The Hunt Train and the Melbourne Hunt Club

 In 1850, George John Watson, the founder and first Master of the Hounds of the Melbourne Hunt Club arrived in Melbourne (1). His father, John, was the Master of the Carlow Hounds in Ireland from 1808 until 1869. George also bought with him from Ireland a few couples of fox hounds from his father's kennels. In 1853, George acquired the best of the hounds from the disbanded Werribee and Corio Hunts and the Melbourne Hunt Club was established. The hounds were kept at Kirk's Bazaar (2). Kirk's Bazaar was a horse bazaar (or sale yard) in Bourke Street, between Queen and Elizabeth Streets. It was established in 1840 by James Kirk, and later taken over by Watson. George Watson, also owned the I.Y.U estate on the Toomuc Creek at Pakenham from 1866 until 1884 (3).

In the late 1850s George moved the hounds to East St Kilda, initially in Dandenong Road and then to Alma Road (4). The Club later moved to Neerim Road in Caulfield, then in 1885 to Mount Derrimut or Deer Park. In 1897 the Club again moved, this time to Oakleigh, on land between North Road and Centre Road. It was at Oakleigh until 1929, when it relocated to Cranbourne (5).  

In April 1929, The Herald reported -
The Melbourne Hunt Club has purchased the Fenwick estate at Cranbourne and intends to keep the kennels there. The estate was formerly owned by Mr A. T. Creswick, master of the hounds, and is considered an ideal site. The surrounding country is suitable for hunting. There are large paddocks of cleared land. (6).  By the September the Dandenong Journal noted that  the Melbourne Hunt Club has installed its hounds in the new kennels, at Cranbourne, and the “music of the pack” is now a feature of the locality. (7)

Melbourne Hunt Club at Dingley 

Having made the Cranbourne district its new headquarters, the Melbourne Hunt Club met yesterday at the picturesque old church at Dingley, five miles from Dandenong, for another trial run with the young hounds. In the foreground with the pack is the huntsman (Mr. Norman Wood). 

The Argus May 22, 1929 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4007814

The Club were forced to move from one location to another due to development - the empty paddocks of St Kilda, then Caulfield, then Oakleigh became housing estates and this was the eventual fate of the Cranbourne land. In 1996 the Hunt Club buildings at Cranbourne were demolished or removed  -  two buildings are now in Modella and being used as a private house (8) - and the area is now also covered in houses.

The Melbourne Hunt Club at Cranbourne, November 26, 1980. 

It was located on the east side of  Narre Warren-Cranbourne Road (Cameron Street) and the north side Berwick-Cranbourne Road (Sladen Street extension). The railway line bi-sects the photo.

Image: Casey Cardinia Libraries

The Hunt Club at Cranbourne.

Image: Casey Cardinia Libraries

The Melbourne Hunt Club, when it was located in Cranbourne, played a large role in the social and community life of Cranbourne and the surrounding area. As historian Claire Turner noted - 

A curious and compatible relationship developed between the local Cranbourne community and the
patrons of hunting who travelled up from Melbourne. They shared a love of the country and of sport. Horse people and other locals from surrounding properties joined in the club activities, rubbing shoulders with prominent politicians, visiting dignitaries and wealthy business people from the city.....The Club was a very established part of Cranbourne’s identity. There are many memories held by locals who had various involvements with the club, either as members of the Hunt, workers at the hunt complex or as children. Children from nearby properties loved to play at the grounds. (9)

Window in the Oaklands Hunt Club building at Somerton.

Photo: Heather Arnold, November 2016

The Melbourne Hunt Club was one of four clubs operating in Melbourne at this time - there was also the Findon Harriers, the Oaklands Hunt and the Yarra Glen and Lilydale  Hunt (10). The Oaklands Hunt Club building, in Somerton, is now a reception centre. It consists of a mid 1870s homestead, Sherwood and a 1938 Tudor Revival style hall with six interesting etched glass windows with hunting motifs, including one of a fox with a hunting horn and a border which includes acorns. It is shown above.

The Hunt Train at Berwick Railway Station, July 11, 1927.

A2.800 on Hunt train at Berwick. Victorian Railways, photographer.

State Library of Victoria Image H1077

Before everyone had a car and a horse float participants in Hunts in the greater Melbourne area took the Hunt Train to the locations and I came across this photo (above) of the Hunt Train at Berwick in 1927. The Hunt Train not only took passengers but their horses and the hounds as well.

Notice of the Hunt train timetable

The Age September 7, 1925 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/155816521

The earliest reports of Hunt Train which I can find is from 1883 (11). There was this interesting report from 1909, below, about this train holding up the regular trains on the Whittlesea line, on a Friday.

A complaint about the Hunt train

The Argus September 23, 1909 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/10735700

The Melbourne Hunt Club frequented Shires of Berwick and Cranbourne, even when they were based at Oakleigh.  The Herald reported on the Club in 1924 - It hunts over the wide-stretch of country lying between Beaconsfield and Clyde, and meets are hold regularly twice a week during the season - this year probably on Tuesdays and Thursdays. On an average some fifty members attend on each day, and many citizens of Oaklelgh have witnessed the picturesque scene when the hunt train draws in, and the clamoring, eager hounds are placed aboard by the huntsman and his assistants. It is the hounds, with their expressive faces and beautiful eyes, that usually attract the greater attention by the way, though fleeting glances are also thrown at the scarlet clad human beings (12). 

