Royal Historical Society of Victoria

93rd Albert Jacka Commemoration: St Kilda Cemetery
2025-01-19 14:00 - 18:00 (Australia/Melbourne) | St Kilda Cemetery, Dandenong Road & Hotham Street, St Kilda East, Vic, Australia
The City of Port Phillip welcomes you to the 93rd Captain Albert Jacka V.C., M.C. and bar (1893-1932) Commemoration 2025 on Sunday 19 January. The commemoration will commence at the St Kilda Cemetery, Dandenong Road, St Kilda at 2:00pm for formalities followed by afternoon tea at St Kilda Town Hall, Cnr Brighton Rd & Carlisle St at 3:00pm. (please book: https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1319041)

Author, Peter Fitzsimons has been invited as a guest to the above commemoration and Peter will, at 5pm, launch his latest book, The Legend of Albert Jacka, at St Kilda RSL, 88 Acland St, St Kilda VIC 3182

Timetable of 3 separate events:

2pm Commemoration, St Kilda Cemetery
3pm – 4:30pm Afternoon tea, St Kilda Town Hall
5pm Book launch of The Legend of Albert Jacka, St Kilda RSL

NAA webinar: How to preserve your own records
2025-01-29 11:00 - 12:00 | ZOOM, Join from anywhere in the world
Have you ever wondered how you can safeguard your collection of records for the future?
Join us for this free webinar, our first co-presentation with the National Archives of Australia for 2025.
In this webinar, we’ll explore the variety of ways you can preserve records and historical collections at home or with your community organisation.
Discover how to protect fragile documents, photographs, and other records from the effects of time. Whether you’re a history enthusiast, a volunteer, or simply looking to care for your family’s keepsakes, this session will equip you with the knowledge to ensure their stories will continue into the future.
Housekeeping:
This event is delivered via Zoom and, 24 hours before the event, we will send the Zoom log-in details to all those who have booked
On booking you will be sent an automated confirmation email – if this isn’t found in your inbox please check your Spam mail or Junk mail folder as automated emails often fall foul of your ISP

Book Launch: Our Journeys in Australia 1947 -1977
2025-02-01 14:00 - 15:30 | Tobruk House, 44 Victoria Ave, Albert Park, VIC, 3205, Australia
The Polish Museum and Archives in Australia Inc. (PMAA) warmly invites you to the book launch of “Our Journeys in Australia 1947 -1977”, on Saturday 1st February 2025 at Tobruk House, Melbourne, at 2pm.
“Our Journeys in Australia 1947-1977” is the English translation of the book “Nasze Drogi w Australii 1947 – 1977” published almost 45 years ago. This book covers the first thirty years of the lives and work of the members of the Carpathian Brigade in Australia. These soldiers/settlers initially migrated to Tasmania in 1947 and 1948, and then settled in various parts of Australia. Many of their descendants have little knowledge of their fathers or grandfathers pasts, stories, and contribution to the Polish and wider community in Australia.
The event will include:

Book launch by Ed Kremzer – Honorary Consul of the Republic of Poland (Tasmania)
Q&A session
Opportunity to purchase the book
Refreshments

PMAA would be delighted to have you with us for this event.
Kindly RSVP by 30th January, 2025 by email to polishmuseumarchivesaustralia@gmail.com, or contact Barbara Capewell | 0402 002 429.

Think Tank: orientation/training programme for young people joining historical societies
2025-02-04 11:00 - 12:30 | ZOOM, Join from anywhere in the world
Murchison & District Historical Society wants to develop an orientation/training programme for young people – i.e. 14 – 18yo’s – to become volunteers for their historical society. Isn’t that a great idea? If your historical society has any experience in developing or running such a program, Kay Ball from Murchison would love to hear from you. {murch.hs@outlook.com}
The RHSV thinks that this idea is worth putting effort into and seeing if we can develop a template that can be adopted by many historical societies. To facilitate this I’ve organised a Zoom meeting for 11am Tuesday 4 February 2025 for everyone interested to get together and share ideas and experiences and to work out what can be done. So please do join Kay and me on Zoom and bring your ideas and enthusiasm and we’ll see what we can nut out together.
Kay Ball from Murchison says, “I have 15 x 2 hour sessions in mind (includes morning tea), that will be held on Saturdays and then some weekdays during school holidays. Planning on starting with about 8 in the group with two adults mentoring. Our volunteers have backgrounds in teaching, retail and business management as well as a passion for history so should be a good fit!”
Your Zoom log-in:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82712545917?pwd=[REDACTED]

Meeting ID 827 1254 5917

Passcode: [REDACTED]

Transgender Australia: A History Since 1910
2025-02-04 18:30 | Prahran Mechanics Institute, 39 St Edmonds Road, Prahran, VIC, 3181, Australia
Join authors Noah Riseman and Sam Elkin as they enter a conversation about trans history. They will weave together personal experience with historical examples to discuss changes to trans life and politics in Victoria since the early twentieth century. Their discussion will especially focus on the role of activism, as well as where activists and political causes have fallen short at addressing the real challenges facing trans Victorians on the margins.

