Victoria Hall, Yarra Glen

I came across this photograph, below, of Yarra Glen and wondered what the building on the right was and discovered that it was the Victoria Hall. This post looks at the history of the Victoria Hall (later referred to as the Mechanics' Hall)  and the two other Yarra Glen Halls - the Recreation Hall and the Memorial Hall. 

Yarra Glen, c. 1911, showing Victoria Hall

State Library of Victoria Image H96.200/740

The Hall has an interesting history as related by the journalist, The Vagabond. John Stanley James (1843-1896) arrived in Melbourne in 1876 after a mixed career in England and America and he started writing for The Argus, under the name of The Vagabond. (1). He visited Lilydale and Yarra Glen towards the end of 1893 and his observations were published in The Leader in December 1893 and January 1894. This is what The Vagabond wrote about Victoria Hall -

Opposite the railway station is the most prominent public building in Yarra Glen. The Victoria Hall is architecturally a feature of the place. Built on a point of land at a junction of four roads, it could not be on a better site. It is as good a building of its kind as there is outside of Melbourne, containing stage, scenery and sitting accommodation for 400 persons. Balls and "socials " at the Victoria Hall are always crowded........This Victoria Hall, it may be mentioned, has a history. Ten years ago a cheese factory was erected near the banks of the river, and an American manager was imported to make cheese and dividends for the shareholders. He failed to do the latter. The benefits to be derived from creameries were not understood by farmers in those days. In these times a butter and cheese factory at Yarra Glen would perhaps pay. This American was one of the most obnoxious Yankees I ever met. Outside dairy management he was very ignorant. To this day they tell with glee of his nailing wire netting on all the windows of the two-story factory to keep out the snakes which he believed crawled up the sides of houses. This would do good, however, in keeping out the flies. Like all ignorant Americans, this Yankee was perpetually blowing about the country of his birth. Once only did he say a good word for Australia. A snow storm came down from the hills on to Yarra Glen. The Yank took off his hat and stood in the centre of the road. " Great Scott !" he shouted, " this is the only thing I've met in this allfired desolate land which reminds me of God's own country, America! " He was not regretted when he left the district. The factory stood empty for years, till someone persuaded Mr. Robert Kilpatrick to buy it and remove it to a central site for a public hall. It cost him an additional £500 to build the Victoria Hall as it is, and there is no chance for years of obtaining a return for the outlay. But Mr. Robert Kilpatrick is a local patriot. "If it doesn't benefit me it will benefit the district," says he. The chairman of the New Mariner can afford this. (2). 

Robert Kilpatrick (1839-1903), of Lilydale, was involved with both the New Mariner Gold Mining Company Steiglitz, which was registered in February 1891;  and the New Mariner No. 1 Quartz Mining Company, which was registered in July 1893 (3). 

Victoria Hall, Yarra Glen. 

This photo and others were published in The Leader of January 6, 1894, in conjunction with The Vagabond's article (see here) 

It is also at the State Library of Victoria, from the Illustrated Australian News of February 1, 1894  http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/437092

The Vagabond's report of January 1894 is the first reference I can find to it being called the Victoria Hall. When it was opened on June 30, 1893 it was referred to as the New Hall. The Evelyn Observer, of July 7, had this report of the opening -

The new hall built by Dr. Wm. Kilpatrick at Yarra Glen was opened last Friday evening, when the Yarra Glen Amateur Dramatic Club staged the play. "Our Days" and the comedietta " Hook and Eye." There was a large audience present, and the amateur theatricals acquitted themselves creditably and were warmly applauded (4). 

It is interesting that they credit Dr William Kilpatrick with the building of the hall. The Vagabond had referred to the musical skills and dedication of Doctor Kilpatrick in his report -

Yarra Glen rivals Lilyday [sic] in musical and histrionic talent. The "leading lady" of the district is Miss Murphy, who is the school mistress at Dixon's Creek. I have been often fairly startled at Miss Murphy's powers. As an amateur she is in the front rank, and delights the audiences to whom she plays throughout the year on behalf of local charities. In comedy and tableaux Dr. Kilpatrick is Miss Murphy's great support. It is nothing for the doctor to spend a day in the saddle around the district, play at Yarra Glen for some "benefit," visit a few more patients, and then drive back to Lilydale, arriving there in the middle of the night, to be up fresh as paint in the morning (5). 

