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Compared with England, most European countries, Egypt and so on,Australia is a very young country. There are a great many reminders of this fact in England, France,Italy, Greece,Egypt and along the great rivers of Europe etc. where there are many buildings older than our country. Many Australians spend considerable amounts of money visiting these countries to see history such as castles, houses in which famous people lived, the Colosseum,the Parthenon, and the Pyramids. They come together every year on January 26 and April 25 to celebrate significant parts of Australian history. Many Australians are engaged in researching their own families' histories.
But they are missing out on a great love affair. They get up in the morning to go to work or school and then come home to their enclosures like prisoners in a low security prison where they are allowed into the community to perform work or play footy at weekends. They might be lucky enough to have good neighbours with whom they enjoy life but they don't really LOVE THEIR COMMUNITY!
It is probable that residents of Melbourne's leafy eastern suburbs love their communities more than most,partly because they are beautiful but also because of the prestige and snob value they present. The opposition to the Camberwell Station development is a good example of a community coming together. What about the other suburbs? Is there no reason to love them? Are the residents of Broadmeadows and Frankston going to put up with Sam Newman's put downs of such suburbs in the street talk segments on the Footy Show. I wonder if Eddie Maguire, a Broady boy, agreed with such nonsense in the early years of the show. Shane Crawford feels no need to demean suburbs when he replaces Sam on street talk.
Tommy Lahiff loved his Port Melbourne but he could not understand it when Yuppies started paying big money for its humble dwellings. (This was decades before big developments such as Docklands.) Kensington was a similar suburb,whose house values increased dramatically a few decades ago. Why? Proximity to the city,certainly,but also humble but pretty cottages which have been beautifully restored.
Some of the yuppies may have explored the history of these suburbs but many would probably not know the name of the street at the next corner. If they wanted to find some information or if a professional historian was conducting a heritage study on a house,a suburb or an entire municipality, where would they turn? The local historical society of course!
Churches are dying with most members of congregations well over even Joe Hockey's suggested retirement age. Here's why Australia needs to wake up,because historical societies are in exactly the same boat. The members were much younger when they preserved the historic houses for our friends,the yuppies. Why does Anzac Day draw countless thousands, including very young children, to ceremonies all over Australia every year? Our much maligned schools are partly responsible but it is the parents who actually take their youngsters to the ceremonies.
People at the ceremonies do not ask the marchers to continue their sacrifice but are quite content to let others of the same age, members of historical societies, continue their sacrifice of time and energy to preserve and make accessible the heritage of (in total)this great nation. This is often continued despite severe handicaps which I don't think I could overcome. For example,Jenny Nixon of the Nepean Historical Society is almost blind and Margot Hitchcock of the Blackwood Historical Society has suffered a stroke which has affected the left side of her body.
You cannot imagine how much museum volunteers appreciate visitors with whom they can share their LOVE OF THEIR COMMUNITY! My fellow Australians,all I'm asking you to do is to take your family to your local museum so they can have this opportunity. There is no longer a Rosebud Historical Society and within a decade its demise will be shared by many others unless you WAKE UP, AUSTRALIA. You will learn to love your community and show your appreciation of the historical society members who ask only for your interest.
Elayne Whatman of the Broadmeadows Historical Society prompted this journal when she sent me a flyer.(Below.)
Elayne Whatman
Hon. Secretary
Broadmeadows Historical
Society Inc. & Museum
Museum: 9302 1456
Mobile: 0487 371 543
SOCIETY INC and MUSEUM
(Broadmeadows Town Park, Pearcedale Parade)
(Melway Map 6 G7-8)
While I was on duty at the Dromana museum on Easter Sunday we had a visitor who was chasing information about Safety Beach. She was a descendant of James Manson Sharpley after whom Sharpley Avenue (Melway 150 E10) was named. I referred her to my journals about Safety Beach and told her that I'd try to find out the name of the previous owner of the land. James,a butcher, had accepted the land in lieu of payment of a debt.
She gave me her number and also wrote her name. Noticing that her surname was Matheson, I asked if she was related to Margaret Matheson who was granted crown allotment 11,section 23, parish of Moorooduc,on the south west corner of Three Chain Rd (Moorooduc Rd)and Mornington-Tyabb Rd. Just to prove that it's a small world,she replied, "No,the Mathesons were from Trentham." That's when the penny dropped. I remembered that the Matheson family was also involved at Blackwood and when I mentioned Margot Hitchcock, Sandra said that she'd read Margot's histories. And guess where I was off to as soon as I left the museum- Blackwood! On Easter Tuesday I was admiring the polished granite seat in memory of the Matheson, Cann (and Byers?) families installed near some Matheson graves.
I was hoping to meet Margot when I arrived. We've communicated by email but I'd never met her. Having arrived at dusk, I started my hunt on Monday morning. The chap in the general store told me about the book launch on Sunday and said she'd probably be at the museum.He gave me directions that made no sense at the time because I didn't know about the new C.F.A. building. The historical society building next to the adventure playground was closed and a notice referred to the Stables Museum being opposite Cobb and Co.,which I thought would be the pub. However,I saw it on the corner of Simmons Reef Rd and a brief conversation with a bloke loading his earth-moving machine led me to Margot's house,immediately across the (no through-) road from the historical society building (which WAS the Stables Museum.)
I'm still reading the book but I intend to mention the pioneers involved as witnesses apart from Billy,his wife, and the (almost)minister.Extensive genealogical detail is given about the families of Billy, his wife and the lay-reader, also the mental health issues that led to the tragedy and will not be repeated here. The book is available for purchase at the Garden of St Erth. The museum is open on the first Saturday of each month.
Margot's website is: Blackwood Publishing | Genealogical and early history of ...
Page numbers will be given here for each reference to Blackwood pioneers other than the Pincombe, Robinson and Saunders families. The book has an index.
P.8. Map showing the location of the vicarage and the Pincombe and Hayden houses nearby as well as the Vigor house.
P.10.Mr J.Byres,captain of the Rifle Club, reporting Billy's 7 consecutive bulls eyes.
P.16. Nurse Plews of Blackwood looked after Billy's wife in 1906 after her child was born.
P.37. Michael Hayden and his two sisters were often threatened by their neighbour,Billy.
P.38. Michael Hayden kept his gun loaded and within easy reach. Billy had a confrontation with the Rev. Father Collins and threatened to fight him in a duel. Constable Charles Henry Saunders of Blackwood (photo on cover) interviewed Billy about this threatening letter.
P.42. Mitchell Armstrong who had been mending a fence between Billy's house and the vicarage reported that the shot came from Billy's place.
P.43. William Aston, a local resident, ran to the constable's aid. William Cann searched Billy, finding a loaded revolver and pockets of cartridges.
P.44.Charles,20 year old son of Mounted Constable Charles Henry Saunders went with his father to arrest Billy.
P.45. Dr Anderson of Trentham was sent for to attend to the critically wounded Billy.
Inspector Beck and Constable Kroger of Trentham arrived. Rev. Father Collins was probably the "Roman Catholic priest,then resident in the district" that Billy had allegedly threatened to murder.
P.46. Pincombe accused the Hayden family of hypnotising him. Beck and Kroger found a real arsenal in Billy's house. Mitchell Armstrong heard the shot but saw nobody when he looked toward the source of the noise. Mrs Herbert Cann heard a shot and then the sound of something falling on her roof which was 500 yards from Billy's house but no bullet was found.
P.47. The constable's son Charlie waited outside the Pincombe house but rushed inside when he heard the shots and was relieved to see his father still standing.
P.48.Billy's house and the vicarage were 70 yards apart with a lane in between.
P.49.Mitchell Armstrong was Mr.M.A.Armstrong who was repairing the church fence. Much detail about the slain preacher.
P.50. Billy's claim about the Hayden's hypnotising him are repeated.
P.51.The captain of the rifle club,probably J.Byres,was in the habit of supplying Billy with just enough ammunition for the day. The funeral service was conducted by Canon Bishop of Kyneton,Rev.G.A.Rowell-incumbent of the parish (Trentham?),and Mr Morris of Eaglehawk (who had previously been a lay reader at Blackwood.)
P.52. Detective Sexton was assisting Constablr Kroger to investigate the case. Pincombe wasformally charged before Mr.J.H.Terrill,J.P. Mrs Dr.Plews has been most attentive to the prisoner who would have bled to death without her treatment. (She is called Nurse Plews on page 16!)
P.55. Rev. Father Collins was based at Trentham.
P.57-61. Much detail about the slain preacher, his Reverend-stacked family and his wife's family.
P.62-4. Mr H.E.Hyde had been reader-in-charge at Blackwood in 1905-6 when Canon George Watson visited.Watson, then at the vicarage, Rochester,wrote a letter claiming that if Billy had been put away by Constable Saunders when he fired(at cats!) and hit the vicarage in 1905, lay reader Robinson would not have died.
P.64-5. The Robinsons from a Brunswick perspective.
P.66Mrs Plews,the doctor's wife of Blackwood !!!!
P.72. Photo of the vicarage as seen from the Pincombe house taken in 1976 by Margot. (Ditto P.73 in 2009.)
P.75.Testimony of the lay-reader's wife;Mrs Byrne (Byres?),Mrs Vigor (to whose houses she ran for assistance), Messrs. Aston and M.Richards arrived shortly after her husband was shot,followed by Constable Saunders.
P. 77.Mitchell Armstrong's testimony.
P.78. William Aston's testimony.
P.79.Testimony of Jane Vigor and John Byres.
P.80. Billy's brother's testimony.
P.81.Testimony of Dr John Anderson and William Cann.
P.82-5.Testimony of Constable Saunders.
P.86-7. Testimony of Henry Kroger,stationed at Trentham who gave very precise distances between various buildings, the bullet that killed Robinson having travelled 63 yards (not 70) and Vigor's house was 150 yards from the vicarage.
P.89-98.Official Inquest Reports,Telegrams and statements from Harriet Robinson,William Cann,Morris Richards (store manager for W.J.Anderson at Blackwood), William Aston,Jane Vigor,Jessie Byrne, Michael Hayden (cattle dealer),John Byres, Constable Saunders and his son,John Anderson,Henry W.Kroger, John Byres again, William Aston (who mentioned Mr Livy crossing the road near Cann's hotel),William Cann,John Anderson again,Billy's brother,Constable Saunders again.(P.93.Photos taken by L.V.Terrill of Blackwood for the inquest.)
P.101-111. Extensive information from the police historian and genealogical detail re Constable Saunders.
P.112-116 Death of Billy and burials of Billy,his parents and Mr Robinson in the Blackwood cemetery.
P. 117-127. Details about the religious book that the bullet passed through before killing the lay reader. It was bought by a priest in the Ballarat diocese and then the Rev. Don Hardy who gave it to Rev. Phil Savlin of the parish of Woodend,which included All Saints,Blackwood. When Phil retired in 1984,he gave the book to Bert Oliver for safe keeping but when Bert moved to Adelaide the book did too so Tom Garnett, another All Saints parishioner retrieved it and minded it until it was displayed in the general store in a display case made by Jack Langford,one of the church wardens.
(P.119. Tom Garnett and his wife,Penny, made the special trip to recover the book,despite Tom's ill health. Tom established the Garden of St Erth at Simmons Reef. He was once headmaster of Geelong Grammar and in his retirement wrote articles for The Age including Godly Book Fails to Stop Vengeful Bullet on 6-3-1984. No prizes for guessing what that was about!)
P. 128-9. Pincombe's House. This was vacant because the Pincombes left soon after Billy's brother, Henry, had done his best to make amends for the tragedy,and was dismantled and re-assembled at the Cricket Ground as a club house. When tenders for this task were called for in the Bacchus Marsh Express of 7-11-1908,the Recreation Reserve Trust consisted of M.T.Vigor (Chairman),M.M.J.Croker (Hon.Sec.)and Messrs H.H.Cann and H.H.Terrill. Mr.W.Croker was paid 12 pounds for forming a bicycle track and tenders were to be called to relocate the cottage. Soon after the cottage was removed,Bill and Frank Matheson built a stone cottage on the site, the stones brought from the Lerdederg in a wheelbarrow.(Photo of this house taken in 1976.)
P.130. Those who gave to Henry Pincombe's collection to support the lay reader's widow were J.P.,A. Buchanan,F.Hodgkiss, Mrs Bates,J.Matthews,C.H.Derrick,S.Taylor,Mrs Mackie,E.E.Hosking, J.H.Terrill, T.A.Matthews, W.Broad,A.Duncan,W.H.Miller,Mrs Whitford,G.H.McPherson,J.Skinner,A.Skinner,W.Alcorn and four other named as Sympathy,Friend or Anon.
The rest of the book concerns Pincombe/Morrish genealogy,asylum records and Billy's brother's's war service.
P.137. The Blackwood State School Honour Roll is kept in the Blackwood Hall.Here's hoping my magnifying glass is good enough to read the photo.
Asterisks indicate that the name is later repeated.
ARMSTRONG A.M.*, ARMSTRONG T.M., ARMSTRONG W.E., BYRNE J., BROAD W.J., BYRES W., CARRUTHERS G.R.*, CARRUTHERS H., CHERRY H., COCCIARDI A., DAVEY R., DAVEY L., DOWNING A., DOWNING G.T., DOWNING R., HALL R.W.M., LAWRENCE W.*, MORRISH H.C., MARSHALL A.S., MURPHY T.*, McCRACKEN J.N.*, NELSON S., NELSON H., PERRY H., PATTINSON A.O., PATTINSON J.H. It seems to be implied that those following "Greater love etc" had been killed in the war.#.Those already named will be indicated with an asterisk above.SKINNER W.F., SEYMOUR J., STEPHENS I., WHATMOUGH R.H., PEARCE R.L., PEARCE L., PINCOMBE J.R. (Billy's brother), RAE F., SPEARY N.J.W., (SKINNER W.F.repeated), SAUNDERS G., SHESLER G., SMITH M.M., SMITH T., SMITH E., SEYMOUR E., (SEYMOUR J. repeated), SUFFERN G.E., SWEET J., (STEPHENS I. repeated), STEPHENS C.R., VIGOR A.J., (WHATMOUGH R.H. repeated), WHATMOUGH W.J., WEBSTER?.T.
#As John Ridd Pincombe died in 1934 aged 66,the honour roll is a nice job of lettering (except in the case of both the Stephens men and Webster) but cannot be relied on as to who died during the war. The desire to have the "Greater love hath no man etc" bit as a centrepiece and the name of A.M.Armstrong being repeated under it, gave the impression that he and all those under his second appearance did not survive the war. IT'S A PITY THAT THE USUAL PRACTICE, OF INDICATING THOSE WHO HAD MADE THE SUPREME SACRIFICE WITH AN ASTERISK, WAS NOT FOLLOWED.
Last year's edition about Christie Johnstone, the Tucks etc was superb and this year's is just as good.
There are some articles of general interest such as the first shots in both world wars being fired from Pt Nepean, the fact that those who survived the conflict still paid a price mentally and physically,a look at the Nazi mystique outlining novels based on the regime's evil intentions,Alan Moore of Mt Eliza, a Frankston recruit who changed his name, and a drum that barked like a dog.
Once again,there are also articles which contain well-researched local history and genealogy. Articles about Anzacs from the Coxhell and Brunning/Shaw families take us back to the arrival of these families on the peninsula. Thomas Coxhell, who was born in Middlesex in 1825, married Theresa Anne Tynan on 17-9-1857 at St Francis Church,Melbourne. Theresa was born in Dublin in 1831 and arrived in Port Phillip in 1855,her passage on the "Western Bride" having been paid by Mr Balcombe of "The Briars" with whom she had contracted to work as a ladies' maid for a year for 20 pounds. In 1862,Thomas bought land at Osborne which overlooked The Briars. He worked as a brickmaker at the Mornington Brickworks. The Brunning family arrived in Somerville in 1866 and as detailed by Leila Shaw in her THE WAY WE WERE, achieved fame as nurserymen,the Brunnings gardening guide becoming the bible for keen gardeners.
William Shaw, who was born in Maffra in 1890, was a farm labourer living with his father in Oakleigh when he enlisted in 1916 at the age of 26 but his father had moved to Tyabb during the next two years. William was shot in the knee while carrying a message to H.Q.near the River Jordan at 8 a.m. on 1-5-1918 and it was several days before he was brought in. Ironically he survived because of the maggots which fed on the infection but his leg had to be amputated. It was doubtful that he would survive and as he lay in the tent hospital at Gaza, he pledged to call his first son Gaza if he pulled through. William Jnr,known as Gaza,married Leila Brunning and served in W.W.2.
Leila Shaw's father, Bill Brunning, donated land for a Soldiers'Memorial Park at Somerville in 1949 but because the returned servicemen from W.W.2 wanted the memorial to be of use to the community,it was to take the form of an infant welfare centre. What a mistake! I'm a big fan of Aldi supermarkets but they don't make me think of our ANZACS!
Every Anzac Day, a large crowd assembles near the Edna Dunk memorial clock to honour our Anzacs. Tonight I discovered that the Dromana Historical Society and the Dromana R.S.L. have received funding for an Anzac Centenary project but the Rosebud lads will not be included. This has prompted me to write about those named on Rosebud Primary School's ROLL OF HONOUR. Few of those who assemble for the Anzac Day ceremony would be aware of the roll of honour and the Rosebud R.S.L. may well be unaware of its existence. Those most likely to know about the Roll of Honour are the youngsters from Rosebud Primary School where it is displayed prominently near the office. It honours former pupils of the school. In 2010,I recorded the names of those who served in W.W.1 when I started my research into the history of Rosebud and the Mornington Peninsula and last year,on Anzac Day, I wrote a short journal about the Anzacs from Rosebud and Tullamarine.
My search for information about the roll of honour and those named on it is not going to be as easy as I thought it would be, but the following is of interest.
Land subdivision in the Rosebud area made building blocks available and additional families settled in the area. Rosebud State School, number 2627, was served by a number of Head Teachers over the years and when war broke out in 1914 Mr Charles Perrin was in charge. He volunteered for war service in the last term of 1915 and was replaced as Head Teacher by Mr Andrew Allingham who was to stay on as Head Teacher until the end of 1927.
(Postscript, 8:20 a.m. 25-4-2014. After checking the details of the service at Rosebud, I thought I'd google ANZAC, ROSEBUD, HOBLEY to see what would come up. It seems that Dick Hobley and A.A.Allingham, of Rosebud who died circa 1992, were associated with a unit based in Western Australia during W.W.2.
PioneerStory#21 History 2:2 - pioneerbattalion.com.au
Aug 2, 1992 - from Dick Hobley from Esperance with apologies. )
Local men who joined the Army are listed on the 1914-18 Honour Roll which has been kept at the school. For many years it hung over the fireplace in Room 2 but is now mounted on the wall outside the office.
Mr Charles Perrin, the former Head Teacher, was killed in action in 1918.
(History - Rosebud Primary School
DUNK L.A.; HOBLEY R.?*, G.,J; JAMES E.; McCORMICK K.; McGILLVRAY JAMES*,JOHN, ARCH.,ALF.,ANDREW;
See comment of this date (American time)regarding George Parry, J.E.Peatey's death and discovery of the following information. Those listed on the R.S.L. Roll of Honour enlisted at Rosebud. The information is placed here for easy comparison of the two rolls.
WM.ADAMS,FRANK AND RICHARD CHILTERN, CHAS. GREENFIELD, ERIC JAMES, ARTHUR HOUNSLOW,ALFRED PEATEY, HAROLD McCORMICK,WALTER STOREY,CLIFFORD TUTE, STANLEY POTTON,EDWARD EDMONDS.
All enlisted from Rosebud.
Peatey is written as Peaty in the framed information and the spelling of Chilton/Chiltern* also varies. E.J.Edmonds (or his son)was known as Ned and was related to the Williams family of "Eastbourne".Arthur Hounslow was probably related by marriage to the Peateys.
(*The correct spelling would appear to be Chilton and the family may have been living on Tute land west of Jetty Rd.
Bush Fires. ROSEBUD.
Mornington Standard (Frankston, Vic. : 1911 - 1920) Saturday 31 January 1914 p 2 Article
... Bush Fires. ROSEBUD. A fire, which threatened for a time to cause serious damage, occurred at ... of wind carrying the fire to the west caused the house occupied by Mr Chilton to be in danger for a ... 294 words)
I had recently stumbled across an article involving Rosebud's Mrs Tute and the Empire.
Fine weather favored the Empire Day celebrated at Rosebud on Friday, 22nd May. In the morning the scholars, under their teacher(Mr Perrin) assisted by the members of the school committee and a number of parents and friends assembled in front of the school to perform the ceremony of saluting the flag, followed by three hearty cheers for " King, Queen, and Empire."
The gathering then proceeded into the schoolroom, which was gaily decorated for the occasion. Here interesting addresses were delivered by Mrs Clifford Tute (late of India) and Mr Alexander, J.P. Mrs Tute spoke of the power of the British Empire, its vast extent and its varied peoples.(P.2,Mornington Standard, 30-5-1914.)
It was no surprise to find this.
A meeting of the Rosebud Patriotic Committee was held in the hall on 3rd February. Mrs D. Bucher, one of the
vice-presidents, occupied the chair, and there was a good attendance of members.A letter was read from Mrs. Clifford Tute resigning her position as President of the committee, owing to her approaching visit to Europe. Mrs Tute's resignation was accepted with regret, and Mrs.D.Bucher was elected President in her place.
(P.2, Mornington Standard, 20-2-1915.)
On 29-1-1937,K.Tute was granted 626 acres 3 roods and 18 perches south of Waterfall Gully Rd.The Tutes were not assessed in 1910 but in 1919,Mrs Katrine Tute paid rates on 610 acres (crown allotments 30,30A,17A,16,section B,Wannaeue) and Mr Tute (probably Clifford) on 660 acres (crown allotments 3AB,4,7, 9E,9A,part 5,section B,Wannaeue.)Descriptions of properties were unreliable but the 660 acres seemed to be near Boneo Rd,part of it farmed by Donald McGillvray* in 1910.
(*See the five McGillvray boys on the state school roll of honour.)
Mrs. R. Clifford Tute, of Camphill, Dromana, is staying for a while at The Gables,Domain road, South Yarra.
(P.43,The Australasian,30-11-1918.)
First World War Embarkation Rolls - Richard Clifford Tute
Rank: Lieutenant Quartermaster
Roll title: 4 Field Ambulance (December 1914)
Conflict: First World War, 1914-1918
Date of embarkation: 22 December 1914
Place of embarkation: Melbourne
Ship embarked on: HMAT Berrima A35
Richard Clifford Tute was 40 when he embarked in 1914. He seems to have come from a very clever family which absorbed the culture of India while there. The author's birth year (1874) matches that of the Rosebud resident.
Details - The AIF Project
Richard Clifford TUTE ... Next of kin, Catherine Tute, Rosebud, Victoria ... Embarkation details, Unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board Transport A35 ...
Permalink to this record - State Library of New South Wales ...
Selections. Translations from Omar Khayyam / by Richard Clifford Tute, Clifford Sherlock Tute. ... Published, Malvern, Vic : McKellar Press, 1919.
My apologies for the over-emphasis on one person,but my curiosity knows no bounds.
