Lyndhurst - a short history

Lyndhurst, part of the old Shire of Cranbourne, was a small township centred mainly on the Dandenong-Hastings Road, between Cranbourne and Dandenong. The town was proclaimed on February 18, 1861 and was named after Lord Lyndhurst (1772-1863), Lord Chancellor of England. There was for a time  a Lyndhurst South, as Skye was known by that name from 1894 until 1964. A murder in the area in 1894 had brought unwelcome attention to Skye and local residents had the name changed. The suburb of Lynbrook, registered as a place name in January 2001, was developed on land which was originally part of Lyndhurst. (1).

Some of the  first Europeans in the Lyndhurst area were the Wedge Brothers, Charles, Henry and John. They had arrived in Tasmania with their parents, Edward Davey and Lucy (nee King) Wedge. The family moved to Victoria in the 1830s and took up land at Werribee. Sadly, in May 1852 Edward, aged 76, Lucy, 64 and their daughter, Lucy, aged 45 were drowned when the Werribee River flooded. Another son, Richard, survived the flood. Edward was the brother of John Helder Wedge, a surveyor.  (2)

Charles, Henry and John leased Banyan Waterholes or Ballymarang and also called Bangam (hence the name Bangholme) from around 1839.  The run covered the area from around Dandenong to Frankston and was 42 square miles or 10,000 hectares. The held the land until 1852, when it was subdivided - Charles took the Banyan section and John and Henry the Ballymarang section. (3)  

Charles married Fannie Bethia Wright on July 21, 1852 and died in Malvern on  November 25, 1895 aged 86 (4).  John married Mary Wedge Darke on May 29, 1867. Mary was the daughter of William Darke, the Government Surveyer of New South Wales. John died in Queensland on April 29, 1883, aged 74.  They had a property called Johnswood at Lyndhurst and he was an original member of the Cranbourne Road Board, which was established in 1860 and an original Committee member of the Mornington Farmers' Society (5).   Henry Wedge married Mercy Rossiter in 1852. You can read about the Rossiter family, here.  Henry died on December 29, 1866 at the age of 47, at Ballymarang, the cause of death was 'measles and inflammation of the lungs' according to the death notice in the The Argus. (6). Richard had died in Sale on March 16, 1870, aged 56. (7).  

This map shows Banyan Waterholes/Ballymarang and the the other squatting runs 

around Western Port. Click on image to enlarge.

This map is taken from The Good Country: Cranbourne Shire by Niel Gunson, 

published by the Shire of Cranbourne in 1968.

Other early squatters in the area were the Ruffy Brothers. The Ruffy Brothers squatted on the Tomaque run, after having arrived from Tasmania in 1836 (though some sources say they left Tasmania in March 1837). Tomaque was situated between Dandenong and Cranbourne. The brothers had Tomaque until 1850, however in the 1840s they also took up the Mayune Run of 32,000 acres. Mayune was situated around what is now the town of Cranbourne. I have written about the Ruffy Brothers, here. 

Niel Gunson, in his book The Good Country: Cranbourne Shire notes that from the 1850s other settlers arrived in Lyndhurst. They included Alexander Norquay, Alexander Dunlop, George Bird, George and Frederick Hall (Hall Road was named after Frederick) , John Close, Donald and Alexander McClelland, George Howard, James Sime,  John Donnelly, Richard Gray and Frederick Sparks. (8). Community facilities developed - the post office opened in  January 1867 and closed in 1976. (9). In December 1854 an Anglican School opened at Lyndhurst, with 22 pupils on the roll. By 1861, the school population had increased to 86. A Catholic School, opened in 1856 in a fairly basic building, as the floor was made of sand, this school became the Lyndhurst Common School in 1865 and the Lyndhurst State School, No. 163, in 1873. It closed in March 1888. Another school at Lyndhurst operated from 1863 to 1869, closed for three years and then re-opened in 1873 as Lyndhurst No. 732. This school was known for  a time as Bald Hill State School and closed on February 26, 1980. The school building is still there but is now residential. (10)

A report of the Lyndhurst School closure - from the Koo Wee Rup Sun, April 1, 1980, p. 8.

Casey Cardinia Libraries collection.

Use of the name Bald Hill School for Lyndhurst school.

The Argus July 26, 1866 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article5768890

As is usual in most towns a hotel is established early on and around 1871 Richard Taylor (1825 - 1912) opened his hotel, Taylor’s Half Way House. Richard was born in England and after arriving in Victoria, he spent time on the golf fields and then working in Melbourne, after which -

he took up the land at Lyndhurst, comprising 156 acres, upon which he has since resided, and on which stands the familiar house of call. Mr Taylor found good brick clay on his property, and by his own energy he excavated a clay hole, and after getting some little assistance in moulding bricks, he built with his own hands the Half-way House, and built it well and faithfully too, the work taking him two years. This was in the early seventies, and Mr Taylor obtained a publican's licence which he retained until the time of his death. (11). The Hotel was demolished in the 1960s (12) 

Taylor's Half-Way House Hotel

Image: Casey Cardinia Libraries

Richard had arrived in Victoria in 1854 and his wife wife Sidonia (c.1824-1865) and children Elizabeth (c.1852-1941, married Alexander Cairns in 1887) and Charles (c.1853-1857) arrived in 1857. Another three children were born in Victoria, Richard Charles (1858-1861), George Henry (1862-1907) and Walter (1865-1866). (13) The family, sadly is a typical example of the high infant mortality rate and maternal mortality rate of the Victorian era - with little Charles dying the year he arrived in Victoria, little Richard dying at about 3 years old, little Walter dying at about one year old and their mother, Sidonia, dying the same year she gave birth to Walter.

