The Lion Statues of Berwick and Middle Park

There are a pair of Lion statues, near the War Memorial in the centre of High Street in Berwick, which had previously graced the gates of Brentwood, Berwick and Como, 181 Beaconsfield Parade, Middle Park.

Brentwood homestead, Berwick, June 22 1968. 

The recumbent lions are now in High Street, Berwick.

Photographer: John T. Collins. 

State Library of Victoria image  H2010.1/469

In July 2009 Jim Mynard wrote an article in the Pakenham Gazette about the Lions, which is transcribed here  - 

Lions with Pride by Jim Mynard
Berwick’s lions could be worth many thousands of dollars. I received a call from Mrs Janice Digby-Beste who lives in Queensland and has a close connection with and fond memories of the lions. Her family brought the pair of lions from New Zealand to take pride of place in front of their home at 181 Beaconsfield Parade, Middle Park.

Mrs Digby-Beste said her husband John’s great grandmother, Ellen Trestrail, paid £5000 to have them made in New Zealand during the 1880s. She then had them shipped to Melbourne.

She said they were carved from a New Zealand stone but wasn’t sure of which stone and said the lions were originally coloured yellow.

Berwick RSL historian Noel Sealy, who made inquiries with contacts in New Zealand, said they believed the stone would be oamaru. He said the oamaru stone was a yellow colour. We are making inquiries through Monash University about having the stone identified.

Mrs Digby-Beste said the statues were painted white after being moved to Berwick. “The lions were at our family home, 181 Beaconsfield Parade, Middle Park, until 1961. My mother and father-in-law then bought a home at Glen Iris and the lions were placed at the new house,” she said. They were the pride of the family.

Mrs Digby-Beste said her mother and father-in-law went shopping one day and a gentleman called at the house with a truck and crane when her mother-in-law’s elderly mother, Gertrude Trestrail was home alone.

“He offered her £100 for the lion statues. She had no idea of their value so took the money,” she said. She did not get a name from the man and the family had no way of recovering the statues.

The lions were later placed at the gates of Brentwood Farm on Clyde Road, Berwick by the then owner Mr Bowden, CBE, who is reported to have paid $400 for the treasures. He possibly bought them from the person who first acquired them from Mrs Trestrail.

Mrs Digby-Beste said she saw the lions at the property during a visit to her sister many years later and the next she knew of them was when they turned up at the Berwick Cenotaph.

“They are not concrete. Television personality Graham Kennedy once asked to buy them.”

“When they were at Middle Park children will come from the beach to sit on them and photographed. I still have a photo of my daughter, Elizabeth Smith, sitting on one of the statues taken when she was two,” she said.

I asked if the family expected to have the lions returned. Mrs Digby-Beste said they now had a good home and it was better to leave them in Berwick. “I think it would be nice to have a plaque made to tell of their history,” she said. (1)

The photo supplied by  Mrs Digby-Beste of her daughter sitting on a Lion 

at 181 Beaconsfield Parade.

Pakenham Gazette, July 22, 2009, p. 22

There is one small error in this article as the owner of Brentwood was Henry Wells Rowden, C.B.E., not Bowden. Brentwood had been owned since 1946 by Colonel C.M. Thomas. It was Colonel Thomas, who named the property Brentwood, it had previously been called Kippenross.  Cecil Mervyn Thomas died on July 29, 1963, but a few months earlier he had placed Brentwood, on 193 acres, up for sale to be auctioned on September 27, 1962. (2)

Auction advertisement for Brentwood, 1962

The Age, August 18, 1962, p. 7, from newspapers.com

The Pakenham Gazette reported on October 5, 1962 that the property was passed in at £72,000. It was subsequently sold at an advance of that figure to a City business man (3)  The City business man was Henry Rowden, who received his C.B.E. in 1972 for services to business, government and finance. (4).  I am not actually sure what Mr Rowden's business interests were. So it is indeed likely that it was Mr Rowden who originally purchased the Lions from man who purchased them from Mrs Trestrail, and then had them installed at the front gate of Brentwood.

Brentwood, Berwick. The double line of trees,  in the centre of the photo, are the driveway 

which goes to Clyde Road.

Labelled as: Berwick eastern side of Clyde rd bw O'Shea and  Centre pre 1988. 

