Carrum Downs grew out of a 1908 sub-division of a sheep run, which created many small farms and that year the Mornington and Dromana Standard published this glowing report of the area -
This portion of Carrum has made great strides as an agricultural district. The area is dotted with residences, and improvements in the properties are plainly evidenced as one passes along. There are sixteen miles of new fencing, and two thousand pounds worth of new residences have been erected. There are new settlers on the Downs and their families total 50 persons. A school has been promised by the Education Department, to be situated on Frankston road, and about 30 children are awaiting erection.
400 acres of virgin soil have been ploughed and cultivated, and the farmers are perfectly satisfied as to the quality of the soil, and are growing oats, onions, and potatoes. The crops around about are promising to be heavy; in some cases cattle have to be put on to eat down the growing stuff.
The owner of the Carrum Downs estate has generously given a block of land for the school.
As showing the profit to be made out of milk, a Carrum dairyman has made £10 per head (in the last five months), with his cows, selling the best milk. Another farmer recently had a cow met with an accident, and she had to be slung. Then she made £6 for milk in seven weeks. Some smart ploughing has been done by Mr John McCoombe, of Carrum, who ploughed 35 acres with two teams in five days. (1).
400 acres of virgin soil have been ploughed and cultivated, and the farmers are perfectly satisfied as to the quality of the soil, and are growing oats, onions, and potatoes. The crops around about are promising to be heavy; in some cases cattle have to be put on to eat down the growing stuff.
The owner of the Carrum Downs estate has generously given a block of land for the school.
As showing the profit to be made out of milk, a Carrum dairyman has made £10 per head (in the last five months), with his cows, selling the best milk. Another farmer recently had a cow met with an accident, and she had to be slung. Then she made £6 for milk in seven weeks. Some smart ploughing has been done by Mr John McCoombe, of Carrum, who ploughed 35 acres with two teams in five days. (1).
Twenty years later, in 1929, the Dandenong Journal, published the following report which suggested that perhaps the early days were not so rosy -
A little over 20 years ago this prosperous little district, situated between Dandenong and Frankston, was a sheep run, infested with rabbits, and guiltless of a decent road. About this time it was taken over by a city firm, surveyed and divided into various sized farms, and sold to several people for very high prices. Most of the new settlers had no previous experience of farming, but they paid deposits and took possession of their new purchases with more hope in their hearts than cash in their pockets. The result with these was inevitable.
After fencing their properties and building homes, funds had shrunk to the vanishing point, and although enthusiasm is a beautiful asset to start with, it is no good for buying cows and paying further instalments on the land. Therefore, vacant houses and mortgagees’ land ornamented Carrum Downs for a time. Gradually, however, the right class of people began to arrive, who built sheds and bought dairy herds.
A school was erected, roads were made, and a post office opened. Motor buses now come through the district, taking the milk to the city and suburbs for distribution. About three years ago some energetic residents set to work to get a telephone service. The matter seemed quite hopeless at first, but eventually success crowned their efforts, and Carrum Downs now boasts a telephone exchange at the post office, with branch lines to many farm houses.
A public hall is now the ambition of those worthy people, who have an insatiable thirst for improvements. A strong committee, with Cr. Fairbairn, of Cranbourne Council, as president, has completed the financial arrangements, and its success is assured. A hall will be a great boon to the district. Church services will be held there, instead of in the school room, also socials and various other amusements to add to the content of the rising generation, and perhaps cheer them on to greater efforts in the cowshed, etc.
When the hall is an accomplished fact, a movement will be set on foot to get electric lighting in the homes. With all these improvements, who shall say we are not a progressive people? It has been a matter of immense satisfaction to older residents to see this once rough, virgin land transformed into a fine looking dairying district, with comfortable farm houses and well dressed men, women and children journeying back and forth on business or pleasure in their own motor cars. (2).
The first school at Carrum Downs, No. 3613, opened on March 22, 1909 in a house owned by Mrs Blades. This school was soon over-crowded and a purpose built school opened on Frankston-Dandenong Road on September 11, 1911. The head Teacher, Evelyn McIntire was in charge of sixty students. Growth in the area was steady until 1960 when the school population rose to 100 and two more rooms were added. (3).
Overcrowding in the original school.
