Lyndhurst - a short history

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

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

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

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

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

around Western Port. Click on image to enlarge.

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

published by the Shire of Cranbourne in 1968.

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

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

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

Casey Cardinia Libraries collection.

Use of the name Bald Hill School for Lyndhurst school.

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

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

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

Taylor's Half-Way House Hotel

Image: Casey Cardinia Libraries

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

An advertisement for the Half-Way House, 1877.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Lyndhurst Station

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

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

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

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

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

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

Image: Casey Cardinia Libraries

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

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

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

Image: Casey Cardinia Libraries

Norquay family house taken in 1966, demolished in 2003.

Image: Casey Cardinia Libraries

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

Image: Casey Cardinia Libraries

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

Image: Casey Cardinia Libraries

Footnotes

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

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

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

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

Victorian Government Gazette, January 11, 2001  

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Robinson's Grocery Store at Pakenham

If you grew up in Pakenham or shopped at Pakenham in the 1950s to 1980s then chances are that you would have shopped at Robinson's Grocery shop or Robinson's 4 Square or Robinson's SSW -  so this is a look at the history of Robinsons in Pakenham, who took over the McAfee Brothers' business.

McAfee Brothers' Store, Main Street, Pakenham, c. 1910, later Robinsons.

Image: Not sure where this came from originally.

Stanley Clarke Robinson was born in 1891 to Edward Walton and Emma (nee Basham) Robinson. In the 1914 Electoral Rolls they are listed at Leongatha - Edward is a ‘boot dealer’, Emma, home duties and Stanley is listed as a grocer. In 1914, Stanley married Mary Ellen Knox. They had five children and sadly their two daughters died young and a son was killed in World War Two. The children were -  Errol Gordon (1916-1989);  Nancy Mary (1918-1924, aged 5); Joan (1922, died aged one day old); Jack Stanley (1924-1945) and Alan Edward (1927-2011) (1)

In 1924, the Electoral rolls show they were still at Leongatha  - he was grocer and Mary Ellen’s occupation was Home duties but in 1925 they are both listed at Main Street, Pakenham East, as it was known at the time (2).

We can fairly accurately pinpoint when they arrived in Pakenham in 1925 by a series of advertisements in the Pakenham Gazette.  

Pakenham Gazette March 27, 1925, p. 2.

In the March 27, 1925 issue we have the McAfee Bros advertisement as usual. I have written about Patrick O'Halloran, whose advertisement appears above McAfee's, here. 

Pakenham Gazette April 3, 1925, p. 2.

The next week, April 3, 1925 we have this intriguing ad – ‘Watch this space’

Pakenham Gazette April 10, 1925, p. 2.

One week later, April 10 1925, we see that S.C. Robinson has taken over McAfee Brothers and he is advertising ‘The House for Good Value’ - grocery, drapery, boots and shoes, produce and ironmongery.

 

Mr Robinson takes over from McAfee Brothers

 Pakenham Gazette April 3,  1925, p. 3.

A small article from the Pakenham Gazette of April 3 1925 confirms the purchase, even though the information about Mr Robinson being ‘late of Sunbury’ does not tally with the Electoral Rolls, however is confirmed by his obituary in the Pakenham Gazette in 1957, which is published below.

Shire of Berwick Rate Books, 1948/1949. Click on image to enlarge.

The Shire of  Berwick Rate Books (see above) show that Stanley Robinson leased a shop, grain store and house from David McAfee (or family members) from 1925 until 1949. In 1949 the properties were purchased in the names of Stanley, Mary Ellen and Errol Robinson.

The new Gift Shop

Pakenham Gazette,  June 19, 1953, p. 3

S.C. Robinson operated as a general store keeper and in June 1953 (3) he expanded to include a gift shop.   

Another advertisement for S.C. Robinson

Pakenham Gazette October 16, 1953, p. 10

In October 1953,  E.G. Robinson and A.E. Robinson advertised that they are taking over the General Store which had been conducted by their parents for the past twenty years. Stanley continued operating the Gift Shop.

Errol and Alan take over the business from their parents

Pakenham Gazette, October 30 1953, p. 10

E.G & A. E. Robinson, General Merchants

Pakenham Gazette, January 14, 1955, p. 10

Blinds at city prices at Robinsons.

Pakenham Gazette, August 9, 1957, p. 10

In the Pakenham Gazette of October 24, 1958, E.G and A.E Robinson advertise themselves for the first time as a 4 Square Grocery Shop. 

Now a 4 Square Grocery Store

Pakenham Gazette, October 24, 1958, p. 10.

In the May 15, 1968 Koo Wee Rup Sun, Robinsons announce they were becoming an SSW Store. 

Robinsons become an SSW

Koo Wee Rup Sun, May 15, 1968 p. 5.

