Eliza Fraser of Pakenham, Hotel-Keeper

Michael Kelly established a hotel in Pakenham, known as the Pakenham Hotel, on the west side of the Toomuc Creek in 1869 (1). From September 15, 1881, the hotel was operated by Eliza Fraser (2). 

We can find out something about the Frasers from a Licence renewal hearing which took place in December 1882 at the Berwick Court and was reported in the South Bourke and Mornington Journal.  Mrs Fraser had applied for the renewal of her licence for her hotel and billiard table. This was opposed by Sergeant McWilliams on the grounds that her house was so badly kept that it disturbed the quiet of the neighborhood, and that she had got a husband living with her, therefore was not a responsible person to hold a publicans' license, as she might be called away by her husband at any moment (3). She had also been fined for Sunday trading. Her hearing was postponed until January 5, 1883 and this was also reported in the South Bourke and Mornington Journal.   At this hearing, Sergeant McWilliams said that the problems at the hotel were getting worse and that two months ago there was a drunken man lying outside covered with blood, apparently having been in a fight. Mrs. Fraser interfered, when Mr Fraser kicked her and gave her a blow in the face (4). 

The Sergeant went on to give other evidence against Mrs Fraser -
Some time ago, about 17th May, 1882, he was on duty in Berwick about nine or ten o'clock, when he was met by Mrs. Fraser in a great state of excitement, who rushed into his arms, exclaiming that she had run away from her husband, as she thought he was going to kill her. At his persuasions, on that occasion, she, after some trouble, returned home. Shortly after that she telegraphed down for the witness to come up to her hotel for the purpose of protecting her against the cruelties of her husband, which witness did. Afterwards she took out a summons before Mr. F. Call in Melbourne, binding her husband over to keep the peace towards her. He also said the outside buildings were in a very dilapidated condition, and what with its being surrounded by pigs and geese and other animals, it was in a most disgusting and beastly state (5).

 
Mrs Fraser's lawyer, Mr Gillott, appeared on her behalf and answered some of the allegations and said that she was dependent on the profits of the hotel for the support of herself and three children. Other information presented about Mrs Fraser included the following-
She had held a publican's licence for thirteen years; eleven years in Melbourne at the Inverness, Royal George, and Kirks Bazaar Hotels. There were twelve rooms in the Pakenham Hotel - Michael Kelly, the owner of the hotel, sworn, stated that if the license was granted he was prepared to put the hotel in proper order. The house had been continually licensed for the last fourteen years. The present applicant had been in it since 15th September 1881 (6). 

Mr. Gillott made an able address, and after joining issue on all of the objections that had been raised, said the only tenable one was her unsatisfactory marital relations with her husband which was not misconduct on her part but her misfortune for which she should not be deprived of her only source of livelihood and thrown upon the world with only a few sticks of furniture to sell to enable her to commence life afresh (7). The Court granted her licence to keep the hotel for another year on the condition that it was better conducted and the building put in order. For some reason the licence for the billiard table was not granted. 

Eliza Fraser has her licence renewed at a Licensing hearing in Berwick in December 1883.

South Bourke and Mornington Journal, December 12 1883 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/70042299

The next few years the licence was renewed without an issue in her name, however at a hearing in June 1886, the licence was formally transferred from Alexander's name to Eliza's name (8). I am unsure how it could have previously renewed in Eliza's name if Alexander was the licensee. 

Fraser's Hotel was part of allotment 1 & 2, Section 2, to the left (or west) of the Toomuc Creek. You can see Bourke's La Trobe Inn (also called Bourke's Hotel) on the other side of the creek.

The Township of Pakenham, County of Mornington. H. Permein, Assist. Surveyor ; lithographed at the Public Lands Office, Melbourne, April 22nd, 1858 by T. Ham. Victoria. Public Lands Office

State Library of Victoria - see the full map here - http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/100195

Eliza was the daughter of Phillip and Hannah Mulcahy, she was born in County Cork in Ireland, in c. 1846. On September 12, 1869 she married Arthur Ward in the Catholic Church at  Clunes. The marriage certificate noted that he was  30 year old hotel keeper, born in Hertfordshire, England. Her age was listed as 24. They had three children - Anna Maria, born in Clunes in 1870 and died aged 9 months; and two sons both born in  Ballarat -  John James in 1872 and Arthur born in 1874 (9). Her husband Arthur died May 26, 1874, from a coach accident whilst descending Anthony's Cutting, just out of Bacchus Marsh. At the time of his death he was a Cobb & Co. coach driver and was actually driving at the time. Eliza came to Bacchus Marsh from Ballarat to see her husband, who died twenty six hours after the accident. The Bacchus Marsh Express reported that - 

The distress of Mrs. Ward during the time her husband was lying speechless and dying in a strange hotel among strangers was most pitiful, and on the arrival of her father and mother from Melbourne on Wednesday a few days after her husband breathed his last they finally persuaded her to return home to Ballarat (10). John was two years old and little Arthur was only three months old at the time of their father's death. The inquest found the accident was caused by brake failure,  due to the inferior quality of the wood the coach was made from. (11).  

Eliza then married Alexander Fraser on January 23, 1878, in the Catholic Church in West Melbourne. Interestingly, she married under her maiden name of Mulcahy and said that she was a spinster, not  a widow. Her age is stated as 31  and her occupation as a hotel keeper. Alexander is listed as being 22 (thus born c. 1856), having been born in Aberdeen in Scotland. His occupation was an engineer and his usual place of residence was 'at sea.'  They had one son, Alexander, born in 1879. (12).

In Memoriam notice for Eliza, inserted by her sons John and Arthur Ward. I wonder why Alexander was not listed; he was 10 or 11 when his mother died. 

The Age November 17, 1891 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/190624713

Eliza died August 16, 1890 at the age of 44 (13). Her Probate papers list her property as - 

that piece of land at Pakenham being part of allotment 1& 2, Section 2, Parish of Pakenham on which is erected a weather-board house containing seven rooms, and kitchen and bedrooms detached containing 3 rooms and the said land containing one acre. Also all that piece or parcel of land situate at Pakenham containing half acre or thereabouts. The value of the land was £890 and the total estate including personal property was valued at £915 (14). There was a debt of £330 pounds to a wine and spirt merchant, which left an estate of  £585.   Even though her probate papers are digitised at the Public Records Office of Victoria, her will is not, but I presume her estate was left to her three sons - John James Ward, Arthur Ward and Alexander Fraser. Her executors were John Dwyer; her son, John James Ward and Patrick Kennedy (15). 

John Dwyer took over as licensee of the hotel after Eliza’s death, according to a Berwick Licensing Court hearing, held on December 5, 1890 (16).  The 1889/1890 Shire of Berwick Rate books list Eliza as the owner of the hotel, for some reasons in the previous three years she is not listed and in 1885/1886 she listed as renting the building from Michael Kelly, which means it was sometime in that date range that she purchased the building from Mr Kelly.  I am unsure what happened after that - a property was listed in Eliza Fraser's name (either as Estate of or Executors of) up to the 1894/1895 Rate books, the address being Lot 1 Staughtons sub-division.  I did not find John Dwyer listed in the Rate Books, so I have no information about other owners of the hotel property or the fate of the building.

