enlisted to serve their King and Country in the Great War. Shown here is Henri Joseph Lamande, in one of the more diverting photos in our society’s collection. For him perhaps there was the added incentive to visit the land of his ancestors.
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Recent acquisitions
The Consecration of St Patrick's Cathedral, Melbourne, 1897
This booklet is a reproduction of the 1898 orginal commemorative booklet published to record the consecration of St Patrick's Cathedral, Melbourne, on Sunday 31 October 1897, and the events that surrounded the occasion.
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Some of the Fruits of Fifty Years: Annals of the Catholic Church in Victoria
The book contains short individual histories of Catholic institutions and buildings in Victoria. With photos.
These include St Patrick's Cathedral; St Patrick's College; Christian Brothers' Schools, East Melbourne (Parade College).
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East Melbourne, George Street 205, Hepburn Terrace
Sales brochure for 205 George Street, East Melbourne. The house was to be sold mid-renovation. Permits had been obtained and permitted demolition taken place, but no building work yet started.
The brochure contains proposed plans only.
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History in newspapers
A file of newspaper cuttings from the late 1990s relating to Melbourne’s early history. Some relate to East Melbourne.
117 George Street – a report of the sale of Coniston, 117 George Street, East Melbourne. Mentions previous owner Mabel Goodyear. (1996)
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Jolimont, Wellington Parade South 101, Redcourt
Photo of large red brick house in the Queen Anne style, with terracotta roof and pebble dash panels.
The house was built in 1902 for Mrs Tabitha Ball, one of the founders of Ball and Welch, department store.
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Forthcoming activities
AGM and Mystery Photographs: an unveiling
AGM followed by a talk presented by Fiona Campbell
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