The Lady Loch - the Yarra river steam ferry

The Lady Loch, a steam ferry built at Johnson's Tyne Foundry, commenced operation on August 29, 1884. She provided much needed access for passengers and vehicles over the Yarra River between the City and South Melbourne, crossing from Spencer Street to Clarendon Street.

The Lady Loch, steam ferry.

Steam Ferry on the Yarra. Photographer: Charles Nettleton. 

State Library of Victoria Image H3793

The Age had a comprehensive report of the ferry a few days before the first journey -
As an evidence of the rapidly growing requirements of the city, and the consequent necessity of providing the most rapid means of transit for those engaged in business, the Harbor Trust authorities have just had completed to their order, by Messrs Johnson and Co., of the Tyne Foundry a steam ferry, which will ply for hire between Spencer and Clarendon Streets, thus connecting the two cities. The ferry, which is of particularly, massive construction, is so built as to convey vehicles of all descriptions across the river, so that in a few days drivers wishing to reach any part of South Melbourne from the north-western part of Melbourne will save considerable time by utilising the ferry instead of crossing the Falls bridge (1), as they have had to do hitherto. 

The length of the ferry, which is of composite build, is 59 feet 6 inches, with a breadth of 36 feet 4 inches, and a depth of 12 feet 3 inches. At each end is a well 9 feet 9 inches in depth, constructed so as to allow the chain on which the ferry works to have ample room to pan backwards and forwards to the engine room. The angle iron frames and reverse angle irons are 3.3g inches in thickness. Below the water line the body of the vessel, which is of iron, is covered with redgum 4, inches in thickness. The decks are constructed of kauri pine 3 inches in thickness, and the roadways, which run on the two sides of the ferry, are covered, in additon to the kauri pine with redgum to the depth of 3 inches. Two movable stages are placed at either end, and these are lowered as vehicles enter or leave the ferry by a pair of engines specially made for the purpose, each having an 6 inch cylinder with 12 inch stroke. The hauling, or main engines of the ferry, have also been most carefully prepared, the contractors having to pay due regard to strength while also bearing in mind that space must be economised. The cylinders in this case are 12 inches in diameter with a 24 inch stroke, and the chain which this engine is supposed to haul is 1¼ inch in thickness. The two boilers are of the marine return tubular order, each being 8 feet 9 inches in diameter and 9 feet 9 inches long. The shells of the boiler are 7/8 inch in thickness, and are treble rivetted all over. The boilers will work to a pressure of 100 lb. to the square inch, and have been tested up to 200 lb. hydraulic pressure ; and in order to retain the heat they have been coated with Bradbury's composition, manufactured by Messrs. C. P. Bradbury, of Hoddle-street, Collingwood. The ferry has been constructed with due regard to the comfort of passengers, the portion of the vessel allotted to them being covered in, while seats are ranged along the outer side. The whole of the vessel has been neatly painted and cost the Trust the sum  of £9,500. The ferry will commence running in a few days, as soon as the necessary approaches on either side of the river have been completed. (2)

The ferry was designed by W. R Rennick, who started his working life as an engineer with the Melbourne Harbour Trust, during which time he supervised the construction of Queen's Bridge. He later moved to the Railways Department  and was responsible for the design of various station buildings, railway bridges and the the coal canal at West Melbourne amongst other work. William Robert Rennick retired in July 1924 and died in 1938 at the age of 78 (3).

The ferry was built by Messrs Johnson and Co., of the Tyne Foundry, on the south bank of the Yarra, at Lorimer and Tyne Street intersection, near South Wharf.  The foundry was established by John Currie Johnson, around 1873 (4). There was a description of the foundry in The Age in October 1883 - The extensive works of this firm are situated to the west of Wright and Orr's docks, on the South bank of the Yarra. The area of ground is 2 acres 1 rood 4 perches, of which about 1 acre is covered with buildings. The latter comprise a carriage building shop, waggon shop, boiler yard and shed, shipbuilding yard, smiths' Bhop, engineers' shop, forge shop and pattern shop. The average number of men employed during the year is 300 a week, the  wages sheet being about £800 per week (5). 

Apart from the ferry the foundry built other vessels including the steam boat Sprightly (1875); the tug Pelican (1880) and the sand dredge, Pioneer (1949). The Pioneer is pictured, below. The Foundry also supplied the wrought iron work on the Eastern Market, which opened December 1879,  built mining equipment and portable steam engines (6). The Foundry closed about 1970 (7). 

Ports & Harbour dredge, Pioneer, under construction at 

Johnson's Tyne Foundry, South Melbourne, c. 1948

State Library of Victoria Image H2008.39

John Currie Johnson had arrived in Melbourne in 1853 and worked at Langlands Foundry (8) before establishing his own company.  Johnson and his family moved to Footscray in 1860. His obituary said he was elected a member of the Footscray Council in 1865, holding a similar position at South Melbourne at the same time (9). He was actually elected to the Footscray Council in 1867 and resigned in 1870, and to South Mebourne (or Emerald Hill as it was then called) Council in 1880. He successfully stood again for Footscray Council in 1881 and was Mayor the same year. He retired from South Melbourne Council in 1883 and Footscray in 1884 (10).  John died in 1903 aged 77 (11).  His son, James Ritchie Johnson, later managed the Foundry; he had undertaken his apprenticeship at Langlands. In common with his father, he was also a Councillor at Footscray, from 1903 until 1931, being the Mayor on two occasions. He died in 1945 aged 87 (12).  John Currie Johnson had a numerous other sons (13) including one named Henry Langlands,  a tribute perhaps to his old employer, Robert Langlands.  On the subject of names, John was born in Newcastle on Tyne, so I presume that is the source of the name of the foundry, which gave its name to the street. 

Advertisement for the Tyne Foundary

Emerald Hill Record, July 7 1882  https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/108472968

The steam ferry had been launched a few months previously on June 23 1884, at a ceremony attended by members of the Harbour Trust including the Commisioner, John Nimmo, M.L.A., representatives from the South Melbourne Council and various politicians. The vessel was then  finished off in the water and the approaches on both sides of the river completed before she was put into service (14). 

At the launch Miss Daisy Johnston, John Currie Johnson's daughter, broke the time-honoured bottle of wine said one report (15) or the customary bottle of champagne said another (16) and and christened the ferry the " Lady Loch," to honour the wife of  the Victorian Governor, Sir Henry Brougham Loch (17).

There were comments from the start about the appearance of the vessel. Mr J. M. Bruce of the Harbour Trust addressed this issue at the launch -
There was no doubt as to the ferry being a thing of much utility, though, perhaps, severe critics might be disposed to question its beauty. It was, perhaps, only a half compliment to name it after Lady Loch. Considering the nature of the locality, and its liability to floods, it would have been more appropriate to have called it the "Noah's Ark," and it would in the future probably be found very useful in conveying people from the dangerous low-lands of South Melbourne to the more secure levels on the north bank (18).

The Lady Loch

The new steam ferry, Spencer-Street. Published in the Australasian Sketcher December 17, 1884.

State Library of Victoria Image  A/S17/12/84/204  

Ferries had been operating between Spencer Street and Clarendon Street from the 1850s. Archibald Cook was the licensee of the Spencer Street ferry from 1854, and due to the commencement of the Lady Loch, the Harbour Trust paid him £860 compensation to forfeit his licence (19).  Cook's vessels were passenger only vessels and did not carry vehicles or livestock (20) and thus there had been  agitation to have a bridge at this location from the 1850s (21). However Melbourne and South Melbourne had to wait until 1930 for a bridge - the Spencer Street bridge opened on February 12 (22). 

The Lady Loch was still operating in 1920. There was a report in The Argus of June 1920 about her  - Once again the ferry is being run with small boats, as the ponderous old steamer, with its square build and flat bottom, is laid up for a badly needed over-haul. Those accustomed to using the ferry are not altogether sorry for the change. A swift motor-launch does a continuous service from 5 a.m. to midnight, and the crossing is made in about a minute. So efficient is the working that the other morning a tally showed 523 passengers were carried in 20 minutes (23) These swift motor-launch were operated by a company which employed only returned soldiers (24). A report in 1924 on the retirement of Mr Rennick, the designer of the ferry, referred to it as the old steam ferrry that plied  at Spencer Street for many years (25)  which implies to me that it was no longer operating. The Lady Loch was auctioned off  for scrap in May 1928 (26).

