The Chalet Geneve on Albert Park Lake and the Mathieu sisters

This postcard of the Fitzroy Gardens Kiosk Refreshment rooms was addressed to Mr Waters, c/o Madame Savary, Chalet Geneve, Middle Park. The bottom right corner of the postcard has the names of the 'proprietoresses', the Misses Mathieu. They were the sisters of Madame Savary, who operated the Chalet Geneve, on Albert Park Lake. Two other sisters operated the kiosk at Central Park in Malvern.  This is the story of Chalet Geneve, the Mathieu sisters and a Victoria Cross recipient.

Kiosk Refreshment Rooms, Fitzroy Gardens

Image: Isaac Hermann

The Fitzroy Garden Kiosk was the first of the three kiosks operated by the Mathieu sisters to open. It was officially opened by the Lord Mayor of Melbourne, Cr Weedon of February 27, 1908. The building cost £900 (1).  At the opening, the Chairman of the City of Melbourne Parks & Garden Committee, Mr J. Harris said that the kiosk had no equal in any of the other states. The erection of such a pavilion would make the Fitzroy Gardens even more beautiful than they were at present, although, before its erection, the gardens were as beautiful as any to be seen anywhere else in the world (2). It was leased by Misses F. and K. Mathieu for a considerable term (3).  These women were Frances and Katherine Mathieu, more about whom later. The Kiosk was damaged by fire in 1960 and later demolished. A new Kiosk, on the same site, opened in 1964 (4).  

The Kiosk, Central Park, Malvern. Photographer: Rose Stereograph Co.

State Library of Victoria Image H32492/7058

The Kiosk at Central Park in Malvern was officially opened by the Mayor of the Town of Malvern, Cr Alex McKinley on May 26, 1911 (5). It was a big week for Malvern, because on May 30 the Town of Malvern was advanced to become the City of Malvern (6).  The kiosk was built by the Council, and then let to the Tramways Trust for three years. This was an advantageous arrangement as the kisok at  Central Park was at the terminus of the Malvern Tram and thus would stimulate traffic (7).   The Tramways Trust sublet the building to Mesdames Baumgartner and Schlichting at a rental of £1 per week until November next, and £2 per week for the balance of the three years' lease (8). These women were May Baumgartner and Sarah Schlichting, sisters of  Frances and Katherine Mathieu. The Central Park Kiosk was demolished in 1973 (9).  

The third kiosk run by the Mathieu women was the one at Albert Park Lake. This kiosk was part of  grander plans proposed by the Albert Park Committee or Trust. In 1907, there were newspaper reports that £10,000 would be spent beautifying the park and that a scheme be prepared by Mr. Catani, engineer of the Public Works department, and the engineers of the two councils for consideration (10). Nothing came of this, but two years later the South Melbourne Council proposed a £20,000 scheme for improving Albert Park. It was suggested that once again Mr Catani should prepare a comprehensive scheme for the improvement of the park (11).  However, in the end the Council decided that they should call for competitive designs for the park and the winning designer would receive £50 (12). As the money for this scheme was not forthcoming it did not go ahead, however the Albert Park Committee, of which Carlo Catani was a member, proceeded with the idea of building a kiosk (13). 

In January 1911, the Emerald Hill Record published this report The committee of management of the Albert Park reserve has accepted the tender of Mr. R. L. Phillips, contractor, of Murrumbeena, for the erection of a new and commodious tea kiosk in the park, at a cost of £634. The building is a substantial two story one, having on the ground floor a large refreshment room 30 x 23, fitted with counter and shelving, and having a large shop window at the entrance. Leading off the room is the residential quarters, consisting of sitting room, two bedrooms, and kitchen, with small pantry. At the north-west corner provision is made for ladies and gentlemen's lavatories. On the east side of the building is a verandah 10 feet wide, where refreshments may be served. The upper floor consists of a large open pavilion comprising 1225 square feet of floor space, which would accommodate a large band on any special occasion. The building will be roofed with iron, and will be connected to the Metropolitan Board of Works sewer. It is expected that the building will be completed by the 1st April. The architect of Mr. D. F. Stevenson, of York Chambers, 47 Queen-street, who is a local resident. The picturesque design reflects great credit on him (14). 

