McArthur Drinking Fountain, South Melbourne

Postcard of the McArthur drinking fountain in La Trobe Reserve or 

Park Street Reserve as it is called here.

On December 5, 1906 a drinking fountain was unveiled in La Trobe Reserve in South Melbourne.  It was presented to the people of South Melbourne by Cr Donald M'Arthur, as McArthur was written in those times (1)  and unveiled by his niece, Mary, who gracefully removed the encircling flag. (2) There was a large crowd present, including the Mayor of South Melbourne, Cr E. A. Wells (3), seven other councillors and the children of the Eastern Road State School who sang a number of school songs, and the cadets' fife and drum band played a number of lively airs (4).

Cr McArthur presenting the fountain to the Citizens of South Melbourne

Punch December 13, 1906 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/175380504#

The drinking fountain on opening day, December 5, 1906.

Punch December 13, 1906 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/175380504#

The Emerald Hill Record had a comprehensive report of the unveiling - Cr. M'Arthur said it afforded him very much pleasure to hand the fountain to the citizens. He hoped they could enjoy it for all time. He had had the idea on his mind for a long time while he was Mayor. He had received honors at the hands of the citizens, and he desired to show that he was grateful for what had been done for him. The whole of the materials in the fountain were Australian made, the water flowing through would be Australian water, which would be drunk by Australian children. The gold for it was Australian gold minted in Australia. He himself had been so long here that he was almost an Australian so there was quite a "Made in Australia" air about it altogether. (Laughter and applause). He had no children, and he desired to perpetuate the memory of his work in the city, by means of this fountain, and he hoped that the people would use it and that the water flowing through it would be healthful and life-giving (5).

The McArthur drinking fountain. 

It is made of Gabo Island granite with Harcourt granite columns.

Image: Isaac Hermann.

Cr Donald McArthur was born in Scotland.  He was an Estate Agent and was a South Melbourne Councillor from 1896 until 1920 and was the Mayor on two occasions, 1900/1901 and 1911/1912. Donald was also involved with the Dorcas Street Presbyterian Church, a member of the committees of the Homeopathic and Austin Hospitals and the Melbourne Orphanage. Donald married Margaret Ramsay on September 18, 1880 at her parent's home in Raglan Place, Emerald Hill. She was born in Emerald Hill in 1858 to William and Isabella (nee Milne) Ramsay.  Margaret was also community minded and was the Secretary of the Benevolent Society from 1896 until 1914. Donald died at the age of 69 on December 11, 1924 and Margaret died July 18, 1950, aged 91. They did not have children. They are buried at Boroondara Cemetery (6). 

The inscription on the McArthur drinking fountain

Image: Isaac Hermann

According to the Electoral Rolls, Donald and Margaret lived at 9 Howe Crescent, South Melbourne Also at the address was a Mary McArthur, who I belive is the niece who unveiled the fountain. Mary was listed at the address from 1908 until 1924. Donald's will, dated December 1, 1924, left money to his two nieces, Mary Donald, of Grangemouth Scotland, wife of Peter Donald and Jessie Harland of Cradock, South Australia. They were the daughters of Archibald and Christina (nee Black) McArthur and they were born in South Australia - Mary in March 1887 and Jessie in May 1892.  I believe that Mary was living with her uncle and aunty in South Melbourne and, around 1924 she married Peter Donald and moved to Scotland. She did return to Victoria at some stage as she died in St Kilda in 1974 aged 87 (7). 

The McArthur drinking fountain was made by George Dawe, Monumental Mason, of Carlton.

Image: Isaac Hermann.