Doctor Kilpatrick was the only child  of Robert Kilpatrick, so whether it was Robert or William who donated the Hall to the community,  they were the same family (6). 

An early function held at this new hall was reported in Lilydale Express in September 1893 -
The debate, "Woman's Position," by Mrs Andrade, in spite of most unfavorable weather, drew a good audience to the new hall, Yarra Glen, on the evening of the 8th September. The bill of fare presented, although it offered nothing new in the way of grievances or remedies was well thought out and delivered. American statistics were brought forward to show the number of positions and the variety of duties fulfilled by women in the United States making them as useful and self-supporting as men. After Mrs Andrade's presentation the debate was taken up by four men - the Reverend Darroch who considered that in women, sense is second to sentiment; Mr Fleming who would give women the vote but did not want to see them in Parliament; Mr Maxwell who thought women should chose her own sphere and not be tied down by any male restriction and the last speaker Dr Kilpatrick who  had been at school and college with girls, and found them equal, if not superior, to the male scholars. Why should not all careers be opened to them? (7). 

The Victoria Hall was used for the usual functions in a small town - meetings, performances, balls and fundraisers for community efforts such as repairs to the Anglican Church building. During the First World War the Hall hosted Red Cross meetings,  farewells to local soldiers and the 'welcome home' to the returned soldiers. 

In September 1898, a Library was opened at the Hall. The Evelyn Observer noted - 

The Yarra Glen Public Library is now open, and considerable interest is being taken in it. On Friday evening last, in the Victoria Hall, Mr. Paul, barrister, of Melbourne, gave a lecture in aid of the funds. The subject of the address was "Ourselves as others see us." (8). The Library was still in operation in December 1905, but it closed at some unknown time and when, in 1929, there was agitation in the town for a new public library it was reported that there is a Probability of a public library being established in the town. Years ago there was one in existence, but it became a thing of the past (9). 

On October 8, 1921, the Soldiers Memorial was unveiled in front of the Victoria Hall, on the corner formed by the Lilydale Road and the Railway (10). The Eltham and Whittlesea Shires Advertiser reported - 

The monument consists of a granite column, with abroad pedestal on a foundation of concrete, the

whole surrounded and protected  by a chain set in granite posts. On one face of the monument is the inscription: "This monument is erected by the citizens of Yarra Glen and District,  under the auspices of the Welcome Home League, to perpetuate the memory of the men who gave their lives in the Great War, 1914-1919." And below on the pedestal, "This Monument was unveiled 8th October, 1921."

The following names were listed on two sides of the memorial -  J. Armstrong,  J. Bell, H. Conway, 

C. Dinsdale, E. Farnsworth, C. Gedye, W. Holding,  E. Hubbard, G. Hubbard, A. Hunt, J. Irvine,  

S. Jell, A. M'Leod, L. M'Leod,  H. Marshall, S. Mills, J. Pickering, D. Shillito, S. Smedley, R. Waigh and J. Wilson (11). 

What happened to the Victoria Hall? The last reference in the newspapers which I can find to Victoria Hall is in November 1924. However, from 1919 until 1929 there are references to the Mechanics' Hall at Yarra Glen and I believe they are the same building. This is confirmed by the fact that the building is also listed as a Mechanics' Institute in the comprehensive survey of Mechanics' Institutes in Victoria, These Walls Speak Volumes (12).  The building was still there in December 1934, as it is photographed in the flood photograph, below. These Walls Speak Volumes notes  It is thought locally that Victoria Hall  was demolished some time before the end of World War Two (13). 

Yarra Glen, December 1934 flood. 

State Rivers and Water Supply Commission photographer. 

