Sweetwater Creek, Frankston

My friend has two postcards (1) of waterfalls on the Sweetwater Creek in Frankston and they inspired me to do some research into the Creek, which I had never heard of before. This post looks at some historic accounts of the flora and fauna found in the Frankston area and along the Sweetwater Creek, which is now part of a nature reserve (2). Sweetwater Creek  was so named because the water was fresh not salty. The mouth of the creek is at the base of Oliver's Hill. Oliver's Hill is the northern extremity of the Mount Eliza granitic outcrop. Granite is exposed in the bed of the Sweetwater creek at various points in its progress to the sea (3).  Around 1852 fishermen and timber cutters formed a  settlement at the mouth of the creek (4).  James Oliver, who was a fisherman and the namesake of Oliver's Hill, had a cottage on the crest of the hill -  Up till about 1863 the sand had not silted up the small bay below and he was able to haul his boat right into Sweetwater Creek and anchor it there (5). 

This 1854 plan of the town allotments at Frankston shows the Sweet Water Creek and further south, the Salt Water Creek, which is the Kackeraboite Creek. 

Click here to see the entire map at the State Library of Victoria http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/160463

Village of Frankston at Kananook Creek, Mount Eliza, Port Phillip Bay.  Lithographed at the Surveyor General's Office, May 1st 1854, by James B Philp, Victoria Surveyor General's Office

 

In 1902, Clarice Wells wrote this delightful letter to the Mornington Standard about the Sweetwater Creek. Clarice, was the grand-daughter of Henry Cadby Wells, who had arrived in the area in 1859 (6). 

There are a great number of pretty places in Frankston, but the one which most people like best is the gully, or Sweet-water creek. It has pretty rippling water-falls, which are very steep and high. There are also a number of pretty ferns, which are called maiden hair, lady-finger fern, and bird-nest or coral fern. In some places it is very hilly and in others quite flat. There is an old cabin in the gully where an old man has lived for a number of years. The creek runs for miles to the right and to the left out into the open sea. It is a lovely cool place to go for a picnic in summer. It is very nice to hear the birds singing in the green trees. There has also been native bread found in the creek, which was greatly used among the aboriginals in the early days. The gully would be a beautiful place for an artist to paint, either in summer or winter. The wild flowers which grow around the gully are also beautiful (7). 

The beauty of the Sweetwater Creek was recognised in 1906 when an illustration of the falls was included on an illuminated address presented to Mark Young, who was leaving the Frankston district.  Mark Young (8) was the owner of the Pier Hotel in Frankston, a local Councillor and a man of honor and strict integrity - a man whose counsel was of great value, and a man to whom an appeal on behalf of any worthy object was never made in vain. Mr. Young was always to the fore in all matters of public interest; to him we owed the existence of the Frankston Public Park and Mechanics' Institute. It was through the instrumentality of Mr. Young that the Langwarrin military camp was established upon the site it now occupied (9). The illuminated address had been beautifully executed by Mr. W. Laughton, of Melbourne, and handsomely framed by Mr. W. R. Stephens, of Frankston. On the top of the address was depicted an excellent view of the Frankston Pier, whilst the following views were faithfully copied on other portions of the work :-The Swing Bridge, at the rear of the Pier Hotel; Bay-street, and the falls on Sweetwater Creek (10). I wonder where the illuminated address is now. 

Falls, Sweetwater Creek, Frankston.

This postcard was sent in April 1909 (see Footnote 1).

Image: Isaac Hermann

Frankston was the destination for the Botany Class at the Melbourne College of Pharmacy in 1911 and again in 1913. The Mornington Standard reported on the visits - 
On the afternoon of Saturday, September 30th, a considerable portion of the class in botany of the Melbourne College of Pharmacy visited Frankston for the purpose of a study of field botany. Twenty students, including four women students, formed the party. The country round Frankston is stated by botanical authorities to form the best collecting ground in the State. The party was met at the station by Dr Plowman, the Lecturer at the college. ..They first explored the healthy ground between Kars Street and the Hastings road, and afterwards the high ground beyond the extremity of Kars Street. From the highest eminence a magnificent view was obtained of the bay and surrounding country with Mount Macedon and the Dandenong ranges in the distance. It was greatly admired by the visitors, and the whole party was here photographed. A straight line across country to the head waters of Sweetwater creek was then made, and the gully was followed to the coast....the weather was delightful and the field excursion a great success. The main object, viz, the collection and study of wild plants actually in flower, their identification and their reference to their respective natural orders, was fully attained. The number of species was not actually taken, but they were very numerous and were representative of no less than 29 natural orders (11). 