Robinsons SSW Store, late 1970/early 1980s

Shire of Pakenham photographer

Robinsons SSW Store, late 1970/early 1980s. The two storey brown brick building, on the right,  is the Pakenham Hotel.

Shire of Pakenham photographer

Robinsons SSW Store, late 1970/early 1980s. The white building on the right is the Post Office. I have written about the Post Office, here. 

Shire of Pakenham photographer

Robinson's SSW Supermarket was later taken over by Safeways, which operated for a time in the Main Street building,  but moved to its new building behind Main Street around 1984 (4).  This was the beginning, in my mind, of Pakenham's transition from being a country town to a suburb, when people no longer did all their shopping at small, independently owned businesses in the Main Street.

Back to Stanley Robinson who started it all. Stanley died on September 19, 1957. This is his obituary from the Pakenham Gazette (5) -
With feelings of the deepest regret we record the death of Mr. Stanley Clarke Robinson, who for thirty-two years has played a leading part in the business and public life of Pakenham. Mr. Robinson who was 66 years of age, had not enjoyed good health for some months and over the past few weeks he became more seriously ill. He passed away in the early hours of yesterday morning. The heartfelt sympathy of the whole community goes out to his wife and two sons (Errol and Alan), and his sister (Mrs Williams of Kongwak) at this sad time.

Mr. Robinson was born at North Brighton and as a boy of two went with his parents to Korumburra. He spent his early life there and at Leongatha, later moving to Sunbury. In 1925, with his wife and family, he came to Pakenham, taking over the general store which is now conducted by his two sons. Apart from a short period when he was at Frankston, Mr. Robinson continued to conduct his business until a few years ago, when he retired, keeping on as an interest a gift shop on an adjoining property.

Over all these years he won for himself a reputation for integrity and straight dealing. Although his business interests allowed him little time for an active part in public affairs, he yet found time to give assistance to many organizations and he was most liberal in his patronage.

For many years he was a member of the Board of Management of Pakenham Presbyterian Church. He was also actively associated with the Masonic Lodge.

No one will ever know the full extent of the good work done by Mr. Robinson, for he delighted to give assistance in a quiet, kindly way. Pakenham is very much poorer by the death of this fine man, whom we and many others were proud to call "Friend."

A service will be held at the Pakenham Presbyterian Church at 9.15 this morning and afterwards the funeral will proceed to Springvale Crematorium, arriving there about 10.30.

There is a  Memorial stained glass window at the Uniting Church in Pakenham, commemorating Mr Robinson, dated 1960, placed there when the new Presbyterian Church was opened on October 1, 1960. His son, Errol, was the Session Clerk and Chairman of the Building Committee at the time of the construction of the new church. The Pakenham Gazette reported that the dedication ceremony was on the Saturday and the furnishings were dedicated at the service the next day. The list in the Gazette includes the window in memory of Mr S.C. Robinson and a pew in memory of Nancy Robinson. The lectern was donated by Mrs E.G. Robinson.  There is also a pew in memory of  Flight Sergeant Jack Robinson. (6)

Jack was the second of Stanley's sons to enlist to serve in World War two - Errol enlisted in the Air Force in August 1941 and was discharged in September 1945; Jack enlisted in February 1942 in the Army and then in 1943 he transferred to the Air Force. He died on January 19, 1945. He was a member of Beaufighter crew engaged in non-operational flight which crashed in a heavy snow storm in Lincoln in England. Alan enlisted in May 1945 and was discharged in January 1947. (7) 

Mrs Mary Robinson, the daughter of Robert and Mary (nee Vance) Knox  died On April 3, 1968, aged 79. She, like her husband, had her ashes interred at the Springvale Botanical Cemetery. (8)

Sadly, the day of the small owner operated grocery store is nearly over and this market segment has been taken over by the two big players, Coles and Woolworths, so there would be very few people who could these days list their occupation as 'grocer' like Stanley Robinson could.

Footnotes
(1) Electoral Rolls;  Indexes to the Victorian Births, Deaths and Marriages; Ryerson Index https://ryersonindex.org/
(2) Pakenham East vs Pakenham - I have written about this here  https://victoriaspast.blogspot.com/2021/12/identical-post-offices-pakenham-east.html
(3) First Advertisement  - Pakenham Gazette,  June 19, 1953, p. 3
(4) The 1984 date is what my sister, Karen, remembers.
(5) Pakenham Gazette, September 20, 1957, p. 1.
(6) Pakenham Gazette, October 7, 1960, pages 1 & 12.
(7) World War Two Nominal Rolls https://nominal-rolls.dva.gov.au/ww2 ; Jack's obituary Pakenham Gazette, January 26, 1945, p.1 and Dandenong Journal, January 24, 1945, see here.
(8) Death notice The Age April 4, 1968. p, 17, from Ancestry.com

This is an updated and expanded version of a post which I wrote in 2015 for my work blog, Casey Cardinia Links to our Past

