Activities
Heritage Conservation
Conserving the Heritage of East Melbourne is the one of the principal aims of our Society. Whether it is the renovation of our own home or a public building, the depredations of time create many challenges for the heritage architect many of which can't be anticipated.
John Briggs is an architect and a conservation advisor to the City of Melbourne. He has been involved in many major projects including in East Melbourne. Using his recent experience in restoring the Fitzroy Town Hall John will share with us some of the challenges and solutions.
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- 1773 reads
US Military Forces at the MCG
The Melbourne Cricket Club Library has recently received some new material, including photos, dating to the Second World War when US military forces were based at the MCG. Alf Batchelder will
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- 1805 reads
Tour of Abbotsford Brewery
Breweries once dotted many of Melbourne's inner suburbs including East Melbourne. Our brewery has now been converted to apartments but a visit to the one in Abbotsford will give us a glimpse of what used to happen in Victoria Parade. The tour will end with tastings.
Numbers very strictly limited!
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- 2550 reads
Yarra - A Diverting History of Melbourne's Murky River
Kristin Otto's entertaining history of the Yarra River begins with the Kulin nation and its stories of creation and follows through to the building boom of the twentieth century. Through the millennia, the Yarra has been home, the source of life and the site of corroborees, entertainments, intrigues and endeavours of every description.
- 1907 reads
Annual General Meeting
The AGM of the East Melbourne Historical Society. The President and Treasurer will report to members and elections will be held for new officers and committee members.
The AGM will be followed immediately by a History of the Yarra River presented by Kristin Otto.
- 1600 reads
The Fight to Legalise Abortion
[This talk has been rescheduled as shown above.] Dr. Jo Wainer will talk about the history of the fight to decriminalise abortion.
Dr. Wainer and her husband, Dr. Bertram Wainer, were the leaders of the movement, and founders of the Fertility Clinic in Wellington Parade. East Melbourne has long been a place where someone in need could find an abortionist, and abortion and the fight to legalise it are now very much part of the suburb's history.
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- 1691 reads
Dr. Cairns and Cairns Memorial Church
Lawrence Moore told us about the life and times of Rev. Dr. Adam Cairns and the history of the church named in his memory. Lawrence was organist and member of the congregation before the church was destroyed by fire and is an authority on Presbyterian church history.
- 1666 reads
Bishopscourt tour
An informal tour of Bishopscourt generously hosted by Archbishop Philip and Mrs. Joy Freier and guided by Bishop James Grant and Helen Page.
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- 2153 reads
Life at Bishopscourt
Following our AGM, Rev. Clemence Taplin, daughter of Frank Woods, Archbishop of Melbourne 1957–1977, and Primate of the Anglican Church of Australia 1970–77, will talk of her memories of growing up at Bishopscourt.
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- 1545 reads