The headstone for Eliza and her son, John, at the Pakenham Cemetery

Photographer: Elaine J. 

http://www.ozgenonline.com/~vic_cem/cardinia/pakenham_hs_images/0648.jpg

Before we finish up we will have a look at  Eliza's children - her first son, John James Ward, was born 1872 in Ballarat. He married Ellen Gertrude Rice in 1891 and, sadly, died  April 12 1893 in his 21st year. John is buried in the same grave as his mother at the Pakenham Cemetery.  Ellen applied for Probate on July 21, 1893 and  the following information was listed - he was a grocer from Pakenham and they had two children - Bernard - 18 months old and John James - 2 months old. Ellen was living in Cowwar at the time. In 1897 she married Edgar Hawes. (17). 

John's death notice

The Age April 13, 1893 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article193441926

Eliza's middle son, Arthur Ward, was born in 1874 in Ballarat. Arthur enlisted in the First World War, on November 19, 1915 at the age of 42 (Service number 20154).  His address was a miner and he lived at Donnybrook in Western Australia. Arthur Died of Wounds on April 17, 1918. His Next of Kin was his sister-in-law, Ellen Hawes of Cowwarr (18). 

 Arthur is listed on the Honour Board at St Patrick's Catholic School in Pakenham, so he obviously went to school there.  There is more information on the St Patrick's Honour Board and other Great War Memorials in the Pakenham District on Patrick Ferry's website - A Century After the Guns Fell Silent Remembering the Pakenham District's WWI Diggers 1914-1918 http://www.pakenhamww1.com

Reference to Arthur Ward's death - 'native of Pakenham' - buried at Vignacourt in France Commonwealth War Graves Commission; London, United Kingdom; The War Graves Of The British Empire, Hem Farm, Hem-Monacu Suzanne Communal, Suzanne Military, Herbecourt British, Frise Communal, France. 

Eliza's last son, Alexander Fraser,  was born in  Pakenham in 1879. This means that the Frasers were in Pakenham at least two years before they took over the licence of the Hotel in 1881, so I did some more research and found an article in The Herald about an Insolvency case brought against Alexander Fraser, farmer, of Pakenham. The article tell us that Alexander and Eliza had purchased 165 acres each in June 1878 and that my wife was possessed of and carried on business in the Royal George Hotel, Elizabeth street (19) - so this confirms that this couple are the same ones that held the hotel licence.  It is likely that Alexander being declared bankrupt was the catalyst for Eliza Fraser going back into the hotel business.

 I am unsure what happened to Alexander, there is an Alexander Fraser, an orchardist, listed in the Shire of Berwick Rate Books from 1910 to 1920 - he owned 85 acres at Gembrook South, later called Pakenham Upper. In 1915 he was the President of the Pakenham Fruitgrower's Association (17). His wife was listed in the Electoral Rolls at the time as Annie South Fraser, but I can't trace them after 1919 in the Electoral Roll. If this is him why didn't Arthur list him as his next of kin in his World War One Attestation papers? Also Alexander was not listed in the In Memoriam notice inserted by John and Arthur in 1891 for their mother. Did Alexander live with his father and they lost touch or became estranged? I don't know and also don't know what happened to Alexander Senior, either. 

Eliza Fraser was a  hard working woman, who had to cope with the death of her little girl and the tragic and unexpected death of her first husband which left her a widow with two young boys to look after. She had the misfortune that her second husband was a violent man. Eliza is a woman who should be admired for overcoming adversity and  doing all she could to make a secure life for her three sons. 

Trove list - I have created a list of newspaper articles on Trove on Eliza Fraser and her hotel and family, you can access it here.

Footnotes
(1) South Bourke & Mornington Journal, January 10, 1883, see here. In the Licensing Board hearing, Michael Kelly, the owner of the Hotel said that the house had been continually licensed for the last fourteen years. 

(2) Ibid - Michael Kelly stated that the present applicant had been in it since 15th September 1881. 

(3) South Bourke & Mornington Journal, December 13, 1882, see here.

(4) South Bourke & Mornington Journal, January 10, 1883, see here.

(5) Ibid

(6) Ibid

(7) Ibid

(8) South Bourke & Mornington Journal, June 9, 1886, see here.

(9) Marriage certificate and Indexes to the Victorian Births, Deaths and Marriages.

(10) Bacchus Marsh Express, May 30 1874, see here.

(11) Bacchus March Express, June 13, 1874, see here.

(12) Marriage certificate and Indexes to the Victorian Births, Deaths and Marriages.

(13) Her date of death on her Probate Papers is listed as July 31, 1890. 

(14) Probate Papers at the Public Records Office of Victoria can be found here and here.

(15) Ibid

(16) South Bourke and Mornington Journal, December 18, 1890, see here.

(17) Death notice; Indexes to the Victorian Births, Deaths and Marriages;  Grant of Administration papers at the Public Records Office of Victoria, see here and here.

(18) View his record at the National Archives of Australia, here.

(19  The Herald, June 9, 1880, see here.

(20) Various articles in my Trove list,  see here.


This is an expanded and updated version of  a post, which I wrote and researched, which appears on my work blog, Casey Cardinia Links to our Past

Mrs Gertrude Kilroy of the Motor Club Hotel, Cranbourne

At a hearing of the Dandenong Licensing Court held on March 17, 1914 Gertrude Emily Kilroy applied to have the license of the Motor Club Hotel, Cranbourne transferred from Julia O'Brien to herself. The application was granted (1).

Notice of  Mrs Kilroy's licence application

The Age, March 7, 1914 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/189398219

The Motor Club Hotel was established in 1860s by Thomas and Eliza Gooch (2) as the Mornington Hotel, There were various owners and licensees after the Goochs and on December 14, 1911 the Dandenong Licensing Court approved an application from John Taylor to renew his license of the Hotel and also for the Hotel to be renamed the Motor Club Hotel (3). 

Application to change the name of the Hotel approved

South Bourke and Mornington Journal, December 21, 1911 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/66179793

This name change to the Motor Club Hotel, may have been related to the birth of the Royal Automobile Club of Victoria in Tooradin (4) or may have reflected the fact that Cranbourne was a popular destination for early motor car excursions. John Taylor still owned the hotel during the time Gertrude was the licensee (5).

The Mornington Hotel, when it was owned by Thomas and Eliza Gooch. 

It was later renamed the Motor Club Hotel; the current building was erected around 1924.

Image: The Good Country: Cranbourne Shire by Niel Gunson (Cheshire, 1968)

Gertrude (also referred to as Emily or Emeline) was born in Parramatta in New South Wales in 1865 or 1869 (depending on sources), to William and Emma (nee O'Toole) Tasker. Her father was a Military Officer (6). Gertrude married Nicholas Keam on August 24, 1887 in North Sydney. Sadly, for Gertrude, this was a disastrous marriage. About a year after they were married they moved to Victoria, to Bendigo, where they lived with Nicholas' father. Nicholas was out of work, so Emily took a position in a Hotel and some time after that he went away and she did not hear from him for seven years. Around mid 1902 Gertrude discovered that Nicholas was living with another woman, Annie Lewis, by whom he had a number of children. In February 1904, Gertrude instituted divorce proceedings. The Judge granted her the divorce and described Nicholas Keam as a cold blooded scoundrel (7).

Gertrude's (or Emie as she called herself) sentimental In Memoriam notice for her parents.