There was another report of a hunt in September 1927 in The Australasian, which started at Andrew Chirnside's property, Edrington at Berwick. It went from Berwick to Beaconsfield to Officer and if you know where Brunt Road and Rix Road is, it will give you some idea of the route taken by the Hunt -

Hounds were then taken on to the Cardinia Creek, which was worked from Lecky's crossing. Hounds found a fox in Abbott's, and pushed him through the timber into Marsden's, over Pound road, to Boag's. Here bounds took some little time to bustle their fox through the thick tea-tree, but at last got him away to the open on the Berwick side. Leaving the creek hounds ran through Boag's into Nixon's and May's, but here the fox turned back and crossed the Cardinia Creek to the sand pits. The pack ran up-stream for about a mile, then swung right-banded through the pipe works into Stevens's, where they turned in the cultivation and beaded for Brunt's. Travelling at a great pace hounds streamed across Brunt's flat into Jones's, where they crossed a lane into Rix's, and headed for Officer station. Heavy rain began to fall, and as hounds ran through a mob of cattle, they were at fault. Swinging on their own cast they hit off the line once more, and rattled through Rix's up to Officer road into C. Greaves's, where they were again in trouble in the crop. The heavy rain seemed to wash away all traces of scent (13).

The Hunt Special, c. 1920s.

Image: Mrs G. Moore's collection from Hounds are Running: a history of the Melbourne Hunt by Heather B. Ronald (Lowden Publishing Company, 1970)

The fact that they hunted during week days meant that the average working person could not participate as they were at work. Hunting was an activity for the well off. The same Herald article from 1924, referred to above itemised the costs involved in hunting -
The average citizen knows comparatively little of this "Sport of Kings' - which is not at all surprising, in view of the fact that the average income is strictly limited. To hunt regularly during the season will cost a man at the very least £5 per week, and this is doing it cheaply. There is no difficulty in spending twice or thrice that sum if desired, and a fairly heavy investment of capital is required at the start. A suitable horse, for instance, may cost anything from £50 and upwards - often upwards. There are, indeed, a few "one-horse men," but the average hunting follower keeps two animals, and there are some even who use five or six. In addition, there is the hunting kit to be purchased - no small item, so that the would-be fox hunter must be prepared for a big outlay.

In any of the good stables the horse will cost about £3/3/ a week for keep, and to this the expense of taking it on the train to the various meets has to be added. Furthermore, the hunt club subscription, may be £10/10/, for the season, and there are sundry incidentals to be paid for, so that, taking it all round, hunting is not a cheap pastime; but it is a fascinating one, and the delights of an eight to fifteen miles run in the keen winter air across open country have been sung by poets and described by writers innumerable....the value of the hounds at Oaklelgh varies from £35 to £100 per animal (14).

The Hunts were an activity in which many women participated with the men. The names of the participants of the 1927 Hunt from Edrington at Berwick was listed in the report and there were 32 men listed and 23 women - Misses Moira Pennefather, on Phillip; Geraldine Pennefeather, Dell; Daisy Farrell, Menander; Hylda McCardel,Clark's Chance; Ursula Syme, Red Harry; Fairlie Hagenauer, Little Rocket; Marie McKinnon, Simon; Betty Bayles, Snip: Margot Anderson, Albury; Violet Farmer, Rubicon Lad; Jess Mackenzie, Jemba; Gwen Johnston, Rocket; Fairlie Lyon, Harmony; Noel Lyon, Ansaldo; Lorna Embling, Delteetim; V. Jordan, Refrain; Violet Turner, Bonnie Lass; Jean Demergue, Redcap; Joan Sewell, Judy; Betty Sewell, Hazel; Suzanne Sewell, Sam; Edith Churchill, Greygown; Violet Richardson, St. Leonard (15).

These women are off to the Hunt, organised by the Findon Harriers. The photo gives you an idea of the outfits which were required to be worn.

Original caption: Misses L. Warner, D. Foster and D. Clarke arriving at Spencer Street station to catch the special hunt train to attend today's meet of the Findon Harriers at Epping.

The Herald, August 26, 1932 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/243040370

Hunting also appeared to be an activity enjoyed by young and old. There was a report in The Herald in June 1933 of a meeting of the Findon Warriors -
Foremost among the riders was one of the oldest huntsmen in Victoria. Mr H. C. Pennyfather, riding Bogie, is more than 70, but had travelled from Berwick for the day's sport. Little Isabel Bunting, aged 5, was the youngest follower. On a shaggy pony she had ridden four miles with her father to the meet (16). It would be unlikely that it would be accepted that a five year child should ride with a hunt these days, as the whole aim is to chase down and kill a fox, however these were different times. Mr Pennyfather was Hugh Claude Pennefather of Ardsley, Clyde Road in Berwick, he died in February 1951 at the age of 87 (17).