 The end of the Lady Loch. 

The Age May 15, 1928 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/page/18866162

Trove list - I have created a list of articles relating to the Tyne Foundry and John Currie Johnson and his family, access it here.

Footnotes
(1) The Falls Bridge was built in 1860 and was replaced by Queen's bridge in 1889. It crosses the Yarra from Queensbridge Street, South Melbourne to Market Street. The Falls were caused by a rocky bar across the the Yarra, which were removed 1883 - 1885, to help alleviate flooding -  see articles in The Argus of May 24, 1883, here and December 3, 1884 here.  Princes Bridge at Swanston Street was built in 1850s and the current bridge dates to 1888. The bridge from Spencer Street to Clarendon Street in South Melbourne was opened in 1930 and the King Street Bridge, linking Kings Street to Kings Way was built in 1957. eMelbourne is a good source for the history of the early bridges and roads https://www.emelbourne.net.au/
(2) The Age August 25, 1884, see here.
(3) William Robert Rennick. Reports of his retirement which list some of his works and his career highlights can be found in The Herald July 8, 1924, see here and The Argus July 9, 1924, see here. His obituary was in The Argus, May 20, 1938, see here.
(4) Date of establishment. An article in The Age of October 1, 1883 (see here) said it was established in 1872; John Currie Johnson's obituary in the Footscray Independent of March 21, 1903 (see here) implies it was founded around 1875. It is listed in Sands McDougall Directory in 1875.

Sands and McDougall Melbourne and Suburban Directory for 1875.

State Library of Victoria https://www.slv.vic.gov.au/search-discover/popular-digitised-collections

(5) The Age, October 1, 1883, see here.
(6) The other projects can be found in various newspapers reports, see my Trove list, here. Some examples of portable steam engines can be found on the Engineering Australia website here.
(7) Closure date comes from a City of Port Phillip Heritage Review, see here.
(8) Short history of Langlands foundry is on eMelbourne, here. 

(9) Footscray Independent, March 21, 1903, see here

(10) Election  to Footscray Council in 1867 reported in The Age of March 2, 1867, see here.  Resignation from Footscray Council from The Argus, November 18, 1870, see here.  Election to South Melbourne Council from Emerald Hill Record, August 13, 1880, see here.  Re-election to Footscray Council reported in The Age, August 12, 1881, see here.   Elevation to Mayor at Footscray reported in the Australasian, August 20, 1881, see here.  Resignation from South Melbourne Council reported in The Argus August 10, 1883, see here. Resignation from Footscray Council reported in the Footscray Independent August 2, 1884, see here.    The fact that he was elected to South Melbourne Council in 1880 came from South Melbourne: a history by Susan Priestley (Melbourne University Press, 1995)

(11) Information about John Currie Johnson's life comes from his obituary in the Footscray Independent, March 21, 1903, see here. It also comes from the History of Footscray by John Lack (Hargreen / City of Footscray, 1991)
(12) James Ritchie Johnson - information about his life is from his obituary in The Argus, September 28, 1945, see here; an article about him in the Footscray Independent of March 3, 1904, see here and History of Footscray by John Lack (Hargreen / City of Footscray, 1991)
(13) John Currie Johnson married Ann Hughes in 1855. They had Thomas Watson (registered Emerald Hill, 1856), James Ritchie (Emerald Hill, 1858), John Currie (Emerald Hill, 1860), William Samuel (Emerald Hill, 1862), Annie Eleanor (1864 - 1878), Henry Langlands (Footscray, 1866), Albert Toney (Footscray, 1868), Francis Ernest (Footscray, 1870), Mary Charlotte (Footscray, 1872). They also had a daughter, Daisy, who launched the Lady Loch, but I cannot find any reference to her birth, in the Victorian Indexes to the Births, Deaths and Marriages. Daisy was possibly a pet name for Mary Charlotte.  Ann, the daughter of Thomas and Margaret (nee Richardson) Hughes, died in 1892 at the age of 56. John then married Flora McInnes in 1892 and they had one son, Neil Laing Johnson in 1893, born when John was 67. 
(14) Reports of the launch can be found in The Herald, June 23, 1884, see here; The Argus June 24, 1884, see here; and the Emerald Hill Record, June 27, 1884, see here. 
(15) Emerald Hill Record, June 27, 1884, see here. 
(16) The Argus June 24, 1884, see here.
(17) The Herald, June 23, 1884, see here.
(18) Emerald Hill Record, June 27, 1884, see here.
(19) The Argus, May 23, 1882, see here and The Argus, June 10 1885, see here.
(20) The Argus, August 30, 1884, see here,  reported on the fares and timetable - The steam ferry will ply from 6 a.m to 7 p.m in summer, and from 7 a.m to 5 p.m in winter. The row boat will ply from 5 a.m to the time the steam ferry begins operations, and from the time the steam ferry ceases until midnight, the charge per passenger being 1d up to 10 p.m., afterwards 2d. Weekly tickets, not available after 10 p.m., will be issued at 6d each. For every vehicle drawn by one horse the charge will be 3d , or 1s. per day ; do, two horses, 4d , or 1s 3d per day ; do, three horses, 6d , or 1s 6d per day ; do , four horses, 1s , or 2s per day. For every horse, cow, or bullock, 2d ; for every pig, ½d , for every sheep, ½d , for each score of sheep 4d.
(21) Report in The Age, March 27 1856 (see here) is the earliest I can find -  A meeting was held on Tuesday evening in the great iron store, for the purpose of taking into consideration the best route for the proposed road from Emerald Hill to, and bridge across, the River Yarra.....The Council had endeavored to procure a line of road from Clarendon street to the Yarra opposite Spencer street, and bridge across the river. It appeared that the Government were disposed to favor the views of the Council, but seemed inclined to substitute a steam-punt for a bridge.

(22) The Argus, February 13, 1930, see here.

(23) The Argus, June 25, 1920, see here.

(24) The Argus, June 25, 1920, see here.

(25) The Herald, July 8, 1924, see here.

(26) The Age May 15, 1928, see here. There was a report in the Williamstown Chronicle, July 7, 1928 (see here) that the ferry was offered to them for a breakwater. I don't know what the outcome of that was.

A view of Maribyrnong Street Footscray, c.1875

Maribyrnong River and Maribyrnong Street, Footscray, c.1875.

Maribyrnong River at Footscray, c. 1875. Photographer: American & Australasian Photographic Company. 

State Library of New South Wales Image 63642. Click here for the original image.

I came across this photograph on the State Library of New South Wales website of the Maribyrnong River (also known as the Saltwater River) at Footscray. It's a great photo, taken c. 1875, and shows some of the buildings in Maribyrnong Street - the Bridge Hotel, on the right, then Pickett's house; the substantial bluestone building on the hill, is the premises of Samuel Henderson, Ham and Bacon Curers and further along is the double storey Ship Inn. Maribyrnong Street runs along the river between Hopkins and Youell Streets. We will have a look at these four buildings in a little more detail.

Close up of the four buildings, cropped from the photo above.

Photographer: American & Australasian Photographic Company.  State Library of New South Wales Image 63642

The Bridge Hotel, on the corner of Wingfield and Maribyrnong Streets was built in 1854/55 by James Maher (1).   It was originally known as the Punt Hotel, due  to its proximity to the punt which crossed the river to Bunbury Street. James Maher was declared insolvent in November 1856, but still held the licence in 1859 (2).  This Punt Hotel is not to be confused with an earlier hotel called the Punt Inn built in 1838 and destroyed by fire in January 1848 and called the Bush Inn between 1843 and 1847 (3).  At the time of the fire it was owned by Charles Kellett. Kellett then sold his punt to Michael Lynch and his hotel licence to William Pickett (4) the husband of Michael's half-sister, Mary Dowd, more of whom later. Just to confuse matters even more Michael Lynch later established a Punt Hotel on Ballarat Road, near Lynch's bridge. This later became the Pioneer Hotel (5).

