History of Frankston

SHARK GETS FISHERMAN
On Christmas Eve 1881, two brothers named Brown left Melbourne in a fishing boat en-route for Frankston, to spend Christmas there, but failed to arrive. The sea and beach were searched without finding a trace of the missing men. An evening or two later a shark was noticed swimming in the vicinity of the pier.
Two men set to capture it. They were Jack Connal (father of Bill Connals garage) and a man universally known as “Jack the Russian” or “Russian Jack”. They used an ordinary shark hook and managed to hook him twice, but the hook failed to hold him. This made it obviously significant that they were dealing with no weakling so they decided to get a special hook made. It was a bright moonlight night, and they decided to keep on the job, so they went to the blacksmith’s and got Mr. John Cameron out of his bed and got him to make a hook to their specifications.21st January 1885, Illustrated Australian News
SHARK ATTACK

CAPTURE OF A MONSTER SHARK.
DISCOVERY OF HUMAN REMAINS IN ITS INSIDIE.
On Saturday, Dec. 27, two young men named Coxall were fishing off the Frankston pier, when one of them hooked a shark about 14 feet in length and 9 feet in girth. Owing to
the size of the shark they were unable to land it at once, the result being that it broke away. The shark, however, continued hovering about the pier, and was fed with fish until another hook was obtained, and on a second trial the Coxalls managed to again secure the monster, and drag it into shallow water, where it was shot. On opening it, portions of a coat, vest and trousers were found in its stomach, and in one of the vest pockets were found a gold watch and silver chain, and in the trousers pocket - the sum of 10s. 6d. in silver, two keys and n pipe. Further search being made, a human arm and a portion of a skull were found in the stomach. The articles found were handed over to Constable Moore, and the clothing and watch were identified by Mr. Brown as belonging to his brother, who was drowned in tlie yacht Iolanthe. A magisterial inquiry was held at St. Kilda when the watch was identified by Mr. Brown as that belonging to his son Henry, the elder of two unfortunate brothers who were lost on the 13th ins, whilst on a fishing expedition. The body of the younger son William, when found on the beach, was without the left arm, which had evidently been torn off by a shark. The arm contained in the stomach of the fish in question was, however, a right arm, which fact, taken in conjunction with the recognition of the watch, renders it an abso- lute certainty that it is the arm of the elder brother.

Frankston OVAL AND STATE SCHOOL
The main part of the Frankston Park was at one time (about 1880) fenced with post and rails and a year later cleared and the oval laid out.
The State School was built in 1877 consisting of one room and a lean* dwelling (that dwelling is still being used) the only alteration being the dividing wall. This is the school in which I graduated. The man who built this School was William Staples.

THE FIRST TEACHER
The first teacher was a Mr Dawson followed by Mr Potts, Mr Kneen and Mr Bourke in that order. Mr Bourke came from “The Emerald Isles” and was a fine old man. Those teachers were the only ones to live in the school. A Mr Phillips an engine driver, occupied the residential portion for a long time. The school was fenced in by Ex. Cr. Jim Hodgins, and his brother of Hastings, in 1888, and they made a good job of it. We had Arbor day and planted a double row of pine trees along the fence.

SCHOOL TREES 62 YEARS OLD
If it is of any educational value to the school children of today, the surviving trees in their yard are approximately 62 years old.ate School

Robert Cadby Wells has a very good recollection of History, as compared with the newspaper articles. His memoirs are very interesting. I think that his memoirs are to be considered reliable.

FRANK STONE - “FRANKSTON”
Now we come to the man who is credited with having Frankston named after him. He was Frank Stone. In the year somewhere about 1855 Mr. Stone built a way side inn between the Grand Hotel and Mechanics Institute about where the telephone exchange now is. It was used as a half-way house for people travelling from Melbourne and Sorrento. My Grandfather H. C. Wells was one of those travellers. He had an interest in lime kilns down the Peninsula in 1858. On occasions he used to bring along my father who was a boy about 12 years old at the time, which would be 92 years ago. About this time the locality was known as “Frankstone” and suggests that this brought about the idea of the name Frankston

THE WELLS/POLGALSE CONNECTION- By Burt Polglase
This family history was written many years ago. This was a time where people relied on the stories told by each family. There was no internet or technology. At the time I think Bert done a great job of recording history (the best according to his memory). It pays to verify all information.