 

The Whip and the Hounds: Mr Jack Snowden, the Whip of the Melbourne Hounds, waiting for the special hunt train which left Oakleigh today for Pakenham.

The Herald July 4, 1929 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/244104560#

The last report I can find of a Hunt train was in 1936 (18). By then, more people would have had cars and it appears by the mid 1930s horse floats became more common (19). So the sight of horses and hounds waiting at railway stations for the Hunt Train became a thing of the past.

The Melbourne Hounds met at Lyndhurst on June 11. The Master (Mr A.T. Creswick) and the Secretary (Mr Norman Wood) are here seen waiting with the hounds for the train at Oakleigh.

The Australasian, June 16, 1923 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article140745736

Trove lists
I have created a list of articles on Trove on the Hunt Train, access it here; as well, I have created a short list of articles about the establishment of the Melbourne Hunt Club at Cranbourne in 1929, access it here.

Footnotes
(1) There are various dates reported as to Watson's date of arrival in Melbourne and also his year of birth. His obituary in The Leader of July, 14, 1906, see here, says he arrived in 1851 and that he was born in 1831. His obituary in The Herald of July 11, 1906, see here, says he arrived in 1851 and had been born in 1828. His Australian Dictionary of Biography entry, see here, says he was born 1829 in Ballydarton, County Carlow, Ireland, and arrived in Melbourne in March 1850. Watson died July 11, 1906 and his death certificate, under George John Watson, records that he was 80, which makes him born in 1826 and had been in Victoria for 55 years, which means he arrived about 1851. His death certificate also said he was married at the age of 24, to Sarah Jane. I have a marriage certificate of a John Watson to a Sarah Jane Townsend - the marriage took place on August 20, 1850 at St James Church of England in Melbourne. James' death certificate lists eleven children.
(2) This information about the Melbourne Hunt Club and George Watson comes from Hounds are Running: a history of the Melbourne Hunt by Heather B. Ronald (Lowden Publishing Company, 1970). The direct quote about the fox hounds coming from Ireland is on page 6. Interesting book and well indexed, the book is worth tracking down if you have an interest in hunting.
(3) Read George Watson's Australian Dictionary of Biography entry, here. The author says that he owned I.Y. U from 1872 until 1884. I believe he purchased it 1866, see this article in The Herald, April 6, 1866, here and The Leader of April 7, 1866, here. He certainly owned it in 1867, Ovens & Murray Advertiser, July 25, 1867, see here. I.Y. U. was sold to the Staughton Brothers in 1884 (Weekly Times, August 23, 1884, see here.)
(4) Mrs Ronald writes on page 6 of Hounds are Running - that They firstly moved to a site in Dandenong Road near the junction with Wattletree Road, where the low-roofed sheds which housed them were a land-mark known as the 'old kennels' long after the Melbourne Hounds moved to new quarters. The new kennels were built in Alma Road East St Kilda about 1859 on land purchased from John Callow. They were situated on the south side of the road, on the face of the hill, east of St Kilda Cemetery, between what is now Alexander Street and Lansdown Road, and extending back to Inkerman Road. On the four and half acres of land was a small wooden house, stables and kennels. The boys school 'Cumloden' was afterwards built on the site. which is now covered by blocks of modern flats.
(5) Hounds are Running: a history of the Melbourne Hunt by Heather B. Ronald (Lowden Publishing Company, 1970).

(6) The Herald, April 23, 1929, see here.

(7) Dandenong Journal, September 26, 1929, see here.

(8) 1996 date - Claire Turner - see Footnote 7; Hunt buildings removed to Modella - Information from Mavis Martin, Modella resident; https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-acreage+semi-rural-vic-modella-132870694

(9) Cranbourne: a town with a history published by the City of Casey in 2001. Access it on-line here https://www.casey.vic.gov.au/historical-publications  The section written by Claire Turner (now Sandell) starts on page 8.7 of the Recreation chapter; Graham Facey has also written his memories of the Hunt Club at Cranbourne, starts on page 10.6 of the Appendixes and on page 10.14 is a list of the Masters of the Hunt Club.

(10) The Herald, May 10, 1924, see here.
(11) See my Hunt Train Trove list, here.
(12) The Herald, May 10, 1924, see here.
(13) The Australasian, September 3, 1927, see here.
(14) The Herald, May 10, 1924, see here.
(15) The Australasian, September 3, 1927, see here.
(16) The Herald, June 9, 1933. see here.
(17) Mr Pennefather's obituary was in the Dandenong Journal of February 21, 1951, see here.
(18) See my Hunt TrainTrove list, here.
(19) Shepparton Advertiser, June 6, 1935. Interesting article which starts with the transport of racehorses by motor horse boxes has now become a specialised business in most of the leading centres of the world. Read it here.

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

Best-kept Railway Stations in Victoria

I came across this photograph of the Warragul Railway Station planted with tree ferns. It's a bit unusual, and I would have thought slightly impractical, to see the platform planted out, so I had to share it. 

