itellya on Family Tree Circles
Journals and Posts
MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. NEAR TULLAMARINE, VIC. AUST. (New entries listed in comments.)
While looking for specific information on trove, I can't help having a peek at other articles, with the result that my sheets of notes for the NAMES IN A LIST AIN'T MUCH GOOD journal, contain detail which I could: put into existing journals (taking hours to find the right journal and right spot),use to start new journals, to which I add other information later, or add those sheets to the mountain of such sheets whose primary purpose has been fulfilled.
I have decided to start a miscellaneous notes journal for the area around Tullamarine and another for the Mornington Peninsula so that the information is available now and so I can locate the information easily if I wish to add it to another journal later.
CAMP HILL/ GOWANBRAE.
Colonel E.E.Kenny was the grantee of crown allotment 4 of Section 4, Parish of Tullamarine, and later bought crown allotment 3. His property was called Camp Hill because many bound for Mt Macedon and later going to the diggings near Castlemaine, Bendigo and Heathcote would camp there on the way. It was bounded in the west by today's Broadmeadows Rd, Tullamarine and extended east to the Moonee Ponds Creek. In 1853, Kenny sold what became known to all the Tullamarine pioneers as Mansfield's Triangle on the west side of Macedon road (Melrose Drive).By 1859, a Mr McDonald was advertising the triangle as Gretna Green but had little success as it eventually became three portions, from Sharps Rd (Caterpillar Drive) of 26, 52 and 11 acres, owned by Sam Mansfield.
By 1863, J.Brown (appointed a magistrate) was the owner of Camp Hill. Under the same name, the property was later occupied by such as Hay Lonie, the Gilligans and the Williamsons. See THE OAKLANDS HUNT (1). They would have lived near the south end of Primula Bvd with a view of the creek valley and after 1928, of the trestle bridge.
There were two houses; one, an old timber one was pictured in the Broadmeadows Observer article "The Last of the Broady Farms" in about 1989. The last occupant of this house, Ian Farrugia, who had also been the last occupant of John Cock's Gladstone Park homestead, told me that the second house was a double storey house, slightly further south, that had been burnt down despite the sacrifice of a fireman's life in attempting to save it.
I don't know who was living in the house at the time but I suspect it was Scott, who owned the property by 1933. (Argus 10-3-1933, page 10.) He renamed the farm "Gowanbrae" and built a new mansion on the site of the present Atco factory (16 A2.) I was told back in 1989 that a Caulfield Cup winner had been spelled on Gowanbrae but the horse connection was stronger than that. I was told that Scott was a Dodge dealer but I don't know whether this was the father or one of his sons.G.L.Scott owned the farm by 1933 and used the property for beef cattle and sheep. He was also a horse owner and his son Alan had a licence as an owner trainer. Latrobe, owned by G.L., came third in the Melbourne Cup (Argus, December, 1934.)Alan and his wife had a holiday at the Hotel Canberra, perhaps a honeymoon. (Canberra Times, 27-4-1938, page 4.) An Oaklands Hunt report of 5-8-1935 shows that Alan was deputy Master of Hounds.The marriage of John Douglas, youngest son of G.L.Scott of Gowanbrae, was mentioned in Social Notes on page 8 of the Argus of 23-1-1940.
On page 215 of "Broadmeadows A Forgotten History", Andrew Lemon states that R.K.Morgan bought 35 acres from the Stanhill Group in 1961. This land was on the Moonee Ponds Creek floodplain and Morgan relocated his engineering business from Glenroy to this site. Gowanbrae had been Ansell and Cowan's dairy farm when Stanley Korman bought it. It is possible that R.K.Morgan was born on Gowanbrae and was a descendant of an early pioneering family in the Strathmore/Pascoe Vale area which was related by marriage to John English, who bought J.P.Fawkner's Belle Vue (later renamed Oak Park.) (I think this family is discussed at length in THE STOPOVER THAT STAYED or BETWEEN TWO CREEKS.)
The association of racehorses and the name, Morgan, with the Tullamarine farm was not new. When I listed the occupants, I forgot about W.R.Morgan, who was probably there between the Gilligans and Williamsons.
(Argus 13-7-1916.) A horse that had been injured in the Myross Handicap at Flemington had been sent for a spell at W.R.Morgan's farm at Tullamarine. (Myross was a farm established by George Newsom near Myross and Newsom Sts in Ascot Vale West.)
I think it was during Bruce Small's ownership of Gowanbrae that the Caulfield Cup winner was spelled there. Malvern Avenue recalls Bruce and his Malvern Star bicycles, made famous by (the later) Sir Hubert Opperman. Later Sir Bruce, he was the Gold Coast Mayor and gave his city great publicity by bringing his meter maids to Melbourne each year. Bruce was apparently not his first name.
(A. 19-6-1952, page 8. 4 FREED ON SIGN CHARGE.) A building in South Melbourne, owned by A.B.Small, Bulla Rd, Tullamarine, had been painted with a slogan expressing disapproval of Bob Menzies. This great orator was disliked by more than the defendants as my paraphrased version of a popular joke illustrates. Bob was flying over a city and said that he might throw a tenner out and make somebody happy. Somebody suggested that he should throw 10 one pound notes out and make more people happy. A third passenger said, "Why don't you throw yourself out and make everybody happy?"
(More about Hay Lonie and W.R.Morgan will be added later under CAMP HILL, CONTINUED.
(Argus, 22-7-1930, page 7, CATCH HIM AND KEEP HIM. This picture shows Tommy Reddan supposedly catching the piglet in a contest run by the Oaklands Hunt Club.
My HOTELS NEAR TULLAMARINE journal has a newspaper account confirming the claim of many Tullamarine oldtimers that Tommy Loft was single-handedly responsible for the closure of the Junction Hotel. No name is mentioned in the following but I'll bet the victim was Tommy Loft and the perpetrators were from the non-Methodist element of Tullamarine's population (perhaps spurred on by Squizzie Taylor!)
(18-1-1929, page 3.) A man responsible for the hotel's closure was being harrassed by locals and the police had to be called.
Chaffey is a name more often associated with irrigation and Mildura than horse racing, but Benjamin Chaffey, owner of 164 acres surrounding the Woodlands Homestead, was the Chairman of the V.A.T.C., as a report of his involvement in an accident shows. (Barrier Miner, 7-5-1935, page 1.)Woodlands, the residence and stud farm of the late Ben Chaffey, consisting of 164 acres was advertised for sale (Argus, 19-6-1937 page 2.)
Mr E.E.Allen, teacher at Tullamarine State School for a bit over eight years, was leaving for Moe Swamp. Miss Rowe from Holden School was to replace him.(Sunbury News, 25-4-1903, page 2.)
She was still there in 1906 when the Mansfields drowned at Bertram's Ford but married Frank Wright of Strathconnan and Mr Rogers filled in for a while until Alec Rasmussen arrived in 1909, teaching there for nearly twenty years.
(Argus, 23-3-1867, page 4.)Enoch, the second son of the late William Trotman, died on the 5th aged 26 at his residence "Springfield", Broadmeadows.
Springfield was a 360 acre crown allotment in the parish of Yuroke on the north east corner of Mickleham and Somerton Rds, with roughly a mile frontage to the former and a half mile frontage to the latter. Lavars' Greenvale Hotel was not on Springfield as a map in Symonds' "Bulla Bulla" indicates; it was on the south west corner on Machell's early subdivision.Springfield was later split into two parts and old Mrs McKerchar had Springfield North, which passed into the ownership of the Gambles who called it Brocklands after an ancestor, John Brock of Bulla and Janefield (near Bundoora.) It is now occupied by Aitken College. The southern portion is indicated by French Rd, named after Wally French who occupied this 180 acre farm.
The entry for Gilbert Alston in VICTORIA AND ITS METROPOLIS: PAST AND PRESENT mentions that Gilbert spent time at Tullamarine before settling at Bulla. His advertisement for an apprentice shows that he was still at Tullamarine in 1863. (Argus 10-7-1863, page 1.)It is likely that he was near the site of the electricity sub station, almost opposite the Melrose Drive/ Link Rd corner, which has been pinpointed as the site of Fred Wright's smithy. Mounsey probably bought it from Gilbert and it was taken over by Fred. (Victoria and Its Metropolis.)The Mounsey family was later prominent at Sunbury. Gilbert trained his nephew, William Alston, and Jenkins, who became early blacksmiths at Mornington. ("The Butcher, The Baker, The" by Bruce Bennett.)
The Bulla 1868 directory, which can be found in Kathleen Fanning's FANNING FAMILY website shows that William was still with Gilbert.
GOODBYE TO ONE SCRAP OF PAPER!
HANDLEN. The house which used to be immediately north of the Tullamarine Reserve in Melrose Drive until the early 1970's and whose acre block (1 chain x 10 chains) is now part of the reserve, was known as Handlen's house. Every single entry for HANDLEN on trove concerns William and James. William (formerly of Tullamarine) fought in the Boer War and was given a welcome home at the Tullamarine State School of which he was a former pupil (Argus 5-2-1902 page 5.) James, whose name is on the war memorial at the corner of Dalkeith Ave, was killed in W.W.1. His death notice (A. 20-7-1918 page 13) reveals that he was the brother of Willie, who was again serving) and sister of May.
Patrick Handlen (No. 867 on the alphabetical register)died at the age of 10 and was buried at the Bulla Cemetery in 1871. The son of Patrick Handlen and Mary (nee Guthrie)he was born in Tullamarine in 1861. The house demolished in the early 1970's may have been there in 1861 but the Handlens weren't living in it, according to Broadmeadows' 1863 rates. All the land bounded by Derby St was called Hamilton Terrace, part of Riddell and Hamilton's Cameston Estate which was subdivided in the early 1850's. Keilor's first available ratebook of 1868 shows that the Handlens weren't living on the south west side of Bulla Road either. Where were they?
Given the information about Patrick's parents, it seems reasonable to assume they were on Camp Hill (now Gowanbrae.) Broadmeadows' rates of 1863 reveals that H.J.Brown and Glenn and Guthrie were the occupants of Camp Hill. (page 12, "Tullamarine: Before the Jetport.") John Handlen, a drover, was in Handlen's house by 1900.(page 17.) By 1948-9, E.T.Morgan owned 2 acres plus the Handlen's old acre block. John Handlen's neighbour, on 6 acres towards the junction, was Noah Holland, another drover, who was discussed by Harry Peck in "Memoirs of a Stockman".
Young Patrick's father could have been in Tullamarine in the early 1850's, on "Glengyle" with the Guthries. This farm, later Thomas Bertram's Ellengowen, now comprises the market gardens in the horseshoe bend of the Maribyrnong River bisected by Browns Rd (Melway 14 G2.) The Guthries later moved to a large farm at Sunbury and the Handlens may have gone there with them for a while.
GUTHRIE-EADIE. The Eadies were prominent Sunbury pioneers. As mentioned just before, the Guthries moved to Sunbury. One of the Eadie boys, Alan John, had a farm at Berwick called Glady's Park (probably Gladys') by 1904 but would have met Elizabeth M, the second daughter of the late Peter Eadie, while growing up near Sunbury.They married at Dunblane, the residence of Elizabeth's mother in Sunbury. (Argus 22-10-1904.)
SEE MUCH DETAIL ABOUT THE GUTHRIES IN MY JOURNAL "John Thomas Smith and his electors."
BEALE-DUTTON (twice!) John Beale Jnr married Annie, the second daughter of Thomas Dutton, Glenroy. (Argus 3-2-1877 page 1.) Amazingly, Andrew Lemon's "Broadmeadows: A Forgotten History" does not even mention the Duttons; his superficial coverage of the pioneers is one of the reasons I started writing my history.I have been told that Bethal Primary School (6 G-H2)was so named because of Mrs Dutton's given name (which actually might have been Bethell.) However, Angela Evans' "Keilor Pioneers: Dead Men Do Tell Tales" has detail about the Duttons, involving, if I remember correctly, a wooden leg.
John Beale Senior of "Shelton" only had one* daughter, Sarah, who married Thomas Dutton (obviously Annie's bro.) She gave birth to a daughter and died on the same day at the age of 30. (Argus, 26-7-1878 page 1.)
* At the time of the marriage. See below.
Crown Allotment B of section 11, parish of Doutta Galla is bounded by Buckley St, Milleara Rd, Clark's Rd and Spring St-Rachelle Rd. Shelton consisted of three quarters of this, excluding the land west of Quinn Grove, plus lot 8 of the subdivision of Main's Estate (streets joining Craig St) which John Beale purchased on 1-6-1865. (Title documents.) Rachelle Rd may have been named after John Beale's daughter who died in 1859.
EXTRACT FROM "Early Landowners: Parish of Doutta Galla".
John Beale called his farm ?Shelton? and when he moved into No 18 (now 24) Ardmillan Rd. in 1890, he gave the same name to the house. John Beale?s twin daughters, Rachel and Rebecca, died of Diptheria on 3-10-1859; I wonder if there is any connection with the naming of Rachelle Rd. His two surviving children married members of the Dutton family, which farmed at Glenroy and Meadow Heights where a school was named after
Bethal Dutton. (I?d bet the Christian name was really Bethell; her mother was probably a daughter of Broadmeadows Township?s postmaster and pub owner, John Bethell!) John Beale Snr. died in 1906 and his son in 1916, after which the Ardmillan Rd. house passed to the latter?s son in law, Loftus Henry Moran.
GOODBYE TO ANOTHER SHEET OF NOTES MADE WHILE I WAS DOING THE J.T.SMITH AND HIS ELECTORS JOURNAL.
