Who’s tailor sat at Elizabeth St? “My Tailor”

Wardrop’s was famous for its advertising with a large sign painted on its Elizabeth Street building. The famous “My Tailor” slogan originated when George Wardrop and a friend attended a meeting at Parliament House. When the discussions turned silent, his friend joked that George should opportunistically shout “Wardrop, My Tailor”. George refrained, but instead made stickers of that slogan and sticking it across any building he could find during his walks. According to George,

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SEEKING AN ADMINISTRATOR

Sadly, our lovely Emily Maiolo is leaving the RHSV as she is finishing her librarian’s degree and is leaving administration behind and moving into a new profession.

So we are looking for a new Administration Officer full-time and permanent.

The full position description with selection criteria and how to apply can be found here.

Applications close
5pm (AEST) Tuesday 13 August 2024.
Interviews will be held soon after the closing date and we hope to confirm the appointment by late August 2024.

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SEEKING AN ARCHIVIST

Applications close 5pm Tuesday 30 July 2024.

The RHSV is looking for a part-time Archives Officer to work 2 days per week on two large heritage-focused collections.

We have received funding to employ an Archivist for 5 days per week for 3 years to catalogue these two large collections. The 5 days per week will be split between our current Gidleigh Archivist (3 days per week) and this new Archives Officer position which is 2 days per week.

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CHERYL GRIFFIN’S LATEST ARTICLE NOW AVAILABLE IN CBD NEWS

An elegant colossus reaches for the sky

” Captured by amateur photographer Pierre Robin in early September 1959, this is one of the last photographs to capture the solid presence of the Colonial Mutual Building on the north-west corner of Collins and Elizabeth streets.

It rises here from a busy urban setting, trams running along the two major thoroughfares, jostling for space with pedestrians and vehicles. In the foreground is an iconic two-toned Holden FE station wagon,

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DON GIBB RHSV AUSTRALIAN HISTORY PRIZE 2024

Congratulations Ruby Louise Oosthuizen!

The annual Don Gibb RHSV Australian History Prize is awarded to the La Trobe University student who gained the highest mark in the third-year subject ‘Making History’ and , in 2024, the prize was presented to Ruby Louise Oosthuizen. Ruby made a podcast: ‘The Whitewashing of Australia’s Ecological History Seen Through the Tale of a Platypus’. Ruby is completing a double degree in Science and Arts. She earned a cash prize and an RHSV membership,

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2023 AGM & SGM, TUESDAY 28 MAY 2024

We look forward to welcoming as many members as possible to the RHSV’s Special General Meeting (SGM) and Annual General Meeting (AGM). To register for the SGM and AGM or to record your apologies please click here.  You can use the same link to book for the Weston Bate Oration which follows the AGM (with a short break for refreshments). Non-members too are always welcome.

On Tuesday evening,

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4th PODCAST LAUNCHED

 

Our 4th podcast, VOICES FROM MELBOURNE’S CHINATOWN, is available for download from Spotify.

 

In this episode of our History Victoria Podcast, Past Lives, Sean Reynolds interviews Mark Wang, CEO of Melbourne’s Chinese Museum to explore the evolving identity and culture of the vibrant Chinese-Australian community. 
 
Mark delves into his family’s deep roots in Victoria, tracing back to his great-great-grandfather who arrived before the gold rush.

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SEEKING VOLUNTEERS WITH LIBRARY SKILLS

Librarian / Library Technician

Jillian Hiscock, our Collections Manager, is always looking for volunteers with library skills and experience. She says …

If you like order and making sure that items in a collection are findable, we are looking for volunteers familiar with library operations, as a librarian or library technician to work with and assist the Collections manager to :

  • Accession, catalogue and maintain collection records [books,
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URGENT: PUBLIC RECORDS ADVISORY COUNCIL TO BE ABOLISHED

PROV is facing more than just funding cuts at the moment.

A bill was introduced into the Legislative Assembly this week by the Government that would, amongst other things, see the abolishment of the Public Records Advisory Council.  Given the importance of the PRAC in advising the Minister and the Public Records office on the operation and implementation of the relevant Act, and subsequently the storage and archival of public records, we were looking for feedback from the perspective of historical societies,

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FUNDING FOR VICTORIAN COMMUNITY HISTORY AWARDS & PROV’S LOCAL HISTORY GRANTS

The Royal Historical Society of Victoria has written to The Honourable Gabrielle Williams, Minister for Government Services regarding the faltering funding for the Victorian Community History Awards and PROV’s essential grants program, Local History Grants. These two modestly funded program are essential to the ongoing well-being of Victoria’s 350 historical societies which are a much-loved feature in every electorate across Victoria.

Richard Broome, RHSV President, has also written to all our members asking them to lobby the Minister and their local member to ensure that funding is secured for the quadrennial period 2024 –

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SAVE THE DATE: 18 + 19 May 2024 FOR RHSV’s REGIONAL SEMINAR WEEKEND IN MORTLAKE

We are delighted that Mortlake & District Historical Society will be hosting our first regional seminar for 2024.

We will release the full program and booking details shortly.

In the meantime, why not plan a weekend, or longer, in the Western District?

Mortlake is an historic settlement which lies at the base of Mount Shadwell, an extinct volcano. The town, which has a large number of impressive bluestone buildings,

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SAVE BALLARA: help save Alfred Deakin’s historic home and bush garden from development

The 1.68 hectare bush garden and historic home of Australia’s second Prime Minister Alfred Deakin is on the lands of the Wadawurrung People, in the middle of “old Lonnie” (Point Lonsdale, VIC). Ballara is under threat of auction and development.

Join the campaign to save Ballara for the nation and to give it a future.

THE THREAT

Ballara on Victoria’s Bellarine peninsula, remains in the hands of Deakin’s descendants. However, it is now under threat.

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Artist in residence: Alissa Duke

Through a donor we’ve been able to commission talented artist, Alissa Duke, to do a series of sketches of life at the RHSV. So, if you come in to the Drill Hall over the next few weeks you might see Alissa sketching corners of our library, our volunteers lunching together, books (of course!), suitcases, manuscripts etc  These sketches will appear in our 2023 Annual Report and I hope they’ll end up in the book shop as ‘merch’.

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Welcome Sean Reynolds aka Mr Ghost Signs

We are thrilled to announce that the RHSV welcomes a new Marketing Officer, Sean Reynolds, this week. Sean says, “I’ve had over two decades leading marketing and content production for global companies, such as Electronic Arts and Warner Bros. I’ve spearheaded strategic campaigns across digital platforms, TV and emerging social media channels. When I’m not finding the core story to connect the audience with brands, you’ll find me geeking out over history with my “Melbourne Ghost Signs”

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