Mornington and Dromana Standard May 7, 1910 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article70087474
The Carrum Downs Memorial Hall was opened, by Cr Taylor, the Cranbourne Shire President, with a ball on Wednesday, May 21 1930. The Dandenong Journal reported that -
Cr. Taylor said that it was a pleasing duty for him to perform, especially as it was a memorial to fallen soldiers, as too much could not be done to keep green the memory of those gallant boys who had given their all for their country, and who had done far more to put Australia on the map than all the politicians' propaganda, or overseas conferences put together. Following is the list of names of soldiers who enlisted in the district, and had made the supreme sacrifice (J.P. Chittenden, L. Matheson, J. Kershaw, W.W. Crabtree, R. Scrivener) (4) were to be engraved on a suitable tablet erected in the hall, and dedicated at a memorial service, of some such function held at a future date. He had much pleasure in declaring the hall opened, and hoped that it would prove a great acquisition to the social life of the district. (5).
It appears that a suitable tablet was not installed in the Hall until 1950 when an Honour Board listing the names of the First and Second World War soldiers was unveiled on March 12 by Lieutenant-Colonel Ryan.(6).
Opening of the Carrum Downs Memorial Hall
Frankston and Somerville Standard May 17, 1930 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article73516919
Historically, the township of Carrum Downs was always split between the Shire of Frankston and Hastings and the Shire of Cranbourne - Frankston Dandenong Road being the boundary - the School was on the Shire of Frankston and Hastings side; the Memorial Hall was on the Cranbourne Shire side as was the Recreation Reserve in Wedge Road and the Scout Hall. (7). This led the community to feeling neglected by both Shires and in 1910 there was a movement to secede from both and go to Dandenong, as the article, below, notes.
Seeking annexation to Dandenong
The Argus, May 20 1910 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article10857564
However, in 1918, there was a movement to secede from Cranbourne Shire to be entirely in the Frankston and Hastings Shire -
Advocates and opponents of the proposal to sever Carrum Downs from Cranbourne shire and annex it to Frankston shire argued their cause at a deputation to the Minister of Public Works yesterday. The petitioners for the severance contended that Seaford and Carrum stations, which were in Frankston shire, were the natural outlets for produce from Carrum Downs, and much nearer their farms than Cranbourne or Dandenong stations. Frankston shire was willing to take in Carrum Downs, but would not improve the roads to Seaford and Carrum stations for the benefit of the petitioners unless the annexation was brought about. Cranbourne shire protested against the proposal on the ground that the petitioners represented neither a majority in acreage nor valuation in Carrum Downs. Mr. Robinson promised to reflect on the matter and advise the petitioners in due course of his decision. (8). Nothing came of these severance movements.
Around April 1935, the Brotherhood of St Laurence (9) established a settlement for unemployed people on 45 acres (10) in Carrum Downs. The land was funded by Melbourne businessman, Mr G.J. Coles, the founder of Coles' chain of stores (11). The founder of the Brotherhood, Father Gerard Tucker (1885-1974) believed there needed to be an alternative to being unemployed and subsequent slum living conditions in the inner cities. On this farm -
One-acre blocks are to be allotted to single men at a rental of 6d a week after the first six months with community housing. Men who work their blocks successfully will be given five-acre blocks later at a rental of 2/6 a week. For married men with families in comfortable house and land are provided for 5/ a week. (12).
Father Tucker explained the operation of the settlement in 1935 -
The scheme did not set out to deal with "all and sundry," but to help the better class of unemployed to help themselves. "Even the best type of man, if left to fend for himself when he is unemployed, tends to drift into the great army of unemployables," Father Tucker continued, "Our settlement scheme aims at taking him away from the overstocked labor market, and at making him, as far as possible, self-supporting. There would no great object in finding a job for him in the city, for that would mean displacing someone else from employment; our aim is to give him the new job of working for himself.
Under the scheme unemployed men, carefully selected, were taken from the city-slum areas, where they were required to pay about 15/ a week for an desirable house, and settled in a comfortable house, with a rental of only 5/, at the Brotherhood's settlement at Carrum Downs. Here each man was given a block of land, about half an acre, to begin with, and later, if he could make use of it, anything up to five acres, here he could draw vegetables or run poultry, and so gradually become self-supporting. At present eight carefully chosen families were, housed at Carrum Downs, where the Brotherhood also had a farm of about fifty acres for single men. This farm had been opened some four months ago, and within another month or so it was hoped to give each man a hut, a block of land, and stock of his own. Then as each man was started out on his own, his place on the farm would be taken by other unemployed single men." (13).
The scheme did not set out to deal with "all and sundry," but to help the better class of unemployed to help themselves. "Even the best type of man, if left to fend for himself when he is unemployed, tends to drift into the great army of unemployables," Father Tucker continued, "Our settlement scheme aims at taking him away from the overstocked labor market, and at making him, as far as possible, self-supporting. There would no great object in finding a job for him in the city, for that would mean displacing someone else from employment; our aim is to give him the new job of working for himself.
