Good Taste Fashion Luxury

<p>Melbourne grew during the 19th century from its fledgling roots into a global metropolitan centre and was home to many people from a range of social and cultural backgrounds. The Martin family arrived in Melbourne in 1839 and soon established themselves at the genteel Viewbank estate near Heidelberg.</p><p>They were typical of the early middle-class immigrants to Melbourne who brought their gentility and privilege with them to the colony. The Martins spent many years at Viewbank and the physical remains they left behind provide a valuable case study for examining class negotiation in the colony through historical archaeology.</p><p>In this important study material culture is used to understand the unique way in which the Martin family used gentility to establish and maintain their class position.</p>