Spion Kop, Domain Gardens, Melbourne

In February 1900, the Ovens and Murray Advertiser published the following paragraph about recruitment of Victorians to fight in the Second Boer War in South Africa -
The work of selecting the 300 men required for the Bushmen's Corps is being steadily proceeded with. On Thursday, fifty recruits were chosen after very severe riding and firing tests, and have been sent into camp at Langwarrin. The task of selection has been no easy one, 1500 men having presented themselves. The hill in the Government House domain, where the rough riding tests have been conducted, has been named "Spion Kop," so numerous have been the recruits who have come to grief. The firing has been done at Williamstown - 20 points at 400 yards with a magazine rifle being the regulation requirement. (1)

Spion Kop, was the location of a disastrous battle for the British during the Boer War, which led to a large loss of life. Richard Rhys Jones has written an account of the battle, which you can read in full on the Historic UK website here. 

On 24th January 1900 during the Second Boer War, in an area about the size of London’s Trafalgar Square, the flat top of a South African mountain became the killing field for hundreds of infantrymen from three Lancashire regiments. The carnage on the peak known as Spion Kop (spelt Spioenkop in Afrikaans, meaning Spy Hill) caused newspaper correspondents to describe it ”An Acre of Massacre.” 

After receiving reinforcements until his army in Natal comprised 19,000 infantry, 3,000 cavalry and 60 heavy guns, General Sir Redvers Buller abandoned his plan to lift the siege of Ladysmith by fording the Tugela River at Colenso and instead moved 25 miles upstream to cross the river using pontoon bridges. Once they were over the Tugela river, the cavalry galloped forward to turn the Boer right flank while 16,000 British troops camped under the steep slopes of Spion Kop.

Winston Churchill, reporting for “The Morning Post,” believed that if the cavalry continued their attack they could have broken through the Boer lines and been followed by the main force over flat farmland to relieve Ladysmith 17 miles away. But Buller was reluctant to do so because he feared losing communications over a 30-mile front stretching from the cavalry on the left to the infantry at the base of Spion Kop on the right. Also, at any moment, mounted Boers could break through the extended Khaki Line and attack them from the rear. So, rather than use his cavalry in a wide turning movement, he decided to shorten the route to Ladysmith by pivoting on Spion Kop.

General Buller's decision led to a tragic loss of life - British losses on Spion Kop included 322 killed or died of wounds, 563 wounded and 300 taken prisoner, while the Boers counted 95 killed and 140 wounded. (2)

South slope of Spion Kop, the bloodiest batteground of the war, South Africa, c. 1901.

State Library of Victoria image H2006.149/13 - see full image here  http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/331875

It is interesting that less than a month after the Battle of Spion Kop, the hill in the Domain Gardens (3) was colloquially named after the battle. The Ovens & Murray Advertiser wasn't the only report of this hill we could find, but it was the first and the only one from 1900.  A year later in January 1901,  the Ballarat Star referred to it -

The Fifth Contingent. The Riding Test. 

Melbourne, Tuesday. (From Our Correspondent.) The military authorities were very busy to-day examining candidates for the fifth contingent. The riding tests at what is locally known as Spion Kop, in the Government Domain, attracted a large gathering of spectators as usual. The horses used were chiefly belonging to the police force, and they were not very good animals, some of them being pig headed, awkward brutes, and many of the riders had considerable difficulty with them, the falls brings rather numerous. Between ninety and a hundred candidates were tried and nearly 20 per cent were rejected as hardly being up to the standard. The shooting tests will be entered upon without delay. (4)

There were several other references to Spion Kop in January 1901 - 
The Herald  - The main interest, from a spectacular point of view, was centred in the riding test, which was being carried out in the Domain, on that hill familiar to the public when the Bushmen's Contingent were being got ready at Spion Kop. (5)
Bendigo Independent - The military authorities were very busy to-day examining candidates for the fifth contingent. The riding at what is locally known as Spion Kop in the Government domain attracted a large gathering of spectators as usual. (6)
The Herald -  For instance, a man who has passed the doctor and the shooting, but has failed in riding, may be given another chance to pilot a horse over the sticks and round the course on our own Spion Kop. (7)

Where was the exact location of Spion Kop in the Domain Gardens?  A report in April 1901 regarding a fireworks display noted that The site selected for the fireworks display in the Domain is the point of the hill about midway between St Kilda road and the Botanic-gardens. This is the highest spot in the vicinity. (8). I assume this was Spion Kop, but I still can't place the location on any map.

Government House and Domain Gardens, 1873.

Map designed by Joseph Sayce and lithographed by Joseph Bonney. 