Bendigo Advertiser January 29, 1892 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/89013671

On May 31, 1906 Gertrude married William John Kilroy - he was listed on the marriage certificate as a 35 year old commercial traveller, born in Maryborough, Victoria. The service was conducted at 24 Brunswick Street Fitzroy, by Albert James Abbott, a clergyman of the Free Christian Church (8). Gertrude's occupation was a housekeeper, she was 37 years old and their address was 396 Albert Street, East Melbourne (9). The couple had been together since at least 1903 as they are both in the Electoral Roll at 49 Clark Street, Prahran, and she was using the surname Kilroy (10).

In 1909, the couple were living in Bendigo and in April 1910, Gertrude took over the licence of the Camp Hotel, in Hargreaves Street in Bendigo, which she held until March 1912 (11). After Bendigo they moved to Oaklands and the Inverness Hotel at Oaklands Junction, where once again Gertrude was the licensee (12). They moved to Oaklands Junction to the Motor Club Hotel.

The first advertisement for Kilroy's Motor Club Hotel

Dandenong Advertiser, April 9, 1914 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/page/8487694

Once in Cranbourne they joined in with the community life. In July 1914 a dinner to celebrate the achievements of Anthony Facey, Cranbourne Shire Secretary and later Shire Engineer (13),  was held at the Motor Club Hotel where a sumptuous poultry dinner was in waiting, prepared by the deft fingers of Mrs Kilroy. The table decorations were in giant violets and wattle blossom, and the effect of the purple and gold (the Royal colors) was very pleasing. The viands were excellent, and full justice was done to a five course dinner (14).

In June 1916 Mrs Kilroy's catering was praised again when she catered for a function given by the Cranbourne Turf Club - The tables were laden with edibles to satisfy the wishes of any epicure, and full justice was done to the inner man, which reflects great credit on Mrs Kilroy, licensee of the Motor Club hotel, who had charge of the catering (15).

Whilst in Cranbourne the Kilroys donated prizes for fund raisers, William was an official of the Cranbourne Turf Club; Gertrude played the piano at a Red Cross function and William sung a solo at a farewell function for local soldiers amongst other activities (16). They also carried out Extensive alterations and improvement are now in progress at the Motor Club hotel, Cranbourne, which when completed will add greatly to the appearance of the building and increase the comfort of the interior. Enterprise is displayed by the proprietress and Mr Kilroy, who have now a motor garage, at which the general public can hire cars (17).

There were two other significant contributions made by the Kilroys at Cranbourne. Firstly it was reported in the South Bourke and Mornington Journal in March 1917 that Mrs Kilroy, of the Motor Club hotel, Cranbourne, has at considerable expense obtained, a most unique collection of photos of local volunteers, which have been nicely arranged on the walls of the parlor of the hotel mentioned, and are well worth a visit of inspection. It is also an indication that Cranbourne has responded well to the call for volunteers (18). What an amazing collection of photographs they would have been, a lovely tribute to the local boys who enlisted and if only we could go back in time to see them.

Mrs Kilroy's Unique collection

South Bourke & Mornington Journal, March 22, 1917 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/66191708

The other significant thing was that William enlisted to serve in the Army on May 11, 1916. He was 41 years old. The local paper reported that he has passed his initial examination. The late boniface of the Club is a good solid-looking man, and should stop a bullet with the best of them if he gets through his finals (19). It seems age was against him as he was discharged as being medically unfit on August 28, 1916 due to Rheumatoid Arthritis (20).

Part of William Kilroy's enlistment papers

National Archives of Australia www.naa.gov.au

First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1914-1920

In May 1918, four years after they arrived, the Kilroys left Cranbourne and the Motor Club Hotel for the Royal Mail Hotel in Whittlesea. They were not there long and they moved to the Racecourse Hotel in Keilor in October 1919. By 1921 they were at the Tatong Hotel and in September that year, Gertrude took over the licence of the Railway Hotel in Goorambat and April 1922, she took up the licence of the Redesdale Hotel and by August 1923 that licence was transferred (21). Five Hotels in five years, a very quick succession and Redesdale appears to have been their last Hotel. I wonder why they kept moving, but it seemed to be the pattern of their life after that.

In 1926 they were at 20 Beaconsfield Parade, St Kilda, where Mrs Kilroy rented out rooms and William was a traveller or salesman (22). They were innocently connected to a murder while they were there as one of Mrs Kilroy's boarders was charged with murder. He was 65 year old Henry Tacke, who was infatuated by 34 year old Rachel Currell, a married woman with one child. She had already complained to her husband about his stalking her. Tacke came around to their house at 4 Mary Street, St Kilda on December 15, 1925 fought with her husband and then shot her five times - he claimed he just fired down the passage way to frighten her. He then calmly walked home to Mrs Kilroy's as if nothing had happened. At his trial he was found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to a mere seven years. Tacke died in gaol in September 1927 (23).

The Electoral Rolls list the Kilroys at two other addresses in St Kilda in the late 1920s - 241 Barkly Street and 114 Acland Street. In 1934 they were at 182 Williams Road in Toorak; 1936 at 165 Point Nepean Road in Carrum and 1937 at 127 Disraeli Street in Kew (24). William died May 15, 1939 at the age of 64, and their address listed in the death notice was 39 Alma Road, St Kilda. He was the son of William John and Margaret (nee Hughes) Kilroy and he had five sisters, Annie, Rose, Emily, Sarah and Mary and one brother, Thomas. He was also the devoted uncle of Madge, Bill and Bernie and one notice and one notice said he was loved by all and sadly missed (25). 

After William died, the next I can trace of Gertrude is that she was at 30 Hodgkinson Street, Clifton Hill and in 1954 she was at St Josephs Home, Northcote (26). She died in April 1956, at the age of 91 and is buried with William in the Catholic section at the Fawkner Cemetery (27). I cannot find a death notice for Gertrude or a Will. Gertrude was a hard working woman, essentially supporting herself all her adult life as a housekeeper, hotel keeper and even after she retired from the Hotel business, she took in boarders to help make ends meet. Gertrude Emily Kilroy - enterprising, a sumptuous and expert caterer, sentimental and community minded.

Trove list - I have created a list of newspaper articles on Gertrude Kilroy, William Kilroy and their life and work, access it here.

Footnotes
(1) The Age, March 7, 1914, see here.

(2) In The Good Country: Cranbourne Shire, Niel Gunson writes that Thomas Gooch was chief mate on the Sacramento. Elizabeth (nee Minister) had also been on the same ship, which was wrecked near the Heads, Port Phillip Bay. They both lost all of their possessions, but found true love and married each other in 1853. Elizabeth gave birth to nine children between 1855 and 1867. They were Thomas (1855), Alfred (1857), Susan Ellen (1859), Arthur (1860), Charlotte (1861), Walter Edward (1863), Harriet Beumont (1864), Frank Frederick (1865), Fanny Elizabeth (1867).
(3) South Bourke & Mornington Journal, December 21, 1911, see here.