State Library of Victoria Image RWP/32883

The Victoria Hall was not the first Hall in Yarra Glen; as mentioned previously when it was opened in June 1893, it was referred to as the New Hall. The original Hall was also donated by local business men, as the Evelyn Observer notes in the report from July 1886 -

We hear on good authority that Messrs. Munday and Warren, auctioneers, are making arrangements for building a spacious hall on their land at Yarra Flats, to enable the residents of that district to have some commodious building to hold their public meetings, and allow the young to enjoy " the light fantastic" ; also, in case of wet weather Messrs M. and W. will use the hall for their land or property sales. We believe a stage is included in the specification, so we may expect to see some "stars" on the boards during the oncoming busy times promised for the Yarra Flats and its neighborhood. We wish them success (14). 

Tenders for the building were called in the August and the building was opened by  December 1886 (15). 

Tenders invited for the erection of the Yarra Flats Recreation Hall

The Age, August 24, 1886 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/190847378

I can find references to this Hall, known as the Recreation Hall, until 1911, but I have no information as to its fate. As you can see from the report above, Yarra Glen was originally known as Yarra Flats, however when the railway line reached the town in May 1888, the local station was called Yarra Glen and the School and the Post Office adopted the new name in 1889 (16). 

There was also another Hall in Yarra Glen - the Memorial Hall.  It was opened in December 1920 and the Eltham and Whittlesea Shires Advertiser reported on the event - 

Last Saturday, the 11th inst., the Soldiers' Club rooms at Yarra Glen were formally opened by Mr W. H. Everard, M.L.A. There was a fine gathering of district residents, together with many friends from a distance. Mr P. F. Downer presided and introduced the member of the district, who, in a happy speech, declared the building formally opened, and referred eloquently to the generosity which had built and equipped the rooms. The ground, a well-placed corner block, was given by the Herbert family, the money for the building being raised by donations and numerous efforts from the folk of the township and district, and the furniture, which includes a fine billiard table, was a gift from Mrs Woolcott and members of her family.

Speeches were also given by Cr Bath, Chairman of the Welcome Home League, the other two councillors of the Riding, Crs Smedley and Hubbard, and by Mr Maroney as representative of the R.S.S.I.L. During the afternoon a medal from the Welcome Home League was given to Private G. Muir, of Christmas Hills. Tea and cakes, provided by the ladies, were handed round, and then the assembled company inspected the rooms and watched the "Diggers" trying the billiard table. In the evening the Victoria Hall was packed to listen to a fine concert programme provided by the Ringwood Diggers (17). 

Six years later in December 1925 a dance hall was added to the Memorial Hall (18). In the January 1939 Black Friday bush fires the Hall was nearly destroyed - 

...word came from Yarra Glen that the town was in danger, and most of the fighters from the road

area went on, to discover that the Memorial Hall was in imminent peril of being demolished. Outbuildings were alight then, and it appeared to be just a matter of time before the hall itself would catch. Their commendable activity was responsible for a splendid save, as they prevented the flames reaching the main building (19).  

However, sadly, on February 16, 1952 the Hall did not escape destruction by fire. The Lilydale Express reported on the tragedy - 

Destruction of Yarra Glen's Memorial Hall by fire early last Saturday morning is one of the most tragic incidents in the district's history. The Hall, an invaluable asset and of one of most modern in Eltham and neighbouring Shires, was razed to the ground by fire, which began mysteriously. The fire was first noticed at at 5 a.m. by neighboring residents, who quickly raised the alarm.....by 6.20 the hall had been reduced to smouldering ashes (20). 

A new Memorial building was opened on May 27, 1955, by Mr Colin Badger, Director of Adult Education in Victoria (21). The War Memorial was relocated to the front of this Hall in 1998 (22).

Trove List  - I have created a list of newspapers articles on the Halls at Yarra Glen, access it here.

Footnotes

(1) John Stanley James - read his Australian Dictionary of Biography entry here   https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/james-john-stanley-3848

(2) The Leader, January 6 1894, see here.

(3) Obituary in the Healesville and Yarra Glen Guardian, August 22, 1903 see here; See my Trove list, here, for connections to the New Mariner Companies. Dates of registration from the Victoria Government Gazette of February 13, 1891, page 898 see here; and Victoria Government Gazette of July 14, 1893, page 3212, see here.

(4) Evelyn Observer, July 7, 1893, see here.

(5) The Leader, January 6 1894, see here.