Public Records Office of Victoria VPRS 8168/P0002 https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/83D433BB-F843-11E9-AE98-DFE0CCA56094?image=1

In May 1901, Spion Kop was the site of refreshments for the visitors after the opening of  Alexandra Avenue on May 17 by the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall (the future King George V and Queen Mary). They were in Victoria to open the first Commonwealth Parliament, which took place on May 9 at the Royal Exhibition Buildings. Alexandra Avenue, was named for the Duke's mother, Queen Alexandra and it was designed by Carlo Catani (see here). The Argus reported -
This completed the ceremony, and, while invited guests continued to arrive, the Duke and Duchess drove on along the avenue towards the east, and, turning into Anderson-street southward, re-entered the Domain and drove back to Government house along the newly made roadways within the Domain. All the guests present and still arriving at the fountain then, at the invitation of Mr M'Culloch, ascended the hill known as Spion Kop, above the avenue, to a marquee when refreshments were provided. Many members of the state Commonwealth Parliaments were among the company, who numbered quite 200. (9)

This was the last reference to Spion Kop in 1901, however in 1910 The Australasian in their 'Notes & Answers' columns published the following, in answer to a query from a reader with the pen-name Spion Kop
"Spion Kop."-1. The first Victorian Contingent were in training at the Flemington Show-grounds. 
They were not tested in the Domain, but at the Police Depot, behind the Victoria Barracks. 2.The First Contingent was composed of one company infantry, one company mounted rifles; the infantry were trained in the Victoria Barrack square. All subsequent contingents, second, third, fourth, and fifth, were tested in the Domain before leaving for South Africa. (10). Surely, the pen-name is a reference to the Domain Gardens hill, known for a time as Spion Kop.

Other places named Spion Kop or Spion Kopje

There is a mountain, in the Bogong High Plains, named Spion Kopje, north of Falls Creek; it is 5,950 feet high. (11).  There is another one in the Baw Baws, out of Noojee, which is 3,000 feet high. (12) They are both taller than the South African Spion Kop, which is only 1,400 feet high. (13)

Another interesting location with the name was noted in The Age in February 1926 -  the report starts - Amongst railway men the hill between the Melbourne yards and Newmarket is known as 'Spion Kop,' and it has a sinister reputation for shunting accidents. (14)

Acknowledgment - It was my research colleague, Isaac Hermann, who altered me to the article on the opening of  Alexandra Avenue by the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall, and the refreshments on Spion Kop; and that led to this further research.

Footnotes

(1) Ovens and Murray Advertiser, February 17, 1900, see here.

(2) Battle of Spion Kop by Richard Rhys Jones - 

https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofBritain/Battle-Of-Spion-Kop/

(3) Domain Gardens - Alexandra Gardens and Alexandra Park, Queen Victoria Gardens, Linlithgow Reserve, the Shrine of Remembrance Reserve, the Myer Music Bowl Reserve and the King's Domain. It is this aggregation of public parkland traditionally referred to as the Domain -  Swanson, Rex Melbourne's Historic Public Gardens: a management and conservation guide (City of Melbourne, 1984), p. 81.

(4) Ballarat Star, January 9, 1901, see here. 

(5) The Herald, January 8, 1901, see here.  

(6) Bendigo Independent, January 9, 1901, see here; same report in the Geelong Advertiser, January 9, 1901, see here. 

(7) The Herald, January 22, 1901, see here. 

(8) The Argus, April 6, 1901, see here.

(9) The Argus, May 18, 1901, see here. 

(10) The Australasian, August 6, 1910, see here

(11) Brunswick and Coburg Gazette, October 17, 1930, see here.

(12) The Argus, December 1, 1923, see here; there was also a timber mill at Millswyn, out of Noojee destroyed by fire in January 1939, The Age, January 12, 1939, see here.

(13) See Footnote 2.

(14) The Age, February 5, 1926, see here. Other mentions of the Spion Kop railway hill - The Argus, November 24, 1914, see here; The Herald, December 28, 1932, see here; The Herald, December 19, 1933, see here.

Catholic Churches in the old Shire of Berwick and Shire of Cranbourne

The Catholic newspaper, The Advocate, is available on Trove from 1868 until 1954-
The Advocate was first published on 1st February 1868 by Samuel Vincent Winter and his brother, Joseph. Its goal was to “fairly and intelligently represent the Catholic and Irish section of the community, and, while defending their legitimate interests, would aim at promoting the prosperity of the colony, and cultivating a friendly feeling among all classes of the community.” In 1902, The Advocate imported a font of Irish type and became the first newspaper in Australia to be able to print the Gaelic language. In 1919, the ownership and management of The Advocate passed to the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne until it ceased publication in 1990. From 1868 -1990, The Advocate remained a “reliable record of Catholic life.” (1) 

In this post we will look at the type of local historical information we can find in The Advocate, concentrating on reports of the opening of Catholic Churches in the old Shire of Berwick and Shire of Cranbourne; but before we do here is a short overview of the Parish structure in the area. 