(4) https://kooweerupswamphistory.blogspot.com/2022/02/tooradin-short-history.html
(5) John Taylor was licensee of the Hotel in 1911 and in January 1912 had purchased the freehold of the Hotel. Julia O'Brien took over the licence of the Motor Club Hotel in February 1913, until March 1914. In May 1918, it was reported that William James Taylor had taken over the licence and the lease of the business from Gertrude Taylor. In May 1919, Sarah Kelly took over the licence from William Taylor. Members of the Kelly family also operated the Cranbourne Hotel, also in High Street. John Taylor is listed in the Cranbourne Shire Rate books as owning the Hotel until 1921/1922 Rate Year. In 1922/1923, Arthur Kelly is listed as the owner. I feel that William James Taylor is probably the son of John Taylor, but have no evidence.  

The existing Motor Club Hotel, was built around 1924. I am basing this on the valuation in the Cranbourne Shire Rate Books - in 1923/24 and 1924/25 the Net Annual Value was 240 pounds, in 1925/26 -it had leaped to 420 pounds and the next two years it was 400 pounds, so I believe the increase in rates was due to the erection of the new building. As the Local Government year used to run from October 1 to September 30 then the new building would have been erected between October 1924 and September 1925 to appear at the higher valuation in the 1925/26 year.  

(6) Information from her Marriage certificate to William Kilroy. Her mother is listed as Mary O'Toole on Gertrude's marriage certificate. Her marriage certificate said she (Gertrude) was 37 in 1906, hence born 1869. The Index to the Victorian Births, Deaths and Marriages says she was 91 when she died in 1956, hence born 1865. I cannot find a birth record in the New South Wales Births, Deaths and Marriages.

(7) Information about Gertrude's marriage and divorce comes from the reports of her Divorce hearing in Bendigo Independent, February 13, 1904, see here;  Bendigo Advertiser, February 13, 1904, see here and The Age, February 13, 1904, see here.
(8) Albert James Abbott, a clergyman of the Free Christian Church - an interesting, slightly dodgy character. These two articles tell you something about him - The Age, December 1, 1892, see here and The Age November 9, 1909, see here. 
(9) I bought their Marriage certificate.
(10) Electoral Roll on Ancestry.com
(11) The Argus, April 5, 1910, see here.
(12) Cannot find a licence application for Gertrude for the Inverness Hotel at Oaklands Junction, but she is listed there in the 1913 Electoral Roll as a Licenced Victualler.
(13) Anthony Northey Facey - Cranbourne Shire Councillor 1876-1881; Cranbourne Shire Acting Secretary from 1884, Secretary from 1887 until 1909; Cranbourne Shire Clerk of Works 1884-1909 and Cranbourne Shire Engineer 1909-1912 (Information from Niel Gunson's The Good Country: Cranbourne Shire (Cheshire, 1968)) Mr Facey died in 1916, aged 67, read his obituary in the South Bourke & Mornington Journal of August 12, 1915, here.
(14) Dandenong Advertiser, July 9, 1914, see here.
(15) South Bourke & Mornington Journal, June 15, 1916, see here.
(16) See my Trove list, here, for accounts.
(17) South Bourke & Mornington Journal, December 9, 1915, see here.
(18) South Bourke & Mornington Journal, March 22, 1917, see here.
(19) Dandenong Advertiser, May 4, 1916, see here. The term Boniface for a hotel keeper comes from Boniface, the innkeeper in The Beaux' Stratagem written in 1707, by George Farquhar.
(20) View William's file at the National Archives of Australia https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=7372476
(21) You can see all the advertisements for applications and transferences for the Hotel licences in my Trove list, here.
(22) I assume he was a traveller as that was his occupation in 1928 according to the Electoral Rolls.
(23) Report of Tacke's committal trial was in The Argus, January 9, 1926, see here. Report of his death was in The Argus, September 10, 1927, see here.
(24) Their addresses are from the Electoral Rolls on Ancestry.com
(25) Death notices in The Age, May 16, 1939, see here. The names of his parents come from the Victorian Index to Births, Deaths and Marriages.
(26) Electoral Rolls on Ancestry.com. St Josephs Home in Northcote was operated by the Little Sisters of the Poor, read about it here https://heritage.darebinlibraries.vic.gov.au/article/342
(27) See footnote (6) regarding her date of birth. Fawkner Cemetery records https://www.gmct.com.au/our-locations/fawkner-memorial-park

A version of this post, which I wrote and researched, appears on my work blog, Casey Cardinia Links to our Past

Boer War soldiers connected to the Shires of Berwick, Cranbourne and Dandenong

The Boer War was fought between British forces against the Boers, or Dutch-Afrikaner settlers in South Africa from 1899 until 1902. The War was also called the South African War and referred to as the Second Boer War. The First Boer War, fought between the Boers and the British, took place in 1880-1881, but no Australian troops were officially involved.

Australians who served  in the War were all volunteers. The Australian War Memorial website explains - Australians served in contingents raised by the six colonies or, from 1901, by the new Australian Commonwealth. For a variety of reasons many Australians also joined British or South African colonial units in South Africa: some were already in South Africa when the war broke out; others either made their own way or joined local units after their enlistment in an Australian contingent ended. Recruiting was also done in Australia for units which already existed in South Africa, such as the Scottish Horse. You can read more about Boer War on the Australian War Memorial website   https://www.awm.gov.au/articles/atwar/boer

This post looks at some of the local men from the Shires of Berwick, Cranbourne and Dandenong who served in the South Africa War. This is a work in progress, I am sure there are many others, so if I have missed any please let  me know. 

The Australian War Memorial has digitised the Official Records of Australian Contingents to the War in South Africa, 1899-1902, compiled by Lieutenant-Colonel P.L.Murray and published in 1911. This acts as the Nominal Roll and can be found and searched  here, on the Australian War Memorial website; you can also browse page-by-page, here. The Nominal Rolls contain very basic information - name, rank, service number and sometime there is a line about some aspect of their service. I have referred to it as the Boer War Nominal Roll. The National Archives of Australia also has a series of digitised Boer War Attestation papers, called Boer War Dossiers, Series B4418. Only John Crisop Morris, James William Shreeve and Arthur Edward Towt, in this list, have one of these. The Australians in the Boer War website is also a good source of information, see here.

Victorian Mounted Rifles leaving for the Boer War. Photo taken in 

Market Street in Melbourne. Photographer: Lewis F. East. 

State Library of Victoria Image H28378

Some of the following information comes from the Electoral Rolls on Ancestry.com; Indexes to the Victorian Births, Deaths and Marriages; the books Early Days of Berwick (1) and In the Wake of the Pack Tracks (2) and newspaper articles see my Trove list of newspaper articles, see here.  SN stands for Service Number.

Bain, Donald Stuart. Not listed in the Boer War Nominal Roll. 
Donald, born in 1880, was the eleventh and last child of Robert and Susan (nee Stuart) Bain of the Berwick Inn (Border Hotel), established by Robert in Berwick in 1857. He enlisted in either Robert's Light Horse or Kitchener's Fighting Scouts or the Kaffarian Rifles according to various reports (3). When Donald returned he became a Stock & Station Agent, and then he enlisted in the A.I.F in August 1914, with the rank of Captain.  Donald was discharged in medical grounds - neurasthenia and shell shock - two years later. Donald died in 1937, aged 56. See  his First World War Personnel Dossier, here. 

Donald Bain of Berwick, promoted to Lieutenant

South Bourke & Mornington Journal November 6, 1901 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article70047917

Barnes, John Christopher.   Boer War Nominal Roll, here, (SN 346).