ARGUS 9-11-1921 P.9. Peter Niall was selling the bluestone Somerton Inn and 60 acres one mile from Craigieburn station. Was he related to David Niall of the Lady of the Lake at Tullamarine 70 years earlier?
ARGUS 1-12-1871 P.8. Michael Reddan of Deep Creek, Bulla, was intending to apply for a licence for the Bulla Hotel, which had 8 rooms exclusive of those required for family use.
ARGUS 6-8-1887 P.3. The Arundel herd (200 stud shorthorns) of the late Robert McDougall was to take place in November, with the sale of Arundel and Warlaby at about the same time.
ARGUS 30-7-1887 P.3. A terrific description of Glenara homestead, grounds, 4070 ac. estate (830 ac. with the residence) and neighbours. "Woodside" of 442 acres further up deep Creek may have been the 442 ac 2 roods 3 perches 13(2) Bulla Parish involved in the mortgagee sale, Argus 15-11-1902-Dillon? C.B.Fisher had Woodlands and Cumberland.
SUNBURY NEWS AND BULLA AND MELTON ADVERTISER 26-3-1898. Meeking the teacher praised for his efforts in the Hillary tragedy (NAMES IN A LIST AIN'T MUCH GOOD journal)was leaving this calling to become an inspecting entomologist under the vegetation diseases act.
CAMP HILL, CONTINUED.
W.R.MORGAN.
A thoroughbred genealogy website about the Australian turf mentions W.R.Morgan under COLONIAL FAMILY 13. STRALIA, brown gelding, 1919, was bred by W.R.Morgan, a prominent racehorse owner. He was raced by M.R.Morgan, mainly at small agricultural meetings. In 1925, however, he won the S.A.T.C. West End Draught Stakes. (It is only recently that the original names of races, such as the Cox Plate and Alister Clark Stakes,were replaced, or swamped, by sponsors' names. This would not have been the name of the race at that time.)
Western Australian Argus (Kalgoolie), 18-9-1917, page 36. Mrs W.R.Morgan's Roll of Honour won the Trial Handicap at Mentone.
Argus, 3-8-1926. Mr W. Morgan was President of the Glenroy Progress Association. He may not have been the owner of Camp Hill (Red Dome Stud.)
The Register (Adelaide) 20-9-1927 page 3. SPORTSMAN'S DEATH. Mr W.R.Morgan, who died last week, was well-known in racing circles in this state, for he paid several successful visits with horses. Mr Morgan had a small stud farm at Tullamarine etc.
ARGUS 9-11-1921 P.9. W. R. Morgan referred to Camp Hill as Red Dome Stud Farm .
The Western Australian (Kalgoolie), 4-10-1927, page 36. Information similar to the Advertiser but adds that his son Horace trained the horses and that one of the horses bred by W.R. was Red Dome. The stud may have been named after the horse or t'other way around.
H.J.BROWN.
This pioneer is mentioned regarding CAMP HILL near the start of the journal. He must have been on Camp Hill by March 1863; amendment, 1862, as you will see. Hugh Junor Brown, Thomas Bertram and Jeremiah Hanmer were appointed to the committee of the Common School at Tullamarine (The Star, Ballarat, 23-4-1863 page 3; 1-6-1863, page 4, gazetted.) This could have been the Wesleyan School at the bend in Cherie St, but could also have been the Seafield school. This latter school was mainly attended by the children of Presbyterians and may have been initiated by Rev. Reid, the subject of one of my journals; its agenda-"in short, the School to be assimilated as nearly as possible to the parochial schools of Scotland." (P.38 "Broadmeadows: A Forgotten History.)Thomas Bertram is the subject of another journal. I have never heard of Hanmer, which means that he resided on the west side of Bulla Rd as his name was not in the Broadmeadows rates of 1863. He could have been one of J.P.Fawkner's yoeman farmers near Mansfields Rd but was not mentioned in Keilor's 1868 rates. It is possible that he was a cousin of Richard Hanmer Bunbury, the grantee of Arundel.
The Mercury, Hobart, 11-12-1935, page 3s. WOMEN WHO HAVE HELPED TO MAKE AUSTRALIA. Pattie Deakin was born at Camp Hill, Tullamarine on 1-1-1863. She was the daughter of Elizabeth and Hugh Junor Browne. (This is the first time I have ever seen the e on his surname.) She lived there until 1867, when Hugh became a merchant in Melbourne. Pattie married Alfred Deakin in 1882. The article is well-worth reading.
HAY LONIE.
I can still remember the day, almost 24 years ago, that I first saw this name. The rate collector's writing was so bad that you really had to guess the names (after ten minutes spent identifying some of the letters in them.) The letters in this name were easily identified, but why would anybody name a child after fodder. It was a name I was destined never to forget!
Illustrated Australian News, 25-1-1888, page 14. George, the youngest son of James Lonie of Eden Bank, Pellueber, died at Camp Hill, Tullamarine on 28 December, aged 21 years.
Kilmore Free Press, 29-12-1892 page 2. DEATH OF MR LONIE. This article mentioned Hay's properties, Camp Hill, Lochton, at Bulla (Melway 177 A3 to D4) and the one near Kilmore, which was Valley Field if my memory of Victoria and its Metropolis is correct; I can't remember if the article mentioned the farm name but his funny christian name, surely a genealogical clue, certainly wasn't. Hay had drowned in the Yarra and some had suggested suicide but the article poo-pooed the idea. Missing teeth suggested a mugging although no bruises were found.
PURVIS AND HENDRY.
Somewhere, I have written about two Hendry youths vandalising Tullamarine S.S. 2613, on the Conders Lane corner, in about 1880. (Perhaps it was only a note about the article on the 30+ A4 sheets that made this journal necessary.)
Argus, 29-6-1855, page 4. James Purvis of Tullamarine and Christina Hendry, youngest daughter of Mr James Hendry of Perth, Scotland were married by special licence by the Rev. Thomas Odell. I believe that Purvis was a Methodist and that the wedding may have been in the Wesleyan school (at the bend in Cherie St. The Methodists purchased adjoining blocks near Post Office Lane (across Melrose Drive from Derby St) and in Riddell and Hamilton's Camieston Estate on Section 15 Tullamarine, west of Springbank-Wright St. The name of Purvis appears in both subdivisions, alongside those of Parr, Nash, Wright and Anderson, well-known Methodist stalwarts. Christina was probably a Methodist so they may have been married in Odell's Independent (Congregational) Church in Lonsdale St as a compromise.
The Star, Ballarat, 16-7-1863, page 3. James Hendry was gazetted as the postmaster at Tullamarine.
3(PM + NAUGHTY LADS)
PUBLICANS.Essendon Gazette, and Keilor, Broadmeadows and Bulla Reporter, 10-2-1916, page 4. ESSENDON POLICE COURT. Elizabeth Alexander, licensee of the Junction Hotel at Tullamarine, was a witness in a case. Minnie S.Anderson, licensee of the Lincolnshire Arms at the start of Keilor Rd, hadn't locked her doors as required.
THOMAS OF CARINYA.
The 1930 Keilor rates and plans of Loft's subdivision on Dalkeith show that Bertie A.Thomas was assessed on the present Tullamarine Primary School site, apart from the library site and the playground near Dalkeith Ave.
The Airport Acquisitions map (hopefully being cared for by the Hume Library) shows that R.S. Thomas had purchased much land, naming one farm, north of Annandale Rd,Tullamar. The Reddans' Brightview (later the Doyles' Ristaro), between Dalkeith (Fisher Grove)and the west end of Sharps Rd, was another of his purchases. The Thomas family had settled in the early 1940's on James Sharp's old Hillside (whose most recent occupants included Michael Reddan and George Dalley) naming it Carinya Park. They renovated and extended Sharp's house, using the stone from Sharp's kitchen to make gate pillars, according to Edie Thomas.
Edie told me that her husband's name was not really Joe; everyone called him Joe or Butcher Thomas. I happened to be passing Carinya Park one day and dropped in for a chat, which lasted for about two hours. One thing I forgot to jot down when I got home was Joe's real name. It appears from the following that he preferred to be called by his second given name of Stan.It was Harry Heaps who told me how Barrie Rd got its name (as in STREETS AND ROADS, verse 1, in the journal RHYMES OF OLD TIMES IN TULLAMARINE.)
Sunshine Advocate, 18-11-1949, page 8. Gone but not forgotten were:
Barrie Raymond Thomas, son of Edie, who died on 16-11-1947 aged 4 years and 7 months;
John Eward Brown who died on 15-11-1948. The two notices indicate that John was Edie's father and that Barrie's father (and John's son in law) was called Stan. Other family members are mentioned.
(Page 24 "Tullamarine Before The Jetport".)He may have continued Tommy Loft's saleyards and cornstore.
PAUL AND PETER ELLIS, GREEKS.
Harry Heaps, Olive Nash and Vivien Sutherland (a daughter of Ellis of Ecclesfield (south corner of Lancefield and Grants Rd, now the bend in Melrose Drive) all independently told me about Paul Ellis, a Greek, who had the land between the Nash farm (Fairview) and Glendewar. This would have been the triangular 77 acres which the Loves had from early days as illustrated somewhere by me, probably in Early Landowners, parish of Tullamarine, section 15. The new information (as usual found while looking for something else), name and date of paper not recorded, and in a death notice for Peter Ellis if I remember correctly, is that this Greek family called their property "The Chalet".
MISSING TEXT IN JOURNALS.
For some reason the text in many of my journals is not visible although surname lists,and, where attached,images can be seen. The text has not disappeared but can only be seen (by me) when I click OWNER'S EDIT. Because of this, it is pointless for me to add more information until the problem is rectified.
There is good news for those interested in the history of the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria. Helen Blakeley and Barry Wright are writing separate histories about their neighbouring families at Red Hill and Linda Berndt is writing a book about the Jennings family of Rye. All three books are nearing completion.Also Cameron Cairns is expanding on the information in THE CAIRNS FAMILY OF BONEO, fulfilling the wish of the Boneo Bradman.
Hoping to be back at work soon!
In case you're having trouble sending private messages to me, as Barry did, email
MOOROODUC MISTAKES IN "VICTORIA'S MORNINGTON PENINSULA".
I write this at 5 a.m., now wide awake because I went to bed early (11 p.m.) despite cheeky janilye's Wuss" comment and the temptation to finish the Franklinford chronology. As I drifted off, I read Malcolm Gordon's book (as in the title of this journal.) This book combines history with details about the Peninsula's industries and tourist attractions circa 1997 when the book was written. I glanced through this book in August 2010, when I was unable to access the rates microfiche one day because the Rosebud Library staff was using the local history room as a temporary office. I did read thoroughly the fascinating discussion of The Rip on page 216.
The book is a great read and details every area of the Peninsula, giving a potted history of each. One thing that struck me last night was how quickly current information can become history. The Arthur's Seat chairlift is just one example! If I had read the Mornington Region section thoroughly in August 2010, I would not have been aware of the three misconceptions I spotted last night. All historians need to make assumptions. I make them all the time. You will find my writing littered with words such as possibly and probably as I try jigsaw pieces to complete the puzzle; I do try to show that my guesses are speculation and not fact.
Every historian makes mistakes and not just because of wrong assumptions. I don't know how many times I have written west instead of east, which is a profound mistake when much of my work is based on locations of properties. I usually manage to spot these when I proof-read so I hope I have weeded out every example of this error. Mistakes can be caused by sources. Wally Mansfield told me that the Mansfield farm at Tullamarine was "Allas" and even provided the spelling; it was actually Glenalice! Other mistakes are caused by making logical assumptions. If I asked a churchgoer which parish he lived in, his answer would depend on which denomination he belonged to. Every time I try to find a parish map, the first umpteen possibilities presented by Mr Google revolve around church parishes.
It is the responsibility of every historian to point out these errors so that they are not perpetuated. I sincerely hope that, if there are any errors in my journals (or comments, such as in FAMILY CONNECTIONS ON THE MORNINGTON PENINSULA), somebody will point them out. Here we go.
Malcolm said that the original name for Mornington was Moorooduc because of a naming decision by the Church of England in very early days regarding a parish for the area. A parish had nothing to do with the church in Australia. In England's early days the church parish played a key role in administration, probably from the time of William the Conqueror. Registration of birth, deaths and marriages was one example of the link between the church parish and government. By the time Australia was settled, parish was an official term for a land area. Governor Bourke instructed his surveyors to survey the land along the moonee moonee chain of ponds, starting from Batman's Hill (Spencer St Station site) and divide it into parishes of about 25 square miles.
The colony was divided into vast land areas with names such as Bourke, and Grant, which contained many, many parishes. The original name for Mornington was Schnapper Point in the parish of Moorooduc in the county of Mornington.
Malcolm said that the early residents of Moorooduc were poor landless woodcutters. He has inserted the word "landless" into a quote in Leslie Moorhead's centenary history of Moorooduc Primary School. The residents had applied for the school at the newly built church to become a common school so that the Government would pay the teacher's wages. The following extract from my THE FEMALE DROVER: A HISTORY OF MOOROODUC shows that the inspector rightly assessed that the poor woodcutters would stay in the area.
The church served as the first school. In 1865 an application was sent for aid, the payment of a master?s salary and for the school to be brought under the Common Schools Act. It was signed by members of the Blake, Benton, McKay, Matthie, Absolom, Norman, Wilson, Connell, White, Quinn, Andrews, Ricketts, Smith, Flood and Dunkerly families. It was pointed out that there were 64 children living within a two mile radius of the school. An inspector was sent out to assess the situation and reported that most of the inhabitants were woodcutters and labourers rather than farmers but were likely to stay in the area, ensuring a stable population.