City of Berwick photographer, Casey Cardinia Libraries Archive

In the mid to late 1970s the Brentwood Housing Estate commenced. Originally I thought this was on land that was part of the Brentwood land, but north of the homestead, but now I am unsure and they possibly just used the name.  The first stage of the Brentwood Housing Estate was north of Centre Road and included Bemersyde Drive, Cheviot Avenue and Greenlaw Court. This stage appeared in the 1977 Melway Street Directory, but the first land sale advertisements that I can find appeared in 1978 and 1979 (see below).

However, in March 1980 the Brentwood farm, including the homestead was auctioned, sub-divided into eight blocks which ranged in size from just less than a hectare to 44 hectares  (see advertisement below.) The land area was about 158 hectares or 390 acres, a much larger parcel of land than Brentwood had when it was sold in 1962. Did Henry Rowden still own Brentwood when it was sold in 1980? I am, once again, unsure; the 1977 and 1980  Electoral Roll list him and his wife, Mary, as living in Buderim in Queensland, but he may have had a manager on the property. (5) 

The Brentwood homestead, built around 1903, was demolished in 1998. There is a short history of the property at footnote (6). 

Brentwood Housing Estate

The Age, January 14, 1978, p. 44, from newspapers.com

Brentwood Housing Estate

The Age, November 10 1979, p. 50 from newspapers.com

The sale of the Brentwood property in 1980.

The Age, February 27, 1980, p. 25 from newspapers.com

The Lions were moved to High Street from Brentwood sometime around 1975, as they are shown in the photo below, dated June 1975.  They were originally located further from the War Memorial than they are today and they were moved closer possibly in the late 1980s. (7) You can see ten photos of  what I believe is this re-installation of the Lions, below. 

This is High Street Berwick, dated June 1975 and you can see the Lions near the War Memorial, but not as close as they are today. (8)

City of Berwick photographer, Casey Cardinia Libraries Archive

Berwick War Memorial, High Street, June 1986. 

You can see one of the Lions to the left of the Memorial; it was later moved closer to the Cenotaph.

City of Berwick photographer, Casey Cardinia Libraries Archive

Back to Mrs  Ellen Trestrail, who commissioned the statues of the Lions. Ellen died August 13, 1921, at 166 Victoria Street in North Melbourne, aged 77 years. Her death notices noted she was the daughter of Harriet Hutchinson, wife of the late John Trestrail, the adopted mother of Mrs Violet Foote, of Queensland and Albert and Gertrude Trestrail. (9)

Sadly, her will was the subject of a Supreme Court challenge and The Age provides this interesting picture of Mrs Trestrial and a summary of the case -

Blind Women's Will. Adopted Son V Companion. Mrs Trestrail's Estate.

Further evidence was given before Mr. Justice Mann yesterday in the disputed will of Elizabeth Trestrail, of Victoria-street, North Melbourne. The old lady was well known in the Albert Park and

Middle Park districts, where for some years she lived at "Como," a handsome brick villa, in Beaconsfield-parade, adjoining The Elms, and facing the sea. Although blind she was fond of artistic furniture, and her home abounded in oils and water-color pictures, fancy work cushions, and fine rugs and carpets. 

Having no children of her own, she adopted a son and a daughter. She died on 13th August, 1921, at the age of 77, leaving about £7000 worth of real estate. In a will made in March, 1921, she bequethed £2500 to the Methodist Central Mission for the erection of a gospel hall; an annuity of £2 a week to Jemima Pratt, her companion; some pictures to her adopted son, Albert John Trestrail, and the balance of her estate to the Methodist Central Mission. In a codicil executed two months later, the old lady obliterated her bequests to the Central Mission, reduced Jemima Pratt's annuity from £2 to £1 a week, and left the residue of her estate to her adopted son. The adopted (married) daughter, who was mentioned in earlier wills, dropped out of the later wills. Alleging that the codicil was not executed by the testatrix, that she was not of testamentary capacity, that she had no knowledge of the contents of the codicil, and that undue influence had been used by the adopted son and by his wife, Jemima Pratt lodged a caveat against the will. (10)

Jemina Pratt was not successful in challenge, as The Argus reported the grounds of the caveat failed and the codicil will be admitted to probate. (11)

The only photo I can find of 181 Beaconsfield Parade, the original location of the Lion statues.