The Emerald Hill Record describes the fountain as  being mounted upon two wide bluestone steps, which form the base, and is constructed of Gabo Island granite, the capping of oxed granite, surmounted by a solid dome, being supported by four columns of polished Harcourt granite (8). The fountain was made by George Dawe, a moumental mason of Carlton. His other works include two monuments to Lieutenant James Roberts, of the 1st Victorian Mounted Rifles, who died February 13, 1900 whilst fighting near Rensberg in South Africa. One is in Royal Park and the other in Murchison, Roberts' home town (9).  In 1901, Dawe completed an elaborate memorial to James Coglan, a founder of the Australian Natives' Association who died in August 1899 (10).  In 1915, his firm made a  monument for Sir Samuel Gillott (1838 -1913) Lord Mayor of Melbourne and Chief Secretary and Minister for Labour in Thomas Bent's Government.  This monument, pictured below, is made mainly of Harcourt Granite. The sculpture of the figure representing Grief is the work of  Charles Web Gilbert (11).   George Dawe died on May 17, 1932 at the age of 87. He left behind an extensive real estate portfolio. A sale by his executors listed seven brick cottages for sale in Carlton. His wife Margaret (nee Smith) had died October 2, 1917 at the age of 70. They had four children Grace, May, Frederick and George (12).

Sir Samuel Gillott's memorial at the Melbourne General Cemetery. 

It was designed by Frank Stapley and made by George Dawe's firm, who had also made the 

McArthur Drinking Fountain.

Photographer: John Kinmont Moir. c. 1933. State Library of Victoria http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/465418

The McArthur drinking fountain was located in La Trobe Reserve. The triangular reserve is bounded by Eastern Road and Heather Street and bisected by Park Street. It is now, I believe, called Eastern Reserve but as  you can see from the postcard at the top of this post, La Trobe Reserve was also called Park Street Reserve. The first references I can find to the Reserve is in the Emerald Hill Record of December 16, 1905 in a report of the activities of the South Melbourne Council  -  Normanby reserve and La Trobe reserve can be opened to public next year, and will, no doubt, prove an attraction to numerous residents in the neighbourhood (13). The establishment date is confirmed by this report in the same paper two years later - the northern section of La Trobe Reserve has been completed and the fences removed. This reserve was formally opened on 5th December, 1906, and on the same date the handsome fountain erected in the centre of the reserve, was presented to the citizens by Cr. Donald M' Arthur (14). The last reference in the newspapers I can find to the park being called  La Trobe Reserve is in April 1931 (15).

Susan Priestley, in her history of South Melbourne, wrote that in 1910, the triangular portion of La Trobe Reserve was 'fitted up with swings, see-saws, merry-go-rounds and other forms of amusement.....[it was] always crowded with children outside of school hours, and the fittings used with zest and amusement (16). The work was funded by a  £110 donation by Aaron Danks (17).  It was fortunate that the active children could quench their thirst at the McArthur drinking fountain.

The back of the McArthur drinking fountain postcard.

This is the back of drinking fountain postcard which is shown at the top of this post. It is addressed to Master F. Mudkins,  50 Lee Street, North Carlton. It is dated August 31, 1907. The letter reads - This is the fountain that Miss Mary unveiled and I hope you will have  a cool drink at it, as you will see the drinking pipe in the middle of it. C. B (?).  Miss Mary obviously refers to Miss Mary McArthur. The writer of the postcard and Master Mudkins would both seem to be acquainted with Miss Mary. 

Master F. Mudkins is Frederick Aulton Mudkins, born in 1895 to Edward Albert and Annie Amelia (nee Aulton) Mudkins. He had a sister Edith, born in 1887 and a brother Albert in 1891. They are in the 1909 Electoral Roll at 50 Lee Street - Edward is a painter, Annie 'home duties' and Edith is a dressmaker (18).

The report of Donald McArthur's funeral said - Among the chief mourners were Messrs. J.

M. McArthur, G. McArthur, W. McArthur, C. W. Ramsay, Aumann, Mudkins, and McNabb (19). C. W. Ramsay is Charles William Ramsay, Margaret McArthur's brother.  There is clearly some connection between the McArthur family and the Mudkins family, I just don't know what it is. The other thing I cannot tell you is whether young Freddie Mudkins ever had a cool drink at Cr Donald McArthur's drinking fountain. 