THE PETITIONERS.
Blake was a captain, presumably a sailor. Benjamin Benton received the grant for 26A of 32 acres across Moorooduc Rd from Tuerong Rd and much land in the parishes of Bittern and Balnarring. He supplied timber for the Mornington pier.
J.H.Ricketts received the grant for 18a Bittern on 4-6-1884. He might have been leasing this land from the Crown at the time he signed the petition for a school, and being one of the many poor woodcutters on the area that the Inspector described, he probably took about 20 years to pay it off (the value of improvements deducted from the purchase price.)
S.Absolom received the grant for 11A and 11B Bittern, 100 acres, on the north east corner of Stumpy Gully and Graydens Rds. W.S.Absolom was granted 34 A Bittern, of 69 acres, on the south west corner of Coolart and Graydens Rds.
The parish of Bittern was south of Tyabb Rd and East of Derril Rd, which was parallel to Stumpy Gully Rd. Today, Derril Rd curves around the Devil Bend Reservoir whose waters cover the grants of George Dimmock, James Connell, F.P.Wagner, J.Ferguson and R.Turner in the parish of Bittern and part of Rennison?s grant in the parish of Moorooduc, where the Schnapper Point Handicap was conducted in 1868.
Andrew McKay received the grant (title from the Crown) for allotment 5 in section A, 266 acres south of Tyabb Rd between Moorooduc and Derril Rds. Wilson was possibly J.B.Wilson of Tuerong Station or E.M.Wilson, granted 10D adjoining the east side of the Tuerong pre-emptive right. It could also have been Henry William Wilson who lived where Three Chain Road meets the highway before changing his occupation from bullocky to butcher. In view of the fact that the Wilson signature is followed by that of Connell, I believe that it was the founder of the butchering empire who signed.
James Connell received the grant for allotment 12 near the boundary with Kangerong and Bittern parishes. It was probably James whose rates on 50 acres and a hut in Dromana (probably 27C Kangerong at Melway 161 A7) were paid for him by Wilson at the deathknock on 20-1-1865. The rate collector didn?t know much. As well as not knowing the given names of Connell and Wilson, he didn?t realize that the name Dromana only applied to land west of McCulloch St.
Colin McLear tells us the following. The Connells were tenants on Jamiesons Special Survey in 1851 or shortly thereafter. (Anthony Connell?s block was probably near the one later occupied by Henry Wilson.) A descendant of Anthony?s was a silent partner of Jack Rudduck in Mornington Station in the Kimberleys in the 1950?s. Mornington Station was near Fitzroy Crossing 300 miles inland from Derby.
The Connell and White children were among the pupils of a school that operated near the Hickinbotham Winery site in the early 1850?s. This school may have closed when the teacher?s wife died or because two private schools had been opened in Dromana by Quinan and Nicholson. Its closure was probably the impetus for the establishment of a school in Moorooduc.
Anthony Connell was obviously the forerunner of the Connell family in the area. He received the grants for allotments 27 and 29, totaling 337 acres, all or part of which became the rifle range.
In 1910, James Connell, a farmer of Mornington, was leasing 238 acres (lots 3-6 of Bruce?s) and James Connell, a farmer of Tuerong, was leasing 230 acres (lots 1,2 of Bruces.) This land was just south of Ellerina Rd in the parish of Kangerong. I presume that would be James senior and James junior. Bruce?s was the northern section of the Survey fronting the Sea Lane, which is now called Bruce Rd, and is the boundary between Kangerong and Moorooduc parishes.
The White and Quinn families have already been mentioned and it was probably a descendant of the next signatory, Smith, who bought Peter White?s farm on Three Chain Rd. I wonder if Matthie should be Mathieson. Margaret Matheson (sic?) was the grantee of 57 acres right across the road from the old church. James Flood had lot 75 of 178 acres on the north west corner of Stumpy Gully and Tyabb Rds and much land south of Tyabb Rd in the parish of Bittern.
Quinn, Norman, Smith and Dunkerly were not grantees, They probably bought part of a pre-emptive right or a Crown Allotment that had been granted to a speculator. Quinn?s farm was part of Sumner?s P.R.
Malcolm's third error was caused by an error in Graeme Butler's heritage study of the Moorooduc area. Graeme assumed that Spring Farm was at Jones' Corner. Malcolm tried to make sense of this error by assuming that the shop had been built on Spring Farm and relocated to Penbank in the 1920's. As Graeme told me, when we were working together on the heritage assessment of the Boyd cottage at Rosebud, they do not have access to people such as David Shepherd (whom I discovered through a chain of contacts after six months) who can supplement information in documents. As he runs a business, time constraints make it hard to discover such sources. The following is another extract from THE FEMALE DROVER.
The Argus of 19-12-1928 records the sale of 175 acres in Moorooduc to H.K.Field on account of the executor of Edward Jones. This was definitely Spring Farm, 15 A and B Bittern, a total of 175 acres 2 roods and 21 perches. Whether the sale fell through or the family leased and repurchased the property, the Jones occupancy continued until 1941.
As Graeme Butler confused Spring Farm and Penbank in the 1980?s and Lorraine Huddle?s Spring Farm Heritage Assessment of 2009 did not remove the confusion, I have asked that it should be made crystal clear that Spring Farm was not at Jones Corner.
Part of a letter sent to council?s planning department.
Not much has to be done to ensure the accuracy of the assessment so that historians using it in the future do not perpetuate mistakes (as Bruce Bennett did in The Butcher, the Baker, The because C.N.Hollinshed wrote about Edward Williams as if he was Edward White in Lime Land Leisure.)
The pages which contain inaccuracies are pages 7 and 28, mainly because of quotes from Butler?s study and Lorraine?s statements that appear to support his misconceptions. I suggest that page 7, from ?The location formed a local hub? (and the quote) be replaced with:
Spring Farm was at the south west of Mornington-Tyabb and Stumpy Gully Roads. Edward Jones? family also owned two nearby farms, ?Criccieth? and ?Penbank?, both named after places in the area of Wales where Edward Jones had lived. It was ?Penbank? on which the Jones? store was built at Jones Corner. This farm is also referred to as the Derril Road Property. Although Spring Park was the home of Edward and Sarah Jones and not the community hub established at Jones Corner, it was certainly a focus of community life because of the entertainments held in the Spring Farm barn. It can be argued that if Edward had not lived at Spring Farm, and bought Penbank, the community facilities would never have been built at Jones Corner.
In his Shire of Mornington Heritage Study, Graeme Butler drew an incorrect conclusion that the Jones property at Jones Corner was Spring Farm. The following map shows Spring Farm, Criccieth and Penbank (the property at Jones Corner that Butler thought was Spring Farm.) Criccieth consisted of crown allotments 12A and 9A in the parish of Bittern (126 acres.) Penbank was Allotment 5, Moorooduc, of 266 acres and granted to A.McKay. By 1925, the name was applied to a 40 acre block occupied by Robert H. Morris, Edward Jones? son in law. This block was later owned by David Shepherd and now houses the Penbank School.
MORE FOOTY ON THE MORNINGTON PENINSULA,VIC., AUST.
This is how I found out about Wilding's history of the Mornington Peninsula in about 1906. I tried to submit the journal yesterday (oops two days ago) but it would not submit so I'll play it safe and make a start only this time.
MORE FOOTY ON THE MORNINGTON PENINSULA.
In trying to find which land was first settled by John Buckley in the parish of Bittern, I found this treasure. It discusses some of the Peninsula's champions at a time when they were unlikely to be mentioned in the pages of the Mornington Standard because the editor of the time considered historical articles and serialised novels to be more worthy content. The Gomm mentioned was Herbert (Paddy) Gomm, father of Billy and George, two legends of the Somerville Football Club and Billy Monk was also part of the extended Gomm family, Paddy's father Henry Gomm, having married Margaret Monk while both families were living in Balcombe Rd, Mentone circa 1860. Box was a name very prominent in the Frankston Fish Company and Frankston church circles. It is possible that Footscray's Brownlow Medallist, Peter Box, who went to the Bulldogs from the Rosellas (Cheltenham), followed shortly afterwards in Teddy Whitten's first year by Ron Porta*, was a descendant of the Frankston pioneers.
(* Descendant of Joseph Porta, Victoria's first manufacturer of bellows. (See journal.)
My thanks to the person from the Frankston Library who corrected the digitisation.
PAGE 4, FRANKSTON AND SOMERVILLE STANDARD, 22-7-1921.
Football Reminiscences
The Peninsula's Past Champions Recalled
CONDUCTED BY OUR SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE
I was standing in the Frankston Park , watching Hastings being comfortably thrashed by Frankston, and two old-time players ? one from the shores of Westernport and the other from the silvery sands of Port Phillip ? got into the demesne of reminiscence, and, with sparkling eyes and smiles on their faces, recalled the days when Hastings were the champions of the Peninsula. "Those were the days," one observed, and the other agreed. "Hastings were invincible in those roaring days," remarked the Hastings veteran. His chest puffed out with pride, as he pointed to "Nipper" Floyd, and said, "Ah, he was a great lad in those days."
The Frankstonite agreed, but, not to be outdone, reminded his old opponent that one season the only time that Hastings were defeated the feat was achieved by Frankston! And then they laughed, and declared once more that "them wuz the days. " As they talked of the past, the happy thought came to me that it ought to prove interesting to give a short and concise review of the past. But The Standard's space is limited to some extent, and I shall only be able to delve into history a decade before Australia's athletes tackled Abdul and the Hun overseas. Many names will be mentioned ? and some that should be mentioned might be omitted ? but every name in itself may revive a dormant memory, for many of these players shone with brilliance in League football for many years.
Since 1900 the Peninsula has been one of the principal football territories in the State and the League clubs sent "Invitations" lavishly to these parts. Hastings won the premiership five years running.
THE SHEEHAN TROPHY In 1905 the Sheehan Trophy was captured by Hastings, who won the premiership by forfeit, as Sorrento did not put in an appearance. The teams in the Peninsula contest were Hastings, Sorrento, Mornington, Flinders and Dromana. Hastings defeated the whole lot, and annihilated Tooradin also the day they had the bye. The Perriams, McCartney, A.Moffatt (who captained Hastings the year before) and Sheeby were about the most prominent exponents of the game. McCartney and Moffatt were snapped by St Kilda that season, and they proved themselves worthy of the honor bestowed upon them.
ATTORNEY- GENERAL'S PATRONAGE Dromana, who enjoyed the patronage of Mr Justice Higgins* ? at that time he was Attorney General of Australia ? were a very able team, being captained by that really great player, Ernie Rudduck, whose exploits with Richmond, and later with Collingwood, used to send the crowds into the realms of delight. Gibson and Evans were Dromana's formidable ruck, but the "Black and Golds" lost them both to Fitzroy.
(*Higgins spent much time at his ?Heronswood? at Dromana, where he probably wrote much of his ?Harvester Judgement? , relating to workers at H.V.McKay?s workers at Braybrook Junction (Sunshine) not being paid an adequate wage, which led to the establishment of the basic wage. After his usual daily swim at ?The Rocks? (Anthony?s Nose) and a hike up Arthur?s Seat he passed away at Heronswood and was buried at Dromana near a monument to his son who was killed in W.W.1.)
N.B. I DO NOT FORGET APOSTROPHES OF POSSESSION BUT DO DELIBERATELY LEAVE THEM OUT OF PLACE NAMES SUCH AS ANTHONY'S NOSE AND ARTHUR'S SEAT, AS IS THE COMMON PRACTICE; (SEE MELWAY MAP 159.) I NEVER LEAVE OUT APOSTROPHES OF CONTRACTION! I DEPLORE THE STANDARD OF GRAMMAR, SPELLING AND PUNCTUATION DISPLAYED ON FACEBOOK AND WOULD NEVER INFLICT SUCH SLOPPINESS ON THOSE WHO READ MY JOURNALS. IF I HAPPENED TO BE A CHOOK AND A GREMLIN DROPPED A BASKET OF EGGS THAT I'D LAID, I WOULD REFUSE TO REPLACE THEM. MY GREMLINS DELETED SOME APOSTROPHES IN THE ABOVE, AS WELL AS DELETING THE LINE SPACING BETWEEN PARAGRAPHS THAT I INSERT TO MAKE READING OF LENGTHY PASSAGES MORE COMFORTABLE, AS WELL AS CHANGING ITALICS BACK TO THE STANDARD FONT. WITH APOLOGIES,I ASK YOU TO ACCEPT THE GREMLINS' TRANSLATION BECAUSE I DO NOT HAVE THE TIME TO RECTIFY IT.
A SPEEDY WINGSTER. Mr W. S. Cook was Mornington's president in 1905. Mornington then possessed some fine individual players. Bentley, who went to the South Melbourne district, was exceptional, and is reputed to have been the fastest wingster the Peninsula has ever produced. Besides Bentley, Mornington lost Harrap to St Kilda, L.Kirkpatrick to Williamstown, and G.Delemere, a crack forward, who performed great deeds for Perth in the Western Australian League. Whilst not so strong as a team, Flinders had one or two outstanding players, more particularly Naylor and Willett. The first named went to New South Wales and stripped for Paddington under Rugby rules, whilst Willett went to Tasmania, and was one of Launceston's best for many years.