Enlisted in the 2nd Victorian Mounted Rifles. There was a report in the South Bourke & Mornington Journal of June 5, 1901 (see here), about the Dandenong meeting of the Manchester Unity Independent Order of Oddfellows where Br. Chris Barnes was welcomed on his safe return from South Africa and at the event he gave a few of his experiences at the Front. I am assuming that Br Chris Barnes and John Christopher Barnes are the same man and I have no other information about him.  As  a matter of interest, he enlisted the same time as Alfred Hillman, below, who is SN 352.

Chambers, Michael James. Boer War Nominal Roll, here, (SN 1085).
Enlisted in the 5th Victorian Mounted Rifles, where he attained the rank of Lance-Corporal. Michael  also enlisted in the First World War on March 6, 1918 at the age of 38 ( SN 64173). He lived in Modella with his wife, Labela and three children. Their son, Ronald, was the Shire of Berwick Engineer from 1948 until 1973, and then the Shire of Pakenham Engineer until 1977. The family are the source of the name Chambers Road, Modella. The R.J. Chambers Reserve in Pakenham Upper is named for Ronald. Michael died in 1961 aged 85. See his First World War Personnel Dossier, here.

Procession of the Victorian Contingent of armed forces to the South African War, along Spring Street, Melbourne, 28 October 1899.  Photographer: E.J. Frazer 

State Library of Victoria Image H36420/42

Davies, Arnold Mercer.  Boer War Nominal Roll, here, (SN 454).
Enlisted in the Victorian [Citizen] Bushmen.  Arnold was the son of Sir Matthew Davies - the first Australian born Speaker of the Victorian Parliament (4). Arnold had a letter about his experience of fighting in South Africa, published in The Argus on September 14, 1900 (see here) - this is the start of his letter-

We are camped now - that is 20 of our division - on a large kopje, about a mile from our old camp, on the Water Hill Fort, and it looks as if we were going to have fairly easy times for a day or two, and I think we could all do with a rest. I suppose you have heard by now that we had a go with the Boers last Sunday, and I think even the most sanguinary amongst us had enough fighting then to do them for a day or two. The wonder is that any of us came through alive; as it is, there are four killed and 21 wounded and missing.

 I am not actually sure how he is connected to this region, however Arnold and Alfred Robinson were welcomed home at a function at the Narre Warren North Mechanics' Institute on Friday, February 22, 1901, so I presume he was farming in the area. There was a report of the welcome home in the  South Bourke & Mornington Journal of  February 27, 1901 (see here) -

It is hardly possible that at any country town within the colony such a handsome welcome home was extended to our returned soldiers as that which took place at the Mechanics Institute, Narre Warren North, Friday night last.

The assemblage comprised visitors from Dandenong, Berwick and the surrounding district well as a strong force of the local residents and numbered about two hundred and fifty, possibly a record attendance at any similar gathering at Narre Warren. The idea of inviting ladies was a great success, nearly half the audience being composed of members of the fair sex. Arnold and Alfred were each  presented with a handsome gold medal, suitably inscribed to the effect that they were given by residents as a token of esteem.  

After his return Arnold was farming for a time at Doodakine in Western Australia according to the 1909 Electoral Rolls.  Doodakine is 230 kms east of Perth. He returned to Victoria and enlisted in the A.I.F in November 1914 at the age  of 38 (SN 139) and in the Second World War, where he stated his age as 55 and his birth year as 1887, he was actually born 1876. See his Personnel Dossiers, here. 

Elmes, John Turner. Boer War Nominal Roll, here, listed as Elms. (SN 51).

John served with the 1st Victorian Mounted Rifles, where he attained the rank of Lance-Corporal. John was the son of the late Dr Elmes of Berwick who had served the Berwick community from around 1870 until his death in 1893, at the age of 54. Early Days of Berwick says that Dr Elmes also treated cases at Brandy Creek [Warragul] thirty five miles away, being their nearest Doctor.  When John returned from South Africa, he managed various farms in the Western District, including Terang where he died in 1945, aged 69. John's brothers, Frederick and Herbert served in World War One; Herbert was Killed in Action in France on November 5, 1916.

Welcome home for John Elms and Arthur Ogilvy.

The Age, January 1, 1901 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/196064873?

Esler, Hugh James. Boer War Nominal Roll, here and here. 

Served as a Sergeant with the Victorian Imperial Bushman (SN 5) and served as a Lieutenant with the 5th Victorian Mounted Rifles from June 22, 1901 until March 27, 1902.  Hugh was born at Pyalong in 1880, the son of Hugh and Ellen (nee Wilson) Esler. Hugh and Ellen are listed in the 1903 and 1906 Electoral Rolls at Lang Lang - he is a farmer. Hugh junior is also in Lang Lang in 1903, also a farmer, but he then joined the Police Forces and then moved around Victoria. A welcome home social was tendered to Lieutenant to Esler at the Mechanics' Hall, Lang Lang on October 3, 1902. 

Welcome home to Hugh Esler

Lang Lang Guardian October 11, 1902, p. 2

Gamble, William.  Boer War Nominal Roll, here, (SN 35). 
Served with the 1st Victorian Mounted Rifles. Note in the nominal roll - Invalided Australia, arrived 24.5.00, Awarded pension (temporary).  After the War, William became the Principal of the Dookie Agricultural College. He and his wife Barbara moved to Berwick in 1922 and farmed at Burnbank, in partnership with Edwin Flack, Australia's first Olympian. Barbara, was the first President of the Berwick Country Women's Association and died in 1944 at the age of 66 (5). William died in 1960 aged 91. They are both buried at Berwick Cemetery.  

Gardiner, John James.  Boer War Nominal Roll, here, (SN 136). 
Served with the 2nd Tasmanian Imperial Bushmen, attained the rank of Sergeant and was Mentioned in Commander-in-Chief's Despatches on April 2, 1901. John and three of his brothers, as well as their two nephews, Frederick and Edward Sibert, all served the First World War (6). John was a Civil Engineer and was employed as a Shire Engineer in councils in New South Wales and Queensland, before he retired in 1935 and returned to live in Berwick. He was also a councillor for the Shire of Berwick. 

The Herald 'World of Sport' column of July 20, 1900 (see here) published a letter from Charles Searle (listed below) about life in South Africa and he mentioned John Gardiner -

Though they have to take their share of shot and shell the boys in South Africa manage to find time for football. A Berwick boy with the Tasmanian contingent has sent an account of a match to Mr. Searle of Berwick, and Mr Searle has very kindly forwarded It to me. It is as follows:— "A most interesting and exciting combat took place to-day between the Tasmanian and South Australian Bushmen Contingents on the eve of the departure of the Tassies for Bulawayo, resulting in a win for the Tassies by 6 points, Stanworth (capt.) and Sergeant Gardner of Berwick, both Victorians, being conspicuous for Tasmania, and Wilson, Roberts and Kerr for South Australia."

Hillman, Alfred Ernest.  Boer War Nominal Roll, here, (SN 352)
Enlisted in the 2nd Victorian Mounted Rifles. He was awarded the South Africa medal with six clasps. This medal was officially called the Queen's South Africa medal and was awarded to all those who served. Each clasp represented a location (presumably where a battle took place) such as Transvaal, Modder River, Johannesburg. Alfred, born in Drysdale in 1869 and had come to Pakenham with his parents, Edward and Eliza (nee Hopkins) Hillman in 1885. 

