Small wood frog-mouth spectacle case for optician Earle

Historical Significance: The donor, Mr John Boxshall, is the grandson of Mr John Garratt, a Melbourne optometrist who practised at Centeway, Collins Street, Melbourne, a practice address also used by Miss H Moody, the first woman optometrist in Victoria. Miss Moody also practised at 231 Bourke Street. We know Miss Moody was in practice from at least 1902 to 1914. The Museum holds three testimonial letters addressed to her dated 1902, 1905 and 1914 at 231 Bourke Street East, Melbourne (Cat No. 2058). She was a foundation member of the Victorian Optical Association, as a certificate of membership in her name testifies (Cat No. 2056). The date on the certificate, 23 May 1911, is the day the Association was established. She was only woman among 26 foundation members (See Cat No 1641). Ms Moody was not an applicant for Registration in 1935 nor was she registered under the the new Opticians Registration Act of Victoria 1935 when the first optometrists were registered in 1936. She may have retired from practice by that date. The Optician Earle may have been her predecessor in the practice at the 231 Bourke Street address.