With great sadness we inform members of the passing of Norah Howard on Saturday 3rd December. A regular at meetings up until her recent hospitalisation, Norah was also an active member of the Port community belying her ninety years.

Our neighbourhood has undergone major changes in the past decade and many newcomers are confused or unaware about Port Melbourne's first settled family, the Liardets, whose name is reflected in our streets. 2009 marks the 170th anniversary of their landing on our beach, and we feel that it is time to raise their profile.

We therefore are bringing them back for a visit - at least, two of them. Actors will personify the colourful Captain Liardet and his extraordinary wife and cousin, Caroline, as a two-day presence up and down Bay Street, to interact with the public and create historical awareness.

Our event takes place on the 13th and 14th of November. Interacting with the public, Wilbraham and Caroline will promote their original 1840 timber Pier hotel, offering hospitality and handbills designed to impart historical knowledge, and answering basic questions. They will also hand out 'chances' to win a highly sought-after copy of Liardet's Watercolours of Early Melbourne. for which the winning ticket will be drawn on November 14th.

Guest speaker, Ynys Grecian, great-great-granddaughter of WFE Liardet, speaks on her extraordinary family.

Opening during City of Port Phillip Seniors Week, this PMHPS exhibition tells the story of our first settlers, the Liardet family leading up to the 170th anniversary of their landing.

Guest speaker, Robin Grow, speaks about the early days of Australian Rules Football

Retired Royal Australian Navy Lt-Cdr Mackenzie Gregory has fought for a site in Port Melbourne to erect a memorial statute to the Navy's presence in Port Melbourne. Depicting a sailor, waving with his kitbag slung over his shoulder, the statues is called Answering the Call. Port Phillip Council have approved the site on the beachside nature strip opposite Dow St.

The 2m tall memorial will cost $200,000. Donations can be made on 9510 0128 or macden@melbpc.org.au.

Port Phillip Leader article

Guest speaker at our AGM, Jenny Lee (author of Making Modern Melbourne) speaks about the settlement of early Melbourne settting the scene for the 170th anniversary of the landing of our first settlers, the Liardets

November 2009 is the 170th anniversary of Liardet's landing at the beach in Port Melbourne. As part of the CoPP Heritage Walks program, Janet Bolitho leads a walk following in the footsteps of our first family of settlers, The Liardets.
Bookings are essential on 9209 6522

Former wharfie and Port footballer, Syd Ware passes away.

Sandridge Ward Councillor, Janet Bolitho leads a walk of Fishermen's Bend manufacturing sites.

At Parliament House the Victorian Community History Awards ceremony honoured PMH&PS for the third consecutive year. This time we won the Best Exhibition award for our 2008 month of activity celebrating the centenary of the 'Great White Fleet' visit. Here’s how the award citation from Information Victoria put it: ‘Port Melbourne had a problem last year. The Historical Society wanted to stage a Great White Fleet display. But it possessed only one relevant item, a stereograph. So it appealed through a newspaper for more relics.

‘In this way the organisers acquired the loan of thousands of dollars worth of treasured items, including a Yankee uniform from Rosebud, a medallion from Echuca, a souvenir from Portarlington and a 45-star battle flag from Colac. The relics kept rolling in – such things as a watch fob, menus, programs, an oil painting and silver spoons.
‘Volunteers researched and mounted the display in the Port Melbourne Town Hall gallery, and Port Phillip Council paid the bills. A retired naval officer who heads the Naval Heritage Trust was induced to give two lectures.
‘But things didn’t stop there. The Historical Society conducted heritage tours of former naval sites, and it sponsored an old-time magic lantern show for which admittance was a gold coin. Appropriately the takings went to Missions to Seafarers.’

Victorian Community History Award Winners

A repeat of Robin Grow's Port Melbourne Art Deco walk due to the popular demand.

Robin Grow, President of the Art Deco and Modernism Society, leads a walk around some of Port Melbourne's Art Deco sites.

