Technical Schools in the Shires of Berwick and Cranbourne

At first local students in this area, who wanted a Technical education, had to go to either Dandenong or Warragul. This paralled the early High School years where Dandenong High or Warragul High were the only choices in this region for higher education, until the 1950s.

Dandenong Technical School was established in 1954 with an initial enrolment of 272 boys. The first classes were held in the Scout Hall on the Princes Highway until the school was built in Cleeland Street. It was a more rural location than it is today as noted by Vision and Realisation where frequently, cattle being driven to the sale yards broke into the grounds and were rounded up by drovers and their dogs.  In 1964 the total enrolment of all students including day students, evening class students etc was 2,000. In 1974, the TAFE system (Technical and Further Education) was established and by 1973 Dandenong Technical school was a TAFE college and it is now part of Chisholm. However a new Dandenong Technical School was established in 1981 at 136 Cleeland Street as recorded in Technical Education Victoria.

Here's an interesting account from Bill Carlson about his time at Dandenong Technical School. Bill was interviewed by the Dandenong Journal in 2013 http://dandenong.starcommunity.com.au/uncategorized/2013-05-10/dandenong-tech-high-jinks-from-class-of-54/

If you lived at the eastern end (such as Bunyip) or southern end (such as Lang Lang) of the region and wanted a Technical education then you could have gone to Warragul Technical School. Warragul Technical School was established in 1956 according to Technical Education Victoria. However, Vision and Realisation says that technical classes were instituted at Warragul High in 1953 and they separated into two buildings on the same site 1959. The 1959 enrolment was 290 students from Form 1 to Form 4 and 100 other students including senior students, apprentices and evening class students. In 1969 the total school population was 919.

In July 1971, the Bunyip and Garfield Express paper reported that the Garfield Progress Association advocated for a Technical School to be built in the town as they said that everyday 100 students catch the train to either Drouin or Warragul to further their education and there were 700 children travelling to secondary schools at this end of the Shire. A Technical school was never established in Garfield but there was a report in February 1972 about Warragul Technical School going co-ed – there were 610 boys and 10 girls (all the girls specialised in art) The paper reported that the girls had settled into the school in true women’s liberation fashion and the order of the day is smart uniforms which contrasts pleasantly to the boys dress. The Technical School and the High School combined in 1994 to form the Warragul Regional College.

This is the Bunyip Railway Station in the 1970s and shows the number of students travelling by train to school, as mentioned above. The train would have taken students to Drouin High, Warragul Tech and two Catholic Schools at Warragul- Marist Brothers and Our Lady of Sion, which combined in 1975 to become Marist Sion. I put this photo on Facebook and one of the comments said that Marist Sion students were in the last carriage and the 'Tech kids' travelled in the next 2 carriages.

Image: Call of the Bunyip: History of Bunyip, Iona and Tonimbuk by Denise Nest

(Bunyip History Committee, 1990)

It is no surprise that with the establishment of the 'Big three' industries at Dandenong in the 1950s - International Harvestor, Heinz and General Motors Holden and the associated businesses established in the area to supply parts, services and transport to these industries and thus the huge increase in population in Doveton, Hallam and Cranbourne North that the other Technical Schools in this region were centred at the western end. 

The earliest of these was Doveton Technical School, established in 1963. Initially housed at Dandenong Tech it moved to it's permanent location in Box Street in 1964. Vision and Realisation reports that enrolments from 1963 to 1968 included students from Doveton, the area east of the Frankston-Dandenong Road, Narre Warren North, Beaconsfield, Pakenham East, Koo Wee Rup, Korumburra, Lang Lang and Cranbourne. Apart from the Doveton students they came by train to the Dandenong Railway Station and then caught a bus to the school. In 1967 the school began enrolling girls at Form One level. Doveton Technical School later became Doveton Secondary College and it merged with Dandenong High School in 2008.

The site of Doveton North Technical College in 1968, the year before it opened.

Image: Casey Cardinia Libraries

Doveton North Technical School opened in 1969. Vision and Realisation says that the school opened with background sounds from croaking frogs and mooing cows, a vista of green paddocks and stately pines. Initial enrolment was 37 (or 45 depending on sources). From 1974 it was called Endeavour Hills Technical School, then from 1990 Endeavour Hills Secondary College, then from 1993 Eumemmerring College Endeavour Hills campus, then in 2008 it changed back to Endeavour Hills Secondary College. The school closed December 2012.

Doveton North Technical College in 1969.

Image: Casey Cardinia Libraries

 
The last Technical School to open in the region was Cranbourne Meadows in 1981, this was a co-ed school however Technical Education Victoria, published in 1981, said that in 1983 the predicted enrolment would be 450 students, of which 100 would be girls, so clearly technical school education was still seen as something more boys than girls were interested in. The 1987 enrolment was 844. The school became Lyndhurst Secondary College, sometime in the 1990s.