As early as the 1840s Priests from Melbourne used to visit the area - Pakenham, Nar Nar Goon and the Western Port region. In 1853 the Brighton Mission was established, a very large area that covered the south east part of Melbourne, the Mornington Peninsula, Bass Coast and West Gippsland. In April 1883 the Dandenong Parish or Mission was established which covered nearly all of the Shire of Berwick and Shire of Cranbourne (the Casey Cardinia region), plus Dandenong, Phillip Island, down to Wonthaggi and the Mornington Peninsula. This Parish was eventually split up with the Iona Parish being created in 1905, Koo Wee Rup in 1946, St Mary's North Tynong (or Maryknoll) in 1950 (combined with Iona in 1968), Pakenham in 1954, Berwick (including Cranbourne) in 1956, Doveton in 1962, Cranbourne in 1973, Endeavour Hills in 1980 and Narre Warren in 1982. This information and some of the information in the rest of this post comes from A Parish carved from the bush: the centenary history of the Dandenong Parish, 1883-1983 (2)

St Agatha's Church,  Cranbourne

Back to The Advocate - the first Catholic Church in the area was St Agatha's at Cranbourne which was opened on February 6, 1861, by Archbishop Goold (3);  so a bit too early to be reported in The Advocate. However, the second St Agatha's which was opened on January 20, 1929 had a full page report, which you can read here. This church was opened by Archbishop Mannix; it was designed by Architect, Mr P.J. O'Connor and the contractor was Mr Taylor. The church cost £3131/5/.

The current St Agatha's was built in 1981. This Church was partially funded by a generous bequeath of $492,000 from Mr Eddie Donnelly who passed away in 1979. You can read more of the history on their website http://www.stagathas.org.au/

The opening of St Agatha's Church at Cranbourne in 1929 with the original 1861

weatherboard Church next to it.

The opening of St Agatha's in Cranbourne in 1929

The Advocate, January 24, 1929 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article171655207

St Patrick's Church, Pakenham

The next church to open was St Patrick's in Pakenham which opened in 1871. The existing Church was built in 1976. The original Church is still standing and is now part of the St Patrick's School. The Advocate published this report on construction of this Church - 

New Church, Pakenham - On the Gippsland road, about 35 miles from Melbourne, in the wilds, we may say, of the Australian bush, a beautiful little church is being built. It is so situated, and both in material and design is so pleasing, that more eloquently and impressively than all the churches in this crowded city it will bear testimony to the Christian character of the people of Victoria. On the Feast of SS. Peter and Paul the Rev. J. P. O'Sullivan turned the first sod for the foundation in the presence of several members of the Catholic congregation in the district. Since that time the building operations have been rapidly progressing. (4)  

 

I can't actually find an opening date for the Church, but A Parish Carved from the Bush notes that the first wedding which took place was on October 2, 1872, between Johanna O'Brien and  Phillip Boland. (5)

Marriage of Johann O'Brien to Matthew Boland, at 

The Australasian, November 2, 1872 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article137575458

An early photo of St Patrick's at Pakenham.

Source: North of the Line: a pictorial record published by the Berwick Pakenham Historical Society in 1996.

St Michael's Church, Berwick
The first Berwick Catholic Church was officially opened by Archbishop Goold on March 31, 1878. It was originally known as St Joseph's, but later changed to St Michael's. The name change seemed to gave occurred around 1910 - I found references to St Michael's in 1910, even though St Joseph's was still be used as late as 1914, presumably by long-term parishioners. (6)

The Advocate had a report of the opening - 

Church of St Joseph, Berwick - This handsome and commodious edifice was solemnly opened and consecrated to divine worship on Sunday, 31st March, by his Grace the Most Rev. Dr. Goold, Archbishop of Melbourne. The Archbishop was assisted by Rev. M. Carey, pastor of the district, and Rev. W. Kelly, S.J., who preached a very eloquent and impressive sermon on the occasion. He took his text from Galatians iv., and read in the Mass of the Sunday, " we are children of promise." The rev. preacher dwelt on the promises of God, through Christ, pointing out that the material temple in which they were assembled was the memorial and manifestation of men's best and highest hopes, and that it was by turning to good account the grace that would be so largely conferred within these walls that  our hopes of pardon, perseverance, and final bliss were to be realised. After the sermon his Grace addressed the congregation, urging in highly and well chosen words, the importance of complying with the paschal obligations of confession and communion. The attendance was very numerous, considering the very extreme inclemency of the weather, and must be regarded as highly creditable to the zeal and earnestness of the Roman Catholic, pastor and people of Berwick. (7)  

The original wooden Church at Berwick

Image: Church on the hill: a history of St Michael’s Parish Berwick by Maree Chapman (St Michael’s Catholic Parish, 1996)

The second Church at Berwick was opened on January 24, 1937 by Archbishop Mannix. The Advocate had full report, including photographs, which you can read here. The old wooden church was removed having been sold to Dan Cunningham of Nar Nar Goon, but burnt down before he could use it (8) The current St Michael's Church was opened in 1984.