A month long celebration of the Australian Navy's presence in Port Melbourne on the 100th anniversary of the 1908 visit of America's 'Great White Fleet'.

• 'Navy in Port' - The Exhibition
  29 Aug to 27 Sep during Library hours
  
  
• 'Naval Gazing' - A walk and talk tour of former Navy sites with Meyer Eidelson
  31 Aug (bookings essential: 9209 6522)
  
  
• "The Victorian Colonial and Royal Australian navies and the Great White Fleet visit to Australia"
  Historical Presentation by Mackenzie Gregory
  3 Sep, 2:30pm in the Supper Room. (note change of value)
  
  
• "From Convict Hulks to U.S. Battle Fleet"
  Award winning Magic Lantern Presentation by Professor Ian Edwards and team
  16 Sep, 7:30pm, Town Hall (gold coin donation)

more...

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A sad month as we lose two long-term members Ed Whiting and John Saultry.

Congratulations to Pat Grainger for Chartered Scoundrels and David Thompson for Port Melbourne 1919-39 who each recieved Commendations in the 2008 Victorian Community History Awards.

With great sadness the Society marks the peaceful passing of Ann Smallpage at Bethlehem Hospital. more...

On a hot Sunday afternoon, the gable top of Rene's Dry Cleaners in Bay St collapsed onto the ground drawing patrons from both The Rose and Chequers to see what the commotion was. more...

The 2007 Victorian Community History Awards were announced at Queen's Hall, Parliament House on Saturday 30 June. PMHPS nominated three of our recent projects and we are proud to say that one recieved a commendation and another one won of the six categories. more...

The Fisher Folk exhibition has moved to the access space at Royal Historical Society of Victoria, 239 A'Beckett Street, Melbourne until end of May 2007.

Faram Bros. hardware store closed their doors for the final time on Saturday 13th January, 2007. Planning is underway for a community BBQ to celebrate the years of service to Port Melbourne provided by the family. The idea was suggested by Garden City resident Ernie Weston, through Lois Daley. Ernie is helping with the organisation and contributing to the costs. The BBQ has been scheduled for 10th February from 11am outside Faram's.

Exhibition in the gallery at Port Melbourne Library. Free admission. Open during Library hours 23 Oct - 13 Nov.

PMHPS member, Bob Gardiner, represented Australia at the 1964, 1968 & 1972 Olympics and the 1970 Commenwealth Games. On March 1, 2006 he will take part in the Queen's baton relay for the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games. Bob will carry the baton in San Remo.

To compliment performances of The Borough, the foyer of the Gasworks Theatre will be filled with Port Melbourne nostalgia from local oraganistaions including a Then and Now photographic display by the Society. more...

The Borough, a one-act play by Sean Barker based on interviews with past and present Port Melbourne residents looks at how changes to the area has affected the people who live there. more...

PMHPS member Cr. Janet Bolitho has been elected Mayor of the City of Port Phillip for the coming year. more...

PMHPS member Heather Wale has been awarded City of Port Phillip Citizen of the Year for 2005. more...

There's something special about the Women of Port Melbourne. On exhibition at Port Melbourne Town Hall during Library hours, 17th to 29th October 2005. more...

Glen Stuart has won the 2005 Museums Australia Industry Recognition Award “for lifetime achievement in the Victorian Museum Sector” recognising his years of committment as a volunteer with the Port of Melbourne, Polly Woodside Maritime Museum and the Port Melbourne Historical and Preservation Society! more...

The new low-cost housing redevelopment of Excelsior Hall was offically opened by Deputy Premier, John Thwaites and Minister for Housing Candy Broad. Port Phillip Mayor, Darren Ray and Deputy Mayor Janet Bolitho also spoke at the opening with Janet launching our latest publication The Story of Excelsior Hall. Monash Province MP, Johan Scheffer also attended as did former Port Melbourne Councillors Jim Mitchell, Liana Thompson and Perce White.