For a history of High Schools in the region see -

Local High Schools on or connected to the Koo Wee Rup Swamp  https://kooweerupswamphistory.blogspot.com/2019/04/local-high-schools.html and 

Dandenong High School https://victoriaspast.blogspot.com/2024/02/dandenong-high-school.html

Sources - 

• Technical Education Victoria 1983, published by TAFE Publications Unit, 1982.
• Blake, L. J (editor) Vision and Realisation: a centenary history of State Education in Victoria, (Education Department of Victoria, 1973), vol. 3.

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

Dandenong High School

When Dandenong High School opened in 1919, it was the only secondary school between that town and Warragul, where the High School had opened in 1912. Because of this the early students at Dandenong came from a wide geographical area including Berwick, Pakenham, Garfield, Bunyip, Hallam, Lyndhurst, Cranbourne, Koo Wee Rup, Carnegie and Murrumbeena.

A clutch of new High Schools were opened from the 1950s to the 1970s - Springvale High in 1954, which by 1962 had over 1,000 students;  Dandenong Girls High School in 1957; Doveton High in 1960, where over half of the students came from the surrounding area of Hallam, Narre Warren, Berwick, Beaconsfield, Clyde and Cranbourne; Pakenham High in 1967, Hallam High opened in 1971, Cranbourne High in 1976 and Berwick High on February 1 1977, with 110 students.  Koo Wee Rup High had started in 1957, even though it was Higher Elementary School from 1953.

The Dandenong High School (DHS) was opened on March 10th, 1919. This was later than the usual School opening date due to the outbreak of pneumonic influenza that was prevalent at the end of the First World War. DHS is one of the earliest High Schools in the State. In 1919 the other State High Schools were Melbourne, University, Geelong, Castlemaine, Colac, Mansfield, Warragul, Leongatha, Kyneton, Maryborough, Stawell, Horsham, Bairnsdale, Echuca, Mildura, Ararat, St Arnaud, Essendon, Williamstown, Coburg, Benalla, Hamilton and Kerang.

Dandenong High School, maybe 1940s

Public Records Office of Victoria VPRS 10516/P0001, Dandenong High School

When the School opened it was in temporary premises with the junior students housed at the Old Fire Station and the senior students at the Temperance Hall and Church of Christ. There were 104 students. The foundation stone of the permanent building was laid on November 21st, 1919 and the School was officially opened in late 1920. In 1920 the DHS enrolment was 150.  

The First Head Master of DHS was Mr Percival C W Langford. Mr Langford served in the 4th Light Horse Regiment and saw action in France and the Sinai-Palestine campaign. He was invalided out of the Army in September 1916 suffering from Enteric fever (typhoid).He then undertook recruitment work for the Army. Mr Langford served at the School until 1934 when he transferred to Mildura, then to Frankston in 1937 where he worked until his retirement in 1948.

The colours of the school are those of Mr Langford’s Regiment, the 4th Light Horse, and are red and two shades of blue. The School Crest (shown above) was designed by the Art Mistress, Miss D.McKinnon. The motto of the School is Faber, Quisque, Fortunae “Every man is the architect of his own destiny”. In 1920 there were six Houses – Bluegum, Clematis, Orchid, Wattle, Boronia and Waratah though this was soon reduced to four with the loss of Boronia and Waratah. The names and colours of the houses were chosen by Miss Dora Taylor, the senior Mistress.

Dandenong High School, maybe 1940s

Public Records Office of Victoria VPRS 10516/P0001, Dandenong High School

According to existing school Records the following students are the original 104 students of Dandenong High School. The 55 boys are listed first, followed by the 49 girls.

George ALEXANDER, John ARNOLD, Leopold BAILEY, Charles BLAIN, Theodor BOWMAN, John BRAKEWELL, Colin BREWIS, Charles BUCKLEY, Hugh BUNTINE, Wilfred CARLISLE, Norman CASBOLT, Henry COOPER, Clive FIGGINS, Roy FINK, James GARDNER, Claude GILCHRIST, Leonard GODFREY, John GROGAN, Darrell HARVEY, Robert HAYES, Robert JONES, Arnold KEYS, Charles MCCORD, David MCCORD, Alexander MCINNES, William MCKINNON, Charles MCPHERSON, Austin MEHRENS, Eric MEEKING, Terres MIDDLETON, John ORDISH, Arthur RALSTON, Fred RANDALL, Hector RANDALL, Donald ROBERSON, John ROBERTSON, William ROWLANDS, William RYAN, Norman SCOTT, Frederick SEARLE, Allan SHANNON, John SHARKIE, Arthur SPETTS, John STAUGHTON, Edward STRACHAN, Edward STUTTERD, Marcus SWANN, Earl TATHAM, John TAYLOR, Frank THARLE, Harvey THARLE, Percy THRELFALL, Norman TRASK, Edgar VIAL, Edward WALKER, George WEETMAN, Mervyn WILLIAMS.