Another group of Botany Students visited Frankston in 1913 and visited the same places and followed the Sweetwater Creek from the head waters to the Bay - they were successful in obtaining many interesting specimens in the streets themselves before arrival at the real collecting grounds. Among them may be mentioned the curious trigger plant, a snow plant, an orchid, and many species of the Lily order, which were found in Wedge-street (12).  The students then continued their work on the hill where the haul of specimens was a particularly good one, including a few special coastal flowers, but the orchids were not so numerous as on the previous occasion when eleven distinct species were obtained (13). 

In 1930, The Age published an article, written under the pen-name of A.L.E., called Wild Life on the Peninsula - Echidna were very numerous, especially on the Mornington Peninsula and along the hillsides and on the moorlands in close proximity to Frankston..... The kangaroo was no longer abundant however its near relation, the wallaby, is not by any means rare, and even along the upper reaches of Sweetwater Creek, near the foot of Mount Eliza, there are some of the finest animals of this class to be found in Australia, but owing to the density of the scrub and bracken fern, it is difficult to obtain a full view of them for photographic purposes (14). 

A.L.E's observations on phalangers were published in The Herald in 1934 - Good news for nature lovers is contained in a letter from A.L.E. (Frankston): flying phalangers, or "squirrels" as they generally are termed, are still to be seen on Mornington Peninsula. "The Dandenongs are not to have it all their own way. During the last seven years I have been interested in the presence of some flying phalangers along that haven for our native fauna, the Sweetwater Creek. Ringtail possums share this locality with the 'fliers.' But, the other day, I was disgusted to find that the house-cat had been visiting trees along the creek, and taking toll of the 'fliers; presumably to let me know that 1 am not the only creature aware of their existence there. For puss placed the pretty little animal - her victim - on the back doormat! "These phalangers were long ago thought to be extinct on the Peninsula. Actually, at present, some of them are making an inspection of the trees in my grounds: no doubt with a view to taking up permanent residence." (15). 

A. L.E was I believe Alfred Leslie Earl, listed in the 1934 Electoral Roll at 'Tower Hill', Frankston. His occupation was Nurseryman. In 1934, under his real name he wrote the following interesting letter to the The Argus - It was stated on Saturday that it was not often that opossums and bees were found in a common lodging place. In the wild country of Sweetwater Creek upper reaches at Frankston it is usual to find above a wild bees hive the nest of the ring-tail opossum and invariably at the groundline or below the hive an ants' nest. Both ants and opossums are passionately fond of honey, but they never attack it while bees remain in possession (16). 

A year later, Mr Earl wrote to The Age about snakes and butcher birds on the Mornington Peninsula - I was much interested in the paragraph referring to copperhead snakes here. That is the type most common along the moorland sandhills. However, there are tiger snakes along the tea-tree, especially in the grey and heavy land. I saw a large one on Davey's Bay-road last summer. Along the high parts of the Overport-road at Mount Eliza some large tigers abound, also on the slopes of Sweetwater Creek. Mention of snakes brings to my mind that I noticed eight Derwent jackasses, or butcher birds, worrying a huge copperhead snake on the Three Chain-road, and ultimately the "butchers" won. They not only killed the snake, but completely severed the head from the trunk (17). 

Marathon Falls, Frankston. 

I presume that these falls are one of the pretty rippling water-falls, which are very steep and high (as Clarice Wells wrote in 1902) on the Sweetwater Creek, but I cannot find any information about them.

This postcard was sent in March 1911 (see Footnote 1)

Image: Isaac Hermann

Water supply for Frankston was an on-going problem until the town was supplied with water from the Beaconsfield Reservoir in 1922 as part of the scheme to supply water to the Flinders Naval base, which had opened in 1920 (18). In 1912 water from the various creeks was sampled and Sweetwater Creek was reported to be very satisfactory, excepting for a slight trace of vegetable matter, which could be accounted for by the water being taken from a pool which had been standing some time (19).

I mentioned at the start of this post that the mouth of the Creek silted up. This seemed to have been a continual problem and was 'solved' on occasions by allowing the removal of sand from the mouth. Thus in January 1928 it was reported that sand was being taken from the mouth of Sweetwater Creek and that the councillors were pleased to have it removed to open the creek up (20).  This created its own problems and three months later in  April it was reported from a Council meeting that  those who were supposed to secure sand from there were taking it from further along the beach. On the motion of Crs. Bradbury and Montague it was decided to notify contractors that no more sand must be removed from the beach (21). 

