Wednesday, January 8, 2025

Frankston Avenue of Honor and War Memorial

Frankton established a Avenue of Honor, to commemorate their Great War Soldiers in 1918. The first tree was planted on July 13 and The Age had the following report -
In wintry and showery weather conditions the State Governor on Saturday afternoon performed the opening ceremony in connection with the planting of an honor avenue in Point Nepean-road, Frankston, in memory of the men who enlisted from that district. There was a large attendance of local residents and about 200 invalided soldiers from the base, Caulfield, M'Leod and Highton military hospitals, in charge of Warrant Officer Arrowsmith. The men were convoyed to Frankston by about 50 cars belonging to members of the voluntary motor corps. The Langwarrin band attended, and there was also a guard of honor from Langwarrin camp. In planting the first of a line lot of eucalyptus botryoides in honor of Private A. Bolger, who was the first local soldier killed in action, Sir Arthur Stanley congratulated the people of the district on the splendid patriotism they had always shown, and the whole-hearted hospitality the lady members of the Wattle club had extended to the soldiers. He said the avenue of trees, individually supplied by the people, would be a lasting memorial to those brave fellows who had shown a magnificent example of self-sacrifice in the Umpire's cause. The names of those men would live for ever and be always cherished for generations to come....The trees were then planted under the supervision of Mr. Hartland, of the Forestry department, and extended for a distance of nearly a mile. (1)  


The planting of the Frankston Avenue of Honor
1. Mr. and Mrs. James Grice planting a tree in honor of their son, Lieut. Grice. 2. Guard of Honor. 3. The Governor (Sir Arthur Stanley) addressing the residents. 4. Tree in Honor of Pte. E. M'comb, planted by his brother-in-law, Sergt. Moon. 
Avenue of Honor at Frankston in Memory of Men of the District who have Enlisted.
Weekly Times, July 20, 1918 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article129476803 


However, two years later the Avenue was a sorry sight, as recorded in this letter to the Editor of the Mornington Standard -  
Frankston Honor Avenue, Sir- The avenue of trees planted along the Melbourne road last year, after a years growth, do not at present give the indications of their ever attaining to the noble avenue of trees which is so much desired, considering the purpose for which they were planted, and it must be a disappointment to many to seen such unsatisfactory results. As it is, some trees that have been looked after have made good growths, one in particular having taken such a lead that may always leave it far ahead of the rest. This is not  desirable, as I take it an avenue should have for its greatest beauty and glory a uniform growth with each tree. This could best be attained by attention to each tree during the first year of planting, and by such attention as watering and stimulating the weaker trees by reinforcing the soil around their butts, an providing a litter to conserve moisture, they would have made a better growth, and perhaps all would have survived the past summer's long dry spells and the avenue being a fair way to become what we all wish: To glory and pride of all. Yours. etc, VISITOR. (2)

The Avenue did survive and in 1931 in a report of the  Provincial Press Association's Outing to Frankston we find that it was thriving -  
As the cars turned again toward the town along Point Nepean-road the Honor Avenue was passed. This is a double row of Australian Gums about half a mile in length. Point Nepean-road at this part is two chains in width and contains some beautiful homes and some of the finest hedges in the state. The Honor Avenue is in the centre and provides a sheltered walk for pedestrians. (3)

The Avenue was removed in the 1960s for road widening and there is now a memorial to mark the original location (4) 

This wasn't the only Great War memorial in Frankston, there was also a monument. The Frankston Soldiers' Memorial Committee was established in 1919 (5). There was much discussion as to the location of the memorial, outside the Mechanics' Institute was a favoured location, however, in the end the site selected in Bay Street, opposite the Post Office (or essentially outside the Grand Hotel, on the intersection of Bay Street (the Nepean Highway) and Davey Street)  (6).  In September 1921, designs were invited for the War Memorial, which was to cost £1200. (7) 


Designs invited for Frankston War Memorial
The Age, August 6, 1921 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article206704866

In November 1921, the Frankston Standard could report that -
On Tuesday last, Cr Mason and Messrs Utber and Vicars, representing the Frankston Soldiers'
Memorial Committee, visited Melbourne and inspected the designs submitted for the Frankston Memorial in the competition arranged by the War Memorials Advisory Committee for Victoria. There were seven competitors, and the adjudicators placed Mr. Alex S. Hall's design first, a decision which was fully endorsed by the Frankston committee. This design is now on view in the window of Mr W. P. Mason, Bay Street, Frankston. (8)