Jean ABBOTT, Gertrude ALLCHIN, Isobel ALLEN, Jessie BOWMAN, Eva BUCKLEY, Evelyn BULLIVANT, Jean BUNTINE, Gladys BURNS, Margaret CAMPBELL, Maude CARLISLE, Ellen CORRIGAN, Maura CROWE, Mernda CURRIE, Lorraine DAY, Marie FACEY, Gladys GILBERTSON, Helene GILL, Nellie GORMAN, Elsie GRANT, Ruby HARRIS, Norah HILL, Jane MCCORD, Jean MCNABB, Jessie MITCHELL, Kath MORPHEY, Elsie MURRAY, Ellwyn NIELSEN, Mabel ORGILL, Lola PEARSON, Sadie PEARSON, Mary QUIGLEY, Chrissie RAVEN, Ethel RAYNER, Maud REEVE, Mabel RICHARDS, Doreen SHARKIE, Olive SHARP, Lillian SIMS, Madge SLATER, Edith SNELL, Norah STRANGE, Tasma STATTERD, Ena THARLE, Louisa THARLE, Mary THOMAS, Dorothy TRASK, Marion WALKER, Dorothy WANGMAN, Gladys WANGMAN, Eva WINN, Frances WOOLARD.

Dandenong High School students, 1930

Weekly Times July 12, 1930  http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article223324051

In 2007 Dandenong High School merged with  Doveton Secondary College and Cleeland Secondary College. 

I have written about other local High Schools here - 

Local High Schools on or connected to the Koo Wee Rup Swamp  https://kooweerupswamphistory.blogspot.com/2019/04/local-high-schools.html 

and local Technical Schools here - Technical Schools in the Shires of Berwick and Cranbourne  https://victoriaspast.blogspot.com/2024/02/technical-schools-in-shires-of-berwick.html

Sources : 

• Mitchell, K. B A history of the Dandenong High School, 1919-1968.  Published by the School in 1968.
• Blake, L. J (editor) Vision and Realisation: a centenary history of State Education in Victoria,  (Education Department of Victoria, 1973), vol. 3.

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

Richard Grice (1858-1911) of Eirruc, Berwick

I came across the following from the book Early Days of Berwick (1) about Richard Grice and a plaque which was installed in his honour in High Street, Berwick. Before we look at the plaque, which actually wasn't installed until 1917, we will look at Richard's life. 

Reference to the Grice plaque in Early Days of Berwick (1)

Richard Grice was born in 1858 in Collingwood to Richard and Ann Grice.  Richard Grice senior (1813-1882), had arrived in Victoria in 1839, being amply supplied with funds by his family (2). He and his business partner, Benjamin Heape, set up in business together. Grice was soon a leading pastoralist and his land holdings included the Mount Alexander run near Castlemaine. On August 21, 1844 he married Ann Lavinia Hibberson (1822-1905) and they eventually settled in Melbourne. Heape returned to England and Grice set up partnership with Theodotus Sumner. Later, Sumner’s daughter Annie married Grice’s son James and the firm became known as Grice, Sumner and Co. (3) As a matter of interest, Alice Sumner, another daughter of Theodotus, married Charles Snodgrass Ryan and they became the parents of Maie, whose husband Lord Casey was the Governor General of Australia from 1865 - 1969, and the namesake of the City of Casey. (4) The firm Grice, Sumner and Co was one of the oldest mercantile houses in Australia and held large tracts of land in Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia and Queensland. Grice senior, died in Fitzroy in 1882 and left a substantial estate valued at £320,000. (5).

Richard senior and  his Ann had twelve children, but there were only seven living when he passed away on November 4, 1882. One son, John, was given a Knighthood and was Vice Chancellor of Melbourne University and had substantial business interests. Another brother, James, was a foundation member of the Victorian Amateur Turf Club and Chairman on a number of occasions. (6). Ann died November 17, 1905 at the age of 83. (7)

This brings us to Richard Junior.  Richard married Louisa Jane 'Lula' Currie (1858-1908) on September 16, 1884 at St George's Presbyterian Church, East St Kilda.  Louisa was the daughter of John Lang Currie. Currie and his wife Louise (nee Johnston). He was described as a pioneer squatter, had arrived in Victoria in 1841 and by the mid 1890s he owned 80,000 freehold acres in Victoria's Western District, plus land in other states. When he died on March 11, 1898 he left an Estate valued at over £500,000. In his will he left his daughter, Louisa Grice, £30,000 of which she had already received £7,000. (8)

Richard purchased 710 acres in the Shire of Cranbourne in 1884/1885 and in 1887 he purchased 234 acres in the Shire of Berwick. (9) It was on the Cranbourne property that they built the wonderful house, Eirruc most likely in 1887 or 1888 (10)  Eirruc  is Currie spelt backwards, perhaps indicating that some of Louisa’s family money paid for the Estate. Eirruc (now called Eyrecourt) is always referred to as being in Berwick, but technically it was in Cranbourne and in modern times the address is 211 Grices Road, Clyde North. 