Collecting Egyptology and Ancient History
2025-02-06 19:30 - 21:30 | Phyllis Hore Room, Kew Library, Civic Drive, Kew, Victoria, 3101, Australia
Please join us on Thursday Feb 6th for the first Antique Collectors Club meeting of 2025.
We are going Egyptian for the evening. Jennifer J. from Ankh Antiquarian Books is presenting a lecture on ‘Collecting Egyptology and Ancient History’.
Hosted by the Antique Collectors Club of Victoria Inc.
Venue: Phyllis Hore Room, Kew Library. Kew.
The talk will be followed with a light supper.
Non-members/Casual Entry $10.
Email: antiquecollectorsclubvic@gmail.com

Pre-European Indigenous culture in the St Kilda area with Gary Presland
2025-02-10 18:00 - 19:30 | St Kilda Army & Navy Club, 88 Acland Street, St Kilda, Victoria, 3182, Australia
The St Kilda area is part of the traditional lands of the Yalukit willam clan. As part of the Kulin nation, the Yalukit willam were connected to clans as far away as the Murray River. Dr Gary Presland will detail the nature of these connections and elaborate on how the Yalukit willam made a living, at the same time honouring and caring for their country. Gary has been researching, writing and talking about the Indigenous history and natural history of the Melbourne area for more than 40 years. He is the author of eight books on these topics, including First People: the Eastern Kulin of Melbourne, Port Phillip and Central Victoria. Gary is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society of Victoria and an Honorary Associate of Museum Victoria. He is also president of his local historical society, in Box Hill

Labassa Open Day
2025-02-16 10:30 - 16:00 | Labassa, 2 Manor Grove, Caulfield North, Victoria, 3161, Australia
Although more than 700 people have lived at Labassa, it has miraculously survived with most of its opulent Victorian era decoration intact. Come and experience the complex richness of Labassa’s architectural and human history. Young visitors will have fun tracking down all those non-human “critters” who still live at the mansion.
Guided house tours and tower tours operate through out the day, and the tea room is open 10.30am to 3.30pm.
Join us for a guided tour or opt for a self-guided tour.
Guided Tour Times:

11am: Interior House Tour
12pm: ‘Who’s been living in this house?’ Tour (Note: this tour goes upstairs)
1pm: Exterior tour
2pm: Interior House Tour
3pm: Interior House Tour

Tower tours:

10:45am, 11.45am, 12.45pm, 1.45pm, 2.45pm & 3.45pm

The tower will be open with a limit of 12 people per tour group. Due to the tower’s narrow, steep steps visitors are advised to wear sensible shoes.
Please arrive at least 15 minutes before your intended guided tour time. Capacity will be monitored on the day.
Cost: $0 – $50

2025 Billibellary Indigenous History Lecture: Breaking Australian Rules in Sport and History
2025-02-20 17:30 - 19:00 | RHSV Gallery Downstairs, 239 A'Beckett St, Melbourne, Victoria, 3000, Australia
We are delighted to invite our members and friends to join us for the 4th annual Billibellary Indigenous History Lecture to be delivered by distinguished academic Professor Barry Judd.

The Indigenous sport of Australian (Rules) Football is widely regarded as the national game at least in Melbourne and the State of Victoria. First codified in 1858 as the Melbourne Rules, today Australian Football as it is officially known is the most spectated sport nationally and the controlling body of the sport the Australian Football League (AFL) is one of the wealthiest most influential Australian institutions. The history of Australian Football and its origins in goldrush era Melbourne provides an exemplary example of why the rules that govern the discipline of Australian history need to be broken. By referencing the orthodox methodological approaches and research practices in the writing of Australian Rules Football histories this lecture shows how Indigenous peoples, knowledges and cultural practices can be eliminated from the Australian past. By referencing Australian football histories this lecture also shows how as productive settler-colonial relationships with Indigenous peoples can be made marginal and of insignificant importance.
Drawing on recent scholarly collaborations with Professor Kat Ellinghaus a trained academic historian, this lecture concludes by suggesting alternate approaches to the writing of Australian history that are inclusive of Indigenous Australian understanding of the past and therefore more capable of reconstructing more truthful understandings of the past. To do so the lecture concludes that an approach to historical research encapsulated by the ARC funding project Ngura Ninti is required.