St Patrick's Catholic School, Pakenham, Honour Roll

On Saturday,  April 20, 1918 the Honour Board at St Patrick's Catholic School in Pakenham was unveiled. Here are a few of the salient paragraphs from the Pakenham Gazette report - 
A very interesting and impressive function took place at St. Patrick's Catholic School, Pakenham, on Saturday afternoon last, when an Honor Board was unveiled by the Rev. Father Merner. The Board is a very handsome one, the panel being of blackwood, with a massive frame of Queensland figured oak. It hears the names of 22 old pupils of the school who have enlisted and gone on active service, five of whom have already made the supreme sacrifice......Mr James J. Ahern occupied the chair and the gathering was a very large one, representative of every section of the community, independent of class or creed. It was intended that the function should take place in the school-room, but owing to the large attendance this was found impracticable, and it took the form of an open air gathering the speeches being delivered from the verandah in front of the school-room...... Speaking of the Honor Roll, he said it bore the names of 22 old pupils of the school, and as the daily average attendance at the school for the past ten years was about 20, they would recognise that the school had put up a good record in providing recruits. The idea of having an Honor Board had, he said, originated from Miss Hunt, the school mistress. The pupils desired to make her a small presentation, but when the matter was mentioned to her, Miss Hunt asked that the money proposed to go towards a presentation to her should be devoted to the purchase of an Honor Board for the school. This kindly suggestion was adopted, and the sum in hand was supplemented by other donations. (1)

The names on the St Patrick's Honour Board

Pakenham Gazette, April 26, 1918 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article92152180

The St Patrick's Church opened in 1872 and a school opened at the same time and operated for  a short  time, but closed  following the abolition of aid to religious schools in 1872, and then reopened in  June 1888 (2).  The Advocate reported - 

The Catholics of Pakenham have of late contributed generously towards the erection of a Catholic school, which was opened on 26th inst., when the Rev. W. Quilter introduced Miss Butler, the lady teacher to the children. Although the Catholic population is widely scattered, thirty-five children were present at the opening ceremony, and, as the greater number of these children were attending the State school, very likely this establishment will be closed in a short time. (3) [The State School did not close!]

 St Patrick's Catholic Church at Pakenham, built in 1872. It would have been a familiar sight to all the men listed on this Honour Roll.

Image:  North of the Line: a pictorial record (Berwick Pakenham Historical Society, 1996)

What follows are the 22 names listed on the Honour Roll including their Service Number (SN) so you can look up their full service record at the National Archives of Australia, www.naa.gov.au

Rhoden, Norah Sister. Sister Rhoden is listed as Norah in the report but her first name was spelt as Nora on her enlistment papers. Nora enlisted in Ismaila in Egypt on March 15, 1916. She was 35 years old and served in France and England and Returned to Australia February 2, 1919.  Nora died on July 22, 1952 an her informative obituary appeared in The Age -
Miss Nora Rhoden, one of the best known members of the Australian Army Nursing Service, died on Tuesday in Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital after a long illness. Miss Rhoden, who was born at Sale, enlisted in the A.I.F. in April, 1914, serving in Egypt at No. 1 A.G.H. Heliopolis, at Atalier and Ismailia.

Transferred to France in 1916 she served at Abbeville, Doullens and Gainzacourt before returning to No. 1 A.G.H. at Rouen as senior sister. Miss Rhoden transferred to Southall Hospital, Middlesex, England, in 1917, and returned to Australia in 1919, when she was appointed night superintendent of Caulfield Military Hospital.

Her service with the A.A.N.S. included 10 years at Caulfield, 10 years as matron at the Anzac Hostel for incapacitated soldiers and a term at Stonnington during the last war. Miss Rhoden will be buried at Pakenham at 10 o'clock this morning. (4)

Nora, born in Sale in 1881, was the daughter of John William and Kate (nee Connor) Rhoden. Kate's father, David Connor had a hotel at the old Bunyip township from the mid 1850s and in 1869, John Rhoden became the proprietor. David Connor also built in 1863 the Halfway House Hotel, on the Gippsland Road, west of Abrehart Road. It was de-licensed in 1899. The building was much later moved to the Gippsland Folk Museum. I have written about these early hotels, here. Nora's father died in March 1886 at Warragul, aged 45. Kate then married Ernest Staveley in 1889, the marriage ending with his suicide in 1895. (5)  The West Gippsland Gazette had the following obituary of Kate after her death in June 1905 -
We regret to record the death yesterday morning of Mrs. Staveley, of Pakenham, mother of Mr. George Rhoden, manager for A. McLean and Co., Warragul, and of other members of the family well-known in the district. Mrs. Staveley was one of Gippsland's pioneers and for many years has been resident at Pakenham where the family are widely known and highly respected. The deceased lady is a sister of Mr. David Conner, and she built the Railway hotel, Warragul, in the early days of this town. (6)