The Pakenham Gazette on May 21, 1937 reported on the procession held in Pakenham for the Coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, which took place on May 12, 1937 -
Amongst the hundreds of interested spectators who saw the Coronation procession at Pakenham last week was Mr A. E. Hillman, of Pakenham, a member of the Australian Contingent which went to England in 1902 for the coronation of King Edward VII. Mr Hillman was in the Garrison Artillery and served in the Boer War from 1899 to 1901 under Major (afterwards General) Monash (7) and was awarded the South African medal with six clasps. The Australian Coronation Contingent in 1902 comprised 150 officers and men, 42 of whom were selected from Victoria. The troops were away from Australia for about six months, and in addition to taking part on the Coronation festivities in London toured England and Scotland. Mr Hillman recalls many pleasant memories associated with the trip.

Boer War Nominal Roll entry.

As a matter of interest in 1904 Alfred married Eva Murcutt in 1904. In the Boer War nominal rolls, see here,  Alfred is listed with the service number of 252 the man with the service number of 253 is Joseph Murcutt, Eva's brother. Did they know each other before they enlisted or did they met in the recruiting office, become friends and then Joseph later introduced Alfred to his sister? Sadly, Eva died in 1906 at the age of 24, and in 1909 Alfred married Cecelia Elizabeth Smith. 

Alfred spent most of his life in Pakenham, involved in many community groups and his obituary in the Pakenham Gazette (8) said that he had the distinction of being the first man to enlist from Pakenham for war service 

  

Leggett, Sid. Not listed in the Boer War Nominal Roll. 

Sid joined Robert's Light Horse in South Africa with Donald Bain. The boys were both from Berwick, and I have no other information about him.

Report of Don Bain and Sid Leggatt from South Africa

South Bourke and Mornington Journal July 18, 1900 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article70046016

McSwain, Malcolm Munro. Boer War Nominal Roll, here, (SN 47)
Enlisted in the 1st Western Australia Mounted Infantry.  Malcolm was the son on Norman and Margaret McSwain.  An article in the Dandenong Journal of May 25, 1949 (see here) noted that Norman and Margaret operated  a dairy farm and carrying business at Cranbourne and later Eumemmerring and their five sons went to W. A. when the depression hit Victoria in the nineties. One of them went to the Boer War and afterwards to the First World War. Malcolm did indeed serve WW1 he enlisted in March 1916 at the age of 39 (SN 2926). His occupation was a miner and his address was Marble Bar, in Western Australia. See his First World War Personnel Dossier, here. 

Report of a letter Malcolm sent to his parents.

The Age January 26, 1900 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/196023965

Morris, John Crisop  Boer War Nominal Roll, here, (SN 208) and here (SN 40, incorrectly listed as John James Morris). 
John was born in Townsville, Queensland and enlisted at the age of 25 in the 1st Queensland Mounted Infantry where he had the role of Bugler, and the 7th Battalion, Australian Commonwealth Horse. He reached the rank of Squadron Sergeant Major in the 7th Battalion. His Attestation paper for the 7th Battalion has been digitised, see it here. John Morris also enlisted in the First World War on September 24, 1914 at the age of 38, with the rank of Lieutenant.  He had the unusual occupation of actor and he enlisted in Melbourne and his mother, who his next of kin, was also from Townsville. He Returned to Australia December 16, 1917 suffering from 'cardiac arythmia'. You can read his First World War Personnel Dossier, here. Morris is listed in the Electoral Rolls at Pakenham Upper in 1919, his occupation is orchardist. In 1922 he was granted a Soldier Settlement farm at Yarram, you can read his file, here. He died in 1925, I believe, I don't have an exact date (9). 

John Crisop Morris

State Library of Queensland https://collections.slq.qld.gov.au/viewer/IE2814853 

 originally published in The Queenslander, 31 May 1902

Ogilvy, Arthur James. Boer War Nominal Roll, here, (SN 143).
Served with the 2nd Victorian Mounted Rifles, and the 2nd Scottish Horse. Arthur was the son of James W. Ogilvy, of Buchanan Road, in Berwick. Early Days of Berwick said that James was the son of one of Melbourne's earliest solicitors, was one of he first pupils at Scotch College and had witnessed the departure of the Burke & Wills Expedition in 1860. Interesting connections to Melbourne's early history. Arthur was 'welcomed home' with Jack Elms at the smoke night held at the Rechabite Hall in Berwick (see Elmes listing, above).  He also served in the First World War in the 2nd Light Horse, enlisting at the age of 40, where he held the rank of Captain. At the time of his enlistment he was farming in Kyogle, New South Wales. Captain Ogilvy was Mentioned in Despatches, and Returned to Australia May 1919. See his  First World War Personnel Dossier, here.

Captain Ogilvy pays a visit to Berwick, after he returned home from World War One

South Bourke & Mornington Journal May 29, 1919. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article66196124

Ordish, Harold    Boer War Nominal Roll, here (SN 104) and here, (SN 250)
Served with the 1st Victorian Mounted Rifles, where he attained the rank of Lance-Corporal, Lance Sergeant and then Acting C.S.M; he was also a Regimental Sergeant Major in the 6th Battalion, Australian Commonwealth Horse. Harold also served in the First World War, he enlisted in the A.I.F., on February 23, 1916. His occupation was a soldier and he was 42 years old. Harold was awarded the Distinguished Service Order and remained overseas until January 1920, when he Returned to Australia, where he remained in the Army becoming a Lieutenant-Colonel.  See his World War One Personnel Dossier, here. Harold, was born in Dandenong in 1873 to Thomas and Mary Elizabeth (nee Ward) Ordish. His brother William Ordish established the Ordish Brick Co., in 1894 (10). 

Corporal Jago at Harold Ordish's send-off. 

Corporal Jago had served in the Crimean War, see here.

South Bourke & Mornington Journal October 25, 1899 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/70022299

News about Harold Ordish

The Age September 4 1900 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/188648916

Osborne, Henry Houston. Boer War Nominal Roll, here.

Served with the 5th Victorian Mounted Rifles with the rank of  Lieutenant. Henry is listed in the Electoral Rolls at Clyde from 1912 to 1926. His occupation was farm manager. Henry died 1944 aged 84 and was the son of James and Esther (nee Houston) Osborne. Henry married Leila Caroline Kennedy in 1895 in a fashionable wedding at All Saints Church in St Kilda in January 1895, you can read about it here. 

Pritchard, George.  Boer War Nominal Roll, here, (SN 305)

Served with the Victorian Imperial Bushmen. Note in the Nominal Roll - Returned Victoria 5/1/01; reported fit; Returned to South Africa and rejoined 4/4/01. George and his wife, Janet, are listed in the Electoral Roll from 1908 at Lang Lang East, until around 1919 when they moved to Neerim. George also served in World War One (SN 433). He enlisted on September 11, 1915 at the age of 47, his address was Yannathan, which is just east of Lang Lang. See his World War One Personnel Dossier, here.

Robinson, Alfred James. Boer War Nominal Roll, here, (SN 105).
Served with the 1st Victorian Mounted Infantry Company. Alfred, born 1877, was the son of George Washington and Eliza Robinson of Hillsley, Narre Warren North. George was the Shire of Berwick Engineer and Shire Secretary for Ferntree Gully. Alfred's mother, Eliza was the daughter of Thomas and Eliza Walton, of Holly Green, Narre Warren. This was the property acquired by Sidney Webb and is now the site of Fountain Gate Shopping Centre. Alfred married Jessie Lyon of Harkaway on February 22, 1910. 