Eirruc (later Eyrecourt) by Charlie Hammond

State Library of Victoria  http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/149421

Image has been cropped. This illustration is from the Sketchbook of Charlie Hammond, held at the State Library of Victoria. The sketchbook contains both photographs and illustrations of various houses in Victoria. The book has been digitised by the State Library of Victoria and can be seen here. 

On April 17, 1909 Richard Grice held a sub-divisional sale of the Eirruc property, including the homestead. (11) Grice did retain some Berwick property and he was living in the town when he died on September 6, 1911.  His Probate papers at the Public Records Office of Victoria lists all his assets and, amongst other property, Grice had 66 acres in the Shire of Cranbourne; a weatherboard house, Wonalta, described as seven rooms, plus kitchen, bathroom, scullery and outbuildings on three acres in Berwick; a block of land on Station Street (Gloucester Avenue) and another block on Elgin Street in Berwick. (12) 

Subsequent owners of Eirric, include Humphrey Weinholt, then Richard Edols, who sold in November 1913 to Alexander Buchanan Pearson. Mr Pearson renamed the property Hilton. Around January 1920,  Pearson sold to Kevin Kinsella, who renamed the property Eyrecourt.  He was there for  a short time selling to Mrs Burnside in 1923, and she sold to Lionel Grimwade in June 1924 and  he was still in 1928, but that's where we will leave the owners. (13)

Advertisement for the  sub-divisional plan of Eirruc. 

The Argus, November 12 1909 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/10698543 

Lounge Hall, Eirruc, Berwick, in 1910.

Punch October 13, 1910 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article175607444

Richard's informative obituary has other details of his life - 

The friends of Mr Richard Grice, of Berwick, will regret to hear of his death from heart failure, at a private hospital in the city on September 6. Mr Grice, who was the son of the late Mr Richard Grice, was born in the old family mansion in Victoria Parade, which is now occupied by the Turn Verein Club. He was interested in the Retreat, a large squatting station on the Thompson river, but lived most of  his time at "Eirruc," a small estate near Berwick. When Mrs Grice died two years ago he bought a smaller place close by the township. Mr Grice was a member of the committee of the V.R.C. for some years. He owned Hova, which ran second in a race for the Melbourne Cup. He was very fond of hunting, and on several occasions acted as deputy master for the Melbourne Hounds. He leaves a son and two daughters. (14)  

Mr Grice was also a Mornington Farmers Society. He was a Shire of Cranbourne Councillor from 1894 until 1903 and Shire President 1898-99 (15) 

As mentioned in his obituary, Richard and Louise had three children - John, Henrietta  and Annie. 
John Alan Grice was born on August 10, 1885 at South Yarra and he died on May 25, 1932 at his property in Corowa. This is his obituary- 

The death occurred in tragic circumstances on Wednesday last of Mr. John Alan Grice, aged 47, who for the past ten years, had been a resident of the Lowesdale district, having occupied the property there known as "Pine Lodge." Last week Mr. Grice was an inmate of St. Margaret's Private Hospital suffering from pleurisy, but he left that institution, and returned to his home at the week-end. He attended the Corowa races on Saturday and was in Corowa on Tuesday, returning to his home on Tuesday afternoon, when he retired. At about 8.30 on Wednesday morning, however, his manager, Mr. Lumby, on entering his room, found deceased lying in his bed, and attempting to arouse him, discovered that life was extinct. The funeral took place yesterday.  (16). 

Henrietta May Grice was born at Valetta, Toorak, on August 25, 1889.  From 1912 to 1914 she was listed in the Electoral Rolls at Mount Elephant at Derinallum. Her grandfather, John Lang Currie, owned Larra at the foot of Mount Elephant and when he died in 1898 it was taken over by his son, John Lang Currie junior, so I assume she was living with her Uncle and cousins.   She married in England in April 1915 - this is the report from Table Talk - 

The marriage of Miss May Grice, elder of the two daughters of the late Mr. and Mrs. Richard Grice, to Mr. Auburn Wilson, a nephew of the late Sir Samuel Wilson, took place in London last month. It was a a sudden affair, as the bridegroom, who had enlisted, was about to leave England for the front. Mr. Wilson was out here on a visit about two years ago. Miss Grice, with her sister, has been residing in Knightsbridge, London, for a time under the chaperonage of Miss Mary Chomley.  The couple had two daughters, Vivian and Yvonne and sadly it was not a happy marriage and the couple divorced in May 1921. Even sadder still Henrietta died on February 28, 1922 in England, The grandfather of the two girls, Harold Charles Wilson, was assigned their guardian as their father had renounced guardianship.  (17)  

Annie Elinor Julia was born May 2, 1894 at Eirruc. She married Lieutenant Percy Robert Murdoch Collins in London on May 11, 1915. Sadly, he was killed in action near Ypres in France on June 25, 1917 and Annie died on December 8, 1918 in London. Percy was the son of Henry and Isabella Collins of Frankston (18). This is from her obituary - 