Professor Barry Judd is a distinguished academic and accomplished leader, currently holding the positions of Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Indigenous) and Professor of Indigenous Studies in the School of Culture and Communication at the University of Melbourne. As the DVC (Indigenous), he plays a crucial role in shaping institutional policy, strategy, and guidance on all aspects of Indigenous higher education.
In addition to these duties, Professor Judd provides academic leadership to the Indigenous Studies Program through undergraduate teaching, Higher Degree Research supervisions, and research activity, all of which support the development of this emerging field of studies. He is a member of the esteemed Australian Institute for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) and was a foundation Chief Investigator of the National Indigenous Research and Knowledges Network (NIRAKN).
Professor Judd’s expertise is widely recognised, and he serves as a Board member of the Museums and Galleries of the Northern Territory (MAGNT) and the Life Again Foundation. He is also a member of the Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) committee of the Richmond Football Club.
Professor Judd’s academic background is extensive, with an MA in Public Policy and a PhD in Australian Indigenous Studies, as well as postgraduate qualifications in higher education teaching and learning. His research expertise lies in Australian race relations in Australian sports and interdisciplinary research methods in Indigenous Studies and Australian history.
With over 30 years of experience in supporting Indigenous activity in Australian higher education, Professor Judd is widely published and holds several current Australian Research Council research grants. His invaluable contributions to the field of Indigenous Studies are a testament to his exceptional work, inspiring and leading the way for future Indigenous leaders.

House-keeping
The Zoom log-in details will be sent, 24 hours before the event, to all those who have booked – please check your Spam or Junk Mail folder if you cannot find the email in your in-box. The Zoom event will start at 6pm (30 mins later than the in-person event).
As will all RHSV lectures, we will serve refreshments from 5:30pm until 6pm when the lecture will commence.

Geelong Numismatic Society is celebrating their 60th Anniversary
2025-02-22 10:00 - 15:00 | Belmont Uniting Church, 42 Thomson St, Belmont, Victoria, 3216, Australia
Come and see 60 years of history on display at the Western Money Fair Geelong
Wonderful displays and trade in Australian & International coins, banknotes, stamps and PNCs.
Accessories, collectibles, valuations and more
Book sale and craft trade

Entry $2 with door prize and special $2 raffle
Information at www.westernmoneyfair.com.au
westernmoneyfair@gmail.com
FB: Western Money Fair
Instagram: western_money_fair

AUTOMOTIVE HISTORIANS AUSTRALIA INC HONORS REG HUNT
2025-02-22 12:30 - 14:30 | RHSV Gallery Downstairs, 239 A'Beckett St, Melbourne, Victoria, 3000, Australia
WITH AN INTERVIEW WITH DAVID ZEUNERT
Reg Hunt, motor dealer, racing driver, collector and property investor was one of Melbourne’s best known and successful automobilists during his working life. Maserati historian, enthusiast and long-time friend, David Zeunert, will discuss with Mark Bissett Reg’s life exploits following a light lunch at the Royal Historical Society of Victoria.
Reg Hunt built one of Australia’s largest motor dealer operations and was known for his “Golden Mile” along the Nepean Highway, Elsternwick that included a 12-acre used car lot that held up to 2,000 vehicles and later Holden’s top selling dealership, Reg Hunt Rhodes.
Lesser known is Reg Hunt’s success in motor racing, particularly in his Maserati 250F Formula 1 car in which he competed against Stirling Moss, Jack Brabham, Stan Jones and others, earning the Australian Driver’s Championship in 1956. He is also remembered for his collection of Rolls Royce and WO Bentleys. Reg Hunt retired after 45 years in the motor industry, amassing some $95 million in property and a business that turned over $300 million per annum.
David Zeunert is a Melbourne based enthusiast/historian, a strong generalist with a particular passion for Maserati. It was via his ownership of Maseratis and the Maserati Club that David met Reg Hunt 40 years ago. Zeunert has a significant archive of Australian motor racing photographs, magazines and memorabilia. He has contributed his research knowledge to many authors. In addition, he has written for both club magazines and professional journals such as Benzina. Knowing Hunt as a friend, and many of those associated with Maserati in Australia places David uniquely to speak with authority about the late Reg Hunt’s racing and commercial achievements.