Matron Nora E. Rhoden of Stonnington Convalescent Home, c. 1941

Argus Newspaper Collection of Photographs, State Library of Victoria image H99.201/1154

Bourke, James Harrison (SN 2781) James enlisted on November 11, 1914 - he was 28 years old and an Auctioneer. He Returned to Australia August 17, 1916 and was discharged on medical grounds on October 9, 1916 due to a 'recurrent high inguinal hernia'
Bourke, Robert Ievers (SN 1885) Robert enlisted on June 16, 1915 aged 28. He was also an Auctioneer. Robert was wounded in action in August 1916, gun shot wound to back and chest, which he recovered from and he returned to fight again and gained a promotion to Lieutenant. Robert was wounded again in May 1918 - a gun shot wound to the left leg where his tibia and fibula was fractured and was sent back to Australia in November 1918.
Robert and James were the sons of Daniel and Frances (nee Ievers) Bourke who were living in Stratford when their sons enlisted.   Daniel had previously owned 400 acres in Pakenham, Mount Bourke (7) which was part of Thomas Henty's Pakenham Park. Daniel's parents were Michael and Kitty Bourke who took up the 12,800 acre Mintons Run property in 1843 and in 1849 built the La Trobe Inn (also known as Bourke's Hotel for obvious reasons) on Toomuc Creek.

Clancy, Arthur John (SN 557) Arthur was a nearly 32 year old labourer when he enlisted on February 16, 1916. He was Wounded in Action in Belgium and died four days later on October 8, 1917. There was a short obituary for Arthur in the Pakenham Gazette -

The many friends of Mr and Mrs W. B. Clancy, of Pakenham, will learn with deep regret of the death of their son, Arthur John Clancy, which took place on the Flanders front on the 8th inst., from a gun-shot wound in the head, whilst nobly fighting in our defence and that of our Empire, in his 34th year.  "Greater honor hath no man than this." In his domestic life he was a good son and brother, high principled and unselfish, whilst socially he was greatly liked, a good footballer and tennis player, and on the cricket field his "'deadly left" was invaluable to his side and a constant menace and danger to the opposing batsmen. His loss will he greatly felt in future years on both these fields of sport. It may truly be said of him that he "played the game" equally honorably in his daily life and on the battlefield, and it must be a source of some consolation to the bereaved parents to know that he died bravely fighting our foes. Requiescat in pace. (8)

Clancy, David Edward (SN 11927) David enlisted on November 6, 1915 at the age of 21. he was a clerk. He Returned to Australia on September 25, 1919.

Arthur and David were the sons of William Bailey Clancy and his wife Elizabeth (nee Paul) of Wyuna, Pakenham.

Arthur Clancy's death notice

The Argus, October 23, 1917 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1657939

Dwyer, Thomas Kelly (SN 7243) Thomas enlisted on November 20, 1916 in Blackboy Hill in Western Australia. He was a 26 year old Hospital Attendant. Thomas was Killed in Action in Belgium on March 12, 1918.

Dwyer, William Joseph (SN 7233) William enlisted in Sydney, on January 25, 1917. He was a 25 year old Coal Lumper. He was Wounded in Action in France in May 1918 (Gun shot wound to left buttock) but recovered and rejoined his Battalion and Returned to Australia July 23, 1919.
Thomas and William were both born in Pakenham. Thomas' next of kin was his father, John Kennedy Dwyer, of Claremont in Western Australia and William's next of kin was his mother, Mary Dwyer, also of Claremont.

Tom Dwyer's death notice

The West Australian, April 11, 1918 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article27474612

Fahey, Edward Joseph (SN 1671A) Edward was 21 when he enlisted on May 4, 1915. He was born in Pakenham and was a grocer. He Returned to Australia March 28, 1919.
Fahey, James (SN 1695) James enlisted at the age of 31 on August 10, 1915. He Returned to Australia December 18, 1918. He was born in Carlton according to his enlistment paper, but the Victorian Births, Deaths and Marriage Index have him listed as being born in Pakenham. His occupation was labourer. James died in 1954 aged 65.
Fahey, Patrick (SN 2316) Patrick enlisted at the age of 24 on November 16, 1915. His occupation was a wheeler and he was born in Pakenham. Patrick Died of Wounds received in Action in Belgium on October 16, 1917.
Fahey, Thomas (SN 3289B) Thomas was born in Pakenham and enlisted, at the age of 25, on July 21, 1915 in Liverpool in New South Wales. He was Killed in Action in France on November 18, 1916.
Fahey, William Alexander (SN 377) William enlisted on January 22, 1915, he was a 26 year old labourer. He was born at Pakenham. William was awarded the Military Medal - For most conspicuous gallantry in action at Mouquet Farm on 26th August, 1916, in continuing to fire on the enemy after he had been wounded in both arms. William Returned to Australia on March 13, 1918 and was discharged ion medical grounds in July - he had Tachycardia - an abnormally rapid heart beat. William died in 1956, aged 65.
The Fahey brothers all had their mother Margaret of Carlton as their next of kin. She was listed variously as Margaret Christopherson, Margaret C Fahey or Margaret Christopherson Fahey. I think we can assume that their father John Fahey was deceased (I believe he died in 1895 aged 45 and is buried at the Pakenham Cemetery) but I cannot find a marriage of Margaret to Mr Christopherson, although I did find her death in 1927 at the age of 64 where she was listed as Margaret Christopherson. John and Margaret (nee Kelly) Fahey had six boys - there was also a John, born in 1886, so he was the second eldest. I don't have any information about him.