St Michael's Berwick

The Advocate, January 28, 1937,  http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article171926375

Archbishop Mannix at the opening of St Michael's in Berwick in 1937.

The Advocate January 28, 1937  http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article171926375

St Joseph's Church, Iona
St Joseph's at Iona was the next Church to be opened, which took place on December 16, 1900. Iona was known as Bunyip South until 1905. The Advocate reported - 

The Dandenong Mission - Last Sunday a new church was opened at Bunyip South by the Very Rev. M. J. Maher, C.M. (Malvern), who also delivered the dedicatory discourse, his theme being the excellence of the August Sacrifice of the Mass. The custom of offering sacrifice to a Supreme Being was traced from the earliest history of the world down to our own day. Fr. Maher was assisted in the function by the pastor of the Dandenong mission, in which the new church is situated (Rev. J. Gleeson). The building is of wood, and is considered very good value for the sum of £250, the contract price. The preacher concluded with an appeal on behalf of the debt on the new structure, and a generous response was made, the sum £48 being received. (9)  

St Joseph's Church, Iona, 1922

The Advocate November 16, 1922 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page20363246

The current St Joseph's Church was opened on April 14, 1940. The comprehensive report in The Advocate started with - 

A new church was blessed and opened at Iona on Sunday afternoon by his Grace the Archbishop, who was accompanied from Melbourne by Right Rev. Dr. P. F. Lyons, V.G., Adm. Built of multi-red brick, with a tower rising to a height of 60 feet, and with seating accommodation for 450 people, the new church is one of the best country churches in the Archdiocese. It has been well furnished and the High Altar, altar rails and pulpit are of Mt. Sommers (New Zealand) stone. The site is most central, but, because of the treacherous state of the ground, the foundations were specially strengthened. The cost of erecting the church was £5300, and it was designed by Mr. W. P. Conolly and built by Mr. Donald McLennan. Messrs. Lodge Bros, executed the stonework.  (10)   

St John the Baptist Church, Koo Wee Rup

The first decade of the twentieth century continued to be a busy time for the Dandenong Mission with three other Churches  established. Two years after Iona, another Church, St John the Baptist, was opened on the Koo Wee Rup Swamp, at Koo Wee Rup, on August 24, 1902. The Advocate reported -

A new Catholic Church was solemnly opened and blessed at Koo-wee-rup, in the Dandenong Mission, on Sunday last, 4th August. Notwithstanding the inclemency of the weather, a large congregation had assembled to witness the opening ceremony, the entire seating space being taken up. After the blessing of the new church, Mass was celebrated by Rev. Fr. J. Hagarty, C.M., of Malvern, who also preached the sermon, after which a collection was taken up, which realised upwards of £50, including a donation of £25 received from His Grace the Archbishop. The pastor (Rev. J. Gleeson) assisted in the function.  (11)  

The current Church, built in Modernist Design, was opened on December 23, 1962, by the Bishop of Sale, the Most Reverend P.F. Lyons.

St John the Baptist Church, Koo Wee Rup, 1930s.

Image: Koo Wee Rup Swamp Historical Society

St James' Church, Nar Nar Goon Catholic Church opened on May 29, 1904 -

A new church recently built at Nar-Nar-Goon at a cost of between £300 and £400, on land given by
Mr. James Kelly, of Nar-Nar-Goon, was formally opened on Sunday by the Very Rev. J. T. Colgan, S.J. The choir from Pakenham assisted. There was a large congregation. (12)  

The current St James' building was opened on March 13, 1971. 

St Mary's Church, Lang Lang

On September 14, 1908 the Lang Lang Church was opened, it is called St Marys. The Advocate reported - 

The Vicar-General's Visit to Lang Lang - New Church opened and Blessed - Last Sunday the Very Rev. Dean Phelan, V.G., visited Lang Lang (Iona Mission) for the purpose of solemnly blessing and opening a new church. It being the feast of the Holy Name of Mary, the church was placed under the invocation of Our Blessed Lady under that title. There was a large congregation people attending from all parts of the mission, and not a few of our separated brethren were present.

After the ceremony of blessing the church, in which the Dean was assisted by the respected pastor (Rev. James Byrne), and previous to delivering the occasional sermon, he congratulated Fr. Byrne and the parishioners on the wonderful progress made during the few years he had been in charge of the district. Four churches had been erected in the parish, and a fine presbytery and Catholic Hall at Iona. Over £2000 had been paid off during the past four years, leaving but a small debt on the parish. Considering the growing needs of the place, the Dean told the congregation that at Fr. Byrne's request he would send him an assistant priest within the next couple of months. In future, the Vicar-General said, you will have Mass every Sunday at a fixed hour in each of the four churches. This announcement gave pleasure to the people of the Lang district, who, in the past, had Mass only on week-day.