Alfred Robinson, 'invalided home'

The Argus April 25, 1900 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article9057466

Searle, Charles John.  Boer War Nominal Roll, here, (SN 390)
Served in the Victorian Imperial Bushmen. Note in the nominal roll - Discharged in South Africa, 5.8.02.  Charles was the son of Henry Searle, of Berwick. Henry was a Blacksmith and operated from the corner of High Street and Wheeler Street from around 1860. Charles Searle had a long letter he wrote to his parents from South Africa published in the South Bourke & Mornington Journal, on August 22 and August 29, 1900 (see here and here). This is the first paragraph - 

It is a long time since I last wrote, but you will understand that it is a bit hard to get a letter written out here. We got into harbor at Beira on the 23rd of May, but we were not allowed to land until the 2nd of June. We saw a great number of flying fish the day before we got in, and it was a pretty sight. We were met out side by the man-of-war "Partridge," and conducted into the bay in great style. The water is very shallow and dirty; and everything is very dear at Beira, cocoa nuts 9d, bananas 1s, jam 1/6 half-lb. tin, bread 6d small loaf. A number of the men got fever and dysentry whilst there, but none of the cases were very severe, and all recovered in a few days. I have kept in grand health throughout, and not at all afraid of catching fever as I am not fat. 

Early Days of Berwick, noted that Charles remained to reside in South Africa at the conclusion of hostilities. 

Shreeve, James William. Boer War Nominal Roll, here, (SN 663)

Served in the 2nd Battalion, Australian Commonwealth Horse.  His Attestation paper for service in South Africa, has been digitised, see it here. It lists his address as Oakhill farm, Garfield.  James was a professional soldier and also served in the First World War; enlisting in the A.I.F., at the age of 36, with the rank of Lieutenant.  His parents were William and Emma (nee Daniels) Shreeve, of Mount Marshall, Garfield. See his World War One Personnel Dossier, here.

Towt, Arthur Edward. Boer War Nominal Roll, here, (SN 2387)

Served in the 4th Battalion, Australian Commonwealth Horse. His Attestation paper for service in South Africa, has been digitised, see it here. It tells us that he was born in Broadford, enlisted on February 11, 1902 at the age of 20, that he was a station hand and his next of kin was his mother, S. Towt, of 23 Liddiard Street, Glenferrie. In the 1962 'Back to Garfield' souvenir booklet,  local historian, Bill Parish, has a history of the town, decade by decade. In the 1901-10 decade he notes Several Boer War veterans took up properties including Mr A. Towt, at Garfield North (11). Arthur established an orchard on his property, there was an interesting article about this orchard in the Weekly Times in 1939, read  it here. later carries on by his sons. Arthur married had Margaret Brew in 1908,  they had seven children and he died on August 3, 1954. 

Trove list - I have created a list of articles on Trove on the Boer War / South African War with a connection to the old Shires of Berwickm Cranbourne and Dandenong, access it here.

Footnotes

(1) Early Days of Berwick and its surrounding districts, compiled by Norman E. Beaumont, James F. Curran and R.H. Hughes (3rd edition published by Rotary, 1979). The book was originally published in 1948.
(2) In the Wake of the Pack Tracks: a history of the Shire of Berwick (Berwick Pakenham Historical Society, 1982)

(3) Donald Bain's Boer War service - South Bourke and Mornington Journal July 18, 1900 says he enlisted in the Robert's Light Horse, see here;  South Bourke & Mornington Journal November 6, 1901 says he joined Kitchener's Fighting Scouts, see here;  his World War One Personnel Dossier says he also served in the Kaffarian Rifles, see here. 
(4) Matthew Davies - see his Australian Dictionary of Biography entry, here.

(5) This information is from Mrs Gamble's short obituary was in the Dandenong Journal, January 12, 1944, see here. 
(6) Gardiner Family -  the sons of James and Mary (nee Church) Gardiner, who had married in 1870. They lived in Brisbane Street, Berwick. 
Gardiner, John James (SN 1651) John enlisted at the age of 44 on May 11, 1916. His occupation was Civil Engineer and Surveyor and his next of kin was his wife, Mary Ann, of Berwick. Mary is called Matilda and Moya in some sources. John Returned to Australia August 24, 1918. John had also served in the Boer War, he was part of the 2nd Tasmanian Imperial Bushmen and was Mentioned in Commander-in-Chief's Despatches on April 2, 1901. John was a Shire Engineer in New South Wales and Queensland and after his retirement in 1935 he returned to Berwick and was elected as a Shire of Berwick Councillor. You can read his obituary in the Dandenong Journal of January 9, 1946, here.
Gardiner, George Peter (SN 4401) George enlisted on January 5, 1916. He was 37 years old, his occupation was Slaughterman and his address was Cockatoo Creek, a previous name for Cockatoo. George's next of kin was his father, James, and he Returned to Australia April 10, 1919.
Gardiner, Ernest Edward (SN 48) Ernest enlisted on August 22, 1914 at the age of 27. He was a farmer and he enlisted in New South Wales. He was reported as being 'dangerously ill' and invalided to Australia July 31, 1915 and medically discharged June 6, 1916. Ernest is incorrectly listed on the Embarkation Roll as Gardener.
Gardiner, Clarence Eustace (SN 4707) Clarence enlisted on August 7, 1915. He was a 23 year old fireman, working for the Victorian Railways. His father was his next of kin. Clarence was Wounded in Action - gun shot wound left ankle and compound fracture right thigh. Clarence was discharged on medical grounds on April 9, 1918.
Sadly, for James and Mary Gardiner, even though their four sons survived, two of their grandsons did not, Frederick and Edward, who were the sons of Amelia Gardiner and her husband, Justin Sibert, did not return.
Sibert, Frederick John (SN 3482) Frederick was born in Berwick and living in Blackbutt in Queensland when he enlisted at the age of 22 on October 18, 1916. He was a timber-getter. His next of kin was his mother, Amelia, of Yarloop in Western Australia. Frederick Died of Wounds received whilst fighting in France, on October 10, 1917.
Sibert, Edward Justin (SN 4551, listed in NAA as 4557) Edward was born in Collie in Western Australia and was 18 when he enlisted on March 1, 1916. His mother was his next of kin. Edward was Killed in Action, sometime between November 3 and November 6, 1916

(7) Sir General John Monash's Australian Dictionary of Biography entry (see here) written by Geoffrey Searle, said that although Monash was a member of the North Melbourne Battery of the Metropolitan Brigade of the Garrison Artillery, he did not volunteer for and was not invited to take part in the South African War. Possibly, Alfred may have served under Monash in the Garrison Artillery before he went to South Africa.

(8) Pakenham Gazette, October 17, 1947.

(9) Probate notice for John Crisop Morris, which gives us some idea of his death date.

The Argus July 8 1925 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2136584

(10) Brennan, Niall Chronicles of Dandenong (Hawthorn Press, 1973), p. 125.

(11) Parish, Bill Back to Garfield, 1887-1962 souvenir booklet (Back to Garfield Committee, 1962), p. 9.  

