Levi summer house plaque, St Kilda Botanical Gardens

Commemoration and memorial plaques do vanish and in mid-April 2022 this plaque on the summer house in the St Kilda Botanical Gardens, in Blessington Street, was stolen. The summer house was donated in memory of Albert and Rachael (nee Benjamin) Levi by their children. Their son, Joseph, who was a City of St Kilda Councillor, wrote to the Council in December 1928 -
The family of the late Alfred and Rachael Levi, who were very old residents of our city, desires to perpetuate their memory by placing a memorial in the Botanic Gardens, Blessington street, in the form of a summer house for the use of our citizens. The erection of the summer house was completed in July 1929 (1). 

Some people might say, it's just a plaque, what does it matter? But  it does matter because we have lost the connection between the summer house and the generosity of the Levi family; we have lost a connection to part of the history of St Kilda and we have lost the connection to civic philanthropy, when people would donate land or a fountain or in  this case a summer house, to be freely used by all members of the  community. The plaque can be replaced, but it won't have the same ring of authenticity as the very solid and stylish original.

The missing plaque

Image: © VanishedVictoria

The Levi summer house, St Kilda Botanical Gardens.

Image: © VanishedVictoria

This was not the only plaque stolen in April 2022 from the Elwood St Kilda area, there were several others as well. The City of Port Phillip has issued a media release on these thefts https://www.portphillip.vic.gov.au/about-the-council/news-and-media/brazen-bronze-thefts-in-port-phillip

In good news, in September 2023 the City of Port Phillip replaced the missing plaque.

The replacement plaque

Image: © VanishedVictoria, September 2023

Should you have any information about the original plaque's history or location, please leave a comment below or see 'Contact us' tab for anonymous emailing.

Should you actually possess the item and wish to return it its rightful owners or custodians, please contact us.

Footnote

(1) The quote is from the Prahran Telegraph, December 21, 1928, see here; there is also a report in the Prahran Telegraph of July5, 1929, here.