Since I wrote this we have found another post card, below, which I firmly believe was written by Mary McArthur to Edith (Edie) Mudkins. It is postmarked January 14, 1907 and is of the South Melbourne Town Hall, a building Mary would be well familar with. Mary writes Dear Edie, If convenient and you are at home we will be over to see you Tuesday or Wednesday afternoon. Would you please let me know which day will suit, Love from Mary.  Mary and Edith were both born in 1887, so they were the same age, no wonder they were friends, but how did they meet?  Edith married William Rawlings Jones in 1912 and she sadly died on October 13, 1919, aged only 32 (20). 

The postcard sent to Edie Mudkins from Mary. I believe this is from Mary McArthur.

Acknowledgment

It was my research colleague, Isaac Hermann, who found the McArthur drinking fountain postcard on Ebay. As soon as I read the letter on the back that mentioned Miss Mary, I wondered who she was and started researching through the newspapers on Trove and this post is the result of the research. Isaac also took the photos of the McArthur drinking fountain for me. He also found the postcard of the South Melbourne Town Hall, written by Mary to Edie, which just adds to the story. I was sad though to find that Edie died so young. It was a shock as I felt as if I knew her.  As always, I am very grateful to Isaac for finding these postcards, there are so many stories that they tell. 

Trove list

I have created a list of newspaper articles connected to the McArthur drinking fountain, Donald McArthur and George Dawe, access it here.

Footnotes

(1) I have used the spelling McArthur through this post unless I am reproducing a newspaper report and it is written as M'Arthur.

(2) Emerald Hill Record, December 8, 1906, see here.

(3) Cr. E. A. Wells - Ernest Alfred Wells. I have written about the family, here   https://victoriaspast.blogspot.com/2021/03/dixons-bakery-kerford-road.html

(4) Emerald Hill Record, December 8, 1906, see here.

(5) Emerald Hill Record, December 8, 1906, see here. There were reports of the unvieling in other papers, as well, see my Trove list.

(6) The information about Donald's life and career comes from his obituary in the Emerald Hill Record, December 13, 1924, see here. The marriage and death dates of Donald and Margaret are from the notices in the newspapers, see my Trove list. The information about Margaret's involvement with the Benevolent Society is from page 225 of Susan Priestley's book South Melbourne: a history (Melbourne University Press, 1995).

(7) Electoral Rolls are available on Ancestry. Donald's will is on-line at the Public Records Office of Victoria, https://prov.vic.gov.au/.  Family information about Mary and Jessie is from   https://www.genealogysa.org.au/ and https://www.bdm.vic.gov.au/

(8) Emerald Hill Record, December 8, 1906, see here.

(9) Weekly Times, August 18, 1900 see here.

(10) The Age, August 29, 1901, see here.

(11) Preston Leader, July 17, 1915, see here. Read Sir Samuel Gillott's entry in the Australian Dictionary of Biography, here. Charles Web Gilbert, the sculptor, read his entry in the Australian Dictionary of Biography, here. 

(12) The  death dates of George and Margaret and the names of their children, are from the notices in the newspapers, see my Trove list. The advertisement for the Executor's sale of George's properties was in The Herald, May 17, 1933, see here.

(13) Emerald Hill Record, December 16, 1905, see here.

(14) Emerald Hill Record, December 7, 1907, see here.

(15) Emerald Hill Record, April 11, 1931, see here.

(16) Priestley, Susan South Melbourne: a history (Melbourne University Press, 1995). p. 329.

(17) Sir Aaron Danks, read his obituary in the Emerald Hill Record, June 9, 1928, here. The son of  John Danks, South Melbourne Councillor who is the source of the name Danks Street.

(18) Electoral Rolls on Ancestry and https://www.bdm.vic.gov.au/

(19) Emerald Hill Record, December 13, 1924, see here

(20) Edie's death notice was in The Age, October 14, 1919.