U.121 at Warragul, 1890. Victorian Railways photographer.

State Library of Victoria Image H1077

It was however, common for railway stations to have gardens. The Argus, in November 1892, reported on the establishment of a prize for best-kept station -
With a desire to see the railway stations beautified the Acting Railway Commissioners have decided to offer an annual premium for the best-kept station. In their travels of inspection of the railways they noticed with pleasure that trees shrubs and flowers had been planted about some of the stations and that the effect was very cheerful, especially in contrast with the dull and smoky aspect of most stations. Their intention is to encourage tree and shrub planting in the station grounds adjacent to the platforms and, they recommend in a circular, to be issued to all stationmasters, that in hot districts especially the trees should be placed so as to afford a shade to passengers on the platforms and that shrubs in boxes might be placed on the platforms. The station masters will be provided with trees on application to the west branch of the Mines department, and may receive advice from the conservator of forests if they desire it. The prize for the best kept station will be £10 per annum. (1).

As the photo of the Warragul station is dated 1890, the railway staff there were seemingly forerunners when it came to station plantings and in August 1893, they were awarded a prize for their garden, where the ferns were mentioned as a feature -

When the prizes were awarded for the best kept suburban and country railway stations to Glen Huntly and Warragul respectively, some difficulty was felt in alloting the prize for Warragul, as the work of planting ferns, &c., had been shared in by various officers. The station master, Mr. Urquhart, who was in charge during the greater period of the improvement, was lately transferred to Princes-bridge. The authorities have decided to hand over the £10 prize to Mr. Urquhart for distribution among the Warragul staff. Other stations in the suburbs are now taking up the idea, and at various points in the metropolitan system tree planting is going on, which will produce very acceptable results in a few years. (2)

It appears that Warragul was the catalyst to award two prizes, a suburban station prize and a country station prize - 

Mr. Ingram, the railway storekeeper, who was recently deputed by the commissioners to inspect

the various stations, has recommended that the prize of £10 offered for the best kept station should be given to Mr. Wm. Collins, station master at Glen Huntly. Mr. Ingram has suggested that a second prize should be given for the best kept country station, which, if agreed to, will be awarded to the Warragul station. (3)   

Warragul Station opened March 1, 1878 and the original wooden building was replaced by the existing brick building in 1918. (4). I have no date as to when the ferns were removed, but this photo below, dated 1900, does not show them, but there are a few trees planted on the platform.

Warragul Railway Station, c. 1900 - the fern trees have been removed.

Block on the line, Warragul. State Library of Victoria Image H39533

The Herald announced the winners of the 1894 best kept stations, with Avoca and Sandringham winning the Country and Suburban sections.

The Herald September 8 1894 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/241110207

Sandringham Railway Station in 1899, still very well kept, five years after they won the best-kept station award.

Photographer William Sims. State Library of Victoria image H31598/7

This is a report of the elaborate garden at Fairfield Park Railway Station which won in 1896 -

With a view to encouraging officials who are in charge of railway stations to improve their surroundings, the Railway department has an annual inspection, and award prizes to the men in charge of the best kept stations. This year the first prize has fallen to the Fairfield Park station master, Heidelberg line, where a great deal of artistic taste has been displayed in beautifying the platform. Plots of ornamental shrubs and flowers, and rockeries with ferns and other suitable growth, present a pleasant view to passengers. This station was regarded as the second best in the suburbs last year. The second prize was awarded to Brunswick, and the third to East Richmond. Of the stations on the country lines, Bacchus Marsh was chosen for first prize, Telford second and Condah third. (5).

Bacchus Marsh wins the best-kept country station in 1896.

Ballarat Star, May 19, 1896 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article207486054

Bacchus Marsh Railway Station, c. 1900. The gardens have interesting plantings 

and use of free-form branches as trellising.

State Library of Victoria Image H92.386/11. Click here for a close-up http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/23316

The people of Condah were not happy with a third as the Condah correspondent of the Hamilton Spectator reported - 

Great surprise and no small amount of indignation was felt at the published award at the annual competition of the best kept railway stations throughout the colony. That Condah should receive only third place with hon. mention was treated as a joke. Really it would be interesting to know on what grounds the award was made. If the beautifying of a station depends upon the artistic display of pot plants, then the station that is near a nursery can easily take first prize; but if it be a permanent and systematic improvement, such as filling up blank corners with growing flowers, the planting of trees, etc., then we claim that our station ranks easily first in the list of stations. Doubtless many of our readers in passing through have admired the beautiful display of growing flowers, and have noted the very great change in the appearance of the station platform and grounds surrounding it. Sympathy is expressed for Mr. Kellaway, whose station was judged late in the season, when nearly all the bloom was gone, and many of the outside changes were not noticed at all. (6)

