By Sue Thompson
The society recently received a wonderful collection of early coloured postcards of Lilydale dating around 1910.
Thankfully, a couple of the postcards had a note written in the back which changed the story from being locally significant to being internationally significant.
The postcard with the caption Shire buildings Lilydale featured the former Lillydale Shire Offices and the Athenaeum Hall. In front of the hall was a large car to the left was a group of people and to the right the members of the Lilydale Brass Band.
It was not until I turned the postcard over and read the note that it was in fact Madame Melba visiting the hall. The question then became: when was it and for what event? Knowing Melba did not return to Australia until 1902 and working on the 1910 date, I turned to trusty Trove and searched Melba in the Lilydale Express for that period.
Several concerts were given in that time but only one was in the daytime and for that event Melba motored up from Melbourne. We can now give the exact date of that postcard as I now know that the image was September 25, 1907 and the occasion was Melba opening the Lilydale Brass Band’s Bazaar. The Lilydale Express of September 27, 1907 noted the bazaar which was held over two days raised £80 ($160) which was a lot of money for that time. Interestingly, Miss Jessie Tait presented Melba with a basket of flowers. After the opening, in typical style, Melba went to the doll store and bought up most of the dolls which she then gave to the children present.
When Melba arrived in Lilydale she had her party lunch at the Crown Hotel. Then it was a “a flying visit” to Cave Hill before the Athenaeum opening.
The Express reported the bazaar in great detail listing the stalls, people and the activities. It just goes to show much can be learned from a signed postcard.