Sir John Grice has had a cable from Blighty, telling of the sudden death of his widowed niece, Mrs. Collins, who succumbed to an attack of pneumonic influenza, early this week, just a year after the death of her husband, Captain Collins, a son of Mr. Henry Collins, one-time manager of Reuters in this city. She leaves a tiny daughter. Mrs. Collins, who was the younger daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Richard Grice - the latter was one of the Western District Currie clan - went to England with her sister, May, a year before the War started, and stayed there under the chaperonage of Miss Mary Chomley. During the first year of the War, both sisters were married - one to Mr. Wilson and the other to Lieut. Collins. Both sisters were extremely pretty girls, popular with all who knew them. The deepest sympathy is felt for the former in the loss of her only sister. (19)

In October 1925 a stained glass window in St Paul’s Anglican Church in Frankston was dedicated to the memory of Percy and Annie. - 

At St. Paul's Church, Frankston, on Sunday morning last, the Ven. Archdeacon Aicken, in the presence of a very large congregation, unveiled and dedicated a mosaic tablet to the memory of Mr. H. M. Collins late wife, also a stained glass window in memory of Mr. Collins' soldier son, Major Percy Collins, D.S.O., who fell in the Great War, and Mrs. Percy Collins, who was a daughter of the

late Mr. Richard Grice. The window was by Brookes, Robinson & Co., and illustrated the Marys at the Tomb. (20)

Richard and Louise (who died December 30, 1908,  at the age of 50) are buried at the Berwick Cemetery (21). Now, as we said at the start of this post there was another memorial to Richard Grice, the tablet in High Street, erected in 1912, by the Berwick Town Improvement Association. (22) As we can see by the article below, it was decided at a meeting in June 1912 to erect the plaque but I haven’t been able to find the exact date the plaque was placed in High Street - or that is what I wrote when I researched the first version of this story in 2014.

The Grice Memorial plaque

Berwick Shire News, June 19 1912. p. 2. 

I have now discovered that the plaque was not actually installed until 1917 - this is from the Pakenham Gazette of  September 28, 1917 -

A marble tablet to the memory of the late Mr Richard Grice has been placed in the boulevard opposite the post office. This tablet was obtained about 3 or 4 years ago by the then existing Town Improvement Society but was not erected. (23)  It was installed by Mr Miller, who has been engaged for the project in 1912, under the auspices of the Berwick Town Improvement Association. (24)

The plaque is no longer there, it was removed when the public toilet was built in High Street. At the time I wrote the original version of this post, 2014, one of the long term City of Casey officers, Ron Chidgey, made a few enquires for me and found that the plaque was stored safely at a Council depot. He sent me a photograph of it, see below. 

The Grice plaque at the City of Casey depot in 2014

Eirruc / Eyrecourt in 1984

Eyre Court, April 26, 1984. Photographer: John T. Collins

State Library of Victoria image H2010.1/206

Trove list - I have created a list of articled connected to Richard Grice and the Berwick property, access it here. 

Footnotes

(1) Early Days of Berwick and its surrounding districts, compiled by Norman E. Beaumont, James F. Curran and R.H. Hughes (3rd edition published by Rotary, 1979)., p. 31.The book was originally published in 1948.

(2) J. S. Legge, 'Grice, Richard (1813–1882)', Australian Dictionary of Biography   https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/grice-richard-3669 

(3) Ibid

(4) Diane Langmore, 'Casey, Lady Ethel Marian (Maie) (1891–1983)', Australian Dictionary of Biography https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/casey-lady-ethel-marian-maie-12296

(5) J. S. Legge, 'Grice, Richard (1813–1882)', Australian Dictionary of Biography   https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/grice-richard-3669 

(6) Judith Tyers, 'Grice, Sir John (1850–1935)', Australian Dictionary of Biography  https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/grice-sir-john-6483 ; The Australasian, December 3, 1932, see here.

(7) Obituary of Ann Grice -  The Leader, November 25, 1905, see here.

(8) Wedding announcement - The Argus, September 20, 1884, see here; J. Ann Hone, 'Currie, John Lang (1818–1898)', Australian Dictionary of Biography    https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/currie-john-lang-3304 ; J.L. Currie's will - Geelong Advertiser, July 22 1898, see here.

(9) Shire of Berwick and Shire of Cranbourne Rate Books. 

(10) In the 1886/1887 the Net Annual Value of the property was £250 and in 1887/1888 it was £350, so based on this increase, I am making the assumption that the newly built house was responsible for the increase.

(11) The Argus, November 12, 1909, see here.

(12) Death notice - Weekly Times, September 9, 1911 see here; Richard Grice Probate, Public Records Office of Victoria, see here.

(13)  Weinholt to Edols - The Argus, December 3, 1910,  see here; South Bourke & Mornington Journal, November 20, 1913, see here, had an advertisement for the sale of Richard Edol's superior household furniture, owing to the property having been sold. Alexander Pearson, his clearing sale in January 1920 advertised the property as Hilton, formerly known as Grice's property - The Argus, January 21, 1920, see here; Kinsella to Mrs Burnside The Argus, February 9, 1923, see here; Grimwade - The Herald, June 30, 1924, see here.