There was much competition for the best-kept station prize; the Coburg Leader reported in 1899 -
Railway Station Gardening - It is expected that the prize annually given by Mr. Mathieson, Chief Commissioner of Railways, will have considerable competition. Last year the honor of success in this direction fell to Broadford, whilst it is three years since the Brunswick station captured it. Without appearing egotistical it may be said that if the local station does not pull off the prize this time it is not the fault of Messrs Kemmis, Collins and Stephens who, are respectively in charge of the station. For a suburban station with an inconsiderable number of travellers, great credit rebounds on these gentlemen for the painstaking manners and botanical like effect with which the work has been carried out. This is more creditable on account of the depredations of goats and children, the latter it is explained are not content with pulling the flowers, but actually, uproot them to the annoyance and chagrin of the officers. (7)  

Brunswick won the prize in 1904 and the substantial garden was described in The Age -
The Railways. The Best Kept Station. Brunswick wins the prize - The Brunswick railway station employes have won the first prize of £7 in the suburban competitions for tree planting and station decoration given by the Railway department in order to encourage the beautifying of railway stations. This year about 40 blue gums have been planted at the Brunswick station, while there are also oak trees, elms, cypresses and willows, in addition to well kept rosemary borders, creepers, shrubs, flowers, and picturesque bamboos. (8)

Cheltenham wins the best-kept station in 1905

The Age December 20, 1905 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article199426164

The Cheltenham Railway Station, winner of the best-kept station in 1905.

Victorian Railways photographer. 

State Library of Victoria Image H1077

Around 1906, the Victorian Railways also introduced  a prize for the best-kept station residence. It was common for some staff to be provided with a house, as railway historian Leo Harrigan noted - 

From the inception  of Government railways in Victoria, staff residences have been provided at certain stations, crossings and other places for stationmasters, gatekeepers, gangers and the like (9). The Victorian Railways no doubt hoped this prize would an incentive for the staff to look after their house. 

The Herald reported on the various prizes awarded in 1906, and the list highlights the sheer size of the Victorian Railways at the time - which consisted of the rolling stock, the maintenance infrastructure, the railway staff and the railway line network, shown in magnificent detail in these maps here   https://www.vrhistory.com/VRMaps/index.htm 

As a matter of interest, one woman, Mrs Mason, of the Deepdene Station won first prize for her well kept residence in the Metropolitan area in 1906-

Railway Residences: Prize Awards - Some time ago the Railway Commissioners offered prizes of L6, L3 and L1 respectively for the three best-kept departmental residences, in each workmaster's district, which were occupied by daily-paid employes of the department. After devoting considerable care in their work the Judges have made the following awards:— Metropolitan District: Gatewoman Mason, Deepdene, 1; Gateman Butler, Brighton Beach, 2; Ganger Russell, Emerald. 3. Eastern District: Repairer Venville, Buln Buln, 1; Ganger West and Repairer Amger, Tynong, divided 2nd and 3rd. Northern District: Porter Young, Carlsruhe, 1; Signalman Broughton and Repairer Whiffen, divided 2nd and 3rd. North-Eastern District: Repairer M'Govern, Tarrawinge, 1; Ganger Brandy, Myrtleford, 2: Ganger Graham, Bright, 3. Northern and Midland District: Repairer Arblaster, Kurting, 1; Porter M'Iver, North Creswick, 2; Repairer Scarff, Tournello, 3. Western District: Repairer Dickson, Birregurra 1; Signalman Murfiit, Linton Junction 2; Ganger Holden, Cobden 3. North Western District: Ganger Murphy, Goroke, 1; Repairer Cook, Natimuk, divided half of the second and third prizes, Ganger Brock, Rainbow and Ganger Lines, Mildura, divided a quarter of 2nd and third prizes. (10)

The best-kept station prize and the best-kept station residence prize were still being awarded in the 1950s, but I have no information when they finished. 

Footnotes

(1) The Argus, November 4, 1892, see here.

(2) Gippsland Farmers' Journal, August 1, 1893, see here.

(3) The Age, July 6, 1893, see here.

(4) Copeland, Hugh The Path of Progress: from forests of yesterday to homes of to-day  (Shire of Warragul, 1934)

(5) The Leader, June 20, 1896, see here.

(6) Hamilton Spectator, June 4, 1896, see here.

(7) Coburg Leader, December 23, 1899, see here.

(8) The Age, September 13, 1904, see here.

(9) Harrigan, Leo J Victorian Railways to '62 (Victorian Railways, 1962), p. 148

(10) The Herald, July 30, 1906, see here.

Victorian Railways and Marion Steam Shovels

The Victorian Railways possessed a Marion Steam Shovel which they were using in 1909 on such projects as the regrading of the railway line at the Armadale Station, the purpose of which was to allow the Malvern-Prahran tram line an uninterrupted crossing above the railway at High-street. (1).  The machine was manufactured by the Marion Steam Shovel Company of Ohio, U.S.A., (2) and imported in 1907, and assembled at the Newport Railway Workshops (3). 

Caption: Regrading the Gippsland line at Toorak, Armadale and Malvern: the Marion Steam Shovel at work.