THE MOORABBIN CONTEST . As may be remembered, in 1905, Frankston were not in the Peninsula Association. They were, with Manchester, Cheltenham and Elwood, in the Moorabbin Association. Dr. S.Plowman was Frankston's president, and the late Chief Justice of Victoria (Sir John Madden) was the principal patron. Charlie Lawrey was the captain, the previous year's captain, Charlie Box, having gone to Mirboo. Besides competitive games, Frankston defeated D. & W. Murray's team by 55 points, the Railways Department by 74 points ? the match being umpired by Charlie Willox ? and the Fitzroy district by 50 points, the bulk of the job against Fitzroy being done by "Joker" Cameron, Baxter, Tom Wenbourne (of South Melbourne fame) and Gravenall, a Wesley Collegian. Wenbonurne was at his best in those balmy days.
CAMERON AND BAXTER. The present "village blacksmith" made his debut in League football in 1903, going to South Melbourne, and Ben Baxter started with Essendon in 1900, but they were at their best in 1905, when Cliff Bourne went to Melbourne. Cameron starred in a game against Melbourne, and "The Australasian" styled him champion, as he followed practically throughout. He also starred against Geelong, "The Age" reporting that he was a decided acquisition to the game. When Fitzroy and South Melbourne joined forces and played a match in Sydney, Cameron was one of the elect. Ben Baxter starred for Essendon against Carlton, and was amongst those selected to represent the League against Ballarat. Baxter (whose son, Ray, now plays with Frankston) afterwards went to Collingwood. As a cricketer, Baxter was also a success. In 1907, for instance, he scored 1,035 runs (highest score 140) at an average of 64.6. Ted McComb knocked up 107 not out that season. In 1908, Baxter scored 102 against Hastings and 218 against Prahran; in 1909, he averaged 48.8 for a total of 782 runs, including 102 against Tyabb, 161 against Somerville, 108 against Balnarring and 118 against Hastings. In 1910 he scored 654 runs in 12 innings, averaging 54.5 runs per innings.
EDDIE DROHAN SHINES "The Standard," strange to say, devoted but little space to football reports in 1906. I have an idea that the editor of those days had visions of running contemporary to Munsey's and Pearson's of magazine fame; he was featuring Wilding's "History of the Mornington Peninsula and Charles White's "History of Bushranging," besides one of Louis Tracy's lengthy stories.
Still, there was a memorable match at Hastings. The Collingwood prince, Eddie Drohan, brought a League team along, and defeated Hastings by 19 points. Drohan was in fine fettle, but the luminous star of the match was Coutie, the famous Melbourne player, who was invincible. Jim Sharpe, then with Fitzroy, but President of Collingwood today, and Ted Rankin, of Geelong, and father of Bert and Cliff Rankin, also shone out. "The silvery tenor," George Castles, brother to Amy Castles, the gifted soprano, also played. Tom Knox and Whitehead were Hastings' best, and, I believe, Essendon secured their services at a subsequent date.
THE MAGPIES DEFEATED. In 1907, Collingwood sent a fairly strong team down to play Frankston, who were the premiers that year, and mainly through the efforts of Charlie Lawrey (who later played for Prahran), Edgar Kneen, Ben Baxter, Bill Gregory and Bert Shannon, the Magpies were defeated by 47 points. The Tigers also sent along a Richmond team, which included Brierly, the St Kilda star, and they were downed by Frankston by 49 points. At the end of the season, the Old Bull and Bush Camp played the Victorian Hardware Association at Frankston, and some notable League champions took part,......
JOURNAL ABANDONED BECAUSE OF TROUBLE SUBMITTING. Full copies of the article(published as detailed below)with my comments have been sent to the LOCAL FOOTY SHOW and appropriate historical societies; Somerville's email address was outdated.
PAGE 1, FRANKSTON AND SOMERVILLE STANDARD, 29-7-1921.
PAGE 1, FRANKSTON AND SOMERVILLE STANDARD, 5-8-1921.
TO BE CONTINUED.
MORE GENEALOGY FOR THE GIBSON FAMILY OF "GLENHOLM", DROMANA, VIC., AUST.
I have previously written a journal about the Gibson of Dromana who became a Kiwi, master mariner John Gibson, brother of Walter of Glenholm. It may be that Walter's son, Walter James, was living with his uncle John's family when he died in 1943. The other main focus of this journal is Walter's son John who became a policeman and had a sad end. During my research, I discovered Albert Gibson, son of Adam Gibson and Mary Ann, nee McLear, who (like Walter James) was not mentioned in A DREAMTIME OF DROMANA. Keryn McLear explained why his death was not recorded in Victorian BDM.
WALTER JAMES GIBSON.
GIBSON.-On August 3. at Masterton. New Zealand. Walter James, second youngest son of the late Walter and Martha Gibson, of Glenholm, Dromana. (P.2, Argus, 28-8-1943.)
The list of Walter and Margaret Gibson's children on page 82 of A DREAMTIME OF DROMANA is wrong. Walter Jnr,, in fact Walter James, born in 1870, is missing. I believe the above death notice is wrong unless Walter James Gibson b. 1870 married a woman named Martha and then had a son named Walter James.
The sons of Walter and Margaret Gibson listed on the said page 82 are Adam 1854-1937, John, Big Will 1868-1949 and Tom. Their father's death notice in 1916 listed his sons as " Adam, William, Walter, Thomas."
Thomas William Balantine Gibson was born in 1872.
John was indeed Walter and Margaret's second son, according to this marriage notice.
GIBSON—CLYNE.—On the 23rd inst, at the residence of the bride's parents, Fairy Bower, Lake Rowan, by the Rev. C. Thomson, John, second son of Walter Gibson, Glenholm, Dromana, to Ellie, eldest daughter of George Clyne, Fairy Bower, Lake Rowan.(P.1, Argus, 31-5-1882.
So why couldn't I find his birth record? Not even recorded as Jno.
The reason he was not listed in his father's death notice is that he died, aged 53 in 1912 (reg. no.10419.) John would have been born in 1858-9 but I still couldn't find his birth record.
As Big Will was born in 1868, Walter James in 1870 (reg. no. 8296) and Thomas in 1872 (reg. no.8472), that would make Walter James the SECOND YOUNGEST SON of the late Walter and MARGARET, (nee Purdie) Gibson, not MARTHA.
Walter James could not have been the son of Adam Gibson's son Walter. As no Walter James Gibson died in Victoria between 1870 and 1970, it looks as if the chap who died in New Zealand in 1943 was the son of Walter and MARGARET Gibson.
POSTSCRIPT 8-4-2017. Walter James Gibson was the fourth son of Walter and Margaret Gibson which meshes with the statement (in his death notice at the start of the journal) that he was their second youngest son.
WALTER JAMES GIBSON'S MARRIAGE (NOT MENTIONED IN HIS DEATH NOTICE WHICH WRONGLY CALLED HIS MOTHER MARTHA INSTEAD OF MARGARET!)
GIBSON-HUTCHINSON.-On the 27th December,1899, at Wadella, Lilydale, by the Rev. J. R.Anderson, M.A., - Walter James, fourth son of Walter Gibson, "Glenholm," Dromana, to Sarah,second daughter of the late John Hutchinson,
Lilydale.(P.55, The Australasian, 3-2-1900.)
THE MARRIAGE RECORD.
EventMarriage Event registration number7133 Registration year1899
Personal information
Family nameGIBSON Given namesWalt Jas SexUnknown Spouse's family nameHUTCHINSON Spouse's given namesSarah Eliza
Victoria BDM does not list any children born to Walter James and Sarah from 1900 to 1910 or a death record for a Sarah Gibson(nee Hutchinson)between 1900 and 1940, so it is likely that Walter and Sarah had moved to N.Z. soon after their marriage. Victoria was still suffering from depression.
ALMOST CERTAINLY THE DEATH RECORD OF SARAH'S FATHER.
EventDeath Event registration number4690 Registration year1880
Personal information
Family nameHUTCHINSON Given namesJno SexUnknown Father's nameWm Mother's nameSarah (Waddel) Place of birthANTRIM Place of death Age54 Spouse's family nameSTANTON Spouse's given namesElizth
JOHN HUTCHINSON'S DEATH NOTICE.
Hutchinson -On the 3rd inst., suddenly, at Lillydale,John Hutchinson, aged 54. A colonist of 27 years standing. Deeply regretted. He died in peace. (P.1, Argus, 9-4-1880.)
EARLY DEATH OF JOHN GIBSON'S WIFE.
EventDeath Event registration number10419 Registration year1912
Personal information
Family nameGIBSON Given namesJno SexUnknown Father's nameGibson Walter Mother's nameMargt (Purdie) Place of birth Place of deathHoth E Age53
EventDeath Event registration number8554 Registration year1892
Personal information
Family nameGIBSON Given namesEllen SexFemale Father's nameClyne Geo Mother's nameCath (Finlayson) Place of birth Place of deathWheip Age33
On the marriage record, Ellie's name was given as Helen.
If John became a policeman, bearing in mind that he died at Hoth.E, which could mean Hotham East, Hotham being the original name of North Melbourne, he might have been the ex senior constable John Gibson who was a terrible drunkard and died at Errol St, North Melbourne in 1912, the death widely reported in the papers. If this senior constable was our John, the death of his wife only 10 years after they married, may have made him hit the grog.
John Clyne Gibson was born at Dromana in 1884 (reg. no.2056), Evelyn was born at (PA NM?) in 1885 (reg. no.4960), Catherine Ruby Ellen in 1886 at PANM (reg. no.12729), George Walter at Panmure in 1888 (reg. no.5472), Ellie Margaret in 1890 at Panmure (reg. no.6377), and David Wallace at Barkstead in 1892 (reg. no.859.)
PANMURE is ENE of Warrnambool.
BARKSTEAD is 5 km west of the Ballan-Daylesford road.
WARRENHEIP is a suburb of Ballarat.
It looks as if it was our John who died at North Melbourne. Panmure news mentions Constable Gibson and J.Gibson in 1888, the year that George Walter was born there.
By the way, Keryn McLear, Adam Gibson and Mary Ann, nee McLear, had a son, Albert, born 1890 (reg. no. 12173) who is not mentioned on page 82 of Colin's book. I CAN'T FIND HIS DEATH RECORD BETWEEN 1890 AND 1992.*
POSTSCRIPT. This birth notice would make it almost certain that John Gibson was the ex senior constable who died at Errol St., North Melbourne in 1912. The daughter would have been Catherine Ruby Ellen.
GIBSON.— On the 16th May, at the police station, Panmure, the wife of J. Gibson of a daughter. (P.1, The Age, 21-5-1886.)
I wondered what had become of John and Ellen's children after their mother's death in 1892.
John Clyne apparently didn't marry (in Victoria) and died aged 85 at Sandringham in 1968 (reg. no. 17510.)
Evelyn Rutherford Purdie married Alex Hamilton KIRKLAND in 1915 (reg. no.11160.) She died aged 84 at Black Rock in 1969 (reg. no.11781.)
Catherine Ruby Ellen married Alfred George Merritt in 1914 (Reg. no. 5067.) She died, aged 69 at Rainbow in 1956 (reg. no. 23930.)
David Wallace died aged 60 at Thornbury in 1952 (reg. no. 10560.)
Strangely his place of birth was given as Wallan on the death record. He does not seem to have married.
KERYN McLEAR'S EXPLANATION OF WHY ALBERT'S DEATH DID NOT APPEAR IN VICTORIAN BDM.
Albert b 13 or 25 Mar 1889/1890 was killed in France Sept 6 1918. No children. From his War Record: he was a clerk, single, born in Dromana. he was 5'9" tall, 149lb, chest 35 1/2 to 37 1/2". Fresh complexion, blue eyes, light brown hair. Presbyterian. Wounded in France 26/03/1917: gunshot wound to left arm, severe. Wounded second occasion: 02/09/1918: gunshot wound to neck and spine, died of wounds received in action. Buried at St Sever Cemetery, Rouen, Block R, Plot 2, Row S. Very sad story.
MORE HISTORY OF FRANKSTON, VIC., AUST.
Preparing to write about crown allotment 14 Wannaeue in my journal about EARLY ROSEBUD, I needed to check that the spelling in a ratebook entry was correct; it read "John McComb, farmer,Seaford." On trove there was plenty of evidence that McComb was the spelling of the name, mainly involving the Seaford football team. Therefore, the spelling of McCombe St near Rosebud Plaza shopping centre shows the same disrespect to our pioneers as the spelling of Cairn Rd, Rosebud (named after "Back Road Bob" Cairns of "Fernvilla")and William Crescent, Rosebud West (named after Edward Williams of "Eastbourne".)
I had suspected from the start that John McComb was a member of the pioneering Frankston family!
The journal has had to be written as a serial in comment boxes. The surnames list is in the journal as an insurance policy in case any names disappear.
Surname list: MCCOMB, CAIRNS,WILLIAMS, WREN, PROSSER, CROSKELL, BOX,RENOUF, RITCHIE, WELLS, ROWLEY, DAGLEISH,CATTANACH, KELLY,BURTON, YOUNG, SAGE, LIARDET, DENNIS, CHURCH, CLARKE, WILLIAMSON, DAVEY, THOMPSON, MULLER, DOLPHIN, PETRIE, CAMERON, UTBER, BAXTER, HOWARD, WRIGHT, ROWAN,STEPHENS, ANDERSON, DEANE, OLIVER, PARRY, KELLIM.
MORE MEMORIES OF RED HILL NEAR DROMANA, VIC., AUST., RECEIVED IN CONNECTION WITH THE 22-10-2017 REUNION. (+SHEEHAN GENEALOGY.)
Hello ---, I'm the Joan who rang you about the re-union at Red Hill later this month. I hope I have your email correct.
As I am 83 and not keeping the best of health I thought I would send this to read if you wish, if I can't make the journey from Mansfield.
One thing I forgot to add was Millie won several awards for her cooking at the Red Hill show and I won four ribbons with my horse riding.