Under the scheme unemployed men, carefully selected, were taken from the city-slum areas, where they were required to pay about 15/ a week for an desirable house, and settled in a comfortable house, with a rental of only 5/, at the Brotherhood's settlement at Carrum Downs. Here each man was given a block of land, about half an acre, to begin with, and later, if he could make use of it, anything up to five acres, here he could draw vegetables or run poultry, and so gradually become self-supporting. At present eight carefully chosen families were, housed at Carrum Downs, where the Brotherhood also had a farm of about fifty acres for single men. This farm had been opened some four months ago, and within another month or so it was hoped to give each man a hut, a block of land, and stock of his own. Then as each man was started out on his own, his place on the farm would be taken by other unemployed single men." (13).
The Settlement was officially opened on October 5, 1935 by Francis Marriott, M.H.R., who was also the Secretary of Toc H Movement (14).
To support the families the Carrum Downs Truby King Infant Welfare Centre was opened in the settlement on April 14, 1945. The Dandenong Journal reported that -
Mr. Martin has given the building in memory of his late wife. Dr. Vera Scantlebury Brown and Mr.
Martin both spoke and expressed the hope that the building would serve a useful purpose for the mothers and babes of the district for many years to come. (15).
However, after the Second World War the focus of the settlement changed from the young families and the unemployed to the Elderly.
The book - The Carrum Downs story: an account of the Brotherhood of St. Laurence village settlement for elderly people at Carrum Downs notes that -
Some thirty families lived in modest cottages on the property until the War years, when most of them returned to the city to take advantage of the new employment opportunities.
Towards the end of the war, numbers of elderly people in need of accommodation approached the Brotherhood, and it was decided to build some small cottages for elderly people at Carrum Downs. The first cottage was completed in October, 1945. (16).
This cottage was built as a demonstration cottage in the grounds of St George's Church in Glenferrie Road, Malvern, to raise publicity and support for the scheme. (17).
On April 27, 1946 the first two bungalows were officially opened at Carrum Downs - The Age reported -
Funds for one of the bungalows, named Thanksgiving Bungalow, were subscribed as a thanksgiving for the safe return of men from the recent war. The second bungalow, financed from a radio station fund, was erected by students of Geelong Grammar School. The bungalows are comfortable and cosy, consisting of a bed-sitting room, bathroom, kitchenette and verandah. They will be occupied by elderly and infirm persons with low incomes. The Geelong Grammar students would eventually build eight bungalows. (18).
Single cottages at the Brotherhood of St Laurence settlement.
Photographer: Rose Stereograph Co. State Library of Victoria Image H32492/1625
Croquet Green and Cottages at the Brotherhood of St Laurence settlement.
Photographer: Rose Stereograph Co. State Library of Victoria Image H32492/1622
"You know, many of us older folk have been finding, it a bit hard to make do, especially since the war, but now Father Tucker and the Brotherhood have solved all that for us," he said.
"Here at Carrum Downs we have everything we want and all we have to pay is two-thirds of our incomes, whatever they may be. Collins Court is for people like myself who cannot manage to do much for themselves. We have our meals in a community dining room and use a common bathroom and laundry," Mr. Sherbourne explained. " Living here is the nearest thing to paradise I can imagine," said 77 -year-old Mr. Francis Sherbourne on Saturday. (19).
Francis Sherbourne, with Father Gerard Tucker (left) and Sir George Knox, M.L.A (right) at the opening of Collins Court at the Brotherhood of St Laurence settlement.
The Age, October 8, 1951 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/205334014#
A Cottage Hospital was opened on September 10, 1952 at the settlement (20). It was built by members of the Melbourne Junior Chamber of Commerce, the 'Jaycees'. The Herald reported on the Hospital -
The building of eight squares contains a men's and women's ward, with a self contained flat. It has
proved of splendid service for old people who may need temporary special attention at the settlement without being ill enough to justify removal to a public hospital.
Mr Leslie Perrott. Jnr., was honorary architect, and 166 Melbourne "Jaycees" worked 357 days on
the building. Including furnishings, the nominal cost was £3714. Of this amount £429/14/ was provided in cash donations, and £1577 in donations of materials. The work given free was valued at £1272. (21).
Cottage Hospital, Brotherhood of St Laurence settlement.
Photographer: Rose Stereograph Co. State Library of Victoria Image H32492/1619
By 1952, the settlement housed 80 elderly people (22). From the 1980s the old cottages were redeveloped. Footnote 23 has a link to a time-line of the Settlement at Carrum Downs.
