Stories from our public records: Brunswick Historical Association

More of Melbourne’s history has been revealed through Public Record Office Victoria’s (PROV) recent digitisation of 450 images from the Brunswick Historical Association.

The Brunswick Historical Association was formed in the 1930s by local residents and councillors in preparation for centenary celebrations. They collected photographs for a ‘slide night’ held on 27 August 1939. These photographs capture locations and people from Brunswick and Melbourne, with some images dating back to the 1830s. After the event, the images were donated to Brunswick City Council and have been added to PROV’s digital collection, making this valuable historical record accessible to the public.

Some images include:

Steve Hart

Steve Hart was a bushranger and member of the infamous Kelly Gang. In 1880, he took part in the Glenrowan siege, where gang leader Ned Kelly was captured by police. Hart died during the gang’s shootout with police.

“The making of Brunswick”

This slide features a quote from Victoria and Its Metropolis, a book published in 1888. Originally a farming area, Brunswick saw rapid population growth due to its proximity to Sydney Road, the main route connecting Melbourne and Sydney.

Photo from the Duke of York visit to Chinatown, 1901

The Duke and Duchess of York visited Melbourne for the opening celebrations of Australia’s first Federal Parliament on 7 May 1901. These celebrations included a grand procession and the construction of 8 commemorative arches, one of which was funded by Melbourne’s Chinese community.

The community raised £800 to build the Chinese Citizens' Arch on Swanston Street, plus an additional £200 to participate in the procession. Despite their significant contribution, the Duke and Duchess controversially did not view the Chinese procession or arch on 7 May. However, three days later, on 10 May, they passed through on their way to a military parade. Twenty-five members of the Chinese community—dressed in traditional Mandarin robes—lined the archway in a striking display of cultural pride.

The Santamaria family outside Santamaria’s in Sydney Rd, Brunswick

Sydney Road, Brunswick, has a rich multicultural history, with many families settling in the area in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Among these early settlers was the Santamaria family, who migrated from Italy to Australia in the late 1800s. In 1929, Joseph Santamaria opened a family-run grocery store, Santamaria’s, at 166 Sydney Road, Brunswick.

You can view these images and more in the full collection on the PROV website.

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