An advertisement for the Half-Way House, 1877.

South Bourke and Mornington Journal September 12, 1877, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article70010277

The Half-Way Hotel, taken in the early 1960s, when it was being used as a house.

Image: National Trust citation - https://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/places/113052

Lyndhurst once had a Memorial Hall, built in 1921 and destroyed by fire on January 25, 1944. I have written about the Lyndhurst Memorial Hall, here. I have also researched all the Great War soldiers from Lyndhurst, you can read here. There is also a Presbyterian Church in Lyndhurst. The first mention I can find of it is 1886. I cannot find any reference to when it was officially opened or when the existing church was erected. I have created a list of articles on the Church on Trove; you can access it here.

For some people, the name Lyndhurst is synonymous with the ABC shortwave radio station. This was established in 1928 on the hill on the triangle of land formed by the intersection of the  South Gippsland Highway and Hallam Road. As the Radio Heritage website notes - 

This experimental transmitter was constructed by Post Office engineers and it emitted just 600 watts, usually on the 31 metre band frequency 9580 kHz. The broadcast callsign was VK3LR though when the transmitter was on the air with experimental transmissions, the callsign was VK3X. 

The post continues - In 1934, a new and substantial building was erected on the same property at Lyndhurst to house the shortwave transmitter which was rebuilt for the occasion. On March 12, transmitter VLR was re-activated with a regular relay for outback areas using a composite program format from 3LO & 3AR.

It was in December 1936 that a regular bulletin of news in the French language was introduced for listeners in the French islands in the Pacific, and in December 1937, the experimental callsign, VK3LR was regularized to VLR.

Right at the end of the year 1939, shortwave VLR was taken into the inaugural service of “Australia Calling” and it continued in use with a relay of the programming of Radio Australia until the 10 kW VLG was inaugurated on June 21 1941. From this time onwards, VLR was in use only for the ABC National Service with programming for the benefit of isolated listeners in the outback areas of Australia...........the ABC shortwave service from VLR was declared redundant and it was closed at 1402 UTC on Friday June 12 1987, at the end of nearly 60 years of international on-air radio coverage. (14)

Lyndhurst Station

Image: The Great Southern Railway: the illustrated history of the building of the line in South Gippsland by Keith Macrae Bowden  (Australian Railway Historical Association, 1970).

Lyndhurst also had a Railway Station on the west side of Lyndhurst Road (also called Dandenong Hastings Road and Western Port Highway), near Bayliss Road, which opened  October 1, 1888. It was on the Great Southern line that went all the way to Port Albert.  The South Gippsland Railway line now stops at Cranbourne. I have written about this line, here.  Passenger services beyond Dandenong ceased in June 1981 but goods services continued to operate. In 1992, the goods trains ceased and this is when the line beyond Leongatha was taken up. The passenger service was reinstated on December 9, 1984 and continued to run until July 23, 1993. Trains returned between Dandenong and Cranbourne when the line was electrified in March 1995.  Lyndhurst Station is no more, although it was used from 1979 until 2009 for cement; two large silos had been erected there in  1979. Lynbrook Station opened April 22,  2012, it is 500 metres south of the original Lyndhurst Station. (15).

This classic photo of Lyndhurst shows the Lyndhurst store in the background. 

It was taken by Peter Enlund on October 23, 1977. 

Source: Victorian Railways Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/groups/383290015105229/

This photo -  I was told by a long-term Cranbourne resident the late Mrs Val Bourke - is of Lyndhurst taken in 1960s - with the general store on the right. 

Image: Casey Cardinia Libraries

One of the early European settlers in the area as we said before were Alexander Norquay (1813-1890) and his wife Barbara (nee Cromarty c.1815-1891) who migrated in 1852 from the Orkney Islands in Scotland. They came out with three children - William (born c.1836), Mary (c.1842) and John (c.1848) and had two more children in Victoria, James (1856) and Anna Bella (1857).  William, was a member of the Cranbourne Road Board from 1863 to 1864 and 1866 to 1868. William and his wife, Susanna Vessey (they married in 1865) farmed at Lang Lang and Koo Wee Rup after leaving Lyndhurst. Mary married Anthony Northey Facey in 1866; he was the Cranbourne Shire Secretary from 1884 to 1909 and Shire Engineer from 1909 to 1912. John married Lydia Carter in 1878.  James married Margaret Elizabeth MacPherson  in 1881 - their son Walter James was Killed in Action in Belgium on October 13, 1917. Anna Bella married William James Brown in 1884 (16).

The Norquay family have left behind a wonderful reminder of their presence in the form of the Morteon Bay fig tree  which is located in Figtree Walk at Lyndhurst. This tree was thought to have been planted by John Norquay, in the 1880s or 1890s. 