Fennell, James Patrick (SN 33181) James enlisted on October 25, 1916 aged 25. His occupation was a driver. James, born in Pakenham, was the son of  Michael and Elizabeth (nee Hurley) Fennell.  He Returned to Australia July 8, 1919. James died December 13, 1950, aged 59 and his death notice in The Age said he was the beloved father of Mary and the loving father of Francis, Eileen and Donald. (9)

Halloran, Timothy  (SN 3134) Tim was born in Pakenham  the son of John and Joanna Halloran of Pakenham and they were both listed as his next of kin when he enlisted on July 19, 1915 at the age of 33. He was a labourer.  Ironically, he was Killed in Action in France, exactly one year later on July 19, 1916.

Timothy Halloran

Photographer: Darge. Australian War Memorial DA12570

Obituary of Tim Halloran

Pakenham Gazette, September 21 1917 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article92152822

Hayes, John Edward (SN 2451) John enlisted on May 10, 1916 and said he was 18, born in Pakenham and an orphan - he also said his name was Robert Campbell Pattison. In reality, as he said in his Statuary Declaration of October 29, 1917, he was actually John Hayes and had been born June 24, 1899, which would have only made him 16 when he enlisted.  John was the son of Jeremiah Joseph and Ellen Mary Hayes of Pakenham.  John Returned to Australia on October 8, 1919 and he died in 1966, aged 66. 

John Hayes' statuatory declaration

National Archives of Australia www.naa.gov.au

First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1914-1920

Hogan, Albert William (SN 14434) Albert enlisted on September 23, 1916 at the age of 22. He was a motor driver. He was born in Pakenham, the son of Charles Francis Hogan and his wife Margaret (nee Fitzgerald). The family were living at 20 Lisson Grove, Hawthorn when he enlisted. Albert Returned to Australia July 5, 1919. Albert 'Bert' died in Pakenham on June 27, 1959, aged 65 and his death notice in The Age lists his only relatives as his deceased parents and his deceased brother, Harold. (10)

Kelly, John  Patrick (SN 5388)  John was born at Nar Nar Goon; his parents James and Ellen (nee O'Brien) Kelly had a property, Garryowen at Nar Nar Goon. He enlisted on March 10,  1916 at the age of 36. His next of kin was his wife, Mary Kelly, of 71 Keppel Street, Carlton and he was a  rubber worker. He died of disease in England on October 26, 1918, just eight days after his father, James Egan Kelly,  who died October 18 (11). His Roll of Honour Circular at the Australian War Memorial notes that he was a cousin of William Fahey, and thus also the other Fahey brothers. (12)  

Death notice of John Patrick Kelly

The Argus, November 19, 1918 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1406133 

Keogh, Eustace Graham (SN 14516) Eustace was an 18 year old student when he enlisted on May 18, 1916. Eustace Returned to Australia on March 22, 1919. His next of kin was his father, Dr Arthur George Keogh, who was listed in the Electoral Rolls at Pakenham in 1908 and 1909 and then at 14 Droop Street in Footscray, the same address as Eustace. We can't actually access his World War one record on the Australian National Archives website as they have been 'amalgamated with this person's later service documents.'  In World War Two he served as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Australian Army (13). Colonel Keogh died November 9, 1981, aged 82 and his death notice in The Age lists his wife Jean, daughter Barbara and Barbara's family (14).

Eustace's brother, Basil Hewlett Keogh (SN 14353) also served. Basil enlisted March 1916 at the age of 24, he was an electrician and joined the 1st Australian Wireless Squadron, He resigned from the AIF in May 1918 to take up a commission in the Indian Army.
The Footscray Advertiser published this paragraph on April 21, 1917 -
Driver Keogh, eldest son of Dr. A.G Keogh, of Droop street, is with the Australian flying corps in Mesopotania. He has invented an improvenment to aeroplanes, which is now being favorably considered by the Imperial War office (15).  This is presumably Basil. 