 The opening of the bridge at Hopkins Street, viewed from the Punt Hotel, and the reason the name changed to the Bridge Hotel.

Opening of the draw-bridge, Salt Water River, from the Australian News for Home Readers March 23, 1863. 

State Library of Victoria Image IAN25/03/63/9

The  Hotel changed its name from the Punt Hotel to the Bridge Hotel around 1863 (6),  when the new bridge over the Maribyrnong was opened in March 1863. This bridge connected Dynon Road to Hopkins Street, and was opened by the Governor, Sir Henry Barkly. The bridge was a boost to the locals as the Footscray people have hitherto suffered great inconvenience from the want of a proper crossing place, which necessitated a long circuit to reach Melbourne. The bridge was  built with a moveable roadway which, by means of machinery, can be removed at any time when a vessel requires to pass (7). The bridge was replaced in 1903, and this is when I believe it was named the Hopetoun bridge after Lord Hopetoun, who had been Governor of Victoria from 1889 until 1895. Lord Hopetoun had visited Footscray on April 23, 1891 on the day it was proclaimed a city (8). The bridge was replaced in 1969 by the existing bridge (9).

Advertisement for a leaseholder for the Bridge Hotel. Perhaps the idea was for the landlord to supplement his income from fish sales.

The Argus April 17, 1866. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/5787155

The Bridge Hotel had other licensees and this advertisement in 1866 (see above) said that the house should have a Waltonian landlord. That's rather interesting, a Waltonian being an angler or a follower of Izaak Walton (1593-1683) who wrote The Compleat Angler. In 1907, the Licences Reduction Board was established whose role was to reduce the number of hotel licences in Victoria to the statutory number which was based on the population of an area (10). The hotels which lost their licence would be given compensation based on the profit of the past three years (11). The Bridge Hotel and the Ship Inn along with eight other local Footscray hotels were the subject of a licence deprivation hearing at Licence Court in May 1918 (12). As we shall see later, the Ship Inn was ordered to close. The Bridge Hotel's licence was reviewed again in May 1926 (13) and it was delicenced by January 1927 (14). The building was  demolished in 1966 (15).

Licence Court hearing into hotels in Footscray and Yarraville, including the Bridge Hotel.

The Age April 9, 1918  http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article155089602

Interesting comparison to the c. 1875 photo at the top of the post, which shows the industralisation of the waterfront. Looking under the 1903 Hopetoun bridge, you can just see the Bridge Hotel, to the left of the Port Phillip Mills factory. They were a wool treatment business. In front of the hotel are Raisbeck & Campbell, Boat Builders (16). 

  Hopkins Street Bridge and Maribyrnong River, Footscray, dated 1920s-1954. 

Photographer: Rose Stereograph Co. State Library of Victoria Image H32492/933

Bridge Hotel, c. 1953  This photograph was published in Early Melbourne Architecture 1840-1888: a photographic record (17). The caption in the book says Bracketed eaves and wide-banded arches, painted in red ochre against yellow walls, gave a foreign air to this old house on the west bank of the Maribyrnong River.

Facing Maribyrnong River, c. 1953. State Library of Victoria Image  H2010.73/29

The Bridge Hotel, 1963, three years before demolition.

Footscray, corner Wingfield and Maribyrnong Streets, February 16, 1963. 

Photographer: John T. Collins State Library of Victoria Image H96.210/214

In our original photo, along from the Bridge Hotel is Pickett's house. In 1840, 21 year old Margaret Dowd arrived in Victoria and the next year she married William Pickett. In March 1848, William took over the licences of the 'Salt Water Punt Inn' and also operated the punt. The road to Melbourne by way of  Pickett's Punt, was well named "The Summer Road' for the journey was impossible in winter. (18). No wonder the community was happy when the bridge was opened in 1863. In 1853, Michael Lynch evicted them from the hotel and punt business, and gave it to his sister Ann to operate, but they had done well enough out of the business to purchase the land where they built their house in 1854 -  Pickett's house, as shown in the photo. Sadly for the family, William died in April 1858 at  only 35 years of age. Margaret was left with seven children from 16 years old to a baby born after William's death and had also given birth to three other children who had died young. Margaret lived in the house all her life and died in 1875, aged 55 (19).  The house is demolished, I cannot tell you when, but it is not in the November 1926 photo below. The life of Margaret Dowd Pickett and her children is recorded in the book Pubs, Punts and Pastures: the story of Pioneer Irish Women of the Salt Water River (20).

This is the temporary railway bridge over the Maribyrnong and was replaced in 1928. It runs into the Bunbury Street rail tunnel and is same location as William and Margaret Pickett's punt. The Bridge Hotel is visible, perfectly framed by the second span of the bridge on the right. The Michaelis Hallenstein tannery is the edifice behind the hotel. The Pickett house is gone, but the Ship Inn can still be seen, centre of photo, behind the railway line supports.

South Kensington to West Footscray, temporary bridge over Maribyrnong River, looking upstream, November 8, 1926. Victorian Railways Photographer. State Library of Victoria Image H28682/11

The next building  is the blue stone premises of Samuel Henderson, Ham and Bacon Curers, built around 1873. It included a house as well as the piggery. The slaughterhouse was 90 feet by 45 feet, and after they were killed and cleaned over 200 pigs could be hung on hook on a railing in one room and pushed along railings to the next stage. There is a detailed description of the process in the Illustrated Australian News for Home Readers of July 15, 1873, see here. The building had a number of later uses, and community action saved it from demolition (21).  You can read the Victorian Heritage Database citation, here. The building is now the Footscray Community Arts Centre.

A pretty picture of Henderson's Piggery.  The Bridge Hotel is in the background. What is missing is the smell and of course, the 1863 bridge.

Premises of Samuel Henderson, Ham and Bacon Curers, Saltwater River, Footscray, c. 1873. 

 Artist: S.T. Gill. State Library of Victoria Image H25128

Which brings us now to the Ship Inn, on the corner of Bunbury and Maribyrnong Streets. It was built around 1859 by Ann Dowd (22) who was Margaret Pickett's sister.  Ann had arrived in Melbourne in 1850, with her husband Thomas Delaney and two children. Thomas died in May 1853, and she married Cuthbert Harrison in August 1854 - all up she had five children with Thomas Delaney and another six with Cuthbert Harrison (23). Ann was entrepreneurial and her husband took full advantage of this according to Footscray historian, John Lack - it was a fruitful economic partnership for Harrison. (24). The construction of the Ship Inn was technically organised by her husband, Cuthbert Harrison, but it was no doubt her money. You can also read about the life of Ann Dowd Delaney Harrison in Pubs, Punts and Pastures: the story of Pioneer Irish Women of the Salt Water River (25).

Does this tender refer to the Ship Inn?

The Argus February 26, 1858 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/7147168

Cuthbert Harrison also had the licence for the Rising Sun Hotel in Footscray.  The Rising Sun Hotel appears to have been opened around 1857 and one of the first references I can find to it in the newspapers is the April 1857 report of a County of Bourke Hotel Licencing session where Michael Dowd was granted the licence of the Hotel. Michael Dowd, who died at the age of 99 in 1881, was the father of Ann and Margaret Dowd.  In April 1858 the licence was granted to Cuthbert Harrison. (26)

Michael Dowd granted the licence of the Rising Sun Hotel in Footscray. Cut Paw Paw is name of the land administration Parish, which covers Footscray, Yarraville and Williamstown.

The Age April 22, 1857 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/154821016

An advertisement placed by Cuthbert Harrison letting some of his wife's blocks of land in Maribyrnong Street.

The Age, July 21, 1859. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/5684855

As mentioned before, the Ship Inn lost its licence at a Licence Reduction Board hearing which began in May 1918. The hotel was demolished in 1970 or as John Lack wrote simply crumbled into pieces during demolition (27).

