An exhibition chronicling the life and times of Greythorn in the early 1960s, will be on show
until the end of the year at the Greythorn Community Hub located at 2 Centre Way, Balwyn
North.
Greythorn Central Traders Association was recently bequeathed 18 copies of the Greythorn
Gazette published between 1960 and 1962. It appears the 8-12 page newspapers were
owned by a Peggy Walton.
Before she passed away, she asked a close friend of hers to take good care of these
newspapers and to pass them onto someone who would preserve them.
Peggy’s friend contacted the Greythorn Traders Association and from there started the
journey to mount the Greythorn Gazette 1960-1962 exhibition.
The 18 publications of the Greythorn Gazette is incredibly priceless. It is a living history of
the early days of Greythorn and the burgeoning suburb of Balwyn North.
The every day happenings, social events and comings and goings of Greythorn.
The newspaper was published monthly from 1960-1962 featuring advertisements of
businesses at Greythorn Central and all the news of the day of the Greythorn and Balwyn
North residents.
The Greythorn Gazette exhibition is a fascinating and often hysterical insight into the retail
trade of the early 60s, what people were buying and how they were living their daily lives.
Visitors to the exhibition will also see a touch of the Stepford Wives in how family life is
portrayed with articles such as how to take care of your husband.
And some of those advertisements certainly makes one blush when transposed into today’s
context.
The news pages of the Greythorn Gazette showcase the Camberwell Council road and
infrastructure developments that were getting under way opening up many of the outer
reaches of what is now the Boroondara City Council local government authority.
The social page news are a delight reading the engagements, weddings and the belle and debutante
presentations that include detailed descriptions of dresses being worn.
The exhibition has been made possible by the kind support of Trentwood at the Hub in
helping facilitate this exhibition and providing the exhibition space to bring these treasured
tales of 60 years ago into their gallery hanging space, for all the public to enjoy.
The vitality of the Greythorn Traders Association is also evident where 60 years on it is as
strong, united and continually improving the shopping experience at Greythorn for everyone
to enjoy.
The public is encouraged to come and visit the exhibition which is free to enter and enjoy in
the public foyer hanging space of Trentwood at the Hub located at 2 Centre Way, Balwyn
North.
The history – The Greythorn Gazette – 1960-1962
The first traders’ newsletter was called The Greythorn Gazette.
Pharmacist Donald (Don) Wood, whose statue proudly stands on the corner of Tannock
Street and Doncaster Road on the footpath in front of Greythorn Cellars edited The
Greythorn Gazette.
Donald (Don) Wood, who settled in North Balwyn in 1948, opening his modern chemist shop
(283 Doncaster Road) in 1953.
The pharmacy was designed and subsequently renovated in 1963 by the legendary Australian architect, Robin Boyd. After its extensive remodelling in 1963 by Boyd, the papers of the day reported it was a showpiece of shop design, which architects from England and South Africa visited to study.
Don and his wife, Lilian, worked in the pharmacy.
Lilian was a trained chiropodist and cosmetician, while Don had studied pharmacy by correspondence when stationed in New
Guinea during World War 2.
After he was demobilised in 1945, Don ran the family pharmacy in Kew, before establishing the Greythorn pharmacy.
He was a founding committee member of the North Balwyn RSL, the first president of the Greythorn Traders Association, and briefly edited The Greythorn Gazette, a newsletter for residents, to which Lilian also contributed.