By February 1931 the same issue was reported Cr. Keast said at last meeting of the shire council that he had received several complaints from ratepayers of the removal of sand from the foreshore at the foot of Oliver's Hill. He asked if it was removed with the permission of the engineer. Mr. Ham said permits were issued for the removal of sand from the mouth of Sweetwater Creek. A royalty of 1/ a load was paid. Cr. Keast said he was afraid that those removing sand did not confine themselves to the area defined by the council. The foreshore was being stripped until rocks only remained (22).  The next month it was reported that the Shire Engineer had inspected the mouth of the Sweetwater Creek and it was badly blocked so he advised that the removal of sand should continue (23). This issue resolved itself a few days later in  a dramatic manner when there was a  rain and wind storm and local flooding.  The most severe damage was done on Mornington road, where Sweetwater Creek flows beneath the road to the sea. Debris carried down the creek by the flood waters choked the large culverts, causing the water to back up the creek and rise to such a height that a landslide was caused. Hundreds of cubic feet of earth slid into the creek. When the pressure of water became so great that it broke through the force of the flow carried some of the huge concrete pipes of which the culvert was constructed and large sections of concrete kerbing and channelling from the roadway out into the sea. So much of the roadway collapsed that only sufficient room for two cars to pass was left (24).

Location of Sweetwater Creek, Frankston. The map is from the 1950s. 

Today's map of Frankston, Seaford, Mt. Eliza, Carrum Downs, Baxter, Karringal. 

Published by the Regional Publicity Service.

State Library of Victoria http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/114788

Not only was the Sweetwater Creek rich in flora and fauna but it also possibly contained other riches. In 1949 the Frankston Standard was discussing local gold finds and they reported that Mr. W. P. Mason, well known and experienced pioneer of Frankston and the Peninsula told this paper this week, that he is certain there is a large gold reef that will be discovered eventually on the Peninsula near Frankston, and that there is little doubt that it will be a rich one. "Tubba Rubba may be the most likely spot, said Mr. Mason, but good gold colours were obtained very close to Frankston in the Sweetwater Creek, and gullies near the sea front (25). The Tubba Rubba Diggings were near Dromana.

Is there gold in Sweetwater Creek? I don't know but there are riches to be found in the natural beauty and ecology of Sweetwater Creek Nature Reserve (26). 

Trove List

I have created  a list of newspaper articles on Trove relating to Sweetwater Creek, access it here.

Footnotes

(1)  Thanks to Isaac Hermann for the images of the postcards. The postcards were sent in 1909 and 1911

The letter on the back of the Falls, Sweetwater Creek postcard

Postmarked Frankston, dated April 16, 1909, sent to Mrs J. Fordyce, 191 Kerford Road, Albert Park. Dear Dearie (?), We are just off for a picnic. It is a glorious day. We will be home Monday evening. Love from A.G. How wonderful is this? Did they go to Sweetwater Creek Falls for their picnic? The 1909 Electoral Rolls show Joseph and Elizabeth Fordyce living at 191 Kerford Road. Joseph was an Accountant.

The letter on the back of the Marathon Falls postcard

Postmarked Auburn, March 9, 1911, sent to Mr W. A. Crook, Citizens Chambers, 285 Collins Street, City. Dear Gus, Just a line to tell you we won't be home tonight. Will you ring up and see if Aunt R could have you and Stan tonight, as we can't go Sat. If she can, will you let Stan know. Hope it won't rain. A.F.  Walter Augustus Crook is listed in the 1909 Electoral Roll at 249 Auburn Road, Auburn, occupation Estate Agent. At the same address was a Mary Alice Forster and a William Mark Forster. I believe that it was Alice Forster  who wrote this card.

(2)  https://www.sweetwatercreek.org.au/

(3) Steel, Gwenyth Frankston: an outline of the district's early history (1977), p. 13.

(4) Steel, op. cit., p. 28

(5) Steel, op. cit., p. 16

(6) Edith Emily Susan Clarice Wells was born in 1889  to Octavius and Mary Ann (nee Davey) Wells. She married George Alfred Oakley in 1912 and she died in 1950. You can read her father's obituary in the Frankston & Somerville Standard of July 12, 1935, here. You can read the obituary of her grandfather, Henry Cadby Wells, in the Mornington & Dromana Standard of December 12, 1908, here.