The Dean preached on the necessity of a church as a home for the Blessed Eucharist, and touched on the Sacrifice of the mass and the Doctrine of the Real Presence as a reason why Catholics erected churches. The collection made after Mass was a very generous one, and realised over £150. There remains, in consequence, a debt on the building of only £120. Amongst the larger donations received were:—Dean Phelan, V.G., and Fr. Byrne, £10 each; Messrs. P. Kennedy, £15; J. O'Connor, £11; P. Doyle, £8 8s.; J. Glasheen, T. Lonergan, and M. Coghlan, £6 each; R. Gray, £5 5s. Fr. Byrne, in announcing the result of the collection, thanked the Dean for his presence and generosity, the people for their earnestness in building the church, and the many non-Catholics who were present and contributed generously to the building fund. (13)   

The Church is still in operation.

St Peter's Church, Tooradin

The  Tooradin Catholic Church  opened on December 3, 1922 and, as befits a fishing village, it was named St Peters, after the Patron Saint of Fishermen. The Advocate published this report -

St Peter's - of Tooradin. New Church for Fishing Village. Opened and Blessed Last Sunday.

A fine spirit exists amongst the handful of Catholics in the fishing village of Tooradin, one of the outer parts of the Dandenong parish, and this has found expression in the erection of a large wooden church in the district. Situated on Westernport Bay, about 36 miles from Melbourne, Tooradin is a long way removed from Dandenong, the centre of a very extensive parish. In such a scattered place, where the Catholics are few and far between, the visits of a priest from Dandenong are not very frequent and Mass has only been celebrated at irregular intervals. Despite these drawbacks, the district Catholics pressed their claim for the building of a church,, and expressed their readiness to shoulder the responsibilty. The Rev. F. A. Merner, P.P., knew the genuine spirit that prompted the people to ask for a church, and now their wish has been acceded to. 

The new church, which is dedicated to St. Peter, is practically completed, and it is a credit to the district. Designed by Mr. Fritsch; it has been built by Messrs. Claude and Len McCarthy, whose work is most thorough. The site is an admirable one, and commands a good view of a wide expanse of country. With many natural advantages, and enjoying a well-earned reputation as an established fishing ground, Tooradin is bound to progress in the near future. With the development of the place, it will become more and more apparent what a wise step has been taken in erecting the church. Future requirements, in a spiritual sense, have indeed been well provided for. 

The new church was blessed and opened on Sunday afternoon by his Grace the Archbishop of Melbourne (the Most Rev. Dr. Mannix). Sultry, conditions in the early part of the morning gave way to a cool change later, and in the latter part of the afternoon light rain fell. There was a fine gathering at the function, many having come from Melbourne, lona, Koo-wee-rup, Pakenham, Lang Lang, Dandenong, and other parts. Irish and Australian flags were placed at the entrance to the church grounds, which will be planted with buffalo grass, later. When his Grace, who motored from Melbourne arrived with Fr. Merner, he was greeted with rousing cheers by the men of the district, who formed a guard, of honour in and about the church grounds. His Grace's visit was regarded as a most important event in the district, and it was quite a sight to see the large collection of motors and vehicles drawn up in the grounds.

After the blessing ceremony speeches were delivered in the church building. It was intended to have an outdoor demonstration, but the showery conditions necessitated the change of plans. In addition to his Grace, there were present the Rev. F. A. Merner, P.P.; Rev. J.Carroll, Rev. W. M. Collins, D.D., and Rev. L. Hartnett. The proceedings were of an enthusiastic character, and his Grace's address was followed with close Interest. (14)  

The Church was closed and the building was moved to St Peter's College in Cranbourne in 2003 where it is used as a Chapel.  

St Peter's Tooradin in 1923

The Advocate, July 19, 1923 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article171251501

Sacred Heart Church, Gembrook

A few weeks later, on December 31, 1922 Scared Heart Catholic Church at Gembrook was blessed and opened by Archbishop Mannix - and dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus according to the beautiful and inspiring formulary prescribed by the Roman Ritual.

The Advocate report commences with -

New Church at Gembrook. Blessed and Opened by the Archbishop. On Sunday 31st December, within the Octave of the Nativity of Our Lord, his Grace the Archbishop of Melbourne (the Most Rev. Dr. Mannix,) who motored from Melbourne accompanied by the Very Rev. Dean Carey. P.P., visited Gembrook for the purpose of the solemn blessing and opening of the new Church at Gembrook. There was a very large assemblage, many coming from Pakenham, Nar Nar Goon, and every part of the parish, not a few journeying from the metropolis.

