Mortlake & District Historical Society Inc. in Mortlake, Victoria | Community organisation

Mortlake & District Historical Society Inc.

Locality: Mortlake, Victoria

Address: P.O. Box 116 3272 Mortlake, VIC, Australia

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22.01.2022 Mortlake Newsagency. Margaret Giddens standing in the doorway.

20.01.2022 Mortlake Debutantes and partners, 1986.

20.01.2022 Hot off the presses tonight comes the latest issue of our newsletter for members. Wondering what you can get someone as an unusual but lasting seasonal gift? How about an annual subscription to MDHS which will give you or someone special six issues of our newsletter? MDHS is always keen to increase its membership and values each member. A great deal of time and effort goes into producing each issue of 'Shadwell Stories'. Simply contact our Secretary Sue Potter at [email protected] for further details. And here's a teaser from tonight's issue. Enjoy.

19.01.2022 Apologies for my recent silence/absence. For those considering joining MDHS - and why would you not? - our May meeting is tomorrow, Sunday 16 May, 2 p.m. at the Mortlake Community Centre. All welcome (especially prospective new members!) Craige

18.01.2022 My mother and grandparents used to tell stories of what it was like living in Mortlake during the years of World War II when blackouts and curfews were commonplace. Blackouts were introduced in Mortlake in 1942. Mortlake Dispatch, March 11, 1942. Mortlake’s First Black-Out....Continue reading

15.01.2022 'That's an odd sort of photo to post', I hear you say. I've chosen this for several reasons. First, it was taken outside Mortlake's RSL Hall and shows the verandah no longer in situ. Secondly, not all of the women in this photo were attending the wedding reception being held on that day but the photo does illustrate how some dressed up to the nines simply to go and observe a bridal party arriving. Elegance. Thirdly, the photo commemorates my own parents' wedding in September 1956! My grandfather Gilbert Cathcart can be made out at extreme left and his nephew Frank Nicol is standing at right with back to the camera. Photo taken and shared with me by the late Margaret Giddens. Craige P.S. Note strewn confetti boxes.

14.01.2022 Another photo I posted some time ago but which many won't have seen. A view of Mortlake from the summit of Mount Shadwell in 1951. The photo was taken by own father, Alan Proctor, then aged 19, who came to Mortlake in that year to work in the CBC Bank and subsequently married the young woman who worked next door at Archer's Solicitors, Wanda Cathcart. Do forgive me for the personal anecdote! Craige

13.01.2022 Mortlake Off-shears sale, December 1931. Taken at the old saleyards and from the intersection of Officer and Kerr Streets. Hyland Street in middle of shot; Soldiers' Memorial Hall and the old museum in the background; Shaw Street/Darlington Road in background. Note sheep in pens between Hyland Street and Shaw Street.

13.01.2022 Three photos taken this afternoon of our Lone Pine plus one of it on the day it was planted on 25 August 2002, eighteen years ago.

11.01.2022 The new olympic-sized Swimming Pool at Mortlake under construction, replacing the original 1926 Baths. The new pool was officially opened in November 1967.

10.01.2022 Mortlake's Victorian Rangers contingent, Boer War era. Taken at the Recreation Reserve with the original grandstand.

10.01.2022 Did you know....? From 1892 Mortlake had its own museum and the building which housed it is still standing today. I wonder who knows where it was? I'll post more about this after you've had a chance to ponder that question. In the meantime.... The Local Museum... Mr J. R. Murdoch has lent a fine collection of mosses etc. to the Mortlake Museum. As the collection will only be on shown for a few weeks, the management of the Institute would like to see as many visitors as possible avail themselves of the opportunity of inspecting this exhibit. Amongst other things to be seen at the Museum are an extensive collection of aboriginal weapons and some implements, a beautiful collection of shells from the South Sea Islands, numerous specimens of rare birds as well as Victorian butterflies and many other interesting exhibits such as turf from the Emerald Isle, cases of ancient coins etc. The Museum is open every Thursday from 3 to 5 p.m. but during holidays visitors, by making application to the secretary, Mr W. Swinton, or the caretaker, Mr Jones, will be gladly shown round. From the Dispatch, Dec. 13, 1908.

08.01.2022 Mortlake Dispatch 12th May, 1897 EARTHQUAKE IN MORTLAKE About 3.20 or 3.25 on Monday afternoon, Mortlake experienced a slight shock of earthquake, or earth tremor. Those who felt it the worst were the stores, as the ironmongery hanging up started to waggle and tinware on the shelves rocked, while some declared they felt quite uncomfortable, a sensation akin to sea-sickness coming over them. The shock caused quite a sensation, in town the rattling of doors and moving of the ...tables making many feel eerie-like, while others thought that perhaps the A.I’s Dream of Mount Shadwell was going to become a bit too real. The earth tremor was felt at Eeyeuk, Mr Dennis feeling and seeing the chairs rocking. At Mr Black’s Noorat at the same time the tremor was felt. Mr Willis of Kilnoorat, who was on a visit there, reports that he saw the chair Mr Black was sitting in rock, and all felt the movement which was very similar to that of a boat in the water and caused alarm. The shock was felt at Melbourne, Camperdown, Koroit, Portland and Macarthur, where the vibration was so violent as to splash the water out of the tanks, and it made people ill. See more

08.01.2022 Hot off the presses tonight comes the latest issue of the MDHS newsletter. This 12-page issue heralds the Society's 20th anniversary and, as always, includes a number of interesting articles including Yours Truly's own reflections on being involved with the group over 20 years! New members always encouraged to join. You know you want to!

