About the records

Administrative Information

The Saunders Family Archive is a dispersed collection, with several objects and other items from the Archive held by Museums Victoria, the National Trust (Victoria) and Better Hearing Australia. This online listing aims to record the full set of items from the Saunders Family Archive, detailing their locations across and between different institutions.

The Saunders Family Archive was first compiled by Jen Saunders (in collaboration with archivist Winsome Adam) when the Saunders family home on Williamstown Road, Port Melbourne was getting packed up in preparation to be sold in 2017. The initial listing (see item S00000357 'Original Listing of the Saunders Family Archive') details this work and the original order of items in their "as found" location within the house.

In 2019, further documentation of the Saunders Family Archive was completed in a research collaboration project between Jen Saunders, the University of Melbourne's eScholarship Research Centre, and Museums Victoria. Funding for this project was provided through the 'McCoy Seed Fund'. This work involved the collaborative efforts of Jen Saunders, Winsome Adam, Nell Fraser, Gavan McCarthy, Deb Tout-Smith, and Jessica Christie.

• The collection is comprised of records from 22 accessions. The codes used to uniquely identify each accession range from 2017-001 to 2017-022.
  
  
• The records have been allocated to 4 series. The codes used to uniquely identify each series range from 01 to 04.
  
  
• Through the processing of the records, 1 provenance entity was identified. The code used to uniquely identify this provenance entity, i.e. records creator or custodian, is P000001.
  
  
• The inventory covers 378 items, and may include records of continuing value, records sentenced for destruction and records that have been destroyed. The codes used to uniquely identify each inventory item range from HT 49011 to S00000367. The total collection occupies 613 linear cm of shelf space (or its equivalent).
  
  
• The documentation of the records at inventory level started on 15 February 2019. The latest additions were made on 11 February 2020. The latest modifications were made on 29 June 2020. This collection profile was updated on 29 June 2020.
  
  

Scope and Content

The Archive contains objects, documents and photographs that span from the 1800s to 2019. Records include correspondence, legal and financial documents, certificates (births, deaths, marriages, right to burial, etc.), notebooks, publications, photographs, clothing and clothing accessories, footwear, and embroidered, crocheted and sewed materials.

Combined, the Saunders Family Archive offers a unique picture of family life in Melbourne in the early to mid-20th Century, allowing us to better understand how the social, historical and political landscape of Melbourne was shaped. It is also a strong female collection, giving us a unique insight into the role and activities of women in 20th Century Melbourne.