(7) Mornington Standard, November 8, 1902, see here.

(8) Mark Young - read about him here on the Kingston Local History website  https://localhistory.kingston.vic.gov.au/articles/224

(9)  Mornington Standard, December 15, 1906, see here.

(10) Mornington Standard, December 15, 1906, see here.

(11) Mornington Standard, October 7, 1911, see here.

(12) Mornington Standard, November 8, 1913, see here.

(13) Mornington Standard, November 8, 1913, see here.

(14) The Age November 8, 1930, see here.

(15) The Herald, July 3, 1934, see here.

(16) The Argus, January 17, 1934, see here. The Age has his name listed as A. E. Earl, but I believe this is a mistake and it is Alfred Leslie Earl. 

(17) The Age, February 19, 1935, see here.

(18) The Argus, April 19, 1922 see here and The Argus, October 24, 1922, see here.

(19) Mornington Standard, July 27, 1912, see here.

(20) Frankston & Somerville Standard, January 13, 1928, see here.

(21) Frankston & Somerville Standard, April 20, 1928, see here.

(22) Frankston & Somerville Standard, February 21, 1931, see here.

(23) Frankston & Somerville Standard, March 21, 1931, see here.

(24) Frankston & Somerville Standard, March 28, 1931, see here.

(25) Frankston Standard, October 13, 1949, see here.

(26) https://www.sweetwatercreek.org.au/

The St Kilda War Trophy - a long range German Gun

In late 1919 the  Commonwealth War Trophies Committee was established and its role was to distribute 'war trophies' which had been captured during the Great War.  A War Trophy Committee was established in each State and they determined how the guns would be distributed. In Victoria, some of the trophies were retained by the Government for a State War Museum and trophies were also allocated to each Citizen Force Light Horse and Infantry Unit. The remaining trophies were allotted to towns; Melbourne and inner suburbs, such as St Kilda were regarded as one unit of allocation (1) The Lord Mayor of Melbourne convenened a meeting of mayors of suburbs within the metropolitan area and the allocations were decided (2). 

St Kilda was first offered in August 1921 a Trench Mortar (3), which they were not happy with. Correspondence between the local member, William Watt, M.P., and an unnamed staff member in Home & Territories stated that St Kilda feels that its undoubtedly fine war record has not been suitably recognised (4). There was some sympathy for this position within the Victorian Committee who thought that St Kilda had special claims by reason of its population and  its position as a leading metropolitan seaside resort (5). 

After the initial allocation to Victoria another four or five guns became available from a shipment presented to Australia from the French Government and after passionate advocacy on Mr Watt's part on behalf of the St Kilda Council they were allocated a 8-inch Howitzer (6). However, in June 1922 Mr Watt received a letter from the Director of the Australian War Museum offering the City a 6-inch gun, though the gun is of smaller calibre than the howitzer, it is considerably larger, and in fact is the largest gun available for distribution in the metropolitan area (7). The gun itself was the largest type conveyed by the Germans with road traction, it weighed 11½  tons, was 30 feet long and it could reportedly throw a 120 pound shell from St Kilda to Mordialloc (8). 

The War Trophy Gun, looking over St Kilda Pier. It is views like this that led the Victorian War Trophy Committee to recognise St Kilda as a leading metropolitan seaside resort. 

Visible at the end of St. Kilda Pier is the Colonial naval ship Childers Conning Tower,

with its RMYS Great War commemorative plaque. 

The Pier from Alfred Square, St Kilda. Photographer: Rose Stereograph Co., 

State Library of Victoria Image H32492/4925

In August 1922, the St Kilda Town Clerk formally accepted this offer of the 6-inch gun. The  appointed Trustees were Cr Joseph Hewison, Cr George Renfrey and Cr Burnett Gray (9). The gun was placed on display in Alfred Square, the same park where the St Kilda Boer War Memorial was unveiled on March 12, 1905 (10).  It wasn't the only gun at Alfred Square there was also this gun, pictured below. I do not know the fate of this gun.

An older gun in Alfred Square, St Kilda Esplande, Melbourne in 1919. The gun was featured in a series of photos under the headline Old Guns in Parks and Gardens.

