Black frog-mouth spectacle case for H Moody

Historical Significance: The donor, Mr John Boxshall, is the grandson of a Mr John Garratt a Melbourne optometrist, who is presumed to be the successor to the practice of Miss H Moody. He practised at the same address as Miss Moody in Centeway, Collins Street, Melbourne (see Cat No. 2739) an address that appears on a spectacle case for Miss H Moody (See Cat No.2740). This case has another address at which Miss Moody practised. Miss Moody was in optometric practice at least from 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. A claim could be made that Miss Moody was the first woman optometrist in Victoria.