Today was going to be a full day. Our first appointment was at Queen Victoria Markets. We walked there from our apartment. Once again this was a special place which can only thrive in a large city. The food market is essentially a farmers' market with all manner of fruit, vegetable, meat and seafood outlets. The quality looked outstanding and the prices, well, consider eye fillet at $18.99 per kilo as an example. There were also goods outlets in abundance, from clothes to computers.
After the markets we took a tram to East Melbourne to the Metropolitan Museum of Fire. We were welcomed as guests, but after showing my credentials of owning a Dennis appliance, all doors opened. We were given a guided tour of the whole museum including the Operations Room and access to their back rooms where other volunteers were working on gathering data. We had a personal guide, David, an ex-fire service employee who showed us around. A highlight was the 1911 Pierce Arrow car which owned at one time by Dame Nellie Melba. The Metropolitan Fire Brigade converted this car to a fire engine. We saw many documents and photographs not normally displayed.
David showed us the photo of a Merryweather appliance (gross weight 3 tons), in the photograph on its trailer for display purposes, which is supposed to have come from a Townsville abbotoir. I have never heard of the existence of this appliance.
The final accolade was an invitation to the museum storage area in Williamstown at the old Railway Workshops, where they hold a working day every Tuesday. Here they have other appliances and equipment in storage, including another N type Dennis. Guess what we are doing on Tuesday?
After the museum we walked down town to meet James Pentony (Joanne and Brendan's eldest) and his partner Rebecca for lunch. This is the first time we have met Reb. They we heading to Essendon match in the afternoon and we had a Callinan family get together, so after lunch and with some shopping on the way, we went home.
This evening there was a Callinan family get together. Adrienne's mother, Joan, was a Callinan. Joan's youngest brother, Adrian is the remaining member of his family, and tonight his five children and spouses got together. Adrian was Adrienne's support during her days in Melbourne. Damian picked us up. He had Adrian and his partner Zillah with him. The venue was Damian's house in St George's Road. On the way to Damian's house we passed Nanna Callinan and Pep's house. The photo shows, L-R, Adrian, Adrienne, Annette (1), Michelle (4), Chris (3), Paul (2), Damian (5). The second family photo shows the inlaws.
It was a wonderful evening.
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