The Australasian, March 15, 1919 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/140220075#

On June 23, 1923 this 150 mm Long Range High Angle Gun, No. 103 (as the gun was officially named) was formally handed over  to the City of St Kilda by William Watt, M.P., in a ceremony in Albert Square. Mr Watt was reported as saying it was doubtful if any city in Australia had such a fine record for war efforts or for the number of its citizens who had enlisted as St Kilda. The gun was captured on 8th August, 1918, at one of the most dramatic and decisive moments of the war, three months before the final overthrow of the Germans. At this time the Australians were the spearhead of the Allied forces (11). 

It is interesting that he gives the date of capture, because in October 1922 the Director of the Australian War Museum wrote to the St Kilda Town Clerk  that owing to the unit failing to record the place and date of capture it is regretted that a full history cannot be furnished other than it was captured by the Australian Corps on the Western Front during the final offensive in 1918 (12). 

Workmen placing St. Kildas war trophy - a long-range German gun captured by the Australians - in position in Alfred Square, on the Esplanade today

The Herald, June 20. 1923 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/244025654

Other speeches on the day were also reported Mr. Eggleston, M.L.A., member for St.Kilda and a returned soldier, who unveiled a plate on the gun, said it was doubtful if Australians recognised sufficently the great efforts of their men at the front. The gun would serve as a memorial to future generations, and make them realise the horrors of war, and that every peaceful means should be exhausted before war was sought. Cr. Cummings, in receiving the gun on behalf of the City, said it would serve to remind the present generation of those who had returned and of its promises to care for those who had been left by those who would never return (13). 

The War Trophy Gun on the right, looking towards another memorial, the Carlo Catani 

Memorial Clock Tower and the St Kilda Baths.

View from Alfred Square, St Kilda. Photographer: Rose Stereograph Co.,

State Library of Victoria Image H32492/602

In spite of the enthusiastic efforts that the St Kilda Council went to, to obtain their War Trophy, there wasn't universal approval of this acquistion. The Prahan Telegraph was quite scathing -  In the meanwhile people are making rude remarks about the hideous gun which is scrapped in the Town Hall gardens, pointing its lean grey-hound barrel towards Carlisle street. This devilish instrument of man's inhumanity to man awaits its transference to Alfred Square, where it is to be placed to please the St. Kilda jingoes who shouted so hard to the other fellow to go to the war, but who themselves went no further than the St. Kilda pier to wave adieus to the troop transports. Such war trophies, the guns, are in their right place when retained in the war museum, but they are not in keeping with the amenities of the St. Kilda shorefront, where one does not desire to find a Moloch pendant of the heathen god of war, the most accursed of all cursed, gods that man ever capitalised or personified (14). 

The Prahran Telegraph later reported on the 'handing over' ceremony, under the headline Gun Gush - One speaker said the gun would serve to remind those who had relatives killed in the war that those honoured ones were not forgotten. We fail to understand what that apparently intendened pious observation means. If the gun reminds the relatives of the fallen, or anything, it reminds them that they have lost loved ones in a war, the true inwardness yet of which is not yet understood by the masses. Another speaker looked at the gun differently. He said the gun would serve as  a perpetual reminder of the horror and hatefulness of war. How it will do that, we do not know. There is no evidence of the horror and hatefulness of the war in the gun itself. It is simply a rusting piece of steel disfiguring Alfred Place, and quite out of place with the amenties of St Kilda's beautiful sea front.......Possibly after seeing miles of wooden white crosses in Picardy, recording the deaths of gallant Australian boys, we have less stomach to digest these flag-waving ceremonies, and less patience to hear jingoistic talk about war trophies far too often placed in the wrong places by men who talk, but who do not realise the hatefulness of war implements in abodes of peace (15). 

Mrs H. D. Matta photographed with the gun in 1925.

Museums Victoria Image https://collections.museumsvictoria.com.au/items/773105

The gun remained at Alfred Square on display and formed a background to family photos and postcards and then it was back in the news in 1942 -  St. Kilda council is in a quandary as to what to do with the German 9.5 gun, a relic of the last war, which has been a conspicuous object in Alfred-square on the Esplanade for many years. It was recently offered to the defence authorities, who declined it "with thanks," and an offer of it to a firm for sale as scrap metal was not accepted. It was stated that it would cost £30 to remove it from its concrete emplacement. It was pointed out by one councillor that the presence of the gun in the square might constitute a grave menace to the neighborhood as hostile aircraft might regard it was part of the anti-aircraft defence. Moreover, it constituted an obstacle to the approach to slit trenches in the event of a raid (16).   

