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
Former Yarra Park School
The East Melbourne Historical Society is undertaking a project on the history of the former Yarra Park State school.
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Spotted: a Spotted Pardalote in Jolimont
This tiny Spotted Pardalote was recorded in a cottage garden in Agnes Street, just up the road from a huge demolition taking place on Jolimont Street. It was nervously flitting between a branch and a small verandah ledge. The noise from the jack-hammers and diggers was too great to hear or record its call. We were quite concerned that its habitat had been destroyed, but a couple of days later we saw it again in the same garden before it flew next door into a much more protected bushy garden. We can only hope that it lives and thrives with its family without further disturbance. See a video at: https://emhs.org.au/catalogue/emdf0455
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- 114 reads
"Art making and art collecting are vitally intertwined and mutually dependent."
Hello fellow East Melbourne community members,
I am seeking a community of people in East Melbourne who love art, and chose to collect art objects for their homes. My name is Kayla, and I live locally on Gipps Street. I am studying Art History and Curation at Monash University. Currently I am working on a curatorial project that will attempt to survey the works of art in homes in East Melbourne. By doing this I aim to initiate a community discourse surrounding art collecting, and explore an alternative method of creative placemaking. I am interested in learning anecdotal local histories through a person's art collection. This project aims to identify why and how East Melbourne locals collect art. I’m keen to understand my local community’s interests when it comes to the art they choose for their homes. I hope to connect with local people with a shared passion for art.
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Remembering the Great War
On November 11 every year we remember the dead of the Great War and especially our Australian dead, those young men who, in loyalty to England and with a sense of adventure joined up in their thousands, leaving behind families, jobs, friends and thinking they’d be ‘home by Christmas’.
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- 137 reads
Queen Bess Row and Madam Midas
Queen Bess Row, 72-76 Hotham Street, is possibly East Melbourne’s most remarked upon building. Its three red-brick, four-storey houses exhibit a rich decorative scheme of gables and arches which single it out among the smaller and more conservative houses around it.
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Forthcoming activities
Yarra Park State School: it's establishment and early days
Ian Hind has been researching and compiling a history of Yarra Park State School for over a year and has uncovered a mass of material.
He will tell us about the whys and wherefores of the school's establishment and regale us with some stories of those who made it happen. Stories, too, of early students and what life was like for them at the school.
- 164 reads
Recent acquisitions
"The Victorian Artists' Society" by Dr Graeme Williams
Video of a presentation to the East Melbourne Historical Society by Dr Graeme Williams on 15 June 2022.
- 121 reads
Spotted Pardalote in Agnes Street, Jolimont
Spotted Pardalote observed in Agnes Street, Jolimont on 26 July 2022. An extremely noisy demolition was taking place a couple of houses down and the bird seemed very agitated. Its call could not be recorded above the noise. A few days later it was found in same cottage garden but flew next door into a bushy garden.
- 110 reads
"John Glover and Me" by Dr Sue Barker
"John Glover and Me"
Video of a presentation to the East Melbourne Historical Society by Dr Sue Barker on 17 August 2022.
- 197 reads
East Melbourne, George Street 21, 23, 25, Georgian Court
An article explaining the benefits of repurposing old, out of date terraces. In this instance the terraces have been converted to six flats, each with four rooms. The architect was PJW Murfett. Before and after illustrations.
The building now operates as a bed and breakfast accommodation.
- 138 reads
Three brothers: William, Joseph and James Baxter c.1890
A portrait photo of three men. They are brothers, William, Joseph and James Baxter. Joseph Baxter (1839-1918) was the builder and first owner of the house at 121 Gipps Street, East Melbourne.
The photo was taken c.1890 at the studio of Barroni & Co., 109 Elizaebth Street, Melbourne, nr. Bourke Street.
The photo was sourced from Ancestry.
- 122 reads