Alexander Sergeant  Hall was a Melbourne Architect and had trained with the firm Bates, Peebles and Smart. Alec enlisted in the  A.I.F in July 1916 at the age of 21 and was discharged in June 1919.  In 1928 he won first prize in the competition to design the Ararat War Memorial; in 1935 he entered into a partnership with Architect Frank Stapley, who was also a Melbourne City Councillor from 1901 until his death in 1944. In 1948, along with Architect, E. E. Milston, Alec won the competition to design the memorial to the fallen soldiers of World War Two at the Shrine of Remembrance. He died on January 6, 1972 1972, aged76 and left behind his wife Eileen and sons David and Peter.  (9)

The project moved slowly as there was shortage of funds; in April 1922 the committee held £622 and still required another £500 (10). A year later in April 1923 a meeting was held to discuss modifications to the original design -
Mr. Hall, the architect whose design for a Soldiers' Memorial at Frankston was accepted, met the committee at the Council Chambers, Frankston, on Wednesday evening last. Cr. W. J. Oates was in the chair, and others present were: -  Cr. Mason, Dr. Maxwell, Messrs. P. Wheeler, M. Brody, H. Morrison, A. Hill, J. D. Jenings, W. M. Hanton, W. C. Young, and Lieut.-Colonel Lazarus (hon. sec.). The object of the meeting was to discuss with Mr. Hall the practicability of the proposal to reduce the cost of the memorial, without materially altering the original design. Mr. Hall agreed that granite and blue-stone could with advantage replace the free-stone provided for in the original estimates. It was ultimately resolved that the architect prepare a fresh estimate of cost, allowing for substituted material, but retaining the original brass tablet, bearing the names of soldiers. It is hoped that the revised specifications will permit of the Memorial being erected for about £800. The original estimate was £1180. (11)


Tenders invited for the construction of the War Memorial

Finally in June 1923, the Architect, Alec Hall, could advertise for tenders for the construction of the new memorial. (12) Seven tenders were received (13) and on June 27, 1923 the Frankston Soldiers' Memorial Committee met and -
The secretary then read a letter from the architect, giving details of the tenders received for the erection of soldiers' memorial at Frankston. The lowest tender was that of Messrs. Corben & Sons, and the architect recommended the acceptance of same. It was resolved on the motion of Cr. Mason, seconded by Mr. Brody that Corben & Son's tender at £580 be accepted. (14)

The Memorial was unveiled by the Prime Minister, Mr Bruce on Anzac Day, 1924. The Age began their report with a description of the monument -
A memorial to the Frankston soldiers, erected on an elevation in the main thoroughfare, was unveiled yesterday by the Prime Minister (Mr. Bruce). The monument, which takes the form of a sandstone drinking fountain, contains a bronze plate, on which are engraved the names of the local volunteers. (15) You can the rest of the article here and another account of the unveiling from the Frankston and Somerville Standard, here.


The Frankston War Memorial
Frankston and Somerville Standard, April 30, 1924  http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article73499570

Recently, I came across the photograph, below, which was the catalyst for all this research and when I saw the original illustration I realised that the memorial had been altered with a more elaborate addition, on the top. This addition took place in 1928, although not without some controversary as reported in the Frankston and Somerville Standard in the April -
The additions to the Soldiers' Memorial, the proposed alteration of which raised a good deal of controversy in architectural circles, are now being carried out. The work is being done at the direction of Mr. H. M. Collins, of "Gracehill," Frankston, and those who have been dissatisfied with the present memorial will be grateful to Mr. Collins for his generosity. Many, on the other hand, are opposed to any alteration of the original structure. Those versed in art and with an eye for the beautiful in architecture contend that the original design ranked with the finest war memorials in the State. (16)


The War Memorial, on the right.
Shopping Centre, Frankston, around late 1940s. Photographer: Rose Stereograph Co. 
State Library of Victoria image H32492/6366

Henry Michael Collins, was the benefactor of this addition; he had previously donated £5 to the Memorial building fund in 1922 and another £10 towards the fund in 1925. He was a man to whom memorials were important; in October 1925 there was dedication service at St Paul's Anglican Church in Frankston of window in honour of his son, Major Percy Robert Murdoch Collins, D.S.O., R.G.A., who was killed in action near Ypres, on June 25, 1917 aged 26 and Percy's widow, Anne Elinor Lula Collins (nee Grice), who died on December 8, 1918 at the age of 23. At the same service a memorial tablet was unveiled to Henry's wife, Isabella Maria Collins, who died in England, on February 11, 1917. Sadly, the memorial window was destroyed by fire in 1957. (17)

