Summary

Wooden toy tram with cast metal wheels, with 'Collingwood and Toorak' labels on the sides, circa 1910.

The maker of the tram is unknown, although the donor's great uncle, Jack (Samuel John) Robbins (1884-1952), made wooden toys in his spare time. The donor's family believes he made toys for children in the family, and/or for fundraising purposes. An early photograph depicts his toys, including ambulances, motor lorries and a tank, perhaps made during or after World War I. They have some similarities in form, being simply designed and constructed, although those in the photograph have wooden wheels.

The tram belonged to the donor's father, Albert James Cock, born 1 October 1907 in Ballarat, son of William Henry Cock (1879-1934) and Florence Caroline Cock (née Moyle) (1883-1944). The family lived in Ballarat. William was an engineer - which at that time could include people qualified in the metal trades - and possibly had previously worked as a miner (his exact place of work is unknown). He was diagnosed with lung disease (pulmonary phthisis, or TB ) when Albert was in primary school; the family then moved to Melbourne and probably lived in Northcote. Albert attended Westgarth Primary School. William's occupation in Melbourne is not known. (When William died in 1934 he was living in Fenwick Street, Northcote/Thornbury.) Jack Robbins was married to Albert's paternal aunt Lillian.

After leaving school at 15 in 1922, Albert started work as an apprentice fitter and turner at McPhersons in South Melbourne. During the Great Depression he endured unemployment, and then found work at Vickers Ruwolt in Richmond. During World War II he worked in the gun shop in a reserved occupation. He was later employed at the Herald and Weekly Times in Flinders Street, Melbourne as a maintenance engineer, until his retirement in 1975 at age 65.

Albert's son Russell and his brother did not play with the tram as children in the 1940s and 1950s - although Russell does not know why. After Albert died in 1982 Russell kept the tram in a cupboard until he donated it to Museums Victoria.

The tram is a passenger saloon car (or trailer car) of the type used on Melbourne's cable tram system from the 1885-1940. Senior Curator Matthew Churchward notes that Collingwood and Toorak trams ran on two completely separate routes, with the Toorak trams running along St Kilda Road and up Swanston Street, and the Collingwood tram running along Smith Street, Gertrude Street, then into Nicholson Street and along Bourke Street. The Toorak route was one of the first to be closed, being converted to electric trams in 1926. The Collingwood route was one of the last closed down in 1940.

Physical Description

Wooden tram, simply made with rectangular body, four windows on each side with glass panes, a platform on each end and a signboard running along the roof edge at each side. Printed decal adhered to both signboards: 'Collingwood and Toorak'.The tram has colour paper adhered on the sides - yellow with orange lower panels and white lines between the windows. The paper has been lost in places, revealing plain wood beneath. Roof and platform ends stained pink, perhaps originally red. Four cast metal wheels, each secured with a large nail at its centre to allow the wheel to spin. Blocks of wood form axels. Undercarriage painted white. Inside the tram a long seat extends down each side. Tram is nailed together, with nails now rusting. Water damage particulaly visible on side.

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