His Memories:
In early 1830 a young couple came across from Northern Ireland to england, the husband having been appointed to the position of footman to an English Earl.
The couple had a young son named David and the Earl and his wife a young Daughter about the same age. The two children, as children will talked to each otherand later played together, and as they grew older would, whenever possible go for walks.
The Earl did not encourage this friendship and endeavoured to stop it. As the couple reached teenage the friendship became more serious and eventually turned to love. The Earl in the end forbade his daughter to see young Kelly, but love has a way and the couple used to meet in secret. The couple wanted to marry and in the end decided to ask the Earl and his Wife for permission to marry, but of course this wa refused outright, as it was unthinkable for the daughter of an Earl to marry a commoner. As love knows no bounds the couple decided they woul elope and get married and go out to Australia.

THE FACTS ARE;
The above couple is Robert Kelly and Mary Ann Beattie.
Mary Ann was a Widower, first married to Isaac Rooney, Ireland who had two children;
Mary Jane Rooney and Isaac Rooney.
Robert Kelly was born in County Tyrone, Ireland on the 9th January 1825, son of Robert Kelly and Ann Greer. On the 3rd March 1847, Robert married Mary Ann Rooney at Donaghmore, Ireland, the daughter of David Beattie and Mary Jardan. Mary Ann was a widow, with a young son named Isaac Rooney. Isaac’s father was also named Isaac, a Church Warden at Castlecaulfield. Isaac senior died in 1842, whilst Mary Ann was pregnant with Isaac. Robert and Mary Ann had their first child, Ann born in Ireland in 1848.
Ireland was experiencing “The Potato Famine”, a time where between 1 and 2 million people emigrated for a better life in other Countries. This when the Kelly family departed for Australia for a better life.
On the 5th September 1849, the family left Plymouth aboard the “Andromache” arriving at Point Henry, Geelong, Victoria on Christmas Eve 1849.
The Family first settled in Melbourne (near Flinders Street). Robert tried his luck at the Goldfields for a while, before settling in Collingwood. Whilst at Collingwood, David Beatty Kelly was born in 1850, followed by Sarah in 1852, Maria in 1854, Catherine in 1856 and Robert Alexander in 1857.
David spent the first 10 years of his life residing in Collingwood, before the family moved to Harkaway in the Dandenong Ranges. After a few years here, the family moved to Frankston in about 1860.
As a young lad David become a driver of Bullock teams. He carted firewood to Frankston Pier from where it was sent to Melbourne. He also carted bricks throughout the township.
David was next heard of in Gippsland doing general cartage work, and is credited with the distinction of being the first man to drive a spring cart from Frankston to Rosedale. In the Rosedale district he secured a bullock team, and ran the team between Bairnsdale and the Crooked River, and carted the first machinery for Mr Flintoff to the gold mines in that area.
David Kelly returned to Frankston where he married a widow named Mary Louisa Wells on the 7th December 1869. David purchased a property of 80 acres on Cranbourne Road where he established a farm and Orchard. He also continued his cartage work. With others he took part in a search for coal, which some residents contended was to be found in the district. A shaft about 80 feet deep was sunk near Mornington road, probably on the property now owned by Mr. L. R. U. Utber. That proving unsuccessful, a bore was put down near the beach not far from the Frankston tennis courts. Failing there, the searchers next put down a bore on Cricklewood Estate, where, instead of coal, they discovered a spring of beautiful water. This was semi-artesian, and continued to flow for many, years. Still later he established a dairy in the township. He lived in Young street for 50 years before his death. When he first resided there he owned all the land from where Sherlock and Hay's timber yards now are to Playne street. When the township grew he subdivided the land and disposed of most of it. Until his death he believed that gold could be obtained in the district. When aged nearly 80 years he took part, with others who held a similar belief, in the sinking of a shaft at Langwarrin.
David Kelly died on the 19th May 1936, aged 86 years.

Siblings
Ann Kelly, born Ireland Marriage (1) John Clarke (2) John Dixon Box

Sarah Kelly born Collingwood 1852 married Frank Richard Wells

Maria Kelly born Collingwood 1854 died Frankston 11th July 1933
MISS M. KELLY Miss .Maria Kelly," aged. 80, years, who died on July 11, was one of the pioneers of Frankston, where she, re' sided with her- parents, for- many years. About 60 years ago she left the district, but often returned to Frankston to visit her brother, Mr. David Kelly, and her sister, Mrs. F.R. Wells, senior. Burial, took place in the Booroondara cemetery on July 12.