As explained by Father Little, the Church was originally to have been opened in July  - 

Fr. Little, who was cordially received, said that a well-known expression rose to his mind on that occasion, "All things come to those that wait." The blessing and opening of the church was originally intended for July; adverse weather caused the function to be postponed till 15th October, and the same reason was responsible for a third postponement to that day. There had been, of course, much disappointment. However God had blessed them and gave a beautiful day for the function. (15) 

This Church was described as - The new church, of timber construction, is pleasing in appearance, and was built by contract for £825, according to the design Mr G. Vanheems (16).  

Gembrook was in the Fern Tree Gully Parish and the Church is still in operation, read more about it here - https://pol.org.au/Portals/30/ParishData/Id39/Uploads/Type3/Gembrook.pdf

Sacred Heart, Gembrook, 1922

The Advocate, October 5, 1922  http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article176522966

Holy Family Church, Maryknoll

On September 3, 1950 at St Mary's Rural Settlement at North Tynong (as Maryknoll was originally known) the Holy Family Church was blessed and  opened by Archbishop Mannix.  The original Church was designed by Smith and Tracey, architects, Sydney-road, Brunswick. 

The comprehensive Advocate report began - 

The widespread interest in St. Mary's community settlement, Tynong North, was shown last Sunday, when more than 3000 people attended the blessing and opening by Archbishop Mannix of a church-school and presbytery for Rev. Father Pooley and his pioneer co-operators at St. Mary's. Visitors came in hundreds of private cars and some fifty parlour coaches and vans from Melbourne and its suburbs, from nearby country centres and from towns as far apart as Geelong and Sale. So large was the concentration of cars on Tynong North that a special mobile police squad directed the traffic......A large tract of bush land at Tynong North is being converted into a Catholic rural settlement for 150 families. Fine work has already been done in clearing the land and home building is now in progress. Each family will have a holding of two or three acres to grow its own vegetables and fruit and keep poultry. There will be a community dairy farm and craft shops and later, it is hoped, a fruit cannery (17)

The Church was enlarged at a later date. I have written  more about the history of the settlement here. 

Caption: This is Holy Family Church-School, opened by Archbishop Mannix of 

St. Marys Rural Settlement, Tynong North, on September 3. The building was erected from a design by Smith and Tracey, architects, Sydney-road, Brunswick, who also prepared the large-scale map of the settlement which appeared last week. The erection of the first seven permanent homes is now being undertaken and these will be occupied by settlers, at present housed in temporary quarters in the vicinity.

 The Advocate, September 14 1950 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article172514072

Other Catholic Churches in the area

There are other Catholic Churches in this region which were opened after 1954 - The Holy Family Church at Doveton was opened in 1960. On October 21, 1962 St Kevin's at Hampton Park was opened - this was in a building that had been transported to the site - the old St Leonard's Church from Glen Waverley.  They appear to have  a newer building now, but I don't have any details on it. Our Lady Help of Christians Catholic Church at Narre Warren was opened in February 1980; and the St Paul Apostle Catholic Church at Endeavour Hills was opened on August 14, 1983. (18)

St Kevin's, Hampton Park

Image: A Parish carved from the bush: the centenary history of the Dandenong Parish (St Marys) 1883-1993, 

compiled by Greg Dickson (St Marys Centenary Committee, 1983)

Sources -

• 100 years of a faith community: St Joseph’s Iona 1905-2005 by Damian Smith (St Joseph’s Catholic Church, 2005)
• A Parish carved from the bush: the centenary history of the Dandenong Parish (St Marys) 1883-1993, compiled by Greg Dickson (St Marys Centenary Committee, 1983). Also covers the Catholic Parishes of Iona, Koo Wee Rup, Pakenham, Berwick, Cranbourne and Narre Warren.
• Church on the hill: a history of St Michael’s Parish Berwick by Maree Chapman (St Michael’s Catholic Parish, 1996)
• Parish of St John the Baptist Catholic Church: 50th anniversary as a Parish 1946-1996 (St John’s Catholic Church, 1996)
• St Agatha’s Parish Cranbourne Silver Jubilee 1973-1998 (St Agatha’s Catholic Parish, 1998)
• St Patrick’s Pakenham, 1840 - 2016 by Patrick Ferry (St Patrick’s Parish, 2016)

Footnotes

(1) https://melbournecatholic.org/uploads/documents/MDHC-Summary-of-the-Advocate-1868-1990.pdf 

(2) A Parish carved from the bush: the centenary history of the Dandenong Parish, 1883-1983, compiled by Greg Dickson and  published by the St Mary's Centennial Committee, 1983.

(3) A Parish carved from the bush, p. 16.

(4) The Advocate, July 29, 1871, see here.

(5) I have written about the O'Brien family in an article about the Nar Nar Goon Hall, here https://kooweerupswamphistory.blogspot.com/2022/05/mechanics-institute-soldiers-memorial.html

(6) Yarragon Settlement News, July 21, 1910, see here; The Argus, July 7, 1914, see here.

(7) The Advocate, April 6, 1878, see here.

