East Melbourne Historical Society

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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Grand Rank Cabman's Shelter

Cabmen’s shelters had been a feature of London streets since 1875. These little buildings provided much needed shelter for cabmen while they waited for customers. But it was not until 1898 that an anonymous benefactor put up the money to erect the first of Melbourne’s shelters. Architect Nahum Barnet supplied drawings without charge, which were based on one of the London shelt

The cabman's shelter on its original site. Postcard c.1905

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‘Better to have a loaf on the table than a loaf in the Pub’

The Band of Hope was formed in England in 1847, with a more formal organisation set up in 1855. It was seen by many as a way to develop self-reliance in working men who could use temperance as a means to self-improvement by renouncing alcohol. It was a non-denominational movement, with branches set up by both Protestant and Catholic communities.

Member's card, Band of Hope. Source: Museums Victoria

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The Early Days of Women's Cricket

With the MCG within its boundaries East Melbourne has more than its fair share of sporting stories.

Coldstream Ladies Cricket Club, c.1908. State Library of Victoria

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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.

Ormiston, Grey Street, c.1903. From 'Pioneer Doctor' by Mary Kent-Hughes

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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.