Lithographers, Artists and Painters: a guided walking tour of St Kilda Cemetery
2025-02-23 13:45 - 15:30 | St Kilda Cemetery, Dandenong Road & Hotham Street, St Kilda East, Vic, Australia
The next Friends of St Kilda Cemetery guided walking tour will be held on Sunday 23 February 2025 at 1.45pm for a 2.00pm start.
Please meet at the Dandenong Road Pavilion.
RSVP is essential and should be made to Geoff on 0448 740 195 or email foskcorg@gmail.com

Curator's talk: Yarra Birrarung Artists, Writers and the River exhibition
2025-02-25 11:00 - 12:00 | RHSV Gallery Downstairs, 239 A'Beckett St, Melbourne, Victoria, 3000, Australia
Join the curator, Dr Judith Buckrich, of our current exhibition Yarra Birrarung: Artists, Writers and the River in a behind-the-scenes talk about the exhibition.
The exhibition is an illustrated history of life on the Yarra. Through the lens of artists and writers, the exhibition explores how life has flourished on the river, including recreation, industry and land use, as well as infrastructure, natural history and social history.
Despite much despoiling, our river remains the vital artery of the city and beyond to the Yarra Ranges. Just as it was the fulcrum of Wurundjeri life, it continues to inspire and fulfil our lives. From the Heidelberg School to the MCG, the river has been a centre of Australian arts and culture for decades.
Judith Buckrich has published a book, of the same name, which is the first comprehensive illustrated history of the Yarra Birrarung from before European settlement to the present day, a 200 year story, examined through the lives of its creatives.
Dr Judith Buckrich was born in Budapest, Hungary in 1950 and emigrated to Melbourne in 1958. She has several entries in the Encyclopedia of Melbourne and Remembering Melbourne 1850–1960. Her book The Village of Ripponlea won a Victorian Community History Award in 2016 and Acland Street: the Grand Lady of St Kilda won the 2018 Fellowship of Australian Writers (VIC) Award for non-fiction. She has also published with Melbourne Books before, releasing The Long and Perilous Journey: A History of Port Melbourne in 2002. At present, she is working on an illustrated history of Fitzroy North.
Judith has written her own one-woman shows, short stories, feature articles and essays and worked as a curator, editor and translator. She was Chair of the PEN International Women Writers’ Committee from 2003 to 2009 and President of the Melbourne PEN Centre from 1993 to 2005. She is a past President of the Prahran Mechanics Institute Victorian History Library.
Housekeeping
This free event is in person only (no Zoom). Morning tea is served before the event.

You will be sent a confirmation email on booking. Please check your Spam or Junk Mail folder if you cannot find the automatically-generated email in your in-box.

Reel History: A Journey Through Victoria's Cinematic Past
2025-02-25 18:30 | Prahran Mechanics Institute, 39 St Edmonds Road, Prahran, VIC, 3181, Australia
Step into the golden age of cinema at the PMI Victorian History Library’s immersive film evening, presented by the Cinema and Theatre Historical Society (CATHS). This captivating event will transport you back to the early days of film in Victoria, showcasing the state’s pivotal role in Australia’s cinematic history.
Experience the magic of Australia’s first feature-length film, “The Story of the Kelly Gang” (1906), and witness the evolution of our local film industry. From the first film screening in Melbourne in 1896 to the groundbreaking developments of the 1920s, you’ll be treated to a curated selection of rare footage and pioneering works that shaped our cultural landscape.
This is your chance to see how Victoria led the way in early filmmaking, from the Salvation Army’s unexpected involvement to the introduction of Australia’s own sound system. Join us for an evening of nostalgia, discovery, and period appropriate movie snacks at the PMI Victorian History Library.

Family History Workshop: Learn How to Publish Your Family History
2025-02-26 10:30 - 14:30 | Prahran Mechanics Institute, 39 St Edmonds Road, Prahran, VIC, 3181, Australia
Are you sitting on a treasure trove of family stories, longing to share them with future generations? Join us at the PMI Victorian History Library for an enlightening one-day workshop that will transform your family history from cherished memories into a beautifully published book.
What You’ll Learn:

Design Like a Pro: Explore various layouts and printing styles that will make your book visually appealing and easy to read.
Picture Perfect: Master the art of photo placement to enhance your storytelling and create a visually engaging experience.
Binding Basics: Understand different binding methods and how to choose the perfect one based on your page count and style preferences.
Navigate the Publishing World: Learn how to effectively communicate with publishers and printers, ensuring your vision comes to life.
Print with Purpose: Gain insights into determining the ideal print run and managing costs efficiently.