One horse I rode was owned by Judge Federico who owned property there and I helped his daughters with their riding.
Thanks for your efforts, regards Joan Peasnell
p.s. when I married Jim Bell in Mildura we were married for 22 years, then Jim was killed in a construction accident, then 10 years later I married Bill Peasnell and he has put up with me for 29 years.!!!!!
Red Hill Memories ------Joan Blatchford/Bell/Peasnell
My father William (Bill) Blatchford purchased 105 acres of timbered country
at Red Hill South in 1943. The land had a large road frontage, on the main
Red Hill to Merricks Nth road. It was next door to Edgar and Margaret
Clarke’s large orchard of apples and cherries. It was opposite an orchard
owned by Mr George Clarke father of Edgar. Another location was the CRB
area opposite where barrels of tar were stockpiled. This was known as Tar
Barrel Corner.
Adjoining this was a small cottage owned by Mr Harold Ratcliffe, commonly
known as Ratty, and he delivered the mail. He had a small Bedford van and
he was renowned for revving and clunking as he stopped and started at the
mail boxes. He amazed everyone by always wearing an old grey overcoat
and white silk scarf, he said whatever kept the cold out could keep the heat
out too!!!
Dad was not free to move from his employment until after the war had
ended, his job was controlled by “Man Power” a government agency.
We, my father, mother Millie, brother Lee and I moved to Red Hill Sth in 1945
and I finished my state school time at the Red Hill Sth State school about two
and a half miles from home. I rode my push-bike and it was a hilly ride.
Dad rented a house on an orchard owned by Jim Clarke and his wife Betty.
For a cash crop Dad and Lee started clearing trees and cutting firewood for
sale. Dad purchased two light draught horses, both Greys and we called
them Gracie and Fella. He purchased them from Hicks Stables in Mentone
and rode one and led the other all the way home, not a bad feat for
someone who did not have a lot of horse experience since boyhood days.
A goods train came to Red Hill every Friday and Dad would use Gracie to
pull a sleigh/sled the more than 2 miles to collect his barb-wire and posts etc.
She was wonderful to watch,
Mum settled in to life in a house with no electricity, no running water, just
tanks to the sink and bath. Cooking was on a wood fired stove, so different
to the lovely new gas cooker she left in Melb. It was my job to fill the lamps
with kero. Large containers of water were heated on the stove and Dad or
Lee had to carry them to the bath to get warm water.
In 1946 I started two years at Frankston High School. A Dyson semi-trailer
school bus left Flinders at 7am and travelled through Main Ridge, Red Hill,
Merricks North, Balnaring, Bittern, Hastings, Somerville, Tyab and Frankston.
Students were picked up from their drive-ways and I had to be ready at 7.45.
Page2
and got home close to 5.30, I left school the day I turned 14.
As soon as Dad had some cleared land he grew strawberries and carrier
Gordon Chambers would take them to Vic Market in Melb. and agents would
handle the sales.
It was fun (for me) when planting was on as Dad would dig the holes, I would
place a runner there, Mum would move up and plant and Lee came along
and watered each plant.
At different stages Dad developed his acres and sold off 3 pieces of
approximately 30 acres each and my grandfather built a small cottage at the
far end of the land on the rest.
Also part of the cash crop days saw 6 cows milked twice a day by hand and
milk sold, separated and cream made in to butter, which sold quickly to the
local cooks. Added to this, they had many hens to look after and I was kept
busy collecting eggs and helping when young cockerels were prepared for
eating.
A big change came when my parents bought George Clarke’s orchard and I
spent a couple of years packing for Dad and Blue Moon packing shed. If we
were having a good harvest of either apples or cherries Dad would load our
Bedford truck and leave about 10pm to go to Vic Market and sell direct then
come home and get some sleep. Lee and I worked with some local pickers
and have another load ready for him. Again, if we didn’t have enough he
would get Gordon to pick them up and deliver.
People may well recall Dad doing contract ploughing, discing and hay
pressing when automated pressing first arrived, He often followed Albert
Storer and his sons Wally and Cob who used 2 Caterpillar Bulldozers a D7
and a D5 who cleared the land then Lee and Dad ploughed etc. We had an
International TD6 and I loved a chance to drive this track vehicle.
When I was packing at Bluemoon the manager was Rueben Edwards and his
wife Mavis and son Ken packed as well. There was a time we had to pack
pears, trucked from Shepparton, not as good to pack as apples! Then they
decided to take us up there to Shep, and I stayed with Mavis & family for six
weeks, I was 16 at the time and worked at Geoffrey Thomson’s shed.
Some folk may well remember when Millie played piano at the local dances,
Bill Saunders played the sax and sometimes the violin and Ron Farrant
played the drums or the banjo.
They were very popular and played regularly at Red Hill Hall, Main Ridge,
Flinders, Dromana, Mornington.
It was great for me as I got to go to Saturday night dances at age 13!
Another great night for the teenagers in the area was when the Milburn
family would decide to go to Dromana for a meal at our favourite cafe and
then go to the pictures. They drove a large truck with a canvas canopy all
over the back and we sat on fruit cases and enjoyed every minute of the trip.
They would pick us up from our homes.
I was lucky to have Dad buy me my first pony and I loved riding anywhere
and everywhere, but always by myself! The only other horse rider in the
district was Keith McIlroy, we managed to get a few rides together, but Keith
was working hard supporting his widowed mother. He milked a large herd of
cows for the Shannon family who worked or owned “Kingston Park” at
Merricks North. I often helped for the fun of it and I managed to learn about
cows etc.
Working horses were used on many properties and I was often asked if I
could take one to Balnarring to the nearest Blacksmith. I would ride one of
my horses and lead the other and I got paid to have so much fun!!!
The boys who lived in the area graduated to motor bikes and us girls
seemed to pair off and become pillion passengers. Don Andrews and Lois
Dennis from Shands Road, Main Ridge rode a bike, where as Marie, Lois’s
sister rode with Ian Hoskin in his MG car. Kevin (known as Pud) Holmes and
another Joan got together and I think I’m correct in saying the 3 couples got
married???
Other friends were Lea Ventura who married Ray Wooley, June Griffiths who
married Kevin Wooley. I was lucky to ride many safe, happy miles with
Gordon May on his BSA Twin 500..
I must mention that I was also fortunate to have Len Clarke living next door
to Mum and Dad’s. Len taught me to shoot and how to look after guns, he
was Captain of the Red Hill Fire Brigade and I was sorry to learn, only
recently, of his passing.
If you are lucky enough to live in the Red Hill area I hope you will gather
many wonderful memories as I have. I now live in Mansfield, another lovely
part of the world. Sincerely, Joan Blatchford
-----------------------------------------------------------
THE BLATCHFORD 105 ACRES.
This could only be crown allotment 15A or 15B, parish of Kangerong, each of 104 acres 3 roods 34 perches (104.9625 acres.)I will get Joan to confirm which from the Kangerong parish map*. The former was bounded by Red Hill Rd on the south east and east as far north as the bend in the road in Melway 191 at the border of F3 and G3, and c/a 15B went north from there to adjoin the Kangerong Nature Conservation Reserve. The western boundary of 15AB is a line joining the south west corner of the nature reserve and the end of Station Rd. See the south west corner of the parish of Kangerong. If I recall correctly, Harold Ratcliffe and the Clarkes were on crown allotment 78A Balnarring across the Red Hill (to Bittern North)road on the north corner of Stanleys Rd with the said bend being at the middle of its road frontage.
KANGERONG
BALNARRING
JOAN'S REPLY.
Hello Ray, have just had a serious look at Melways Map 191 and can see exactly where we lived.
From H30 travel down to McIlroys Rd and keep going towards Red Hill Sth. Looking right
I believe that the boundary of Darling Park Wines would be the end of one boundary. You need to continue on that road till you get to Vines of Red Hill. That would have been the other boundary of the 105 acres. Tar Barrel Corner was there, opposite.
Hillside, also on the opposite side of the road was the property owned by George Clarke and purchased by William & Millicent Blatchford a few years after they arrived there. I know of at least one house along from there, up to Tar BC and Ratcliffe's.
George Clarke had 3 sons who all owned adjoining land planted to apples and cherries. They were Edgar/Margaret, James/Betty and Heini, father of Len Clarke who kept operating the orchard after serving in the Aust.Army and was Red Hill Fire brigade Captain, who I was told passed away recently, he was married to Tess. Len has a sister, Aileen.
I haven't located any parish maps. regards, Joan
(APPARENTLY THE LINKS TO THE PARISH MAPS WEREN'T WORKING FOR JOAN SO SHE WAS ADVISED TO TYPE INTO HER SEARCH BAR:
KANGERONG, COUNTY OF MORNINGTON
or
BALNARRING, COUNTY OF MORNINGTON.)
ME.The road frontage (very long as you stated earlier) from DARLING to VINES (BOTH INCLUSIVE) confirms that your first property was c/a 15A Kangerong, known in 1902 as "Hillside Orchard"*. George Clarke seems to have used the same name for his property on c/a 78A Balnarring across the road.
* "HILL-SIDE" ORCHARD.
This orchard, which belongs to the
Misses Huntley, is somewhere about
12 acres in extent, and is noted for its
large yields of fruit, especially of
cherries and plums. It is situated in
a well-sheltered valley and is perhaps
the most thoroughly-drained garden
in the locality. Of cherries, Black
Margaret do exceptionally well; and
of plums, the most successful seem to
be the Pond's Seedling. Apples and
pears grow to perfection, and the same
may be said of the strawberries and
raspberries, for which the Red Hill
soil and climate seem eminently
adapted. (P.2, Mornington Standard, 30-8-1902.)
FROM THE "PIONEERS OF THE MORNINGTON PENINSULA" FACEBOOK PAGE.
--- ---- 9:43am Oct 3
Mary Nemarich, WELCOME TO THE GROUP.. The Back to Red Hill (District) reunion you were hoping for will take place in nineteen days. It will be at the cricket club pavilion at the Red Hill showgrounds from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. on SUNDAY 22 OCTOBER.
Thankyou --- ..... oh yes, we go way back. I was an Iapozzuto. We were on Flinders Road just before Shands. My dad (John) and Uncle Sam had two adjoining apple orchards. Uncle Sams's is now T'Gallant winery. Along with the Delgrosso's, Tedesco's, Pilla's, Valente's, the Gallace's (Strawberry Farm) and many more, they all moved across from Italy, when there was a move to get the area developed into farming. They were all given incentives to come out post war to start up very prosperous farms. Of course it was bloody hard work. Everything was cleared by hand as you can imagine. Sadly, most moved away from the area. Hard work took its toll unfortunately. We moved back to Tucks Road many years ago. The pull of Main Ridge was strong and still is. We relocated to Tasmania 15 years ago and do love it, even though my heart will always have a place on the Peninsula. In some ways the Huon Valley reminded John and I so much of what it was like growing up on the Peninsula. I think that was the attraction. I do visit often as all our family are buried in the Flinders Cemetery. Thankyou again for adding me. I don't know if I will make this coming reunion. Such a pity I hadn't realised this group was around and joined earlier, but I will keep active and hopefully re-connect with families that we know. Mary
--- ---- 8:56am Oct 4
Mary Nemarich. Here's a sad tale about the early settlers on c/a 65B Balnarring of nearly 97 acres on which T'Gallant is now situated and on which your uncle, and possibly your father, had their orchards.
1870.
*BULLOCK Thomas.
F.Bullock was the grantee of 96 acres at Melway 190 E-F12, the north west corner being the bend in the Mornington-Flinders Rd and Tucks Rd the eastern boundary.
Mr. Candler, the district coroner, on Tuesday held an inquest at Dromana on the body of Thomas Bullock, aged 51 years. Deceased had been burning logs for clearing purposes in a paddock near his house at Balnarring,and on the 10th instant, at about a quarter-past 1 o'clock in the morning, his son, when out shooting, smelt flesh burning, and searching amongst the fired logs, found the deceased lying on some hot ashes on his back in the paddock about 100 yards from the house. He was last seen alive at about 10 o'clock the previous evening, when he was poking up a fire in the paddock, and said he would be in shortly. His daughter, to whom he said this, then went in to bed, as did also her brother; and the other brother, who found the deceased, on going into the house found them in bed. Deceased was not subject to fits, but he dragged one foot, scraping the ground with it, and when he got on his back he could not get up or change his position. Deceased was dead, and a post-mortem examination by Dr. Rodd showed that the body was charred throughout externally, some portions being completely baked even in the internal organs. The back was especially burnt. The cause of death appeared to have been burning. The jury found that deceased was found dead, having been accidentally burnt to death.
(P.7, Argus, 14-7-1870.)
Mary Nemarich 9:07am Oct 4
Oh my goodness, that is sad :(
Dear Mr ----
I wish you well for your back to Red Hill
I'd like to be there if I can, although its a bit far to come on my own
My family on both sides came from Red Hill and I was born there.
My father was Geoff Skidmore, son of Henry and Esther who lived up past the school at "Fairview"
My mother was Sheila Sheehan, daughter of Annie Douglas Sheehan of Sheehan's Rd.
It is still a beautiful place and will always remain so in my memory
Thank you for sharing the past and the future of Red Hill
sincerely
Libby Skidmore
It's a pity that Libby can't attend because her terrific mother contributed so much to my knowledge of Red Hill's history with her THE RED HILL, which apart from a short Holmes family history was the only source available. How things have changed since then, with histories being written recently by Stephen Lynch, Helen Blakeley, Barry Wright and Ray Holmes.
SKIDMORE - SHEEHAN.