Moreton Bay fig planted by the Norquay family and a later farm house which was demolished in 2003. Photograph taken in 1966.

Image: Casey Cardinia Libraries

Norquay family house taken in 1966, demolished in 2003.

Image: Casey Cardinia Libraries

The original Norquay house - the photo was taken in 1966.  

Image: Casey Cardinia Libraries

Exterior shot of the original Norquay house, taken in 1966. What a classic photo!

Image: Casey Cardinia Libraries

Footnotes

(1) Gazetted - Victorian Government Gazette, February 25, 1861   https://gazette.slv.vic.gov.au/images/1861/V/general/29-a.pdf ; Lord Lyndhurst - Blake, Les Place Names of Victoria (Rigby, 1977); The murder case was presumably the case involving the Chrozier (also called Chrosier)  family - Janet and her three daughters - Jane, Janet and Margaret, charged with the murder of  Margaret's illegitimate daughter on November 7, 1894. They were all acquitted - see report in The Argus of December 21, 1894, here. The changed name from Lyndhurst South to Skye -

Lyndhurst South officially becomes Skye on July 28, 1964.
Victoria Government Gazette August 5, 1964.

 https://gazette.slv.vic.gov.au/images/1964/V/general/70.pdf

 Lynbrook - registered as a name  - Victorian Government Gazette, January 11, 2001   https://www.gazette.vic.gov.au/gazette/Gazettes2001/GG2001G002.pdf

Victorian Government Gazette, January 11, 2001  

 https://www.gazette.vic.gov.au/gazette/Gazettes2001/GG2001G002.pdf

(2) Gunson, Niel The Good Country: Cranbourne Shire (Shire of Cranbourne, 1968), p. 34; Flood report - The Geelong Advertiser, May 25, 1852,  see here; John Helder Wedge  https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/wedge-john-helder-2778

(3) Gunson, op. cit, pp 34 and 52.

(4) Charles Wedge -  Marriage notice, The Argus, July 24, 1854, see here; Death notice, Prahran Telegraph, December 7, 1895, see here.

(5) John Wedge - Marriage notice, The Argus, June 4, 1867, see here; Death notice - Maryborough Chronicle, May 1, 1883, see here; Gunson, op. cit. passim.

(6) Henry Wedge - Death notice The Argus, December 31, 1866, see here.

(7) Richard Wedge -  Death notice - The Argus, April 2, 1870, see here.

(8) Gunson, op. cit., p. 59.

(9) Post Office - The Argus, December 21, 1866, see here; closure - https://www.victorianplaces.com.au/lyndhurst

(10) Gunson, op. cit., pp. 61-62; Vision and Realisation : a centenary history of State Education in Victoria, edited by L.J. Blake. (Education Department of Victoria, 1973)

(11) South Bourke & Mornington Journal, September 12, 1912, see here.

(12) Demolition of Hotel - I wrote this story originally in 2008, I had the date as 1966, but I no longer know where that date came from. The National Trust lists the demolition date as after 1963 - https://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/places/113052 

(13) Indexes to the Victorian Births, Deaths and Marriages; Early Settlers of the Casey Cardinia District researched and published by the Narre Warren & District Family History Group in 2010

(14) Radio Heritage website - https://www.radioheritage.com/vlr-lyndhurst-anniversary/

(15) https://kooweerupswamphistory.blogspot.com/2021/12/the-south-gippsland-railway-line.html and VicSig website https://vicsig.net/infrastructure/location/Lynbrook  Lyndhurst Cement silos - erected 1979 - Koo Wee Rup Sun, June 26, 1979, p. 9.

(16) Early Settlers of the Casey Cardinia District, op. cit., Indexes to the Victorian Births, Deaths and Marriages; Family notices in the newspapers.

A version of this post, which I wrote and researched in 2008, appeared on my work blog, Casey Cardinia Links to Our Past.

Great War Soldiers with a connection to Lyndhurst and Skye (Lyndhurst South)

This is a list of soldiers with a connection to the towns of Lyndhurst and Skye.  I have linked these towns together as Skye changed its name to Lyndhurst South in 1894, after a murder brought unwelcome attention to the area. It changed back to Skye in 1964 (1).  Parts of Lyndhurst have been re-named Lynbrook, but it traditionally covered the area roughly south of Abbotts Road, west of Dandenong Frankston Road, east of the South Gippsland Highway and north of Thompsons Road. Skye or Lyndhurst South roughly covered the area south of Thompsons Road, west of  McCormicks Road, north of Ballarto Road and  east of Dandenong-Hastings Road, so it included both Hall Road and Wedge Road.  All this area used to be in the Shire of Cranbourne. I have written a short history of Lyndhurst, here.

If you know of any other soldiers that I have missed, then please let me know.

You can read more about Skye in the book 100 years in Skye: 1850-1950 by Dot Morrison, published by the Mornington Peninsula Family History Society in 2004.

What follows is a list of soldiers, their connection to Lyndhurst or Skye, their fate (i.e. when they Returned to Australia after active service or when they were Killed in Action) and their Service Number (SN) so you can look up their full service record on the National Archives website (www.naa.gov.au)

Anderson, John William (SN 10579)   John was born in Lyndhurst and enlisted on December 29, 1915 aged 23. He was a share farmer and his next of kin was his father, Richard Anderson of Charman Road, Cheltenham. John Returned to Australia on May 12, 1919.