Catherine Kelly born Collingwood 1856 died Collingwood 1857

Robert Alexander Kelly born Collingwood 1857

DEATH OF ROBERT & MARY ANN KELLY

KELLY. -On the 1st May, at the residence of her
son-in-law, 58 Elgin street, Hawthorn, Mary Ann, relict of the late Robert Kelly, late of Trinian street, Prahran, also loving mother of the Rev.Fix this text I. Rooney, of South Australia; Mrs. A. Box, Hawthorn; Mrs. D. B. Kelly, and Mrs. F. Wells, Frankston; Miss M. Kelly, 68 Powell street, South Yarra; also late Mr. R. A. Kelly, Korumburra; aged 100 years and 5 months.

KELLY. —On the 15th January, at his residence,
30 Trinian-street, East Prahran, Robert, the dearly beloved husband of Mary Ann Kelly andFix this text loving father of Miss M. Kelly, Mrs. J. D. Box (Hawthorn), Mr. D. Kelly, and Mrs. F. Wells (Frankston), and Mr. R. A. Kelly (Korum- burra), also the Rev. I. Rooney (South Australia),

Early Pioneers Frankston

DAVEY, Mr James Davey is thought to have had the Cananuke Run in Frankston in 1836, where he operated the cannanuke Inn. In 1845 James davey purchased the 8000 acre run "Ballanrong" from Thomas Gorringe. It ran south-east from the top of Mt Eliza to within about four miles from Hastings. He also jointly acquired the "Junction Run" in the Murray River area in partnership with Mr Hamilton (Further Frankston Portraits)
James Davey arrived in South Australia on the ship “Argyle” from Cornwall, England, in 1838.
It seems that he had lived at Gardener’s Creek, Victoria before coming to Frankston, as his eldest son William was born at that place. This son in his mature years owned and conducted the Bayview Hotel- now “The Grand”- which he purchased from his father in 1874.
Davey came around 1850 and built his first house on the Mornington Road where old “Marathon” stands. Here he resided while building a larger house overlooking the Bay that bears his name and he called it “Marysville” after his wife.
In 1851, he obtained pre-emptive right of land at Mt Eliza, with Sweetwater Creek as his north eastern boundary and extending towards Mornington and Moorooduc. On this run he built his third house, situated on the flat country at the extreme end of the Mount, not far from where Mornington Railway line now runs. This house was on his farm land which he called “Bell Ring Farm”.
In a nearby creek he made a dam and this locality eventually became known as the “Old Dam” or “The Old Pound” there being a pound built on a reserve close by. This yard of detention was erected during the old “Road’s Board” regime. It was mostly horses that were impounded, as there many roaming the country in those days.
I have proof that this Pound was in use seventy eight years ago. How long before that date I do not know.

Son of Mr James Davey
OBITUARY. MR. JAMES DAVEY. It is with regret we have to chronicle the death, at the age of 56, of Mr James Davey, a respected resident of long standing at Frankston, which occurred at Melbourne on Friday last, Mr Davey, though years ago a sufferer on account of ill-health, had recently been exceptionally well, but an attack of cerebral hemorrhage about a fortnight ago necessitated him entering a hospital, and though he railed somewhat, the attack proved fatal, as stated above. The deceased gentleman, who had been living in St. Kilda for the past couple of years, was born at Gardiner's Creek, Victoria, but lived the greater part of his life at Davey's Bay, Frankston. He was the second eldest son of Mr Jas. Davey, one of the pioneers of this district, and after whom Davey's Bay was called. For some time the deceased gentleman lived at Red Hill, but the greater part of his life was passed at "Marysville," Davey's Bay, Frankston, erected by his father, Mr Jas. Davey, in 1851. Some interesting facts surround "Marysville," which was built at a cost of £2000, on elaborate lines, the slates and timber being brought over from Tasmania. In the early days "Marysville" was the mansion if the district. The old homestead was dismantled a few years ago by Mr A. H. Sargood, who purchased the land and erected a magnificent residence thereon, shortly after which Mr Davey moved to St. Kilda,after having spent about 40 years in the district. The deceased leaves a widow and family of six boys and four girls to mourn their loss. One of the sons, Mr Len Davey, is a resident of Mount Eliza, the others, as they have grown up, having removed to various parts. The funeral took placece on Monday at the Kew Cemetery, the burial service being read by the Rev. Mr Rowells, of East Melbourne.
*James Davey Junior purchased two blocks at Red Hill totalling 250 acres. on one of these blocks he built his home "Forest Lodge". (Further Frankston Portraits.)