You may be thinking that the roll of honour does not contain many names. This is why.
At the start of world war 1, Rosebud was a sleepy fishing village with most of its residents living in the fishing village itself,that is the house blocks fronting the beach between the present Village Green and the east end of the foreshore board walk. The Peateys, whose tale is told in Rosalind Peatey's PINE TREES AND BOX THORNS (available in the local history room at the Rosebud library) had been living across McDowell St from the school since 1888 but they were among the very few living on the inland side of Pt Nepean Rd.
Captain Henry Everest Adams was probably the first resident of Rosebud* but the year of his arrival is unclear; the Dromana Pioneer Pathway gives it as 1845. He is said to have beached his schooner at Adams' Corner (site of the McCrae carwash) and used its timber to build a cottage. With the help of his son,Robert Henry,the cottage was extended or replaced with a larger dwelling that served for many years as a guest house named Hopetoun House (later Merlyn Lodge), named in honour of the Governor, Lord Hopetoun, who often stayed there on the way to inspect the fort at Pt Nepean. The land between The Avenue and Parkmore Ave,,crown allotment 20, Wannaeue,seems to have been reserved for a village (and may have been leased from the Crown by the Captain) until about 1877 when lots in Wannaeue Village were advertised for sale. By 1864, the captain owned crown allotment 19, east to Adams Avenue, which had been granted to his friend, Isaac White. In the land boom of the 1880's a developer had bought crown allotment 19 and some blocks between South St and the beach were sold but when the bust hit,most of the land reverted to Robert Adams' ownership. Parkmore, built by Albert Holloway in 1896, was on this early subdivision.
(*Edward Hobson had earlier squatted on the Safety Beach area and then Tootgarook, built a lime kiln near Marks Ave, Rosebud West, and Hobson's Flat near Rosebud was named after him, but he did not seem to have lived in the Rosebud area.)
The Cornells were holiday makers (as far as I'm aware)and must have stayed for some time if the children attended school at Rosebud. A street is named after the family. (Melway 159 B10.) In 1910 June Connell of Caulfield owned "6 acres and building" which according to ROSEBUD:FLOWER OF THE PENINSULA was on part of a large tract of land on Arthurs Seat where George Smythe , a Flemington tanner,had planted a wattle plantation and built the hut for his caretaker. William John and Mrs Caroline Coburn were farmers living at Springbank
(88 acres) whose homestead was burnt to the ground only a few years later. The Coburns were related to the Burrells and had bought some of the Arthurs Seat pre-emptive right,Catherine Burrell retaining only 70 acres.
The Burrells, Cornells and Coburns seem to have been the only families occupying houses on the bay side of the road to Cape Schanck between the rocks and Adam's Corner. The Arthurs Seat homestead, now on only 40 acres, was advertised for sale in 1925.
At Half past Two O Clock On the Property I Have Received Instructions from The Trustees Executors, and Agency Co. Ltd., of 412 Collins Street, Melbourne, as Executors of the Will of the Late Miss Burrell, to SELL by PUBLIC AUCTION the Property Described Hereunder: -
All That Piece of Land, being Lot 3 on Plan of Subdivision No. 3123, Being Part of Crown Portion 1, Sec. B, Parish of Wannaeue, Containing 40 Acres, or Thereabouts.
This property, Known as Arthur's Seat, is Situated on the Rosebud Road (Opposite Light-house) 2 Miles from Dromana P. O., Excellent Panoramic Views of the Coastline from Higher Portion of Property, 5 Minutes from Beach.
The Buildings Consist of on Old 8-roomed Wattle and Dab Homestead, with Cowsheds and Fowlhouses of Iron, ¼-acre Orchard, Fences in Fair Order.
Title, Certificate. TERMS.:- One-quarter Cash, Balance in 30 Days. Immediate Possession.
Solicitors:- -Messrs. W. S. Cook and McCallum of 60 Queen Street, Melbourne.For Further Particulars Apply to
S. L. BUTLER, auctioneer, and estate agent, Mornington. Tel. 131.(P.3, Argus, 28-10-1925.
The land between Adams Avenue and Jetty Rd,crown allotment 18,was subdivided before 1875 when it was bought by Robert White but only one block,lot 86 was sold. This two acre block on the FJ's corner was the site of a shop built by Jack Jones,Rosebud's only shop for many years. In about 1892 the remaining 150 acres passed into the ownership of the Bamford family and later the Potton family of Brunswick. An entire chapter of the late Peter Wilson's ON THE ROAD TO ROSEBUD is devoted to HENRY POTTON'S FARM. This area was subdivided by DeGaris, a developer who committed suicide twice. Obviously his first effort was faked and he was nabbed as he disembarked in New Zealand. His house (19 Mitchell St), which he called Wahgunyah is heritage-listed and was probably the only house standing on c/a 18 at the start of the war.
Between Jetty Rd and the line of Norm Clark Walk was c/a 17. This had been subdivided before 1878 when George and Susan Peatey bought lot 76. A much smaller school site was bought in the 1880's but this subdivision was not much more successful than that on c/a 18. Vale,the estate agent, revived the subdivision about three decades later. Between Norm Clark Walk and First Avenue were crown allotments 16 and 15 which were subdivided as the CLACTON-ON-SEA ESTATE, which is also the subject of a chapter in Peter Wilson's book. Despite raffles conducted on steamers and competitions on the radio with free blocks as prizes this subdivision also met with little success. Many who did buy blocks forfeited them through non-payment of rates and Peter detailed how the shire and charitable groups redeveloped the Banksia Place area near Eastbourne Rd in fairly recent times.
At the start of world war 1,there were two houses between First Avenue and Boneo Rd,Hindhope Villa (50 First Avenue) and "The Thicket", situated on the large round reserve at the end of The Drive. Crown allotment 14 had been split into four properties of 29, 29,40 and 16 acres. In 1910, one of the first two was owned by Gregory Rigg,farmer, and the other was bought by his wife soon afterward. Together,these made Hindhope,which fronted Pt Nepean Rd and included 50 First Avenue and all the Hope St house blocks.Also in 1910,Ramsay Couper owned the 40 acre block and Nora Couper the 16 acre block which together constituted "The Thicket". Last night,I found an article about the Rosebud Park Estate,which was almost certainly The Thicket.
Old Homestead Property.
Community settlement methods have been applied to the lay- out of the Rosebud Park Estate. An old family home has been made the pivotal point of a plan which begins with a direct avenue from the house to the Rosebud beach, and extends in circular and radial roads over a wide area of beautiful timbered country, with a
long frontage to the Boneo road...... A very large central recreation park been preserved around the
old homestead, which is to be used probably as a cafe or clubhouse.
(The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957) Tuesday 20 December 1927 p 6 Article.)
The land from Boneo Rd to Chinaman's Creek contained two houses at the start of world war 1,"Eleanora Davey Cairns'"Eleanora",which still stands in the Rosebud Hospital and the Wong-Shing house on the market garden near the creek.
The known houses on the south side of Pt Nepean Rd at the start of W.W.1, from the rocks(Anthony's Nose) to Chinaman's Creek, were therefore the McCrae Homestead,the Cornells' house, the new Springbank, Hopetoun House, Parkmore, Wahgunyah, the schoolmaster's house in the state school grounds,the charred remains of the Peatey house on lot 76 of c/a 17 behind the school,possibly the McDowell house (lots 77,79 and part 75 with building on c/a 17 in 1919), Rosebud Ted Cairns (lots 49-54 of c/a 17), the homesteads of Hindhope and The Thicket, Eleanora and the market garden house. The residences of soldiers listed on the roll of honour not known to have occupied any of the above houses were most likely in the fishing village, farming properties (to be specified) or on crown allotment 17.
Many of the fishing village blocks had become holiday homes or vacant blocks owned by such as the Buchers, Judith Mavis Cock's great grandmother (Emily Durham),Eva Dunk of Williamstown, George Fountain (North Melbourne's last Mayor) and Arthur Boyd's maternal grandmother (Mrs Evelyn Gough of St Kilda.)
Thus the names on the roll of honour constitute a considerable proportion of Rosebud's permanent population.
Service details come from THE A.I.F.PROJECT.
R.W.Adams was almost surely Robert William Adams, better known as Billy, who is not listed in the A.I.F. PROJECT. Billy who bought Keith McGregor's carrying business (see under Len Dunk) was born in 1886.He married a Miss Pain,who died, and later Miss Hill.
"Robert Henry Adams'youngest boy Robert William Adams would have been the Billy Adams,Mabel's brother, who bought Keith McGregor's run to the city. Born at Tootgarook in 1886,he married a widow (nee Pain) in 1914,who gave birth to Edith in 1915 but died two days later. Billy went to war in 1916 leaving the baby with her maternal grandmother. He returned minus a foot. In 1921 he married Mabel Gertrude Hall. Dorothy Mabel,their third child was born in 1926 at Boneo and married Fred Parker. They had a son,whom they named Dean."
(ADAMS'CORNER, R.F.Gibb,2010.)
ADAMS-On the 31st March at his son's residence, Rosebud, Robert H., beloved husband of the late Mary Jane*, of Hopetoun House, Rosebud ; loved father of Henry, Emma (deceased), Eva (Mrs. Dunk) Flora (Mrs Freeman), Mary (deceased) Helen (Mrs. Harvey), William (of Rosebud), May (Mrs McGregor),Edith (Mrs Reeves), aged 96 years. Very old resident. (The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957) Thursday 1 April 1937 p 1 Family Notices)
There was more than one Baker family in Rosebud.
PAGE 86,ON THE ROAD TO ROSEBUD,Peter Wilson.
A wound to his ankle suffered during W.W.1 caused Harry Baker to walk with a limp,throwing his right leg forward. Harry lived in a house situated at 9-11 Rosebud Pde and rented a shop in the Broadway Theatre building, almost opposite his house, where he sold green groceries. He used a Dodge ute to buy stock at the Victoria Market and to do Saturday deliveries. On the last school day in 1939, the pupils at Rosebud State School were surprised at a visit from Father Christmas but were probably equally surprised to find that there were two men who walked exactly the same way. The smarter ones knew immediately that Santa was Harry!
I have suggested in another journal that there was a relationship between the Cairns family, early pioneers of Boneo, and members of the Cairns family living in the parish of Lyndhurst. This seems to be confirmed by Godfrey Brown Cairns' name being on the Rosebud roll of honour. Godfrey Brown Cairns was involved in a story that I have called SHOVEL TROUBLE AT ROSEBUD, which was almost warfare between Robert Henry Adams and Back Road Bob Cairns (Godfrey's father) where the latter had diverted storm water across the former's crown allotment 19 land. William Henry Hobley was caught in no man's land, being a neighbour of both, and the unpleasantness may have prompted his move to the Leongatha area. The whole story may be found by googling HOBSON'S FLAT DRAINAGE, Hobson's Flat road being today's Bayview Rd.
At the Dromana Police Court on Tuesday before S. Smallman, Esq, P.M., and Mr Rudduck; J.P., Godfrey Brown Cairns, Rosebud, charged Robert H. Adams, Rosebud, with assault on July 18. etc.
(P.5, Mornington Standard,5-8-1905.)
16080 CAIRNS, Godfrey Brown Lyndhurst, Victoria Field Artillery Brigade 4, Reinforcement 6
2785 CAIRNS, Christopher Ernest Flinders, Victoria 37th Battalion, 6th Reinforcement
The following are not on the roll of honour but are members of the same family.
27757 CAIRNS, Archibald Flinders, Victoria Field Artillery Brigade 15, Reinforcement 6
3535 CAIRNS, Ernest Charles Joseph Boneo via Dromana, Victoria 8th Light Horse Regiment, 31st Reinforcement
603 CAIRNS, Reuben Rosebud, Dromana, Victoria 9th Light Horse Regiment, 2nd Reinforcement
I wonder if this was supposed to be Chilton. See comments.
1058 CARLETON, Gordon Henry Glenarm, Sorrento, Victoria 6th Battalion, C Company
No connection between G.Carleton and Rosebud has been found on trove. I therefore did a search for Carelton, Sorrento. There is quite some detail about the Carleton family in Jennifer Nixon's SORRENTO, PORTSEA, FAMILY, CONNECTIONS. The link with Rosebud could be through the Hiscock family.
HISCOCK-CARLETON -On the 20th March, at St. Andrews Church, Middle Brighton, by the
Rev. Canon Hancock, Rupert Dolphin eldest son of the late W. H. Hiscock and Mrs. Hiscock, of Middle Brighton, to Aileen Mary, third daughter of the late Mr G. Carleton and Mrs H.Thompson, of Sorrento.(P.11,Argus,7-5-1921.)
On the 22nd December, George William, Abbotsford road, Mayne, Brisbane, late of Sorrento, Victoria, eldest son of Geo. Carleton(Sunbury) and Helen Thompson (deceased, of Sorrento), brother of Grace (Mrs. Chaffe), Ida (Mrs. Glenwright), Gordon, Aileen (Mrs. Hiscock), and Vivian (Mrs. Peasley), aged 43 years.
(Inserted by his loving sisters and brother.) P.1, Argus, 24-12-1931.
Mornington Peat Deposits. Fertiliser Plant to be Installed. LONDON, Oct. 27.
Mr Walter Hiscock, of Melbourne, in conjunction with Mr E Lloyd Pease, of Stockton-on -Tees chemical works, has arranged to establish a plant at Mornington Peninsula for the production of a new fertiliser from Mornington's unique peat deposits.
The site selected by Mr Hiscock lies between Rosebud and Rye, in what is known as Boneo Swamp, on the Mornington Peninsula. In the district there is an immense deposit of valuable peat composed of decayed vegetable matter, guano and sea shells, which tests have shown to be of a great value, after a process of destructive distillation as a fertiliser. The deposit is from 1ft to 8ft in depth, and extends towards Cape Schanck. In places it is exposed on the surface. Up to the present the output has been limited owing to the difficulty of handling and transport. It is expected that within 12 months the works will be established.
(P.29,Argus, 28-10-1922.)
HISCOCK -On October 16 at his residence. Nee Morna, Sorrento, Walter George, loved husband of Florence, and father of Maud, May, Dorothy,Reita, Dick, and Pegs.
(P.14,Argus, 17-10-1950.)
Although his involvement at Rosebud West may not have started before W.W.1, Walter Hiscock was probably known in Rosebud before that. He was the Crown grantee of the whole of section 10, bounded by Pasley St, Palmerston Ave (the freeway), Grant St and Clarendon St, in the township of Dromana, on 13-2-1906.
Ron Doig told me of the tram line that ran up the east side of Truemans Rd to transport the fertiliser. He also told me that a plane that had crash-landed in the Boneo swamp had taken off on the south side of Hiscock's house, roughly the course of Broadway. Hiscock had been the manager of the Tootgarook Land Company. It is possible that Carleton had been included on the Rosebud roll of honour because of his connection with Hiscock, just as Bill Parr's son in law, Furphy, had been included on the Tullamarine War Memorial.
4676 CONNOP, Jack Edward Moorooduc, Victoria 23rd Battalion, 12th Reinforcement
It is likely that Edmund Connop was related to the above.
799 CONNOP, Edmund Moorooduc, Victoria 22nd Battalion, D Company
Edward Connop married Ellen,daughter of Ned and Mary (nee Campbell)Williams.In 1900,Edward Connop occupied land on Browns Rd,east of Truemans Rd,that had been granted to Ned.
WILLIAMS.-On September 9, at Eastbourne, Rosebud West, Edward Thomas son of the late Edward and Mary Williams, beloved brother of James, Caroline, Ellen(Mrs. Connop, deceased), Marion (Mrs.Edmonds, deceased), aged 91 years. -At rest.(P.11,Argus, 10-9-1947) P.S. James Williams died the next day!
The following death notice proves that at least one of the Moorooduc Connops was the son of Edward and Ellen.
CONNOP -On October 13 at the residence of her son, Mornington road, Tyabb, Ellen wife of the late Edward Connop, in her (89th?) year.(P.4, Argus,14-10-1941.)
The only P.Cornell listed was from New South Wales. As June Connell of Caulfield was assessed in 1910,it is highly likely that the following soldier was related to her.
35014 CORNELL, James Leslie Kooyong Road, Caulfield, Victoria Field Artillery Brigade, Reinforcement 27
Despite the Murrayville address,the following may have been the letter writer (below) of 1941 and also related to June. As he obviously preferred his second given name,he was probably the P.Cornell listed on the roll of honour.
22226 CORNELL, Henry Percy Murrayville, Victoria Engineering Field Companies, General Reinforcements
The Roll of honour lists P., James and John Cornell so the next entry is indicative that Percy and John had left home together in search of land or employment and that their mother might have been a Coburn.
2114 CORNELL, John Coburn Murrayville, Victoria 7th Battalion, 6th Reinforcement
R2114 CORNELL, John Coburn 7th Battalion, 21st Reinforcement
The Cornell family's contribution was obviously not confined to World War 1.
Sir,-Few people admit a responsibility for maximum war effort. An authoritative leader is required to compel all to do what is advisable. The energies of the Australian people are being directed to a war effort thus:
-(1) The men who have enlisted are obviously all in. (2) Those in factories producing war material are doing something. (3) Those who are producing and distributing may or may not be diverting any service to war
ends. The only way to divert the people's services to a war effort is through the pay envelope. Don't leave it to individuals to invest or not in war savings certificates. Assess the soldiers' effort as datum and compel groups Nos. 2 and 3 to contribute all income above that of No. 1 to war savings certificates. Non-war services
should be reduced to the minimum. After the war many may have to stand down for returned men, and this would be
offset somewhat by substantial credits in war savings certificates
-Yours, &c, Rosebud. H. PERCY CORNELL. (P.8, Argus,26-4-1941, MONEY FOR WAR EFFORT.)
These are the only two whose given names start with G.
2347 COUPER, George Arthur Kelvin, Banksia Street, Botany, New South Wales 4th Battalion, 7th Reinforcement
11692 COUPER, Guy 64 Station Street, Box Hill, Victoria Supply Column 3, Army Service Corps 26
After a tedious examination of genealogical websites,I have found that Ramsay and Nora Couper died in the Donvale area and that they and their son,Guy and other family members are buried in the Box Hill cemetery. Guy's father was R.G.H.Couper (Ramsay George Henry!)
Couper Doris 2001 AIL 0659
Couper Guy 1973 CE 1945
Couper Nora 1925 CE 1944
Couper Ramsay George Henry 1949 CE 1945
Couper Sybel 1976 CE 1944
7000 DUNK, Leonard Alexander 24 Hunter Street, West Brunswick, Victoria 14th Battalion, 23rd Reinforcement
Len Dunk had followed Jimmy the Squid Williams of Eastbourne and Keith McGregor in providing a passenger service to the Mornington railhead,also picking up the catches of fish from the side of Pt Nepean Rd. Keith,who had married Mabel Adams, introduced motorised transport while living at the homestead of "The Thicket". When Keith moved with his brother to wheat farm near (Stawell?) in about 1922,he sold his business to Mabel's brother Billy (who was probably R.W.Adams,the first entry on the roll of honour but not listed in the A.I.F. PROJECT.) Billy must have later sold it to his brother in law,Len Dunk.(Billy and Mabel's sister,Eva, had married Andrew Dunk.)
Len's run was timed to meet the train at Mornington but did not allow for punctures!
Leonard Dunk, carrier, of Rosebud,was charged at the Frankston court with having driven a motor truck weighing less than three tons and fitted with pneumatic tyres at a speed in excess of 30 miles an hour on Pt. Nepean road on April 2. Constable Fraser said he followed defendant's truck along Pt.Nepean road towards Frankston for two miles. The speed registered ranged from 35 to 46 miles an hour.
Dunk, on oath, said he had some trouble with a tyre on his truck which caused him to miss a train at Mornington. As he had fish on his truck for the Melbourne market he drove on to Frankston in an endeavour to catch the train there. Defendant, who admitted prior conviction for a similar offence was fined £4 with 12/6 costs. (P.1, Frankston and Somerville Standard,18-7-1931.)
In 1920, Mrs Eva Dunk of West Brunswick was assessed lot 8 and buildings,part Crown allotment 20, section B,Wannaeue. ( Lot 8 of C/A 20 is roughly indicated by the northern end of Lonsdale St.) Eva was the wife of Andrew Dunk whom she had married in 1902 and it is possible that Len had moved to the big smoke in search of a job and was staying with them. (ADAMS' CORNER,R.F.Gibb,2010.)
Pasted from my journal about Frederick Hobley.
Frederick Hobley was a prominent member of the Victorian Police Force. The Chief Commissioner,who had come from Scotland Yard where forensic science was well developed,reorganised the Criminal Investigation Branch in 1938.Detective training courses, run by Frederick Hobley, were organised at the headquarters in Russell St, Melbourne. Frederick was an expert in photography and ballistics. He spent much of his time in investigating baffling cases and giving expert testimony in courts.(Trove.)
Frederick's father was William Henry Hobley, who was born at Schnapper Point(Mornington)on the Mornington Peninsula,Victoria,Australia in 1857. William married Elizabeth James at Main Creek (possibly Red Hill) on the Peninsula on 11-6-1884.By 1885 William and Elizabeth were settled at Rosebud on land for which William received the grant in 1890. The International Genealogical Index-Southwest Pacific shows that their first child, William Henry Hobley, was born there on 31-8-1885. Then followed George (2-2-1887),Ethel May (2-5-1889), Joseph (1-5-1894), Charles (9-8-1896), Frederick (4-10-1898), Elizabeth Violet (26-1-1901),Harold (20-6-1904)and Samuel (17-5-1906), all born at Rosebud. Their next child, Ernest, was born at Leongatha in Gippsland on 24-8-1908
The following information was supplied in comments under the journal.
by estevard on 2012-02-09 03:24:24
William Henry HOBLEY and Elizabeth JAMES had another son, Richard, who was born around November 1891 near Dromana (presumably at Rosebud). He enlisted in the AIF on 19 September 1914 and served with the 8th Light Horse Regiment. He was at the Gallipoli landing and was killed in action on the Sinai Peninsula on 9 August 1916. His service record can be accessed at the National Archives of Australia. There is also an entry for him at http://alh-research.tripod.com/Light_Horse/index.blog/1944364/8th-lhr-roll-of-honour-richard-hobley/.
Two of his brothers, George and Joseph, also served in the AIF. Both survived.
by itellya on 2012-02-09 06:39:42
Extracts from emails sent to the editor of the Great Southern Star (Leongatha area.)
Rosebud did not forget the Hobleys; all three boys were remembered on its Roll of Honour.
If you google "Hobley, Leongatha" you will find much of the information I sent you on the first page and the 7-7-2010 (page 2, Soldiers Worth Remembering) article as item 7 on page 2 with the heading GREAT SOUTHERN STAR.
As I've stated, Joe's name was on the list, but George's wasn't. He was born in Rosebud in 1887 and the family moved to the Leongatha area sometime between the births of two children in 1906 and August, 1908. This would mean that George was about 20 when they arrived there. He enlisted in Western Australia and died there but it likely that he spent some time in your area before moving to W.A. Even though he may not have been a longtime resident, his family connection would have entitled him to inclusion under the rationale applied with most war memorials. If you google Hobley, George, A.I.F., the first three sites will be the service records of George, Joe and Dick.
