In 1887 a young seamstress in Limerick watched as other young people emigrated from Ireland. Ellen Mary Fitzgerald decided that she did not want to marry and have children in Ireland only to see them leave her for ever. Instead she decided to emigrate herself. Her first choice was North America but her mother refused to allow her to go.…
Olive's corner was officially so named on 7 December 2001 as a tribute to the life and values of Olive Zakharov - humanist and Federal Senator 1929 – 1995
Olive Zakharov was born at home in Kew on 19 March 1929.
Olive was educated at Ruyton Girls' School, the University of Melbourne, Melbourne Secondary College and R.M.I.T.
Olive worked at Watsonia High School…
Centenary Bridge c1949
It was not known as Centenary Bridge when it was built, but as the ‘Overhead Bridge at Station Pier’.
It was constructed in 1934 to make the ‘disgraceful’ Port Melbourne waterfront more attractive in Victoria’s 100th year. For decades, complaints about our waterfront’s unsightliness had gone unsorted. The piers with their handsome gatehouses at least had been completed, but…
From the collection
Scrapbook of Captain Harry Gray: Master of the Paddle Steamers PS Hygeia and PS Weeroona
Captain Gray kept a scrapbook of newspaper clippings of various shipping events and stories on Port Phillip Bay from 1888 to 1976 which was donated to the PMHPS by Joyce Gray of Swallow St in 2004. The clippings include newspaper articles which…
Trash & Treasure Market sign (c 2007) - Photo by David Thompson
I snapped this sign in 2007 on the fence at the former St Josephs Primary School site in 2007 near where Swallow Street diverges from Graham Street near the overpass but for me it has always raised one question. When, exactly, was the Trash & Treasure Market held?
Time for a bit of detective…
The Town Planning Commission report of 1929 was very critical of the entrance to Melbourne from Port Melbourne. It reported that 'this approach to Melbourne is a drab and shabby one'.
The honorary secretary of the Commission, Frank Heath, said hopefully 'What a difference a tree lined boulevard, extending for several miles around the esplanade would make to the Port Melbourne…