Henry was born in 1844 in England and spent his working life with Reuters Agency; he worked all over the world and in 1878 he was appointed General manager for Reuters Australasia, a role he held for 30 years. Henry was also on the board of management of the Alfred Hospital from 1895. Mr Collins died on June 11, 1928. (18) His last local deed of benevolence was his order for the improvement of the Frankston Soldiers' Memorial. Although architects and artists differed on the question of adding to the centre portion of the memorial there is no room for argument that the scheme which was being carried out under Mr. Collins' direction for the beautification of the surroundings and approach to the memorial itself is a vast improvement. It is a matter for lasting regret that this public benefactor did not live to see the fulfilment of his plan for a more fitting tribute to the memory of those to whom he never tired of doing honor. (19)
There are not many photographs of the War Memorial (that I can find) but here are four of  various quality, which give some indications of the location and what it looked like.

Hard to see, but the War Memorial is on the left, you can see the steps which lead to it. 
Post Office and Portion of shopping centre, Frankston, around late 1940s. Photographer: Rose Stereograph Co. 
State Library of Victoria image H32492/3649


The War Memorial in 1935
Adelaide Chronicle, January 17, 1935 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article92363405


The War Memorial in 1946. 
Frankston Standard, November 14, 1946 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article73594317


The War Memorial in 1947
Frankston Standard, May 1, 1947 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article73596240


What happened to the Frankston War Memorial? It was removed around 1962 and the brass plaque with all the names of the soldiers was added to a new monument at the Civic Centre in Davey Street, which also honours service personnel  from other conflicts. The Civic Centre memorial appears to be just a number of plaques mounted on brick wall. (20) A  new memorial was created in 2016 in Beauty Park in Frankston in 2016, a half circle of concrete with the names of the 228 men and women who served in World War One engraved upon it (21).  It is equally as bland as the Civic Centre memorial was. 

The original brass plaque from the World War One soldiers does not appear to have been relocated to Beauty Park - where is that now? In fact, what happened to the original sandstone monument and Mr Collins's addition? 

Footnotes
(1) The Age, July 15, 1918, see here. 
(2) Mornington Standard, May 7, 1920, see here.
(3) Horsham Times, January 16, 1931, see here. 
(4) Virtual War Memorial Australia https://vwma.org.au/explore/memorials/6801
(5) I believe it was 1919 - that's the earliest mention I can find. Mornington Standard, August 16, 1919, see here. 
(6) Location - Mechanics' Institute - Mornington Standard, April 30, 1920, see here; Bay Street - Frankston and Somerville Standard, April 9, 1920, see here and  Frankston and Somerville Standard, June 29, 1923 see here;  Frankston Standard, October 17, 1941, see here.  
(7) The Age, August 6, 1921, see here.  
(8) Frankston and Somerville Standard, November 25, 1921, see here. 
(9) Alexander Sergeant Hall - WW1 enlistment papers https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=3007001  The Herald, July 23, 1928, see here; The Argus, July 11, 1935, see here; Frank Stapley obituary The Argus, September 13, 1944, see here;  Sun News-Pictorial, February 28, 1948, see here.    


Death notice of Alec Hall
The Age, January 7, 1972, p. 13 from newspapers.com

(10) Frankston and Somerville Standard, April 7, 1922, see here. 
(11) Frankston and Somerville Standard, April 20, 1923, see here. 
(12) The Argus, June 9, 1923, see here.  
(13) Frankston and Somerville Standard, June 20, 1923, see here. 
(14) Frankston and Somerville Standard, June 29, 1923, see here. 
(15) The Age, April 26, 1924, see here.  
(16) Frankston and Somerville Standard, April 13, 1928, see here. 
(17) Henry Michael Collins - donations Frankston and Somerville Standard, August 30, 1922, see here and Frankston and Somerville Standard, March 4, 1925, see here; Church memorials - Frankston and Somerville Standard, October 23, 1925, see here and https://www.stpaulsfrankston.com.au/stained-glass-windows
(18) Henry Michael Collins obituary - Prahran Telegraph, June 15, 1928, see here. 
(19) Frankston and Somerville Standard, June 15, 1928, see here. 
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