In relation to George's residence in the Leongatha area, the family was there by Feb., 1907. (Morwell Advertiser 15-2-1907, page 2; Palmros v Hobley case over a lease. When George was listed as dangerously ill and then recovering, his address was given as Leongatha in both reports.
I'll attach a bit of background. I thought William Henry Hobley had drowned himself in a waterhole in 1921 during a visit to Rosebud but notices indicate that he might have resumed cab driving. He was certainly not in financial strife judging by the estate he left Elizabeth.
There were Wickhams at Rosebud at the same time as the Hobleys and both families were members of the Methodist congregation. It is interesting that there were Wickhams at Sale. It was probably W.H.Hobley's son in law who saw Jim Melrose crash at Melton South.
The Leongatha police and school and the communities at Mardan (where Fred's dad was living when he died by drowning at Rosebud in 1921) and Koorooman East (where his widow was living when granted probate of his will) might like a copy of Who am I?
William Hobley and his son were praised for travelling from Rosebud to fight a fire that started on the area now called Safety Beach and split into two fronts that threatened to engulf Dromana. (Mornington Standard 21-1-1905.
by ngairedith on 2012-02-09 06:48:07
RICHARD 'Dick' HOBLEY
Regimental number - 390
Place of birth - Rosebud, Victoria
School - Rosebud State School No. 2627, Victoria
Religion - Methodist
Occupation - Farmer
Address - Leongatha, Victoria
Marital status - Single
Age at embarkation - 23
Next of kin - Father, William Hobley, Whelans Ro, Leongatha, Victoria
Enlistment date - 19 September 1914
Embarkation details - Unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board Transport A16 Star of Victoria on 25 February 1915
Rank from Nominal Roll - Sergeant
Unit from Nominal Roll - 8th Light Horse Regiment
Fate - Killed in Action 9 August 1916
Place of death - Bir-el-abd, Sinai Peninsula, Egypt
Age at death - 24
Age at death from cemetery records - 23
Place of burial - No Known Grave
Commemoration details - Jerusalem Memorial, Palestine
Panel number, Roll of Honour, 6 Australian War Memorial
Regimental number - 5116
Religion Methodist
Occupation - Farmer
Address - Nyabing, Western Australia
Marital status - Single
Age at embarkation - 29
Next of kin - Father, Mr W H Hobley, Leongatha, Victoria
Enlistment date - 12 February 1916
Embarkation details - Unit embarked from Fremantle, Western Australia, on board HMAT A9 Shropshire on 31 March 1916
Rank from Nominal Roll - Private
Unit from Nominal Roll - 11th Battalion
Fate - Returned to Australia 22 February 1917
JOSEPH 'Joe' HOBLEY
Regimental number - 2027
Religion - Methodist
Occupation - Farmer
Address - Wheelan's Receiving Office, via Leongatha, Victoria
Marital status - Single
Age at embarkation - 21
Next of kin - Father, William Henry Hobley, Wheelan's Receiving Office, via Leongatha, Victoria
Enlistment date - 6 August 1915
Embarkation details - Unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A32 Themistocles on 28 January 1916
Rank from Nominal Roll - Sergeant
Unit from Nominal Roll - 3rd Field Artillery Brigade
Recommendations (Medals and Awards) - Distinguished Conduct Medal
Refers 3 December 1917.
Recommendation date: Unspecified
Fate - Returned to Australia 12 May 1919
* Distinguished Conduct Medal
... 'For conspicuous galantry and devotion to duty. While his battery was in action a box of bombs close to one of his gun pits was set on fire by an enemy shell. He at once left his gun pit under heavy enemy shell fire, and, with the assistance of one man, carried four burning boxes of bombs away from the position. He showed total disregard of danger and great courage and initiative.'
Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 110
Date: 7 August 1918
by estevard on 2012-02-10 16:52:26
Further to 2012-02-09 06:39:42
The death registration for William Henry HOBLEY shows him dying "on or about 10th November 1921 near Rosebud", the cause "suicide by drowning. Verdict of inquiry held by Mr. A. V. Shaw J.P. on 12th November 1921".
On another matter Hobleyesque --
The Edward WICKHAM mentioned in newspaper reports of the Melrose air crash, and ensuing inquest, in 1936 is almost certainly Elizabeth Violet HOBLEY's husband. The 1936 Commonwealth electoral roll for the division of Corio, subdivision Melton, lists just one Edward WICKHAM and he appears with Elizabeth Violet WICKHAM, living in Melton South. He is shown as a labourer which more or less tallies with newspaper descriptions of him as a mill-hand.
Edward had an earlier brush with mortality. The Bacchus Marsh Express for Saturday, 3 January 1914, reports that three lads, including Edward and his twin brother George, discovered the body of an "old man" (it turns out he was only 60) while out rabbiting on Christmas Day 1913. It reminds one slightly of Hitchcock's The Trouble with Harry.
by skater on 2012-11-11 01:14:06
Hi - great to see this wonderful research. Edward and Elizabeth (Ted and Vi) were my grandparents. Gran had a wonderful big picture of Richard, George and Joe in uniform on her wall. I can remember my Pa talking about the plane crash - I think he was more frightened giving evidence at the inquest! I have pictures of both William and Elizabeth Hobley hanging on my wall. thank you
709 McCORMICK, Keith Herbert Rosebud PO, Rosebud, Victoria 8th Light Horse Regiment, 2nd Reinforcement.
Keith Herbert McCormick was a farm labourer and a nephew of Mrs D.James of Rosebud.
The family of the late MR.DONALD JAMES, of Rosebud, desire to thank all kind friends who sent expressions of sympathy in their recent sad bereavement. Will all please accept this
as a personal expression of thanks. E. JAMES.(P.2, Standard, Frankston, 12-8-1948.)
The James family was related to two other pioneering families in the area,the Whites and the Hobleys. Bullocky Bob White was brought up as Robert James and was actually granted land under that name. (27A,section B, Wannaeue on the east side of Main Creek Rd.) D.James was granted 19A (south of the Ditterich Reserve at Main Ridge) on 21-1-1878. Charles James was assessed on 272 acres in the Wannaeue Division on 3-9-1864 and in 1879,Daniel James was leasing 100 acres from the Crown, the rate collector being unaware that title had been granted and that 19 A consisted of 105 acres 2 roods 13 perches.
P.15,ROSEBUD FLOWER OF THE PENINSULA. (From my notes,not verbatim.)
"On the far side of the road (from the fishing village) lived Granny James,who saw and rode on her first train at 80.
In 1910 Mrs(David?) James was assessed on 3 acres and building at Rosebud and Donald James,a contractor of Rosebud was assessed on 1 acre and building owned by Robert Henry Adams but it was discovered that Donald was not in occupation. Charles James was assessed on Fleming's crown allotments 8 and 9 of the fishing village and another lot and building in Rosebud. Keith was 19 when he embarked on 12-2-1915.
JAMES Eric.
See comments.
(McGILLVRAY JAMES*,JOHN, ARCH.,ALF.,ANDREW; )
There is only one entry in the A.I.F. PROJECT.
616 McGILLVRAY, John 236 Sydney Road, Brunswick, Melbourne, Victoria 23rd Battalion, C Company
John was a leather worker and his father was Mr McGillvray,of the same address, which is a fat lot of help.
In 1900,Donald McGillvray had just replaced John Cain as the occupant of 316 acres, 5, 6,section A, Wannaeue.
By 1910 he had been followed on 5 and 6 by Andrew Buchanan,a grazier of Flinders.
Crown allotments 5 and 6 were bounded by Boneo Rd, Hiscock Rd, and Cape Schanck Rd,extending 4960 links (992 metres)south of Hiscock Rd. (Roughly Melway 170 B-D 8-9 including the Wedgewood, Cleek and Mashie subdivision and the southern part of the Country Club course to the west.)
6080 PEATEY, Alfred William Rosebud, Victoria 6th Battalion, 19th Reinforcement
1164 PEATEY, George Rosebud Post Office, Victoria 7th Battalion, 1st Reinforcement
5682 PEATEY, John Edward Rosebud, Victoria 21st Battalion, 15th Reinforcement
7289 PEATEY, William Stony Creek, Victoria 6th Battalion, 24th Reinforcement*
(*William Peatey had a brother named E.Peatey and may have been the son of Edward Norman Peatey (born 1855, Tarraville-see below.)
From PINE TREES AND BOX THORNS by Rosalind Peatey which is available at Rosebud Library but may be archived, as I suggested, so it is advisable to check at the information desk first.
George Peatey (born 19-2-1832),who was 7 feet 1 inch tall and had been a member of the Queen's Own Regiment, and his wife, Susan, left London on 31-7-1855 aboard the Royal George. By the end of the year,they were at Tarraville in Gippsland where Edward Norman was born. By April 1857 they were back in Melbourne where John Henry was born. (No note made but I think they were living in a tent so they were probably at Canvas Town at Emerald Hill, i.e.South Melbourne). By 1858 they were on the Survey (Safety Beach to Bulldog Creek Rd,exact location shown on P.27 of Colin McLear's A DREAMTIME OF DROMANA.)
George no doubt engaged in farming but like many locals he also earned money supplying timber to George McLear that was conveyed to various locations around the bay by Peter Pidoto for the construction of piers. Susan was well-regarded as a midwife and on 8-9-1867 delivered Rose Ann Bucher who was deemed to be the first white baby born in what became Rosebud. (Details of other births available.)
George and Susan's other children were Maria (b.1859), Charlotte (b.1861, died aged 20), and Alfred William (b. 1871). Maria later moved to GIPPSLAND to live with Ted and his wife, Ellen. Ted and Jack had moved to Gippsland in 1879.
George and Susan settled on Crown Allotments 27A and 27B,Kangerong (Melway 160 K6, Dromana Estate and Karina Vineyards and Dunn's Croft B&B sites) but due to the run off from Arthurs Seat (illustrated by the need for the drain shown in 161 A6),it was too wet for agriculture,so with a loan from Dromana's Nelson Rudduck, they bought lot 76 in Woolcott's subdivision in 1878 and moved in ten years later when the loan had been repaid. Lot 76, of 2 acres 26 perches, was on the south corner of Jetty and McDowell Sts and later became Don Miller's caravan park. In all likelihood, the latter street would have been called Peatey St if the cottage had not burned down in 1912, which was probably some years before Robert McDowell's family took up residence. On 9-2-1888 title to lot 76 had passed to Susan Peaty,producer. The Peatey's became Rosebud's first producers and retailers of potatoes and onions. [No doubt many Rosebud Fishing Village residents traded fish for these commodities but Emily Durham (great grandmother of Judith Durham of "The Seekers") and Evelyn Gough (grandmother of Arthur Boyd,famous artist and Australian of the Year)most likely paid cash.] When George died at the age of 73 in 1904,Alfred and his mother continued to farm on lot 76. After the cottage was burnt down, Alf and Susan moved to Beachside where Susan died aged 83 in October 1914.
Alf, who attended school in Dromana,later drove a passenger coach between Dromana, Mornington and Melbourne, which ran three times per week. Alf was called up in 1916 and served three months in France. He suffered an ankle injury. In August,1922, Alf was granted a licence to cut 50 tons of dead wood from the foreshore. He died in 1962 at the age of 91.
Jack married Mary Anne on 4-11-1884. Their children were John Edward,born on 20-11-1886,William Henry,22-?-1888, Susan 1890, and George 1892 (all born in Gippsland) and twins,Mary and Ann born in 1894. The twins were born at Beachside. Jack was almost an invalid and Rosebud fisherman, Fred Vine,carved him a walking stick.No doubt,Jack helped as much as he could but Mary Anne was mainly responsible for the success of their produce business conducted at Beachside,supplying milk,cream,butter, chickens and ducks. They had two more children,James and Charlotte,but both died in infancy. Jack's concertina, a piano played by Rosie Bucher and a violin (probably played by Joe Peters the black fiddler)supplied the music for Rosebud's dances 1900-1920. Jack's health improved and he took out fishing parties in summer.
Jack and Mary Anne's eldest daughter married Bill Dryden from Kyneton. Bill, who had been captain of the Seaford Football Club (probably to obtain employment in the sand pit which is now the Seaford Football Ground) had just moved to Rosebud to work in a sand pit for Tom Maw* when he was tragically killed at work leaving young Bill and Jim without a father. This did not stop the two boys from becoming champs for the Buds.
(*Detail supplied by Jim Dryden-who did not tell me he was a champ; the honour board in the clubrooms told me that!)
Regret was expressed on the Peninsula, last Saturday when it was learned that Mr. W. Dryden had met his death by accident at Rosebud. The deceased was a well-known footballer around the district, having played with the Rosebud team a year or two ago, and last year captained the Seaford club. He had just recently left Seaford to accept employment at Rosebud. He leaves a widow and two young children. Deepest sympathy is extended to his parents,widow and children. (P.4, Frankston and Somerville Standard,25-11-1933.)
In about 1912,Cr Terry resigned from the Flinders and Kangerong Shire Council. The shire was almost broke and in order to determine who owed rates he had moved that descriptions of properties be improved,but his campaign was being thwarted. His campaign must have succeeded and in 1919,the following assessments were recorded. Only east half lot 2 makes no sense, but Mary might have been on 5A instead of 13A.
Mrs Mary Peatey,Rosebud, east half lot 2??? and crown allotment 13A, section A, Wannaeue.
Alfred and John Peatey,lot 76,part crown allotment 17,section A, Wannaeue.
George Peatey, Rosebud, lot 13,Rosebud.
Edwin Naylor, crown allotment 5B,Rosebud.
As you would know from the details above,the second entry is correct. I had marked my transcription of the third assessment with an asterisk because I hadn't heard about the Jetty's Cafe site having anything to do with
the Peatey family. Crown allotment 13 is now on two (or more)titles,the two double storey town houses also being on crown allotment 13. Assessment 2466 of 7-12-1918 shows that the name of Mrs Winifred Gomm had been crossed out and replaced with the name of George Peatey, so there is no doubt that George was on the block granted to William Gomm*. William had moved to Hastings and married a daughter of pioneers in that area with his brother Harry* then fishing and acting as pier master from his c/a 13 house. Naughty William, at an advanced age left his wife and finished up marrying 20 year old Winifred who sold c/a 13, Rosebud(Fishing Village) after the deaths of Henry (who had been renting the property) and William (who had retained ownership.)
(*William,Harry, and Thomas (who died at Dromana) were sons of Convict Henry Gomm and unrelated to Henry Gomm of Somerville. See their story on Graham Whitehead's City of Kingston heritage website.)
It is fortunate that the lady barber next door to Henderson's Real Estate knew I was interested in local history. She showed me a map of early Rosebud and eventually remembered who had given it to her. It was Harvey Marshall of HOPETOUN HOUSE (at least that's what the sign on his front gate in Wattle Place said.) Harvey is a descendant of Captain Adams,as was the first entry on the roll of honour,and has many documents regarding the Adams family history.
The map shows the occupants of fishing village blocks. The block on the east side of the extension of Murray Anderson Rd (which is two chains or 40 metres wide) was divided into 5A near the beach,granted to M.Latross in 1887, and the much larger 5B,granted to E.Naylor in 1884. Antonia (sic) Latros(sic), fisherman, had been living in 5A in 1879 but it is likely that a fisherman such as Andrew Nicholas or Joseph Silver (sic,Silva) was living on 5B because there is no assessment of E.Naylor. (Wannaeue Parish map,rates.) On the Early Rosebud map 5A and 5B are shown as a single block labelled "cows, dairy,poultry slept in trees,Peaty's. Murray Anderson Rd is labelled "Peaty's Creek, foot bridge, now Murray Anderson Rd."
On page 8 of ON THE ROAD TO ROSEBUD, Peter Wilson gave details of the creeks which emptied into the bay:
Peaty's -west side of Murray Anderson Rd; Eeling -Tom Salt Park; Adams-near The Avenue,McCrae; another at Coburn Ave. This confirms the map's information about the Peateys being on the east side of Murray Anderson Rd. Additionally,Rosalind Peatey states: "In 1894,Jack,Mary and their family settled on the beach front block on the eastern side of the creek which became Murray-Anderson Rd."
My theory is that Antonio Latross has died by 1887 and M.Latross paid the rest of the purchase price, and that from 1894 until 1920 Jack and Mary leased 5A and 5B from Latross and Naylor. Rosalind states that in 1920 a 21 acre farm, with fresh spring water, was bought where the scout hall and pony club are now.This would explain why they would not have extended their lease. Mary might well have continued her lease on the Beachside house which was most likely on 5A but it is possible that she was in a house on the Jetty's cafe site that was later occupied by Henry Thomas according to the early Rosebud map.
Getting back to the roll of honour,Rosalind also states:
Alf,Jack Jnr and George enlisted in W.W.1.The loss of two sons,one killed and another gassed and wounded, Uncle Alf with his injured ankle, and a (?-can't read my scribble!) father whose health was never robust and now 65, meant that the best use was not made of the farm.
Rosalind Peatey's father,William Henry Peatey,married Sarah Ellen Coe on 23-2-1916 with Ted Green of Main Ridge (i.e.Green's Bush)as best man. They had a working holiday roaming as far as Queensland with Sarah's dressmaking skill highly appreciated by the mistress on many isolated stations. They returned to Rosebud in 1919 and lived in Lacco's Pier Cottage (later Edward Campbell's and now the site of the proposed apartment/cafe complex at 1A and 1B Jetty Rd which was so opposed by the Rosebud community.) Bill bought a huge coutta boat from Mr C.Watson of Queenscliff. (Jim Dryden has a photo of this boat which was used to perform many rescues on the bay.It must have been Jim who told me that Edward Campbell spent nearly every day at Rosebud on the Peatey boat. I wonder if Edward was really sick, when the following was published, or out fishing!)
Regret at the illness of Councillor E.Campbell who is confined to his bed at his house at Rosebud was expressed at a meeting of the City Council yesterday. On the motion of Councillor Sir William Brunton it was agreed that a letter of sympathy should be sent to Councillor Campbell. (P.8, Argus,30-1-1930.PERSONAL.)
Edward Campbell was Lord Mayor of Melbourne in 1937-8. I wonder if Edward's malady was sea sickness!
Search for Name: PERRIN Charles
Nothing found
Search for PERRIN.
This would be the Rosebud teacher, aged 38 when he embarked on 2-10-1916 and killed in action 9-8-1918. Before embarking, C.R.Perrin was involved in fundraising for the patriotic fund and for cots in military hospitals, as shown by the two articles below, which also confirm the Rosebud/Elsternwick link.
2747 PERRIN, Charles Reginald Elsternwick, Victoria 58th Battalion, 6th Reinforcement
Mornington Standard (Frankston, Vic. : 1911 - 1920) Saturday 29 August 1914 Edition: MORNING. p 3 Article
... Mrs I) a James secretary, and Mr W, L,. i'wyford treasurer. (C. R. Perrin, Rosebud.)
Shepparton Advertiser (Vic. : 1914 - 1918) Thursday 13 January 1916 Edition: EVENINGS. p 6 Article
... hospitals:--Base Hospital, St. Kilda road: Prailran Children's Patriotic League, £2oo; Mr C. R. Perrin (Elsternwick) (Rosebud and district), £23;
There is no indication of a connection with Rosebud in any of the A.I.F.PROJECT entries which might be S.Peters.
The Peters family had a shop on the corner of Ninth Avenue as mentioned in a history and was related to the Freemans by marriage but the only mention on trove seems to be in regard to playing footy for the Buds in the 1930's. Remembering that there was a marital connection between the Peters and Freeman families,I managed to find the following. Flora Emma was a daughter of Robert Henry Adams. Neville Freeman married one of the Peters girls.
FREEMAN, Flora Emma. On May 26, at Rosebud, loving friend of Mrs. E. J. Peters.
FREEMAN, Flora Emma. On May 26, at her residence, Daveen, Nepean Highway, Rosebud beloved wife of the late George, loving mother of Karl (deceased) Mervyn, Neville, Marjorie (Mrs. Kyle), and Phillip aged 73 years At rest. (P.14,Argus,27-5-1954.)
6625 POTTON, Sidney St Albans, Rosebud, Dromana, Victoria 8th Battalion, 21st Reinforcement
The Pottons seem to have given the name "St Albans" to their 150 acre property, between Adams Avenue and Jetty Rd. Sidney's father was Charles Henry Potton.
I am fairly sure that this was C.Rigg because of his second given name. By 1916, Joseph McComb was occupying "Hindhope".
33233 RIGG, Colin Gregory 63 Manning Road, East Malvern, Victoria Field Artillery Brigade, February 1917
There is no match for N.Rigg. His name was almost certainly Norman. He, Kenneth and Colin performed a comedy sketch at a concert held in the Rosebud Mechanics' Institute in aid of the Dromana Roman Catholic organ fund.
A sketch in character, "The Gridiron," by the Masters Kenneth, Norman and Colin Rigg, was very amusing and
received great applause.(P.5,Mornington Standard, 20-5-1905.) Presumably the three were brothers.
The following is pasted from a comment under my EARLY ROSEBUD journal.
Mornington Standard (Vic. : 1889 - 1908) Saturday 28 June 1902 Edition: MORNING. p 2 Article
Gregory B. Rigg, of Rosebud, for 19 19s damages, by reason of a breach of contract defendant Rigg, who had a cottage at Portsea, on the Back Beach road. He gave witness authority to let this cottage last November, saying that he was moving into Rosebud and would not require to use ... 1573 words
Gregory Brennan Rigg, retired Station manager lived in a cottage on Back Beach Rd but because he was moving to Rosebud, he agreed to let it to a clergyman from Lake Rowan. When Rev.Rev. Johnston arrived, the cottage was occupied by a Mrs Buchanan. The clergyman was to pay 2 pounds per week for a fortnight to rent the cottage but had to find lodgings for his family in a detached part of the Portsea Hotel.
Mornington Standard (Vic. : 1889 - 1908) Saturday 6 June 1903 Edition: MORNING. p 3 Article
Greg Rigg was a member of the Rosebud Mechanics' Institute, against which Ernie Rudduck brought a charge of illegally detaining a organ belonging to Rosebud's Wesleyan Church. The case was struck out because the summons was signed by a clerk of court instead of a J.P. However, the attempt to regain the organ had caused Ernie's father, Nelson a pillar of the Wesleyan Church in Dromana, Red Hill and Rosebud, a generous and respected Dromana resident, to lose his cool. Nelson, of course, apologised to the President of the Institute but Smith still wanted damages. Mr Smallman,the police magistrate said the case was a trivial one and fined Nelson one shilling without costs.
The committee then had Nelson up for knocking off the Institute's piano. Strangely it was Alf Peatey who served a notice on Nelson to return the piano; Alf's parents, George and Susan would probably never have been able to purchase their 2 acre block at the McDowell St corner if their old friend, Nelson, had not given them the loan. I doubt if Greg (G.V.Rigg), H.A.Braddy (the Rosebud teacher if I remember my trove),Robert Cairns and William Jamieson had much to do with the demand; it sounds like another attempt by Mr Smith to belittle Nelson. Evidence showed that there was no Institute committee, and thus no use of the hall. Nelson bought the unused piano.
