Advance Balwyn League
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The Advance Balwyn League, also known as the Balwyn Ratepayers' and Citizens' League and Balwyn Ratepayers' League was a local neighbourhood group that operated from 1923 to the mid-1940s.
Purpose
The League both campaigned for projects and programs and ran or supported community events and activities for people in and near Balwyn. It was comperable to the Surrey Hills Progress Association and similar local groups that were formed in the early 20th century. It took up local issues and advocated for their resolution on a wide range of topics, including local schools and transport.[1]
History
The Balwyn Ratepayers' League was established in May 1923.[2] It is first mentioned in an article from The Argus in January 1924, advertising the February Fete at Balwyn Park - its first major event.[3] Several residents were instrumental in its setup and early operation, including Arthur H. Schlesinger, who was memorialised upon his death in 1932 for his services to the League and the wider area with a memorial plaque in Beckett Park.[4]
The apparent success of this Fete was followed with organising a memorial service on ANZAC Day at the new war memorial in Beckett Park. More than 600 people attended, including representatives from local churches and Camberwell Council[2]
Its first anniversary was celebrated with a dance and dinner at the Balwyn Hall.[2]. This became an annual social event.[5] These were held together with other social events, including tennis matches and card parties.[6]
The League changed its name to the Balwyn Ratepayers' and Citizens' League in 1930 or 1931.[7]
An annual ANZAC Day service was run by the League through the 1930s at the Balwyn Theatre.[8][9]
In 1935 the organisation again changed its name, this time to the Advance Balwyn League.[10] Its last record of public activities was in 1943 with a golf tournament.[11]
Positions
The League took up positions on many topics of local and municipal significance. These included:
- Support for the 1932 resubdivision of the City of Camberwell[12]
- Support for traffic signals at the intersection of Whitehorse Road and Balwyn Road[13]
Leadership
| Leadership of the Balwyn Ratepayers' League | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | President | Vice Presidents | Secretary & Treasurer | Committee | Press correspondent | Social committee | ||||||
| 1923 | Placeholder | Placeholder | Placeholder | |||||||||
| 1924 | ||||||||||||
| 1925 | ||||||||||||
| 1926 | ||||||||||||
- 1924 - P. Barnes[2]
Secretary
- 1924 - A. Day[2]
References
- ↑ "BALWYN.", 11 July 1930, p. 5. Retrieved on 5 January 2026.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 "SUBURBAN ACTIVITIES.", 29 April 1924, p. 12. Retrieved on 15 August 2019.
- ↑ "SUBURBAN ACTIVITIES.", 24 January 1924, p. 14. Retrieved on 15 August 2019.
- ↑ "BALWYN.", 9 September 1932, p. 7. Retrieved on 5 January 2026.
- ↑ "BALWYN.", 11 November 1927, p. 8. Retrieved on 5 January 2026.
- ↑ "BALWYN", 17 July 1931, p. 5. Retrieved on 5 January 2026.
- ↑ "BALWYN.", 22 May 1931, p. 3. Retrieved on 5 January 2026.
- ↑ "Record Anzac Day March Expected", 22 April 1933, p. 16. Retrieved on 5 January 2026.
- ↑ "ANZAC SPIRIT RECAPTURED", 18 April 1934, p. 10. Retrieved on 5 January 2026.
- ↑ "Sunday Services.", 26 April 1935, p. 11. Retrieved on 5 January 2026.
- ↑ "NO CHANGE IN MV CUP STAKE", 11 May 1943, p. 9. Retrieved on 5 January 2026.
- ↑ "Roschdivision at Camberwell.", 2 April 1931, p. 10. Retrieved on 5 January 2026.
- ↑ "CAMBERWELL COUNCIL", 24 June 1932, p. 1. Retrieved on 5 January 2026.
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2119969 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3888412 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3896915