Report of the Licence Reduction Board, which resulted in the closure of the Ship Inn.

The Argus June 12, 1918  http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1665434

This and the photo below are from a series of photos taken during the construction of the railway bridge over the Maribyrnong, March 1927. The Ship Inn is on the right, partly obscured by a wharf shed.

Pulling pile sheeting at Coffer dam, with steam hammer, March 17, 1923; South Kensington to West Footscray, bridge over the Maribyrnong River. Victorian Railways photographer. State Library of Victoria Image H28682/51

View down the Maribyrnong River, the Ship Inn can be seen on the right bank. March 1927.

View of north side of Maribyrnong River bridge March 19, 1927;South Kensington to West Footscray, bridge over the Maribyrnong River. Victorian Railways photographer. State Library of Victoria Image H28682/52

.....................................................................................................................

Sources

• Lack, John A history of Footscray (Hargreen Publishing, 1991)
• Early Melbourne Architecture 1840-1888: a photographic record compiled and edited by Maie Casey et al (Oxford University Press, 1953, 3rd edition 1975)
• Footscray: a pictorial record of the Municipality from 1859 to 1988 (City of Footscray, 1989). 
• Footscray & Yarraville:  a pictorial record (Footscray Historical Society, 2005)
• Footscray's first 100 years: the story of a great Australian City (City of Footscray, 1959)
• Pubs, Punts and Pastures: the story of Pioneer Irish Women of the Salt Water River by Joan Carstairs and Maureen Lane (St Albans Historical Society, 1988)

Footnotes
(1) Lack, John A history of Footscray (Hargreen Publishing, 1991), p. 45

James Maher was granted a licence for his hotel at the Annual Licensing Meeting for the District of Bourke, held Tuesday April 17, 1855. Report was in The Argus, April 19, 1855, see here.

(2) Report of James Maher's Insolvency was in The Argus, November 17, 1856, see here. He was still the Hotel in 1859 according to this article in Bell's Life in Victoria and Sporting Chronicle, January 29, 1859, see here.
(3) Punt Inn - Footscray's first 100 years: the story of a great Australian City (City of Footscray, 1959), unpaginated and Lack, op. cit., p. 410.
(4) Lack, op. cit., p. 39
(5) Lack, op. cit., p. 46 and Footscray & Yarraville:  a pictorial record (Footscray Historical Society, 2005) p. 46.
(6) The earliest newspaper reports on Trove using the search term Bridge Hotel Footscray date from 1863, the year the bridge opened. I have no other evidence.
(7)  The Leader, March 7, 1863, see here.
(8) Footscray's first 100 years: the story of a great Australian City, op.cit. unpaginated.
(9)  Living Museum of the West  website    https://www.livingmuseum.org.au/projects/stories_places/warves/FW_infrastructures_bridges.html
(10)  The Herald, July 9, 1906, see here and The Herald June 13, 1912, see here.
(11)  The Age April 26, 1907, see here.
(12)  The Age April 9, 1918, see here.
(13)  The Argus, May 5, 1926, see here.
(14)  The Argus of January 22, 1927 reported that the licensee of the Bridge Hotel (now delicensed) was charged with having disposed of liquour in prohibited hours on December 11. See full report, here.

(15) Footscray & Yarraville:  a pictorial record, op.cit., p. 46.
(16) Raisbeck and Campbell are listed in the 1950 Sands & McDougall Directory at the State Library of Victoria, but the 1945 edition. Access the Directories here https://www.slv.vic.gov.au/search-discover/popular-digitised-collections
(17) Early Melbourne Architecture 1840-1888: a photographic record compiled and edited by Maie Casey et al (Oxford University Press, 1953, 3rd edition 1975)
(18) Footscray's first 100 years: the story of a great Australian City, op.cit., unpaginated.
(19) The information about Margaret Dowd Pickett comes from Pubs, Punts and Pastures: the story of Pioneer Irish Women of the Salt Water River by Joan Carstairs and Maureen Lane (St Albans Historical Society, 1988)
(20) Pubs, Punts and Pastures: the story of Pioneer Irish Women of the Salt Water River by Joan Carstairs and Maureen Lane (St Albans Historical Society, 1988)
(21) Lack, op. cit., p.388.
(22) Lack, op. cit., p. 410. On page 52, John Lack writes Ann Dowd brought the Junction Hotel site [corner Bunbury and Whitehall Street] in 1854, and Lynch's Maribyrnong Street properties in the same year, selling the former to Robert Jones and building the Ship Inn on the latter.
(23) Ann Dowd's family information comes from Pubs, Punts and Pastures: the story of Pioneer Irish Women of the Salt Water River, op. cit.
(24) Lack, op. cit., p. 52.

(25) See footnote 18.
(26) Lack, op. cit., p. 52; The Age April 22, 1857, see here;  The Age, April 22, 1858 see here;

(27) Lack, op. cit., p. 388.

Discoverers of Port Phillip monument, Sims Street, Footscray

I came across the following in the 1957 book  Peeps into the Past: a book of  Melbourne  Curiosities by  Mary Maxwell (1) -  Remembered yesterday and forgotten today - that is the fate of an obelisk standing  a few yards off the Melbourne Road near the Footscray Swing bridge. Erected by  a patriotic group about  a quarter of  a century ago (the actual date of the unveiling and by whom are obscure) to mark the original junction of the Yarra and Maribyrnong Rivers, discovered by Charles Edward Grimes in 1803 and rediscovered by Batman in 1835, few people today are aware of its existence. The land was presented to the Old Pioneers' Memorial Fund by the Melbourne Harbour Trust as a site for an historic marking; the memorial was officially unveiled on Sunday, November 23, 1941. Details of a well-known ship which sailed Port Phillip Bay in those days may be found on the back of the monument.

The Discoverers of Port Phillip monument, Sims Street

Photo: Isaac Hermann February 2020

The memorial is in Sims Street, just where it passes under Footscray Road, and was erected in this location to mark the original junction of the Yarra and Maribyrnong Rivers. The route of the Yarra was altered by the construction of the Coode Canal (2) in 1886 and  you can see the original route of the Yarra in this map, taken from a 1938 Street Directory, below.

The memorial is just south of Sims Street and the 'new Melbourne and Footscray Road' intersection. You can see the old course of the Yarra - it says 'river practically abolished'

Morgan's Official Street Directory, 1938 21st edition

State Library of Victoria  http://digital.slv.vic.gov.au/R/?func=collections&collection_id=2982

The monument has two inscriptions    -

This monument has been erected to mark the original junction of the Yarra and the Maribyrnong Rivers which was near this spot. These rivers were originally discovered by Charles Howard Grimes in February 1803 and refound by John Batman in June 1835.

Photo: Isaac Hermann February 2020

Port Phillip was discovered by John Murray in the Lady Nelson in February 1802. The first vessel in Hobson's Bay was the Cumberland with Grimes the Surveyor. The first man o'war was the Calcutta at the end of the same year 1802. The first vessel to ascend the Yarra was John P. Fawkner's Enterprise.

Photo: Isaac Hermann February 2020

Miss Maxwell lists the date of the unveiling as November 23, 1941, in spite of the fact that she said the actual date of the unveiling and the by whom is obscure but never mind. I have found some newspaper reports of the unveiling and who attended the ceremony.

The memorial was unveiled by Mr A. D. MacKenzie, the Chairman of the Harbour Trust Commissioners, whilst the Hyde Street State School band sang Rule Britannia. The Argus reported on the unveiling - Mr Mackenzie said one of the first works carried out in Port Phillip was a wharf built by Capt. George Ward Cole. Mr Isaac Selby, secretary Old Pioneers' Memorial Fund, had wanted a site near the confluence of the Maribyrnong and Yarra rivers for the memorial, but port authorities had to visualise what the port was going to be 100 years hence. Eventually a new dock would be placed in that position, so the trust had found the present site for the memorial, where it was hoped it would be able to remain for ever. Mr Selby said the memorial was due to the generosity of Mr Allan Tye. Mr. Selby suggested that Mr. Mackenzie might make available an area of land round the memorial which might appropriately be named Rebecca Park, after Batman's little vessel. (3)

Mr Augustus Wolskel, President of the Victorian Historical Society; Mr John Gent; William Jacka, Mayor of the City of Footscray; Mr E. W. Mylrea and Miss Helen Baillie, Vice President of the Aboriginal Advancement League also are reported to have spoken (4).  The memorial was, as reported, donated by Allen Tye.