This hands-on workshop is designed to demystify the publishing process, proving that with the right knowledge, bringing your family history to print is not only possible but enjoyable. Whether you’re a seasoned genealogist or just beginning to explore your roots, this workshop will equip you with the tools and confidence to preserve your family’s legacy for generations to come.

CATALOGUING CLINICS 2025
2025-02-27 11:00 - 12:00 | ZOOM, Join from anywhere in the world
Join Jillian Hiscock, the RHSV Collections Manager, each month in this informative and easy-going Zoom forum on all aspects of cataloguing collections for historical societies.
Jillian has a different topic each month and is happy to be guided by those who attend as to what they would like covered in upcoming clinics. Bring your questions (no matter the topic) – this is an interactive space where questions are encouraged. The RHSV does not endorse any particular cataloguing software – we believe it is horses for courses – and Jillian will talk about issues that impact on cataloguing whether you are using cataloguing cards or software.
The one-hour clinics are free and the Zoom log-in below is used every month in 2025, however, we do ask you to register each month as this enables Jillian to send you extra material / links etc after each session.
11am (AEDT) Thu 27 Feb 2025
11am (AEDT) Thu 27 Mar 2025
11am (AEST) Thu 24 Apr 2025
11am (AEST) Thu 29 May 2025
11am (AEST) Thu 26 Jun 2025
11am (AEST) Thu 31 Jul 2025
11am (AEST) Thu 28 Aug 2025
11am (AEST) Thu 25 Sep 2025
11am (AEDT) Thu 30 Oct 2025
11am (AEDT) Thu 27 Nov 2025
Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system.
Monthly: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/tZ0pcOiuqjItH9JWUaZk1ZrdaP1uA9d1Yqc1/ics?icsToken=DESnOhi_USXAWOo5GQAALAAAAOsufSxu9e_o1VvEoUWUiVuOT3wUceY4gYwdUjlaNrGDW1VrT1KjyEhE0aD9QHm4eoEg_M9GmHYiFwIZujAwMDAwMQ&meetingMasterEventId=3FhVroEqTuiqU-ygov-0vg
Join Zoom Meeting
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Meeting ID: 894 7164 9756
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Making the Shrine: Stories from Victoria's War Memorial with author and illustrator Laura J Carroll
2025-02-27 18:00 - 19:15 | Williamstown Library, 104 Ferguson St, Williamstown, VIC, 3016, Australia
Hobson’s Bay Libraries are hosting this FREE EVENT next Thursday evening at the Williamstown Library.
Laura’s book is a graphic novel which is very rare in the local history space, and she is going to speak to her use of Trove in the process of creating it. She also found that the memorial fountain in Williamstown Cemetery was designed by Wardrop & Scurry, the family architectural modelling business in which one of the Shrine’s two architects grew up in.
This is a FREE EVENT, however bookings are essential.
More information is available on the attached flyer here: Making the Shrine – Stories from Victoria’s War Memorial – Williamstown Library – 27 Feb.

Daylesford and District Historical Society 60th Anniversary Open Day
2025-03-02 10:00 - 14:00 | Daylesford and District Historical Society, 100 Vincent St, Daylesford, VIC, 3460
Daylesford & District Historical Society is celebrating its 60th anniversary with an Open Day!
FREE ENTRY TO MUSEUM
See our building repairs, painting, new roof and fittings, and meet our wonderful volunteers
Featuring Daylesford Brass Band 11:00am-11:30am
100 Vincent St, Daylesford.

Art exhibition: Iconic Footscray
2025-03-05 08:00 - 2025-03-21 17:00 | Footscray Connectivity Centre, 47 Paisley St, Footscray, VIC, 3011
Iconic Footscray is a colourful celebration of Footscray and surrounds, featuring illustrations by local graphic designer Susan Fitzgerald. The exhibition features much-loved and landmark businesses, past and present, including Footscray Market, Sims supermarket, Olympic Doughnuts, the Royal Hotel, (G.) Joe Squatrito barber and more. The work also explores links to the past and highlights how design evolves over time, predominantly through architectural style and signage details.
EXHIBITION LAUNCH: Thursday 6 March 2025, 5 to 7pm (FACEBOOK EVENT)
Entry is via Paisley St, on the corner of Albert St (opposite CommBank), Footscray. The gallery is located with VU Connectivity Centre, Metro West, but please note that the Nicholson Street entrance is closed.
EXHIBITION DATES: Wednesday 5 March to Friday 21 March 2025. The gallery is open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, and select weekends: Saturday 8 March (1pm to 4pm) & Saturday 15 March (5pm to 11pm, for the Little Africa Night Market).