Baker, Alexander George (SN 1782)  Alexander enlisted on June 5, 1915 aged 22. He was a farmer from Lyndhurst South and his next of kin was his father, J.W. Baker, also of Lyndhurst South. Alexander was awarded the Military Medal in 1917. He Returned to Australia on April 8, 1919. Alexander is listed on the Cranbourne Presbyterian Church Honour Roll, see here.

Bassett, Thomas James (SN 2616). Thomas enlisted on July 10, 1916 at the age of 24. He was a farmer, whose address was Frankston Road, Dandenong, but he clearly had a connection to Lyndhurst as he was entertained with a 'social evening' at the Lyndhurst School, prior to his departure (see article below). His next of kin was his father, John, of the same address. Thomas Returned to Australia March 12, 1920.

A farewell to Thomas Bassett

Dandenong Advertiser, September 7, 1916  http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article88659855

Cairns, Godfrey Brown (SN 16080) Godfrey was born in Rosebud and he was living at Lyndhurst when he enlisted on January 27, 1916. His occupation was driver, was 28 years old and his next of kin was his father, Robert Cairns, of Fern Villa, Rosebud. He Returned to Australia on July 4, 1919.

Cozens, John Edwin  (SN 2602)  John was born at Lyndhurst and was living at Mornington Junction (the original name for Baxter) when he enlisted on August 2, 1915, at the age of 23 and eleven months. John was a labourer and his next of kin was his father, J.R. Cozens also of Mornington Junction.  John Returned to Australia on April 13, 1919.

Fisher, Culbert Cecil (16926) The unusually named Culbert enlisted on March 9, 1916 aged 18. He was a State School teacher, born in Lyndhurst and living there at the time of his enlistment. He Returned to Australia on September 25, 1919.
Culbert's wedding to Myrtle Poole was written up in Table Talk on May 28, 1925. By this time his parent's had moved to Woodend, but it seems they were sentimental enough to call their property after their original location. The account of the wedding is very comprehensive - you can read the full report, here. 

Culbert Fisher's wedding

Table Talk May 28, 1925  https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/146557158/17424002 

Hope, George  (SN 1394)   George said he was born in Lyndhurst in South Australia when he enlisted at the age of  26 on August 2, 1915. He was a labourer and his next of kin was his brother, John Hope of Lyndhurst South.  George embarked to return  to Australia on March 16, 1918, however never made it home as on April 20 he went over the side of the boat and his body was never found. The inquiry said that he was in great pain from rheumatism and trench fever which caused headaches and rashes amongst other things and he had also suffered a gun shot wound to his right thigh, however the verdict was that he had fallen overboard accidentally. There is paperwork in his file saying that his real name was Robert George Chrozier and he was born at Lyndhurst in Victoria. His brother's name as next of kin was later changed to John Alexander Chrozier.  In his will he leaves everything to his cousin John Chrozier of Cranbourne (the name is also spelt as Crozier in the file). A sad ending, but you can understand with all the pain he must have been suffering, why he may have decided to end it all. I wonder why he enlisted under an assumed name.

Howse, Frederick Thomas   (SN 15911)    Frederick enlisted on October 9, 1916 when he was a 21 year old postal assistant. Thomas was born at Lyndhurst  and living in Dandenong when he enlisted. His next of kin was his father, Thomas Howse of Hutton Street, Dandenong. Frederick Returned to Australia on January 2, 1919.

Kerr, Alfred William Charles (SN 2080) Alfred was born at Lyndhurst and enlisted at the age of 21 on November 10, 1916. He was a driver. Alfred Returned to Australia on March 31, 1919. 
Kerr, Frederick John Lee (SN 3420) Frederick enlisted on June 6, 1917 when he was 18 years old. He was born in Lyndhurst and was living at Hastings at the time of enlistment. Frederick was Killed in Action in France on August 25, 1918 

Alfred  and Frederick were the sons of Gilbert and Clara (nee Kernot) Kerr of Hastings. Clara's family, the Kernots, were early settlers in Tooradin. 

Kerr, Charles Thomas  (SN 2040)   Charles was born in Lyndhurst and was a 22 year old newsagents assistant living in Albany Park in Western Australia when he enlisted on November 1, 1915.  Charles Returned to Australia on January 14, 1919. His next of kin was his father, Moses, of Upper Hawthorn.

Kirkham, Malcolm (SN 913)  Malcolm was 29, and a farmer from Lyndhurst, when he enlisted on June 8, 1915. He was the son of William Edward and Margaret (nee McLellan) Kirkham.  Lieutenant Kirkham was Killed in Action in France on September 2, 1918. Malcolm is listed on the Cranbourne Presbyterian Church Honour Roll, see here, and some sources say that the Lyndhurst Memorial Hall was built in his and Charles Payne's honour. You can read my history of the Lyndhurst Memorial Hall, here. 

McFarlane, David James  (SN 77806)  David enlisted on June 14, 1918 didn't see active service and was discharged in December 1918. He was 21 year old butcher at the time of his enlistment and was born in Lyndhurst.