A very pretty wedding took place at the Presbyterian Church, Gardenvale, when Miss Sheila Sheehan was married to Mr. Geoffrey Skidmore(late A.I.F.), both of Red Hill.
The bride was dressed in cream satin with-a lovely old lace wedding veil; she carried a bouquet of frangipanni and water lilies. Her attendants were her sisters, Nancy (in dusty pink) and Patricia (in mistyblue). Both carried bouquets of pink and blue hydrangeas and delphiniums. The best man was Mr.Ken Skidmore (A.I.F.,
Queensland) and the groomsman was Mr. F. McGregor.
The church was beautifully decorated in shades of pink and blue, and Rev. R. T. White, B.A., of Red Hill,
officiated.
After the ceremony the guests were received at the residence of the bride's aunt (Mrs. Lewis).The young couple are spending a short time at Sorrento before taking up residence at Red Hill. (P.2, Standard, 11-1-1945.)
The recent histories, although they are family histories, add details not found in Sheila's history. Sheila, on the other hand, wrote about other families and gave very little detail about her own family, apart from the Sheehan arrival in South Australia and the move to Victoria. This is probably why Libby described her mother as being the daughter of Annie Douglas Sheehan. It is rare for a local history not to contain more extensive information about the author's own family; rather too self sacrificing by Sheila, so I will try to provide some detail.
Here is Annie's marriage record.
EventMarriage Event registration number9550 Registration year1920
Personal information
Family nameSHAW Given namesAnnie Douglas SexUnknown Spouse's family nameSHEEHAN Spouse's given namesRegd Arth
Annie's maiden name seemed familiar. Aha, MEMOIRS OF A LARRIKIN, Hec Hanson's biography, written by Petronella Wilson.
P.11. "I (Hec) spent my early school years at the Red Hill State School that was at the lower end of Arkwell's Lane on the corner of Wiseman's property. Miss Shaw, who married a local gentleman by the name of Reg Sheehan, was my teacher when I started. (Hec was born on 14-2-1913 so he probably started school in 1918 or 1919.)
P.25. During World War 2, my cousin Peter Purves was away with a few of the boys from Red Hill, including Stan White and Reg Sheehan They were in the 6th Division.
Now that we have Sheila's father's name, we might find which member of the Sheehan family was her grandfather Sheehan. Sheila's grandfather Sheehan was JOHN SHEEHAN*.
*See SHEILA SKIDMORE'S "THE RED HILL" BELOW.
REG'S DEATH RECORD.
EventDeath Event registration number19644 Registration year1975
Personal information
Family nameSHEEHAN Given namesReginald Arthur SexMale Father's nameSHEEHAN John Mother's nameEsther (Rees) Place of birthDandenong Place of deathGlen Iris Age79
Reg. had been prominent in the Red Hill R.S.L. Had his love of poetry been inspired by his teacher wife, Annie? (By the way, Annie was probably the Mrs R.Sheehan who taught temporarily at Red Hill circa 1944.)
IN MEMORY OF THE LATE ALBERT CLEAVE,
DIED APRIL 29, 1929.
(Late 29th Battery A.I.F.)
Silently marching up Flinders Hill
Escorting a comrade to rest;
Diggers observing the last sad rites
For one of their own, gone west.
Thoughts winging back to other days
Memories that never grow dim—-
That night when death in the shape
of a shell
Took his brother—- but crippled him.
Dugouts and gunpits in far-off
France
When he shared all he had with a
mate
And his whimsical smile when things
looked black
In those days of slaughter and
hate.
The ranks open out and inward turn
As the cortege passes through
The beautiful masses of wreaths are
tied
With Artillery's red and blue.
A Dinkum Digger—- a real good sport
Too soon he has gone to his rest,
May he sleep in peace, for he truly
earned
This epitaph—"One of the Best"
REG. SHEEHAN,
Red Hill. (P.8, Frankston and Somerville Standard, 10-5-1929.)
Annie Douglas Sheehan, daughter of Frederick Davenport Shaw and Elizabeth, nee Neale,died aged 84 in 1978, her death certificate giving her place of birth as Terang. She was born in 1894 with the birth record giving her place of birth as BLLANGEICH. The correct spelling is BALLANGEICH. From Ballangeich to Terang in the Western District is as follows:
36 min (40.4 km) via Terang-Framlingham Rd
37 min (39.1 km) via Ellerslie-Sisters Rd
41 min (48.5 km) via Princes Hwy/A1
MORE SHEEHAN GENEALOGY.
Having established that Sheila's grandfather was John Sheehan and with the knowledge that the original end of White Hill Rd (before Wiseman's Deviation was constructed), Sheehans Rd, was so-named because of John and ROBERT Sheehan, I wondered if Robert was John's son or brother. My curiosity was increased when I found a par about Mrs G.Scholefield of Geelong visiting her mother, Mrs R.Sheehan of Red Hill with her baby daughter, Susan, in the mid 1940's. Even (as I thought) correcting the surname to Scholfield, I could not find a marriage record or marriage notice to find Mrs Scholfield's given name(s). Was she the daughter of Reg Sheehan or Robert Sheehan?
A "Mrs R.Sheehan, Red Hill" search explained why the marriage notice had not been found.It is very probable that Aileen was the daughter of REGINALD ARTHUR SHEEHAN and Annie Douglas (nee Shaw)and thus Sheila Skidmore's eldest sister.
SCHOFIELD-SHEEHAN
At the John Knox Presbyterian Church, Gardenvale, the marriage was celebrated on Saturday by Rev.J. McLean, of Lieut Aileen Dorothy Sheehan, AANS, eldest daughter of Mr and Mrs R. A. Sheehan, Red Hill, and Lieut. George Schofield, AIF,eldest son of Mr and Mrs A. Schofield, Geelong. The bride wore uniform, and both bride and bridegroom were unattended. Rev J. Alexander officiated.(P.6, Argus, 22-5-1944.)
In 1900-1, Robert Sheehan's assessment on 48 acres and house was crossed out.In 1910-11, Mrs Robert Sheehan was assessed on 28 acres, 6 of 10B, Kangerong. Crown allotment 10B was on the west side of Sheehans Rd and c/a's 11AB east of Sheehans Rd to Arkwells Lane were granted to James Wiseman, hence the name of the deviation.
By 1900, Robert Sheehan was about 69 years old and there will be no death record on Victorian BDM. You will see shortly why I am certain that Mr. R. Sheehan is Robert, not Reg.
Mr R. Sheehan, of Red Hill, has gone for a trip to W.A., accompanying his daughter Mrs C. Lapman who has been in (Red Hill?) on a visit. (P.2, Mornington Standard, 19-2-1902.)
SHEEHAN.— On the 4th May, in private hospital,Adelaide, of pneumonia. Robert Sheehan, of Red Hill, son of the late William Sheehan, of Youhall,Ireland*, in his 72nd year.(P.48, Leader, 24-5-1902.)
Sheila Skidmore stated that her GREAT grandfather came from County Cork. Was YOUHALL in that county?
Youghal - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Youghal
Youghal is a seaside resort town in County Cork, Ireland.
SHEILA SKIDMORE'S "THE RED HILL".
p.12-13. "The McKeowns had sold the property (73AB Balnarring)to Sheila's great grandfather.He had come from County Cork to Adelaide where he worked as a brickmaker. He married Mr Ewer's daughter, Eliza, and they set off looking for land in their bullock cart, a wedding present, selecting land at Lake Marma (Murtoa) and staying 15 years before coming to Red Hill in 1885."
Fancy not checking this before I looked at Reginald Arthur Sheehan's death record. Sheila's grandparents were John Sheehan and Esther (nee Rees)but it was Sheila's GREAT GRANDFATHER who had married Eliza Ewers. Her G.G.F. was ROBERT SHEEHAN.
ROBERT AND ELIZA'S CHILDREN.
EventBirth Event registration number15929 Registration year1861
Personal information
Family nameSHEEHAN Given namesOlive Emily SexUnknown Father's nameRobert Mother's nameEliza (Ewers) Place of birthAMHE (Amherst?Amherst, Victoria - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amherst,_Victoria)
EventBirth Event registration number11749 Registration year1863
Personal information
Family nameSHEEHAN Given namesEliza Priscilla SexUnknown Father's nameRobert Mother's nameEliza (Ewers) Place of birthMAJO (Majorca? Majorca, Victoria - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Majorca,_Victoria)
EventBirth Event registration number17192 Registration year1873
Personal information
Family nameSHEEHAN Given namesEdith Sarah Ann SexUnknown Father's nameRobt Mother's nameEliza (Ewers) Place of birthHORSHAM
If Sheila was correct about Eliza being her great grandmother, her grandfather John must have been born in South Australia before they left as only a trio of daughters seem to have been born in Victoria.
ELIZA'S DEATH RECORD.
EventDeath Event registration number1213 Registration year1917
Personal information
Family nameSHEEHAN Given namesEliza SexUnknown Father's nameEwers Wm Mother's nameSarah (Boltwood) Place of birth Place of deathDromana Age82
Eliza was born in about 1835 and if her husband, Robert, was the one who died in Adelaide in 1902, he was born in about 1830. Did one of these daughters marry Mr Lapman?
WHAT A JOKE! THANKS COLIN McLEAR!
There was no marriage of a Sheehan girl to a Mr Lapman but result 122 of 130 for Sheehan marriages (1880-1900) wiped the snarl from my lips.
EventMarriage Event registration number3447 Registration year1898
Personal information
Family nameSHEEHAN Given namesEdith Sarah Ann SexUnknown Spouse's family nameCHAPMAN Spouse's given namesJno
See pages 75-78 of Colin McLear's A DREAMTIME OF DROMANA.
John Chapman (1866-1901)was the first child of George Chapman (who established Seawinds near the summit of Arthurs Seat) and Elizabeth, nee Bain. John and his brother Thomas (see Helen Blakeley's book for details of his occupancy of "Ecclesall")went to Western Australia during the gold rush in the 1890's. (Thomas returned to become a much respected central riding councillor.) John Chapman remained in Western Australia and died in Bunbury during a typhoid fever epidemic. His wife, Edith, (nee Sheehan) returned with her little daughter to her family at Red Hill.
SHEILA'S GRANDPARENTS WERE MARRIED IN 1891.
EventMarriage Event registration number1831 Registration year1891
Personal information
Family nameSHEEHAN Given namesJno SexMale Spouse's family nameREES Spouse's given namesEsther Maria
DEATH RECORD OF SHEILA'S GRANDMA SHEEHAN.
EventDeath Event registration number18351 Registration year1945
Personal information
Family nameSHEEHAN Given namesEsther Maria SexFemale Father's nameREES Henry Mother's nameUnknown (Unknown) Place of birthAVOCA Place of deathDROMANA Age76
FROM JILL PHILLIPS' HISTORY CORNER ON PAGE 9.
SHEEHANS CORNER
SHEEHANS CORNER
Sheehans Road was originally part of White Hill Road until the deviation was built, which was more direct to the Arthurs Seat Road. The intersection to the west became Sheehans Corner.
The Sheehan family moved to Red Hill in 1885. The first services of the Church of Christ were held at‘Gunbower’, the home of Robert and Eliza Sheehan. There is scope for an article on the Sheehans as the children married into other respected Red Hill families. Annie Sheehan was much loved. Daughter of Annie Sheehan, Sheila Skidmore, wrote ‘The RED HILL’*.
The preface to her book reads:
‘The story of a farming community is lovingly dedicated to my mother Annie Douglas Sheehan at whose insistence and for whose enjoyment it has been compiled’.
SHEILA'S SISTER IN LAW?
McGREGOR (nee Lorraine Skidmore).-On February 7, at Mornington, to Bdr. F. A. McGregor (A.I.F. Darwin) and Mrs.
McGregor, Red Hill-a son (Ian Francis).P.2, ARGUS, 10-2-1942.
EventBirth Event registration number4797 Registration year1916
Personal information
Family nameSKIDMORE Given namesDorothy Lorraine SexUnknown Father's nameHy Jack Jas Mother's nameEsther (Baldwin) Place of birthKYNETON
Although Libby Skidmore's contribution was short, her grandmother Sheehan's given names and the following information about her father's parents have proven to be very valuable.
"My father was Geoff Skidmore, son of Henry and Esther who lived up past the school at "Fairview."
Mrs F.A.McGregor and Sheila's husband, Geoff, had the same parents so they were siblings.
My attempt to find Geoffrey Skidmore's birth record to confirm Libby's information met with no success, but luckily his death record was found and confirms his parents' names.
EventDeath Event registration number14662 Registration year1984
Personal information
Family nameSKIDMORE Given namesGeoffrey Baldwin SexMale Father's nameSKIDMORE Henry Jack James Mother's nameEsther (Baldwin) Place of birthKyneton Place of deathDandenong Age65
Henry and Esther must have moved to Red Hill after Geoffrey's birth. The first mention of the SKIDMORE name in connection with Red Hill was in 1934, in a report of the Red Hill and District Show written by the Mornington correspondent: "Gladioli: J. Skidmore." Kenneth John Skidmore was definitely living at Red Hill by 1935, a decade before his marriage, and was playing footy for Red Hill by 1938.*.
* K.J.SKIDMORE
My word, the Sheehan and Skidmore families can be proud of their war service! It looks as if such service was a key element in almost every marriage.
SHEILA'S BROTHER IN LAW.
EWINGTON - SKIDMORE, - Shirley Eva, eldest daughter of Captain and Mrs.James Ewington, Lorn, West Maitland,
N.S.W., to Sgt. Kenneth John (A.I.F.),younger son of Mr. and Mrs. H. J. Skidmore, Fairview. Red Hill, Victoria.(P.14, Argus, 28-7-1945.)