The Age, October 14, 1919. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article203700477

Artesian Wells at Sale

I bought this wonderful postcard of the Artesian Well in Sale. It was posted May 21, 1909 and sent to Miss Vera Macfarlan of 223 Fitzroy Street in St Kilda and there is more about Vera at the end of this post. The postcard shows a woman and a little girl in a rather extravagant hat, with her equally well dressed doll. At first I thought these were two girls, but the one on the right has a ring on her wedding ring finger, so I think she is the mother of the little girl. Sadly, I don't know who these lovely people are but I hope they enjoyed their refreshing and health giving drink.

The search for an artesian water source to provide an economical and  consistent water supply was the subject of a report to the Victorian Parliament in April 1857, when the Victorian Geological Surveyor, Alfred R.C. Selwyn, presented his report (1) upon the economical adaptability of the system of Artesian Wells to Victoria, and to furnish a particular enumeration of the localities, if any, therein, in which by that system reasonable hope may be entertained of obtaining a plentiful supply of Fresh Water. You can read the report, here. The use of artesian water was dependent upon the extent of the underground supply, the purity of the water and the ease with which it could be obtained.
Mr Selwyn listed a number of areas where suitable conditions might possibly exist -
1. The Indented Heads and Lake Conneware district.
2. The north and north-eastern side of Western Port Bay.
3. Portions of the east side of Port Phillip Bay extending from Brighton to Point Nepean. 
4. Portions of the country lying between the east shore of Port Phillip Bay and the Koo-Wee-Rup or Great Swamp.
Many parts of Gippsland, and of the basin of the Murray, would also, I should imagine, be districts in which the requisite conditions might be found to exist.

It was over twenty years before the first artesian well was established in Australia and this was at Sale (2).  In March 1879 (3)  John Augustus Niemann (4) struck water at  a depth of sixty feet, near the Turf Hotel (5). The Turf Hotel was located on the south west corner York and  Dawson Streets (6). Mr Neimann  also  received a tender to sink a well at the intersection of Cunninghame and Raymond Streets (7) and at a comparatively small depth he struck a flow of artesian water and the necessary construction with pipes, stand trough and tanks only cost only £280/10/- (8).

In 1880 the Borough of Sale had Niemann put down a bore near the intersection of Raymond and Macalaister Streets. At  a depth of 190' water was struck and rose to 3' above the surface. Drilling continued to a depth of 231', at which point gushed from a pipe 43' in height. The cost of the bore was: for the well 175 pounds; adjusting surface and fence 5 pounds 16 shillings; for stand, horse, trough, four 400 gallon tanks, and pipes for channels and trough, cocks etc, 100 pounds. Total 280 pounds and 10 shillings (9).  A  good supply of water was thus secured, but in time the pipes corroded, the bores became choked and the wells were eventually closed down (10). Our postcard is of this well, located on the corner of Raymond and Macalister Streets (11). The well was described as played out in an article in The Australasian in March 1912 (12).

Artesian Well in Sale. The building behind the well is the Presbyterian Church, which is on the corner of Raymond and Macaliaster Streets. Both these churches are now demolished and the exisiting building on the site was erected in 1956 (13).

Artesian Well in Sale. Photographer: Frederick Cornell. State Library of Victoria Image H87.16/31

The played out well on the corner of Raymond and Macaliaster Streets 

The Australasian March 2, 1912. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/143327643#

In Sale, after this first and other successive wells, a fourth well was sunk near the Railway Yards -  During the year a School of Arts was opened in the upper rooms of the State School, the Victoria Park well commenced to gush its strong-smelling waters, and the enterprising Mr Luke had a well sunk opposite the railway station to supply waters to the public baths (14).  I believe this was in 1884 (15).

When 'The Vagabond', the journalist visited Sale in 1885 he wrote inter alia about the town's abundant supply of artesian water In the gutters there are streams of running water procured from an artesian well sunk by the municipality. Water was struck at a depth of 230ft., and there is now an ample supply. The large tanks in Macalister-street are always filled, from which the citizens can help themselves without stint. Two troughs are also kept brimming over, and the streets thence reticulated (16).

There were issues with artesian water and its use as a household water supply -  the smell, the fact that the bores sometimes brought up sand and this clogged up the pipes and the amount of chemicals in the water had a corrosive effect. Thus in 1888 a water tower was constructed in Sale which supplied the town with water from the Thompson River.  The water supply system and the water tower was designed by engineer, John Grainger (17). This water tower has recently been restored.