When a new committee was formed, Nelson paid for repairs necessary so the Health Department would not take action (the work being carried out by Mr Holloway, who had authorised the sale of the 'illegally detained' piano.) Mr Smallman was equally impressed by this "tinpot' case.
Rosebud Football Club was not formed until 1929 so sturdy little Ken Rigg played for Dromana, the only other club near Rosebud being Sorrento.
Watty Gibson played brilliantly throughout, and in the last quarter especially showed a lot of his old time cleverness. H. Hoskins worked like a Trojan and covered himself with glory (as well as mud). R. Wyatt was not quite up to his usual form-a wet ball and slippery ground are not to "Trotter's"liking. W. Evans on the back line played well, although he erred in judgment on a couple of occasions. Ken Rigg, the sturdy little Rosebud player, is improving with every match. J. Rudduck played his first game this season, and showed promising football. W. Gibson put plenty of dash into his play. A. Gibson S. Wilson, and A. Mcllroy put in some useful work.(P.3, Mornington and Dromana Standard, 10-7-1909.)
"Doreen" was sung by Mr Bayford, a humorous recitation was given by Mr Tippett, a pianoforte duet by Miss Roberts and Master Colin Rigg, and pianoforte solo by
Master Colin Rigg.(P.2,Mornington Standard, 9-9-1905.ROSEBUD.)
A meeting was held in the Mechanics' Hall on Saturday evening, for the purpose of considering the formation of a tennis court, on the Village Reserve, for the use of residents and visitors. Mr Budds (State school teacher) was voted to the chair, and a very enthusiastic and representative meeting took place. Mr H.Hunt, who generously donated 2/2/,was elected president of the club ; Mr Budds, secretary; Mr Kenneth Rigg,assistant secretary; and Mr G. B. Rigg,treasurer.
(P.3, Mornington and Dromana Standard, 10-10-1908.)
A meeting was held in Boneo Hall yesterday week to consider a proposal for holding a school and district picnic, Mr Rigg (president of the board of advice) in the chair..(P.2, Mornington Standard, 2-12-1905.)
Family Notices
The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957) Wednesday 21 October 1885 p 1 Family Notices RIGG-BRAITHWAITE.-On the 13th inst., at Went- worth, N.S.W., by the Rev. - Long, Gregory B. Rigg, of Bunnerungie Station, N.S.W., to Eleanor F ... 592 words
RIGG -On the 8th. February, at Alfred Hospital, Gregory Brennan Rigg, loving husband of the late Eleanor,loving father of Kenneth, Norman, Colin, Rebecca (Mrs. G.W.Evans) and Donald[deceased], aged 77 years.(P.1, Argus,10-2-1930.)
2649 WICKHAM, Gilbert Melton Railway Station, Melton, Victoria 15th Battalion, 8th Reinforcement
I suspect that the following is H.Wickham and that he was Gilbert's brother,both having a mother named Mary Ann.
9 WICKHAM, Frederick Horace 'Ideal View', May Street, Deepdene, Victoria Australian Army Pay Corps
This is definitely W.Wickham. Click on his name and his address "Melton Railway Station" is revealed.His father was G.Wickham and I suspect he was a cousin of Gilbert (aged 27) and Horace.
417 WICKHAM, Walter Artillery Barracks, Melbourne, Victoria Siege Artillery Brigade
See George Henry Jarry,the W.W.1 imposter who settled in Rosebud, in comments.
Last night I chanced upon a notice of the marriage of Robert Rowley and Christina/Christena Edwards which I added to my MALLEE TO RYE:THE ROWLEY CONNECTION journal. I also sent a copy of the addition to Linda Berndt, who with Phil Cain, does much research on the area west of Rosebud for the Rye Historical Society, whose museum in the grounds of Rye Primary School is well worth a visit.
Linda replied to my email providing much information, demonstrating why I like to connect people who private message me about the same family. Each person might not necessarily double previously found knowledge but the pool of information will certainly be bigger.
One thing that perplexed me was that the two Williams brothers died only one day apart, according to the late Ray Cairns, but only one was named on the grave inscription where he was buried in the same grave as his sister Carrie. Linda supplies the reason! The Rowley, Jennings and Williams families are discussed in several of my journals.
Walter Jennings formed a touring company in about 1914, and in the absence of Walter and the accompanist,the Frankston Choral Society was forced into temporary recess. Decades later,Walter was still in high demand to perform in concerts and was advertised as a drawcard.
Rochester Express (Vic. : 1914 - 1918) Tuesday 26 May 1914 p 3 Article
... Walter Jennings, who possesses one of the most beautiful tenor voices at present in Australia ETC.
Heyfield Herald (Vic. : 1914 - 1918) Thursday 9 April 1914 p 2 Article
... Mr Syd Stewart, clever comedian and female impersonator; Mr Percival Wilmot (bdsno), Mr Walter Jennings (tenor), and Miss ilosa Walton, in charming monologues and songs at the piano.
Frankston & Somerville Standard (Vic. : 1921 - 1939) Friday 29 January 1937 p 3 Article
... Nellie Melba. It is probable that Mr., Walter Jennings, the noted tenor, will also appear, if .
(Wally needed a lift to Somerville, most likely from Rosebud, in order to appear!)
Here's Linda's reply.
Thanks xxx,
Do have Ronnies details through Dad. Most interesting. I know Bob Rowley always said his great grandparents were married in Tasmania and his writings attest that. Havent written much about the Rowley's because Bob wrote so much. It is his writings in Nells book. Nell Arnold you may like to know is now 103!!! Although in care she is still with it mentally.
I was looking at your writings this arvo. I can clear up the Williams cemetery story for you. It is common knowledge around the older Rye folk that the two Williams boys always fought. When they died Caroline said she would be buried between them to keep them apart in death. The reason one doesnt have a headstone and the other does is because one saved his money so Caroline bought him a headstone. The other was less frugal so she didnt get him a headstone and wouldnt outlay the cost herself. The kids at school love that story!!! We do a working bee in the cemetery every week and that story gets told EVERY week.
xxx, I was also having a look at the Jennings bit. Although there were also Jennings at Rosebud in the early part of the 1900s, this family is not related to us in any way. Walter Jennings had a beautiful singing voice and was a fine musician. I know he played a lot around Frankston. I have copied across the ones that arent relevant to my lineage. You may also be interested to learn that although the newspaper article states Cec married in Portsea he was actually married in Northcote, about 3 days after that article appears! Just goes to show you cant believe all that goes in the papers.There may have been a pre wedding gathering at the Tucks in Portsea but not sure, certainly no wedding there.
K. Jennings, the hiker was Kath (Hannah Katherine Mary) Jennings, daughter of Cec. She ended up marrying Wally Faux from Horsham and settling there, her sister and a brother also ended up in Horsham. That is how Clarrie ended up there for a few years.
Our Jennings family arrived in 1914 and until the 1920s when they leased the Tootgarook Run from the Purves family (by then named Rye Park) and my great grandfather bought a milk round from Rowleys they only lived in Rye on the farm boarded by Dundas, Weeroona (then Jennings Rd) and Browns road.
The Rye farm which was first known as Milangil then changed to Kariah after old Dod died was sold by Cec in the 1950s. My great grandfather Ern sold his part to Cec in the 40s. The family had the chance to purchase the land in Tootgarook which extended from Government Road to Morris street and back as far as Brights drive for a pound an acre but my great grandfather said no because the land would never amount to anything!!!!! The original homestead on the corner of Leonard street was knocked down about 4 years ago. (#@**%$ Shire). It was a wattle and daub place which had been bricked around, the original fence posts were there until the place was knocked down also. This was the site of the first licenced inn.
Jennings book being launched at the Family reunion on the 26th April. I will make sure Rosebud Library get a copy.
I enjoy your writings, every now and then I click on to see whats there, keep it up!!!
Those assessed in 1919 on land in section A# were:
A.L.Adcock, Red Hill, 6, 7, N.A.V. 2 POUNDS!; H.Cairns 14, c/o Mrs Papper, 433 George St.,Fitzroy; Mace, Wangaratta, 84, 85,86; W.R.Mullens 17, 18, c/o Jennings Rosebud; J.Patterson,Rosebud, 13; Mrs Emily June Ada Nethercote, Hawthorn, 12.
Not all of the above gained title. H.Cairns could have been Harry or Helen, neither of whom died for some time so the partly paid-off block may have been sold because of financial difficulties or an offer that couldn't be refused. The Mullens and Jennings family were related by marriage as shown in part 1*.
(# Of the Hindhope Estate)
15--- 9-3-1921 --Gladys Iris Jennings-50'-----Plaza Car Park to east kerb of entry/exit separator.
16--- 9-3-1921----Gladys Iris Jennings---50'-----to diagonal crack in footpath west of entry/exit.
JENNINGS CONNECTIONS (FROM HINDHOPE PART 1. which specifies the land bought north of McCombe St. by Gladys.)
ALWAY-JENNINGS.-The marriage of Betty Irene, elder daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Alway, Hillside avenue, East
Malvern, to Frederick Rowland, youngest son of the late Mr. Walter Jennings and Mrs.G.Jennings, Rosebud, will be celebrated at St. John's Church, Finch street, East Malvern, on Monday, April 15, at 5.30 p.m. (P.10, Argus, 12-4-1946.)
JENNINGS (nee Gladys Mullen). On the 10th November, at Nurse McInne's private hospital,Box Hill, the wife of Walter Gordon Jennings,of "Dalgabeena," Blackburn a son (Gordon Roberts).(P.11, Argus,12-12-1914.) So that's why the Mullen assessment was to be sent to Mrs Jennings in 1919!
MULLEN.-On March l8, at Hobart, Lt.-Col. L. M. Mullen, loving brother of Gladys (Mrs. W. G. Jennings. Rosebud,
Vic). -Duty nobly done.(P.2, Argus, 20-3-1943.)
ROWLEY-EDWARDS - By the Rev. J Smithies, at the house of Mr Joseph Tongs, Illawarra Christina Edwards, the only daughter of Mr William Edwards, of Newborough, Fife, Scotland, to Mr Robert Rowley, of Dromana, Victoria.
(Launceston Examiner (Tas. : 1842 - 1899) Tuesday 22 January 1861 Edition: MORNING p 5 Family Notices)
There was an identical notice on 1-1-1861 but I could not re-find it.
Hi XXX,
You got me wondering about the Rowley marriage. Have done a check on Ancestry and also with the Tasmanian Records online. Robert Rowley married Christina Edwards at Longford, Tasmania on 28 Dec 1860 rego number 553.
Cheers (from Linda Berndt.)
The following makes it possible that Robert Rowley worked for Peter Pidoto at Dromana for 15 years or more. He received the grants for 46A and 46 Wannaeue on 13-2-1883 and 7-7-1886 respectively. It would seem that Robert left Dromana soon after Emma's birth, built a house on the foreshore while continuing his aquatic activity,as a fisherman,and then turned to farming,settling and building a house on 41A before 1879. (See below.) The spelling of his wife's given name is given as Christina in all family notices seen so far;Christena could be an error made by the carver or transcriber of the grave inscription.
Mary Christina Rowley BIRTH: 1866 Dromana, Victoria, Australia ...
10 Records - Born in Dromana, Victoria, Australia on 1866 to Robert Rowley and Christina Edwards. ... Potential photos and documents for Mary Christina Rowley.
Emma Rowley BIRTH: 1875 Dromana, Victoria, Australia DEATH
Emma Rowley. Found 10 Records, 4 Photos and 582,137 Family Trees. Born in Dromana, Victoria, Australia on 1875 to Robert Rowley and Christina Edwards.
Ron Doig,a Rowley descendant told me that Robert's first house in Rye was on the foreshore opposite the post office,his second house was near the southern boundary of 41A (south of Belar St near Carboor St, Melway 169 C8) and his third at 17 Lyons St.
The second house would have to be the one referred to below.
"Tourism commenced in a small way late in the 19th century,in the form of an old pioneer's house which was owned and built by Robert Rowley before 1879,being converted into the "Alma Guest House" (sic?).
(2461 - 5 PNR Rye HERITAGE ASSESSMENT 090522 - Mornington ...
The crown allotments on the west side of Truemans Rd between Pt Nepean Rd and the freeway reservation were granted to Ben Stenniken,James Trueman and Robert Rowley. James Trueman's 112 acre crown allotment was subdivided as the Doigs' Oceanaires Estate (eastern half) and the western half as the Almaray Estate. The latter estate name combined the names of Panda's hairdresser,Raymond Guest, and his wife Alma. The origins of other street names on the two estates are explained elsewhere. Houses on both sides of Bona and Guest Streets are on the Trueman grant. It is likely that Alma and Ray Guest bought all or part of the land south of the Guest St houses and that ALMA GUEST lived in Robert Rowley's pre-1879 homestead. It is possible that the house was used as a guest house by Robert Rowley because James Little Brown "stayed with Robert for a few weeks" when he arrived in Rye from the Mallee. It is also possible that Robert named it Alma House but I believe that "Alma Guest House" means a house belonging to Alma Guest.
It was only when I started transcribing my handwritten KILTS AND COW DUNG FLATS that I realised that I might have reversed two surnames which sound identical. I had tried googling the name of the author of the STRATHMORE COMMUNITY WEBSITE on several occasions,without success. I remembered his name of course. It was one of the hundreds of names in my little black book of history contacts that I circular-filed when moving to Rosebud.
The reason for my lack of success was RIGHT SOUND-WRONG SPELLING. In my mind, Bruce's surname had become Barber and Thomas Napier's son-in-law had become George Page Barbour; you'll never find an entry in Alexander Sutherland's VICTORIA AND ITS METROPOLIS, PAST AND PRESENT (1888) for George Page Barbour but you will find one for George Page BARBER (still at Warrnambool after being a partner in one of Melbourne's earliest law firms). It was when I started transcribing the index for KILTS AND COW DUNG FLATS that I suspected my memory had,in the words of Maxwell Smart,"Missed by that much!"
Bruce and I had several lengthy phone conversations but I never realised how far-ranging his interests lay as shown by his OVERSITE below. It would be interesting to know if he was a descendant of Robert the Bruce or the author of the tale. I feel privileged to have been of assistance to such a clever man.
It could be said that Bruce's OVERSITE corrected my OVERSIGHT!
A Personal View
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Thank you for visiting my site.
This site contains some thoughts on a range of subjects which interest me. I will slowly add more subjects over time.
An understanding of the functioning of a society is important, particularly if you wish to address some of the social problems that are occurring, such as crime. A comprehensive theoretical understanding of social processes is necessary to ensure that any policy put in place addresses all aspects of the problem and does not have unforeseen consequences. The article "Sociology and Criminology" is part of my attempt to understand the workings of society. The approach offers a simple rational understanding of crime. It is my attempt at an over-arching theory of crime which strangely seems to be missing from crime theory. There are a lot of theories but they tend to only take account of crimes for a particular socioeconomic sector or crime type - no theory ties them together. Another thing that I noticed about current crime theory is the lack of a theory which takes account of a persons beliefs and philosophies. Some of the greatest crimes in history are due to misguided beliefs e.g. Hitler's belief in Aryan superiority and the numerous religious wars. So it is quite logical to me that belief and personal philosophy can also play a part in the lesser crimes of society.
Australia becoming a Republic is not the most pressing of issues facing the country however it will come up again in the future. It is important that Australia gets the correct model of the Republic. The Republican movement is hopelessly split. Direct Election of a President has a number of risks for Australia and is not preferred. I wrote on this at around the time of the Republican Forum. The article "The Republic" is a modified version of this.
The Internet is of course a subject of great interest. I have some concerns that the Internet will be dominated by big business and big Government, to the exclusion of community groups. It also concerns me that the Internet could be another force for the destruction of local neighbourhood community as people find it easier to communicate outside the community through the Internet. However this need not be the case if the community can realise the potential of the Internet to communicate, not just across the world but across the street. I have set up "The Strathmore Website" as an example of a community website and also written some further ideas in "Internet and the Community".
The environment should be the concern of all citizens. I have listed some practical suggestions for changing our current approach to the environment in "Green Oversite". All we need is the will to change.
The Miscellaneous Ideas Page is a holding page for short pieces I have written. Some are based on letters I have written to politicians and others when I recently found myself with a bit of extra time on my hands (some call it unemployment) and the Government at that time seemed to be calling for ideas.
The Music and Other Stuff includes some of my favourite music as found on YouTube - sorry no free downloads here. Also includes a YouTube climate change and other documentaries.
Favourite Software is my selection of the most useful free software that I have found.
I hope you find some interest in the above articles even if you do not agree with the sentiments expressed. I encourage you to Email me if you wish to comment on any of the articles.
Bruce Barbour.
Much of my history cannot be reproduced as journals, because without the many maps etc., a lot of the text is meaningless. A copy of the handwritten KILTS AND COW DUNG FLATS would have been provided to at least one library but may be difficult to locate, and as it consists chiefly of yarns,it will lose little as a journal.
aborigines 8, 41; accidents 24; "Ailsa" 41; airports 1A,13; "Aldersyde" 55; Anderson J. 3; architects 40; "Ardmillan" 40,41; Ashurst H.G. 30, 44; "Ashleigh" 19,52;Attwood J. 43.
Balsh 5; Barber G.P. and Eleanor 1C, 3, 33, 35; Barber Irene and Dr.N.C. 4, 33; Barrett's dairy 12, ?; Batman John. 19;"Bayview Farm" 50,51,52; Belle Vue 2,3,7,30-1,38,49,55; Belle Vue Heights Estate 4;Boundary Hotel 5; Bourke H. 4; Bowring J.3,55,56; Box Forest 5, 49, 55: Bradshaw 5; Breen Miss 6; Brewster E.J. 1B,1c,32,33, 37,39,44; brick kilns 35,48; Brickmakers' Arms Hotel 48; Brisbane J. 3,44; Brisbane Line 14; Broadmeadows Shire- 2,6,43,48; Broadmeadows Township 18,51; Brooks, Sir Dallas 9; Bryant R. 56; Buckley Capt. 41; Buckley Wm. 28;
building materials 10,19; Bulla Rd 1,2,3; Bulla Shire 43; Burkitt F.A. 55; Burns J. 30,44; Butler E.30; Buzzard-34, 37; Byron Vale Estate 4,38,39,47,52.
cable trams 10,22; Caldwell,Arthur 11,13; Callaghan 2,44; Cameron 6,7,8,51,54; Campbell 7; "Camp Hill" 13; Carnarvon Rd 1B,2,3,4,46; Carr H. 3; cars 10,11,19,26; Cavenagh 5; Chalmers W. 5; Chance R.2; Chapman J.55;
Chicken Farm Lane 19,21; Chinese 15,29; Chisholm F.. 19; Clarke W.J.T.(Big) 33; Cobb & Co. 16, 37; Cobb,Eliza-(see Fawkner); Coburg 6,8,9,10,11,26;Cochrane 50,52,54; Cockerell 14;Coghill D. 43,50; Collins,David 28;Connor,Gordon 1A,42; Cook,Albert 10,13,16,18;Cooke, Bernard James 2,3; Coonan's Hill 1015;cows 9,10,11; Craven A.W. 39; Cross Keys 13;Crotty 20; "Cumberland" 42-3,50;Currie 1C, Curry,Frank 10,20; Curtin John 14; cycling track 9,15.
"Dalkeith" 20;Dalton Miss 54; Davies (District Inspector) 6,14;Davies family 55;Deakin,Alfred 42; Deep Creek Road 3; Delaney M. 3; depressions 10,23,47; Doutta Galla parish 1A,1C,2,13; "Dundonald" 43,50,51; Dunn, Thomas 34.
Earle 40; Earlsbrae 2,41; education 5-9; English Joseph and John 3,4,30,49,55-6;Essendon Aerodrome 1A,13; Essendon(borough etc)2,37,40,48,52; Essendon Football Club 4,24,37,41,42; Essendon Hill Estate 4; Essendon schools 8,9.
Farmer G.13; farming types 11,14,47,52; Fawkner (suburb)5,7,9; Fawkner J.P.,John,Eliza 1A,2,5,6,8,28-31,40,55,56; Fenby 24;Ferris C. 3,49; Five Mile Creek 5; Fleet Electrics 10,11; Fletcher W.38; footy 4,26,37, 41-3; Foster J.F.L. 48; Fox M.3.
Gaffney St. 6,10,24; games 10,19,25; Gellibrand Hill Park (now Woodlands Historic Park) 43,46; Gibb A. 8,48,50; Gibson A.E. 55; Gibson G. 4; Glassen 24; Glendura (sic,Glendewar)43; Glenroy (suburb, farm)6-9, 50-53; goats- 9,10,15,16; "Gowanbrae" 13; "Gowrie Park" 7,8,41,48; Goyder F. 5,56; "Green Gables" 10,17,18,44; greyhounds 9; Grimes,Charles 28; Gumm Jemmy 28.
Hadfield 8,55; Hadfield Cr.R.5; half-houses 13,16,19; Hall (Pascoe Vale newsagent) 24; Hall John 1B,1C, 2,3; Hammond J.S.H. 4,45; Happy Valley 10,11,12, 21; Harrison 5; Hawkins W.J. 3, 56; hay and corn stores 10,11,15; Hayes 4, 45; Henderson's Paddock 8; Heron 49; "Hiawatha" 18,36,38,39; "Hilton" 52; Hodgson 1C,3,44; Holland P. 44; horses 8-12,15,42; hospitals 8,52; Hounslow J. 2; house on the island 9,10,15; Howse J. 1A,4; Hudson 1C,4; Hume Highway 12.
Influenza 8; Ingles J. 48; Ingram R. (teacher)6; Ironsidel J. 13.
J.Oops,I skipped a letter when compiling the index. Samuel Jackson would certainly be one of the missing names.
I'll try to remedy this later.
Kearney 2; Kelly 14; Kelly J.S. 4;Kerferd St. 1B; Kennedy D. & D. 50-55; Kernan J.Snr.(died 1879) 2,3,39, 44-5; Kernan family 4, 30, 34,44-5,55; Kerr Family 50-54; Kilburn 34, 47; ; Kirk's Bazaar 10,17, 39; Knight2,3,49,56; Korman 31.
Land prices 10,12,17,19,29,30,33,37,41,47,52,55; Lane,Dodd 10,12,19; Lane J. 8; "Langdale" 55; "La Rose" 40; "Lebanon" 1C,4,12,13,16,17,18,36-8, 39,45,47; Lewis R. 7,48; Lincoln Rd 3,4,46; Lind 4, 38; Lloyd, George 3,8,17,19; Loeman, Michael 39; Logan,Shaw 10,18-20,52; Lowther Hall 2,18,41; Lyons 1C, 3,4.
