State Library Victoria calls on public to lift lid on treasure trove of untold stories

State Library Victoria launched a public appeal today to raise $100,000 to preserve and make publicly available a unique collection about war, love and social change spanning more than 100 years.

The Library’s Walter and Helena Cass Collection gives an insight into the lives of Helena Cass, an army nurse turned Melbourne socialite and celebrated journalist, and her husband Walter, a decorated Australian officer who served at Gallipoli and Fromelles and led the funeral procession for Sir John Monash.

The collection contains thousands of items – including love letters, photographs, paintings, Helena’s wartime nurse's uniform, her typewriter and even Walter’s WWI boots – which can only be made accessible through an intensive process of cataloguing and specialist preservation and conservation.

Walter and Helena’s granddaughter, Dr Diana Cousens, said the collection reveals a snapshot of her grandparents’ lives during a time of extraordinary change.

“Walter and Helena Cass were my grandparents, but they were also people who made a difference during a time of rapid transformation around the world,” Dr Cousens said.

“Their stories don’t just belong to me, they belong to everyone. They tell us a lot about who we are today and where we’ve come from, and that’s why it’s so important for the public to support this appeal to make the collection accessible.”

State Library Victoria CEO Kate Torney said the collection provides a rare and important insight into both Australian life and world events.

“The extraordinary story of Walter and Helena Cass is one that deserves to be told, they were remarkable individuals,” Ms Torney said.

“With the public’s support we can undertake the intensive and delicate work required to preserve and catalogue this precious collection and make this material available for everyone to discover, explore and enjoy.”

The Walter and Helena Cass Collection Appeal will run until 30 June. To support the appeal please visit slv.vic.gov.au/cass-appeal