Tenders to occupy the building for three years were advertised in March 1911, but it was the sewerage connection which caused a delay in the opening of the building for over six months as there was a  dispute with the Metropolitan board regarding the payment for sewerage connections (15).  This, plus other extras, meant the total cost of the kiosk was close to £1,000. The kiosk was located in the Albert Park between Middle Park and Albert Park railway stations, facing the old Speedway, which was later renamed Aughtie Drive (16). 

I expected to find many photographs of the Chalet Geneve, but they are very rare, this is cropped from the image, below. The photo shows Aughtie Drive and the tennis courts surrounding the Chalet, which were opened in 1923. 

View of Albert Park Lake, Melbourne. Photographer: Charles Daniel Pratt, c. 1954.

State Library of Victoria http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/386126

Albert Park Lake - the Chalet Geneve is top middle, railway line is on the right, South Melbourne Technical School bottom right.

View of Albert Park Lake, Melbourne. Photographer: Charles Daniel Pratt, c. 1954.

State Library of Victoria http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/386126

The kiosk was officially opened on December 9, 1911. There were many reports of the opening including this one - under the capable management of Mr. H. O. Allan, Secretary to the Albert Park Committee, who is a past-master at organising such gatherings, everything had been done that could lend to the success of the occasion. In the unavoidable absence of Major Morkham, Chairman of the Committee of Management, His Worship the Mayor of South Melbourne (Cr. D. M'Arthur) performed the ceremony of declaring the kiosk open to the public, and in doing so predicted for it a most successful future (17). 

Other officials in attendance were Councillors from St Kilda and South Melbourne, the two municipalities responsible for the maintenance of the building, through the Albert Park Committee and the aforementioned Henry Allen and Carlo Catani. Even though Carlo Catani was not called upon to draw up the beautification plans for Albert Park, he was, I believe the force behind the erection of the Chalet. This was alluded to in the speech of Councillor Jacoby of St Kilda, who when thanking individual members of the Albert Park Committee for their work on the Kiosk said (in a jocular manner) he believed Mr Catani had something to do with it (18).   Cr Baragwanath of South Melbourne confirmed this as his speech concluded with a tribute of praise to Mr Catani, to whom was due the erection of the building (19). The construction of the kiosk was funded by the Public Works Department. 

The Chalet Geneve, photographed on the opening day, December 9, 1911.

Punch, December 14, 1911 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/177535383#

The opening ceremony proceedings were considerably enlivened by selections played by Di Gilio's band (20) and a toast was made the lessees of the kiosk Misses Savary and Matthieu, who named the kiosk, Chalet Geneve (21).

The Albert Park Lake tea-room was artistically decorated, the prevailing tints being green, from the green carpet on the floor to the green plush fringe curtain which divides the apartment from the other room. A stairway leads to a large tea room above, open on three sides, from which extensive views may be had of the surrounding country, with glimpses of sea water, and in front of the lake, with its white-winged craft, rising to the hills of the Botanical Gardens and the Domain, crowned by Government House (22). The green colour scheme was also extended to the waitresses' uniforms which were pea-green and white (23).  

The Chalet Geneve as well as being a Refreshment Kiosk also hosted many other functions including twenty-first birthdays, dances and wedding breakfasts. One wedding in 1914 was described thus a reception was held at the Chalet Geneve, Middle Park, when about a hundred guests partook of a daintily served wedding tea. The table decorations in silver and pale pink chrysanthemums were very effective (24). 

Rosanna Savary operated the kiosk until 1928 or 1929 (25).  In October 1929, the Albert Park Committee of Management decided to renovate the Chalet (26) and towards the end of that year (27) the lease of the building was taken over by Miss Marie Fitzpatrick, who had previously conducted a mixed business in Victoria Avenue, Albert Park (28). Susan Priestley in her history of South Melbourne, says that under the Miss Fitzpatrick, the Chalet was a prime catering and social venue for the district (29). The Emerald Hill Record described her thus Miss Marie Fitzpatrick is one of the best-known citizens of South Melbourne, her work in practically every movement for the welfare of the city and its inhabitants, being particularly notable (30). There are reports of her work with the St Vincent's Hospital Auxiliary, the Homoeopathic Hospital Auxiliary and Marie was also the President of the South Melbourne Home Help Auxiliary, which amongst other activities, provided meals at the local Elderly Citizens Club in Park Street (31).