The Australasian, August 7, 1909 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/139684685

The Australasian newspaper in August 1909 had the following report, describing how the Steam Shovel worked, as well as the photograph above -

The Marion steam-shovel has recently been put to work on the regrading of the line at the Armadale station. It is the only one of the kind in Victoria, and the railway authorities state that it is giving perfect satisfaction. Excavating is effected by means of a bucket or scoop attached to a swinging arm. The bucket, after being lowered, is raided by powerful gearing, and at each lift a cubic yard of material is scraped off the face of the cutting. It is then swung round, so as to empty its load into the ballast waggons. When everything within reach has been cut away, a short length of portable track is laid in front of the shovel, along which it moves by its own mechanism, until it is in a position to make another start. Fifty waggons, holding six tons apiece, are being filled daily. The total weight would equal that of two average goods trains, but, working in a less restricted space, the machine could considerably increase this output. Providing it is not solid rock, the kind of material to be excavated does not seem to make any difference. Whether loam, gravel, hard clay, or schist, the four great steel teeth of the bucket bite this off in mouthfuls of nearly a ton, and with no more apparent effort than if it were so much butter. Money and time are both saved by the shovel, as compared with the old slow method of ploughing and scraping, for the consumption of fuel is small, and the only other expenses are the wages of the two attendants. Some heavy excavating still remains to be done, but the work ought to be sufficiently advanced two months hence to enable the down trains to be run in the cutting. The girders for the High street bridge are ready for placing in position, and this roadway, which will also carry the Malvern tramway over the railway, should be ready for traffic in November. An island platform is being built at the new station. and passengers will have access to this by subways (4). 

Marion Steam Shovel. Victorian Railways photographer.

State Library of Victoria Image H1076/224C http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/4192279

By 1911, Melbourne's rail network was in need of expansion, as The Herald in July 1913 reported - 

Standing on Prince's Bridge, and looking eastwards, on a moonlit night one may see one of the most fascinating sights in the city, the railway grid-iron over which the inward and outward bound suburban and country trains travel towards or away from each other under the signal bridges. Two pairs of lines connect the city with suburban stations on either side of Caulfield and around, and run on to the Gippsland line and branches to Wonthaggi, and also connect with the line that skirts the Bay and finds its terminal point at Mornington. In short, these two roads represent two of the important arteries of the railway system. Both goods and passenger traffic has increased rapidly of late, and it became necessary to devise means of relieving the congestion. So the duplication of the Caulfleld line was decided upon, and the actual work was put in hand in December, 1911 (5). 

The cost of the project was estimated to be £300,000 and the work was expected to have been completed at the end of 1914 (6). It was actually finished in December 1915, apart from a the new station building at South Yarra and the island platform at Caulfield. It also ran £100,000 over budget (7).  One of the end results of the work was  all the level crossings between South Yarra and Caulfield stations, were abolished (8). 

The Herald report continued with this description of the  project - 

The scheme was and is the duplication of the line from South Yarra to Caulfield by providing

up and down "fast" roads and up and down "slow" roads. The "fast" roads for country, goods, quick suburban, and race traffic, the "slow" roads for trains, with suburban passengers, stopping at

all stations. 

An important part of the scheme has been the reduction of the existing steep grades - the steepest being from 1 in 44 to 1 in 63. It was necessary to drop the lines from South Yarra to Malvern, thus doing away with level crossings, and to provide overhead bridges at some crossings. At Hawthorn the line has been, or will be dropped 12ft, at Toorak 13ft. 6in., and at Malvern 9ft. The greatest depth will be 18ft. below present level. On the other hand, the dip between Malvern and Caulfield is to be dealt with by the construction of an embankment, over which the trains will pass. Many bridges are in course of erection, and before the duplication could be entered upon land had to be purchased and expensive villas removed (9). 

One of these expensive villas was the home of Carlo Catani, Chief Engineer of the Public Works Department. His house was at 4 Elm Grove, Armadale. I have written about this here.

In July 1912, it was reported that the Railway Commissioners had 

purchased a second "Marion" steam shovel for use on the Caulfield line duplication and regrading works, and at other large excavation undertakings, and it is anticipated that the saving, which will be effected will be sufficient to cover the cost of the machine. The new machine arrived from New York in the steamer Star of Australia on Monday last, and the work of assembling the parts will be taken in hand at Newport workshops in the course of a few days (10).  The cost of the  Steam Shovel was  £3200 (11). 

At the end of October 1912,  The Argus reported on the working of the Steam Shovel -

The new Marion steam shovel purchased by the Railways department, is at present working at the Toorak station. This is the model (No. 50) that the department put into commission several years ago, but in detail it has been improved upon. The Marion is of the same type as the Bucyrus shovels, that have done such good work at Panama. The new machine has a bucket capacity of two cubic yards. In a shift of eight hours 1,000 tons can be loaded on a ballast train, but in a speed trial 180 tons have been excavated in an hour. This pace, however, cannot be kept up, for it makes no allowance for shifting the shovel. The motive power consists of a hoisting engine, and of an auxiliary engine, for pushing the spoon and bucket into the material to be excavated. As the Marion can excavate at a height of 23ft., and at a depth of 3ft. below the rails, in both cases with a working radius of 22ft., it will be seen that it has great flexibility. When it has scooped up everything within range an 11ft. length of rail is laid. The shovel propels itself along this, and is then ready to remove another semi-circular section of material, measuring 23ft. across, and, if necessary, 26ft. in thickness. (12). 