08.01.2022 Mortlake's Museum was established by Thomas Shaw in 1892 but all of the exhibits were housed temporarily out at 'Pyneyup' several miles out on the Darlington Road. In 1893 the purpose-built Shaw Museum was opened. A very popular attraction, in 1896 1,657 people visited it! It housed an astounding array of natural history objects and indigenous artefacts. By 1909 the museum was facing certain difficulties and it closed with the Victorian Museum offering to purchase a lot o...f the exhibits but in the end many of the items were sold to the Warrnambool Town Council. By 1910 the museum building had become the Shaw Recreation Hall and Billiards Room. It subsequently became home for the Mortlake RSL until 1947. It later became the Scouts' clubhouse and today is still known as the home of the Western District Spinners and Weavers group. I produced a booklet on the history of the museum some years ago. Select list of exhibits in the collection: Shells from the South Sea islands: Victorian butterflies; cases of ancient coins: stuffed birds, insects: reptiles including an iguana and snakes; indigenous weapons and implements; English, Scottish and Australian mosses and seaweeds; rabbit skins; candles from Fiji; swan, lowan and quail eggs; Korumburra coal; snake skins; railing from the Loch Ard; battle axe of a native Indian officer; Queensland opal; gold quartz; photographs of eminent people; carved water jug; alum cross; silk in cocoons; coral; engravings presented by Thomas Shaw; paving stones and lava from Pompeii; variety of Victorian woods; bar of turf from Coal Hill Mountain, County Tyrone; pair of convict leg irons; pyrites; Tasmanian coal; a four-footed duck.

04.01.2022 Did you know.....? That way back in December 1867 another Duke of Edinburgh visited Mortlake? HRH Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, 23, son of Queen Victoria, was on a progress around western Victoria - the very first royal tour to Australia - and stopped briefly at Mortlake to be seen by the locals on his way to stay with John Moffatt at 'Chatsworth House' (then known as 'Hopkins Hill') where he engaged in a number of pursuits including a kangaroo hunt. Picture is of 'Chatsworth House' at the time of the Royal Visit. Image Courtesy of the State Library of Victoria. Image No. IAN04/02/68/SUPP/4 http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/237805

04.01.2022 Did you know....? MORTLAKE HAD A SHOW IN 1861 From the Mortlake Dispatch, December 1944:... ‘It was currently mentioned during Saturday afternoon at the Show that Mortlake conducted a show 68 years ago. That would be in 1876. That is not so as records in the ‘Dispatch’ office give the following particulars which, at this juncture, make interesting reading:- ‘The first exhibition of agricultural produce held at Mortlake was in 1861, but there are no records available. The second exhibition was held at the Show Ground, on Polo Hill, opposite the Golf House, on the 19th March, 1862. A reservation of 15 acres was set aside by the Lands Department for show grounds. The second show was a great success. The president was Colin Campbell, and the vice-presidents, Hon. Niel Black, MLC, Thomas Learmonth, George Thompson, Alexander Anderson and Thomas Shaw. ‘The committee were: Jas. Aikman, William Anderson, R. Bourke, M. H. Baird, J. L. Currie, John Cumming, Andrew Chirnside, William Cumming, Thomas Dowling, Joshua Hunt, William Lewis, John Logan, D. Menzies, Francis Ormond junr., John Richie, John Simpson, D. Stewart, Jas Wilson, John Ware.’ The article then lists all winners and while these won’t be listed here in their entirety, it’s interesting to note the categories of exhibits in the 1860s. They included aside from the obvious categories one would expect at an agricultural show such as fruit, vegetables, grains and livestock of every conceivable description a hundredweight of tobacco; cheese; flitch of bacon; best plough; and thistle destroyer!

04.01.2022 A photo, almost certainly from the 1930s, of school sports on the Mortlake footy ground. Officer Street in the background and Hyland Street rising up the hill. Note the position of the goalposts from the days when the oval was aligned east-west before it's north-south realignment.

04.01.2022 Schools' Sports Day 1954.

03.01.2022 Mortlake Rifle Club, 1902.

03.01.2022 A reminder that the April meeting of MDHS Inc. will be held tomorrow, Sunday 18th, at 2 p.m. at The Ark Heritage Centre (not at the Community Centre). Anyone considering joining as a new member will be most warmly welcomed. Come and see what we're about! Craige (President)

02.01.2022 View towards Church Hill from Market Square, undated but after 1893 and before 1911. Note newly planted trees on Market Square and in Shaw Street and the original Mechanics' Institute building, still standing today. Spot the dog!