(14) Weekly Times, September 9, 1911 see here.

(15) Gunson, Niel The Good Country: Cranbourne Shire (F.W. Cheshire, 1968)

(16) Birth notice, The Herald, August 26, 1885,  see here; Death notice, The Argus, May 27, 1932, see here; Obituary - Corowa Free Press, May 27, 1932, see here.

(17) Birth notice, The Argus, September 2, 1889, see here;  Electoral rolls on Ancestry.com; Table Talk, May 6, 1915, see here; Details of divorce and children - Probate papers at the Public Records Office of Victoria, see here.

(18) Birth notice, The Argus, May 7, 1894, see here; Marriage notice, The Argus, June 23, 1915, see here;  Percy's death notice The Australasian, September 15, 1917, see here; The Argus, December 24, 1918, see here.

(19) The Graphic of Australia, December 26, 1918, see here.

(20) Frankston & Somerville Standard, October 23, 1925, see here.

(21) Death notice The Argus, December 31, 1908, see here. Berwick Cemetery https://bhct.net.au/

(22) Berwick Shire News, June 19 1912. p. 2. 

(23) Pakenham Gazette, September 28, 1917, see here.

(24) Pakenham Gazette, October 5, 1917, see here

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

William A. Smith Lace Factory Dandenong

Lace Street in Eumemmerring, is the only reminder of the William A. Smith (Vic) Pty Ltd Lace Factory which operated there from 1951 until the 1970s. The name of the suburb where the factory was located has changed over the years and has been known as Dandenong, Doveton and Eumemmerring (1)

The Company had a presence in Melbourne from 1931 operating in Flinders Lane (2), but this factory considerably expanded its operations in Australia. The move may have been prompted by the conditions the factory endured in England during the Second World War - 

Lace Firm Carried On Under difficulties During War. The Dandenong lace factory of William A. Smith (Vic.) Pty. Ltd., which is to commence operations near the Eumemmering Creek on the Princes Highway, is an off-shoot of an old-established Nottingham firm. In company with many other English industries the firm had its war-time troubles, but showed enterprise in over-coming them. In 1941 Mr. Smith's Nottingham factory was completely destroyed in an air raid and his house - Montroyal - at Castle Donington, became temporary headquarters of the firm. Almost every room was used for business. The garage and a shed became “factories”. Later Mr. Smith obtained premises in Long Eaton, from which lace goods are shipped all over the world. The establishment of the Dandenong factory is not to alter the status of either of the Long Eaton or Castle Donnington works where it will be “business as usual.” (3)

The first report of the establishment of the new factory in rural surroundings... just outside of Dandenong was in The Herald who reported in March 1948 that - 

First lace-producing factory in Australia will be built in Victoria this year by one of England's largest lace manufacturers.  He is Mr William A. Smith, owner of three lace factories in northern England and managing director of William A. Smith Ltd. (Nottingham), manufacturers and exporters of laces, nets, veilings and fancy lines. Mr Smith arrived in Australia last month on a tour of agencies in Australia and New Zealand. He said today that he had bought five acres of land for the factory at Dandenong. He will spend £20,000 to open the factory, which will process unbleached laces from his English factories. He explained that it would be impracticable for some years to start a factory actually manufacturing lace from raw materials, which he said would cost at least £250,000. (4).

Later reports said that the site was actually seven acres in size. It was located  on the Princes Highway, surrounded on the west and north sides by the Eumemmering Creek, at the bottom end of Power Road. At the time of the construction of the factory, Power Road was a dead-end road because its southern end is cut by a bad wash, and also by the Eumemmering creek. (5) The Berwick Shire constructed Power Road to the Princes Highway in, I believe, 1954. (6)

This is a 1963 aerial of Doveton / Eumemmerring. Click on photo to enlarge it. The tree-lined Eumemmerring Creek, snakes through from top right to bottom left and just to the right of the Creek, at the bottom, you can see Lace Street (effectively a straight continuation of Power Road) and the two factories on the western (left) side, along with the three Manager's houses. Further north, the two ovals are Robinson Reserve and L.S. Reid oval. The intersection middle top is that of Frawley Road/Paperbark Street with Power Road. Follow Power Road to the bottom of the photo and it intersects with the Princes Highway.

Image: Casey Cardinia Libraries

In December 1950 the Dandenong Journal  had the following report on the impending opening of the factory - 

The new lace factory erected by William A. Smith (Vic.) Pty. Ltd., a subsidiary of William A. Smith (Aust.) Pty. Ltd., of Flinders Lane, Melbourne, just over the Eumemmering Creek, on the Princes Highway, Dandenong, hopes to be in production early in January. Eventually a staff of from 50 to 100 will be employed finishing laces, nets, veilings, lace and linen handkerchiefs and lace and linen napery. Skilled staff from the firm’s head quarters in Nottingham (Eng.) is on the way and the firm will be seeking local labor to train to supplement this. 

