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The Tilly Aston Memorial Centre, in Carisbrook Victoria, was opened on 25 October 2014. The Centre comprises a large pergola structure which houses information and pictures documenting Tilly Aston's life and achievements. It is appropriately positioned opposite the site of her former home and her father's shop.

Maryborough Midlands Historical Society Inc

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TILY ASTON.. Matilda Ann Aston (11 December 1873 – 1 November 1947), better known as Tilly AstonTilly was born in the town of Carisbrook, Victoria in 1873, the youngest of eight children born to Edward Aston, bootmaker, and his wife, Ann. Vision impaired from birth, she was totally blind by the age of 7. The challenges Tilly faced in managing life as a woman with blindness became the impetus for her to work to improve the lives of other people who were blind. Tilly and her peers achieved not only significant advances and rights for people who are blind, but Tilly also became a celebrated author and the first female teacher who was blind.

Timeline Photos

TILY ASTON.. Matilda Ann Aston (11 December 1873 – 1 November 1947), better known as Tilly AstonTilly was born in the town of Carisbrook, Victoria in 1873, the youngest of eight children born to Edward Aston, bootmaker, and his wife, Ann. Vision impaired from birth, she was totally blind by the age of 7. The challenges Tilly faced in managing life as a woman with blindness became the impetus for her to work to improve the lives of other people who were blind. Tilly and her peers achieved not only significant advances and rights for people who are blind, but Tilly also became a celebrated author and the first female teacher who was blind.

TILLY ASTON - Born Carisbrook Victoria Tilly Aston's childhood doll has a cloth body, and a papier-mâché head, the face of which is brightly handpainted. The clothes are hand knitted and could well have been homemade. Tilly Aston’s achievements are formidable. In 1894 she founded the Victorian Association of Braille Writers, which became the Victorian Braille Library. In 1895, she co-founded the Association for the Advancement of the Blind, which in became Vision Australia. As well as being the first woman who was blind to be admitted to an Australian university and Australia's first blind teacher, Tilly was a distinguished and critically acclaimed writer, producing seven books of verse. Tilly received a Commonwealth grant for her writing in 1935, and the King’s Medal for Distinguished Citizenry twice.

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Watercolour by WILLIAM TAYLOR SMITH TIBBITS.. Born Warwickshire, England 1837. Died Sydney Australia 1906. Tibbits arrived in Victoria in the mid 1860's. His early pictures feature mines, possibley because of his father's connection with the mining industry. He lived in Ballarat in the early 1870's travelling to surrounding towns and painting views of houses, cottages, shops and country properties. In 1873 he visited Maryborough, where he painted mining scenes, hotels and homesteads such as the picture shown. He is said to have charged a guinea to paint a house, with family members extra, and animals five shilling each. Tibbets moved to Melbourne in 1875, and, sponsored by wealthy patrons, began painting larger houses and mansions, for example Como, in Melbourne owned by the Armytage family, and Rupertswood, in Sunbury the home of Sir William Clarke. In later years he lived in Adelaide and Sydney.

Worsley Cottage OPEN TODAY AUSTRALIA DAY

Maryborough Midlands Historical Society Inc - Palmerston Street Maryborough Victoria. Records available for personal retrieval include: Maryborough Cemetery records, Maryborough rate books, death notices from the local paper plus over 300 pioneer portraits. Hospital admissions 1855 - 1907, wedding photographs by Wal Richards 1946 - 1996, the archiving of many other printed and photographic records is progressing. Local history, including Local schools, Local churches, Local government .

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WAL RICHARDS.. Wal Richards loved weddings. He was a compulsive photographer of weddings in Maryborough and the surrounding district. Wal was given a box brownie camera as a young man. In 1946 he started cycling on his blue and white bike, mainly uninvited, to most weddings in the area. He would position himself up close to the action and record events in his candid and unorthodox style. Wal passed away in 1996 and left a collection of over 20,000 wedding photos. This collection, and his bicycle are held by the Maryborough Midlands Historical Society Inc at Worsly Cottage, Palmerston Street Maryborough Victoria. You are invited to view these at Worsley Cottage either during our open visiting hours on a Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday, or by special arangement at a convenient time. Please phone to make a booking. Groups are always welcome.

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Maryborough School 404

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Maryborough Hospital

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Bull and Mouth Hotel