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Heidelberg Historian - our newsletter

The Heidelberg Historian newsletter has been published more than 250 times. The first issue was produced in August 1967, and an issue has come out every second month since. A copy is made available to all members — another benefit of joining Heidelberg Historical Society. Readers can look forward to reports on guest speakers' presentations at out meetings, activities around the museum and thumbnails of events from the past.
The Historian is an excellent source of information about people, places, events and institutions in the district. Members and visitors can read our complete collection of newsletters at the museum.
We also have the whole collection of Historians in the database in searchable pdf format, dating back to the first edition in 1967. Researchers can do searches for topics, which saves a vast amount of time and effort.
The examples below give an idea of the variety of information to be found in the Heidelberg Historian. Click "more" to read the full articles.

Example: Guest Speaker Report

HEIDELBERG HISTORIAN No. 79, AUGUST 1980
TWO EARLY PROPERTIES
Mr. Richard Peterson was our guest speaker at the June meeting with his topic the histories of "Charterisville" and "Banyule", two of Heidelberg's most significant houses. He showed a number of slides past and present of the properties and their surroundings, and gave a brief account of the lives and careers of the various owners.
"Charterisville" was built by the manager of the Bank of Australasia, David Charteris McArthur on property he purchased in 1839 from Thomas Walker.....
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Example: Old Newspaper Extracts

HEIDELBERG HISTORIAN No. 71, April 1979
FROM "THE NEWS" 14/2/1936 - The Old Doncaster Tower, by "B.K." of Heidelberg.

The house opposite is to be demolished, which fact reminds me of an episode in the early days of Heidelberg. A friend and I were spending a few weeks here and boarded in this house, and were well looked after by a dear old Scotch body, Mrs. MacDonald. We had decided before coming that we would walk to Doncaster, go up the tower, and walk back again, as we had been told it was a lovely walk of two miles.

Girl-like we left this adventure to the last day of our holiday, we had early breakfast, took lunch with us, and each carried a stick.....
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Example: One Hundred Years Ago

HEIDELBERG HISTORIAN No. 160 February 1994
Items from the 'Collingwood Mercury'

HEIDELBERG BRASS BAND 1 - February 1894. The second halfyearly meeting of the above was held on Thursday evening 25th ult at the Sir Henry Barkly Hotel, ex-Cr J. Sill occupying the chair. The secretary's report showed a debit balance of 1 and the recent amount in aid of the Austin Hospital resulted in a profit of 12/16s..... more

SAD DROWNING FATALITY - 8 February 1894. A magisterial inquiry was held at the Sir Henry Barkly Hotel on Monday 29th ult before T. Davey JP concerning the death of a young man named Thomas Alexander Grant.....

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Example: Fifty Years Ago

HEIDELBERG HISTORIAN No. 104 October 1984

On page 2, we have the following report on important early resident, Charles Rouch.

A well-known resident of early Heidelberg, Charles Rouch, resided in Hawdon Street. He died in September, 1934, at the age of 72 years. He was born in Cambridge Street, Fitzroy. His parents emigrated to the new land of Australia, several years prior to 1861, from London, his father who was a grocer, having entered into business as general storekeeper on several goldfields during the exciting gold rushes of the pioneer days before settling at Fitzroy.

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Example: A Well Known Landmark.

HEIDELBERG HISTORIAN NO. 184 FEBRUARY 1998

On page 9, PASSING PARADE.

A new feature in Heidelberg Park, opened on 15 December by the Banyule City mayor, Cr Don McLean, was a picturesque timber rotunda, a joint project between the Banyule Council, the Heidelberg campus of the Northern Melbourne Institute of TAFE and Ivanhoe Lions Club.

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