'Victoria's Earliest Porcelain Works' with speaker Gregory Hill
2025-03-06 19:30 - 21:30 | Phyllis Hore Room, Kew Library, Civic Drive, Kew, Victoria, 3101, Australia
Join us on March 6th for our upcoming talk by Gregory Hill on ‘Victoria’s Earliest Porcelain Works’, discussing the formative years of Victoria’s porcelain industry in the 19th and 20th centuries.
The talk will be followed with a light supper.
LOCATION: Phyllis Hore Room, Kew Library, Thursday March 6th, 7:30pm
All welcome. Please register your interest in attending via email at antiquecollectorsclubvic@gmail.com
Non-members/casual entry: $10

March madness book sale
2025-03-08 10:00 - 2025-03-09 14:00 | Family History Connections Resource Centre, Cnr Railway Rd & Queen St, Blackburn, Victoria, 3130
This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for collectors, family history researchers, historians, and anyone else interested in books!
The books include Australiana, Victorian local histories, reference books, family history research, and many family histories.
There will also be assorted stationery items for sale.
To be held at
Family History Connections Resource Centre
Unit 1, 41 Railway Rd, Blackburn

McIntyre Lecture delivered by Emeritus Professor Richard Broome AM on ‘The Power of Place – Melbourne’s Lanes’
2025-03-12 19:30 - 21:30 | Just Theatre, Kew Court House, 188 High Street, Kew, VIC, 3101, Australia
Join Kew Historical Society to hear Professor Richard Broome AM, FAHA, FRHSV discuss The Power of Place. The Story of Melbourne Lanes, the making of Melbourne’s lanes and books about the lanes.
Melbourne’s laneways have always been dynamic and great survivors, adding to the importance of the strong belief, in this age of waste, demolition and rebuilding, that preserving the characteristics of a city’s evolution is an essential part of remaining unique and refreshingly different from other cities.
Robin Boyd wrote in Victorian Modern in 1947 that, ‘The little lanes were the honest streets of Melbourne’.
About Professor Richard Broome
Professor Broome taught Australian and Indigenous History at La Trobe University for over three decades.
He is currently President of the RHSV and co-editor of the Victorian Historical Journal and was a former co-editor of Australian Historical Studies.
He is the author of 20 books. His latest co-authored book with the RHSV is The Story of Melbourne’s Lanes – Essential but Unplanned (2024). Copies of this book will be available to purchase for $50 and all proceeds will go to the RHSV. Cash is preferred.
Refreshments will be served.
We welcome your attendance at the Just Theatre, Kew Court House, 188 High Street, Kew, 7.30pm for 8pm. Tickets are priced at $20 and can be purchased at the door, by phone to 9278 4770 or via this link:
https://www.boroondara.vic.gov.au/events/mcintyre-lecture-2025-power-place-story-melbourne-lanes
Refreshments will be served before and after the Lecture. This annual event is always a wonderful occasion and we are delighted that a speaker of Richard’s calibre and experience is available to present it this year.

THE WWI BATTLEFIELDS OF VERDUN
2025-03-16 14:00 - 16:00 | Ellis Cottage, 10 Nillumbik Square, Diamond Creek, VIC, 3089, Australia
Nillumbik Historical Society invites you to a presentation and talk, The WWI Battlefields of Verdun, by Terry Phillips at 2pm Sunday 16 March
Terry has visited the battlefields of France and Belgium for many years. He is a military history expert
who regularly gives talks and presentations to community groups and schools.
The presentation will be followed by a light afternoon tea
Tickets: $10pp
Venue: Ellis Cottage, Ellis Cottage Reserve, off Main Hurstbridge Road, Diamond Creek

RSVP: 14 March 2025
nillumbikhs.sec@gmail.com
Payment in advance to (Bendigo Bank 633-000 – 122948409 Nillumbik Historical Society) or in cash on the day
Photo caption: The former battlefield of Verdun still bears the scars of the terrible fighting that took place there in 1916