A report two weeks later said When the gun was offered a fortnight ago to the Minister for Munitions (Mr Makin) by the St. Kilda Council, the Minister suggested that the gun would be of more value to the war effort if it was used for training purposes instead of being used as scrap. It was reported at last night's meeting of the council that the Commanding-Officer of the 1/2 Medium Training Regiment at Puckapunyal had asked for the gun to train the troops, and it will be given to him (17)

However, for some reason the gun was never sent to Puckpunyal and we learn more of its history from Retrieving the Cultural Biography of a Gun by David Pearson and Graham Connah. Their article was published in the Journal of Conflict Archaelogy in Janaury 2013.  They write some time after July 1968 it was disposed of by the council and was rescued by a private purchaser whilst on its way to the scrap yard.  It is now at the Caribbean Gardens and Market at Scoresby, in Melbourne (18). 

Caribbean Gardens closed down in 2020. We do not know what the owners of Caribbean Gardens plan to do with the gun. 

The gun at Caribbean Gardens.

Image: Pakenham Modellers Group Facebook page, posted July 3 2019. 

This is the Group's website http://www.vinwragg.com/pmg/new/

The original plaque is also at Caribbean Gardens, which was unveiled on June 23, 1923 

by Mr. Eggleston, M.L.A., member for St.Kilda and a returned soldier. It may not be appropriate (or logistically possible) for the gun to return to St Kilda but it would be nice if the plaque could find a home in Alfred Square, as part of an interpretive panel or display. 

Image: Pakenham Modellers Group Facebook page, posted July 3 2019. 

This is the Group's website http://www.vinwragg.com/pmg/new/

Acknowledgments
I was made aware of the St Kilda War Trophy Gun by my research colleague, Isaac Hermann. His friend, David Clerehan, had informed him of Caribbean Gardens' closure and the pending situation with the gun and this led to this research, some of which was also done by or in conjunction with Isaac. Thank you, David and Isaac.  It was Kay Rowan, Local History Librarian at the City of Port Phillip who made us aware that the gun was not moved to Puckpunyal in 1942. Kay supplied the article Retrieving the Cultural Biography of a Gun by David Pearson and Graham Connah. Thank you, Kay.

Trove list
I have created a list of articles connected to the St Kilda War Trophy Gun, access it here.

Footnotes
(1) National Archives of Australia Series AWM 194 - Allotment of 1914-1918 War trophies St Kilda.
This is a 26 page file containing various correspondence from the St Kilda Council, William Watt the local Member of Parliament, copies of correspondence to and from the Victorian Committee to the Director of the Australian War Museum regarding St Kilda's request for a War Trophy and similar. You can see the file here https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C2798268
(2) Ibid
(3) Ibid
(4) Ibid
(5) Ibid
(6) Ibid
(7) Ibid
(8) The Age June 25, 1923, see here and The Argus June 25, 1923, see here.
(9) National Archives of Australia Series AWM 194 - Allotment of 1914-1918 War trophies St Kilda.
(10) I have written about the St Kilda Boer War Memorial here    http://carlocatani.blogspot.com/2020/01/fathers-and-sons-mateship-and-monuments.html
(11) The Age, June 25, 1923, see here.
(12) National Archives of Australia Series AWM 194 - Allotment of 1914-1918 War trophies St Kilda.
(13) The Age, June 25, 1923, see here.
(14) Prahran Telegraph, June 1, 1923, see here.
(15) Prahran Telegraph, June 29, 1923, see here.
(16) The Age, April 9, 1942, see here.
(17) The Herald, April 21, 1942, see here.
(18) Retrieving the Cultural Biography of a Gun by David Pearson and Graham Connah in Journal of Conflict Archaelogy V.8, No. 1, Janaury 2013, pp 41-73. The quote is from page 65. This is the full quote, with their sources listed - The treatment of Gun 135 was also much superior to that of the only other surviving gun of this type in Australia (Gun 103) which is now in a deteriorated condition. This was initially presented to the municipality of St Kilda, in Melbourne, but some time after July 1968 it was disposed of by the council and was rescued by a private purchaser whilst on its way to the scrap yard (AWM194 Melbourne 29; AWM262 103 St Kilda; City of Port Phillip Archives, St Kilda trophy gun 06/012/0011; The Argus, 25 June 1923: 12; Prahran Telegraph, 29 June 1923: 6; St Kilda Municipal Council Minutes, 15 and 29 July 1968; Billet, 1999: 56, 58–59, 85; Caribbean Gardens, 2011). It is now at the Caribbean Gardens and Market at Scoresby, in Melbourne.

