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 news
President's Christmas Letter & Membership Renewal
Dear Members,
It has been a topsy turvy year for us all but thankfully we seem to be headed in the right direction in managing the spread of the COVID virus.
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- 263 reads
Article in the Australian 24 AuReopening of St Peter's Plaza Eastern Hill, 10 November 2019
On 10 November, St Peter’s Plaza and the restored ‘Cross of Sacrifice’ were re-opened to the public. Dating from 1924, the cross is a memorial to the fallen soldiers of World War 1, modelled on wayside crosses in France and is the only one of its kind in Australia.
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Jolimont Station: submission
The East Melbourne Historical Society has recently nominated Jolimont Station for inclusion on the Heritage Victoria register. The station has been a long overlooked part of our history. It does not appear even on the City of Melbourne's Inventory of Heritage Places.
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Phil Ruthven Slides Available
There was an excellent attendance at our event on Wednesday 21 June 2017 when Phil Ruthven took us on a trip down Memory Lane looking back to Australia, Melbourne and East Melbourne in 1853 and 1953 to the present day. He also had the courage, audacity some might say, to predict what the circumstances might be in 2053.
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Forthcoming activities
Recent acquisitions
East Melbourne, Powlett Street 059, Enfield Place
Real estate article which gives some of the history of the house. It was built in 1872 for Robert Jacomb by William Rankin.
- 56 reads
East Melbourne, Powlett Street 091, Rannoch
Brochure advertising auction of 91 Powlett Street, East Melbourne scheduled for 30 May 1998. Colour photos.
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East Melbourne, Hotham Street 100, Castle Coombe
Brochure advertising auction of Apartment 6, 100 Hotham Street, East Melbourne scheduled for 21 February 1998. Colour photo. Floorplan.
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East Melbourne, Powlett Street 035
Brochure advertising sale by private treaty of Apartment 2, 35 Powlett Street, East Melbourne. Black and white sketch.
- 67 reads
East Melbourne, Powlett Street 053, Regents Gate
Brochure advertising auction of Apartment 4, 53 Powlett Street, East Melbourne scheduled for 18 February 1984. Black and white sketch. The apartment sold for $101,000.
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