The establishment of the town water supply did not stop the construction of artesian wells and in 1905 another well was sunk  in Market Square. This one was not used for a town supply for, although it had a considerable medicinal value, it also carried a strong mineral smell (18). It was reported that this well had a flow of  a million gallons per day and the motive for making this fresh search for artesian water was to fill a swamp, which the drainage of the town ran into, and which in dry seasons was a menace to the health of the public as reported by all the medical men (19).

Artesian well in Market Square, Sale. 

Pictured: Mr. -Joseph Bowman (Supervisor). Mr. Hugh Jenkinson (Expert), Mr. F. A. Pim (Expert), C. Jacobs, M. Laughlan, Mr. K. Keighley (Expert Government Foreman).

Punch August 17, 1905 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/175412051

A sixth well was sunk in 1906 when the Government was induced by the  Council to sink a 238' bore in Victoria Park. To overcome the corrosion problem this bore was lined with Californian red pine. It cost 493 pounds and gave an initial flow of 86, 000 gallons an hour. For generations the overflow of this fountain, to which was attached an iron cup, was directed to the public baths and partly supplied Lake Guthridge (20). The Herald newspaper had a report on Sale - the progressive capital of Gippsland in April 1920 and it had this to say about the Victoria Park well -The present artesian well on the Victoria Park was sunk in April, 1906, by Governmental well experts, assisted by the Mines Department boring plant.... The flow at completion was 80,000 gallons, and after 14 years' running it now discharges 75,000 gallons per day...and is still continuing to flow very freely (21).  The well also supplied a swimming baths which had a year round temperature of 62 degrees Fahrenheit (22).

The Victoria Park well, 1912

The Australasian March 23, 1912  https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/143328730#

The Victoria Park well also filled the swimming baths. The John Grainger designed water tower can be seen behinds the baths.

The Australasian March 23, 1912  https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/143328730#

This is I believe the Victoria Park well. The photo is dated c. 1920.

Photographer: John E. Hoggard. State Library of Victoria Image H98.56/68

There is another aspect to this story of wells in Sale and that is the South African or Boer War Memorial fountain, the foundation stone for which was laid in October 1909 (23) on the south west corner of Macalister and Raymond Streets (24), the same intersection as the well in our post card. It was unveiled by Colonel Foxton on December 4, 1909 and the first drink was given to Mrs Walter Lyons, who had laid the foundation stone (25).  By 1912 the Memorial was in a neglected state and was later moved to a new location on the corner of Foster and York Streets (26).  There are also accounts of artesian wells in the surrounding area at Clydebank (27) however that is another story.

Before I finish I will show you the reverse of the post card - it was sent to Miss Vera Macfarlan of 223 Fitzroy Street in St Kilda. The short note says - Dear Vera, Coming home tomorrow afternoon train arrives at half past ten. Going to Sorrento Tuesday. Norman is a little better. Yours I.Macfarlan.  Vera was born in 1884 to David and Jane (nee Cooper) Macfarlan. She married Peter Francis Smith in 1916, whose wedding notice appears below.  She died in 1959.  She had a brother Norman, born in 1878, so I presume he is the Norman mentioned on the postcard (28). I haven't worked out who I. Macfarlan, who sent the card is.

Vera's wedding announcement to Peter Smith

The Argus February 12, 1916. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2109546

Trove book list
I have created a book list on Trove of articles relating to Artesian wells in Sale, access it here.

Notes
(1) I found out about the Selwyn report in Daley, Charles The Story of Gipplsand (Whitcombe and Tombs, 1960) He writes about it on page 116. Read the Selwyn report, here.
(2) First Artesian Well in Australia - this is reported in The Argus, January 3 1903 in an article by Professor Gregory Artesian Water in Victoria, see here. Professor Gregory say the bore was sunk in 1880. The 1928 Australian Year Book also uses this date. I believe the 1879 date is correct, see note (3).