Forget-me-not flower decorated horseshoe postcards of Melbourne

This is my collection of postcards with the Forget-me-not flower decorated horseshoes and scenes of Melbourne. I just love them. The horseshoe is a symbol of good luck. According to Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (first published 1870 (1)) one day the Devil asked St Dunstan, who was noted for his skill in shoeing horses to shoe his single hoof. Dunstan, knowing who his customer was, tied him tightly to the wall and proceeded with the job, but purposely put the Devil to so much pain that he roared for mercy. Dunstan at last consented to release his captive on condition that he would never enter a place where a horseshoe was displayed. So far, I have nine of these postcards and I feel that would be enough to protect me from the Devil. Having said that, if I come across any others, I will add them to my collection because they are just delightful!

Only one of the cards has a date on it - from 1920, but I believe they were most likely made in the heyday of postcard collecting which was around 1904 until the start of the First World War. They were printed in Germany. At first glance they all look the same, but there are actually five different flower designs. I have  another series of pretty postcards, see them here.

St Pauls Cathedral, Melbourne

St Pauls Cathedral, Melbourne

The building of the Cathedral, on the corner of Flinders and Swanston Streets, commenced in 1880 and it was consecrated in January 1891. It was designed by English Architect, William Butterfield, and the construction was supervised by Melbourne architects, Terry and Oakden, and later Joseph Reed. It is described as High Victorian Gothic style. The towers and spires were designed by James Barr, the construction of which started in April 1926 and was completed in April 1933.

Source: Victorian Heritage Database, see here.

The text on the back of this postcard, which was sent in an envelope, as it it does not have a stamp or postmark reads - 

Dear Mum, Received P.cards. I am sending a bit of print for Dot. I made Clem two dresses of same, it looks nice made up. Glad your foot is better. We are having very warm weather. Everyone think Clem looks better after his holiday, he is full of tricks now. Well hoping this will find all well, with love to Dot  and all. Your ever loving dau, Eth.  Did you get ointment, we find it so good.

Parliament House, Melbourne

Parliament House, Melbourne.

Parliament House was built in six stages from 1856  to 1892. The first sitting of Parliament was held there on November 25, 1856. Previous to this, Parliament sat at St Patrick's Hall in Bourke Street.

The Victorian Heritage Database citation for Parliament House is here.

This postcard has not been used.

Fire Brigade Station, Melbourne

Fire Brigade Station, Melbourne.

Located on the corner of Victoria and Gisborne Streets, it was opened November 3, 1893. The new Fire Station opened in 1979 and parts of the original building are still used for offices and for a museum.

Source: eMelbourne, see here. 

This postcard was sent to Alice Drayton, of Jumbuk in Gippsland. I have written about the family, here.

St Kilda Pier

St Kilda has always been a prime tourist location, so it is not surprising that there would be at least two postcards of the town. This one is on the Pier, and the one below of the St Kilda beach.

The text on the back of this postcard, which was sent in an envelope (or perhaps hand delivered), as it it does not have a stamp or postmark reads -

To Amy, Wishing you a merry Christmas, from. That's all it says, does not list the sender.

St Kilda Beach

St Kilda Beach.

The text on the back of this postcard, which was sent in an envelope, as it it does not have a stamp or postmark reads -

Miss Bell Cranstoun

Dear Bell, just a card, hoping you are well and happy, also Mrs Goulden. I haven't heard from Dad since, I will write to you as soon as I hear from him. Willie's cold is a lot  better and the rest are all well, all the neighbours wish to be remembered to you. I have not heard from Mrs Willis recently, no one has been about to see the house lately. Now I must close with love and kisses from all. Kind regards to  Mr and Mrs Goulden, from Mother.

The writing appears to be in biro and I feel was written much later than after the postcard was originally produced. The 1937 and 1943 Electoral Rolls have a Bell Cranstoun, a bank clerk, living at 33 Cromwell Road, South Yarra with a Margaret, a secretary and  a Jessie, home duties. Bell was born in 1916 and Margaret in 1909 to George Elliott and Jessie (nee Haig) Cranstoun. In 1949 Bell was in the Electoral Roll at  Red Cross Cottage, Lambell Terrace, Darwin, her occupation was a Secretary, so the card was possibly written to her in Darwin.  