The memorial when it was first erected, you can see it is sitting on a base. I don't know when that was removed. 

The Age November 22, 1941 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/209807009?

We will have a look at the people listed above who were involved with the Memorial.
Helen Baillie   I was amazed that not only was a woman invited to speak but that she would have given a  speech with an Indigenous viewpoint (although Helen Baillie was not Indigenous). Helen Elizabeth Jacqueline Baillie was born February 17, 1893  to William and Mary (nee Fellows) Baillie. The birth was registered in Kettering, Northamptonshire. The family migrated to Australia and after finishing school in Melbourne, she undertook nurse training at the Essex County Hospital at Colchester from 1917 to 1920. From September 1921 Helen undertook a years training at the City of London Maternity Hospital (5).

Interesting insight into Helen Baillie's personality and work ethic from the UK & Ireland, Queen's Nursing Institute Roll of Nurses, 1891-1931 - Roll of Queen´s Nurses, Vol 29 (1922 - 1923) from Ancestry.

Helen returned to Australia in the 1930s and  it was during her sea journey that she became enthralled by the work of Mary Bennett, an internationally renowned activist on behalf of Australian Aboriginal people. In 1932, Baillie formed the Victorian Aboriginal Fellowship Group and became their Honorary Secretary. In 1933 she also became involved with the Victorian Aboriginal Group; a group with similar objectives to the Fellowship.  (The Australian Women's Register, see here) 

Helen Baillie became a member of other activist groups, including the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom and the Council for Aboriginal Rights. In addition, Miss Baillie volunteered as a nurse for the Republican forces during the Spanish Civil War and also worked for the Spanish Relief Committee in Melbourne.  Miss Baillie died in 1970 at the age of 77. You can read more about Helen Baillie's life of Indigenous activism here on the City of Stonnington website.

John Gent  Town Clerk of the City of Footscray for 29 years. He was appointed in 1917 and retired in 1946. He died in 1966 at the age of 90 (6).

William Jacka  Mayor of the City of Footscray. Cr Jacka was the brother of Albert Jacka, V.C. Albert Jacka was also a Mayor of the City of St Kilda, and the first Australian to be awarded the Victoria Cross medal in the First World War (read about him, here). William Jacka died in 1979, aged 81. The Jacka brothers grew up in Wedderburn, you can read more of their life in that town here.

A.D (Aubrey Duncan) Mackenzie  (1895-1962).  Civil engineer and Chairman of the Melbourne Harbour Trust. Read his Australian Dictionary of Biography entry, here.

Ernest Wallace Mylrea  Primary School teacher who was at one time at the Hyde Street State School in Footscray. He formed the Hyde Street School band. Mr Mylrea died August 19, 1943 at the age of 71 (7).

Isaac Selby  Secretary of the Old Pioneers Memorial Fund which promoted the study of history. He also led a campaign to save the Old Melbourne Cemetery from destruction and in 1924 wrote the book The Old Pioneers' Memorial History of Melbourne. You can read more about Isaac Selby's colourful life in the Australian Dictionary of Biography, here.

Augustus Woskel   Founded and was the first General Manager of the Phosphate Co-operative Company of Australia. He was also a keen historian, involved with the Royal Historical Society of Victoria and President from 1938 until 1942.  He died December 20, 1949 at the age of 82 (8).

Allen Tye  The memorial was donated by Allen Tye. Allen and his brother George, came to Australia from Canada in 1886. They established a company called Messrs Tye and Coy, Proprietary Limited whose big emporiums for the distribution of furniture, vehicles, motorcars etc., are distributed over the city and the principal suburbs (9).  Allen married Cecelia Sullivan in 1894 and they had no children. Allen died on January 16, 1948 at the age of 85 (10).

There is a later edition to the monument - a plaque erected in 1995. It reads - Historical  note 1995 -  When this monument was erected in 1941 it was believed that HMS Calcutta took on fresh water from the Yarra in November 1803. The Calcutta's log indicates that the ship only came as far north as Frankston, and took water from Kananook Creek.The first Man 'o War to enter Hobsons Bay was HMS Rattlesnake (Capt W. Hobson) on  29 September 1836.

1995 plaque, a later edition to the monument.

Photo: Isaac Hermann, February 2020

Acknowledgement - 
My fellow historian, Isaac Hermann, and I wanted to take some photographs of  the memorial. We drove down Sims Street, couldn't see it, drove back up and there it was in a small reserve, currently fenced off due to some infrastructure project. That was disappointing as I thought we would not get any good photos, however lucky for me Isaac decided to climb the fence, strictly in the interests of historical research, and the image (left) shows the difficulties he faced in taking the photos. Thanks, Isaac.

Trove list: 
I have created a list on Trove of articles and websites relating to the monument and people connected with it. You can access it here.

Sources:
(1) Peeps into the Past: a book of  Melbourne  Curiosities by  Mary Maxwell (Heinemann 1957, republished in 1960)
(2) Engineering Heritage Victoria history of the Coode Canal, see here.
(3) The Argus November 24, 1941, see here.
(4) Reports of who would be speaking or who did speak at the unveiling were in The Age, November 20, 1941, see here and The Argus November 24, 1941, see here.
(5) This information on Helen Baillie came from Ancestry - English Civil Registration Birth Index, UK and Ireland Nursing Registers and UK & Ireland, Queen's Nursing Institute Roll of Nurses, 1891-1931
(6) The Age April 2, 1946, see here.
(7) Williamstown Chronicle, August 27, 1943, see here.
(8) Encyclopedia of Australian Science, see here.
(9) The Herald, December 12, 1904, see here.
(10) Marriage and death notices published in various newspapers, they are in my Trove list, see here. Cecelia Tye died July 23, 1947.  I had originally thought that Allen Tye (1863-1948) was married to Carlotta Cadusch, but it was his nephew Allen Charles Tye (1891-1972) who was married to Carlotta. The Carlotta Tye Memorial Church in Selby was erected as a memorial to Carlotta by Allen. Allen was the son of Allen's brother George (1865-1934) who co-established Messrs Tye and Coy, Proprietary Limited. I am grateful to Lynne Bradley and Eileen Durdin of the Narre Warren & District Family History Group for clearing up the Tye family history. 

Michaelis, Hallenstein & Co. World War One Memorial

In Hopkins Street in Footscray, just over the Hopetoun Bridge and near the corner of Moreland Street,  on the site of the now demolished Michaelis, Hallenstein & Co. Tannery is a memorial to the employees of the firm who nobly gave their lives to a just and righteous cause. Before we look at these men, here is a short history of Michaelis, Hallenstein & Co., taken from the 1959 publication Footscray's first 100 years: the story of a great Australian City (1).  The book was published by the City of Footscray for the centenary of the establishment of Footscray and it's a proud look at the community, history and businesses of the town.  Well worth tracking down if you have an historic connection to Footscray.

The story goes that in 1864 Isaac Hallenstein,  a wagon driver who worked between Melbourne and Ballarat had a wagon break-down and called in at the tannery to seek help. The owner of the business, Mr Cleghorn, said 'I'd be off to the diggings if I could find  a buyer for my tannery' so Isaac purchased the business and within a year his uncle, Moritz Michaelis, joined the firm and Michaelis, Hallenstein was born. In 1959 when the book was written, the business occupied 25 acres on the corner of Hopkins and Moore Street and employed 430 people.  Businesses were also established in other states and New Zealand and in 1948 they came under the holding company of Associated Leathers Ltd, the chairman of which in 1959 was Sir Archie Michaelis, former member of the Legislative Assembly.