McLellan, Donald (SN 2207) Donald was a 19 labourer, when he enlisted on May 1, 1916. He was born at Lyndhurst and his next of kin was his father, Alexander of Ferndale, Cranbourne. Alexander Returned to Australia on June 10, 1919. Donald is listed on the Cranbourne Presbyterian Church Honour Board, see here.

Norquay, Walter James (SN 1914)  Walter, born in Lyndhurst,  was a 27 year old Senior Postal Assistant when he enlisted on May 29, 1916. His next of kin was his wife, Dagmar of South Yarra. Walter was Killed in Action, in Belgium, on October 13, 1917. Walter was the son of James and Margaret (nee MacPherson) Norquay and the grandson of Alexander and Barbara (nee Cromarty) Norquay, who had arrived in Lyndhurst in the 1850s (2).

Payne, Charles Lyndhurst (SN 4801) Charles Lyndhurst Payne was born in Lyndhurst, and presumably named after his place of birth. He was 21 when he enlisted on April 1, 1916 and his guardian was listed as Mrs Margaret Greaves of Picnic Park, Lyndhurst.   He Died of Wounds received whilst fighting in France on April 26, 1918. Margaret Greaves (1842-1921) was married to William Greaves and was the daughter of Stephen and Alice Payne, so I presume that Charles was her nephew (3).  Some sources say that the Lyndhurst Memorial Hall was built in his and Malcolm Kirkham's honour. You can read my history of the Lyndhurst Memorial Hall, here. 

Payne, James (SN 1561) James was born in Lyndhurst and was 28 when he enlisted on October 6, 1916. His next of kin was his mother, Mrs Christina Cozens, of Yannathan, which is here he was also living at the time of his enlistment. He suffered a number of gun shot wounds and  Returned to Australia on February 15, 1918. When he applied for his medals in April 1918 he was living in Five Mile (Koo-Wee-Rup North). James is listed on the Yannathan Honor Board and the Yannathan State School Honor Board, you can read about them here. James was granted a Soldier Settlement farm, you can read his file here on the Battle to Farm website.

Reilly, Eric Campbell  (SN 479) Eric was a 26 year old farmer from Lyndhurst when he enlisted on October 13, 1914. His next of kin at the time was his father, J.L. Reilly of Queen Street, Melbourne. He was single when he enlisted but there is a note in his file dated May 7 1915 saying that he had married; his wife's name was Selina. Eric Returned to Australia on April 23, 1919. Eric was granted a Soldier Settlement farm, you can read his file here on the Battle to Farm website.

Reynolds, Henry Simpson (SN 80602 / Depot) Henry, whose enlistment was announced in the Dandenong Advertiser (see below) was 34 when he enlisted on October 5, 1918. He was a Labourer.  His next of kin was his wife, Olena, of Lyndhurst South and they had six children.  Henry did not see active service and was discharged in December 1918.and 

Henry Reynolds of South Lyndhurst enlists

Dandenong Advertiser  October 17, 1918  http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article88816358

Smith, Frederick William  (SN 7085)  Frederick was born in Lyndhurst and was living in Dandenong when he enlisted on September 17, 1916. He was 24 and his occupation was listed as grocer. His next of kin was his father, Robert Smith, of Dandenong.  Frederick Returned to Australia on February 19, 1919.

Strong, Albert Victor (SN 29789) Albert enlisted on March 23, 1916, at the age of 24. He was a farmer. He Returned to Australia on February 2, 1919 and was welcomed home at a function in April 1919, see the account from the South Bourke and Mornington Journal, below, where he is listed Driver V. Strong, so was presumably known as Victor. 
Strong, Frederick William (SN 29790) Frederick enlisted on March 23, 1916, the same day as his brother, Albert. He was 27 ands was also a  farmer. Frederick Returned to Australia May 31, 1919.
Frederick and Albert, both born in Portarlington, were the sons of William and Margaret (nee McLean) Strong of Ercildoune, Cranbourne. Frederick and Albert are listed on the Cranbourne Presbyterian Church Honour Roll, see here.

Welcome home to Victor String and George Taylor

South Bourke and Mornington Journal April 17, 1919  http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article66195941

Taylor, William George (SN 1740) William was 24 and a farm labourer when he enlisted on February 17, 1916. He was the son of Richard Thomas Taylor, of Lyndhurst and he was also born in Lyndhurst. William Returned to Australia in January 8, 1919. William or George, as he was seemingly known as, was welcomed home at the same function in April 1919 as Victor Strong (see above).  William is listed on the Cranbourne Presbyterian Church Honour Roll, see here. George was granted a Soldier Settlement farm, you can read his file here on the Battle to Farm website.

Footnotes
(1) Gunson, Niel The Good Country: Cranbourne Shire (Cheshire, 1968), pp. 59 and 157
(2) Gunson, op. cit., p. 59
(3) Morrison, Dot 100 years in Skye: 1850-1950  (Mornington Peninsula Family History Society, 2004). 

A version of this post, which I wrote and researched, has appeared on my work blog, Casey Cardinia Commemorates: Our War Years.