(6) Healesville and Yarra Glen Guardian, August 22, 1903 see here

(7) Lilydale Express, September 15, 1893, see here. 

(8) Evelyn Observer, September 30, 1898, see here.

(9) Hurstbridge Advertiser, May 17, 1929, see here.

(10) Eltham and Whittlesea Shires Advertiser, October 14, 1921, see here.

(11) Ibid

(12) Baragwanath, Pam and James, Ken These Walls Speak Volumes: a history of Mechanics' Institutes in Victoria (published by the authors in 2015)

(13) Ibid, p. 646.

(14) Evelyn Observer, July 9, 1886, see here.

(15) Evelyn Observer, December 17, 1886, see here.

(16) Evelyn Observer, May 18, 1888, see here; Blake, Les Place names of Victoria (Rigby, 1977)

(17) Eltham and Whittlesea Shires Advertiser, December 17, 1920 see here.

(18) The Argus, January 1, 1926, see here. 

(19) Healesville and Yarra Glen Guardian, January 21, 1939, see here. 

(20) Lilydale Express, February 22, 1952, see here. 

(21) Lilydale Express, June 3, 1955, see here.

(22) Encyclopedia of Yarra Glen and District http://www.yarraglenhistory.com.au/a-z/M/memorial-hall-yarra-glen; Yarra Glen RSL https://www.yarraglen.com/RSL/YG-memorial.htm

Trophies from the Crimean War

In January 1858, The Age reported that a communication was received from Lord Panmure, by the Right Worshipful the Mayor of the City of Melbourne, in which that nobleman, as Commander-in-Chief of Her Majesty's Forces, offered to the City of Melbourne two Russian Guns, to be preserved in the City as Russian War Trophies. The offer was made in consequence of the manner the citizens of Melbourne displayed their loyalty to the Sovereign, and the handsome way in which they came forward with their subscriptions for the relief of the sufferers by the late Russian War (1). 

Russian Trophies, Botanical Gardens, 1862. 

Artist: George Stafford; Engraver: Samuel Calvert. 

State Library of Victoria Image H4205

The Russian War, also known as the Crimean War, was fought on the Crimean Peninsula between Russia and an alliance consisting of Britain, France, the Ottoman Empire and Sardinia. It began in October 1853 and ended on March 30, 1856.  For people like me, who are not military historians,  the Crimean War is remembered due to its connection to Florence Nightingale who was in charge of nursing the British and Allied soldiers and improved the standard of care, cleanliness and food provided to the wounded. On her return to England she established a school of Nursing to improve the training of nurses.  

The other interesting thing about the Crimean War is that many Victorian place and street names are connected to the battles and personalities of the War. A prime example can be seen in the suburb of St Kilda which has a Crimea, Odessa, Sebastapol, Raglan, Alma, Inkerman (2), Malakoff and Redan Street and is next to the suburb of Balaclava; the last five are named after battles; Odessa is a port on the Black Sea. Sebastapol is named for a city on the Crimean Peninsula, which was besieged for eleven months from October 1854. It is also the source of the name of the town of Sebastapol, near Ballarat. Raglan is named for Baron Raglan (1788-1855) a commander of the British troops during the War and  there is also a town called Raglan, near Beaufort.  

The town of St Arnaud, was named for Armand-Jacques Leroy de Saint-Arnaud (1798-1854), the Commander of the French forces.  Napier Street in St Arnaud is named for Sir Charles Napier (1786-1860), commander of the British Baltic fleet in the War.  

In Cranbourne there are three streets with a Crimean War connection -
Codrington - Sir William John Codrington (1804 - 1884) was Commander in Chief of the British Forces in the War; Clarendon - George William Frederick Villiers, 4th Earl of Clarendon (1800 - 1870) was Lord Lieutenant of Ireland from 1847 to 1852 and the British Foreign Secretary on three occasions from 1853 to 1870. He negotiated a favourable outcome for Britain at the end of the Crimean War in 1856 at the Congress of Paris Peace talks. The third Cranbourne street is Lyons Street - named for Admiral Sir Edmund Lyons (1790-1858), 1st Baronet Lyons, who commanded the Black Sea fleet during the War. 