Marie Fitzpatrick (1886 - 1970)

Image courtesy of her great-nephew, Geoff Fitzpatrick.

The tennis courts surrounding the Chalet, which were built by the South Melbourne Council from 1923, were also managed, along with the Chalet, by Rosanna Savary and later by Marie Fitzpatrick (32). The Courts were so popular that by 1930 over 400 girls played tennis there each week and the Council were going to open two more courts (33). Miss Fitzpatrick was at the Chalet until at least 1955 (34) by then she was 70 years old. Of the Chalet itself, it was still there in the early 1960s (35) but I don't know when it was demolished. 

The Chalet Geneve waitresses, taken at official opening on December 9, 1911.

Punch, December 14, 1911 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/177535383#

The Misses Savary and Mathieu of the Chalet Geneve were Rosanna Savary and her sisters Frances and Katherine, who were still operating the Fitzroy Gardens Kiosk.  The women were the daughters of James Augustine Mathieu and Mary Ann McNamara. They were married on April 6, 1858 at Whroo by the minister of the Independent Church, the Reverend John Macilrea. This was interesting as the couple declared on the marriage certificate that they were both members of the Roman Catholic Church; there was possibly no Catholic Priest in the area. James was a 30 year old miner, born in Manchester and Mary Ann was listed a 21 year old servant, born in Crusheen, in Ireland (36). The couple had nine children, all the births were registered in Rushworth 

Rosanna (1859 -1930). Married Henri Armad Savary (1858-1910) in 1889. They did not have children.
Anna Maria (1860 - 1893). Married Martin O'Grady in 1881 and they had seven sons.

Josephine Cecelia (1861-1930). Married Charles Hamilton Smyth in 1902. They did not have children.

Katherine Louise (1863-1930). Operated the Fitzroy Gardens and Albert ParkLake kiosks.
Frances Ellen Agatha (1864-1917). Operated the Fitzroy Gardens and Albert Park Lake kiosks.
Sarah Ann (1865-1947). Married Henry Arthur Schlichting in 1896 and had one son. Operated the Malvern kiosk.

James Augustine (1867-1943). Married Emma Price in 1895 and had two daughters.
Margaret Emily 'May' (1869-1948). Married George Baumgartner in 1900 and had one son. Operated the Malvern kiosk.

John Baptiste (1871-1849). Married Agnes Ellen Millett in 1902 and they had six daughters and one son (37). 

They were a close knit family (38) and devout Catholics. Katherine and Frances hosted many fundraisers for Catholic causes in their Fitzroy Gardens kiosk - this is from February 1916 - In order to render substantial assistance to St. Vincent's 'Million Shilling Fund,' the Misses Mathieu, of the Kiosk, Fitzroy Gardens, have, in their usual kindness of heart and Catholic charity, ever-fervent, organised special band afternoons for the 6th and the 20th of February (39).  Another event was held in the April - A band performance, organised by the Misses K. and F. Mathieu, was given by St. Vincent's Orphanage Boys in the band-stand, Kiosk, Fitzroy Gardens, on Sunday, 9th April, in aid of St. Vincent's Hospital Million Shillings Fund, and realised the sum of £13/1/1.... All the expenses were defrayed by the Misses Mathieu (40).

After Frances died in February 1917 Table Talk had this short obituary- Miss Frances E. Mathieu, connected since its opening with the tea kiosk in the Fitzroy Gardens, died last week at her residence, East Melbourne. Though suffering for an extended period from an incurable malady, she bravely bore up and refused to let her relatives know the seriousness of her case, till she suddenly collapsed. Many will miss her kindly presence from the place with which she has been, associated, while the charities will lose a benefactress, who never failed to make opportunity to assist them (41).  