Apparently, Mr Cleghorn did not become rich and he returned to the business and became the Manager. The Company produced leather for shoes, upholstery and suitcases and also had a large export business. The Company was one of Footscray's big industries that provided the population  with steady well paid employment. Footscray's first 100 years says they were the first large organisation to introduce the eight hour day for employees and  the first business to install an electric power plant.

The business eventually occupied the area bounded by Wingfield, Moreland, Hopkins and Maribyrnong Streets (2).

Aerial view of works of Michaelis Hallenstein & Co. Pty. Ltd. manufacturers of high grade gelatine,  c. 1930. 

State Library of Victoria Image H2003.54, click here to see a high-res version http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/365270

Descendants of Isaac Hallenstein and Moritz Michalis also worked in the business - including grandsons Albert (Hal) Hallenstein and Roy Michaelis and three family members who enlisted and lost their lives in the Great War and whose names appear on this monument Dalbert Hallenstein, Frank Michaelis and Grant Michaelis. Footscray's first 100 years records the deaths of the three boys - Three members of the two families paid the supreme sacrifice during World War 1. Lieut. Grant Michaelis fell at Gallipoli in 1915. A plaque installed overseas in his honor was eventually reinstalled in the offices of the company at Footscray. Stg. Frank Michaelis, A.I.F., died in the service. Lieut. Dalbert Hallenstein was killed while leading his men in action at Peronne. Commemorative plaques to the three stand above the stairway today.  

There is also a report in the Footscray Independent in November 1918 where a memorial scroll was unveiled in Frank's honour. It was described thus the copper scroll, which is enclosed in a plain kauri frame, the whole being covered with glass. The  entablature, with repousse medallion encircled by a wreath of laurel leaves, with raised copper architraves, bore a bust representation of the deceased in the uniform of the A.I.F., with the following inscription: Dulce et Decorum est pro Patria Mori. In Affectionate Memory of Sergeant Frank M Michaelis, A.I.F., Who gave his life for King and Country, 14th May, 1917. "To know him was to love him." Erected by his fellow-workers. (Footscray Independent November 9, 1918, see here.)  Was this the same plaque referred to in Footscray's first 100 years or was this another memorial?

The tannery was demolished in 1987 according to the book Footscray: a pictorial record of the Municipality from 1859 to 1988. (2)  I wonder where the three plaques in honour of Dalbert, Frank and Grant are and where Frank's copper scroll enclosed in a plain kauri frame is?

Michaelis, Hallenstein & Co., Footscray works, over  25 years later than the aerial photo shown above.

Image: Footscray's first 100 years: the story of a great Australian City (1)

Sadly, like most businesses and families in Australia Michaelis, Hallenstein & Co., was impacted by the First World War and many large companies produced an Honor Board to commemorate the service of their employees, but it is unusual to have  a granite memorial.  The memorial was unveiled on August 17, 1920 and there was a report of this occasion in the Footscray Independent of August 21, 1920, see here.

FIRM PAYS TRIBUTE
Memorial Unveiled at Footscray Tannery
Further proof of the feeling of mutual respect and regard existing at the Footscray Tannery between employers and employed was given on Tuesday afternoon, when a memorial, erected by the members of the firm as a tribute to their employees who had died in the Empire's cause, was unveiled.

In addition to members and employees of the firm there was a numerous attendance of other residents, including the Mayor and councillors and the Town Clerk. The ceremony was simple and direct, but very impressive. Those present stood with bared-heads, and the flag for which the men had died flew at half mast near by. 

Mr. Frederick Hallenstein was the first speaker. In a few sentences he expressed the gratitude which he and his fellow directors felt for those gallant men who heard the call and answered the summons to beat down the forces of tyranny and oppression. He then asked the Mayor (Cr. H. W. C. Jenkins) to unveil the memorial. The Mayor thanked Messrs. Michaelis, Hallenstein and Co. Pty. Ltd. for having granted him the privilege of performing the ceremony. He felt honoured in being allowed to do so. The Australian soldiers had proved Australia's nationhood by their wonderful work at Gallipoli, Pozieres, Amiens, and other places. They did not like war, but they went to war to save the world. He hoped that none of those present, nor their children, would experience another conflict of such a nature as had raged between 1914 and 1920. 

The firm of Michaelis, Hallenstein and Co. Pty. Ltd. was a good one for the city of Footscray, and
had always been ready to assist any movement that tended to forward the district. When approached to give a donation to the Memorial Hall a cheque for £200 was given at once, and later £100 was given towards the Footscray and District Hospital. Now a further sum had been expended in providing a monument to keep green the memory of those who had gone from the Footscray Tannery to fight for freedom, and who had died that others might live.

The Mayor then pulled the cord, the draping fell to the ground, and the monument was disclosed. Fashioned out of grey granite, the main pillar, which is 10 feet in height, stands on a base, also of grey granite, 7 feet by 5 feet. The stone is neither smoothed nor polished, except for a panel bearing the following inscription: In memory of Our Fallen Employees, who, in the Great War, 1914 1920, Nobly Gave their Lives for a Just and Righteous Cause. The article listed the names (which are below) and  continued with Brave Spirits! Mourned with Fond Regret." Erected by Michaelis, Hallenstein and Co. Pty. Ltd.

The monument, which weighs 2½ tons, was the work of Messrs. Jas Taylor and Sons, of Nicholson-street, Footscray, and is an excellent specimen of the mason's art. Rev. Danglow, who saw active service as a chaplain, Cr. A. A. Harris, and Mr. Fred Brown, a returned soldier, also briefly spoke, referring in warm terms of appreciation of the brave souls who had given their all for right and justice.  (Footscray Independent  August 21, 1920, see here.

The Michaelis, Hallenstein & Co., Memorial - no longer standing outside the tannery, now in front of housing.

Image: Isaac Hermann.

Here are the men listed on the memorial, I have included their Service Numbers (SN) so you can look up their full military record on the National Archives of Australia website, www.naa.gov.au. I can link some of these men definitely to Michaelis, Hallenstein & Co., but some I can only link to the tannery or leather production industry and some I can only link to Footscray or surrounding areas such as Spotswood or Yarraville,  but I do believe I have the right men. There are three I cannot identify at all.

The men honoured on the The Michaelis, Hallenstein & Co., Memorial.

Image: Isaac Hermann.

Austin, Reginald Victor   (SN 3696)   Reginald was born in Footscray and enlisted at the age of 23 on July 12, 1915 in the 5th Infantry Battalion, 12th Reinforcements.  He was a labourer, the son of William and  Annie Austin of O'Farrell Street in Footscray. He was declared Missing in Action on July 25, 1916 and  a Court of Enquiry held in November 1917, found he had actually been Killed in Action on that day.

The Footscray Advertiser had this report of the fate of some local boys, including Reginald Austin.

Footscray Advertiser January 19, 1918  http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article88798360

Barnes, George  (SN 565)  George was a 22 year old tanner when he enlisted on August 20, 1914, in the 7th Infantry Battalion, E Company, this was the same day as Arthur Hetherton, who is listed below. He was born in Footscray and his next of kin was his father, John Barnes of Castlemaine.  George was Killed in Action at Gallipoli on May 26, 1915. George is listed as E. Barnes on the monument.  The report in the local paper, below, describes George as sturdy built - he was 5 foot 9 inches and just over eleven stone when he enlisted. He was also a popular employee at Michaelis, Hallenstein & Co.

The report of George Barnes' death.

Yarraville Weekly News July 17, 1915  http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article119677649

Bye, Bertie David Lester  (SN 31639)  Bertie enlisted on September 30, 1916 at the age of 29. He was born in Richmond, was a tanner and living in Melbourne Road, Spotswood.  He was in the 24th Howitzer Brigade, 9th Reinforcements. Bertie was Killed in Action on March 3, 1918. He left behind his wife, Lavinia, and two little girls - Edna and Jean.

Bertie Bye's death notice.