Lyndhurst Memorial Hall

Communities commemorated the Great War in various ways -  War Memorials, Avenues of Honour, Memorial Gates, Memorial Hospitals and Memorial Halls. This is an account of the Memorial Hall at Lyndhurst, near Dandenong.  I have written a short history of Lyndhurst, here. 

The South Bourke and Mornington Journal reported on April 25, 1912 the following - At the Cranbourne Council meeting on Saturday, 13th inst., a communication was received from eight residents of Lyndhurst making application for a piece of land as per plan forwarded, at the end
of Kirkham's lane, with a frontage to Lyndhurst road, for the purpose of erecting thereon a public hall (1). 

A year later the matter was back before the Council again as they were dealing with correspondence from the Lands Department regarding the site of the Hall and at the  May 1913 Cranbourne Shire Council meeting the following was reported -  From W. H. Peers, shire solicitor, forwarding copy of plan attached to title for allotment 24 and part of allotment 44, Lyndhurst, proposed site for public hall. On the motion of Crs Brunt and Gamble, secretary to write to owners of land re transfer of same (2). Lyndhurst Road is the same road as Dandenong-Hastings Road which is now called the Western Port Highway.

However, the Lyndhurst community had obviously been very confident obtaining  the land and  thus building a hall as in October 1912, they purchased a piano for the hall at the cost of  £40, a price which was considered a bargain according to the report in the South Bourke and Mornington Journal (3).

Report of the purchase of the piano

South Bourke and Mornington Journal October 31, 1912 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/66181675

I presume that work in connection with the erection of the Hall was put on hold due to the First World War as the only reference I can find to the Hall between 1913 and 1920  was in the Koo Wee Rup Sun in July 1918 which reported on a successful dance having been held in the Lyndhurst Hall (4). This report obviously suggests the Hall was opened by 1918, however it doesn't tally with other reports about the Hall. In the 1920s there were reports about fundraising activities for what was now called the Lyndhurst Memorial Hall and these were often held at the Lyndhurst School (5) and a report from November 1920 talks about the site of the the proposed Hall (6). The earliest report that I can find to the Hall being finished, was this one, below, from the Koo Wee Rup Sun of April 7, 1921. I believe the 1918 report is incorrect and that the successful dance was held either in the Lyndhurst School or another Hall. 

From a report of Cranbourne Shire Council meeting held April 2, 1921.

Koo Wee Rup Sun April 7, 1921

This brings us to the name of the Hall. Before the War, the hall was referred to as a public hall and it wasn't until, as I said, the 1920s that the Hall was referred to as a Memorial Hall. In the Dandenong Journal of March 21, 1935, the following was reported - The Lyndhurst Memorial Hall was erected in 1922 to do honor to the late Lieut. M. Kirkham and Driver C. Payne, who paid the supreme sacrifice in the Great War (7).  Apart from the date being incorrect this is interesting as it is the first mention in the newspapers of the fact that the hall was a memorial to the two men and not all the men who had served from the area, which was more common. There are more than twenty men with a connection to Lyndhurst, who enlisted, and I have written about them here.

Here is more detail on Lieutenant Kirkham and Driver Payne -
Kirkham, Malcolm (Service Number 913) Malcolm was 29, and a farmer from Lyndhurst, when he enlisted on June 8, 1915. He was the son of William Edward and Margaret (nee McLellan) Kirkham. Lieutenant Kirkham was Killed in Action in France on September 2, 1918. Malcolm is listed on the Cranbourne Presbyterian Church Honour Roll (8).

Payne, Charles Lyndhurst (Service Number 4801) Charles Lyndhurst Payne was born in Lyndhurst, and presumably named after his place of birth. He was 21 when he enlisted on April 1, 1916 and his guardian was listed as Mrs Margaret Greaves of Picnic Park, Lyndhurst. He Died of Wounds received whilst fighting in France on April 26, 1918. Margaret Greaves (1842-1921) was married to William Greaves and was the daughter of Stephen and Alice Payne, so I presume that Charles was her nephew (9).  

The Hall was the centre of social life in Lyndhurst - it was a very active community and many fundraising functions were held - mainly balls. In 1935 it was reported In the month of October, it is estimated that approximately £50 has been raised for church, charitable and local objects, as the result of efforts in the Lyndhurst Memorial Hall (10).  They also held many functions during the Second World War to raise funds for the Red Cross. I have created a list of articles on Trove on the Lyndhurst Memorial Hall, which you can access here, and so you can read for yourself the many and varied social activities that the Hall hosted. 

However, sadly these events came to an end on the night of January 25, 1944 when the hall was destroyed by fire. The Dandenong Journal of January 26 reported the fire  the Lyndhurst Memorial Hall, which possessed one of the best dance floors in the district, was completely destroyed by fire early yesterday morning. Built in 1921 by the residents of the district as a memorial to Lieut. M. Kirkham and Dvr. C. Payne, the hall cost over £700 then and its value was increased to over £1000 by subsequent additions. It was well appointed and was one of the most popular social centres in the district. The night previous to the fire, a successful function had been held in the hall, and it is surmised that the blaze started from a smouldering cigarette butt (11).  This was a bit ironic as the Dandenong Journal of September 27, 1934 reported that the Lyndhurst Memorial Hall Social Committee meeting was held on Friday in which Objections were raised to  so much smoking being allowed in the hall, and after discussion it was decided to prohibit smoking in the main hall and kitchen; notices to be put up to that effect (12).