She was so well respected that a movement headed by Mrs. A. M. Davidson, Mayoress of Collingwood, is being started to erect a drinking fountain in the Fitzroy Gardens to the memory of the late Miss Frances B. Mathieu. Her friends feel that this would be a good way of expressing their regard for one who during her reign at the gardens kiosk did much to assist the charities. The bands men of Melbourne purpose giving a performance in aid of a fund. The Mayoresses of contiguous municipalities, the staff of the gardens and leaders of different societies will support the movement. The design as proposed will be carried out by Miss Margaret Baskerville (42). I cannot find any references to the drinking fountain ever being erected. 

During the First World War the family also supported patriotic causes.  In May 1915 it was reported in the Weekly Times that In aid of the funds of the French Red Cross Society, a doll, dressed to represent Victory, holding aloft the flags of the Allies, has been given by Madame Savary, of Middle Park. The doll will be raffled when £50 has been obtained. It is on view at present at the kiosk Fitzroy Gardens, East Melbourne (43).  

Sadly for May and Sarah of the Central Park Kiosk at Malvern, their patriotism was called into question due to their surnames. George Baumgartner wrote a letter to the editor of The Age in 1916, defending his wife and sister-in-law - At a recruiting meeting at Malvern the other night an interjector made some untrue and objectionable statements as to the nationality of the lessees of the Malvern Kiosk. If such statements are not refuted they are liable to give a wrong impression, so on behalf of my wife and her sister, who are the lessees referred to, I wish to state that they are both Australian born, and that their father, whose name was Mathieu was a Frenchman, while their mother was Irish. As to myself, I am also Australian born, and my father (who was born in England, and whose father came to that country from Berne, Switzerland) was one of the pioneers of this country, having landed in Victoria over sixty years ago. Both my wife and I have relatives at the present time fighting for the King and Empire, in both the Australian and the English forces, and we shall be grateful to you if you will give publicity through the medium of your columns (44). 

It may have been this personal connection with Anti-German feeling that prompted Rosanna Savary and her sisters at the Chalet Geneve to host functions of the Anti-German League. For instance in July 1916 the Chalet Geneve hosted a social and dance for the League attended by over 100 people. Amongst the entertainers was Mr. E. Littlewood, of Prahran, Australia's popular ventriloquist, [who] gave a very interesting account of himself, together with his funny children, Tommy and Katie (45). The Albert Park branch of this league was formed in November 1915 (46).  The objectives of the League were to  financially and otherwise assist any distress or hardships that might exist among returned soldiers or their dependants, to assist in fighting the enemies of the Empire; to encourage recruiting and to undertake to those who enlist that the league will carry on a vigorous and unceasing campaign to induce the Federal and State authorities to safeguard the public interests from danger at the hands of the enemies in our midst; to advocate the internment of all alien enemies, as well as of all other disloyal persons (47).

May Baumgartner's only son, Charles, was the assistant editor of the The Herald and his only son became a Priest in the Christian Brothers Order (48). Mary Ann Mathieu died in 1918, at the Chalet Geneve where she was living with her daughter, Rosanna.  Her obituary made note that Rosanna was married to the grandson of General Savary, who earned distinction in the Napoleonic wars, and was afterwards created by Napoleon, Duc de Rivigo (49).  Mary Ann's husband James,  had died in 1881, in Shepparton (50).

This brings us to the postcard, addressed to Mr Waters, c/o Madame Savary, Chalet Geneve, Middle Park. 

The back of the Kiosk Refreshment Rooms, Fitzroy Gardens postcard. 

Image: Isaac Hermann

What is the connection between Mr Waters and Madame Savary?  The 1916 Electoral Roll has Charlotte Annie Waters at 69 Canterbury Road,  Middle Park. Her occupation is a canvasser. The address is very close to the location of the Chalet Geneve. Mrs Waters died in October 1946 at the age of 90, she was thus born around 1856, just a few years older than Rosanna Savary. She had two children, Thorold, who was a musician, music critic and journalist and  daughter, Mother N. Borromeo de Sion, a Catholic nun (51).  Charlotte and Rosanna were both similar ages, neighbours, both Catholic and I believe they were friends. I am assuming the postcard writer met Mr Waters, who was perhaps lunching with his mother at the Chalet Geneve, they got talking, he sent the writer a postcard and they had no address to reply to, so they sent it care of Madame Savary to pass on. 