(8) Chapman, Marie Church on the hill: a history of St Michael’s Parish Berwick by Maree Chapman (St Michael’s Catholic Parish, 1996)

(9) The Advocate, December 22, 1900, see here.

(10) The Advocate, April 18, 1940, see here

(11) The Advocate, August 30, 1902, see here.

(12) The Advocate, June 4, 1904, see here.

(13) The Advocate, September 19, 1908, see here.

(14) The Advocate, December 7, 1922, see here, report continues here and here.

(15) The Advocate, January 4, 1923, see here.

(16) The Advocate, June 29, 1922, see here.

(17) The Advocate, September 7, 1950, see here.

(18) Opening dates - A Parish carved from the bush; Hampton Park - The Age, March 23, 1962, p. 11; The Age, October 19, 1962, p. 17; 

The opening of St Kevin's, Hampton park

The Age, October 19, 1962, p. 17 from newspapers.com

Narre Warren - not sure where this date came from;  Endeavour Hills - https://www.melbcatholic.org/s/articles/a198w00000000tfAAA/parish-history

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

Frances Louise Hall (nee Stapley), 1845-1934

Florence Louise Hall is buried with her husband James Hall and brother-in-law, Archibald Hall, in an unmarked grave in the Presbyterian section at the Brighton General Cemetery. (1) There are a number of mysteries which surround Florence, the first being that all her records in both Victoria and England list her first name as Frances - her baptism record, three marriage certificates, the shipping record for her arrival in Victoria; her husband and daughter's death certificate, thirty years of Victorian Electoral Rolls - she is called Frances. Then at her death in 1934 the newspaper death notice and her death certificate call her Florence. I do not have an explanation for this and in this post, looking at her life, we are going to call her Frances. 

Frances was born in 1845 in Surrey – both Clapham and Lambeth are listed variously as her birth place – to Stephen Stapley, a bricklayer, and his wife Caroline. Caroline’s surname was possibly Jones. Frances had at least three older sisters - Caroline, Eliza and Mary Ann. At the time of Frances’ christening the family was living in the Workhouse in Lambeth, a home for the destitute. (2)  Not an auspicious start in life. 

Baptism record of Frances Stapley, October 5, 1845 - she was listed as Fanny a common diminutive name for Frances. Note their address was the Workhouse. 

Source: London, England, Church of England Births and Baptisms, 1813-1924 on Ancestry.com

Her father Stephen died the next year the cause of which, as reported in the London Daily News on May 4, 1846 was That the deceased died from the effects of a large quantity of ardent spirits taken inadvertently. (3) In the 1851 Census, the family is still living in Lambeth, with Caroline earning an income as a laundress. (4)

The Inquest into Stephen Stapley's death

London Daily News on May 4, 1846, p. 8 from newspapers.com

The next we can find of Frances is that in 1875 at the stated age of 28 she married Robert Holmes in Bengal in India. (5) The marriage record notes that she was a widow, although I can find no record of her first marriage. By 1880, Francis and Robert were back in England, living in Hackney in Middlesex and that was the year their daughter Flora Louise was born. The 1881 Census have the family living at 145 Dalston Lane in Hackney with two lodgers, including 24 year old Felix Rickard Werry. Robert's occupation was a Clerk in Compt Works - a clerical role of some description. (6)

Early in 1883 Robert Holmes died at the age of 40 (7) and on September 12th of that year, Frances married her lodger Felix, who was a lithographer. Their marriage certificate lists her age as 36, although she was really 38 – every so often it seems that Frances took a few years off her age! Felix was born in 1855 in Islington in Middlesex to William and Mary Ann (nee Rickard) Werry; William's occupation was a Gasometer Builder. (8)

Frances, Felix and little Flora migrated to Melbourne arriving in February 1885 on the Iberia. They made their home at 50 Clara Street, South Yarra. Sadly, Felix died of phithisis (consumption) at the age of only 32 on December 14, 1886 (9). That year he had exhibited a watercolour landscape at the Victorian Academy of Arts Exhibition. The reviewer from The Age mentioned the work in his report -   Among the more noticeable water colors are a delightful little sketch by Mr. Chas. D. Richardson, entitled Solitude, and a view on the river Lea, near Bronbourne, in England, by Felix Werry. (10)

The 1886 death certificate of Felix Werry. His wife was clearly called Frances and the informant was Henry Stapley step-son

Then tragedy struck again on June 2, 1893 when thirteen year old Flora died of the measles. Felix and Flora are both buried at St Kilda Cemetery; but of interest is that the informant on both certificates is Henry Stapley – noted as Felix’s step-son and Flora’s step-brother. (11) This is another mystery, he presumably must be Frances’ son but I have no other information about him.