The Age May 18, 1918  http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article155098739

Cunninghame, T   This man is listed on the monument, but I cannot identify him. There are no Cunninghames on the Roll of Honor at the Australian War Memorial, so I presume his surname is Cunningham - but I still can't find a T. Cunningham with a Footscray connection and who did not survive the War. It is possibly Willliam Thomas Cunningham (SN 2056), a 23 year old warehouseman, born and lived in Albert Park and was Killed in Action August 31, 1918. My other thought is that is is Major Trevor Russell Cunningham, Killed in Action August 4 1916, He was from Geelong but his Roll of Honor circular lists his occupation as a manufacturer of salt. I believe salt is used extensively in the tanneries, so maybe Trevor Cunningham was a valued supplier to Michaelis, Hallenstein & Co.

The Michaelis, Hallenstein building 23-27 Lonsdale Street, 1865

Photographer: Charles Rudd. State Library of Victoria Image H12684

Evans, Alwyn Morris  (SN 5682) Alwyn was 29 years old, a clerk and he enlisted on August 19, 1915 in the 6th Infantry Battalion, 18th Reinforcements. His next of kin was his mother, Mary Stewart of Coburg. Alwyn Died of Wounds on May 31, 1918. A death notice from his workmates at Michaelis, Hallenstein & Co, is below.

Death Notice from Michaelis, Hallenstein & Co., for Alwyn Evans. 

The Age June 20, 1918  http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article155097840

Gilchrist, Harold   (SN 2474)  Harold enlisted on June 22, 1915 in the 6th Infantry Battalion, 7th Reinforcements. He was a ledger keeper and nearly 22 years of age. His next of kin was father, Robert Gilchrist of Glenferrie.  Lieutenant Gilchrist was Killed in Action on October 4, 1917. Michaelis, Hallenstein & C0., held an annual picnic at which the entertainment included a sports program. The picnic and sports results were reported in the local paper and in 1911 Harold won the Warehouse Handicap. In 1912 he won the event again as well as the M.H. & Co Handicap race - both over  120 yards. (Footscray Independent, November 23, 1912, see here)

Part of the report of the Michaelis, Hallenstein & Co., Annual Picnic day in 1911, where Harold Gilchrist won the Warehouse Handicap by three yards.

Footscray Independent November 25, 1911. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/73479029

I had found the reports of the race results and thought it was more than likely that this was the H. Gilchrist on the monument, but it wasn't until I found this short report below in The Argus, that I could establish the full identity of H. Gilchrist.

Short report of the death of Harold Gilchrist.

The Argus October 20, 1917  http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1657471

Harold Gilchrist. What a handsome looking man. 

Image: Australian War Memorial https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1729664

Hallenstein, Dalbert Isaac    Lieutenant Hallenstein was 21 when he enlisted on January 16, 1915 in the 5th Infantry Battalion, 3rd Reinforcements. He listed his occupation as a tanner and his next of kin was his father, Reuben Hallenstein of St Kilda. Lieutenant Hallenstein was Killed in Action on September 2, 1918. You can read about his military service in his obituary, below.

Report of Lieutenant Hallenstein's death

Footscray Advertiser  September 14, 1918 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/88797982#

A reminder of the Michaelis, Hallenstein & Co., tannery - a street named after the Hallenstein family.  It's the continuation of Moreland Street, on the north side of Hopkins Street, which has been renamed Hallenstein Street.

Image: Isaac Hermann.

Harding, William Alfred   (SN 2318) William was a 28 year old salesman and he enlisted on August 22, 1916 in the 39th Infantry Battalion, 4th Reinforcements.  His next of kin was his father, Charles, of West Brunswick. William was Killed in Action on June 20, 1918. His fellow employees at Michaelis, Hallenstein & Co. put a death notice in paper for William.

William Harding's death notice inserted by Michaelis, Hallenstein & Co.

The Argus July 6 1918  https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/1444041

Hetherton, Arthur   (SN 596)  Arthur was born and lived in West Footscray. He enlisted in the 7th Infantry Battalion, E Company on August 20, 1914, same day as his work mate, George Barnes (see above). He was 22 year old labourer and his next of kin was his mother, Florence Hetherton. Arthur was Killed in Action at Gallipoli on April 25, 1915.

Report of the death of Arthur Hetherton.

Footscray Advertiser July 3 1915  https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/89111467

Lloyd, P   I cannot work out who this is. There are no Lloyds on the Roll of Honour who have  a first or middle name starting with P and have also checked spelling variations of the surname (Loyd, Lloyde, Loyde) and no result. I have looked at all the six Lloyds from Victoria who enlisted and did not survive the War and there are none with an obvious connection to Footscray or the Tannery industry, so Mr Lloyd is a mystery.

Louis, Adrian  (SN 2623) Adrian enlisted on June 17, 1915, in the 8th Infantry Battalion, 8th Reinforcements, he was 24 and his occupation was 'beamsman' which according to a website that explains old occupations - a Tanner's Beamsman draped part-cured skins over a Tanners Beam, a flat slab of wood or stone, to scrape off the remaining flesh, fat and hair (Hall Genealogy - Old Occupations, see here) Adrian's next of kin was his father, A.D. Louis, of Ryan Street in Footscray. Adrian was was Wounded in Action (gun shot wound to the head) in September 1916, returned to Australia and died April 15, 1917 at the Caulfield Hospital. Corporal Lewis was buried with full military honours at the Footscray Cemetery. His funeral was written up in the Footscray Independent of  April 21, 1917 (read it here), here is an excerpt - The last obsequies were most impressive. The coffin was mounted on a gun carriage wreathed in flags. A firing party and bandsmen from Broadmeadows Camp headed the funeral procession, while club mates of the Junior Football Club the Rowing Club and the Tannery followed.

Corporal Adrian Louis

Footscray Independent of  April 21, 1917  http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article74256363

Lowe, Hugh Mosman  (SN 1053)  Hugh was born in Scotland and enlisted at the age of 20 on October 19, 1914 in the 9th Infantry Battalion, C Company. His next of kin was his mother, Jessie Lowe, of  Lufra, Glen Eira Road, East St Kilda. Hugh died of wounds received while serving at Gallipoli, on June 3, 1915. Hugh and his three brothers are listed on the Elwood Presbyterian Church Honor Board, I have written about this here. The lovely death notice from his work mates at Michaelis, Hallenstein is reproduced below.

Hugh Lowe's death notice inserted by Michaelis, Hallenstein & Co.

 The Argus July 17, 1915  https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/1538065

Matthews, C.  I have looked at all the C. Matthews and C. Mathews on the Roll of Honour and there is none with a connection to the Footscray area or the tannery business. There is a Lieutenant Charles Matthews who enlisted December 24, 1914. He was 23, born in England, his mother was his next of kin and she lived in England. Charles was Killed in Action October 12, 1917. He was living at 162 Cecil Street in South Melbourne before he enlisted and a sweet notice was put in The Age after his death (see here) by Mrs Johnston and Mrs Bell, whom I presume were his land-ladies. The only flaw in this is that Charles' occupation was a Draper's Assistant, so not tannery related. There is one Matthews with a Footscray address - James Edward Matthews (SN 1232). He was a 27 year old labourer and enlisted  January 25,  1915 in the 22nd Infantry Battalion, A Company. His next of kin was his mother Mrs J. Madden of  31 Greig Street, Footscray. However for some reason his file is not digitised at National Archives and also he is not in nominal rolls and not in Roll of Honour. At the moment the full identity of Mr Matthews is a bit of  a mystery.

Michaelis, Frank Moritz   (SN 31586) Frank enlisted on August 23, 1916 at the age of 24, in the 6th Field Artillery Brigade, 12th Reinforcements.  He was  a tanner and his next of kin was his father, Frederick. Frederick David Michaelis (1861 - 1935) was a member of the St Kilda Foreshore Committee and the Chairman of the Carlo Catani Clock Tower Memorial Committee (read about this here). Frank later married and his next of kin became his wife, Kathleen. Frank died of acute meningitis in London on May 14, 1917.

