Item HT 17338 Receipt - Basfords Furniture Emporium, 1943

Summary

The receipt is from Basfords Furniture Emporium to Mrs Fullarton for a deposit on one queen size bed and mattress costing a total of £15.15.0 (known from 19) receipt) in 1943. Basfords office was at 208 Union Road, Ascot Vale.

Description of Content

The receipt is from Basfords Furniture Emporium to Mrs Fullarton for a deposit on one queen size bed and mattress costing a total of £15.15.0 (known from 19) receipt) . Basfords office was at 208 Union Road, Ascot Vale.

Physical Description

Pink paper receipt printed with black ink, written on with faded black ink. Has a 2d. stamp duty attached.

Significance

Historical and Technical Significance

This is an excellent document based collection that traces the life of a working class family in the 1920-60s as they moved through significant milestones in their life such as marriage, setting up their home, and having a family. The wide range of receipts also paint a picture of finance and commerce/retailing in Australia at this time. The voting cards show the strong local government association and sense of civic duty that the Fullarton family had, as both Jack and Dorothy, and their sons Bruce and Graeme were all local councillors. Jack, Dorothy and Graeme were also mayors. The individual significance of the objects is listed below. Note that the Fullarton's sons Bruce and Graeme Fullarton have both donated domestic collections to the museum.

These items belonged to Dorothy Nola Fullarton, nee Wilson, and John (Jack) Andrew Peter Fullarton. The items in this collection all relate to Dorothy and Jack Fullarton's wedding, honeymoon, children's births, household establishment, working life, and recreation. The Fullartons were married on [23?] March 1935 and had their reception at the Edenhope reception venue at 80 Maribyrnong Road, Moonee Ponds. They had a honeymoon at the Mary-Lyn Hotel in Marysville from 24 March to 31 March 1935. Their five children were born in quick succession over the next ten years. Graham was born in 1936, Bruce born 9 October 1938, Janice on 18 November 1940, Neil in September 1942 and Diane in 1945. They purchased and moved to their home in 74 Ardmillan Rd, Moonee Ponds in about early 1940.


1) -6) The voting cards and leaflet - These voting cards and leaflet record the local government election campaigns in which the Fullartons were involved in. Both Jack and Dorothy were local councillors, and they passed on this tradition to their sons Bruce and Graeme who were also local councillors. The leaflet outlines Dorothy Fullarton's election promises, which gives us an idea of what issues were important in 1985, such as traffic controls and congestion. The Museum has a number of slides of voting cards in the collection, a ballot box, election leaflets and badges. Most of these objects relate to federal elections. The Fullarton voting cards and leaflet represent council and family history on a local election level, and will add another dimension to the Museum's collection of election material.

7) Stay in Strike booklet - The Gas Employees' Union, officially known as The Federated Gas Employees Trade Union, was founded in 1911. The booklet is significant as it documents the 1930s Gas Employees' dispute and the first ever stay-in-strike held in Melbourne. Jack Fullarton worked at Metropolitan Gas Company as a meter mechanic in the meter shop at the gasworks in South Melbourne. [a copy of a photograph of staff at the gasworks is available to copy]

The company which published the booklet, Industrial Printing and Publicity Co. Ltd., was a specialist printing company printing for unions and trades. Amongst its secretaries was Maurice Boyle Duffy who was a Melbourne union official and accountant. Melbourne unionist, politician and communist party official Denis Lovegrove was a director of the company in the 1970s. The printing company also owned the radio station 3KZ.

The strike booklet and its associated history will be an appropriate addition to the small collection of 5 badges, 8 leaflets, 8 placards, 10 posters relating to strikes in Australia already in the Museum's collection.

8) King Solomon Lodge programme and 9) Australia Felix Lodge of Hiram - These two programmes record events in the calendars of two Masonic lodges. The Freemasons of Victoria have been meeting since 1839 and were brought together as the United Grand Lodge of Victoria in 1889. The Freemasons have a rich history since the founding of Australia and reaching back into European history where they began as freemasons guilds. In 2005, there were around 500 lodges and 25, 000 members in Victoria alone.

The Museum has at least 26 objects in the collection associated with Masonic lodges, including objects relating to a ball held at the REB and a medal commemorating the Freemason Sir William Clarke. These two programmes will add to the representation of the Masonic community and its history in the Museum's collection.

10) Country Roads Board programme - The Country Roads Board, established in 1913, was the forerunner of VicRoads. It's named changed to the Road Construction Authority (RCA) in 1983, which was then amalgamated into VicRoads in 1989. As is clear from this programme, Country Roads Board held social functions for its employees and friends, which is an interesting part of the Board's history that would not be seen in most objects relating to the Board. The Museum has no such object from the Board, but there are at least 10 other objects relating to the board, e.g. envelope, photographs of members, pamphlets.

11) Receipt from The Myer Emporium - The first Myer store was established by Sidney Myer in Bendigo in 1900. The business expanded and in 1911 Sidney Myer bought premises in Bourke Street. He later purchased adjoining stores and opened the Myer Emporium, now known as the popular Myer department store. The receipt was printed by Lamson Paragon Limited, which still exists as the Lamson Paragon Group of Companies. There are 117+ objects from or relating to The Myer Emporium and today's Myer, including fridges, a pram, electric jugs and photographs. This receipt will enrich the collection, documenting the history of two still successful companies.

12) - 13) Receipts from J. O'Donnell Watchmaker and Jeweller - These receipts are for a diamond engagement ring. The Jeweller was located at 288 Little Collins Street, Melbourne, and is still trading, now at 125 Swanston St, Melbourne. Along with the receipts from 16) and 17) below they document the engagement and wedding of Jack and Dorothy. They are also an important slice of history of one of Melbourne's still successful jewellers.

14) Receipt from L. F. Alexander Pty. Ltd. Furriers, and 15) Receipt from McClean Furriers - These receipts represent a part of commerce and retail that is little seen today, but was common and fashionable in earlier times. Related objects in the Museum's collection include a fox fur stole. These receipts demonstrate how fur accessories were a part of the working family's wardrobe.
16) Receipt from Edenhope - Edenhope is a reception venue still operating for wedding receptions today at the same address: 80 Maribyrnong Road, Moonee Ponds. The receipt is for Jenny and Bruce's wedding reception, which was then followed by their honeymoon at the Mary-Lyn hotel (see next object). Together these receipts document a traditional engagement and wedding, and will add to the small collection of wedding objects in the collection, including several wedding dresses, wedding cards and many photographs.