Artesian Bores around Sale from Year Book Australia, No. 21, 1928, p. 854. 

There is quite a lengthy article on Artesian water in Australia. Access it here

(3) Green, O.S Sale: the early years and later (Southern Newspapers, 1976); p. 42. Mr Green cites the March 1879 date.
(4) John Augustus Niemann. Niemann was the son of John Heinrich Niemann and Margaret Osterman. John snr died in Bendigo at the age of 87 in 1886. The family arrived in Adelaide in 1846 from Germany. They moved to Victoria around 1851, where they operated a boarding house in Maldon and then moved to Bendigo in 1859. They had three sons and one daughter, Lucy. Lucy married Thomas Devine in 1858. Information from the Bendigo Advertiser of June 24, 1886, see here. In 1881, John Augustus Niemann went to South Australia to find sources of artesian water, see here.
(5) Green,  op. cit p. 43
(6) Green  op. cit., p. 147.  The Turf Hotel was demolished in the demolished in the early 1950s.
(7) Green,  op. cit p. 43
(8) Daley, Charles The Story of Gipplsand (Whitcombe and Tombs, 1960), p. 116
(9) Green, op. cit., pp 42, 43.
(10) Daley, op. cit p. 116
(11) I established that well pictured on the postcard was located on the corner of Raymond and Macalister Streets from this photo from the State Library of Victoria. It is the same well. The building in the background is the Sale Hotel, which was located on the corner of Raymond and Macalister Streets (see Sale Licencing Court hearing from 1884, here)

Artesian Well, Sale. It was located on the corner of Raymond and Macalister Streets.  

State Library of Victoria Image  a11411

(12) The Australasian March 2, 1912, see here. This article also has the Frederick Cornell photo and the postcard photo. The article calls it the first artesian well in Sale, I believe it was the second or third one, but that's neither here nor there.

The Australasian March 2, 1912 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article143327643

(13) You can see a photo of the Presbyterian Church in the booklet In pastures green: the story of the Presbyterian Church, Sale, Gippsland, Victoria by Robert Ingpen. It was published in 1954 and the Sate Library has  digitised it, read it here. The photo of the church is on page 29 of the PDF. The information about the 1956 church comes from Mr Green on page 87.
(14) Green,  op. cit p. 43
(15) Green,  op. cit p. 43
(16) The Australasian December 19, 1885, see here. Mr Green quotes 'The Vagabond' on page 43, that's how I found out the visit to Sale.
(17) Sale Water tower - the involvement of John Grainger was listed here. Information on John Grainger can be found here on Culture Victoria. Information and a photo of the restored Sale Water Tower is here.
(18) Green,  op. cit p. 43
(19) Punch August 17, 1905, see here.
(20) Green,  op. cit p. 45
(21) The Herald April 21, 1920, see here.
(22) The Australasian, March 23 1912, see here. 62 degrees Fahrenheit is about 16 degrees Celsius.
(23) Green,  op. cit p. 45. Also - Schmitt, David Remembering and Forgetting the Boer War: the campaign to erect a Boer War Memorial in Sale published in Gippsland Heritage Journal, No. 27, 2008 (Kapana Press).
(24) Green,  op. cit p. 45
(25) Green,  op. cit p. 45 and the Morwell Advertiser, December 10 1909, see here. Mrs Walter Lyon was the wife of the Mayor and she was responsible for raising the funds for the Memorial -  thanks to David Schmitt's article for this information.  Mrs Lyon (nee Elizabeth Ritchie) died in 1921 at the age of 61. You can read her obituary in the Gippsland Times of November 24, 1921, see here. She was an interesting woman.
(26) Schmitt, David Remembering and Forgetting the Boer War: the campaign to erect a Boer War Memorial in Sale published in Gippsland Heritage Journal, No. 27, 2008 (Kapana Press).
(27) Gippsland Times, March 14 1935 see here.
(28) Information from the Victorian Births, Deaths and Marriages Index and the Electoral Rolls on Ancestry.