Greensborough - Do you recall?

Greensborough Historical Society have published the second volume of their collection of local stories from country to surburbia.  Memories and photographs have been gathered from past and present residents from Greensborough, Watsonia, Greenhills, Briar Hill, Grace Park and Montmorency.
Do You Recall? is available for loan and by visiting the Diamond Valley Library local history collection.

Greensborough Historical Society Open Day and Book Launch

Members of the community are invited to the Greensborough Historical Society's Heritage Day 2017 to be held Saturday 28th October.  This will include a walk through the Yandell Reserve at 1.00pm to be followed by the launch of their latest book: "Do you Recall?" at 2.00pm at Greenhills Neighbourhood House, Community Drive, Greensborough.  Enjoy afternoon tea following the formalities.

This new book is a second volume to the hugely successful As I recall featuring 26 stories of life in the Greensborough District over the years which was published in 2013.

All welcome.

Further details at: Greensborough Historical Society.

Robert Whatmough: Pioneering Victorian horticulturalist

A new book for the Diamond Valley Library Local History collection has been recently added.  A circulating copy is also available.  Robert Whatmough : Pioneering Victorian horticulturalist by Jacinta Crealy.

In 1824, nine-year-old Robert Whatmough began work at a local cotton mill in his home town of Rochdale, Lancashire, a product of the widespread poverty of his time. In 1887, Robert died in Greensborough, Victoria a wealthy and respected pioneer, whose horticultural achievements were awarded many times over.
A combination of biography and social history, Robert’s story explores the Chartist movement, migration on the troubled ship Georgiana, surviving in the infant town of Melbourne in 1841, working on John Batman’s garden and developing his own prosperous gardens in Greensborough. There are riots, bushrangers, horse racing, the Black Thursday bushfires, the Victorian gold rush, fraud and a life-changing murder.
Robert’s horticultural passion motivated his life. He developed new fruit varieties and participated in many exhibitions. As a committee member of the Horticultural Society of Victoria from 1859 to 1871, Robert worked with his peers to create the Burnley Gardens of Richmond, run local exhibitions and manage the horticultural sections of the enormous intercolonial and international exhibitions which took place during the mid to late 1800s in Melbourne.

Greensborough Honour Roll

A new title for the Local History Collection at Diamond Valley Library: The Old Borough was good enough: the Greensborough SundaySchool Empire Honour Roll 1914-1919 and other servicemen from both World Warswas compiled by Bryan Henderson after his search for the missing Greensborough Sunday School Empire Honour Roll and his interest in local Methodist boys who enlisted in World War One.

The Roll was located at the Greensborough RSL and will be hung when renovations are complete.

This book profiles over 30 Greensborough WW1 enlistments in addition to nine gentlemen who served in World War 2 along with notes on related battalions, maps and photos.   

Queen’s Honour to Greensborough historian

The Order of Australia in the General Division was recently awarded in the Queen's Birthday Honour list to Mrs Valerie Wilson. Val now a resident of Mornington has a long time connection to the Greensborough area and has been active in the Greensborough Historical Society, especially in its establishment period during 2010. She has also been involved in other local heritage activities. Visit the It's an Honour Website. Congratulations Val.

Image: Methodist Church, Main Street, Greensborough. Site of new shopping complex before construction in 1983. The Church was built in 1872. Date of photograph unknown.

Diamond Valley Local History Digitisation Project (Yarra Plenty Regional Library)

Book Review: The Tour: a memoir by Denise Scott

Actress and comedian, Denise Scott was raised in Greensborough.  This autobiography: TheTour: a memoir (a metaphor for life really) is an easy, fairly entertaining read with stories from her life including growing up in Greensborough and area. Her account of preparing for an impending bushfire as a lone young girl while her mother helps the residents of the aged care facility across the road is actually quite heart wrenching.  The book reveals some surprising family secrets. She is certainly not afraid to “put it out there” at times.  She certainly wanted to (and continues) to live life at its fullest. If you enjoy contemporary memoirs with a local flavour this one is for you. 

Swimming in Greensborough

Were you one of the thousands of people who learned to swim at the Greensborough outdoor swimming pool?  Greensborough Historical Society recently set up a new display on the history of swimming in the district at Diamond Valley Library at the rear of the Local History collection cabinet. 

The display includes photographs and historical newspaper articles from  the days of swimming in the Plenty River to the opening of the new WaterMarc facility.

Greensborough Historical Society Inc.

Heritage Forum

Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th October

from 12.30 to 4.30pm

in conjunction with the

Diamond Valley Learning Centre

Greensborough Park

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Saturday is an Information Day with displays and a talk about our diverse and interesting past.

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Sunday will be a walk up along the Plenty River finding out who lived where and there roll in Greensborough's Development

Followed by afternoon tea and live music

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Bookings Essential for the walk

 Ring 9435 4513 or DVLC 9435 9060

Greensborough Historical Society’s Heritage Weekend

In partnership with the 2011 Banyule Senior’s Festival Ocotber 29 and 30

Saturday is Show and Tell – discover the treasures of Greensborough with photographs, stories and artefacs.
Sunday – Join the popular historical walk in Greensborough and along the Plenty River finding out who lived where and what they got up to back in the 1800s. It’s not always pleasant!
Followed by afternoon tea and music by local artists
Bookings essential

Where Diamond Valley Learning Centre, Greensborough Park
Opposite intersection of Main Street and St Helena Road, Greensborough
Time 12.00 pm – 4.00 pm
Cost Gold coin contribution welcome
Book Noel on 9435 4513 or DVLC 9435 9060

Greensborough Historical Society

Guest Blogger Noel Withers President of Greensborough Historical Society reports on the success of their recent Heritage Weekend:

The weekend was well attended both Sat & Sun which was most encouraging and we got at least 7 new members from it.

Saturday was an information day with photos, maps of old Greensborough including Greens subdivision of about 1860 showing the first land holders, a session on genealogy, an excellent talk by June Hall regarding her late husband Doug who was an accomplished musician and artist and a presentation regarding Lower Plenty by Anne Paul.

This was broken up with about four chat sessions where everyone mingled and shared their bit of history and partook of refreshments which is the most important bit as there were so many instances where people had connections.

Screams of recognition are not unusual at our meetings by people who have not seen each other for 40 – 50 years.

Sunday we had 20 starters on our walk up Main Street with me advising of who lived where over the years and some of their activities such as bigamy, fisticuffs and suicide to keep them interested, it went very well and we returned to the Diamond Valley Learning Centre for afternoon tea and entertainment by the St Helena Secondary College band and numerous solo artists.

We have to thank the DVLC very much for the success of the weekend and the availability of its facilities, the staff and premises have been made available to us from the start at no cost and we have much to be grateful for.