Keogh, Francis Leslie (SN 896). Listed as F.A. Keogh, but I believe it is Francis, who was known as Leslie (see below). Leslie was the son of  Constable Patrick Keogh and his wife Margaret (nee O'Brien). Constable Keogh was stationed at Pakenham from 1904 until 1911 (16) when he was transferred to a  Melbourne posting and they moved to 144 Cobden Street, South Melbourne, which was Leslie's address when he enlisted on July 9, 1915. He was 19 years old and a rubber worker. He Returned to Australia, January 25, 1919. Leslie died in 1968, aged 72. 

Pakenham boy - Les Keogh

Dandenong Advertiser,  June 21 1917  http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article88662421 

Mulcahy, Richard Lindley (SN 5129)   Listed as L. Mulcahy on the Honour Board, so presumably known as Lindley.  Lindley enlisted at the age of 22 on January 18, 1915 - he has various enlistment papers - one of the others say he enlisted on July 14 1915;  his mother Bridget (nee Tobin) was his next of kin on one and his father John on another - but they did have the same address 133 Charles Street, Ascot Vale. His occupation was a joiner and he was born in Nagambie. His father, John, was a policeman stationed at Pakenham. In July 1904 he was promoted to Senior Constable and  transferred to Russell Street, which created a vacancy at Pakenham which was filled by Constable Keogh (17). Lindley Returned to Australia January 31, 1919. As you can see from this excerpt (below) from the article in The Advocate about the unveiling of the Honour Roll, Mr Mulcahy of Ascot Vale had two sons who served -  Lindley, who was listed on the  roll and who had been wounded three times, and Thomas Edward Mulcahy (SN 773). Thomas died of wounds on August 14, 1915 at the age of 30, whilst fighting at Gallipoli. He died at the Alexandria 19th General Hospital - he had fractured ribs and gun shot wounds to the back and shoulder. 

Mr Mulcahy's speech at the unveiling.

The Advocate, May 4, 1918 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article152191831

Sadly, Lindley died as  a  result of being thrown from  a cart, drawn by a bolting horse on February 3, 1926, aged only 30. 

Obituary of Lindley Mulcahy

The Advocate, March 4 1926 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article171419644

Maher, Thomas Francis (SN 50190) Thomas was 18 when he enlisted on October 22, 1917. His occupation was student and the son of Stephen and Bridget (nee Ryan) Maher of Pakenham. He Returned to Australia July 23, 1919. Thomas was granted  a Soldier Settlement Farm (80 acres in the Parish of Nar Nar Goon). You can read his full Soldier Settlement Record, here.  Thomas died in 1970, aged 73. 

Ward, Arthur  (SN 20154)  Arthur Ward was two months off the age of 42 when he enlisted at Blackboy Hill in Western Australia, on November 19, 1915. He was born at Ballarat and his occupation was a miner and his next of kin was his sister in law, Ellen Hawes of Cowwarr. As his death notice, below, states he died of wounds on April 17, 1918. He had received a gun shot wound the previous day in the shoulder that penetrated the spine, fighting in France. Arthur was the son of Arthur Ward and his wife, Eliza (nee Mulcahy). Arthur died in 1874, the year little Arthur was born, leaving Eliza with three young children. She married Alexander Fraser in 1878 and in 1881 they moved to Pakenham, where she took over the Pakenham Hotel on the west side of Toomuc Creek. I have written about Eliza here. 

Arthur Ward's death notice

The Argus, May 4, 1918 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1657017

Sources -

• Early Settlers of the Casey-Cardinia District ( Narre Warren and District Family History Group, 2010)
• From Bullock Tracks to Bitumen: a brief history of the Shire of Berwick (Historical Society of Berwick Shire, 1962)
• In the Wake of the Pack Tracks - a history of the Shire of Berwick now the City of Berwick and the Shire of Pakenham (Berwick Pakenham Historical Society, 1982)
• Sacrifice and Patriotism: a World War One walk in Pakenham Cemetery (Narre Warren and District Family History Group, 2016)
• Berwick Shire Rate Books.
• Electoral Rolls on Ancestry.com
• Indexes to the Victorian Births, Deaths and Marriages and family notices in the newspapers on Trove.
• Australian War Memorial www.awm.gov.au

Footnotes
(1) Pakenham Gazette, April 26, 1918, see here; there was also a report in The Advocate, May 4, 1918, see here and The Tribune, May 2, 1918, see here. 
(2) A Parish carved from the Bush: the centenary history of the Dandenong Parish (1883-1893) (St Mary's Centenary Committee, 1983), pp 17-18.
(3) The Advocate, June 30 1888, see here.
(4) The Age, July 24, 1952, see here.
(5) Warragul Guardian, August 20, 1895, see here.
(6) West Gippland Gazette, June 6, 1905, see here.
(7) South Bourke & Mornington Journal, March 20, 1907, see here.
(8) Pakenham Gazette, October 26, 1917, see here.
(9) The Age, December 14, 1950, see here.
(10) The Age, June 29, 1959, p 12 on newspapers.com

(11) John's mother's bereavement notice  in The Advocate, July 25, 1908 lists the family property as Garryowen, see here;  Father's death notice The Herald, October 19, 1918, see here.