Feminists to felons: exhibiting women’s history
2025-03-18 17:30 - 19:00 | RHSV Gallery Downstairs, 239 A'Beckett St, Melbourne, Victoria, 3000, Australia
Each year, to celebrate Women’s History Month, the RHSV offers our Women’s History lecture, part of our Distinguished Lecture series.
Museums in the 1970s were largely masculine preserves, staffed almost exclusively by men in white coats. Women were thin on the ground. Their stories were equally rare. Those few women who did appear in museum exhibitions were mostly royal women, or in the Australian context, governors’ wives. But as feminist historians recast the discipline, museums followed in their wake. From feminists to felons, matriarchs to monsters, women’s stories began to be presented in exhibitions. This lecture explores some of the challenges encountered in exhibiting women’s history, especially where the stories themselves might be described as ‘difficult history’. Are there ‘no-go’ areas in history exhibitions, and what happens if we challenge them?
Margaret Anderson is a public historian and museum administrator who is director of the Old Treasury Building. Before taking up this position she was CEO of the History Trust of South Australia. In a long career she held senior museum posts in Western Australia and South Australia and in the 1980s was foundation director of the Migration Museum in Adelaide. In between she taught history and material culture studies at Monash University.
Margaret is a feminist historian with research interests in women’s history, the history of the family, and material history. She is especially interested in debates about conflicted views of the past and the capacity of museums to present inclusive content, including ‘difficult histories’.

House-keeping
The Zoom log-in details will be sent, 24 hours before the event, to all those who have booked – please check your Spam or Junk Mail folder if you cannot find the email in your in-box. The Zoom event will start at 6pm (30 mins later than the in-person event).
As will all RHSV lectures, we will serve refreshments from 5:30pm until 6pm when the lecture will commence.

The World of Mab Grimwade
2025-03-18 18:30 | Prahran Mechanics Institute, 39 St Edmonds Road, Prahran, VIC, 3181, Australia
Born into a genteel family of pastoralists and investors in colonial Victoria, Mabel Louise Kelly (1887–1973), or ‘Mab’ to those who knew her, would grow up to make an enormous contribution to Victoria and Australia. Most evidently, it was made through bequests to the University of Melbourne and through the donation to the university of a large, diverse and highly valuable collection of books and artworks. Mab Kelly married Russell Grimwade—chemist, botanist, industrialist and philanthropist—in 1909, and much of her life from that point was publicly defined by her husband’s narrative. While Russell Grimwade left a large private collection including autobiographical papers, letters, and miscellanea that could be accessed by his biographer, Mab preserved very little in the way of personal papers. How do we recover the lives of women who left little documentation? How do we piece together their stories and cultural impact? Using Mab Grimwade as a case study, this talk addresses some of the methodological problems faced by historians writing biographies of women.

The Power of Place: The Story of Melbourne's Lanes' - Richard Broome Talk at Malvern Historical Society
2025-03-19 19:30 - 20:30 | Malvern Town Hall, Corner High Street and Glenferrie Road Malvern, Melbourne, 3144, Australia
Join members of the Malvern Historical Society Committee for a lecture by author Professor Richard Broome at the Malvern Town Hall on Wednesday 19 March 2025 at 7:30pm.
Professor Richard Broome, AM FAHA FRHSV, will present a lecture on ‘The Power of Place. The Story of Melbourne Lanes’. He will discuss the making of Melbourne’s Lanes and books about the Lanes. Professor Richard Broome is an Emeritus Professor in History at La Trobe University and President of the Royal Historical Society of Victoria.
Copies of Richard Broome’s Book The Story of Melbourne’s Lanes will be available for purchase, $50 on the night. All proceeds go towards the Royal Historical Society of Victoria. Cash sales onl.
Bookings are essential for seating allocation.
RSVP by Friday 14th March
Phone: Jonathan – 0420 986 884
Email: malvernhistorical@yahoo.com

Louise Lovely's Labassa
2025-03-21 18:00 - 21:30 | Labassa, 2 Manor Grove, Caulfield North, Victoria, 3161, Australia
Session 1: 6pm – 7.30pm
Session 2: 8pm – 9.30pm
Film pioneer Louise Lovely was Australia’s most successful actress in Hollywood’s early silent era and Labassa’s most celebrated resident of the 1930s. Delve into Miss Lovely’s extraordinary life story as a star of stage and screen and learn what her splash of glamour brought to Labassa and its community.
Beginning with light refreshments in Labassa’s opulent Drawing Room, guests will then attend a talk on the world of Louise Lovely and her cinematic achievements. A guided tour will take guests back to the 1930s, highlighting how the property appeared at that time.
Guests are invited to add to the ambience of the evening by dressing in 1930s style. Please note stiletto heels are not permitted to be worn inside Labassa.
Labassa mansion is a National Trust Property recognised for its opulent 19th-century interiors. Built between 1863 and 1890, the Mansion is in the French Renaissance style. The Mansion was converted into flats in 1920 and augmented in 1936 by the building of a block of Art Deco flats to the east.
Important Information:

Ticket includes: Refreshments, talk and guided tour.
Refreshments: Please advise any dietary requirements no later than 4pm Wednesday 19th March 2025 to bookings@nattrust.com.au.
Limited Capacity: 50 guests per session. Bookings essential. No refunds are possible after 4pm Thursday 20th March 2025.
Accessibility: Disability access is available by prior arrangement. Access to the first floor is by stairs only.
Parking: No parking available on Manor Grove.
Stilettos are not permitted to be worn inside of Labassa mansion.

