RHSV Conference: The Other Face of War

Interested in the history of the First World War and how it affected Victoria? The Royal Historical Society will be hosting an exhibition on the Australian Red Cross in the Great War and conference on the theme The Other Face of War: Victorians and the Home Front in the city this August.

The opening of the exhibition will be on Friday 8th August, and Dr Bart Ziino of Deakin University will give a lecture entitled At Home with the War: the Great War in Victorian Private Life.

The next day there will be numerous talks by a variety of authors and academics looking at how the First World War affected Victoria.

For more info, the full program, and how to book, see: http://www.historyvictoria.org.au/rhsv-conference-2014

Remembering Fromelles

On the 19th July 1916 Australian troops took part in their first major offensive on the Western Front, the Battle of Fromelles. Over 7,000 Australians lost their lives.

A shell damaged farm near Fromelles. Photograph from the Australian War Memorial Collection.

In April this year a new museum opened in Northern France commemorating the Battle of Fromelles. This museum will be interest to those with ancestors who fought at Fromelles, as many men from this area did.

Learn more about the new musuem at: www.musee-bataille-fromelles.fr or about the Battle of Fromelles from the Australian War Memorial: https://www.awm.gov.au/units/event_159.asp

Julia

Family History Group and Family History Afternoon

We're starting a Family History Group based at Sam Merrifield Library in Moonee Ponds.

Come along for a family history themed afternoon, including the first meeting of the new group, on Tuesday 12th August.

Plus, there will also be a session on Researching Scottish Family History running from 2-3pm, so you can make it a whole afternoon of family history.

These events are both free, but bookings are necessary. Call 8325 1950 or book online at: mooneevalleylibraries.eventbrite.com.au

5000 Poppies

Melbourne based duo Lynn Berry and Margaret Knight are on a mission to create a field of more than 5000 handcrafted poppies in Federation Square, Melbourne, on Anzac Day 2015 as part of the Anzac Centenary Commemoration. The poppies will be a crafting community tribute to Australian servicemen and women and their families for their service and sacrifice in all wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations over the last 100 years.

In August Lynn Berry will talk about this innovative tribute and conduct workshops at our Sam Merrifield and Niddrie branches. Moonee Valley Libraries will be collecting and displaying poppies at our five branches through until Remembrance Day 2014. Poppies will then be forwarded for inclusion in the Federation Square display.

5000 Poppies Launch

Sam Merrifield Library Wednesday 6th August, 2pm.

Niddrie Library Wednesday 13th August, 11am.

For more information and patterns check the link at Moonee Valley Libraries

Could this couple be the Dundases of Flemington?

A library visitor has told us that the couple in these unidentified wedding pictures might be Fred and Ann (or Anne) Dundas of Wellington Street, Flemington.

I've been able to find out a little about the Dundas family. They lived in a grand house on Wellington Street named "Misteria" in the 1890s. Frederich was born in Mansfield in 1855, and became a wool and skin trader. Fred and Ann/e married relatively late, and had about three children. Ann/e is believed to have outlived Fred, living into her 90s. I haven't been able to find is any pictures of Fred and Ann/e to confirm it they really are the couple in our photos.

If there is anyone out there who could confirm that this is (or isn't) Fred and Ann/e Dundas, please contact the library. And please, if you know anyone who maybe knew the Dundases, please share this post!

Also, if you'd like to see more of the "unidentified photos" in our collection, and perhaps help identify some of the people, take a look at our Who do you think we were? Pinterest board.

Julia