I actually own a postcard of this steam shovel, shown below, pictured at the Newport Railway Workshops.

Marion Steam Shovel at the Newport Workshop  

Back of the postcard 

Dear Katie, I trust you'll accept this as an answer to your nice letter rec'd this week. No news to make a lengthy one so sending this. Its a product of Charlie's shop - both card and engine. Was glad to get Mary's today. We'll be glad to see Dada if he comes to town. Monday is a holiday. I'm thinking of going to Brighton Sun (?)  and coming home Monday. It will be a nice spell. We hope anniversary + picnic pass off OK + that good weather prevails. With love ?

It appears the postcard was sent to Katie by her brother. The card was said to be a product of Charlie's shop, along with the engine. I am unsure what this means, but maybe Charlie worked at the Newport Workshops; or did he take the photograph and produced the postcard?  I cannot tell you. 

What was the fate of the Marion Steam Shovel? Again, I cannot tell you. There is a short article about it on Peter Vincent's website, which focusses on Victorian Railway rolling stock,   http://www.pjv101.net/cd/pages/c215m.htm

Another Marion Steam Shovel was imported in 1913 by the Commonwealth Railways  to work on the Trans-Australian Railway at Port Augusta, read about it here https://www.comrails.com/cr_locos/r_marion.html

The Marion Steam Shovel. Victorian Railways photographer. 

It appears the machine is no longer in use. It may possibly have been put aside  during the First World War and manpower and resources directed elsewhere. 

State Library of Victoria Image H1076/38E http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/4192399

Acknowledgment

My research colleague, Isaac Hermann, actually found the postcard for me. Thank you!

Trove - I have created a short list of articles on the Marion Steam Shovel, access it here.

Footnotes

(1) The Argus, August 18, 1909, see here. 

(2) More on the Company here https://ohiohistorycentral.org/w/Marion_Steam_Shovel_Company

(3) Peter Vincent's website  http://www.pjv101.net/  Steam Shovel article here   http://www.pjv101.net/cd/pages/c215m.htm  Also Victorian Railways to '62 by Leo J.  Harrigan (Victorian Railways, 1962)  confirms that the Victorian Railways purchased two Marion Steam Shovels between 1907 and 1914. 

(4) The Australasian, August 7, 1909, see here.  

(5) The Herald, July 15, 1913, see here.

(6) The Herald, July 15, 1913, see here. 

(7) The Argus, January 12, 1916, see here; The Argus, October 17, 1914, see here. 

(8) The Argus, April 14, 1915, see here. 

(9) The Herald, July 15, 1913, see here.

(10) The Age, July 25, 1912, see here. 

(11) The Age, December 13, 1912, see here. 

(12) The Age, October 31, 1912, see here. 

Fawkner Cemetery postcards

I have three postcards of the Fawkner Cemetery, which was also known as the New Melbourne General Cemetery.  It does seem like an unusual subject for  a postcard. Did people buy a postcard at the cemetery kiosk after a funeral and send it to  a loved one? Possibly. The person who sent these Fawkner Cemetery postcards ran the tearooms, more of which later.

The Fawkner Cemetery opened on December 5, 1906. The opening had been delayed for months for various reasons including  issues the Board of Health had with the Cemetery's rules and regulations (1).  The first burial took place five days later, on December 10, and it was of five year old Doris Gladys Knapp, the daughter of the assistant station-master at Brunswick Railway Station. Little Doris had passed away  August 19 1906, and owing to repeated delays in opening the cemetery her parents had to have her embalmed whilst they waited for the cemetery to open and she could be buried (2).

The new Fawkner Railway Station was constructed on the Somerton line, right at the entrance to the Cemetery and was opened at the same time as the Cemetery. This allowed both coffins and mourners to journey to the Cemetery from the Flinders Street Mortuary Station (3).  There was also a railway line from the Springvale Station to the Necropolis which operated from February 7, 1904 to December 19,1951 (4). 

A Crematorium opened at Fawkner on June 19, 1927 (5).  It was the second such facility in Victoria. The first cremation had taken place at the Necropolis at Springvale in April 1905, when Edward Davies was cremated. He had specifically requested this in his will and also that his ashes be scattered to the four winds of heaven (6). 

My postcards were all sent by the same person, Martha Bamber, to her mother and her sister, Clara, who lived in Sydney. They are shown below, in what I believe is the order they were sent.

Railway Station at the New Melbourne General Cemetery, Fawkner.

The letter on the back of this card reads - Our place is just as you come out of the white gate but of course not on the photo. How is my darling niece, Roslyn (?).  I should love to see her. I am awfully dissapointed [sic]  I thought to be able to come to Sydney this year, but unless things alter cannot. I hope you are feeling stronger. I went to a  Masons dance on Sat. Annie lent me her dress because I had been to so many in mine,  it was a very nice affair.

Railway Station at the New Melbourne General Cemetery, Fawkner - letter.