Cost: $42.28 – $47.44

The Yallourn Briquette Works, 1925-1971: The Making & Marketing of Bernie's Heat Nuggets with Matthew Churchward
2025-03-25 17:30 - 19:00 | RHSV Gallery Downstairs, 239 A'Beckett St, Melbourne, Victoria, 3000, Australia
Join Engineering Heritage Victoria and the RHSV at an illustrated talk to mark the centenary of the Yallourn Briquette Works. Achieving its first commercial production in February 1925, the Yallourn Briquette Works was the third key element of the ambitious state-owned enterprise to harness the immense brown coal resources of the Latrobe Valley. Championed by the Victorian geologist and engineer Hyman Herman, later remembered as the ‘father of Yallourn’, and constructed under the leadership of Sir John Monash, the Yallourn Briquette Works consumed at times up to half the output of the Yallourn Open Cut, transforming the damp crumbly raw brown coal into hard shiny nuggets of energy that could be readily transported, stored and burnt.
Complementing the electricity flowing from the Yallourn Power Station, the train loads of briquettes dispatched daily from Yallourn filled a thriving demand for industrial and domestic fuel, helping Victoria to become independent of the vicissitudes of imported black coal supplies. Over half a century the Yallourn Briquette Works played a key role underpinning the State’s industrial and social development.
Our speaker Matthew Churchward is Senior Curator of Engineering & Transport at Museums Victoria, which holds examples of the first and last briquettes made at Yallourn and an extensive photographic collection documenting the construction of the Briquette Works. Over the past three decades Matthew Churchward has worked extensively on collections and database development, public programs, exhibitions and the creation of websites and online content. His research interests encompass Victoria’s mining, engineering and transport history including shipping, railways, roads, bridges, ports, sewerage, water and electricity supply.

CATALOGUING CLINICS 2025
2025-03-27 11:00 - 12:00 | ZOOM, Join from anywhere in the world
Join Jillian Hiscock, the RHSV Collections Manager, each month in this informative and easy-going Zoom forum on all aspects of cataloguing collections for historical societies.
Jillian has a different topic each month and is happy to be guided by those who attend as to what they would like covered in upcoming clinics. Bring your questions (no matter the topic) – this is an interactive space where questions are encouraged. The RHSV does not endorse any particular cataloguing software – we believe it is horses for courses – and Jillian will talk about issues that impact on cataloguing whether you are using cataloguing cards or software.
The one-hour clinics are free and the Zoom log-in below is used every month in 2025, however, we do ask you to register each month as this enables Jillian to send you extra material / links etc after each session.
11am (AEDT) Thu 27 Mar 2025
11am (AEST) Thu 24 Apr 2025
11am (AEST) Thu 29 May 2025
11am (AEST) Thu 26 Jun 2025
11am (AEST) Thu 31 Jul 2025
11am (AEST) Thu 28 Aug 2025
11am (AEST) Thu 25 Sep 2025
11am (AEDT) Thu 30 Oct 2025
11am (AEDT) Thu 27 Nov 2025
Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system.
Monthly: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/tZ0pcOiuqjItH9JWUaZk1ZrdaP1uA9d1Yqc1/ics?icsToken=DESnOhi_USXAWOo5GQAALAAAAOsufSxu9e_o1VvEoUWUiVuOT3wUceY4gYwdUjlaNrGDW1VrT1KjyEhE0aD9QHm4eoEg_M9GmHYiFwIZujAwMDAwMQ&meetingMasterEventId=3FhVroEqTuiqU-ygov-0vg
Join Zoom Meeting
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Meeting ID: 894 7164 9756
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The History of Georges of Collins Street
2025-04-03 19:30 - 21:30 | Phyllis Hore Room, Kew Library, Civic Drive, Kew, Victoria, 3101, Australia
Please join us on Thursday April 3rd for our next meeting and talk on GEORGES of Collins Street.
Our speaker Justin Maclean will be discussing the store history, and the merchandise they sold.
All welcome. Please register your interest in attending via email at antiquecollectorsclubvic@gmail.com or meet us at the Kew Library on meeting night.
Non-members/casual entry: $10