McAinch W. 54; McCord J.39,46-7;McCracken Alex and Mary E. 4,36,8,40-43, 45; McCracken family 2,40,41,49; McCrae Dr.F. 40; McCulloch,William 8,50,52,54,55; McDougall Robert 3,53,54; McGowery 14;McLachlan L. 2,44;McMarlin 5; McMurchison 5; McNamara 2,32; McPhail D. 40,48; "Magdala" 4,12,33,35-6; Maribyrnong 12,44; market gardens etc. 10,15,47; Marnell 5; Marshall 14; "Meadowbank" 8,48; Melbourne history 120; Mercy College 41; "Merai Farm" 30,44,55; migrants 6,11,14; milk 10,20; Mills family 12; Mills A. 48; Mills W.48; Moonee Ponds Creek 9; Morby/Mawbey J. 2; Morgan family (Pascoe Vale) 3,49,56; Morgan ("Niddrie") 32; "Mt Sabine" 6; Murphy, Bridget 2,Murray, William 3,55.
Napier Park 36; Napier Park dog track 9,15; Napier,Theodore 1C, 3,4, 12,33-6,45,48,56; Napier,Thomas 1C,2,3,6, 32-5; Nicholson 24; "Niddrie" 1C,5,7,32; Nixon J. 3, 47; Noonan P. 54; Norfolk Rd 6; North Essendon , 11-13; "North Park" 40-43,48.
Oaklands Hunt Club 43; Oak Park 7,9,56; Oates J. 12, 17; O'Brien E.(teacher) 6; Ormond Rd (Ascot Vale) 2; O'Shea (mechanic) 19.
parishes 1B; Pascoe 5; Pascoe, Hannah 28; PascoeVale Estate4; PascoeVale Rd 2,9; Pascoe Valeschools 5,7,9; Pascoe Vale shops 24; Pasture Hill farm 50,51,53,54; Peachey family 5,6,14,49,55; Peachey-Kelly Town 10,14; Pearson 52; Peck family 1C,3,4,13,16,36-9,42,47; Peck Ave. 2,5,10,27,39; Peucker 24; Pike,Jim 10,21; Pines the
3,49,56; Plunkett 14; Port Phillip Farmers' Society 40; poultry 9; Pow J.K. 2; prisoners 10,17,24,28,29.
Randall 12; rationing 10,26;Reddish 55; Red Rooster 10,16,18,49; returned servicemen 10,1?;Richards 5; Roberts 13,36; Robertson A. 2,56; Robertson James (three!)7,8,40,41,48; Robinson T.B.C. 7-8,48; rodeos 10; "Rosebank" 1C,4,33-4; "Roseneath" 33; Rowe, Archie 24; Rutherford 13; Ruthven 7.
saleyards 13; Salmon,William 4; "Sawbridgeworth" 52-3; schools 5-9,34; Scott J.3; Shaw J.W. 3; shops 10,15,24; Sinclair D. 40; slaughteryard 1A; Smith A. 3; Smith,James 2; Smith John 5,37; Smith, William 2,30,35,42,49; Somerton 44-5; Somerville, Townshend 2,3,34; South Wait (Sic, Southwaite)1A; Stephenson H.("Niddrie") 1C,3,7,8,32; "St John's" 1A,1C,29; Standen 55; Stoffers 5;Strange's garage 13; Stranks T. 54; Strathmore Heights 1A,1B,1C,10,13; Strathmore overpass 9; Strathmore (name) 5,6,10,12, 34,46; strathmore schools 6-10,12; SunriseEstate 4; swing bridge 10,16.
Tasma Theatre10,16; Taylor A.C. 1A,1C,3; Taylor J. 5;Thackerill 24; TerminusEstate 4; Thompson E.J. 45; Tomkinson 14; Toy,Alma 14;transport 10-14,19-2226-7,41; Travellers' Rest Hotel 1A; Trennear 4,45; "Trinifour" 41; Tucker, George 2,44; Tullamarine Freeway 7,9,15?, Tullamarine parish 13, Tullamarine Progress Association 13; two-up 10,20.
Urquhart 2; U.S.A. 3,16,36,39.
V.F.L. 4,24,37,41,43; videotape 10,18.
Walker Mrs A. 4; Walker T. 7; war 10,13-14,17; Watson J. 30; Watt,John and Annie 53-4;"Waverley" 55;way of life 10,21-3; Welsh 44; Westbreen 6,10,12,14,55; Weston 6; White M.S. 4; Wilkie 5; Williams,Colin 42; Williams W. 1B,2; Wilson 14; Will Will Rook Cemetery 3,36,38,48; Will Will Rook parish 1C,5,8,43,53; Willy 4; Wiseman family 19,52-4; Wood E. 4; Woodland St 2,4,33; "Woodlands" (Bulla) 43; Woolley 24; Wright E. 2.
Young, Charles 2; Young Queen Inn 30,49,46; Young,Thomas 2,54,55; Yuroke 44.
KILTS AND COW DUNG FLATS. Started in mid 1990, which explains mistakes such as "Glendura"-the way I had heard it pronounced. Text will be transcribed verbatim,warts and all, but comments will be added in italics.
This history is like a diary. It traces my growth of knowledge about Strathmore and the land to the east and west of Pascoe Vale Rd from a stage where I knew little about its history. If some of my statements earlier in the book seem to carry little authority,if wrong assumptions are made and later corrected,if footnote numbers are in the wrong order, while they may cause some difficulties to the reader,hopefully they will convey the sense of adventure experienced by the historian and enable you to share in the excitement of a new discovery, an assumption confirmed and so on. Thus,with warts and all,here is my history.
P.1A. A documentary history of Strathmore including rate records and parish maps.
P. 5. Excerpts from "Vision and Realisation" (Education Department centenary history,1972.)
P.10. 1930-1955. Based on a videotaped interview with Jim and Peggy McKenzie.
P.28. Pioneers and their properties (several sources.)
P.48. Pioneers in "Victoria and its Metropolis" (1888.)
P.50. Glenroy (Glenroy, Jacana and Glenroy West.)
P.55. South of Glenroy Farm. Whatever happened to "Belle Vue"?
1.BROADMEADOWS: A FORGOTTEN HISTORY,Andrew Lemon.
2. THE STOPOVER THAT STAYED. (City of Essendon),Grant Aldous.
3. VICTORIA AND ITS METROPOLIS,PAST AND PRESENT (1888),Alexander Sutherland.
4. THE GOLD THE BLUE (History of Lowrher Hall school),A.D.Pyke.
5. ESSENDON CONSERVATION STUDY,Graeme Butler.
6. VISION AND REALISATION. (1972 centenary history of the education department.)
7. THE OAKLANDS HUNT. D.F.Cameron-Kennedy.
8. LIFE AND TIMES OF JOHN PASCOE FAWKNER. C.P.Billot.
11. GEORGIANA'S JOURNAL.McCrae.
My thanks to Jenny Shugg at Gladstone Park High School library for enthusiastic assistance.
Page 1A.
Just as I found when interviewing old timers about Tullamarine's history, it is impossible to limit a localhistory to any specific area. For social or work reasons,people were dependent on,and travelled through, nearby settlementsand farmland While my original intention was to write a history of Strathmore, so much of Pascoe Vale,Hadfield and even Coburg has been introduced that a change of title was needed. The oral history supplied by Jim and Peggy McKenzie covers an area with a radius of about three miles from Pascoe Vale Primary School.
See comment 1 about maps and the attachment.
As can be seen from the maps where part of the parish of Doutta Galla is superimposed on current (1990) Melway maps, Strathmore consisted of the eastern half of section 16, most of section 23 and all of section 15.
Grant Aldous states in THE STOPOVER THAT STAYED that the area first occupied by the Essendon aerodrome was known at that time (1921) as St Johns*. This name comes from George Frederick Berkeley St John,the grantee of the 525 acre section 23. St Johns only fronted the part of Bulla Rd now known as Wirraway Rd with John Hall's "Southwaite" fronting the road north to the boundary with the parish of Tullamarine (the line of Sharps Rd.)Southwaite was later farmed by John B.Howse who had a slaughteryard there. The Howse family also operated the Travellers' Rest Hotel (bounded by Dromana Ave, Matthews Ave and Louis St and including Rood St) which burnt down in 1899.
*In an Oaklands Hunt report,it was once wrongly called St John's Hill, the name of Brannigan's farm many miles to the north.
Gordon Connor told me about Jack Howse's slaughteryard and as a young lad heading up to help with the harvest at his grandmother's farm was also impressed by how green Cam Taylor's paddocks were; this was due to Essendon's nightsoil being dumped there. In 1920,A.C.Taylor had the western 290 acres of St Johns.
St John, a police magistrate and commissioner of crown lands for the county of Bourke was accused of taking bribes by John Pascoe Fawkner of Belle Vue Park (across the creek from St John's grant.)Fawkner was sued for libel but had the satisfaction of seeing St John resign both positions and depart for England in disgrace.
The map shows four parishes. Doutta Galla and Tullamarine were west of the Moonee Ponds Creek being respectively south and north of the line of Sharps Rd. Jike Jika and Will Will Rook were east of the creek and respectively south and north of (roughly) VictoriaSt/Rhodes Pde/Boundary Rd. Grantees may be found from the parish maps. (e.g. Jika Jika,COUNTY OF BOURKE; the parish name followed by the words in capitals.)
The diamond-like subdivision of section 16 (see attachment) accounts for the angle of Kerferd St and the bends in the avenues between Bulla Rd and Carnarvon Rd. The part east of Bulla Rd that became part of the Shire of Broadmeadows,was alienated in 1862 and the part to the west (shire of Keilor) was alienated in 1865.
My map shows grantees in the various parishes except that Donald and Duncan Kennedy's partitioning of the Glenroy Estate (sections 1 and 6,Will Will Rook) is shown rather than the names of speculator grantees,Hughes and Hosking. Thomas Napier,usually associated with today's Strathmore, was the grantee of 17B, Doutta Galla,which was named "Niddrie" by its next owner, Henry Stephenson,who also occupied the western,300 acre portion of section 23,Doutta Galla.
Surnames mentioned re page 1B in the index are as follow:
Parish of Tullamarine- Foster, Kenny.
Parish of Doutta Galla-Foster,Hall, Fawkner,Purnell,St John, Wright,Crichton,Connor,Phelan,Napier,Nicholson, Mairs*,Anderson,Mansfield,Williams,Cooke,Brewster.
Parish of Will Will Rook-Kennedy.
Parish of Jika Jika-Fawkner.
(*David Mairs, pioneer of the parish of Blackwood and then the parish of Bittern, about whom I have written a journal.)
Page 1C.
This page is mainly a composite Melway map on which details of current ownership (in sections 15,16 and 23)from an UNDATED Doutta Gallaparish map are superimposed. The parish map is wrong in regard to details concerning John Hall's "Southwaite" and "St John's". John Hall's 100 acre property (22B and D) is shown as being partly on St John's (section 23) but Stevenson (300 acres) and Hodgson (225 acres) fully account for the 525 acres of section 23.
This does not mean that other details are incorrect but they should not be taken as gospel.
John Hall's Southwaite was actually west of the line of Vickers Ave.
The boundary of Stephenson's and Hodgson's portions of section 23,both of which fronted the Moonee Ponds Creek,was not a straight north south line but a chevron heading south west from the creek and then south east,(e.g.<). I believe I have a map in my EARLY LANDOWNERS:PARISH OF DOUTTA GALLA on which the boundary had been plotted from descriptions in title documents. This and other information will be made available to any researchers whose ancestors, such as Mawbey and Sir John Franklin, were involved in section 23. Hodgson's 225 acres were previously occupied by Robert McDougall of "Arundel" near Keilor,accounting for Harry Peck's description of Stephenson and McDougall as (unneighbourly) neighbours.
No owners of section 16 land are shown on the Keilor Shire (west)side of Bulla Rd so this version of the parish map was probably produced by the Shire of Broadmeadows some time after the death of Thomas Napier (as indicated by Napier and Barber in section 15.) On the east side of Bulla Rd Hudson is shown as the owner of Essendon airport land north of the Tullamarine Freeway. As this would have adjoined John Murray Peck's "Lebanon", I presume Hudson was William Hudson of Peter McCracken's "Ardmillan" mansion (35-9 Ardmillan Rd,Moonee Ponds if I remember correctly) and Hudson's Paddock bounded by Mantell,Derby,George Sts(roughly)and Ardmillan Rd. Hudson was one of the partners in the stock and station firm of Hudson, Peck and Raynor until John Murray Peck left to form a new partnership with his son, Harry Huntington Peck (author of MEMOIRS OF A STOCKMAN.)
Cam Taylor,later to own the western part of St John's,owned the western half of the chevron between First and Balmoral Avenues while Lyons owned the eastern half,fronting Carnarvon Rd. (One of these blocks,both bisected by Dublin Ave., may have later been owned by Dodd Lane!)
Section 15 west of Pascoe Vale Rd is shown as being owned by four people.Napier and Barber are shown as the owners of the land between Woodland St and a line indicated by the Lloyd/York St midline (the northern boundary of Theodore Napier's "Magdala") and the bends in Glenview Rd, Bournian and Collegian Avenues and Hillsyde Pde(the northern boundary of George Page Barber's "Rosebank".)Barber, one of Melbourne's early lawyers, had married Thomas Napier's daughter, and they lived for many years in Warrnambool, where George continued his legal career, until her father's death. Theodore had been given the western part much earlier and had built Magdala which survived until 1927 when it was destroyed by fire. (I believe the occupants at the time are named later in the book.)Barber built the present historic"Rosebank" mansion not far from the site of Thomas Napier's original house.
Most of the northern portion was owned by John Kernan (probably his estate)of Merai Farm. Its western boundary is indicated by the line of Esmail St continued south to Magdala's northern boundary. To the west, Hudson had part of section 15, adjoining his section 16 land at Lincoln (Carnarvon/Arvon)Rd. Hodgson probably sold his land to John English who claimed title to St John Franklin's northernmost 12 acres of section 15 due to adverse possession, John Murray Peck having occupied it since 1882 when he moved into "Lebanon".
(Google SIR JOHN FRANKLIN'S 12 ACRES.)
Barber's land,called "Rosehill",boasted a mansion with a nett annual valuation of 200 pounds in the Broadmeadows Shire assessments in 1900. A normal house would have a N.A.V.of about 10 pounds. Almost opposite was Alexander McCracken's North Park mansion in the municipality of Essendon. As in the case of John Kerr's "Kerrsland" near the north end of the Glenroy Estate,these two houses were the result of Presbyterian pioneers but were saved from decay by the Roman Catholic Church.
N.B. Pages 1A, 1B and 1C have involved a complete rewrite because of a need to describe map details and extra information gathered in the 23 years since this book was written.
PAGE 2.(Sentence continued from 1A.)
It is unlikely that St John lived on section 23 but if he had,there would have been few neighbourly words exchanged across the Moonee Ponds Creek with the owner of Belle Vue Park, John Pascoe Fawkner.*
*St. John v. Fawkner.
IT is proposed to raise the amount of the expenses incurred by the Defendant in the above action, in exposing the system of Bribery and Corruption carried on on by an officer of the Government. Subscriptions will he received at this office.Argus Office,11th December, 1848.(P.3, Argus, 20-2-1849.)
Details about the three maps,which has already been given.
The area north of Woodland St was until recently (1979) in the Shire/City of Broadmeadows whose ratepayers give further information about that undulating land which today bears the name of STRATHMORE. Bernard J. Cooke, whose land was west of Bulla Rd, was deeply involved in the early years of the Borough of Essendon and Flemington and, as Grant Aldous relates in THE STOPOVER THAT STAYED,he was involved in a dispute with Peter McCracken over a seat on council.
John Thomas Smith,who had land between Bulla Rd and Carnarvon Rd was known to bribe voters with free oranges, according to Aldous. It is likely that these were grown on his section 16 grant rather than near Fenton St,Ascot Vale where he built Ascot House; Dr Harbinson's grant just across Bulla Rd contains a street called Orange Grove and a Keilor history mentions the Northern Ireland medico's oranges.
1863. William Smith (much of Lebanon); John Kernan; Lawrence McLachlan (leasing from Kernan); Pat Callaghan; Bridget Murphy (leasing from Callaghan); Samuel Jackson (see Victoria and its Metropolis); John Kent Pow; Thomas Napier; Patrick MCNamara (leasing from Napier and Urquhart); Alexander Kearney (leasing much of the north eastern quarter of section 16 from the grantee,W.Williams);Alexander Robertson; J.T.Smith; B.J.Cooke; Thomas Young; James Smith; John Morby (sic); John Hall;Townshend Somerville (leased from grantee,R.Chance, 14 acres fronting Woodland St, Bulla Rd and Carnarvon Rd.)
Across the Moonee Ponds Creek in today's Oak Park were J.P.Fawkner; James Hownslow; George Knight; George Tucker*; William Smith (old Young Queen Inn); and Charles Young*.
* Ratepayers were listed geographically so it is assumed that Tucker and Charles Young were on Fawkner's Jika Jika grant with the others whose locations are known.
Edward Wright (leased from J.B.(sic)Cooke,land near Essendon); James G.Brisbane (leased from Kernan, Doutta Galla); Hugh* Peck, house and 34 acres,PascoeVale,i.e. Lebanon; John Hall,house and 115 acres,Doutta Galla, i.e Southwaite; Josph Nixon (leasing from Sam Jackson);Samuel Jackson; Thomas Kelly Land, Essendon Division (section 16); Robert McDougall**,200 acres,Doutta Galla; Mrs Thomas Napier,80 acres,Doutta Galla;Theodore Napier 20 acres,Doutta Galla; Joseph Nixon (leased from Kilburn,100 acres, Doutta Galla; Townshend Somerville, land,Doutta Galla; H. Stevenson**,land,Doutta Galla (the western 300 acresof St Johns.)
The following were all described as being at Pascoe Vale,meaning today's Oak Park,north of the Moonee Ponds Creek.
Joseph Bowring 100 acres; Frank Goyder (publican and racing identity, leasing 100 acres from John English); William Jones 20 acres (probably including the former Young Queen Inn paddock); John Kernan,210 acres,i.e.Merai Farm; Mary Knight 150 acres; Mrs.W.Murray,house and 77 acres; Frederick Morgan,40 acres,i.e.The Pines (Fred married Helen Maria Knight.)
*This was Lebanon and Hugh Peck, a money broker and land agent FROM ENGLAND seems to be totally unrelated to John Murray Peck (from New Hampshire U.S.A.) I assume that William Smith had lost his grant or mortgaged it.
**Thus Harry Peck's description of the shorthorn breeders being neighbours.
James Anderson, Essendon Hill (section 16,leased from Lockwood); Eleanor Barber (Thomas Napier's daughter), 22 acres "Rosehill"; George Barber,gentleman,Rosehill mansion and land,N.A.V. 200 POUNDS; Alexander Robertson, 200 acres Doutta Galla,leased from Hodgson executors; Henry Carr,44 acres Deep Creek (Bulla) Rd; Charles Ferris 18 acres,Pascoe Vale,leased from (Land Mutual?) Bank; Michael Fox, land Essendon Hill; John Kernan, villa and 120 acres leased from Hodgson, house and land,Pascoe Vale,leased from Napier; Martin Delaney,contractor, 20 acres LINCOLN RD*,leased from Lyons; John Scott,20 acres Pascoe Vale leased from T.Napier; Alfred Smith,dairyman,land Essendon Hill;Stevenson Brothers, 310 acres, Deep Creek Rd;William J.Hawkins, butcher, 134 acres Pascoe Vale.
The use of the original name for Bulla Rd is strange. *Carnarvon Rd was called Lincoln Rd.
Bulla Rd (east side.) John B.Howse (leasing from Hall)house and 100 acres,i.e. Southwaite; A.C.Taylor ;,house and 290 acres (Stephenson's former western portion of section 23); John S.Kelly 4 blocks totalling 179 acres and 2 houses; Edward Wood, house and 14 acres (see Townshend Somerville in 1863);
Lincoln Rd(Carnarvon Rd.)Thomas Lyons 20 acres; Harriet Bourke house and 31 acres; Sunrise Estate 29 acres; Irene Barber 71 acres;
Woodland St (north side.) Theodore Napier, house and 33 acres "Magdala";Harry Hudson, house and land; Michael S.White, house and (39?)acres; Mrs A. Walker, 20 acres leased from Willy on creek; William Salmon house and 140 acres. (Salmon actually lived in "Roseneath" (on the Essendon side of Woodland St)built by David Duncan and the death place of Big Clarke and donated Salmon Reserve, through which Five Mile Creek ran,to the council.)
Byron Vale Estate. Harry H. and Richard Peck 43 acres; GeorgeGibson,N.S.W.,5 acres; Ralph Lind,inspector,house and land.
Pascoe Vale Rd.(SOUTH OF BRIDGE.)
John Kernan house and 21 acres; John N.S.Hammond 4 acres; David Hayes 6 acres; John Trennear house and 3.5 acres; Mrs M.McCracken* house and land leased from Mrs L.Peck; Mrs Louisa Ellen Peck house and 38 acres, "Lebanon"; J.M.English** 200.5 acres; Emily Lind land.
(*The house was almost certainly Wannaeue, later occupied by Broadmeadows Shire Secretary,Albert Cook (after the new shire hall was built near the station in 1928)thus acquiring the nickname of Cook's Cottage.It was demolished without a permit and Red Rooster near the pedestrian bridge now occupies the site. John Murray Peck was dead and his English-born wife had Lebanon. Their daughter Mary, who had married Alexander McCracken, was also a widow and had left the North Park mansion in Woodland St to live in "Wannaeue" near her mother and her brother ,Harry, who lived in "Hiawatha" at the top of Kilburn St.)
(**English has taken over Hodgson's 200 acre eastern portion of section 23.)
The lads returning from W.W.1 were eager to marry the sweethearts who had waited for them,prompting a resurgence of subdivisions as had happened in the boom before the 1890's bust.The 1930's depression put an end
to this second boom with the result that Jim McKenzie and his mates could ride over empty paddocks to Dodd Lane's place in Dublin Ave. Lack of building materials because of W.W.2 further delayed house construction with half-houses and concrete tiles a sign of the times.
Subdivisions in 1920 and people associated with them were as below:
PASCOE VALE ESTATE Mrs Emily Lind (Lind,Vernon,Hood and Lincoln Sts.)
ESSENDON HILL ESTATE Mrs Sarah and Samuel Davidson.
SUNRISE ESTATE Mrs M. and Frank Callaghan.
TERMINUS ESTATE Lincoln Rd. (Carnarvon Rd.)
BELLEVUE HEIGHTS ESTATE Sold by W.R.Blair and Sons.
ROSEBANK ESTATE Norman Charles Barber M.D.
It looks as if suburbia has arrived. And yet in the days of the second world war,youngsters such as Jim McKenzie could ride over the Napier St area and pass only a few houses.
Apart from the oral history of Jim and Peggy McKenzie,the suburban development of the area,and more distant history can be gleaned from the pages of VISION AND REALISATION,the centenary publication of the Victorian Education Department (1972.) Each school's history was written by a staff member and not everything can be taken as gospel. For example the Gladstone Park school is described as being in the parish of Doutta Galla (south of Sharps Rd!)and Niddrie Primary School was said to be on Niddrie Farm (17A Doutta Galla)when it was actually on 17B (Spring Park.)
Strathmore is said to have come from the name of a valley near which Thomas Napier had lived in Scotland. The area and the Strathmore station were originally called North Essendon, a name that persisted near Bulla Rd.