View at Entrance, New Melbourne General Cemetery, Fawkner

The letter on the back of this card reads -

Dear Ma & Clara, 

I know you will think me unkind but really I seem to have so little time, I am up here 7 days a week & if Annie was not good, I couldn't do it. We are doing a bit better but Harry will finish here on the 30 of March so I don't know how we shall go on about his wage. I hope things will mend up. Mrs ?  says if we can only hold out 12 months we shall have the best paying (?) cuisine in Melbourne and Geelong

View at Entrance, New Melbourne General Cemetery, Fawkner - letter.

Waiting Rooms, New Melbourne General Cemetery, Fawkner.

The letter on the back of this card reads - This is our place, only where the verandah is is our shop. We are doing very well week ends but week days very quiet. We are looking for a house as we have finished up here. We got one Frazer had been paying 18 /- and they were going to charge us a 1-0-0, behold someone came and offered 25/- so I would not take it. I do not know where we shall get to now (?)  Molly (?)

Waiting Rooms, New Melbourne General Cemetery, Fawkner - letter

What go these letters tell us? The writer may be called Molly - that's what the last word of the last letter looks like. She is upset that she can't visit her family in Sydney and this suggests that is where she came from originally.   They also tell us that money may have been a bit tight as she couldn't afford  a new dress to go to the dances and had to borrow one from Annie. Running the refreshment kiosk was a seven day a week business with poor returns and the family relied on Harry's wage. The fact that Molly said they were looking for  a house as we have finished up here suggests that they may have lived on a house on the Cemetery property.

On December 23, 1925 The Argus reported that the Fawkner Cemetery tearooms operated by the Misses Bamber and Jackson had been broken into (7). The tearooms at Fawkner Cemetery opened  in around 1923 in a temporary wooden building, which was replaced in 1928 by a new brick building designed by Charles Heath, who had also designed the Crematorium (8).  As Molly says that her place is in the waiting room building (middle postcard) this suggests that the postcards were written between 1923 and 1928, when the new tearooms opened. 

Fawkner Cemetery tearooms broken into

The Argus, December 23, 1925  https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/2175257

The Electoral Rolls of 1924 and 1925 show a Harry and Martha Bamber were at 5 Rodda Street, Coburg. His occupation is listed as a caretaker. Was he the caretaker at the Fawkner Cemetery and Martha operated the tearoom? It would actually be more likely that a caretaker would have a house on the property and if he was finishing up, then they would need to find another. In the 1922 Electoral Roll, their address is the Coburg Cemetery and once again Harry is listed as a caretaker. 

Harry and Martha Bamber - 1922 Electoral Roll

Ancestry.com. Australia, Electoral Rolls, 1903-1980

Harry & Martha Bamber - 1925 Electoral Roll

Ancestry.com. Australia, Electoral Rolls, 1903-1980

Martha Bamber died February 9, 1936 at the age of 59, and her death notice said she was the loving sister of Mrs Annie Monk (9).  Is this the same Annie she borrowed a dress for the dance from and the same Annie who was good and helped her in the tearoom?  She was also the mother of Harold Bamber.

Martha Bamber's death notice

The Age, February 11, 1936 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/205238676

There are two other mysteries - who was Frazer, who had a rented a house for 18 shillings a week? I cannot tell you. Secondly, who was Miss Jackson who operated the tearoom with Miss Bamber? She was possibly connected to J. Jackson, late A.I.F, who managed the new Refreshment rooms in 1929 (see below). 

J. Jackson is the manager of the Refreshment Room at Fawkner in 1929

The Age September 7, 1929  http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article204147528

I believe that the three postcards of the Fawkner Cemetery were written by Martha Bamber, wife of Harry, who was for a time the caretaker at Fawkner. To support this we have the report of the break-in at the tearooms, the fact the she had a husband named Harry who was the  caretaker at the Coburg Cemetery and possibly Fawkner and finally she had a sister Annie and an Annie is mentioned in two of the three postcards. The only thing working against this is that the third card looks like it was signed Molly. Molly was used historically as a pet name for Mary however it may also have been used by Martha's family for her. I am at least 85% percent sure that Martha Bamber is the person who sent these postcards.

Footnotes

(1) The Argus, November 14 1906, see here; The Argus, November 28, 1906, see here.

(2) The Argus, December 12, 1906, see here.

(3) The Age,  December 6, 1906, see here.

(4) Harrigan, Leo J Victorian Railways to '62 (Victorian Railways, 1962), p. 287.

(5) The Age, June 20 1927, see here.

(6) The Age, April 14, 1905, see here. Don Chambers has written an interesting history of  the Necropolis -  City of the Dead:  a history of The Necropolis, Springvale (Hyland House, 2001)

(7) The Argus, December 23, 1925, see here.

(8) I can't find a specific date of the opening of either the old or new tearooms, however, an article in the Adelaide Advertiser of February 22, 1928 (see here) talks about the new refreshment rooms being built and that the board of management of New Melbourne Cemetery five years ago arranged a tearoom and flower-stall, for the convenience of visitors, in a temporary wooden building. 

(9) Her parents are listed as Richard Wignall and Elizabeth Kenyon.