Growing up in Port – Port Melbourne Historical and Preservation Society

Growing up in Port Melbourne – Port Melbourne 1920 – 1940

Growing up in PortMay 29, 2024

In 1920, as Australians emerged from the events of the First World War and the Spanish Flu epidemic, many people were ready to settle down to life as it had been before either of these traumas, yet here in Port Melbourne the people and their suburb were actually entering a period of transformation. Until 1920 most industry and housing was…

Growing up in Port Melbourne – Housing

Growing up in PortMay 29, 2024

In 1920 there was an eclectic mix of houses in Port Melbourne from grand, two story houses built in the 1870-1900 period to the shacks on Fisherman’s Bend behind New Pier. Some of the worst of the 19th century slums had been cleared as a result of Dr George Cuscaden’s work but many still remained as the photographs on the panel…

Growing up in Port Melbourne – Family

Growing up in PortMay 29, 2024

Aftereffects of World War 1 on Family Life: The long term human aftereffects of World War 1 have been little spoken of and only recently been the subject of research. Men who had spent extended time fighting in the trenches in Belgium and France rarely spoke about the horrors they experienced but the effects on their lives and the…

Growing up in Port Melbourne – Schooling

Growing up in PortMay 29, 2024

Although the majority of students did not go to a secondary school the concept of universal secondary education began to be considered. Gradually over the years 1920-1940 the number of students going to a secondary school increased but it was still only a minority until after World War 2. The secondary schools attended by Port Melbourne pupils were usually one…

Growing up in Port Melbourne – Community

Growing up in PortMay 29, 2024

A community is built up through shared experiences, during these twenty years there were various experiences that led to Port Melbourne becoming the close knit community that people often describe. There were also places where people gathered in good times and bad, particularly the pubs and churches. There were still many small corner pubs, although it was never true that there was a…

Growing up in Port Melbourne – Leisure

Growing up in PortMay 29, 2024

From a young age most children spent their free time unsupervised by adults. Sometimes an older sister or brother would be put in charge of their siblings, the one ‘in charge’ sometimes only seven or eight themselves. The freedom enjoyed by children even involved them going to the beach to play, although they might be forbidden from going in the…

Growing up in Port Melbourne – Sport

Growing up in PortMay 29, 2024

Baseball: The club was formed in 1929, originally known as The Port Melbourne Baptist Baseball Club. It has been a constant competitor in the sport ever since. Tennis: This is also one of Port’s oldest sporting clubs formed in 1884. It has been in its present location since 1903. Ladies at Graham St Tennis Club, 1920s. PMHPS Collection. Cat…

Growing up in Port Melbourne – Work

Growing up in PortMay 29, 2024

Of all the accounts of children’s work in the Society’s collection that of Sam Littlepage stands out. This account was sent to his grand-daughter who was doing a school project It is dated 30th June 2000. Stan’s daughter, Judith Theobold, typed up the account from her father’s dictation because his literacy skills were limited. This is not surprising when you read…

Acknowledgement of Traditional Custodians