The Lyndhurst Social Club still continued to hold functions at other halls, such as Cranbourne and Hampton Park. A public meeting was held in May 1946 where it was decided to build the new hall in brick and the Hall committee already had £1090 in hand for the rebuilding (13).  In 1952, the Lyndhurst Progress Association wrote to the Cranbourne Shire for permission to erect a new hall (14).  But the new Hall was never built and I don't know why. It certainly wasn't for lack of community spirit. I do not have  a photo of the Memorial Hall, so if you have one in your possession I would be interested in seeing them.

A new memorial was unveiled in Lyndhurst on Remembrance Day, November 11, 2017 - it lists just eight soldiers - two from the Great War and six from the Second World War (15) -
Lieutenant Malcolm Kirkham
Driver Charles Lyndhurst Payne
Lieutenant Ivor Kenneth Allison
Private Allen John Brereton
Private Raymond George Brereton
Sergeant James Murray Thomson
Flying Officer Eric Hurlstone Renfree
Private Thomas Alfred Wear

The Memorial was funded by the City of Casey and the money that had been collected to rebuild the Lyndhurst Memorial Hall and kept in Trust for over sixty years was also used. I don't understand why they commemorated only two soldiers from the First World War to be honoured as it appears to me that the original hall was initially opened as a memorial hall for all the soldiers in the area, not just Malcolm Kirkham and Charles Payne. I am not suggesting at all that they are unworthy of the honour. Walter James Norquay, born in Lyndhurst on the property where the new memorial is located and Killed in Action is an egregious example of a man who should be on the new memorial, but was ignored. The Memorial is a wasted opportunity to honour all the men from Lyndhurst who served in the Great War and would lead the many new residents in the now suburban Lyndhurst to believe that only two men with connections to the area enlisted, when in fact there were many more (see here).  Casey Cardinia Remembers website, has a photograph and some information on this new memorial - see here.

Trove List - I have created a list of articles on Trove on the Lyndhurst Memorial Hall, which you can access here. 

Footnotes
(1) South Bourke & Mornington Journal, April 25, 1912, see here.
(2) South Bourke & Mornington Journal, June 12, 1913, see here.
(3) South Bourke & Mornington Journal, October 31, 1912, see here.
(4) Koo Wee Rup Sun, July 24, 1918, see here.
(5) See my Trove list for various reports.
(6) South Bourke and Mornington Journal, November 18, 1920, see here.
(7) Dandenong Journal, March 21, 1935, see here.
(8) Malcolm Kirkham - see his Attestation file from the National Archives of Australia, here.
(9) Charles Payne - some of the family information came from 100 years in Skye: 1850-1950 by Dot Morrison (Mornington Peninsula Family History Society, 2004). see his Attestation file from the National Archives of Australia, here. 

(10) Dandenong Journal, November 7, 1935, see here.

(11) Dandenong Journal, January 26, 1944, see here.

(12) Dandenong Journal, September 27, 1934, see here.

(13) Dandenong Journal, May 22, 1946, see here.

(14) Dandenong Journal, March 19, 1952, see here.

(15) Some World War Two files have been digitised at the National Archives of Australia. The World War Two nominal rolls are here, https://nominal-rolls.dva.gov.au/ww2

A version of this post, which I wrote and researched, has appeared on my work blog, Casey Cardinia Commemorates: Our War Years.

Thompson's Road, Shire of Cranbourne, and Patrick Thompson of 'Oaklands' Lyndhurst

Thompson's Road (1) runs from Patterson Lakes, through Carrum Downs, Cranbourne and Clyde nearly to the Cardinia Creek, so essentially all the way west to east across the old Shire of Cranbourne. It was, I believe, named for Patrick Thompson, early land owner and member of the Cranbourne Road Board.  

According to the Cranbourne Shire Rate Books, Patrick Thompson owned 308 acres, lots 19 and 22 in the Parish of Lyndhurst – the land was on either side of what is now Thompson's Road. The land was originally owned by C. & R. Wedge - Charles and Richard Wedge, who along with their other brothers, John and Henry had extensive land holdings. They were the nephews of the surveyor, John Helder Wedge. They had arrived from  Tasmania in 1836 and took up land at Werribee. They later acquired the Bangam  and Ballamarang runs, 42 square miles which ran from essentially modern day Hampton Park to Frankston and covered the Carrum Swamp (see map, below).They held this property collectively, which they called Banyan Waterholes, until 1852 when it was divided between them (2).

Banyan Waterholes, fronts Port Phillip Bay. 

Squatting Runs, Western Port

Image: The Good Country: Cranbourne Shire by Niel Gunson (Cheshire, 1968), p.50.

You can see Patrick Thompson's land on the map below, it is outlined in red.

Part of the Parish Plan of Lyndhurst. 

The Thompson Property, Lots 19 & 22, is outlined in red. 

On the map it was still owned by C. & R. Wedge. 

