Metaxas family papers

MLMSS 8870/Boxes 1-8
MLMSS 8870/Box 9X

fonds

approximately 1882-1985

Textual Records, Graphic Materials, Photographs, Drawings, Clippings, Musical Sound Recordings, Notated Music, Objects

411600

1.3 metres of textual material (8 boxes and 1 outsize box)

Spiros Luke Metaxas (1897-?) was a Greek subject born on the island of Corfu, Greece. Educated in Greece and England at Maidenhead College, he graduated with a full certificate from the Commercial Educational Department of the London Chamber of Commerce. From 1917-1922, he was a soldier in the Greek Army during which period he served the British Consulate at Yannina (Espirus) as an interpreter. From 1922-1930, he was a senior clerk in the Ministry of Finance, Athens, Greece in the control department of Direct Taxation. From 1930-1945, he was a Managing Director of the Vodka Distillery factory ‘D.G. Antipas’ in Harbin, China. He served the Greek Community of Harbin as a member of the Administrative Committee from 1933-1935, and in 1938 he was elected President of the Community and held that position until 1943.

Maria Metaxas (nee Antipas), wife of Spiros Metaxas, was born on the island of Kefalonia, Greece, and graduated from the Athens Conservatorium. She was a distinguished pianist and was active in humanitarian and charitable work in Harbin. In Sydney she ran a successful piano studio.

Although they spent much of their lives in Greece and China, Spiros and Maria Metaxas later settled in Australia and were active in Sydney’s Eastern suburbs Greek community life.

Reference:
Compiled from the collection

Personal papers of Spiros Metaxas and his wife Maria (Antipas) Metaxas, including earlier family records relating to Greece, Russia and China where Maria's father, Gerasimos Antipas, ran businesses.

BOX 1: Family and business papers - Harbin China, 1895-1941
Account books, ca. 1931-1935 (in Greek) (3 bound);
Expenses (Russian) in manila folder, 1931-1932;
Folder of Antipas Vodka newspaper advertisements and related correspondence;
Family business, financial and genealogical records and papers, ca. 1931-1941;
Two folders of legal documents and records, some with wax seals (Russian and Chinese) relating to business affairs of Gerasimos Antipas in Harbin China, 1895-1930;
Two folders of handwritten letters (in Greek) from Maria and Spiro Metaxas in Greece to her father in Harbin, 1927-1930.

BOX 2: Spiro Metaxas papers - Harbin China and Sydney, ca. 1929-1984
Letters, ca. 1929-1930, and correspondence with Royal Swedish Consulate relating to execution of the will of Evangelo Nicolaou Hatzopoulos by Spiros Metaxas, 1942-1945;
Bound correspondence from Greek legation Tokyo, 1939-1941, regarding affairs of Greeks in China;
Correspondence regarding debtors, including in Tientsin and New Zealand, 1956-66;
Correspondence in Greek and Russian, possibly related to departure of Metaxas family from China;
Folder with correspondence relating to naturalisation ceremony at Rockdale Town Hall, 1958-59, vodka factory joint venture and applications for trademarks and patents in Sydney, 1966;
Specifications for design and construction of residence at 133 Hall St Bondi by John K. Noller Architect for Mrs Ahern;
Folder of Spiros Metaxas correspondence regarding migration sponsorships;
Folder of correspondence (greeting cards and airmail postcards) from Spiros Metaxas in Greece to his wife Maria Metaxas in Australia during trip to Greece in 1984;
Folder of assorted greeting cards and letters.

BOX 3: Photo albums and portraits
Antipas family studio portraits and group portraits, including from Rostov-on-Don and Harbin, ca. 1901-1920? (2 folders);
Album of Orthodox churches in Harbin;
Album of family and various buildings in Harbin;
Velvet album of photos, including in countryside in Manchuria;
Velvet album of assorted photos of friends in Greece [boxed due to mould damage and very fragile];

BOX 4: Maria Metaxas papers relating to music
6 yellow envelopes relating to AMEB Music examination papers and other music related correspondence of Mrs Metaxas, ca. 1970-1976;
1 yellow envelope from Musical Association of NSW regarding Music teaching course certificate, 1976-77;
Folder of correspondence of Maria Metaxas mainly relating to her studio’s Students Pianoforte Recital and music examinations, ca. 1972-1973;
Folder of photographs, programs, invitations and Russian newspaper clippings relating to Piano Concerts given by the students of Maria Metaxas studio at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, including 1965; photographs of former students; and photographs of Greek Dance group;
Folder regarding visit to Sydney by Greek pianist Gina Bachauer, including excerpts from Daily Telegraph and local Greek newspaper, 1962;
Family photograph album of Metaxas family in Australia.

BOX 5: Postcards, travel albums and sketchbooks
Album of European scenes, ca. 1924-1939;
Printing block, undated;
Postcards in album with views of Japan, 1938, and some churches, undated; loose postcards;
Small box with two framed photographs of Spiros and Maria Metaxas, 1908 and undated;
Photograph album Maria and Spiros Metaxas European trip, undated [boxed due to mould damage];
Folder with 2 sketchbooks, ca. 1882.

BOX 6: Family photographs and photographic postcards in China, Greece, Australia, ca. 1929-1980
Folder of 4 plastic sleeves with loose photos related to practice of Orthodox religion, including churches and priests in Harbin;
Folder of 5 plastic sleeves with loose photos, possibly of extended family in Harbin;
Folder of 5 plastic sleeves with Antipas family and related photos in Harbin;
Folder of 5 plastic sleeves with leisure photos in China and on unidentified holidays;
Folder of unsorted Sydney photos and greeting cards;
Folder with photos and letters sent by family from Greece; two Greek passports of Maria S. Metaxas and Spiros L. Metaxas, 1952 and small photo album of family in Bondi, Sydney and Blue Mountains.

BOX 7: Religious and miscellaneous papers
Religious ephemera with images of Christian saints and icons, ca. 1962-1968;
Framed religious pictures mainly of Christian saints and icons, undated;
Miscellaneous family tax papers, 1955-1964.

BOX 8: Books and records
Printed material including book on Russian history, culture and heritage and Greek palaeontology given as gifts;
Books of liturgical hymns for Greek Orthodox Church and printed music scores, ca. 1954-1985;
Printed Bible presented to Spiros Metaxas at Naturalisation Ceremony at Town Hall Rockdale, 1959;
Greek and Russian phonograph records, undated.

BOX 9X: Large size photos, certificates, publications, letter copybooks
Maria and mother’s travel document showing multiple visas, 1921-24;
Loose photographic portraits, including of Orthodox monks in Harbin, family death and funeral photographs;
Commemorative certificate from Harbin, 1927;
Printed patterns for lace, Greek embroidery and traditional designs;
Printed Greek publications and periodicals, ca. 1914-1929;
Music scores by Rachmaninoff with pencil annotations (Preludes 5, 6 & 10 from Opus 23) and a song based on Rachmaninoff melodies;
Gerasimos Antipas Vodka trademark documents;
Manuscript book of letters, 1899-1901;
Bound copybook of letters, ca. 1925-1927.

English, Russian, Chinese, Greek, Modern (1453- )

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