Moonee Valley Family & Local History Blog

In March the Genealogical Society of Victoria will be offering the following lunch time talks. March 7th Death in Scotland Irene Fullarton March 14th Agricultural labourers: revealing their stories Allen Evans March 21st Diversions from the truth in family history Martin Playne GSV members free, non-members $8.00 Time 12.30 - 1.30pm Level B1, 257 Collins St,  Melbourne PH 9662 4455 gsv@gsv.org.au www.gsv.org.au

The Keilor Historical Society will be holding an Open Day at Harrick’s Cottage in Keilor, on Saturday 2nd March from 12pm-4pm.  Harrick's Cottage and its surrounding buildings are an example of early pioneer building in the Melbourne region. The earliest surviving part is a pole and scantling framed hut, probably built in 1861-62 by tenant farmer James Harrick. In 1883 Harrick acquired the land and added a  new timber and weatherboard addition of four rooms  in front of the original hut. The property remained in the Harrick family until 1929.

The archive collection at Sam Merrifield Library holds a number of unique items that form part of our Local History Collection. Most of the items are paper based and include books, manuscripts, cashbooks, ledgers, work catalogues and pattern books, but the archive also includes more diverse items such as dress making specimens and a boys woollen cap. Over the next few months we will be highlighting a number of these items and asking the public for any information they may have about the  businesses, families or events that we may mention.  Items in the archive are available to view by arrangement with library staff. W. E. Coutts Collection Our first collection of note are the records of local builder W.E. Coutts whose business ran from the early 1900’s to the 1970s. The records are an important source of information about local building trends over that time and include house plans and blue prints along with correspondence, books, ledgers...