For 22 years Mr. W. A. Smith, of Castle Donington (Eng.) has been exporting lace to Australia, where they have had their local headquarters in Flinders Lane. Lace will be exported from England to Dandenong, where the new factory will make it into finished lace goods. Mr. Alan Smith, managing director of the firm, will stay in Australia for two years. Mr. Smith, snr., has had a house built at Dandenong and in tends to divide his time between here and Castle Donington. Mr. John W. Pegg, works manager at Castle Donington, is coming out to take over the position of Works Manager at Dandenong, but the English works will be still carried on. Mr. Smith, snr., was for some time a member of Castle Donington Parish and Rural Councils. His Montroyal herd of Ayrshire cattle is well-known throughout England. (7)

Advertisement for staff at the Lace Factory, April 1951.

Not the way that we would advertise for staff these days.

Dandenong Journal, April 18, 1951 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/222351819

Advertisement for staff at the Lace Factory, June 1951.

Dandenong Journal, June 20, 1951 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/222353060

I don't have an exact date of the factory opening but as noted in the Dandenong Journal in June 1951 the factory was now producing. A staff of 25 is at present operating the new, modern machines with which the factory has been equipped, and more experienced machinists are needed.  (8). Two Managers houses were also built at this time and a third house erected was when the factory expanded in 1954. (9)

The employees of the lace factory in 1951.

Image: Casey Cardinia Libraries

In January 1954, the factory began expanding, as once again the Dandenong Journal reported -

That clean, neat-looking lace factory which William A. Smith (Vic.) Pty. Ltd. established in the attractive setting beside the Eumemmerring Creek, has been so successful that increased accommodation has become necessary. Work has commenced on the erection of a new factory on the creek side of the present building. This will be a separate unit, which will greatly extend the local output of this progressive local firm. (10)

In June 1954, the same paper provided an update on the progress - 

Shortly lace-manufacturing will be added to Dandenong’s achievements. In an interesting address to Dandenong Rotarians last Friday night Mr. W. A. Smith, of the Dandenong lace firm, of William A Smith (Vic.) Pty Ltd., revealed that in the new extensions being erected by the company... it is proposed to install a circular lace-making machine which will manufacture lace for table use. The machine should be installed by the end of the year. So far the factory has confined itself to making up articles from lace made by the company overseas but Mr. Smith said from his experience he knew we could make lace here as good as in any country on the Continent. They looked forward to being able to export a lot of their products. There was not another country in the world that used as much lace per person as Australia and New Zealand, he added. (11) 

Advertisement for staff, 1953.

Dandenong Journal March 4, 1953 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/215817660

We have three reports of visits to the factory - in 1953 the members of the Dandenong Country Women's Association visited -

A very pleasant and instructive afternoon was spent by members on Thursday, April 9th, when, by courtesy of Mr. Smith (of W. A. Smith Pty. Ltd.), we were shown over the Lace and Linen Factory on the Princes Highway. In this very modern and beautifully lit workroom, the girls were as “busy as bees.” We were all most impressed by the confident way the machines were handled. Squares of linen were edged with lace, then passed on to the presser, who used a cute spray to damp them. After being pressed, they were folded, then on to be boxed and tied into bundles. All kinds of napery were being made up ready to send off to all parts of Australia. We inspected the locker rooms, etc., and the canteen, where Mr. Smith acted as host whilst we had tea. Each member was presented with a handkerchief with Mr. Smith’s compliments. Mrs. Reid, our president, thanked Mr. Smith and his assistants for their kindness in showing us just what is being done in yet another industry which will help us to be proud of “Made in Australia.” (12)

In April 1959 the Australian Women's Weekly visited Dandenong and presented an interesting snapshot of the City -

Dandenong - a symbol of industrial strength.

Dandenong, gateway to Gippsland and the Latrobe Valley, is Australia's youngest city - and one of its most prosperous and virile. Since 1948 Dandenong has grown from a sleepy rural market township to a thriving industrial centre with more than 200 factories. Its resident population has swelled in this time from 6000 to nearly 30,000. Plans are being made to accommodate a population of more than 80,000 by 1970. Millions of pounds have been invested in the spectacular development of Dandenong, created a city in March this year. In the past few years more than 130 major industries have established big plants in the area. They include manufacturers of such international- repute as General Motors, Chesebrough's, Rootes, Heinz, International Harvester, and Volkswagen. (13)

The reporter visited the Lace Factory and wrote - 

Mr. W. A. Smith, who with his sons Alan and Terry transferred his lace-making and napery firm from England to Dandenong in 1947, claims that his was the city's first factory. At his 300-year-old walnut desk, brought from England. Mr. Smith sighed "for the old days at Dandenong (1947) when not a light could be seen for miles at night." "Look at the bustle now," he said. A heavy stream of traffic packed the four-lane highway in front of the factory. An estimated 20,000 people are on Dandenong's roads in morning and evening peak hours, many of them commuters from nearby towns. (14)

This picture accompanied the Australian Women's Weekly article about Dandenong and 

shows some of the Lace Factory employees.
Australian Women's Weekly, April 22, 1959 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article48077502

In 1964 the City of Dandenong  produced a booklet promoting Dandenong. It looked at demographics, education, social and cultural life and businesses including the Lace Factory. This is the text -

Happy the Bride in the Dandenong veil - 

Here comes the bride, radiant, happy and more than likely wearing a veil made at the Dandenong factory of William A. Smith (Vic.) Pty Ltd...