(Closure of schools and half-time schools,where each operated for half the school day with a teacher travelling from one to the other,often across swollen creeks, during his lunch break were consequences of the 1890's depression which started to bite in 1892. The Government was almost broke. VISION AND REALISATION should be available from municipal libraries and any school operating in 1972 and still open. Summaries for schools outside the area of investigation are much briefer than those within it.)
A non-vested school established by the C.of E. on 20-11-1854 with Walter Chalmers as H.T. and an average attendance of 9. Under the department a site was purchased in Oct. 1874 and a wooden schoolhouse was built to accommodate 72 pupils. It closed in 1892.
(Some Box Forest families in 1949 were Bradshaw,McMarlin,Marnell,Turner,Wilkie,Balsh and McMurchison.(P.O. directory.)By 1880,the Cavenagh, Harrison, Jukes, Jones, Pascoe, Peachey,Richards, Stoffers (Boundary Hotel?),Smith and Taylor families were assessed by Broadmeadows Shire. Box Forest was section 2 of the parish of Will Will Rook purchased from the crown by John Pascoe Fawkner in March 1850 on behalf of contributors to his land co-operative.It was officially renamed in honour of Cr Rupert Hadfield of Broadmeadows Shire.
A forerunner of the Raleigh St school was at the junction of Five Mile and Moonee Ponds Creeks (Melway 28 J-K2) and accessed via Government Rd. It operated from 1858 until 1863.
(Some of the pupils may have lived on the Cross Keys Reserve which was divided into small blocks. In 1863, the school moved to a site near Windy Hill but not apparently the present one.)
A two mile train trip allowed children to be taught at S.S.483 NEAR WINDY HILL until fares became too expensive. It opened in a leased Church of Christ.....
...building in 1891 with Robert Ingram as H.T. In 1894, as an economy measure,it was joined to S.s.484 Coburg. A site was purchased in 1910 at the corner of NORFOLK ROAD (now Gaffney St) and Cumberland Rd.,and it was occupied in September 1911 with Edmund O'Brien as H.T.
Glenroy was named by D.Cameron after aplace on Inverness,Scotland. Opened on 6-4-1891 in a leased building and the Wheatsheaf Rd school commenced in April 1908. Overcrowding was eased by the opening of Glenroy North (1956) and Glenroy West (1958.)Nett enrolments reached 1350 between 1956 and 1959.
Opened 1-9-1920. Enrolments: 270 in June 1921, 550 in 1928, 956 in 1953 and 436 in 1970. Summary brief , the school being outside the area being discussed.
S.S.4158 WESTBREEN.(Formerly Mt Sabine.)
Mt Sabine* was the name of a large property in the area. The school opened in 1923 in a hall on the Mt Sabine Estate.District Inspector Davies suggested Westbreen as the school's name,being a combination of the names of two bus proprietors, Weston and Miss Breen. In about 1932,part of the old Pascoe Vale school was erected on 3 acres purchased from H.Peachey. From 1950 a migrant hostel in the army camp and subdivision of farmlands made enrolments seem to double and re double almost overnight. In 1954 more than 40% were migrants from northern and central Europe.Overcrowding was eased when 130 pupils transferred to the new Broadmeadows East school.
(*In 1990, I knew nothing about the internet. Now I use trove all the time so it wasn't hard to find a reference to Mt Sabine:
GEACH-On the 21st March, 1928 at Miss Hill's private hospital, Fitzroy, Frank Herbert,beloved husband of Alice Ethel Geach, Mount Sabine,Pascoevale, father of Nerissa, Frank,Catherine, Miriam Hermione, Edwin, and Edwina, in his 66th year.A friend to all mankind.
However I seem to recall that Pascoe Vale Girls' School started in the Mt Sabine homestead (we'll soon see) so I doubt that Westbreen state school's 3 acre site was on the Mt Sabine farm. Frank may have bought a Box Forest (Hadfield) block which was part of the estate of Frank Geach Snr late of Mt Sabine,not the MT SABINE ESTATE.)
Strathmore,a valley in Scotland was the homeland of the Napier family. (N.B. If this is correct,the valley must be near Montrose on the east coast-V&I.M. 1888.) Theodore Napier owned agricultural land having Woodland St as its southern frontage; the school was built on this land. Due to wartime problems, the school opened incomplete on 4 acres purchased by the Broadmeadows Shire Council. Destroyed by fire on 28-11-1945,the buildings were not replaced until December 1946. (N.B. This was probably due to a lack of building material which persisted for some years after the war.)By 1960 nett enrolments reached 807.In 1967-8,the removal.......
......of many houses to make way for the Tullamarine Freeway caused another big drop in numbers,the opening of Strathmore North on 9-2-1961 having seen 106 pupils depart.
Opened on 2-2-1954 with 180 pupils. Freeway construction with resultant demolition of houses caused a decline with numbers.
Opened with 180 pupils in February 1954. Within a short distance is the site of John Fawkner's home and the houses of the school commemorate Fawkner and his three assistants* (sic),Stephenson Campbell and Cameron, who farmed the land. Nett enrolment was 813 in 1965.
*The Camerons were overlanders and leased the Glenroy Estate (which they named), north of Fawkner's Belle Vue Park grant,from speculators, Hughes and Hosking. Robert Campbell, resident near the Merri Creek in 1849 may have been the grantee of section 4, Will Will Rook, north east of Fawkner's Box Forest. Henry Stephenson of "Niddrie" had the western 300 acres of St John's south and east of Fawkner's Belle Vue Park.There is absolutely no evidence that they worked for Fawkner and neighbours might have been a better word than assistants. Stephenson might have been on St John's before Fawkner's death.
S.S.4731 PASCOEVALE NORTH. (Melway 17 D7, s.w. cnr Kent and Derby Sts.)
On 12-3-1842,crown land in the parish of Jika Jika was purchased by Thomas Walker of Sydney. A masonry veneer building of 16 classrooms was built and occupied on 13-3-1956 with the enrolment rapidly reaching 600.
Opened 1-7-1957 with 245 pupils and had a nett enrolment in December,1970.
Not knowing the location of Fawkner North which was not listed in my 1999 Melway, I found mention of it in the Wikipedia entry for Fawkner.
Within the suburb of Fawkner, there are two government primary schools: Fawkner Primary and Moomba Park Primary. Two Catholic primary schools were also built: St. Matthew's PS and St. Mark's PS (1934). Fawkner Secondary College began in 1956 and an Islamic college, Darul Ulum College of Victoria, was established in 1997 on the grounds of the former Fawkner North Primary school.[7] Historically, the Fawkner Technical School was built on the site west of the Moomba Park Primary School at the same time the primary school was established. Fawkner Technical School was eventually demolished to make way for residential allotments. Bruce Smeaton, composer and musician taught at this school which started out as an exclusive boys school of high repute.
Opened 11-9-1956 with 850 pupils. Nett enrolment was 795 in 1970.
South west corner of Cardinal Rd and Daley St and separated from Glen and Delhi Sts. by house blocks in 1999.
Opened 10-9-1957 with 97 pupils, mainly from Pascoe Vale North and Westbreen Schools. Nett enrolments: early 1958 -330; 1967 -780; 1970 -700. This seems to have been at about 13 Bedford St, Hadfield where modern housing isshown on the street view. It was not shown in the 1999 Melway so it was probably jeffed like Fawkner North.
"Gowrie Park" was a grazing property between Hume Highway(sic) and West St(sic*), , which was owned in the 19th century by Robinson (sic**) from Gowrie in England (sic);his bluestone homestead two blocks north of the school is still occupied. The school opened on 11-6-1962 with 271 pupils. Nett enrolments were 387 in 1963,626 in 1966 and about 800 in 1968. CONTINUED ON PAGE 8.
*(Adjoining Box Forest,its south east corner is indicated by Fairleigh St (Melway 17 F 1-2) and it adjoined Meadowbank north of John and Andrew St houses (Melway 7 B-D 12.) Its western boundary was Morley St.)
**(Section 5 Will Will Rook was granted to Alexander Gibb who built "Meadowbank" on the northern half (320 acres) and "Gowrie" on the southern half for James ROBERTSON, who like Alexander's brother, James, had married a Coupar girl. Both houses are shown on page 18 of BROADMEADOWS: A FORGOTTEN HISTORY. James ROBERTSON was NOT a Keilor farmer as stated in the book. In 1900,Thomas B.C.ROBINSON was leasing 317 acres, "Gowrie" from James ROBERTSON.)
PAGE 8.(Gowrie Park S.S.continued.)
Gibb Reserve in Blair St honours the municipal service of Alexander Gibb and his son, Alexander Coupar Gibb.
This Gowrie Park should not be confused with the 560 acre farm which occupied the operational part of Melbourne Airport extending a mile west and north west of the terminal building. In 1920-1,racehorse trainer,Robert Lewis, was assessed on 317 acres, "Gowrie Park". The bluestone homestead on 3 acres was obviously leased separately in 1900 and 1920,James Robertson Jnr having moved to the Somerton area.His father , who died on 28-7-1888 at the age of 80 is buried at the Will Will Rook Cemetery (Melway 7 C9)next to the Gibbs, neighbours in death as well as in life.(Genealogical details from Deidre Farfor,a descendant of James Robertson of Upper Keilor.)
Opened 21-4-1958 with 370 pupils. Nett enrolment in 1970 was 720.
Melway 16 E 2-3 fronting Clovelly Ave and York and William Sts. Still operating in 2014.
Opened 9-2-1861 with 150 pupils. Net enrolment: 241 in late 1961; 448 in 1969; by 1970 the school had become overcrowded.
Bruce Barbour has included a brief history of the school on his website.
Strathmore History - North Strathmore Primary - Vicnet
The information contained in the section below is an edited shortened version of the history contained in a Booklet entitled "Strathmore North Primary School ...
The above will not include the following.
I think the potted history mentions the acquisition of houses* to enlarge the playground but I don't think it mentions the playground often being underwater. The school was lucky to have a supportive community which dealt with this problem as well as obtaining a fine hall. I was fortunate in teaching at Strathy North 1992-8. The grassed area east of the front path from Mascoma St was overcrowded when I arrived,with three or more separate football games being played simultaneously in this smallish space because nobody wanted to play on the rocks,the triangular area west of the buildings and staff car park. Luckily a staff member spent much of his summer holiday covering the rocks with buffalo grass.
*The brief history mentioned above did not discuss the enlargement of the school grounds, only that they consisted of 2.5 acres when purchased. Either Paul Agar or the original history (25th anniversary)must have mentioned the houses that stood within the present boundaries.
The education department's intention to sell the original site prompted a quick reaction as Bruce's summary shows.
"In 1954, the Education Department acquired the present school site, possibly foreseeing that continuing steady growth of home building in the area could lead to overcrowding at the closest schools, Oak Park and Strathmore, in the future years.
However in 1959 it was learnt that the Education Department proposed to sell the site. This news had the effect of greatly stimulating interest in obtaining a school in the area as quickly as possible.
A group of parents, aware of the number of new homes being built in the areas close to the eastern ends of Mascoma and Lebanon Streets, and the serious overcrowding at Strathmore Primary School, began to press for the establishment of a new school on the present site.
Prominent in the early moves for the school were Mrs. Gibbs, Mr. Arthur Roberts, whose letter to a local newspaper attracted wide attention, Mr. Ron Bucknell and Mrs. Jean Cole, Mrs. Marj Reddish, Mrs. Avril Roberts, Mrs. Joan Nichols and Mrs. Dulcie Streete, who conducted a house to house survey to ascertain prospective enrolments, should a school be built. This survey indicated that there were already 200 children of school and immediate pre-school age in the proposed schools area."
The school was lucky to have Paul Agar on hand in the 1990's. He was the school caretaker but if anything needed fixing, Paul did it for nothing. It was when I was helping Paul to install some climbing equipment that I realised how much "the rocks" had been built up. The top layer of fine screenings had been noticed during the grass-planting but we had to dig down 60 centimetres through a lower layer of coarse screenings before reaching soil.
By the 1990's the school was much nearer to 200 pupils and was in the second division of the Essendon District Sports Association at the annual athletics carnival. The school won this division for a tremendous number of years but its crowning achievement in athletics is recalled by a photograph in the crowded trophy cabinet. Five girls competing in the 4x100 metre relay gave up almost every lunchtime for a month and by the time of the carnival at Aberfeldie, they could change the baton while running flat out. P.E.G.S. (PENLEIGH AND ESSENDON GRAMMAR SCHOOL) usually won most of the events at the sports, having employed members of the Essendon Athletics Club to coach their competitors,including their relay teams.
The Strathy North girls beat them and were they dirty! The Strathy North girls came second in the Victorian Championships. The fifth girl missed out on the glory but she was just as responsible for this great achievement as the other four.
On one occasion,one of the teachers on yard duty was concerned because most of the pupils had disappeared one lunchtime. In desperation,she opened the hall door and with obvious relief said,"Here they are!" She'd forgotten about the popular Lunchtime Gym.
Many of the secondary schools are now closed.Many of those west of Pascoe Vale Rd are discussed on the following website, which supplied the detail for my 2014 entry for Box Forest Secondary College and closures:
High School for Coburg: June 2010
Moreland High School closed on 31 December 1991 - now Kangan Batman TAFE
(2014 Postscript-BOX FOREST SECONDARY COLLEGE.
Moomba Park Secondary College, Glenroy High School, Glenroy Technical School, Hadfield Secondary College and Oak Park Secondary College merged on 1 January 1993 to form Box Forest Secondary College, now Glenroy College.)
Commenced 30-1-1912, with 131 pupils on four rooms at Coburg State School as the first Higher Elementary School in Victoria. Elevation in status to a high school and occupation of the present site of one acre on Henderson's Paddock, an old aboriginal burial ground, followed in 1916. The net enrolment was almost 400 by 1925. (P.S. Closed 31-12-1993.)
Opened on 4-2-1913 and became a high school in 1914. During the severe (Spanish*) influenza epidemic of 1919,the school became an emergency hospital with the pupils housed in new buildings at Moonee Ponds State** School.
(* So-named because a member of the Spanish Royal Family was an early victim.
** Local parents must have liked this turn of events with the result that the primary school became a Central School with form 1 and 2.)
Opened 2-2-1954, with 231 pupils in form 1 and 2,"on the fringe of the settled areas." The names of houses-Cameron,Fawkner, McCullagh and Stevenson- honour early settlers in the district.
(Cameron leased the estate from Sydney speculators,calling it Glenroy; Fawkner was an equally early pioneer settling immediately south of Glenroy and planting an orchard and English trees, such as the oak,which caused a later owner, Hutchinson of the flour mill at Glenroy, to rename the property as "Oak Park; Henry Stephenson of "Niddrie" also occupied the western 300 acres of St Johns between English St in the aerodrome and Fawkner's land across the Moonee Ponds Creek; McCulloch bought Glenroy Farm from Donald Kennedy's executors in 1874.)
Opened in February,1964 with 343 pupils. Net enrolments were 539 in 1965,740 in 1966, 843 in 1967 and 930 in 1969 (including 13 in the first sixth form.)
(P.S. Hadfield Secondary College closed on 31 December 1992 - The buildings were demolished and the site is now a retirement village. )
Opened on 5-2-1959 with 150 form 1 pupils.By 1962, enrolments were over 700 and in 1963 there were 990,with 170 being transferred to Hadfield at year's end.
(P.S. Oak Park Secondary School closed 31 December 1992.)
Opened 7-2-1956 in nearby halls for a year. (See BETWEEN TWO CREEKS by Richard Broome for extensive detail.)
The school is still operating, its website including 2014 events and this history which has a picture of the Mt Sabine homestead.
SHAPE WEEK From: 00:00 - Mon, 31/03/2014 To: 23:59 - Fri, 04/04/2014 etc.
Pascoe Vale Girls School opened in 1956 with an enrolment of 115 girls. Until the completion of the first section of building, classes were conducted in the Holy Trinity Parish Hall in Pleasant Street, and the Central Progress Association Hall in Park Street. Miss K.D Meldrum was appointed as the first Head Mistress. Classes were conducted in the buildings on the permanent site in Lake Avenue in February 1957. By this time the school enrolment had risen to 500 students. The second and third sections of the main school were completed and occupied by 1962. A foundation ceremony was held, at which the Director of Education, Mr. A. McDonell, unveiled a plaque to commemorate the completion of the main building.
In 1963 Miss E.D Daniel was appointed Head Mistress. Miss Daniel strove to raise the status of girls and women and to forge attitudes for girls to reach their academic potential and seek professional and leadership roles in the community.
Pascoe Vale Girls lost its "Girls Domestic School" stigma and became a High School in 1966. In 1968, the E.D Daniel Assembly Hall was officially opened, and enrolments continued to increase, despite the fact that there was no sixth form and the most talented students had to transfer to other schools to continue their final year of education.
In 1975 Mr E. De Motte was appointed Principal.
A Commonwealth Science block was added to the site and the George O'Brien Oval was named after the School Council President who had served the school for 18 years. The student population grew to 825 and the E.D Motte Library was built.
The current principal, Miss Helen Jackson took over in 1987. In 1991, Pascoe Vale Girls became a Secondary College.
1995 heralded a new era when, under the Schools of the Future program, Pascoe Vale Girls Secondary College officially became a self-managing one and in 2002 was renamed Pascoe Vale Girls College. With a population of 1,353 girls, the college attracts students from a wide geographical area and from diverse cultural backgrounds.
In 2009, the school received $6.3 million for renovations and new buildings, which are expected to be finished by Term 4, 2011.
The school's current principal, Miss Helen Jackson, is the longest serving principal in Victoria, with over 60 years of teaching.
Commenced in 1957 in Raleigh St.state school and nearby halls. The first stage was occupied in late 1957. Enrolment was over 1000 in 1963. Land lost due to the Strathmore overpass,Pascoe Vale Rd widening and the freeway has been partly replaced by the elimination of the Moonee Ponds Creek.
[The Napier Park dog track was on the high school site with the board track near the overpass. Peggy McKenzie tells that an old lady lived on an island in the creek and wasafocus of concern when the creek was likely to flood,which it did often, inundating the present school site. Cracking of the school's library was a recent (late 1980's?)problem;it was built on filled land,possibly the school side of the island.)
COBURG TECH. (Gaffney St.)
Opened February,1954 and moved to the present site on 9-11-1954. Most people would know one teacher and one student from Coburg Tech.; *John Kennedy and **Angry Anderson.
(* Day 203 Reflections on a Teacher's Life | In this my 70th year;
** Angry Anderson - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Anderson grew up in suburban Coburg and attended Coburg Technical School before working as a fitter and turner in a factory. Initially he wanted to be a blues )
(P.S. Coburg Technical School - now Coburg Special Development School.)
Opened February 1939 in the old West Melbourne Tech.buildings and moved to the present site in August 1939.
Opened 6-2-(1961?*)at Melbourne Textiles School and moved to the present site on 10-1-(1960?)One house, BROOKS, honours popular Governor of Victoria, Sir Dallas Brooks, after whom the suburb of Dallas was also named.
*I can't remember whether I wrote the question marks because my notes re the years were illegible or they were copied verbatim and didn't make sense.
Opened February 1956 at the showgrounds,later moving to old classrooms in Latrobe St for the rest of that year.
The forgoing confirms Jim McKenzie's claim that the population explosion occurred during the 1950's. Until that time,the latitude of Woodland St virtually divided city from country and those living to the north could keep horses,cows,goats and poultry. We now move onto Jim and Peggy McKenzie's oral history.
Jim and Peggy McKenzie's oral history interview was taped on one of six 3 hour videotapes. If I remember correctly,they were donated to the Sam Merrifield Library at Moonee Ponds when I was leaving Tullamarine.
Jim's family moved into Prospect St,Pascoe Vale when he was about 13 years old. Peggy (nee Holmes)and her family moved into Gaffney St just uphill from Burgundy St in 1935 when she was five, then relocated to Fawkner St, a bit farther up that steep hill,five years later. Jim and Peggy built their house in Tasman Avenue, Strathmore Heights in about 1970.
Index to interview subjects. Cow Dung Flats,Horses(Page 10); Fleet Electrics,Coburg council quarry 11; breaking horses and training trotters, a handful of houses in Strathmore,1940 residents near Peck Ave. 12; post-war boom 13; Peachey-Kelly Town 14; Coonan's Hill and market gardens, hay and corn stores,first self service,non swimmers,goats, Strathmore High School site and the house on the island 15; Strathmore's former name,the swing bridge and Jim Flood; Tasma Theatre 16; Kirk's Bazaar,Green Gables and prisoners, land-price fixing and returned servicemen's problems 17; Cook's homestead and Red Rooster,Shaw Logan 18; Dodd Lane,shortage of building material 19; Frank Curry-youth worker?, early Melbourne history, cable trams,picking up milk 20;two-up school and amateur rodeos,Happy Valley and Chicken Farm Lane, Jim Pyke,rail-motor house calls, 21; a hard but happy life 22; the depression 23; Pentridge prison farm,weekend trips to sleepy Sunbury,Strathmore Heights, shops at Pascoe Vale Station 24; try this hill Mulga Bill,children's games and naughty tricks 25; The Strathmore gates, petrol and a cuppa, overcoming rationing 26; walking blackberries 27.
The Pascoe Vale lads coined this name for the area between Kent Rd and Camp Rd over which the the boys,most of whom had horses, rode on their country romps.
If Iraq had invaded Kuwait in 1937, the incident would hardly have raised a mention in The Argus. In 1990,it's not only front page news but also the excuse for a hefty rise in petrol prices. Before the second world war , there wasan entirely different set of expectationsfor young people. The horse had been the popular mode of transport for thousandsof years and instead of looking forward to having a car at 18, a youngster could look forward to....
...having a horse at 12 or 13. Hay and corn stores were everywhere but garages were exceptional, queer places with hand-operated pumps, few customers and plenty of time for a chat. The term "oil crisis" had little meaning in such a way of life. A youngster in Pascoe Vale, such as Jim McKenzie,kept hishorse in the vacant block(s) next door and could enjoy aride north orwest for miles. Happy Valley, North Essendon and Cow Dung Flats were country land,not suburbia, and were to remain so until Arthur Caldwell's immigration policy and the housing commissions purchase of land at Broadmeadows had such an impact in the 1950's.
Agistment of horses was usually the last farm use in the area before urbanisation took over completely. (This was the situation at Gowanbrae at the time this book was written.) In the early days, hay-growing, dairying and sometimes sheep grazing and breeding of draught horses (which were the trucks and tractors of those times) took precedence,but from the 1940's, the agistment of horses and poultry farming, which could be carried out on smaller parcels of land, became more common. (Postscript. Pig farming on Box Forest (Hadfield)was quite common because it had been subdivided among John Pascoe Fawkner's land co-op members in 1850 with blocks later being consolidated into small farms of sufficient size, but swine fever struck and Stephen Peachey moved to a 6.5 acre dairy farm, now Boyse Court, at Tullamarine in about 1920.)
During the 1970's roads became more crowded and sadly,too dangerous for the horse-drawn milk cart,a romantic relic of a fast-disappearing way of life where hay was the fuel and horsepower meant just that! Now instead of using the "exhaust" as garden fertiliser*, we measure the toxic lead content. (*Keen gardeners used to follow the milk cart!)
