Author: Tara Oldfield
Senior Communications Advisor
Records recently added to the PROV collection, just in time for the new year, include commercial and common civil law case records from 1991-1992, Eltham Shire Council 1960s and 1970s rate record cards, and Supreme Court Victoria orders to review from 1888-1989.
We’ve also obtained another 26 large and 2,133 medium-sized Land Use Victoria aerial map mosaics from across Victoria dating back to 1933, adding to our now extensive map mosaic collection.
Aerial State Map Photo Mosaics, VPRS 19574
It’s 1960, and a light plane loaded with camera equipment and staff from the Department of Crown Lands and Survey flies over Melbourne on a clear day. They spend the day taking fantastic aerial photographs of the city. Back at their office, staff develop and sort through the hundreds of photos taken. They select around 500 images from the same area, and painstakingly piece them together to reveal a broader picture. They take their time, overlapping photographs to form a map sheet, providing detailed features of the landscape. They perform an intricate process of cutting and feathering by hand to remove overlaps. Once assembled, the resulting mosaic is glued to a backing sheet to keep it all in place, before being photographed again.
What is created is a stunning, large, detailed, photograph of part of the metropolitan area of Melbourne. None of the edges of the 500 photographs can be seen, no trace is left of all the cutting and feathering and gluing. What we have now is a seamless aerial photograph – just one of the many now held at PROV.
This recent transfer includes 2,133 medium and 26 large maps dated from 1933 to 1969, taking the total number of maps in the collection to over 3500. Various views of Melbourne can be found, Daylesford, Mansfield, Beechworth, Bendigo…the list goes on.
Commercial and Common Civil Law Case Records, VPRS 18582
The Commercial and Common Civil Law Case Records recently added to our collection are from 1991-1992. These cases were initiated when a plaintiff filed a summons setting out their complaint against another party, including commercial disputes, liquidations, winding up of companies, as well as building and engineering disputes. Many of the proceedings relate to failure to pay debts or non-performance of contract.
In one case spanning two volumes, the plaintiff complained that during negotiations around the purchase of a building, they had “inquired as to whether or not there was asbestos in the building” and were assured “there was no cause for concern with asbestos as the building was relatively asbestos free.” However, asbestos was found by the plaintiff and needed to be removed. The plaintiff asked for compensation for that work.
Eltham Shire Council Rate Records, VPRS 9705
These rate records from Eltham range from the 1960s through to the 1970s. The rate record is a record of the levying and payment of rates on rateable properties. For each rateable property, a record is created which identifies the property and person rated and includes details of the annual value of the property, the amounts due, amounts paid, arrears and when rates were abandoned. These records are invaluable for family historians, local history researchers and anyone interested in learning more about their historic home.
You can order these Rate Cards to view in the North Melbourne Reading Room, including Records from 1965-77 and Records from 1976-77.
Supreme Court of Victoria Orders to Review, VPRS 274
Orders to Review are the mechanism by which applications can be made to the Supreme Court for a judicial review of any decision made by a Victorian lower court (i.e. Court of Petty Sessions/Magistrates’ Court), tribunal, public official, or public body. Each case has an informant and a defendant. 681 records have now been added to this series dating back to 1888. The records recently transferred cover the period 1961 to 1989. For example, in a file from 1961, a police constable sought a recent larceny case dismissal be reviewed.
You can order Orders to Review for viewing in the North Melbourne Reading Room.
Material in the Public Record Office Victoria archival collection contains words and descriptions that reflect attitudes and government policies at different times which may be insensitive and upsetting
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples should be aware the collection and website may contain images, voices and names of deceased persons.
PROV provides advice to researchers wishing to access, publish or re-use records about Aboriginal Peoples