by David F Radcliffe
Frederick Peterson and Priscilla Hume were married at St James Cathedral in Melbourne in June 1869.[1] For 53 years, the couple were active members of the Port Melbourne community raising eight children here, five girls and three boys. Both Frederick and Priscilla came from families with strong connections to ships and the sea and this nautical tradition…
The Vintage Port Film Society was formed in 1990 and ran for sixteen years until 2006. Pat Grainger was a member and donated to PMHPS a dossier of film schedules, programme/program notes and some newsletters from 1995 to 2006 (Cat No 4482).
The Film Society was set up by Frank and Serena Steuart and monthly screenings took place at their…
A Random post about dogs from 2013 mentions that the Society holds a Register of Dogs in Port Melbourne from 1892 (Cat No 1730). In fact PMHPS holds six items relating to the registration of dogs covering the period 1882 to 1915 so let's take a closer look at the book that covers the years 1892 to 1901.
Dog Register…
Guardian Family Health Soap. PMHPS Collection Cat No 3423.03.
Among the PMHPS collection is an aged, chipped bar of unused Guardian Family Health Soap. And what's more, the Society also has the original box.
Box, Guardian Family Health Soap (front). PMHPS Collection 3423.02.
Guardian Family Health Soap was produced by J Kitchen & Sons Pty Ltd and the description on the rear…
A search of the Society's collection for Trugo (sport - trugo) today, 20 January, 2023, produces a list of eleven items. This story looks at three of those items to see what they say about the sport, in general, and Trugo in Port Melbourne in particular.
This is not intended to be an in-depth story about Trugo other than…
by David Thompson
The PMHPS Collection includes a number of plans and some of the older ones - the ones from the Sandridge days - are works of art.
Take, for example, Cat No. 88 - Elevation of Proposed Fence to Station Place Reserve.
Elevation of Proposed Fence to Station Place Reserve. PMHPS Collection, Cat No. 88.
The first thing you…
by Lex Johnson
Brass plaque for Rev F Platts on the pulpit from Holy Trinity Church, Port Melbourne (now located at Port Melbourne Town Hall).
In 1861 the Reverend F C Platts was appointed to Holy Trinity Church in Sandridge.
The congregation was to have some interesting years!
Frederick Charles Platts was born in India in 1823 where his father was…
by David Thompson
Dulcie Smith, Queen of the Sunday School and her Court, Holy Trinity Carnival, November 1931. PMHPS Collection.
For many years this photograph remained an uncatalogued item in the Society's archives but thanks to a plea for information on Facebook in May 2022 we now know that it is Dulcie Smith, Queen of the Sunday School and her court…
One of the loveliest items in the PMHPS Collection is Cat No 581, a small metal matchbox promoting Swallow and Ariell Ltd.
Swallow & Ariell Ltd promotional matchbox. PMHPS Collection (Cat No 581).
It is only 6cm by 4.3cm with a full coloured paper insert fitted into the lid with a swallow swooping over the words
With Compliments From Swallow &…
As the ubiquitous adoption of electronic mail and text messages on smart devices has become the norm for our daily communications the practice of exchanging Christmas cards has declined enormously.
It doesn't seem that long ago that mantlepieces, sideboards, desks and even office windows were crowded with festive cards. People sent cards to their friends and family, businesses to their important…