Probably the pioneers of secondary industry in the Pascoe Vale/Strathmore area, this firm which manufactured electric ovens, had its premises at the corner of Woodlands Avenue and Pascoe Vale Rd before W.W.2.
Like many of his fellow returned servicemen, Jim found it hard to settle back into civilian life, and after continuing his service until 1947 as a member of the occupation forces in Japan, he optedfor an outdoor job which better suited his restless spirit. He worked at the Coburg City quarry in Newlands Rd, which later....
...became the Coburg Drive-In Theatre. (Melway 17 J-K6, east of Parker Reserve.)
Jim's father, who had come from the bush, was able to use the wide open spaces of Prospect St to break horses, up to nine at a time. He would buy them for one pound ten shillings ($3) each at South Melbourne and lead them along Spencer St (Abbotsford St etc) to Flemington Bridge from which he and young Jim could take various routes such as along the creek or Oak St (Melway 29 C 10-11.)
Once a tram in Melville Rd made their horse bolt,throwing Jim and his dad from their jinker. (P.S.It was customary to lead horses being transported from a vehicle. It was dangerous to wind the lead around one's wrist because if the horse was spooked the person holding it could be jerked out of the jinker, but disregarding a warning about this actually saved young Hill's life at Bertram's Ford near Keilor in 1906, while his young mate,William John Mansfield and his namesake father both perished.)
After horses were broken they would be sold for two pounds and as horse-ownership was very common,the turnover in this sideline was very brisk.
After the war,Jim and his father leased, trained and drove trotters. They used tracksat Westbreen, Happy Valley and along the narrow Hume Highway to train trotters and swam them in the Maribyrnong River near the Anglers' Arms Hotel. This story illustrates the change in truck speed and the nature of traffic. When the mobile barrier was introduced in trotting,Jim would move up behind and just to the left of a slow-moving truck on the Hume Highway. He would follow for some distance and then take off passing the truck. Imagine trying that trick with a Kenworth or on the Hume Highway today! Another training venue was near the dog track and cycling track at Strathmore.
Jim and his mates would ride from Pascoe Vale to Bulla Rd near Dodd Lane's in Dublin Avenue and see only a handful of houses such as Barrett's dairy, Theodore Napier's Magdala (WRONG, BURNT DOWN IN 1927), Hiawatha at the top of Kilburn St(where Harry Huntington Peck was probably busy writing MEMOIRS OF A STOCKMAN)and Lebanon, built by John Murray Peck in 1882 and owned (in 1990) by boxing writer,Jack Oates. As well as being lovely grassy hills,the area over which Jim and Co.rode was known as North Essendon. The same name was applied to the Strathmore Station. So in 1940, there was no semblance of the suburb that exists today but it bore a different name.
(Postscript. From Wikipedia entry for Strathmore.
Brewster subdivided and sold 100 acres (400,000 m) of land to Thomas Napier, who occupied the land and left a lasting legacy to the area the origin of its name. The area of Strathmore was originally called North Essendon. The name of "Strathmore" was first suggested by the Rev. John Sinclair in 1936 and was initially adopted by the church. The name was derived from Thomas Napier's Scottish heritage, the Valley of Strathmore, Scotland close to where he once lived. The name was submitted to Essendon Council in 1943. In 1955 the Victorian Railways changed the name of the station from North Essendon to Strathmore.)
Near the eastern end of Mascoma St,Randalls, a real estate firm, were selling blocks for 10 pounds which rapidly increased in value to 50 pounds,while the Mills lived over the road on the south side and further west lived Mr Flood,the local policeman,and his wife near where the Strathmore North school would be built two decades later. Another...
...policeman,Mr James, and the Rutherford family lived near Lind St.
On the east side of Pascoe Vale Rd,Miss Roberts* owned the land between Cook's Homestead and the garage to the south.George Farmer and Strang'sGarage were near the Cross Keys. George trained trotters which were driven by his son-in-law,Jack Ironsidel, the local postie.
(*Miss Roberts was almost certainly related to the Pecks, formerly of Lebanon. John Murray Peck married Louisa Ellen Roberts, both being buried in a recently restored grave at the historic Will Will Rook cemetery alongside Sarah Swinbourne Roberts who died at Lebanon on 31-1-1916, twelve years before Louisa.)
The Tullamarine Progress Association report of 1926 on a proposal, supported by the Keilor, Bulla and Broadmeadows Shires, to relocate the Newmarket saleyards to a 6 700 acre site incorporating all the land between Spence St Keilor Park/Essendon Aerodrome and Grants Rd (near Melbourne Airport)stated: "With the exception of a small area in the south east corner which has been cut up into building blocks, the land is used for hay growing and dairying. If the proposal had gone ahead,much of Strathmore Heights would not exist.
Jim McKenzie recalls travelling with his mates to Sunbury in a covered wagon to spend weekends rabbiting and catching fish at Rupertwood. Mascoma St was then a track with road metal spread on it occasionally. The Gowanbrae dairy (formerly Camp Hill) was the most prominent feature near the west end of the track in 1940, and still so when Jim and Peggy McKenzie moved into their Tasman Avenue home in 1970. The narrow bridge on Bulla Rd between Strathmore Heights and Gowanbrae had stood since the Albion-Jacana line was built in 1928 and would have been used by the covered wagon circa 1940, but only its footings remain. The trestle bridge, a landmark of the area, still performs its original function.
When Arthur Caldwell's plan for immigration on a huge scale was adopted, there was a dual motivation. During the war, Australia had most of its armed forces in Europe or the Middle East and when Japan...
...made its thrust toward our shores, Australia's population could not furnish another force to defend itself. Luckily for us,the Japanese had blitzed Pearl Harbour forcing the U.S.A to enter the conflict. With the most forceful argument,the Prime Minister, John Curtin obtained the release of some of our troops from other theatres of war. Also, cutting the umbilical cord that had linked us to the old country,he unreservedly pleaded for American help-which came in the shape of the flamboyant General MacArthur. Although the Government was prepared to abandon the area north of the Brisbane Line, fierce resistance by the Aussie troops in New Guinea (with more help from the fuzzy wuzzy angels than the green American soldiers)and a great victory from the U.S.Navy in the Coral Sea saved our bacon. This period of peril, however,served to force a realisation that our population had to be increased dramatically.
The second motivation was humanitarian,to assist the vast number of displaced persons whose peasant farms, houses and even whole suburbs or villages had been destroyed during the war. Many of these were temporarily housed at the army camp at Broadmeadows, resulting of many schools in that vicinity in a few short years.
Jim McKenzie said that a combination of the huge demand for housing and the lack of building materials forced councils to relax their building standards. Many half-houses were built and it wasnot until the situation had eased that completion of these structures was demanded. These new residents tended to congregate in areas such as St Albans and Fawkner but Jim remembers seeing half houses in most developing suburbs.
This was what most locals called Westbreen despite District Inspector, Davies' suggestion of the latter for State School 4158. Residents of Westbreen apart from the Peacheys and Kellys were the Toys, Marshalls,Wilsons, Cockerells, Plunketts, McGowerys and Tomkinsons. Most residentshad other jobs such as droving but were free to erect fences on vacant land and run sheep as a sideline. The owners of these vacant blocks didn't mind as it kept the grass down and reduced the fire hazard.
Alma Toy ran dances at the Westbreen hall, which was near her house. The Pascoe Vale youth would pay threepence for the bus trip and a shilling to get into the dance.
This area,near the corner of Woodland Avenue and Reynolds Pde was the venue for training trotters and there were market gardens, most of which were run by Chinese. Reynolds Pde and other streets nearby were made using a horse and scoop.
Surprisingly,even in the 1950's, there were still many of these establishments. The car had not yet become dominant,even in such long-established areas such as Ascot Vale and Essendon and more so in the country area north of Woodland St/Ave.
To Jim's knowledge, Harry Shell's self service grocery on the corner of Bell St and York St was one of the first,and possibly the first, shop of this type.
When the Pascoe Vale Swimming Pool in Prospect St was opened, Jim and his brothers were regarded as superhuman beings. Raised in Port Melbourne near the beach,the McKenzie boys thought that their ability to swim was normal but the awe in which they were held made them realise that few of the local children could swim.
Sorry about the pun! Goat farms were common in the area and doctors would recommend goat's milk for sick children. One farm occupied the area bounded by Dawson St and Essex, Cumberland and Landells Rds.
The Napier Park dog track was situated on the high school site with the board track nearer the Strathmore overpass site. Jim and his mates would ride their horses to the hill west of Pascoe Vale Rd overlooking these sporting venues,and tethering their mounts,would settle down on the grassy slopes to watch the greyhounds or cycling heroes such as Sid Patterson.
An island in the creek within the high school site was removed when the creek was straightened and concreted to allow construction of the freeway in the 1960's. The island was flood-prone and there was concern for the safety of...
...a lady who lived on it when ever the water level started to rise,as it did so rapidly. West of this island was a goat farm.
Another pun I couldn't resist. The local policeman Mr Flood, who lived near the future site of Strathmore North State School, was right onto brats who used this bridge, which was suspended on cables, as a giant swing or who rode their bikes across it. He also pounced on those who rode bikes without lights at night. The bridge, now replaced by a more rigid structure,was at Melway 16 J9,just south of Cook's Homestead on the Red Rooster site.)
This theatre,in Bell St between York St and Cumberland Rd, was popular with the Pacca youngsters. Because of its construction material, it was a real fire trap,especially as smoking inside was allowed and the brats of those days delighted in rolling firecrackers under the seats of elderly female patrons.
(POSTSCRIPT, 2014. Colin Gibson ran the Tasma from 1941 to 1947. Victor Shuttleworth then purchased the cinema operating until July 1958. In November 1958 the Caltex Oil Company purchased the site and the building was demolished and turned into a service station. Situated at 512 Bell St,The Tasma had functioned as the Pascoe Vale Progress Hall from 1-10-1932 until 31-12-1940.
Source:Progress Hall / Tasma, Pascoe Vale - CAARP
Not being a Strathmore resident,I cycled to the Peck Avenue area to acquaint myself with the lie of the land and to endeavour to locate the Lebanon homestead which Jim and Peggy McKenzie believed was still standing.
With my usual luck in contacting pioneers, the first person I greeted was Wilma Hood who had lived at the corner of Peck Avenue and Melissa St since 1958. After pointing out where Lebanon was and telling me where a Dutchman had built a half-house just down Peck Avenue, she introduced me to Beth Tempany who had lived on the corner opposite her for 38 years,since 1952.
Beth is involved in scouting and told me the sad tale of how the name Lebanon had been dropped from the local pack's designation during the conflict in the country of that name; to make matters worse,the symbol of the Cobb & Co.coach, (a memorial to John Murray Peck of Lebanon, one of the three young Yankees,who with Freeman Cobb formed the company) was removed from the badge. Little did those agitating for the change realise that the name of Lebanon came from Peck's native town (situated on the Mascoma River) in New Hampshire.
Wilma and Beth have volunteered to help Strathmore High School's V.C.E. students with their research into local history.
(Postscript. In 1990, I knew nothing about Essendon's historic houses,and it was the search for "Lebanon" that led me to Lenore Frost's excellent book on the subject and eventually my EARLY LANDOWNERS: PARISH OF DOUUTTA GALLA and a heritage overlay for the Boyd cottage at Rosebud.)
After leaving Beth's house, I tried in vain to locate an old house near Lind St and then proceeded to Wendora St where Beth had told me the entrance to Peck's house would be. What a magnificent house! It must have been really impressive sitting on the 34 acres that constituted the Lebanon property. Strathmore and the owner of course can be proud to possess such an historic residence.
According to Peggy McKenzie, the white units behind it in Melissa St were built by the sons-in-law of boxing journalist, Jack Oates, (the owner of Lebanon)after Jack's death; this was after Beth had moved in at the Peck Avenue corner.
(Postscript, 2014. One of my three lady informants told me that Archie Roach had lived at Lebanon for a while, but not having heard of Archie,I don't think I mentioned this in the book. I had almost given up trying to find proof of a connection with the area, (Archie's Wikipedia entry mentioning two unfortunate placements after he was taken from Mooroopna before an apparently more enjoyable stay with the Cox family, immigrants from Scotland, without any indication of where) when I found the following:
my kind of people - UQ eSpace - University of Queensland
Linda Bonson dancer 118. Archie Roach singer-songwriter ...... Roach changed from being a suburban North Strathmore teenager to a young man fighting....)
Located opposite the Junction of Keilor Rd with Bulla Rd where the discount grocery operates between 711, De Marco's Hotel (the Essendon Hotel from early days until at least John Coleman's tenure, and lately The Grand) and Woodlands Park,Kirk's Bazaar which had been operating since Melbourne's early days in various locations,had a large building in front where second-hand goods of every description were soldand behind this were machinery and animals. Jim McKenzie,who says that Kirks bazaar would sell you a camel if you wanted one,believes that Kirk's Bazaar moved up Keilor Rd to a site just west of Matthews Avenue in 1975.
From Page I-L 86 of DICTIONARY HISTORY OF TULLAMARINE AND MILES AROUND.
Memoirs of a Stockman, by Harry Peck (1942.)
P.12. James Bowie Kirk arrived in Melbourne in 1839 at the age of 19 and opened Kirk's Bazaar which mainly dealt in horse sales on 1-3-1840.
P.123. John Kirk,from Kirk Caldie,Scotland,of Saltwater River, had a son,Harry,who was a salesman, and grandsons, Clyde and John (proprietor of Kirk's Bazaar Essendon where a horse sale is conducted weekly.
Mickleham Road 1920-1952 by George Lloyd.
P.6.Before we get past Essendon,I think everyone would remember Kirk's Bazaar auctions every Saturday. One could buy almost anything there, horses, chooks, furniture,odds and ends, and in later years,motor cars. In the depression years of the 1930's a T. model Ford could be bought for 10 pounds.
A newspaper cutting (no details of source but most likely from 1992 or 1993) states that Kirk's Bazaar had been trading in the area for 70 years so the site near Woodlands Park must have been used from about 1923. New spacious showrooms at 393-7 Ascot Vale Rd on May 21st. This would indicate that the Keilor Rd site,which I think is now occupied by Johnson and Rielly Mire 10,was used for about 18 years.
Harry Peck's reference to John Kirk,of Saltwater River, is explained in my EARLY LANDOWNERS:PARISH OF DOUTTA GALLA which must contain the lengthy newspaper article that I thought I would find in DHOTAMA.
If any Kirk descendants would like a copy of the article, the map showing the Kirk land in Ascot Vale West on or near the showgrounds and other details, send me a private message.
Located between the Moonee Ponds Creek and Park St on about 2 acres (Melway 16 J9),this two storey weatherboard mansion could have been bought for 2000 pounds during W.W.2 as land prices fell due to uncertainty about the outcome. It was used for prisoner rehabilitation after the war. Sadly it was demolished to enable construction of the Edith Bednell Retirement Village during the past year (circa 1992.)
Mrs. A. McCracken
The death occurred late last night at her home Green Gables, Pascoe Vale road, Pascoe Vale, of Mrs Mary Elizabeth McCracken, widow of Mr Alexander McCracken. She was aged 75 years. Mr McCracken, who died about 1915, was a former chairman of the Victoria Racing Club, a former president of the Royal Agricultural Society, and a former president of the Victorian Football League.
During her life, Mrs McCracken was closely associated with the work of the Women's Hospital and the Carlton
Refuge. She is survived by a grown-up family of two sons and three daughters.
The funeral today, at the Melbourne General Cemetery, will be private. (P.9, Argus, 29-7-1938.)
Mrs McCracken was the daughter of John Murray Peck. If I remember correctly,she was living at Wannaeue (Cook's Cottage) across the creek, in 1920.
Edith Bendall Lodge
Operator Edith Bendall Lodge
Location 11 Park St, Pascoe Vale VIC 3044
Green Gables was constructed for the McCrackens and was placed on sale soon after Mrs McCracken died. The advertisement claims that the gardens consisted of about FOUR acres, has a photo (unfortunately of poor quality) of the house and describes it thus:
An Attractive and Splendidly Constructed Two-storied, Balconied, Timber Residence Erected under a Leading Melbourne Architect's Supervision for the late owner Regardless of Expense Containing 15 Spacious Richly Panelled and Decorated Rooms, Three Bathrooms together with Servants' Quarters, and all modern
conveniences. (P.18,Argus,30-11-1938.)
Many gave their lives during the war but as well as total and partial impairment,those who returned often suffered from difficulty settling back into civilian life. A great number were boys when they left and returned as hardened men to a different world. A large chunk of their lives was missing. Some,such as Jim McKenzie, found their way into the fire brigade,where the same mateship and united action against a common foe could continue. Jobs were held open for those who had left them to enlist,but most could not fit back into the same slot. Land prices were fixed to stop land sharks exploiting returned servicemen,but as soon as restrictions were lifted,prices skyrocketed.
BLAIRPECK.On the 12th inst., at St. John's Church, Essendon, by the Rev. Alexander Stewart, M.A., William Allison, elder son of W. A. Blair, of Netherlea, Essendon, to Minnie Waters, younger daughter of J. M. Peck, of Lebanon, Pascoevale. (P.1, Argus, 26-4-1888.)
The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957) Wednesday 6 February 1889 p 1 Family Notices
... a son. BLAIR. -On the 28th ult., at Wannaeue, Pascoevale, the wife of W. A. Blair, jun., of a son.
GIBSON--BLAIR.-On the 10th ult, at Wannaeue, Pascoe Vale, by the Rev. Alex. Stewart, Richard Gibson of Kerarbury, New South Wales, to Mabel, second daughter of William Allison Blair, of Maidstone.
( Wednesday 8 May 1895 p 1 Family Notices.)
The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957) Friday 6 July 1928 p 1 Family Notices
PECK.--On the 5th July, at her residence, Wannaeue, Pascovale, Louisa Ellen, relict of the late J. M. Peck, aged 85 .
SATURDAY, AUGUST l8.
At Three O'clock. On the Property,
WITH SPLENDID BLOCK OF LAND. IN THE ESTATE OF THE LATE Mr. J. M. PECK.
Wannaeue is an Attractive Brick Villa of Substantial Construction, Occupying a Nice Position on the Main road, in the Most Progressive Part of Pascoevale, and Within Cooee (220 Yards) of the Pascoevale Railway Station, which Enjoys a Good Electric Train Service.The Rooms Are Lofty, Under Slate roof, and Comprise Spacious Dining and Breakfast rooms, Five Bedrooms, Kitchen, Laundry, Bath, Pantry, Cupboards, and Cellar; Also Garage, Man's
Room, Feedhouse, Hot-water Service Installed, Electric Light, Telephone, and Sewerage System, and Surrounded by Nice Flower and vegetable Gardens, and Fine Old Ornamental Trees.
The Land Has a Grand Frontage of About 360ft to the Main Pascoevale Road, by Irregular Depth,Culminating In a Picturesque and Fertile Frontage to the Moonee Ponds Creek. Altogether Wannaeue Represents a Commodious Home with Wholesome and Refined Surroundings, and Being for Genuine Sale tor the Purpose of Finalising Trust Matters,
Arrangements Could be Made If a Buyer so wished to run a Cow in Paddocks Adjacent A.E.GIBSON & CO.,
Auctioneer, 150 Queen Street, Melbourne (Te). Cent S514); and at Glenroy, etc.(P.2, Argus, 4-8-1928.)
The auctioneer was probably related to Richard Gibson who was married at Wannaeue in 1889. Perhaps Peck built the house as a wedding present for his daughter, Minnie Waters Peck.
A City of Moonee Valley planning amendment gives the address* of the site of "Wannaeue"; it wasn't really a homestead and a heritage study seems to have assumed that John Murray Peck lived in "Wannaeue" rather than "Lebanon" which was the homestead of his Strathmore land.
*Wannaeue Homestead (site), 504 Pascoe Vale Road, Strathmore
50 Creek.95 In 1839 James Patrick Main, who was ...
Centre at the junction of Pascoe Vale and Mt Alexander Roads, Moonee ... area, living first at Mascoma in Ascot Vale,120 then Wannaeue in Pascoe Vale Road,
According to the present owner of the "Lebanon" house,this homestead (sic) was built by J.M.Peck. In the last decade(1980's)this house,which became the residence of Broadmeadows Shire Secretary, Albert Cook, was demolished without a permit. The culprits started their dirty work on a Sunday and caused a storm of protest.But it was too late; the damage was done.
Albert Cook who was shire secretary from 1908 to 1949 (BROADMEADOWS A FORGOTTEN HISTORY) lived in the old shire hall near the bridge at Westmeadows but when a new shire hall was built on Pascoe Vale Rd in 1928 (the year that Wannaeue was advertised for sale!)the old hall was probably put up for sale and Albert needed a new place to live. The site of Wannaeue is now occupied by Red Rooster.
The chief auctioneer at Newmarket Saleyards,who used rhymes in the newspapers to advertised what was selling, Shaw Logan operated a dairy on the block bounded by Glenroy Rd, Widford St, Melbourne Avenue and probably, Glenroy Tech.(as Jim McKenzie recalls.)
Shaw Logan lived in the house built during the land boom of the late 1880's and named "Ashleigh" by Albert Wiseman of the Glenroy Land Co. Now demolished,it was a twin of Wiseman House or Sawbridgeworth, built by Albert's brother,Arthur, which is shown on page 96 of BROADMEADOWS A FORGOTTEN HISTORY. Logan St (Melway 16 J2) recalls Shaw Logan who bought a new Ford every year but must have been an early vintage car lover because he most enjoyed driving his T model Ford.
Postscript. At the time Jim told me about Shaw's rhymes, I believed him but I'd never touched a computer. It's fun proving what my informants told me!
Calves.-Stupendous. We sold 84
A wonderful market and lots to do,
Our team the best, we see it thru.
Everything extremely high.
Every class was hard to buy ;
Vealers took a rapid rise,
Values up into the skies.
Work and work only achieves what we want;
Energy builds energy right from the font.
Love creates love, the best thing of all
Trees among trees grow graceful and tall.
(Alexandra Standard and Yarck, Gobur, Thornton, Taggerty and Acheron Express (Vic. : 1949 - 1954) Friday 10 August 1951 p 4 Article)
During W.W.1,both Wiseman mansions were used as military hospitals. By the end of the war,Ashleigh had been renamed as Montrose.
Messrs A.E.Gibson and Co. report having sold the Mansion, Montrose, together with 20 acres surrounding it, corner of Widford street and Glenroy road, Glenroy, to Mr. T. Shaw Logan. (P.9, Argus,20-12-1921.)
Gippsland Times (Vic. : 1861 - 1954) Monday 23 February 1942 p 2 Article Illustrated
... of Mr and Mrs. C. R. Baldock, Mornington, to Sgt. Gordon Derrick Logan, only son of Mr. and Mrs. T. Shaw Logan, Sunnylands, Glenroy.
Shaw seems to have renamed his farm as Sunnylands rather than the Argus version of Sunnyside in its report of the engagement two days earlier.