I also believe that Pakenham was named after Lieutenant-Colonel Edward William Pakenham (1819 -1854) who was killed at Inkerman during the Crimean War. This has been disputed, but I stand by my research. You can read more about the naming of Pakenham, here.

The Russian cannons and the rotunda, Botanical Gardens, Melbourne, c. 1870.

State Library of Victoria Image H10788

Back to the cannons - the loyal citizens of Melbourne were indeed happy to accept the war trophies and a year later, they had arrived and The Age reported in January 5, 1859 -

A platform of stone work is now being erected in the Botanic Gardens, for the accommodation of the Russian guns presented to the colony, trophies of the late war, by the Home Government. The platform is in the immediate vicinity of the music pavilion (3). 

Two days later, The Argus had this detailed report - 

Trophies from the Crimea - Two of the Russian guns taken at the Redan fortification in the Crimea, and forwarded by the Imperial to the Victorian Government, have recently been placed in the Botanical Gardens, on an  elevated spot overlooking the southern and eastern portions of the city. The peculiar construction and formidable powers of these enormous engines of warfare render them well worthy of Inspection, not to take into consideration the ideas which they must naturally suggest of the sufferings and triumphs of the allied armies in the late war. 

The cannon weigh each three tons, and their comparatively light-looking carriages weigh a ton-and-a-half each. The carriages are of very peculiar form, being entirely of iron, and in some degree resembling that of the English field-gun, with the exception that the wheels are not more than 2½ feet in diameter, and are fitted with double-spokes of crossed iron bars. The sockets into which the elevating screws are turned project from the back part of the carriages, and when the screws are entirely removed form a rest for the breach, keeping the guns at point-blank range, beyond which range the muzzles cannot be elevated. The muzzles may, however, be so far depressed as to bear upon a force within a very short distance of an embrasure, in which they were no doubt placed. Each gun is 9 feet 4 inches in length, and about 2 feet in diameter at the breech. The calibres are 7¾ inches, and will receive balls weighing about 40 lb. When loaded with the full or distance charge (12¾ lb.) of powder, these imposing-looking iron magnates would propel their iron globes with much greater velocity than lighter guns of the same calibre to a distance of nearly 4,000 yards. 

One of the guns is "spiked"-that is, a brittle steel rod has been driven into the vent, and then broken off, of course rendering the gun useless until the steel is drilled out again. This must have taken place at the storming of the Redan. The other gun has the vent so enlarged from constant firing, that the finger may be readily introduced. Besides these evidences of use, one of the cannon bears a singular mark, caused by the bursting of a shell upon it breach. The projectile must have been thrown from a howitzer from the English trenches, as it has evidently entered the narrow embrasure in which the gun was placed in a horizontal direction, and has scored a horizontal trace along one side of the metal, and finally burst at the breech. The mark made on the metal where the shell burst is a deep circular dent, from which radiate pretty equally and pretty thickly, in every direction, grooves cut into the solid iron, some of them an inch wide and a third of an inch deep. Of course, the Russian artillerymen on that side of the gun must have been killed, and the man stationed at the breech, who would occupy a position similar to that occupied by an artilleryman No. 4 in working an English gun, must have been blown to pieces. The guns are of excellent workmanship, and bear the date 1836 on the trunnions. The sight of them will well repay a visit to the spot where they are placed (4). There is more on the date of manufacture, below.

At this time, just after the end of the Crimean War, Victorians were happy to display these trophies and  on occasions the cannons were fired. The Geelong Advertiser reported in March 1859 that a Military Band performed at the Botanical Gardens, the highlight of which was -

a performance of a Battle Sinfonie, descriptive of British troops leaving their native shores for the seat of war, the composition of the band-master, Mr Johnston. During the performance, one of the Russian war trophies placed in the gardens, was called into requisition and fired, to represent the daybreak morning gun. Owing to some negligence in not warning the spectators, a man who was crossing within range of the gun, was struck to the ground with a piece of wadding, which caught him in the face, and carried away a portion of his nasal organ. When removed from the ground, he was bleeding most profusely, and it will be fortunate if he has not received any severer injury (5). 