The postcard writer says that 'I went to see Lieutenant Dunstan from Ballarat receive the V.C. The Governor General pinned it on him before.....'  William Dunstan, born in Ballarat, enlisted on June 2, 1915 in the 7th Battalion. He was wounded at Gallipoli on the 8th or 9th of August 15 - gunshot wound to the left eye. After treatment in hospital he  returned to Australia where he was discharged on  medical grounds in February 1916. His Victoria Cross citation reads - For most conspicuous bravery at the Lone Pines Trenches in the Gallipoli Peninsula on 9 August 1915. In the early morning the enemy made a determined counter-attack on the centre of the newly-captured trenches held by Lieut. Tubb, Corporal Burton, Corporal Dunstan and  a few men. They advanced up a sap and blew in a sandbag barricade, leaving only one foot of it standing, but Lieut. Tubb, with the two Corporals, repulsed the enemy and rebuilt the barricades. Supported by stong bombing parties, the enemy twice again succeeded in blowing in the barricades; but on each occasion they were repulsed, and the barricade rebuilt although Lieut. Tubb was wounded in the head and arm, and Corporal Burton was  killed by a bomb whilst most gallantly  building up the parapet under a hail of bombs. Lieutenant Tubb and Corporal Burton were also awarded the Victoria Cross (52). 

Twenty-one year old Lieutenant Dunstan was presented with the Victoria Cross, by the Governor General, Sir Ronald Munro Ferguson, on the steps of Parliament House, in Melbourne on Friday, June 9, 1916, in front on thousands of spectators, including the writer of our postcard (53). It is an eyewitness account of the event, which obviously continued onto another a separate page, which I don't have.

The five sisters were in their forties when they took on the kiosks - Frances and Katherine were unmarried, May and Sarah were both married, each with a primary school aged son and Rosanna was recently widowed, her husband Henri having died a year before the Albert Park Lake kiosk officially opened. What made the Mathieu sisters take up the occupation of Kiosk refreshment room proprietoresses? It  gave them was the opportunity to operate their own business on their own terms and derive an income. For Frances, Katherine and Rosanna, who did not have  a husband to 'support them', this source of income was especially important. It was also a 'respectable' business and would not have had the stigma that running a hotel sometimes had, which was a not uncommon occupation for women at the time. As well, given that married women were often barred from working and even if women did work they earnt far less than men for the same job running your own business was an attractive proposition. This is my tribute to the Mathieu sisters, without whom it seems Melbourne's early cafe culture (or perhaps Kiosk culture might be more appropriate) would have been much the poorer.

Acknowledgment

The postcard of the Fitzroy Gardens Refreshment Kiosk, which was the inspiration for this post belongs to my fellow historian, Isaac Hermann, who also provided me with some of the research, particularily that related to Carlo Catani and the Albert Park Lake kiosk. Thank you!

Trove List  

I have created a list of articles on the establishment of the three kiosks and the Mathieu sisters on Trove, access it here. 

Footnotes

(1) The Argus, February 28, 1908, see here.

(2) The Argus, February 28, 1908, see here.

(3) The Argus, February 28, 1908, see here.

(4) Swanson, Rex Melbourne's Historic Public Gardens: a management and conservation guide (City of Melbourne, 1984), p. 33.

(5) Prahran Telegraph, June 3, 1911, see here.

(6) Cooper, John Butler  The History of the City of Malvern: from its first settlement to a City (Specialist Press, 1935), p. 193.

(7) The Age, July 19, 1911, see here.

(8) The Age, July 19, 1911, see here.

(9) Malvern Historical Society Facebook post of July 5, 1920, see here. 

(10) Emerald Hill Record, June 8, 1907, see here.

(11) Prahran Telegraph, August 28, 1909, see here.

(12) Prahran Telegraph, August 28, 1909, see here.

(13) Barnard, Jill & Keating, Jenny People's Playground: a history of the Albert Park (Chandos Publishing, 1996) p. 74.

(14) Emerald Hill Record, January 28, 1911, see here.

(15) The Age, December 11, 1911, see here.

(16) The Age, December 11, 1911, see here.

(17) Punch, December 14, 1911, see here.

