The Kew Historical Society was founded in 1958, and is one of the oldest continuing historical societies in Melbourne. For over 60 years, the Society has worked with local government and other organisations within Kew to stimulate interest in our history and heritage. The Society is affiliated with the Royal Historical Society of Victoria and the Australian Museums and Galleries Association. It co-operates with other historical societies and groups across the City of Boroondara through the Boroondara Historical Societies Association.
COVID-19
Our rooms at the Kew Court House, and the Kew Heritage Centre in the Kew Library are closed until further notice. For regular updates about the coronavirus (COVID-19), please visit the Victorian Government’s Covid-19 website.
Dorothy & Laszlo Benyei
A TRIBUTE TO DOROTHY BENYEI
We have received the sad news of the recent death of Dorothy Benyei, nee Roberts. Dorothy was born in 1926 on the family sheep farm at Seymour. In 1951 Dorothy moved to Kew where she lived in a hostel for single women in Princess Street. She became active in many community organisations. She taught Sunday School at the Presbyterian Church, joined the Boy Scout Association becoming ‘Akela’ at 1st Kew Scout Group and taught religious instruction at Kew East Primary School. She also volunteered at the Citizens Advice Bureau, joined the Kingswood College Board and the Quakers. Somehow, Dorothy found time to marry Dr Laszlo Benyei, a Hungarian emigre in 1954 and they had a family of sons.
In 1980, Dorothy joined the Kew Historical Society and served as archivist between 1983 and 2012. In 2007, the City of Boroondara named her its Citizen of the Year. In 2014, Dorothy received the Royal Historical Society’s Award of Merit. The Kew Historical Society held her in the highest esteem and voted her an Honorary Life Member in 2010. Dorothy was a remarkable person and her loss will be felt by those who knew her. We extend the warm thoughts and sympathy of the members of the Society to her family, friends and admirers.
AWARDS
The 2021 Victorian Museums and Galleries Awards were held on Tuesday 5 October by AMaGA Victoria. The Awards featured a celebration of organisations using the Victorian Collections online collection management system. The Awards acknowledge the hard work undertaken by these organisations in documenting and preserving their heritage materials. Award recipients were chosen based on the quality, quantity and public accessibility of collection entries produced over a 12-month period across 2020 and 2021.
Kew Historical Society won the award for excellence in cataloguing by volunteer-run organisations. We also acknowledge three other organisations receiving cataloguing awards: The Beechworth Burke Museum, Melbourne Legacy, and Wangaratta Art Gallery. The Society also pays tribute to Clare Gervasoni of Federation University who received the Martin Hallett Award for individual contribution to Community Heritage. Clare is the daughter of Kathleen and Jack Gervasoni and a great supporter of the Society.
Online exhibitions
Three online exhibitions are now available for viewing on the website. You can access them via the Exhibitions page.