Black and white photograph of Collingwood Technical School Caretaker, Bert Eastman, with his dog. He is standing in the courtyard of his house, located on top of the school, c1941.

Bert Eastman was the live-in caretaker at Collingwood Technical College for more than 37 years from 1941, until his retirement in 1978. He also served in World War II. Bert and his wife Betty, raised their daughter Leonie, born in 1949, in a weatherboard house built on top of the fourth floor of the Johnston Street building. Seventy-six steps over two flights lead up to the front door and to a small courtyard.

Bert was responsible for the maintenance of the school buildings; opening and closing rooms and buildings at the beginning and end of each day, cleaning and overseeing other cleaners. Leonie [said that], ‘he had the biggest bunch of keys you could ever imagine, a key for every door in the school, but he knew what every key was for.’ He was on duty from early morning until 9pm each night, providing security, continuity and practical assistance to teachers, students and parents. At night he locked and chained the big double gates
on Johnston Street [1].’

In 1978, Bert and Betty moved to a new house in Diamond Creek, on the outskirts of Melbourne, and Bert's niece, Elaine Parson, was the Principal's/Director's Secretary from 1974 to 1988.

[1] Scott, I.D, COLTECH: a story of technical education in Collingwood, 1870-1987, Collingwood College of TAFE, Melbourne, November 1988, pp.158-159.