Frances married again on May 8, 1897 to 28 year old James Semple Hall, a gardener who was born on January 5, 1870 in Windsor in Melbourne. Her stated age was 48, but she was really 52; the marriage certificate also says that she had five children of whom only one was still living, perhaps the aforementioned Henry. (12)

Frances Werry and James Hall death marriage certificate, 1897. As you can see she signed her name Frances. 

From 1905 Frances and James lived at 30 Malakoff Street, East St Kilda and from 1928 until 1934, they lived six doors down at 18 Malakoff Street. James' occupation was initially listed as a gardener, but from 1912 his occupation was mason's fixer. (13)  A mason fixer will actually travel to a job to both fit and lay already-prepared stone or cladding for buildings (as opposed to a banker mason who cuts the stone into blocks or whatever shapes are required). (14)

Frances died on May 3, 1934, and as we said before the newspaper death notice and the death certificate lists her name as Florence, and not Frances. The death certificate had her age as 84, but she was at least 88 years old; it also notes that she had no issue, but doesn’t tally with the information on her marriage certificate or the fact that we know she was the mother of Henry and  little Flora.  Frances was buried at Brighton General Cemetery as Florence Hall. (15)

Death notice of Frances/Florence Hall

The Argus, May 4, 1934 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article10933417

 
James Hall did not remarry after Frances passed away. At the time of his death on August 18, 1943, he was 73 years old and living at 19 Larnook Street, Armadale. (16)  His brother Archibald, a bachelor, had died on July 14, 1920, with the stated age of 49. His address was 48 Chomley Street, Windsor and his occupation was a night porter. (17)  

James and Archibald were the sons of Archibald and Mary Ann (nee Semple) Hall. Archibald and Mary Ann had arrived from Renfrewshire, Scotland in February 1863 with two children, 3 year-old Agnes and one year-old Alexander; they then had seven more children - Robert (1863), Janet (1865), Jessie (1867), James (1870), Jane (1871), Isabella (1873) and Archibald (born on December 18, 1875, which actually only makes him 44 when he died) (18)

Also buried at the Brighton General Cemetery are three other children of Archibald and Mary Ann – Janet, died 5 days old in 1865; Agnes (died 1942) and her husband John Winbanks (died 1924); and Robert Semple Hall (died 1956) and his wife Mary (nee Meader, died 1945). Archibald and Mary Ann are buried at the St Kilda Cemetery. (19)

There is another mystery connected to Frances/Florence and that is that in August 1914 nineteen year old Arthur Hall of 30 Malakoff Street enlisted in the First AIF. He rose to the rank of Lance Corporal and in 1918 he was awarded the Military Medal and two Bars and then was wounded in the August - gun shot wound right leg, femur - and the leg was amputated. He finally returned to Australia in August 1919, five long years since he enlisted as a young man of 19. His next of kin was Frances Hall of the same address. As I cannot find any reference to Arthur’s birth, and Frances would have been 50 at the time of his birth, it appears that Frances and James adopted or fostered him. She is listed as his mother on his death certificate. Arthur died on June 10, 1961 and is buried at the Memorial Park in Cheltenham. (20) I have written more about Arthur and other First World War soldiers with a connection to Malakoff Street, here.

I feel for Frances, who was widowed twice and gave birth to five children, of whom only one it seems survived to adulthood and she deserves credit for looking after Arthur and raising him to be a man who served his country with distinction.

Footnotes:

(1) Brighton Cemetorians database https://www.brightoncemetorians.org.au/

(2) Ancestry.com - England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth and Death Indexes, 1837-1915; London, England, Church of England Births and Baptisms, 1813-1924; England Census from 1841 and 1851.

(3) London Daily News on May 4, 1846, p. 8 from newspapers.com

(4) Ancestry.com - England Census 1851.

(5) Ancestry.com - India Select Marriages, 1792-1948

(6) Ancestry.com - England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth and Death Indexes, 1837-1915; England Census 1881.

(7) Ancestry.com - England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth and Death Indexes, 1837-1915

(8) Ancestry.com - London, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1940

(9) Shipping Records Public Records Office of Victoria; Felix's Death certificate. Flora's surname was listed as Werry.

(10) The Age, April 3, 1886, see here.

(11) Flora and Felix's Death certificate. Flora's surname was listed as Werry. 

(12) Frances/James marriage certificate; James Birth certificate.

(13) Ancestry.com- Electoral Rolls

(14) https://mms-stone.com.au/stone-mason/information/what-are-the-different-types-of-stonemason

(15) Frances/Florence death certificate

(16) James' death certificate.

(17) Archibald's death certificate.

(18) Shipping Records Public Records Office of Victoria; Indexes to the Victorian Births, Deaths and Marriages; Archibald Hall's birth certificate.

(19) Brighton Cemetorians database https://www.brightoncemetorians.org.au/; Indexes to the Victorian Births, Deaths and Marriages; Find a Grave

(20) Arthur Hall – WW1 Enlistment papers at the National Archives of Australia