From the 1970s the farms of Carrum Downs began being sub-divided into housing estates, an early one being the Botany Park 80 Estate. The 730 acre site was purchased in late 1972, the first housing block being sold in 1976. There were 1,400 blocks of land with a minimum size of 650 square metres. In 1977 they ranged in price from $13,500 to $17,000 and house and land packages could be purchased from $38,000 to $47,000, the house size being around 14 squares. (24).
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The Botany Park 80 Housing Estate
The Age, April 22, 1977, p. 23 newspapers.com
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The Botany Park 80 Housing Estate. I have added the road names in red.
The Age, April 22, 1977, p. 23 newspapers.com
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The Pinehurst, available for $44, 250 in the Botany Park 80 estate.
The Age, April 22, 1977, p. 23 newspapers.com
In common with some of the other towns in the old Shire of Cranbourne - Cranbourne, Hampton Park, Lyndhurst and now increasingly Clyde - Carrum Downs is now really a suburb of Melbourne and houses have taken over the farms.
Trove list - I have created a list of articles, relating to this post, access it here.
Footnotes
(1) Mornington & Dromana Standard, August 22, 1908, see here.
(2) Dandenong Journal, April 4, 1929, see here.
(3) Vision and Realisation : a centenary history of State Education in Victoria, edited by L.J. Blake. Published by the Education Department of Victoria, 1973.
(4) The Honour Board installed in 1950 (see Footnote 6) lists 12 World War Soldiers -
John Phillip Chittenden (Service Number 5670)
William Wordsworth Crabtree (SN 4774)
H. Davies, most likely Harry Alexander Davey (SN 2302)
Stewart James Forbes (SN 712)
Guy Griffiths (SN 725)
John Kershaw (Lieutenant)
L. Mathewson, most likely Alexander Mathewson (SN 2871)
Leslie Thomas Mathewson (name listed as Matheson in the 1930 report of the Memorial Hall opening) - no record at the National Archives, but on the Roll of Honour at the Australian War Memorial, died 29/7/1915
Robert Scrivener (SN 825)
G. Taylor, most likely Ernest Taylor (SN 2461)
Albert Edward Temple M.M. (SN 1128)
Sydney Vialls (SN 2222).
(5) Dandenong Journal, May 29, 1930, see here.
(6) Dandenong Journal, March 22, 1950, see here. There is a photograph of the Honour Board at Monument Australia https://monumentaustralia.org.au/display/107588-carrum-downs-roll-of-honour
(7) The Shire of Frankston and Hastings was split into two in 1960. The Shire of Frankston became the City of Frankston in 1966. The Shire of Hastings was amalgamated into the Mornington Peninsula Shire in 1994. After the 1994 Council amalgamations all of Carrum Downs was consolidated into the City of Frankston. (Source: Victorian Municipal Directory and the Melway Street Directories)
(8) The Age, May 22 1918, see here.
(9) Brotherhood of St Laurence - http://bsltimeline.pbworks.com/ Gerard Kennedy Tucker - Australian Dictionary of Biography entry https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/tucker-gerard-kennedy-9259
(10) The land size is listed as 45 acres or 100 acres in the newspaper reports; the Cranbourne Shire Rate books list the property in 1936/1937 as 2 parcels of land - one 12 acres and one 28 acres - thus 40 acres.
(11) George James Coles (1885-1977) Australian Dictionary of Biography entry https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/coles-sir-george-james-9788
(12) The Argus, May 4, 1935, see here.
(13) The Age, August 9, 1935, see here.
(14) Opening report, The Age October 7, 1935, see here; Toc H - https://www.toch.org.au/
(15) Dandenong Journal, April 25, 1945, see here.
(16) The Carrum Downs story : an account of the Brotherhood of St. Laurence village settlement for elderly people at Carrum Downs, Victoria. Published in 1957. On-line at the State Library of Victoria, http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/213028
(17) The Argus, November 1, 1945, see here.
(18) The Age, April 29, 1946, see here.
(19) The Age, October 8, 1951, see here.
(20) The Herald, September 8, 1952, see here.
(21) The Herald, April 17, 1953, see here.
(22) The Age, August 14, 1952, see here.
(23) Brotherhood of St Laurence Settlement at Carrum timeline here
(24) The Age, April 22, 1977, p. 23 on newspapers.com
This is an expanded version of a post I wrote in 2014 on Carrum Downs on my work blog, Casey Cardinia Links to our Past.
