#ThrowbackThursday – 50 years ago, the Shire of Eltham Historical Society (now Eltham District Historical Society) worked closely with acclaimed and distinguished Australian author, Alan Marshall in preparing a history of the Shire of Eltham to celebrate its centenary in 1971. The book, Pioneers & Painters: One Hundred Years of Eltham and its Shire, edited by Alan Marshall was the result of that effort and was published in 1971.
Here we see Alan dictating part of the manuscript for Pioneers & Painters to his secretary, Pat Wiltshire, in his bungalow located at 13 Park Road, Eltham in 1970 (now 13 Park West Road). The bungalow was built c.1955 and was Alan’s home from about 1955 to 1980. It is located at the rear of the house, which at the time was owned by Marshall’s sister, Margaret McIntyre Marshall. It is understood the property was sold in September 1981. Marshall died 21 January 1984 and is buried at Nillumbik Cemetery, Diamond Creek.
The Alan Marshall Bungalow at 13 Park West Road, Eltham is registered on the Victorian Heritage Database and is protected by Heritage Overlay, HO 147 in the Nillumbik Planning Scheme, which covers the bungalow and its surrounding site to a radius of 15 metres. It is significant as it was Marshall’s home at the time he wrote Pioneers & Painters and the basic nature of it is illustrative of Marshall’s lifestyle.
That’s fantastic. As a lad I did scouts bob-a-job. I went to that house. I had no idea. The owners said “Do you want tinder Alan Marshall’s house? This is the bunk-shelf he had as a bed….” as they showed me around. It made a big impression on me.
If he left in the 80’s I must have been older than I thought….
Thanks for sharing these photos.
Cheers
Hans Sent from my iPhone
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Hi Hans, what a great memory. The last recorded sale for the property was September 1981 so possibly the current owners have looked after this property for almost 40 years and given what you have stated, clearly valued the legacy of Alan Marshall. As to what the present state of the bungalow is, we have no information but hopefully the heritage protection has been respected. Obviously our concern is that any potential new owner and the estate agent are aware of its heritage protection and what that encompasses and its significance to the community.
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Listing went up today. So sad the ad doesn’t acknowledge the bungalow and such a wonderful part of history https://m.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-eltham-133259774
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It is indeed curious that there is no reference whatsoever to Alan Marshall’s Bungalow. No doubt the Section 32 document will have to highlight the heritage protection requirements.
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