Sergeant Frank Michaelis

Footscray Advertiser May 19, 1917 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/89110557#

The Footscray Advertiser had wonderful tribute to Frank Michaelis, which shows how popular the family was with their employees  - By the death of Sergeant Frank M. Michaelis, at Salisbury Plains, England, Footscray is the poorer by one of its most popular employers of labor. He was the second son of Mr and Mrs F. D. Michaelis of Robe street, St. Kilda, and up to the time of his enlistment had for 5 years been learning the business at the Tannery. He was only 24 years of age and was educated at Wesley College and afterwards at Harrow, England. He was beloved by all who knew him, and the employees of the tannery, amongst whom he worked just as one of themselves, held him in high esteem. When the news of his death was received on Wednesday Messrs. Michaelis, Hallenstein & Co. closed the works for the day. Before leaving, however, the whole of the employees met together under the flag in the Tannery gardens and after tributes to the worth of the deceased soldier had been paid by several speakers a motion of sympathy was passed to be forwarded to the widow, parents and family. Mr and Mrs Michaelis have only one other son, Lieut. Archie Michaelis, and he has been on active service since the day after the outbreak of war. Another director, Mr Ed. Michaelis, lost his eldest son at Gallipoli. It will be remembered that Sgt. Frank Michaelis was "sent off" at a pleasant function at the Barkly Theatre some 10 months ago. (Footscray Advertiser May 19, 1917, see here)

Michaelis, Grant    As mentioned in the newspaper report of Frank Michaelis' death, another director of the Company, Mr Edward Michaelis, also lost a son. This was Grant Michaelis. Grant and Frank were first cousins.  Grant's military history can be found in this obituary published in the Footscray Advertiser, of October 9, 1915 (see here) Though not a resident of Footscray, Lieut. Grant Michaelis, son of Mr E. J. Michaelis, of Michaelis, Hallenstein and Co., was well known in this district, especially to employees of the firm named and to those who patronise the social activities of the firm and its employees. Regret is therefore freely expressed locally at the news received by cable that Lieut. Grant Michaelis met his death in action at the Dardanelles on 23rd September. Lieut. Michaelis, who was educated at the Church of England Grammar School, Geelong, left for England about four years ago to study engineering with Messrs. Alien Bros., electrical engineers, at Bedford, and when war broke out was lieutenant in the East Anglian Engineers. He at once volunteered for active service abroad, but, with his company, was retained for service in England until the end of August this year, when he left for the front. He can, therefore, have been only a few weeks in the fighting line when he met his death.  (Footscray Advertiser, October 9, 1915, see here)

McCall, James Patterson   (SN 6401) James  enlisted on October 23, 1916, in the 22nd Infantry Battalion, 18th Reinforcements. He was 29, born in Scotland and his next of kin was his mother, Mary McCall of Caulfield. James was awarded the Military Medal in June 1918 and was Killed in Action on October 4, 1918. James was listed as a postal clerk on his enlistment papers, the Electoral Roll has his occupation as warehouseman and the  Roll of Honour Circular has his occupation as Leather Worker.  The  Roll of Honour Circular was completed by the family, thus you would assume it is correct, and this links him to the tannery industry. I don't know why there are these discrepencies in regard to James' occupation, but as the only other J. McCall on the Roll of Honour is from Dubbo in New South Wales, I believe I have the right man.

James Patterson's Roll of Honour Circular listing his occupation as Leather Worker.

Image: Australian War Memorial https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/awm-media/collection/RCDIG1068880/document/5578522.PDF

Neale, Henry   (SN 3101) Henry was 19 when he enlisted on July 13, 1915. He was a plasterer, the son of John and Eliza Neale of 18 Sydenham Street in West Footscray. He was part the 14th Infantry Battalion, 10th Reinforcements. Henry was reported as missing on August 8, 1916 and at a Court of Enquiry held in April 1917 it was determined that he was Killed in Action on that date.

Private Henry Neale

Footscray Advertiser May 19, 1917  https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/page/8586925

Henry's short obituary in the Footscray Advertiser, confirms he worked at the tannery - Mr and Mrs J. S. Neale, of 18 Sydenham street, West Footscray, received word on Monday that their son, Pte.Harry Neale, was killed in action France on the 8th of August, 1916. He was previously reported missing. Private Neale enlisted in July, 1915. Previous to enlisting he was employed at the Footscray tannery and was just turned 19 years when he volunteered. Pte. Neale was a member of the Footscray A.N.A. His brother, Pte Alf. Neale, has just returned home after a long illness and nearly two years of active service. (Footscray Advertiser, May 19, 1917, see here)

Ravenstrunck,  Arthur  (SN 1991) Arthur enlisted on June 19, 1915 in 21st Infantry Battalion, 3rd Reinforcements. He was 19 and 9 months years of age, a labourer and his next of kin was his mother, Sarah, of Buxton Street West Footscray.  Arthur was wounded in action (gun shot wound to the head) and died four days later on November 24, 1916. His surname is spelt as Ravenstraunk on the Memorial,  Ravenstrunch at National Archives, Ravensctrunck on the Embarkation Roll and Ravenstrunck on the Nominal Roll and Roll of Honour - which is correct because that is the way Arthur signed his name. He looks very young in the photo below, and that is because he was young, he lied about his age. His brother Clifford completed his Roll of Honour Circular and listed Arthur's age as 16 years and 9 months on enlistment, which meant he was only 18 when he died.

Private Arthur Ravenstrunck

Footscray Advertiser December 16, 1916 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/89109752

Arthur's obituary in the Footscray Advertiser which mentions his employment at Michaelis, Hallenstein & Co.

Footscray Advertiser December 16, 1916 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/89109752

Sarah Ravenstrunck (nee Carmody) died on April 14, 1918 aged 58, she is buried at the Footscray Cemetery. There were reports in the newspapers in 1917 that Sarah had been charged with assault. There had been an altercation between Mrs Ravenstrunck and Mrs Misken. Mrs Misken, who was reported to be of German background, had allegedly insulted her and Mrs Ravenstrunck had fought back, you can read reports here  and  here and here. One interesting thing that comes out of Arthur's obituary is that his brother also enlisted. I cannot find a record of his service under any variation of his surname, however the National Archives has this record - see below.

Clifford Ravenstrunck's alias

National Archives of Australia, www.naa.gov.au

It appears that Clifford had used W. Anderson when he enlisted and I found his record - William Anderson (SN 7) - enlisted December 8, 1914,  in Oaklands, a suburb of Adelaide.  He served in France and then Returned to Australia September 1917 and was discharged on medical grounds in the November (nephritis). Clifford said his address at enlistment was Footscray and his next of kin was his uncle, A. Anderson of Footscray. Why did he enlist under  a false name? Perhaps because of anti-German feeling at the time and perhaps because he, like his brother Arthur, lied about his age. He said he was 21, in reality he had been born in June 1895, so was only 19. Maybe his mother wouldn't give him permission to enlist.

Tognini, William  (SN 16065)  William enlisted on December 11, 1915, in the 17th Reinforcements. He was a 22 year old labourer. He was the son of  James and Elizabeth Tognini,  of the Bridge Hotel, which was located on the corner of Maribyrnong and Wingfield Streets, Footscray. William was Killed in Action on August 21, 1918. His brother Charles, who also served, was awarded the Distinguished Conduct medal (see here)

Report of William Tognini's death

Yarraville Weekly News September 7, 1918  https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/119683908

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Acknowledgement: Thank you to my friend and research colleague, Isaac Hermann, for taking the photographs of the Memorial for this post.

Footnotes and sources:
(1) Footscray's first 100 years: the story of a great Australian City (City of Footscray, 1959)

(2) Footscray: a pictorial record of the Municipality from 1859 to 1988 (City of Footscray, 1989).  Some of the photos in this book are in Footscray & Yarraville:  a pictorial record (Footscray Historical Society, 2005)  which is still available for purchase from the Historical Society  https://footscrayhistoricalsociety.org.au/




This is an interesting history of the firm - The Michaelis, Hallenstein story 1864 - 1964 one hundred years in leather. It is available as part of the University of Florida digital collection - see  here   - https://ufdc.ufl.edu/AA00004165/00001