This firm of lace and linen manufacturers came out to Australia after World War II, after its factory in Nottinghamshire was destroyed by Nazi bombs. Although the company had a branch in Melbourne to distribute its products, it took a war to transplant the company entirely to Victoria - and Dandenong was selected.

Success breeds success, and now the firm has a SECOND factory operating on its eight-acres site, one plant concentrating on bridal wear, and the other purely on lace manufacture for ladies' handkerchiefs, napery and tablecloths.

Now the Smiths are as Australian as the gum trees. The plant at Dandenong employs more than 70 people and is growing all the time. 

It takes more than bombs to break the British spirit... (15)

The William A. Smith Lace Factory

Image: From the booklet - Dandenong produced by the City of Dandenong in 1964. You can see the full booklet here  https://victoriaspast.blogspot.com/2024/01/work-live-and-play-in-dandenong-booklet.html

Advertisement for staff, 1971.

The Age August 14, 1971, page 71, from newspapers.com

What happened to the Lace Factory? It closed in the 1970s presumably as it could no longer compete with cheaper imports. On September 28, 1977 at 3.00pm the W. A. Smith Pty. Ltd. Lace Factory site was put up for auction. Later, all the buildings were demolished. (16) The Company moved to Collingwood and operated as an importer, although they still had premises at 187 Flinders Lane in the early 1980s. (17)

The Lace Factory site for auction

The Age September 20, 1977 page 13 from newspapers.com

Acknowledgement: This is a much expanded and updated version of a post I wrote in 2013 on my work blog, Casey Cardinia Links to our Past The basis of that research was Doveton: a brief history by Maria Harding (Friends of Doveton Library, 1993).

Trove list - I have created a short list of articles on the Lace Factory on Trove, access it here.

Footnotes

(1) Dandenong was the original name for the area when the Lace Factory was established. In October 1954 the area became Doveton. On May 20, 1981 that part of Doveton became Eumemmerring. See my place names list here https://victoriaspast.blogspot.com/2022/02/place-names-and-their-meanings-from-old.html and my post on the Grassmere / Doveton name here   https://victoriaspast.blogspot.com/2022/02/grassmere-becomes-doveton.htm

(2) Establishment date in Melbourne - Dandenong Journal, February 21, 1951, see here. Location of William A. Smith in Flinders Lane: Sands and McDougall Directory for 1935, 1940 and 1945 list them at  301-311 Flinders Lane. In 1947 an advertisement lists them at 318-324 Flinders Lane and they are still at this location in the 1965 Sands and McDougall Directory. In the 1970 Sands and McDougall the firm is at 187 Flinders Lane. (see also footnote 17)

(3) Dandenong Journal, December 13, 1950, see here.

(4) The Herald, March 27, 1948, see here.

(5) Dandenong Journal, April 30, 1952, see here.

(6) Dandenong Journal, March 24, 1954, see here.

(7) Dandenong Journal, December 6, 1950, see here.

(8) Dandenong Journal, June 20, 1951, see here.

(9) Harding, Maria Doveton: a brief history (Friends of Doveton Library, 1993). p. 7

(10) Dandenong Journal, January 27, 1954, see here.

(11) Dandenong Journal, June 2, 1954, see here.

(12) Dandenong Journal, April 15, 1953, see here.

(13) Australian Women's Weekly, April 22, 1959, see here.

(14) Ibid

(15) Dandenong produced by the City of Dandenong in 1964. You can see the full booklet here  https://victoriaspast.blogspot.com/2024/01/work-live-and-play-in-dandenong-booklet.html

(16) The Age September 20, 1977 p. 13 from newspapers.com

(17) Harding, op. cit., p.7. Mrs Harding writes that they moved to Collingwood however into the 1980s they still had premises at 187 Flinders Lane (see also footnote 2)

William A. Smith advertisement, 1982

The Age, January 2, 1982 p. 46, from newspapers.com

Work, Live and Play in Dandenong booklet 1964

This booklet was produced by the City of Dandenong in 1964 extolling the virtues of  the bustling manufacturing centre that still retains the charm of its rural setting. The publication covers the history, demographics, social and cultural life, businesses and factories. It was indeed a young city with an assured future...a fine place for people to live and for youngsters to grow up in.