George Lloyd states in MICKLEHAM ROAD 1920-1952,
referring to Bulla Rd in Essendon,"A very old identity in those days was Dodd Lane who traded in horses and anything connected with the horse industry." Jim McKenzie recalls Dodd being a real character and the youth fromfar and wide ,when they rode over Strathmore's open grassy hillscape would have as their destination Dodd's place in Dublin Avenue. Can you just imagine a group of youngsters hanging on every word of this old character's anecdotes about the old days.
Until quite recently horses had right of way over cars on the roads and no doubt Dodd insisted on taking this right as his most remembered saying was: "Horses came before cars and anyway cars are only spare parts for horses and carts."
Jim says that the lack of building materials caused the building of half-houses and the use of fibro-cement sheeting with corrugated cement roofs. Whelan the wrecker of Brunswick doors and other items salvaged from old houses that he demolished. The original garage,replaced by a newer structure,between the bridge and Woodland Avenue was built by Fred Chisholm and his mechanic, Mr O'Shea, using limestone that they carted from South Australia.
Wilma Hood and Beth Tempany say that it was not only a lack of building materials. In 1952,house blocks cost 150 pounds (which because of inflation seems a pittance)but this was a fortune to the eager home-makers of the 1950's. They had so little cash to spare that few could afford fences and most houses had curtains on only a few windows with the rest rendered opaque using Bon Ami,a scouring powder.
Sorry,another pun! Frank Curry,a pilot in W.W.1, and son-in-law of Ma Dalley,seeing that the youth of Pascoe Vale needed a form of recreation, converted two old shops in Cumberland Rd into a billiard room. That he was providing a service to the youth and not just out to make a quid is illustrated by the following. Every night his wife would provide a supper and if somebody wanted a game but was short of cash, a free game was allowed for a few minutes of help in cleaning the place.
Ma Dalley* had a well-known machinery and scrap metal place on the site of the Old Melbourne Inn in Flemington Rd. Over the road where the Dental Hospital now stands was the haymarket. A weighbridge from the haymarket later did service near the Essendon roundabout and then on Tommy Loft's "Dalkeith" near the site of the Tullamarine Primary School library.
* Postscript 2014.
See:Biography - Marie (Ma) Dalley - Australian Dictionary of ...
(It is presumed that Jim McKenzie's games of cable chase took place near the Port Melbourne end of the line but to know the origin of the power for the cable,he and mates must have taken a free ride all the way to Fitzroy.)
A cable station, near the corner of Gertrude and Nicholson Sts, Fitzroy, moved the cable for the Port Melbourne line. Youngsters, and others,would have afree ride in the "dummy' in which the gripman would operate the lever to grip or release the cable. Passengers rode in a carriage towed by the dummy. As well as taking free rides,youngsters amused themselves by playing "cable chase". A tin,with a greased wire or string to grip the cable,would rattle and bang along the cable slot with a group of delighted brats in pursuit.
Would not submit. Posted in comments at about 1 p.m. 2-5-2014.
Wouldn't submit here. Posted in comments about 1:12 p.m.on 2-5-2014 (1-5-2014 in Scott's U.S.A.)
The first of these calls was often heard at Happy Valley and Chicken Farm Lane. The local boys often conducted amateur rodeos at Happy Valley using any cattle that were at hand.
Games of two-up were illegal, of course, and a lookout or cockatoo was usually posted at a good vantage point to give early warning of police raids. One day while the Chicken Farm Lane "school" was in progress,the cockatoo fell asleep in his tree and the raid caused an evacuation rather faster than the one at Dunkirk a few years earlier.
One escapee sighted a builder concreting on a house site surrounded by acres of open paddock. As the two-up games were social occasions, the fugitive was dressed in a splendid suit. Hastily ripping off his coat and shirt, and promising he'd work for nothing for the rest of the day if his impromptu boss would help him to evade capture,he started shoveling ingredients into the mixer. The flabbergasted builder,a migrant with little command of English, caught the drift of his plea and when the police arrived , he assured them,"He work for me." Without proof,the police could do nothing about their suspicions. "A bit flash for a labourer,aren't you!" was their parting jibe.
(I suspect that Jim was the dandy unless the tale had such currency that he was able to absorb detail and dialogue that would have been known only to the dandy and the builder.)
Jim McKenzie recalls other boys pointing out Jim Pike's place as they rode through the area now known as Hadfield,west of the cemetery, in about 1940. Pike was the well-known jockey who usually rode Phar Lap,making a team that,with Don Bradman,took the minds of Australians off the gloom of the depression.
Postscript 2014. My attempt to prove the veracity of Pike living in the area was less successful than it was regarding Shaw Logan. D.Pike who applied to Broadmeadows Shire to have ash put on a path, G.Pike who was Mayor of Preston and another Pike living in Ngarveno St,Moonee Ponds might have had family connections. Pike had married Jane Isabella Liddell,a Victorian girl, but seemed to be living north of the Murray until about 1931 and again by the end of the 1930's. This story probably pertains to the period shortly after Jim McKenzie's arrival at Pascoe Vale, if Jim Pike (who retired in 1936) was still living there. Perhaps the other boys were referring to the jockey's former abode in about 1940; if he was still there, surely the boys would have approached the property, in the hope of meeting a famous horseman, rather than just riding past!
Why would Pike live at COW DUNG FLATS? Perhaps because of the depression he was able to buy or lease land cheaply and close by was the railway line. My guess is that he tried his hand at training horses for a year or two at about the time of his retirement before moving to Randwick to continue his new career.
Drivers of the various forms of public transport seem to delight in taking off as an exhausted,slightly late and clearly visible passenger comes, gasping, within metres of getting a ride. This is a symptom of our generally impersonal way of life,so different from that known by those living before W.W.2 when there was no need to lock doors and those down on their luck would be supported by kind neighbours. ....
As pointed out earlier,the area north of Woodland St was country until the mid 1950's and the people there,such as Beth Tempany, lived their lives with the friendliness and hospitality of country folk.
The bus driver who had taken the youngsters of Tullamarine,such as Eileen Reddan and Winnie Lewis (nee Parr) to the city would not commence his journey until all those who had visited the big smoke were aboard.
A rail motor ran from Fawkner Cemetery to Somerton and passengers had gates in their back fences to provide easy access. Probably quite against regulations the train drivers would stop outside the gates of the regulars to drop them off.
The cable tram drivers would knock on the door of a regular who was not waiting, just to check if he was all right.
With people having such a caring attitude,it is no wonder that Jim McKenzie stated, "it was a hard life but a happy one!"
The depression certainly caused hardship but by no means did people have an easy life before this catastrophe struck. Women today complain about housework,but:
placing clothes in the machine, dialing the correct wash cycle and pressing GO seems like heaven compared with the scalds and stifling heat inflicted by coppers, and the scrubbing board,lifting sodden clothes out of the copper and the wrangler (if you were lucky enough to have one)no longer make arms ache on washing day;
steam and dry irons are a far cry from irons which: had to be heated by an open fire or on a slow-combustion stove and left soot on clothes; were filled with hot coals and very heavy; and were filled with petrol and often exploded;
cooking no longer involves lighting fires, estimating temperatures, discovering you've just run out of matches or dry kindling, kitchens as hot as Hades in summer, food kept cool,not cold,in Coolgardie safes or an ice chest and often going off,bringing in the billy before the delivered milk went off, boiling the milk because you didn't trust Pasteurisation or you wanted to skim the cream off the top, mixing,beating.....
....or shredding by hand until your arms ached,making your own pastry by hand and baking your own bread,the kettle boiling dry and the toast burning when you were distracted for a moment.
And how would the children, who today insist on designer jeans and Reeboks, cope with going to school in bare feet, hand-me-downs and patched,threadbare or half-mast trousers?
Yes times were hard but people cared! A neighbour who had a bag of spuds would offer you a few, and if he'd had a good time rabbiting,one would be on your table that night. Sick or elderly people would have a constant stream of visitors who provided companionship and "a little something to cheer you up."
In those days,your letter box did not fill with junk mail and those horrible little letters with windows (bills!) Almost every item was a personal letter from a dear friend or relative parted physically by distance but not in spirit. Of course few people had telephones and the arrival of a telegram suggested such horrible possibilities that many people could not bear to open them.
In Germany,inflation was rampant and a man could arrive home with his weekly wage only to find that it would not buy one loaf of bread.No wonder the Germans elected Hitler who promised a life free of hunger and deprivation.In view of the hard life described above,one might almost think that things could not get much worse, but they did, even if not as extreme as in Germany where punishment for W.W.1 compounded the inflation problem.
Imagine yourself with no blankets,no food in the Coolgardie safe or ice chest and pantry, the rent due tomorrow and you with not a penny to your name,dad humping his bluey from farm to farm asking,"Got a job,Missus?" or away for months on end building the Great Ocean Road* to earn the dole,the power cut off because of unpaid bills-and you're starting to get the picture.
(*Postscript 2014.Some of the unemployed in the area were fortunate to find work for the dole without having to leave their families. One of these was Herbert Garibaldi (Garrie) Carozzi of Coburg. The Coburg Lake had been one of many quarries on the banks of the very rocky (Merri merri) creek.
Then in the late 1920s, he took on an apprenticeship as a boot maker. It was a good trade, and he enjoyed the work, but the Great Depression, beginning in the late 20s put an end to his apprenticeship.
He was on susso for most of the next six years. He was involved in various work-for -the-dole schemes, one of which extracting bluestone clinkers from the basalt deposits around what became the Coburg Lake. Garrie was no longer a young man. He had no job and few prospects; like most working class men, he lacked skills and unskilled labourers are inevitably the most at risk in times of depression.
(DAY 7 Friday, June 14, 2012 My Father A Brief Biography ...
It was not unusual for Jim McKenzie to arrive home from school to an empty (and I mean EMPTY) house. Because of cheaper rent or less-cramped accommodation, his family had moved to to a house a few blocks away (in Port Melbourne)carrying every stick of furniture by hand.
(2014 postscript. In gathering information from my late mother-in-law to write an ode to her on her 80th birthday, I found confirmation of Jim's story about Port Melbourne's game of "Musical Houses". Her parents made many similar moves in that suburb when the rent was due before her father found employment at the Castlemaine Woollen Mill.)
Ginger beer (made from a plant grown in the back yard), raspberry vinegar and ice chips from the ice-man were real treats for children in those gloomy times.
Now the Coburg Teachers' College or Phillips Institute, across Murray Rd. from the prison,the farm and its two-storey weatherboard building were destroyed by fire in the 1950's, according to retired fireman,Jim McKenzie.
(*Postscript 2014.
22 Jul 1952 - Police at alert while Pentridge fire raged - Trove
The school was established at S.S. 483 Bell St, 1958-9 and moved to the northern portion of the Pentridge Gaol Farm with the rest of the 39 acres being allocated to the proposed Coburg Teachers' College. The new (high)school building's official opening was on 5-5-1961.
SHOPS NEAR PASCOE VALE STATION and TRY THIS HILL MULGA BILL!
Would not submit. See comment of 2014-05-09 23:53:17.
YARNS have disappeared from our way of life. I was fortunate to have interviewed a great many yarn tellers, mostly in their 90's and Ray Cairns ten days after his 100th birthday. Many of these yarns were passed down through generations orally just as the first Australians did with their dreamtime stories. One such yarn teller was Jim McKenzie, who inspired my KILTS AND COW DUNG FLATS and one of his yarns was about another yarn teller, Dodd Lane of Dublin Avenue in today's Strathmore.
George Lloyd,in MICKLEHAM ROAD 1920-1952, referring to Bulla Rd in Essendon states:"A very old identity in those days (1930's?)was Dodd Lane who traded in horses and anything connected with the horse industry."
Jim McKenzie recalls Dodd being a real character, and the youth from far and wide,when they rode over Strathmore's open grassy hillscape had as their destination Dodd's place in Dublin Ave. Can you just imagine a group of youngsters hanging on every word of this old character's anecdotes about the old days?
Horses had right of way over cars at one stage and this rule would have pleased Dodd whose most remembered saying was, "Horses came before cars and anyway, cars are only spare parts for horses and carts."
The thing that yarn tellers need most is an audience and unfortunately most of them have retired from their vocation due to the lack of one. Be an audience for your elderly relatives and friends before its too late. Ask them to help you label their old photos with date ,names and place. When you decide to write a family history,it will be too late, otherwise, to obtain the flesh to cover the skeleton that genealogy provides.
Luckily some yarn tellers such as Harry Peck and Isaac Batey committed their yarns to paper. I'd asked Isaac about Fenton's Hill (due to the assistance of Trove)and found out that David Duncan (co-grantee of most of Melbourne Airport and subject of one of my journals)) had built "Roseneath" (Melway 28 G1), the residence of James Hearn when Big Clarke died there, and later of William Salmon. Isaac stated that the Clarkes had bought Roseneath from David and the Essendon and Hawstead map show that he was dead right. David Duncan had been granted crown allotment 10, Hawstead, of 5 acres 1 rood 1 perch. The Clarkes must have also bought Michael Skehan's c/a 11 and 12 (roughly 10 acres)between David's grant and the water reserve (Woodlands Park.)
Here's Isaac's yarn.
THE FAR-OFF HAS-BEEN CHAPTER XVIII. THE OLD SQUATTING LIFE. (Continued.)
Sunbury News (Vic. : 1900 - 1910) Saturday 9 July 1904 p 4 Article
"Big' Clarke was noted as having
crossed Bass Strait in 1839, and conjec-
torally his brother Lewis came over with
him. Lewis was on the Fenton's Hill
station, but whether the two men bought
out the 'Dirty Scotch Company' or not
is a question not to be decided. Any
way, the brothers became possessed of
the company's sheep brand, a capital G,
which according to Brodie from motives
of economy was used on Bolinda for
some years.
If Mr. W. J. T. Clarke was a great
purchaser of land, I do not think his
brother ever owned a single acre out in
the country, and as for the block in Es-
sendon, with its comfortable dwelling
house, my conclusion is that it belonged
to the 'Big Fellow.' This residence
was erected by David Duncan, a carpen-
ter by trade, who was afterwards in
partnership with one Thompson in a
mercantile business in Mellbourne. I
fancy the two men owned Gowrie Park
before the outbreak of the diggings, and
later on it fell into the hands of Messrs.
Ritchie, of whom Malcolm is the last
survivor. Duncan apparently garnered
in the cash but presumably to do the
heavy he acquired some 20 acres of
ground at Essendon on which he built a
house that must have run into thous-
ands, because at the date of its erection
labour and materiel were heavy items.
It fell into the hands of the Clarkes
perhaps in 1856, arnd as £3,000 was
paid for it along with the ground, the
reader will perceive that Duncan would
not get back more than a third of the
money he had expended on the struc-
ture, which was substantially built of
stone and brick. According to the times
it was a gentleman's residence-besides,
it had nicely laid-out grounds. When
Gowrie went, and, I imagine, Duncan
had bought his partner out, old Davie
was nearly stranded, and when he was
drowned in a fit in a bath, Mrs. Duncan
with one of her daughters ran a registry
office in Lonsdale-street. Mr. Michael
Loeman said he would rather live under
a soogee bag than get into debt in build-
ing a house, therefore we may conclude
if Duncan had not cut in for a big show,
even if he gulped down brandy by the
tumblerful he could not have died a poor
As for Mr. Lewis Clarke, if he did
go in for land, he was a man of means ;
but for what he had I think he might
thank his brother. Lewis died when
certain of his family were very young,
and any that had reached their majority
at the date of their decease received
£1500 each. As they came of age one
after the other they received a like sum,
and as there were nine of them these
payments would represent £18,500, but
we must bear in mind that it was the
accumulating interest that would bring
the money up to the sum set down. I
imagine the widow did not survive her
husband beyond five years. Her eldest
son John galloped through his share and
went to New South Wales, where he
came to his end through a fall from
horseback. In later times he was the
most handsome man in those parts, but
he was also the greatest harum scarum I
ever met with. He possessed finely cut
oval features, and had a beautifully
shaped nose, but he was wretchedly defi-
cient in forehead, for from what is
minded of it, it was not beyond three
fingers' breadth in height, whereas his
brother William's frontal development
was splendid.
Billy Clarke as a youth would journey
up from Essendon to see us, and put in
a day or two on this place. (Redstone Hill.)
Dear XXX, what do you know about the Five Mile Estate mentioned by Batey in his HISTORICAL RECORDS OF THE SUNBURY REGION? Where would this have been? Regards, John.
This is probably going to take some time but the one clue we have is that it was in the Sunbury area. I believe that the Five Mile Estate was named because of its proximity to a stream with the hardly unique name of Five Mile Creek. The creek of this name which flowed through Woodlands Park and Salmon Reserve at Hawstead (Melway 28 F-G1) to join the Moonee Ponds Creek at 28 K2, is geographically out of the question.
This could be a clue.
Witness said he would hold to his original bargain. About a week afterwards witness went up to Lancefield to see the cattle. Found them in Mr. Mooney's paddock, near Sunbury, about 13 miles from Lancefield.
Was in possession until the next Sunday, when he was given in charge of two constables, and the cattle taken away by Mr. Mooney's men. They were driven away to Mooney's paddock at Five Mile Creek.
(P.5, Argus, 30-10-1858, LAW REPORT,CLOUGH AND OTHERS v MOONEY.)
Mooney's paddock was about 13 miles from Lancefield. Therefore it was 7 miles north of the corner of Rae's Rd and Melbourne-Lancefield Rd, which is 32 km (20 miles)from Lancefield. Another way to locate Mooney's paddock is to covert 13 miles to 20.8 km and measure that distance south from Lancefield on Melway touring map 509. This would place Mooney's paddock 3 km south of the Bolinda roundabout near the corner of the road that goes west to Riddells Creek.
It is presently only a theory that the Five Mile Estate was near the Five Mile Creek but the location near Bolinda would have certainly been in Isaac's area of interest.
Hopefully I will find more tomorrow. Due to your query, I discovered how she oaks got their funny name; see my latest journal.
Another theory is that the Five Mile Estate was five miles in extent east-west or north-south. In my SHE OAK journal, I mentioned a feeling that Feehan was associated with the Five Mile Estate, a fairly accurate feeling because Feehan lived next to it.
Before the sale, John Ryan, with James Feehan, if not greatly in error, were located on the Deep Creek, close to what is the Five Mile Estate. I fancy P. Maher was there before 1854.
Sunbury News (Vic. : 1900 - 1910) Saturday 27 August 1910 p 2 Article.
It is likely that John Ryan was James Feehan's father in law.
This was a petition by Mrs. Mary Feehan,
praying for an inquiry by the master in equity
as to whether her husband, James Feehan,
was of sane mind and capable of managing
his affairs. The petition was presented
through Mr. J. Ryan, the father of Mrs.
Mr. A'Beckett appeared for the petitioner;
Mr. Lawes for Mr. Feehan.
James Feehan was a farmer at Berwick,
but he had freehold land also at Corop, and
leased land at Deep Creek, Bulla. It was
alleged that he had been in the Yarra Bend
Asylum some years ago as a lunatic; that he
afterwards obtained his release; that in
August last he was again placed in the
asylum by an order signed by Mr. F. Call,
police magistrate. etc. (P.9, Argus, 26-10-1880.)
It is highly likely that Feehans Rd (Melway key map 8 between Wildwood Rd and Konagaderra Springs) indicates the location of James Feehan's leased land and that the Five Mile Estate was north of it,near Fenton Hill. If the estate extended north for five miles,guess what,it would include Long John Mooney's paddock at Five Mile Creek.
And guess what! When William Samuel Cox was forced off the Kensington Park Racecourse in 1882, he moved his operations to Feehan's Farm. Feehan had bought Long John Mooney's grant on what is now part of the Moonee Valley Racecourse. The deal was discussed as they rode north to a property, which was possibly the Five Mile Estate!
(Don't ask me about the source of the Mooney/Feehan deal. It could be one of the Keilor souvenirs or a cutting about Moonee Valley Racecourse,neither of which I now have. The Kensington Park info is from titles documents.)
The following confirms that Fenton Hill, the Bolinda Estate and, presumably,the Five Mile Estate were in close proximity.
BUSH FIRE.--Dense volumes of smoke rising in the direction of Bulla on Tuesday told its own tale that a bush fire,and one of no mean proportions, was raging. The fire commenced at Fenton's Hill, on Sir Rupert Clarke's property, at about 11 o'clock, and in a very short space of time a large number of fire beaters were battling with the flames. But with an abundance of grass and a strong north wind their efforts were futile for some time, and it was not until dark that the fire was extinguished. The Deep Creek acted as a break, and it was there that the fire ceased. Sir Rupert Clarke was a heavy loser, part of the Bolinda Estate and the Five-Mile being burnt. Mr. James Feehan was the only other land owner who suffered, he estimating his loss at about 100 acres, besides fencing. Mr. Feehan was fortunate in saving the homestead and a quantity of hay stacked in close proximity,, both of which were in serious danger at one time of the fire.
(P.2, Sunbury News and Bulla and Melton Advertiser, 13-1-1900.)
When pvrd asked me if I knew the location of the Five Mile Estate that Isaac Batey had mentioned, I had to try to find the answer, because I had often wondered where it was. I have a feeling that Isaac had mentioned this estate in regard to Feehan but I could be wrong. The search is going to be a long and tedious one but within half an hour I had made a chance discovery about another matter that had excited my wondering machine many times.
The area around Melbourne's Oak Park* was often described as originally being cloaked in several species of trees including she oaks. Not knowing which trees were meant by this term, I wondered whether farm names including Oak were bestowed because of the English tree associated with acorns or this mysterious native tree. As in the case of the Five Mile Estate,I was driving too fast to swing into a side track. It was only when I was reading about the lime burners on the Southern Peninsula that a writer thought about an ignoramus like me and explained that the she oak was the common name for the Casuarina.
*Oak Park was (later)named after the English tree which was extensively planted on his estate at Pascoeville by John Pascoe Fawkner.
This tree with its needle-like leaves is so unlike an oak tree that I was now even more puzzled about the name of the she oak which was almost exterminated by the lime burners to fire their lime kilns. The puzzle was solved by a wandering naturalist writing about his travels in 1850. She Oaks and He Oaks,despite appearances, have absolutely nothing to do with genealogy but you will be able to appear like a genius when discussing the she oaks that grew on your ancestor's property. Just for fun, you could call them beef trees at the first mention and later let your readers out of their misery with the following.
February 10.Have some trouble again in
catching the horses. Pass by the Marsh
Public and through the estate of Mr. Bacchus,
close by the princely residence of that gentle-
man. The soil here is very rich, and closely
timbered with the drooping Eucalyptus and other
trees peculiar to good soils, namely Accacia
Melanoxyeon (light wood or black wood), Accacia
Decurrens (black wattle), Exocarpes Curessi-
formis (native cherry) Casuarina Angustifolia (she
oak), Casuarina Striata (he oak). Ii is remark-
able that neither the she oak or cherry tree are
to be found at a distance exceeding one hundred
miles from the coast. The word she oak is a
corruption of an American word sheac, or beef
wood, which this timber, when sawn through
transversely, somewhat resembles, and some con-
siderate and ingenious individuals, conceiving,
like Mrs Shelly, when she wrote Frankenstein,
that the sexes could not or should not, stand
alone, they named the upright species She-oak in
(NOTES OF A NATURALIST,P.2,Argus,7-3-1850.)