(12)  I couldn't identify this John Kelly until I  found an entry for him in the Narre Warren & District Family History Group's book Sacrifice and Patriotism: a World War One walk in Pakenham Cemetery. 
(13) WW2 Nominal rolls - https://nominal-rolls.dva.gov.au/ww2 

(14) The Age, November 10, 1981, p. 42 on newspapers.com
(15) Footscray Advertiser, April 21, 1917, see here.
(16) South Bourke & Mornington Journal, July 6, 1904, see here; South Bourke & Mornington Journal,  January 19, 1911, see here; 
(17) South Bourke & Mornington Journal, July 6, 1904, see here.

This is an updated and expanded version of a post I wrote in 2016 for my work blog Casey Cardinia Commemorates.

Wangaratta Water Tower collapse April 1925

On Sunday April 5, 1925 the recently erected Water Tower, in Docker Street, Wangaratta collapsed. The builders were A.A. Hargrave for the Wangaratta Waterworks Trust. There were many reports in various newspapers, all a bit different, but all essentially the same and this is what the Benalla Standard wrote - 
At 7 o'clock on Sunday night the new concrete water tower erected at Wangaratta at a cost of £3800 suddenly collapsed, and fell with a loud crash, portion falling on the verandah of Mr. L. R. M'Donald's house. The tank, which was 104 feet high, and had a capacity of 240,000 gallons in three compartments, had been erected about six months. First the floor of the top chamber gave way; then, amidst tongues of flame and smoke, caused by the fusing of electric wires, two-thirds of the structure fell. Mr. L. R. M'Donald, signalman at the railway station, was standing at his gate, 30 yards away, when he saw the tank falling. He reached the door of his house, and was knocked down by the concussion. His mother was on the verandah, and his wife and child were imprisoned in the diningroom, the doors of which were jammed. Fortunately they escaped injury. The tank, which was about three parts full, had not been taken over by the engineer from the contractor. (1)

Wangaratta water tower one week before it collapsed, March 1925.

Photographer: G. E. Roberts, Wangaratta

Museums Victoria https://collections.museumsvictoria.com.au/items/772801

The Age report noted that - The electric lighting system of one section of the town was thrown out of order. The Cathedral, where people had assembled for evening service, was in darkness. In a few minutes 1500 people were on the scene of the collapse. (2)

There were various people reported who were impacted by the collapse - there was Mr L. R. McDonald, his wife Mrs McDonald, who was in the kitchen and was treated for shock; Mr McDonald was reported to have been talking to a W. McDonald; Mr McDonald senior was said to be with the baby in the dining room and Mrs McDonald senior was reported to have been on the verandah and was thrown heavily down, but beyond shock sustained no injuries. (3) L.R. McDonald was Leslie Roy McDonald, the signalman. He was born in 1898 to William and Lily Ann (nee Churchill) McDonald at Mount Egerton. His father was also employed with the Victorian Railways and may have been the man he was talking to when the tower collapsed, which does not explain how he was also in the dining room with the baby. Leslie had enlisted in the  Army, in the Railway Unit, on May 7, 1918 at the age of 19 years and 10 months; his address was Railway Cottage, Whitehorse Road, Deepdene.  Leslie embarked at the end of August, served in England and France and Returned to Australia July 1919.  In 1922 he married Mary Ialean Kirk. Perhaps not surprising, they left Wangaratta soon after the water tower collapsed and in 1926 are listed in the Electoral Roll at Whitehorse Road, Deepdene, presumably living with his parents. Mary sadly died on May 18, 1935, aged only 36 years old, leaving behind their three children, Leslie, Ian and Joan. At the time of her death the family was living at 42 Nungerner Street, Balwyn. Leslie died in 1993, aged 95. (4)

Wangaratta Water Tower collapsed 5.4.25.

Photographer: G. Roberts Studio.

Museums Victoria https://collections.museumsvictoria.com.au/items/768014

The Age also reported -

The tank was portion of a scheme to improve the water supply of the west end of the town. Its capacity was 240,000 gallons, and the shell was 8 inches thick. The tank was divided into three equal sections by two floors. When the first floor was being put in, at 33 feet from the ground, the scaffolding gave way, and apparently weakened the wall. For several days there had been some water in the top and bottom sections of the tank, but none in the centre. It was hoped that the defects could have been remedied with the balance of the money held by the trust, but the total collapse puts a new aspect on the matter, and it remains to be settled whether the contractor will have to rebuild the tank or whether the trust will have to incur the additional expense of the whole loss. Already over £8000 has been borrowed for the improved scheme, without benefit to the ratepayers so far, although the works have been in progress for eighteen months. (5)

What went wrong? As mentioned in the previous paragraph, the wall had already been weakened.  The Age later reported -