However, the relationship between England and Russia thawed as the years went on. They thawed to such an extent that on January 23, 1874 Queen Victoria's second eldest son, Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh (6) married  the Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna, the daughter of the Russian Emperor, Alexander II, at the Winter Palace at St Petersburg (7). After this it was thought inappropriate to have such war trophies on display in such a prominent location so they were, as the Herald reported in February 1882, bundled into the barrack yard where they now lie (8).  By 1889, they were located either side of the central door at Victoria Barracks, St. Kilda road (9), where they are today.

The wedding of Prince Alfred to the the Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna, January 1874.

https://www.rct.uk/collection/themes/exhibitions/russia-royalty-the-romanovs/the-queens-gallery-buckingham-palace/the-marriage-of-prince-alfred-and-grand-duchess-maria-alexandrovna

I don't have a specific date as to when they were moved from the Gardens to the Barracks, even though I do like to know these things - the best I can do is between 1874, when the Royal wedding took place and 1882. 

The Age report from 1859 said the guns bear the date 1836 on the trunnions. Major Bill Billett, in his book Victoria's Guns: a field guide (10) notes that the guns were restored  at the Ordnance Factory in Bendigo in 1989 and an attempt was made at translating the marks of  their origins. Major Billett, who was the curator of Arms and Armour at the Melbourne Museum, also says the guns were made in 1838, possibly at the Alexander Arsenal in Russia to a design  by Armstrong, or supervised by him,  for the Tsar of Russia.  He lists the guns as a Type 36-Pr SB with the numbers 26028 and 26046 (11).

The cannons at the Victoria Barracks, St Kilda Road, 1975.

Photographer: John T. Collins.

State Library of Victoria Image H98.251/183

Finally, even before the 1874 Royal Wedding, some Victorians were tiring of the glorification of the Allied victory over the Russians on the Crimea Peninsula - this is from the St Kilda Telegraph of August 1869, written by the journalist 'Figaro' - 

Why Redan and the Crimea? I ask the question in connexion with the naming of two new streets about to be formed in St. Kilda. I am sorry to see the council have sanctioned this ill-advised nomenclature. I do not approve of thus to perpetuating names that were brought into prominence by events which, if they cannot be forgotten, need not at least be thus ever-lastingly obtrusively forced on our notice. Have we not already Inkermann-street and Balaclava-road to keep the Russian campaign green in our memories, to say nothing of the trophy-guns in the Botanical gardens? Where, then, is the good of adding to these souvenirs of a miserable epoch in the national history? Why should we Australians in particular - who had nothing to do with the war, excepting as a matter of sympathy - thus perpetuate its sad memories? Besides, what might be justifiable when the Russians were at war with the mother-country, is, now they are at peace with her, very like an insult (12). 

I understand what 'Figaro' is saying, but I have a real interest in the origin of place and street names and find this pocket of Crimean War names in St Kilda an interesting part of our Colonial history.  There were , of course, Crimean War veterans who migrated to Australia and I have written about some of them, here. 

Footnotes

(1) The Age, January 12, 1858, see here.

(2) Inkerman Street was originally spelt as Inkermann, which was how the town on the Crimean Peninsula was actually spelt. I don't know when the last n was dropped. (Cooper, John Butler The History of St Kilda from its first settlement to a City and after, 1840 - 1930, v. 1 (City of St Kilda, 1931), p. 93)

(3) The Age, January 5, 1859, see here. 

(4) The Argus, January 7, 1859, see here.

(5) Geelong Advertiser, March 15, 1859, see here. 

(6) I have written about Prince Alfred in this blog before, read it here. 

(7) https://www.rct.uk/collection/themes/exhibitions/russia-royalty-the-romanovs/the-queens-gallery-buckingham-palace/the-marriage-of-prince-alfred-and-grand-duchess-maria-alexandrovna

(8) The Herald, February 3, 1882, see here.

(9) The Herald, March 18, 1889, see here. 

(10) Billett, Bill Victoria's Guns: a field guide (Scienceworks, Museum of Victoria, 1994)

(11) Billett, op.cit, p. 39.

(12) St Kilda Telegraph, August 7, 1869, see here.