A MORNINGTON CONNECTION.
BALDWIN.-On January 15, at Mornington, Arthur Begg, son of late Mr.and Mrs. E. Baldwin. Kyneton, loved brother of Menzies (Stanhope),Jeanie (Mrs. A. M. Perkin), Margaret, Esther (Mrs. H. J. Skidmore,Red Hill).
(P.2, Argus, 19-1-1948.)
BACK TO WHERE WE STARTED.
When I received Libby's contribution, I tried to find her birth record,but I didn't know that her given names were ELIZABETH ANNE, which I just discovered in her birth notice.She was born about one and a half months after the Ewington-Skidmore marriage.
MORE PIONEERS OF BROADMEADOWS, VIC., AUST.
ANDERSON,Joseph, MACFARLANE, Walter.
(Continuation of the journal WALTER MACFARLANE AND JOSEPH ANDERSON OF BROADMEADOWS, VIC., AUST. which I tried unsuccessfully, a great many times, to submit three lines at a time in that journal,as a comment under it, and as a new journal.)
The site selected was Mornington Park,east of the Will Will Rook Cemetery, and fairly close to a mile from the point a bit east of the Johnstone St/Camp Rd overpass. Therefore I presume that the 11 mile post would have been at the intersection.
So now we need to measure another mile from that intersection to find a spot near Broadmeadows(Township) and adjoining Glenroy. We must go west to satisfy both clues. This takes us to 6 D7-8.The Glenroy Estate consisted of sections 1 and 6 of the parish of Will Will Rook, bounded by the line of Campbellfield road (Camp Rd),roughly the line of Morley St, Boundary Rd/RhodesPde/ Victoria St and the Moonee Ponds Creek.
South and west of the creek was Stewarton,section 5,Tullamarine, leased by Peter McCracken from 1846 until 1855, so while it was near the township and adjoined Glenroy, Wally's Strathoer couldn't have been there. Nor could it have been south of the line of Camp Rd ("Glengyle")as that was part of the Glenroy Estate, which Strathoer ADJOINED.
Therefore my best guess is that Strathoer was Glen Allan, between the township (Lyons St) and Pascoe Vale Rd, or the eastern part of the township, sold in 2 acre blocks as suburban allotments (rather than half acre blocks), which the crown would have withheld from sale until the building blocks were sold. In either case Wally was probably renting his farm until the lease ended.
You will notice that the rough location (6 D 7-8) satisfies all requirements, distance, near Broadmeadows, adjoining Glenroy and one more,a never-failing supply of water (from the Yuroke Creek.)
FROM IRENE.
Thank you again.
My head is in a double spin now! I shall read my new 'Broadmeadows' book tonight and try to catch up with your information. I have been searching for Walter Macfarlane on TROVE -it contains lots of info about him in his role as Secretary of the Agricultural Society - there is a photo of Walter in the SLV - Early Colonist montage - this montage also includes Joseph Anderson and his son Adam Anderson. There is also a photo of Walter Macfarlane in the book 'Speed the Plough' the history of the Agricultural Society but very little about Walter himself.
I have not come across the 'Grazing for horses' advertisement and shall have a look to see if I can find it for my records.
What does the single/double asterisk mean? or is this just for your records?
Submitted the last email to you before the OK to use the information I have sent you (except J. Wright, Footscray as I do not know it this J. Wright is the same J. Wright,- Adam Anderson's partner. I do not have a local history of Footscray to check - J. Wright, Footscray do claim that they are the oldest timber merchants in Melbourne)
By the way - are you related to Alexander Gibb of Meadowbank? Alexander Gibb was one of the witnesses at the wedding of Ann Anderson to Alexander Cruickshank. It seems that Melbourne was full of builders, timber and associated yards in early Melbourne. They would have needed them when you look at the pace of buildings going up from Batman's bare paddock. Not a gold rush but a builders rush!
TO IRENE.(22 HRS. AGO.)
The asterisks indicated the source for each known fact.
I should warn you about Andrew Lemon's incorrect claim that James Robertson of Gowrie Park (south of Alexander Gibb's Meadowbank at Campbellfield) was a Keilor farmer.
James Robertson married a Coupar girl, as did Alexander's blacksmithing brother, James Gibb. (Google "the four James Robertsons, itellya".)
I am not related to Alexander Gibb or his son Alexander Coupar Gibb.
I will not write anything more about MacFarlane/ Anderson etc in my Broady Shire Farms journal but I have mentioned (in today's comment under it) that your journal is on the way.
Do you know how to find the ACCOMMODATION PADDOCK advertisement on trove searching by date? Ring me on (DELETED) if you have trouble and I'll talk you through it. (I hope I had the date and page number.)
FROM IRENE.
Please do write about the Macfarlane/Anderson family. I have never written anything but thought that you had to enter a journal in FTC.
As I said, I have been researching the Carron Timber yard - to understand our Anderson family better - thought that after spending so much time searching it but do not know how long it will take me to do so, and I might as well write all the information down - a first little project for me. So please do continue with your great work. I am truly delighted to see how you research and gather historical information, so informative.
Looked up the map to see where Strathoer was situated - I assume end of Fawkner Street would be by the Moonee Ponds Creek rather than Mickeham Road end therefore address as Moonee Ponds. I have had no success in finding the ACCOMODATION PADDOCK advertisement - nothing comes up re Strathoer in TROVE other than the death notices that you have. I must not be entering the right keyword.
Also, I would like to contact family member Cairns, but do not know how to do so, if its OK can you send me email address or point me in the right direction. I have only found FTC just recently so am slowly reading the journals - so many of them - so much wonderful information - such a wonderful site!!!!!!
TO IRENE. TWO HOURS AGO. Sending Cameron's email address.
ONE HOUR AGO. Before looking for the ACCOMMODATION PADDOCK advertisement , I did a google search for walter Macfarlane, glenroy, broadmeadows and found this near the top of the 5th column on page 6 of the Argus of 28-11-1857. You will notice that STRATHOER is written as STRATHMORE.
One-year colt
John Williamson, Rose Hill; Sire, Neil Black's Im-
ported horse, West-horn-1st prize, gold medal.
Walter Macfarlane, Strathmore (sic); 2nd prize, silver
medal.
Dr Wilson, Summer Hill; 3rd prize, silver medal.
I entered "walter macfarlane, 1852 " on trove and got the advertisement as the second result. You will see that what I write is only a small part of my task. I might open 30 or so possible results in a night, given a summary such as the one below, spend 10 minutes or more finding the mention, which is useless, or up to half an hour correcting digitised text.
Here's the text correction.
ACCOMMODATION FOR HORSES.
Strathore (sic) Grazing Paddock, adjoining Glenroy.
One of the best grazed Paddocks in the dis-
trict, securely fenced, and a never-failing
supply of water. Distance from Melbourne 12
miles. Will be re-opened for a limited number
of Horses only on Thursday, the 21st instant,
therefore early application is necessary.
TERMS- 5s. per head per week.
All Horses to be paid for on delivery, and
none delivered on Sundays.
.Every care taken, but no responsibility.
Any horses left haltered at Kirk's Bazaar,
on Thursday's, before one o'clock, will be for
warded to the Paddock, free of expense.
12377 WALTER MACFARLANE.
Here's the summary.
Advertising
The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957) Thursday 28 October 1852 p 7 Advertising
... rpHE undersigned is a purchaser ot Gold to X any amount, thu hit'lit-st price given, C. MACFARLANE, ... liurMJayV, before one o'clock, will be foi* warded lo the Paddock, fr*o of expense. 12377 s WALTER MACFARLANE.NEWLANDS. ' 1 Graz'tig Padduok?. " VIEWLANDS, odj itiing tho Tonttidge Vil l\ Inge ... 7207 words
AN AFTERTHOUGHT.(After email sent.)
Was Wally leasing part of Alexander Gibb's "Meadowbank" or James Robertson's Gowrie Park, both of which, and J.P.Fawkner's Box Forest, adjoined the eastern boundary of the Glenroy estate?
BENNETT. See WRIGHT.(check DHOTAMA)
PATERSON.
DEATHS. PATERSON.?On the 27th ult., at Chalmers' Academy,Euroke, Mr. David Paterson, teacher, late of Trooa, Ayrshire, aged 32. (P.4,Argus,17-3-1860.)
WRIGHT.
WRIGHT-BENNETT [Golden Wedding].-On the 5th August, 1874, at the Presbyterian Manse, Essendon, by the Rev. W. Fraser, Thomas, eldest son of late John and Ann Wright, Tullamarine, to Elizabeth, second daughter of late
William and Elizabeth Bennett, of Euroke (colonists). (Present address, North Pole road, Keilor.)
(P.11, Argus, 9-8-1924.)
North Pole Rd was the original name for Milleara Rd. John Wright was probably a brother of Wallis Wright of Sunnyside in Tullamarine. Google VICTORIA ROAD HOMESTEAD, TARDIS for an archealogical survey of Charles Nash's
Fairview and Wallis Wright's Sunnyside,the latter fronting Wright St.
MORE PROFESSIONALLY INVENTED HISTORY? McNAMARA'S HOTEL NEAR BULLA, VIC., AUST.
Historical Archaeology Survey - VicRoads
https://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/.../melbourneairportlinkbullahistoricalarch.
The above study took place in the areas where proposed alternate routes for a Bulla Village by-pass were located.
On pages 56-7, is OAKLANDS ROAD PAVING H7822-2308.
As the text cannot be copied and pasted,perhaps because the historians wanted to make it hard for someone like me to point out what wild assumptions were being made, I will have to transcribe what they wrote.
Before I do so, I must point out that most municipalities started their heritage studies about 30 years too late. In about 1990, I was driven around the areas north of Tullamarine by Syd Lloyd and Bob Blackwell to whom Syd introduced me. Syd and his brothers,including George who wrote MICKLEHAM ROAD 1920 TO 1952, were carriers who drove all around the Broadmeadows shire and Bob knew the Bulla and Greenvale areas like the back of his hand.
Bob showed me a brick, domed, well cover that was built for Felix Fitzgerald by his maternal grandfather, William Bedford, who also built the swing bridge over Deep Creek at the end of School Lane near the state school.
THE STUDY STATES:
4.4 OAKLANDS ROAD PAVING.
An area of brick paving is located beneath a boxthorn bush at the south west corner of the junction between
Oaklands and Somerton Rds 2.7 km north east of Bulla Village. As well as the hand- made brick paving there is a small number of glass and ceramic sherds in the vicinity. This is a probable residence or hotel of the late 19th/ early 20th Century,perhaps McNamara's Hotel. ......
4.5. CAMPBELL'S COTTAGE (No problems with this.Duncan Cambell was granted 9 acres nearly opposite the Hume and Hovell cairn and immediately north of Felix Fitzgerald's grant where Bob Blackwell showed me the dome covered well that his maternal grandfather had built.
4.6.OAKLANDS ROAD CISTERN.
A brick,domed cistern or well with cement rendering is situated in a field to the direct west of Oaklands Road 0.4 km south of Somerton Rd......and immediately north of the old Oaklands Rd bridge....Though the site cannot be identified with certainty,Moloney and Johnson (1998b)note "an underground well/tank,perhaps part of McNamara's Hotel" in a similar position.
After 25 years, I can't remember whether the well that William Bedford built for Felix Fitzgerald was on the 8 acres granted to Felix directly opposite the Hume and Hovell monument. But if there were any more domed wells remaining,I'm sure he would have given me the story behind all of them. It would have been good if the historic sites had been plotted on a map of section 1 showing the subdivision boundaries.
Previously in the study,it is claimed that McNamara's Hotel was at the south west corner of Oaklands and Somerton Rds. I checked my Bulla Bulla map and found that J.McNamara was indeed granted 10.5 acres at this very corner, the north east corner of the former town common. I thought it was amazing that I had never heard of such a hotel. Despite hours of searching, I found no connection between McNamara and Bulla or Oaklands Junction but this. My search included reports of Oaklands Hunt Club rides and not once was the Oaklands Hotel mentioned.
HUNT—M'NAMARA. —On the 17th inst.,at St. Patrick's Cathedral, Melbourne, by the Rev. P. Aylward, John Hunt, late of Oaklands Hotel, Bulla, to Mrs.M'Namara, Junction Hotel, Redesdale.(P.1, Argus, 23-3-1876.)
John's former wife had not been long dead and the same name was given to the hotel.
HUNT.—On the 14th June at Oakland's Hotel,Bulla, of abscess of the lungs, Anastasia, the beloved wife of John Hunt, aged 34 years. R.I.P. MELBOURNE, SATURDAY, JUNE 26, 1875.
(P.11, Advocate,Melbourne, 26-6-1875.)
FOR SALE or TO LET, HUNT'S
Oaklands Hotel, Bulla, with 70 acres of land
Apply on the premised, to J. Hunt. (P.11, Advocate, 8-1-1876.)
The Oaklands Hotel was described as being 16 miles from Melbourne in the advertisement on page 8 of the Argus of 21-12-1875.
Now,it's possible that Mrs McNamara was a partner in the Oaklands Hotel and that her children were serving drinks there so that locals called the pub McNamara's hotel. But where was it? Was the hotel and land owned or leased by John Hunt? Was the Oaklands Hotel Dean's Hotel or the Inverness Hotel?
I checked pages D 27-30 of my DICTIONARY HISTORY OF TULLAMARINE AND MILES AROUND and found that in 1868,John Dean, farmer, and William James Dean,butcher, were residents of Bulla and in 1871, William James Dean was running the Inverness Hotel. The oldest available assessment when I made my transcriptions was that of 1882-3.