The reinforced concrete water tank which collapsed on Sunday evening has been inspected by Mr. F. Neville, engineer of the Water Commission; Mr. J. T. Noble Anderson, engineer of Wangaratta Water Works Trust, and A. A. Hargreave, contractor for its construction. Mr. Anderson has notified the contractor that the conditions of contract require him to replace the structure. In a further report to the water works trust Mr. Anderson states that he was misinformed when he reported that there was no water in the second chamber of the tank. He ascertained that it contained 17½ feet of water, weighing 180 tons, and that the floor itself gave way. This floor also fell when under construction. Negotiations were proceeding between the engineer and contractor to have this floor strengthened by a central pillar when the tank collapsed. Mr. Anderson states that he did not know how the water came to be in the second section of the tank. (6)

The Construction and Local Government Journal: the weekly supplement to Building and the Australasian Engineer covered the story in June 1925 and were clearly not impressed with either the construction or the aesthetics of the tower -

This service reservoir was constructed in three sections with two intermediate floors, the latter being carried, without intermediate support, by the outer walls, which also sustained the pressure due to the various superimposed heads of water. By comparison with an ordinary reinforced concrete column with its essential hooping these thin 8-inch walls would appear to be rather inefficient for purposes of weight sustaining, when they have also to resist large secondary stresses. (7)

The residents of Wangaratta will at least have some consolation for the loss of their water tank, in the knowledge that their skyline will look better without it; for surely something less of an eyesore than this 106 feet length, of Brobdignagian (8) stove-pipe could have been devised to serve the same purpose. Much less architectural treatment has been provided than is commonly, given to a chimney stack. (9)

This image shows how close the fallen water tower was to the McDonald's house, and how lucky they were to escape serious injury.

The Australasian, April 11 1925 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article140772794

A month later the Construction and Local Government Journal had more to add -

This fallen monstrosity stands - or rather lies - as a warning to those who would trifle with this scientific building material. While it remains to be proved wherein the real responsibility lies, the disaster should deter others from copying this design for a storage reservoir, from structural considerations, even if not from the aesthetic. After completion, one of the floors was found to be weak. The section above was filled by mistake, and the floor giving way under the strain near one side, the falling avalanche of water burst out the wall and a total collapse of the water tower resulted. (10)

So who was to blame? There was protracted negotiations to establish liability and how everyone could move forward. It wasn't until August 1928 that the issue was resolved - 

Finality has been reached in the negotiations in connection the concrete tank which collapsed in April, 1925, the Wangaratta Waterworks Trust has settled its action as against the contractors (Messrs A.A. Hargrave and Co.) Under the settlement the contractors will bear half the loss on the collapsed water tower. The trust with the approval of the State Rivers and Water Supply Commission and its consulting engineers (Messrs B.A. and D.B. Smith), has entered into a contract with Mr. A.A. Hargrave for the construction of a new water tower at a cost of £4000. The new tower will be constructed on the old site and the work of construction will begin immediately, and will be completed within six months. When completed the tower will resemble in appearance the Wodonga water tower. It will be 100ft. high, and will be of 100,000 gallons capacity. (11)

The Water Tower, almost completed.

The Argus, March 9 1929, https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/3992195/468312

The tower was completed around March 1929, four years after it collapsed. (12)

The 1929 water tower can be seen in the centre of this photograph. The brick water tower on the left is the railway water tower, constructed in 1873, the year the railway arrived in Wangaratta. (13)

Railway Yards, Wangaratta. Photographer: Rose Stereograph Co.

State Library of Victoria image H32492/1289

Trove list - I have created a short list of articles in the collapse of water tower at Wangaratta, access it here.

Footnotes

(1) Benalla Standard, April 7, 1925, see here.

(2) The Age, April 6, 1925, see here.

(3) See my Trove list, here, for the various reports.

(4) Electoral Rolls on Ancestry.com; Indexes to the Victorian Births, Deaths and Marriages;  Leslie's Attestation papers, National Archives of Australia, see here; Mary's death notice, The Age, May 20, 1935, see here. 

(5) The Age, April 6, 1925, see here.

(6) The Age, April 11, 1925, see here.

(7) Construction and Local Government Journal, June 17, 1925, p. 7, see here.

(8) Brobdignagian - Brobdingnag was the country of  giants in Jonathan Swift's 1726 novel Gulliver's Travels - hence brobdignagian meaning colossal

(9) Construction and Local Government Journal, June 17, 1925, p. 19, see here.

(10) Construction and Local Government Journal, July 1, 1925, see here.

(11) The Argus, August 29, 1928, see here.

(12) The Argus, March 9, 1929, see here.

(13) The rail line from Benalla to Wangaratta opened October 28, 1873; Wangaratta to Wodonga opened November 21, 1873 (Harrigan, Leo J Victorian Railways to '62 (Victorian Railways, 1962), p. 285)