(18) Prahran Telegraph, December 16, 1911, see here.

(19) Prahran Telegraph, December 16, 1911, see here.

(20) Emerald Hill Record, December 16, 1911, see here.

(21) Chalet Geneve - the first report of the Kiosk having a names was in September 1912, when newspapers referred to is as Geneva Chalet. The first use of the term Chalet Geneve was in April 1913. See my Trove list, here.

(22) Prahran Telegraph, December 16, 1911, see here.

(23) Prahran Telegraph, December 16, 1911, see here.

(24) Punch, April 16, 1914, see here. I have included other reports of functions held at Chalet Geneve in my Trove list.

(25) Rosanna Savary is granted £15 from the South Melbourne Council to supervise the tennis courts built at the Chalet (Emerald Hill Record, April 28, 1928, see here).

(26) The Age, October 25, 1929, see here. It was from Susan Priestley's book (see footnote 29) that I was alerted to the fact that the Chalet was renovated that year. 

(27) Emerald Hill Record, January 4 1930, see here.

(28) Marie was the daughter of John and Mary (nee Flanagan) Fitzpatrick. She was born in Clunes in 1886 and had four younger brothers - John (1888), Peter (1890), William (1891) and Edward (1893). Marie died in South Melbourne, aged 85 in 1970.  You can read her mother's interesting and detailed obituary in the Emerald Hill Record, May 12, 1951, see here. 

(29) Priestley, Susan  South Melbourne: a history (Melbourne University Press, 1995), p. 333

(30) Emerald Hill Record, May 12, 1951, see here.

(31) See my Trove list for reports of Marie Fitzpatrick's charity and community work. 

(32) Tennis Court opening - Emerald Hill Record, June 30, 1923, see here. Rosanna Savary - Emerald Hill Record, April 28, 1928, see here. There are many reports of Marie Fitzpatrick running the tennis courts - Emerald Hill Record, November 18, 1933, see here and Emerald Hill Record May 11, 1946, see here.

(33) Emerald Hill Record, June 7, 1930, see here.

(34) The Argus, April 30, 1955, see here.

(35) Australian Jewish News, May 12, 1961, see here.

(36) Details from the marriage certicate.

(37) Details of the children are from the Indexes to the Victorian Births, Deaths and Marriages; family notices published in newspapers found on Trove and in the case of the last child, John Baptiste, his details are from the Queensland Births, Deaths and Marriages.

(38) I say they were close knit because they daughters worked together, plus they inserted regular In Memoriam notices in the paper for their father and their sister, Anna Maria, who died at only 33, as well as family death notices when the occasion arose. 

(39) The Advocate, February 5, 1916, see here.

(40) Punch, April 13, 1916, see here.

(41) Table Talk, February 8, 1917, see here.

(42) Table Talk, March 15, 1917, see here.

(43) Weekly Times, May 15, 1915, see here.

(44) The Age, February 14, 1916, see here.

(45) Prahran Telegraph, July 15 1916, see here.

(46) The Age, November 29, 1915, see here.

(47) The Age, December 23, 1915, see here.

(48) The Advocate, June 3 1948, see here.

(49) The Herald, June 18, 1918, see here.

(50) Index to the Victorian Births, Deaths and Marriages.

(51) Electoral Rolls are available on Ancestry; Charlotte Waters death notice was in The Herald October 14, 1946; there are multiple references to  work and activities of Thorold Waters in the newspapers on Trove. He also has an autobiography - Much besides Music:  memoirs, published by Georgian House in 1951. He died in 1956.

(52) William Dunstan (Service No. 2130) read his entry in the Australian Dictionary of Biography, here. Read his service file at the National Archives, here.  I have already writte about Lieutenant Tubb and Corporal Burton, read about them https://victoriaspast.blogspot.com/2020/01/tubbs-hill-and-victoria-cross-connection.html

(53) Reports of the ceremony were in The Herald June 9, 1916, see here; The Age June 10, 1916, see here and The Argus, June 10, 1916, see here. As a matter of interest, the writer has dated their postcard Sunday, June 10 - which is incorrect as Lieutenant Dunstan's ceremony took place on Frday, June 9.