No acreages were given but the following was recorded:
William J.Dean, 2 land blocks N.A.V.6 pounds and hotel N.A.V. 50 pounds; John, Joseph and William Jnr Dean N.A.V.20,1 and 5 pounds; John Dean Jnr N.A.V. 3 pounds,all of these being in the Main Deep Creek Rd subdivision; and Thomas J.Dean N.A.V. 32 pounds in the Oaklands and Green Gully Subdivision.
The Main Deep Creek Road Subdivision was section 1,the old town common between Oaklands Rd and Wildwood Rd. The Oaklands and Green Gully subdivision was section 3 north of Woodlands. It is possible that the aforementioned John Hunt was related to the Deans via the Standen family.
The 53 acres which John Cosgrave bought from Mary Daniel in 1853 was later owned by Hunt and Standen before it passed to Mrs T.J.Dean of Moonee Ponds,a daughter of Standen.(P.44,BULLA BULLA I.W.Symonds.)
I believe the Oaklands Hotel was Deans Hotel and that it was therefore in the SOUTH WEST CORNER of section 1 (the old town common),not the SOUTH WEST CORNER of Somerton and Oaklands Rd where McNamara's Hotel was claimed to be (on J.McNamara's grant. The 70 acres to be sold with the hotel could have included some of John Cosgrave's purchase between the Daniels' Narbonne and James Musgrove's land (the Ponderosa Zoo when Bob Blackwell showed it to me) which was purchased by the Oaklands Hunt Club for their kennels.
NEXT STEP-WERE DEAN'S HOTEL AND THE INVERNESS SO-NAMED IN 1875-6?
ANOTHER COMPLICATION!
It is possible that the Green Gully Hotel was McNamara's hotel but more likely that it was John Lavars' Greenvale Hotel on the south west corner of Somerton and Mickleham Rds in the parish of Yuroke and the shire of Broadmeadows. Green Gully was near the boundary between the parishes where the Moonee Ponds Creek enters Woodlands at 178 C6. The bridge referred to could have been at this point or at Melway 177J7. If the former, the hotel was probably Lavars' but if the latter, it is near the Oaklands Road Paving site and the supposed McNamara's Hotel.
SHIRE of BULLA-TENDERS for undermentioned WORKS, addressed to the President of the Bulla Shire Council, will be received up till 11 o clock a.m. on Thursday, the 15th day of July, 1875 -
Contract No l8 -Alternative tenders for the construction of a small bridge, either with timber or stone abutments, and about 10 chains of forming road, &c, near Green Gully Hotel,Bulla,(etc.)
(P.3, Argus,14-6-1875.)
I waded through 100 results (of 158 in a trove search for GREEN GULLY HOTEL and the only times this name was found occurred in the same advertisement in different issues. Green Gully was a natural feature and was Bullaese for "to the east". The part of Yuroke east of Green Gully had been named Greenvale in 1869 when school 890, nearSction Rd, was given the name of John McKerchar's farm,"Greenvale".
About that time,perhaps in 1871, John Lavars and John McKerchar donated land for what we know as Somerton Rd (for which no land had been reserved) and this caused quarrels between the two shires about the construction of a bridge at Green Gully. (GREENVALE LINKS WITH THE PAST, Annette Davis/Ferguson.)
I think the above proves conclusively that the bridge was at Green Gully and that the so-called Green Gully Hotel was actually the Greenvale Hotel (which already bore that name in 1875.)
So were Dean's Hotel and the Inverness Hotel mentioned in 1875?
Contract No. 4-76-8 chains of roadmaking near Dean's Hotel, Craig bank road*
Contract No. 6-76-12 chains of roadmaklng on Craig bank road, near bridge and Mr D.Patullo's
(P.3,Argus, 13-1-1875.)
*Dean's Hotel was on the east corner of Bulla and Wildwood Rds. The latter was called Craigbank road because it led to David Patullo's Craigbank but was later renamed Wildwood Rd after the McAuliffes' farm farther north.
There was only one mention in 1875 of the Inverness Hotel and that was in the city. How far from Melbourne was the Inverness Hotel?
Two Arrests by Police Patrol,
Called from Fairfield shortly after 1 o'clock yesterday morning the police patrol under Senior-constable Hunt arrested two men in connection with an attack on two guests and the licensee of the Inverness Hotel, about 15 miles from Melbourne, on the Bulla road. (P.16, Argus, 25-6-1928.)
This is part of an advertisement for the sale of the Glenara Estate and I presume it refers to Glenara itself.
The property has several miles of frontage to the Deep Creek, near Bulla Bulla, and is only 16 miles
from Melbourne. (P.3, Argus, 16-4-1874.)
The Oaklands Hotel was said to be 16 miles from Melbourne. My measurements on Melway from the 10 mile post (outside Sam Parr's The Elms at Tullamarine) indicate that the police report of the Inverness Hotel being about 15 miles from Melbourne is fairly spot-on. Dean's Hotel at the east corner of Wildwood Rd is almost another mile away, while the supposed site of McNamara's Hotel at the south west corner of Oaklands and Somerton Rds would be an extra 1.25 miles. The Oaklands Hotel could have been either Dean's or the Inverness.
I have found no evidence that there was ever a McNamara's Hotel at Bulla/ Oaklands Junction. John Hunt's Oaklands Hotel seems more likely to be the Inverness Hotel because it was situated at the junction of the Deep Creek and Oaklands Rds (Melway 177 H11, near Perimeter Rd.) However Dean's Hotel was about 16 miles from Melbourne. Whichever was the Oaklands,it is doubtful that Hunt owned the hotel. Walter Clark owned the Inverness and associated(58?) acres,having bought all of Alexander Kennedy's section 17 Tullamarine in about 1856.Dean's hotel was so named in early 1875 and W.J.Dean who'd been running the Inverness in 1871,bought the 23 acre crown allotment 22 of section 1 on 19-3-1870 and was rated on the hotel and two blocks in 1882-3.
John Hunt would have sold only stock,furniture and what they call goodwill in regards to the hotel. The 70 acres that he was selling could have been his own land not necessarily adjoining the hotel.
I will be delighted if somebody comes up with proof that there was a McNamara's Hotel at the south west corner of Oaklands and Somerton Rds. How about it Moloney and Johnson (1998);if you have proof of McNamara's Hotel which I've never seen mentioned by anybody else,even Isaac Batey,let's have it!
MORNINGTON DISTRICT JOTTINGS (1), VIC., AUST.
By the Mornington district, I mean any places likely to be mentioned in the Mornington News. Obviously more interested in the area's history than the other two Peninsula papers, the News has for some months been running an excellent series of extracts from old newspapers. Apart from history, what makes this paper (and the Southern Peninsula News) such good reads are the humorous articles and the critical eye kept on Mornington Peninsula Shire. Good as the historical articles are,I have two criticisms:
1. the same extracts are used in the Southern Peninsula News, when they should involve Dromana, Red Hill, Rosebud, Boneo, Rye, Sorrento and Portsea;
2. many of the articles are meaningless to someone who lacks a fair background understanding of the area's history.
DAD DID IT!
That's what the Mornington News editor, Mike Hast, said in the 16th April, 2013 edition. Now dobbing in your parents is hardly the done thing but Mike wasn't really dobbing. I just wanted to use a sensationalist headline! Mike's headline was Don't forget history:market is 34 this year. The Leader and the Weekly have both published articles this week about the market celebrating its 30th. Knowledge of its true age has been lost because of "many changes in the personnel at the chamber" according to Alan Caton, former boss of the Mornington Chamber of Commerce.
Mike's father, Cr Tom Hast, started the market on 26-9-1979. It was a very different Mornington in those days. Only two years later the railway was closed, obviously because of poor patronage. This was partly due to the small population but another factor would have been the extra travelling time caused because Mt Eliza residents opposed a direct route and the line having to go through Mornington Junction (Baxter.)
Tom ran the market from the arcade near the Grand Hotel and overcame resistance from some traders by suggesting that they display slow-moving goods on the footpath. This brought life to Main St on its slowest trading day, Wednesday. Shops had traditionally been closed on Wednesday, as well as weekends. Tom's idea had been backed by Mornington Shire but by only a few members of the Chamber. The market's success ensured that the other members came on board and the Chamber took over responsibility in the 1980's, with Maree Abbott in charge.
Mike's article includes an Age article of 24-10-1979 by Sarah Chester which states that Tom had got his idea from seeing successful markets in English and European towns the previous year and that (within a month)the shopkeepers' turnover had increased by 20% on market days.
JAMES GRACE OF MOONDAH.
Moondah, built in 1888 for James Grice was an opulent 42 room Victorian Mansion with beautiful gardens and a vineyard. The gatehouse is very similar in design to the gatehouse in Parramatta Park in Sydney. It is believed this was used as a basis to building Moondah's gatehouse.When built, Moondah had a golf course, tennis court, croquet green and polo field for the entertainment of visitors.Sir Reginald Ansett purchased Moondah in 1947 and restored the building into a 5 star luxury hotel. This he called Manyung Hotel. It was the most luxurious hotel on the Mornington Peninsula. Ansett sold Manyung Hotel to the Australian Administrative Staff College in 1957. It is now run as the executive training centre for the college.
The balance of the Moondah was bequeathed to charity on the passing of Lady Ansett in 2003.
The Mornington Standard article of 19-4-1913 gave the Moondah owner's name as Grice and trove's digitisation as Grlce. The News must take full responsibility for the error.
The following were also mentioned in the 19-4-1913 extract.
MR EDGAR OF THREE CHAIN ROAD.
The article stated that Messrs Edgar and son had suffered a heavy loss when a haystack on their Three-chain road farm, containing over 20 tons of hay, was destroyed by fire after being wet by heavy rain.
Thee Chain Road was Moorooduc Road and the Moorooduc Station now houses the trains which make regular trips between Watt Rd in Mornington and Moorooduc, the peninsula's version of Puffing Billy.
Messrs Alex Scott and Co will hold a large clearing sale on account of Mr J. P. Edgar, on the property, one mile from Moorooduc Railway Station on...etc. (P.2, Mornington Standard, 20-11-1915.)
If Alex Scott meant one mile south,the farm might have been near the Wooralla Drive corner. The Tullys might know where it was, perhaps the Dandridge farm just south of the Tully produce store.
Jack Edgar might have been J.P.'s son or grandson. He had Tuerong in the 1950's.
NEARLY 200 carloads, mainly family groups, attended the polo carnival in aid of the Orthopaedic Hospital at Tuerong Park, Mornington, on Saturday.....Mr and Mrs Jack Edgar, owners of Tuerong Park, with their son Jonathan lunched with Mr Aubrey Gibson honorary secretary of the Melbourne Hunt Polo Club and Mrs Gibson.
(P.8, Argus, 3-3-1952.)
Tuerong Park was basically the Tuerong pre-emptive right. Its homestead is now the office of the Dromana Estate of Tuerong Winery(Melway 152 B2.) The east half of the northern boundary was Tuerong Rd east to about the creek. Its south west corner was at the bend in Vineyard Lane and the south east corner was the end of Gillett Rd. Three Chain Road runs through the pre-emptive right.(Google "moorooduc, county of mornington" to see it on the parish map.)
BLACKS CAMP, SOMERVILLE.
The article mentions that the Shire of Frankston and Hasting's application to use an acre of a reserve known locally as Black's Camp was to be considered by the local land board at Somerville on 29-4-1913.
The reserve is at Melway 148 D2. Blacks Camp Rd leads to it from Jones Rd. But Austin Rd,named after George Austin, a Frankston Real Estate Agent who subdivided the area, was also referred to as Blacks Camp Rd in 1901.Crown allotment 54 Moorooduc consisted of 101 acres 3 roods and 36 perches. It was bounded on the east by Blacks Camp (Austin) Road for 618 metres north to the 6 acre 2 rood water reserve. Its Bungower Rd frontage was 524 metres and the South East Water storages are just inside its north west corner.It is likely that the Finlayson farm was bought by Murray Gomm's grandfather,William Henry (Paddy) Gomm and later passed to Billy Gomm (Somerville F.C. Legend, along with Murray's father, George.)
ALEX SCOTT & CO. (in conjunction with J.E. WORRELL) under instructions from the Union Trustee Co. of Australia Ltd., 339 Collins Street, Melbourne, in the estate of the late James Finlayson, will sell by public auction, a valuable Block of Land, Containing 70 acres or thereabouts, being portion of Crown Allotment 54, parish of Moorooduc, county of Mornington. This property is situated at the corner of Bungower and Blacks Camp roads, only three quarters of a mile from the Somerville Railway Station, and adjoining Mr J. Murray's orchard and opposite Mr J. Scott's. (P.2, Mornington Standard, 26-9-1901.)
Blacks Camp was a lagoon, thus its reservation as a water reserve. Crown allotments 55-58 also adjoined the reserve and of course nearby farmers had access via the two Blacks Camp lanes (which is all they were until George Austin became involved, with trees growing on them!) The bank teller was required to test his pistols at regular intervals and on one occasion one of the Gomm lads went with him and they fired the bullets into the banks of the lagoon.
Incidentally, Graf Rd, the boundary between crown allotments 55 and 56 (and 54 and the water reserve), is named after cricketer, Sean Graf,the name being suggested by a member of the Somerville Cricket Club (not a Gomm.) His ancestor was the station master at Somerville and when Henry Gomm's daughter fell in love with him, Henry had him tranferred (courtesy of his mate, Tommy Bent) to Ascot Vale but the girl fled to him and was cut off from her family. It was years later that Paddy Gomm brought the Grafs back into the fold after Henry's death.