Other children of George Elliott Cranstoun and Jessie Haig were - James Haig (1907-1922), unnamed son (1910-1910), Robert Stirling (1911-1922), Colin Campbell (1914-1922). Tragedy struck the family on August 14, 1922 when the father, who was a doctor, poisoned his entire family with morphine, having told them he was testing out a new influenza vaccination. He died, along with the three boys and Gladys Bayliss  who was living in the house. Mrs Cranstoun and Margaret and Bell survived. Read the accounts of the Inquest here and here. I did not expect that this pretty postcard would uncover such a tragic story. 

Jessie Cranstoun died at Cromwell Road, April 9, 1955, aged 71. Her death notice listed a brother, William, possibly the Willie referred to in the postcard. The reference to Dad is possibly referring to her father. Her daughter Margaret died 1972, aged 63, she had never married. Jessie is buried at the Brighton Cemetery with her three sons and her husband. Margaret was cremated at Springvale. Bell is listed as Mrs D. L. Meek in her mother's death notice. Her husband was Douglas Louis Meek, he died February 1974 and Bell died October 1, 1982 both in Queensland. (2).

River Yarra near Melbourne

This is Alexandra Avenue, with the Morrell Bridge (also known as the Botanical Bridge) on the left. 

Alexandra Avenue was officially opened in 1901. It was designed by Carlo Catani. The Morrell Bridge design was also conceived by Carlo Catani. My colleague, Isaac Hermann and I have written about the life and works of Carlo Catani in our Victorian Collections story, Carlo Catani: an engineering star over Victoria here.  

This postcard has not been used.

River Yarra

Another view of Alexandra Avenue and the Yarra River.

This postcard has not been used.

Alexandra Avenue, Melbourne

The Alexandra Gardens were also designed by Carlo Catani and opened in 1904. 

The Federation Star Bed is a feature of the Gardens, I have written about it, here. 

The text on the back of this postcard, which was sent in an envelope, as it it does not have a stamp or postmark reads -

Addressed to - Miss McGrath, 310 Macquarie St, Hobart, Tasmania.

Newmarket, May 3.  Dear Alice, I received your pretty P.C. I was sorry to hear father had been ill. I hope he is better before this. I see by the papers it is very cold over there now. Love from [illegible, looks like F. Fruher] There is an Alice McGrath (junior) a typiste in the 1919 Electoral at 412 Macquarie Street, listed with an Amy and an Alice and a John Joseph McGrath, I presume her sister and parents. This may be the Alice to whom the postcard was addressed.

Gardens near Princes Bridge, Melbourne

Alexandra Gardens. You can read about Carlo Catani's role in creating the Gardens in our previously mentioned Collections Victoria story, here.

The text on the back of this postcard, which was sent in an envelope, as it it does not have a stamp or postmark reads -

King Street, Dandenong November 18, 1920. Up Saturday evening. W.G.C. I have checked the Electoral Rolls, but cannot find a person with those initials in King Street.

Princes Bridge, Melbourne

Princes Bridge, Melbourne.

Carlo Catani also had a role in the construction of the Princes Bridge, which was officially opened on October 4, 1888. I have written about this here. 

This postcard has not been used.

Exhibition Buildings, Melbourne

The Exhibition Buildings, Melbourne.

The Royal Exhibition Building was constructed in 1879-1880 to house the 

International Exhibition of 1880.

The Victorian Heritage Database citation for the Exhibition Buildings is here. 

This postcard has not been used.

Footnotes

(1) My edition of Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable was published by Cassell in 1967 and is the 10th edition. 

(2) Information from the Victorian and Queensland Indexes to the Births, Deaths and Marriages, the Electoral rolls and Mrs Cranstoun's death notice in The Argus, April 11, 1955, see here.

McArthur Drinking Fountain, South Melbourne

Postcard of the McArthur drinking fountain in La Trobe Reserve or 

Park Street Reserve as it is called here.

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

Cr McArthur presenting the fountain to the Citizens of South Melbourne

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

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

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

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

The McArthur drinking fountain. 

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

Image: Isaac Hermann.

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

The inscription on the McArthur drinking fountain

Image: Isaac Hermann

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

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

Image: Isaac Hermann.

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

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

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

McArthur Drinking Fountain.

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

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

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

The back of the McArthur drinking fountain postcard.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Acknowledgment

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

Trove list

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

Footnotes

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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