Floral bordered postcards of Melbourne

These are part of my postcard collection - a series of views of Melbourne with a pretty border of 

native flowers. The views are a fairly standard, and seen on other postcards. I am sure the addition of the border was just a marketing exercise to encourage the purchase of more postcards to fuel the postcard collection craze of c.1904 to the start of the First World War. The marketing tactic clearly worked, because over 100 years later I bought these from Ebay. I have another pretty series of Melbourne postcards - ones with a forget-me-not flower decorated horseshoe, you can see these here. 

Treasury Gardens, Melbourne

Treasury Gardens, Melbourne.

I have written about the Treasury Gardens, here on  a post about Postcards 

connected to Carlo Catani.

The postcard has not been used.  

Princes Bridge Melbourne

Princes Bridge, Melbourne.

This bridge was opened October 1888. Carlo Catani was the assistant engineer on the project, 

for the Public Works Department, read about this here.  

Carlo also designed the Alexandra Gardens, read about them, here. 

Postmark: North Melbourne, stamp removed.

Address: Miss Ella Baigent, East Takaka, Nelson New Zealand.

Text: Chapman Street 12.5.07. Thanks very much for your very pretty view. Can you send me any of your public buildings, churches etc. I am collecting a representative book of buildings and would 

be so pleased if you could. Hope you are quite well. Fond love, Fanny M. Fidler.

Princes Bridge, Melbourne, verso.

Ella Baigent - An Ella Millicent Baigent was born in New Zealand in 1878 and an Ella May Baigent was born there in 1888. Either of them may the recipient of the postcard, but more likely the older one.

Fanny M. Fidler, Chapman Street, North Melbourne  - Fanny Mary Fidler as born in Wangaratta in 1878 to Joseph and Elizabeth (nee Ramsay) Fidler. She was the fifth of their eight children, who were all born between 1869 and 1889; her siblings were all born in Melbourne, Carlton or North Melbourne. The family lived at 24 Chapman Street and her father, who was a miller, was accidently drowned  at Cumberoona in New South Wales on March 30, 1898 at the age of 65.  Elizabeth died two years later, aged 55.  In the 1903 Electoral Roll, Fanny (occupation, home duties) was living at 24 Chapman Street with her brothers, John and Joseph.  

Fanny married William George Iffland, an Accountant, in 1908. In the 1909 Electoral Roll they were at 21 Victoria Road, Auburn. Sadly, it turns out that William was already married and he pleaded guilty to bigamy in a trial at the Supreme Court in April 1911. His lawful wife,  Rosa, whom he married in 1890 and had four children with, was still alive and living in Princes Hill. He was sentenced to eighteen months in gaol, the Judge noting that he had ruined the young woman with who he went through a second form of marriage, but he had also ruined the prospects of his own wife. In the 1914 to 1936 Electoral Rolls Fanny was listed at 83 Wright Street, Middle Park, still under the name of Iffland; her brother John Fidler was listed at the same address. Fanny died in 1943, aged 64. (1)

Melbourne from Fire Station Tower

Melbourne from Fire Station Tower. 

The fire station, located on the corner of Victoria and Gisborne Streets, 

was opened November 3, 1893. 

Postmark: Wycheproof August 17, 1906

Address: Miss Dot Skinner, Training College Carlton Melbourne 

Text: Dear Dot, you might relieve my most anxious mind as to the bruises. Have you heard from Roy? My boss man is leaving me in charge for  a few days as his mother is dying so he's going to Maryboro.  Farewell social to Rene Currie last night got home at 1.15 Monday and Euchre + dance (humiliation) and send off to the Kinahans who are going to Sale. Many kind regrets that you were absent last night. Love from ?

Melbourne from Fire Station Tower, verso.

Dot Skinner - I have no other information about Dorothy. I assume she was undertaking teacher training, as the Teacher's Training College was in Grattan Street, Carlton, and thought she may have been found in the Teacher Records (1863-1959, Series 13579) at the Public Records Office of Victoria  but she is not listed. 

Rene Currie - is likely to be Florence Irene Currie born in 1888 to John and Margaret (nee Quihampton). She was born in Moliagul, but her siblings Evelyn Mary (1889), Olive May (1891), John Gilbert (1894), and Wilfred Roy (1896) were born in Wycheproof. Rene died in Sydney on December 29, 1951. 

The Kinahans - the 1906 Electoral Rolls have  a Kate, Kathleen Frances and Walter Patrick at Wycheproof  - Walter is a railway ganger; Kathleen is a dressmaker and Kate is listed as home duties. In the 1909 Electoral Rolls Kate and Walter are listed at Wurruk Wurruk, just west of Sale. Kathleen married Eustace Leonard Wheare in 1906, a Wycheproof local. (2).

Federal Government House - Melbourne

Federal Government House - Melbourne

Government House, was built between 1872 and 1876, for the use of the Governor of the Colony 

of Victoria. After Federation, between1901 and 1926, it was the residence of Governor General 

of Australia

Source: Victorian Heritage Database, see here.

Postmark: Rupanyup, June 5 1907

Address:  Miss Wade 219 Cardigan Street Carlton  

Text: 4.6.07   Dear Daph, I thought you know a style to suit the stuff. I shall be pleased with what ever way you make it. Love Aunt Pat (?)  

Federal Government House - Melbourne, verso

The first reference to Daphne Wade in the Electoral Rolls was in 1909 at Rupanyup. Her occupation was home duties, but it appears she may have been  a dressmaker, either by profession or a talented amateur, going by the postcard. Daphne Florence Wade married Louis Sylvester Crawford, a bootmaker, in 1913. They had three children - Leonard Lewis (1914), Winifred Lucy (1917) and Alfred Derrick (1918).  The family lived at addresses in North Fitzroy and Preston and then at 20 Wales Street, Northcote. Daphne died in 1928, aged 45 - a tragic event as the children were only 14, 11 and ten years old;  Louis died in 1937 aged 61.

Daphne was the daughter of  Alfred and Martha (nee Derrick) Wade. Alfred and Martha are in the 1909 Electoral Roll at Lallat, just north east of Rupanyup and are later living in Rupanyup.  Martha died January 26, 1951 at Rapunyup; Alfred had already passed on. Their children were listed in the death notice as - Daphne, Alfred, Lucy, Rupert, Dorothy, Ellen, Beatrice and Bertha (3). 

Botanical Gardens, Melbourne. The building is Government House. 

This postcard has not been used.

Footnotes

(1) Information about Ella Baigent and Fanny Mary Fidler from the New Zealand and Victorian 

Indexes to Births, Deaths and Marriages;  Joseph Fidler's death notice - The Age, April 2, 1898, see here ; Electoral Rolls on Ancestry. Reports of William Fidler's Bigamy case - The Age, May 13, 1911, see here; The Herald, April 20, 1911, see here; Ballarat Star, April 14, 1911, see here.

(2) Information about Dot Skinner, Rene Currie and the Kinahans from the Indexes to the Victorian Births, Deaths and Marriages; Electoral Rolls on Ancestry. Rene Currie's sister's (Evelyn Young) obituary in the Dubbo Liberal of December 16, 1944, see here told me she was in Sydney and her 

death notice was in the Sydney Morning Herald, January 3, 1952, see here.

(3) Information about Daphne Wade - Indexes to the Victorian Births, Deaths and Marriages; Electoral Rolls on Ancestry.