Was James Hassell the First to Use Greenvale to Describe the Southern Part of the Parish of Yuroke Near Somerton Road

EDWARD ROW &t CO. have received instructions from James Hassell, Esq;, to sell by public auction, at his residence, GREENVALE, near Broadmeadows, adjoining the estate of Donald M'Kerchar, Esq, ON TUESDAY, the 16th MAY INSTANT, At 11 o'clock sharp, The entire Farming Stock, consisting of"” (etc.) P.3, The Banner, 12-5-1854.)

This seems to be connected to the same James Hassell of whom I'd never seen mention before in regard to the parish of Yuroke, the first Broadmeadows rate record seen being that of 1863 and I'm sure he was not mentioned in GREENVALE: LINKS WITH THE PAST by Annette Davis (Ferguson.)

On the 10th inst., at the residence of Mr. Edwin Gill, Richmond, Mrs. Hassell, the beloved wife of Mr.Hassell, (late of Carshalton, Surrey, and mother of Mr. James Hassell of Moorrabbee Station, Heathcote,(late of Richmond), in her sixtieth year. (P.4, Argus, 11-2-1854.)

BIRTH.
At Moorrabee, on Sunday morning, the 8th inst.,the wife of James Hassell, Esq. of a son.
(P.8,The Banner, 12-5-1854.)

THE PARISH OF YUROKE
extended from the top left corner of Melway 178 C11 east to Merri Creek and north to the parishes of Mickleham and Kalkallo at a line generally indicated by the bend in Mickleham Rd at bottom left of Melway 385H2.

Donald and John McKerchar were jointly granted c/a's 10Q and 9 P, the latter's property, 10Q, being named "Greenvale" and Donald's 9 P being named "Greenan". James Hassell would have been leasing one of the following properties which adjoined either "Greenvale" or Greenan": the eastern part of John Haslett's 10 R at Green Gully, a northern part of Machell's 2 C,(Providence Plains), all or part of"Springfield" (c/a 9 O)or Brodie's 11S or 12T to the north and part of the Dunhelen Estate.

John McKerchar's "Greenvale" was later leased to Robert Millar whose son, Alex, renamed it "The Elms".Donald McKerchar's first wife Colina died and he married Margaret Robertson, who was born at Greenan in Scotland.

Although the names of residences were not always written in inverted commas, it is presumed that Greenvale in the notice of the clearing sale means the locality , not the name of his residence. John McKerchar's biography on page 430 of Alexander Sutherland's VICTORIA AND ITS METROPOLIS: PAST AND PRESENT (1888)indicates that he settled on "Greenvale" in 1851; although he may have leased 10Q to James Hassell, there is no way to prove that James Hassell was actually on "Greenvale".

It has been assumed that the use of Greenvale to describe the area near Somerton Rd arose when the Section Road school at the north west corner of Machell's subdivision was built and as it needed a name, John McKerchar suggested the name of his farm.

"Plans and specifications were drawn up allowing room for 60 pupils to be housed at School 890 and the
estimates for building costs amounted to Ł379. As the sum of Ł102.15.0d had already been collected
locally with a guarantee to raise additional money, work commenced and the school was officially
opened in March 1868. The appointment of Mr George R Hancock as first Head Teacher at the Green
Vale School (which took its name from the McKerchar property opposite) had also been made. "
(http://greenvaleps.vic.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Greenvale_Primary_School_1868_to_2010.pdf)

While the following does not prove that James Hassell was on "Greenvale" (c/a 10Q), it certainly indicates that he could have been (in which case he did not name the locality.)

THIS DAY.
Cows and Horses, Implements, & c.
M. M'CAW and ANOTHER have received instructions from Mr Henry Norman (in consequence of expiration of lease), to sell by auction, at Greenvale Farm, near Broadmeadows on Friday, 4th inst., at twelve o'clock,
The whole of his dairy stock, horses, implements, &c., comprising "” (ETC.) P.2, The Age, 4-4-1862.)

The next mention of Greenvale in the 1860's seems to indicate that the locality name was first used in March 1868 which raises the likelihood that James Hassell had been leasing c/a 10Q Yuroke, Greenvale farm.

APPLICATIONS will be received by the Committee of the Greenvale Common School for tho appointment of a first-class TEACHER (must be married), at noon on Saturday, the 7th prox. Applicants must attend personally.
For further particulars apply to the undersigned.
JOHN M'KERCHAR. Greenvale, Broadmeadows, 27th February, 1868.(P.1, Argus, 6-3-1868.)