I don't know when Patrick purchased this land from the Wedge Brothers, the Cranbourne Shire Rate books start at 1863, the earlier ones are missing, but in October 1856, Thompson was listed in the State Government  Gazette as being appointed a Trustee of  the land set aside for the Presbyterian Church, so we could presume that he owned the land then. 

Patrick Thompson appointed as a Trustee for Cranbourne Presbyterian Church.

Victoria Government Gazette, No. 137 1856 http://gazette.slv.vic.gov.au/images/1856/V/general/137.pdf

Thompson was also appointed as a Trustee of the Cranbourne Cemetery on December 11, 1857. This was also listed in the State Government Gazette.

Patrick Thompson appointed as a Trustee for Cranbourne Cemetery.

Victoria Government Gazette, No. 146 1857 http://gazette.slv.vic.gov.au/images/1857/V/general/146.pdf

Patrick Thompson was elected to the newly created Cranbourne Road Board on July 8, 1860 and held the position until 1863. Other members of this first Road Board included Alexander Cameron, James Smith Adams and Edward Malloy, who were also fellow Trustees of the Cranbourne Cemetery (3). Dr Gunson in his book,  The Good Country: Cranbourne Shire book says that his property was called Oaklands (4). In April 1863, Patrick Thomson held a clearing sale of stock, crop, implements and household  furniture and the farm was advertised for lease, in consequence of his leaving the district, but I have no information as to where he went to.

Sale at Patrick Thompson's stock, crop, implements and household furniture.

The Argus April 8, 1863   http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article6484785

Another advertisement appeared in The Argus of May 22, 1863, leasing Oaklands for three years. There was a good description of the farm -
The farm contains 308 acres, 200 of which are black soil, of the richest description. It is divided by a Government road in two equal parts, and subdivided into nine paddocks, nearly all of which are fenced and drained; 130 acres of the land have been under cultivation, 20 acres thereof under English grass and clover. There is a good house, dairy, three-stall stable, and farm offices, spring-wells, and water-holes, with other conveniences, all in complete repair; likewise a close-fenced garden, planted with choice fruit-trees, and vines in full bearing. It would be interesting to know where his house was - his block bordered Evans Road as well as being either side of Thompson Road (called a Government road in the advertisement), so he had a good choice of road frontage.

Oaklands available for a three year term.

The Argus May 22, 1863  http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article6485933

1863 is, as I said before, the first  year that the Cranbourne Shire Rate Books are available and James Sloan is listed as leasing lots 19 and 22 from Patrick Thompson. This is the only mention of Thompson in the Rate Books, though James Sloan is listed until 1867. From 1864 to 1866 there is no owner listed – so we can’t tell if Patrick Thompson still owns the land. In 1867, Sloan is still listed as the rate-payer, however the owner is listed as Atkinson. There are advertisements in The Argus in 1868 advising that Sloan is selling all his dairy stock and farm produce.  

Mr Sloane of Oaklands selling his dairy stock and farm produce.

The Argus, April 14, 1868 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article5813493

From 1868 until 1874, William Cameron is listed as the rate-payer of lots 19 and 22 and the owner is still listed as Atkinson. William Cameron held an immense clearing sale at Oaklands on March 2, 1874 selling the whole of his dairy stock, dairy plant, farm implements etc.

William Cameron's immense clearing sale.

The Leader February 21, 1874  https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/198498008

After William Cameron leaves the Oaklands property and the Rate book show that Arthur Facey takes over the lease. It is still owned by Atkinson, the Rate books do not list even an initial, so I have no idea who this Atkinson person is. In 1878 ownership of the property is listed as W. Norquay, and that's as far as we will go.

The earliest reference I can find to Thompson's Road is in 1872 in a report on a Cranbourne Shire meeting in The Argus in the May.

This is the earliest reference I can find to Thompson's Road.

The Argus, May 27 1872  http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article5862872

I know nothing about Patrick Thompson's personal life, and I don't know for sure if Thompson's Road was named for him, but the fact that he had land on either side of the road and was a member of the original Cranbourne Road Board makes it highly likely that it was.

Footnotes

(1) It is officially Thompsons Road but it should be either Thompson's Road or Thompson Road, but it's too late to be telling that to VicRoads.
(2) The information on the Wedge Brothers comes from The Good Country: Cranbourne Shire by Niel Gunson (Cheshire, 1968), p.34, 52-53.  Their holdings are also listed in Pastoral Pioneers of Port Phillip by R.V. Billis & A.S. Kenyon (Stockland press, 1974) You can read  about their uncle, John Helder Wedge, in the Australian Dictionary of Biography, here.

(3) Cranbourne Road Board members are from page 259 of Neil Gunson's book (see details footnote 2). The original members of the Road Board were - Dr James Smith Adams of Balla Balla; James Bruce of Sherwood Park; Richard Burgh Chomley of Tongala, Lyndhurst; James Lecky snr of Cranbourne; Edward Malloy of Mayune; Alexander Patterson of St Germains; Christopher John Peed of Springmount; Patrick Thompson of Oaklands and John Wedge of Johnswood, Lyndhurst.

(4) Niel Gunson's book (see details footnote 2), p. 259.

A version of this post, which I wrote and researched, appears on my work blog, Casey Cardinia Links to our Past. This is an updated and improved version.