Royal Historical Society Victoria - History News

The Feb-March 2012 History News is now available online and in hard copy at the Sam Merrifield Local History Room, Moonee Ponds.

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Historic Homes of Essendon "Mar Lodge"

"Mar Lodge" was built in 1860 and was originally the residence of James Robertson, a wealthy pastoralist who used it as his hunting lodge and later owned by his son Francis Robertson. In 1888 the McCracken Brothers purchased "Mar Lodge" and it became a gathering place for the parties and dinners for the colony's elite. By 1919 the entire estate was sold to the Todd family however by 1929 the entire property was sold and on the 18th November, 1929 the Mar Lodge Estate was officially created, with 316 allotments available from 90 pounds.
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The Wonderful Waratah of Ascot Vale

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Once upon a time, in Ascot Vale, there was a cinema called "The Waratah". It was at the corner of Mt Alexander and Ormond Roads, and it first opened on June 25th 1925. Image of the Waratah in 1944, from the State Library of Victoria . The Waratah struggled. According to Grant Aldous' the Stop-over that Stayed , the Waratah suffered from competition with the nearby Moonee Ponds and New Ascot theatres, and soon the theatre was bought out by Hoyts. Even worse than their financial troubles though, the Waratah also suffered from banditry. In November 1921 , in Flemington, William Longley, a 21 year old employee, was hit over the head and robbed of the days takings (200 pounds) from the Waratah. Then in August 1937 , shots were fired when the managers of the Waratah and the Ascot Vale Bank were attacked. Cinema goers "ducked and ran for shelter" and the bandits made a get-away with the days takings from the Waratah (down to 21 pounds this time) in a stolen ca...
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History Mystery Monday: Where did Rosemary go?

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If you’ve ever visited Victory Park in Ascot Vale, you've probably noticed a bronze statue of a smartly dressed lady on the corner of Epsom and Langs roads, keeping watch over the intersection. She’s mostly known as Rosemary, or Rosie to her friends. Of the Australian soldiers who returned from the First World War, tens of thousands had suffered physical or psychological injuries which required much care and support. Once they were back home, this role mostly rested with the supportive the women in their lives- mothers, wives and sisters. The Rosemary monument is a life-sized representation of such a lady, dressed in the fashion of 1918. She was erected in honour of these caring women in August of 2015, commissioned by the wonderful organisation Women Caring for Veterans of War after 18 months of fundraising. Rosemary- photograph by Moonee Valley City Council Devastatingly, just 6 months later, the statue was stolen by thieves- leaving behind only Rosemary’s bronze shoes. Where did...
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