Photographer: Centre for Urban Action, taken c. 1970-1974,

State Library of Victoria image CUASM 224/4-6, image 8.

This is a series of Polaroid Instant photographs which show the reinstallation of the Lions from what I believe was their original location in High Street, Berwick to positions closer to the War Memorial, in the late 1980s. The photos are not of great quality, but they are interesting from an historic point of view and for showing the logistics of the installation. 

The relocation of the Lions in High Street, Berwick, late 1980s.

City of Berwick photographer, Casey Cardinia Libraries Archive

The relocation of the Lions in High Street, Berwick, late 1980s.

City of Berwick photographer, Casey Cardinia Libraries Archive

The relocation of the Lions in High Street, Berwick, late 1980s.

City of Berwick photographer, Casey Cardinia Libraries Archive

The relocation of the Lions in High Street, Berwick, late 1980s.

City of Berwick photographer, Casey Cardinia Libraries Archive

The relocation of the Lions in High Street, Berwick, late 1980s.

City of Berwick photographer, Casey Cardinia Libraries Archive

The relocation of the Lions in High Street, Berwick, late 1980s.

City of Berwick photographer, Casey Cardinia Libraries Archive

The relocation of the Lions in High Street, Berwick, late 1980s.

City of Berwick photographer, Casey Cardinia Libraries Archive

The relocation of the Lions in High Street, Berwick, late 1980s.

City of Berwick photographer, Casey Cardinia Libraries Archive

The relocation of the Lions in High Street, Berwick, late 1980s.

City of Berwick photographer, Casey Cardinia Libraries Archive

The relocation of the Lions in High Street, Berwick, late 1980s.

City of Berwick photographer, Casey Cardinia Libraries Archive

The historic Lion statues are an interesting part of the history of Berwick and Middle Park, and a monument to Mrs Ellen Trestrail and her artistic personality.

Footnotes

(1) Pakenham Gazette, July 22, 2009, p. 22

(2) Colonel Thomas ownership and change of name to Brentwood from Heritage of the City of Berwick: Identifying and caring for important places, prepared by Context Pty Ltd, 1993, pp. 190-193. Death notice - The Age, August 1, 1963, p. 16.

(3) Pakenham Gazette, October 5, 1962, p. 11

(4) Mr Rowden's C.B.E. - https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/45679/supplement/6289/data.pdf

(5) Electoral Rolls on Ancestry.com. Henry Rowden died July 25, 1982, aged 74.

(6) Date of construction from Heritage of the City of Berwick (see Footnote 2). Date of demolition - 

The Pakenham Gazette of May 6, 1998 published a letter from Elsie Hoare of Berwick about the Davy family who lived at Kippenross, later renamed Brentwood, property in Clyde Road and the establishment of the Berwick Presbyterian Girls School in 1920. The letter is about an interesting part of Berwick's history. It is transcribed here -
I wonder if you would be interested in the following story. In recent months it must have been obvious to anyone driving along Clyde Road in Berwick that the land behind the great cypress pine trees at No. 121 is being cut up for development. Unfortunately the lovely old weatherboard home, built around the turn of the century and known as Brentwood is to be demolished and another little piece of Berwick's history will slip away unnoticed.

Tucked away at the end of its long driveway, Brentwood is not visible from the road and has largely escaped attention, although the adjacent housing estate has been called by the same name. In 1912, however, the property at 121 Clyde Road was called Kippenross - distinct from Kippenross House which is part of St Margaret's complex, and was occupied by the Davy family newly arrived from drought stricken Balranald in New South Wales.

Humphry Davy, a distant relative of Sir Humphry Davy, inventor of the miner's lamp, his wife Mercy and their nine children looked forward to the opportunities offered by Berwick's greener pastures and soon settled into their new life here. While the Davy boys, Humphry junior, Cyril and Arthur began the task of planting the many trees that still line the property and driveway today, Humphry senior set about stocking his paddocks with sheep with the intention of building up a sheep station like Glen Dee, the station the family had left behind in Baranald and which is still in operation today. As Berwick had no public hall, Humphry Davy planned to build one and had plans drawn up in readiness.

However the winter that year was one of the wettest on record and within ten short months before Humphry could put his plans info action he fell victim of pneumonia from which he did not recover. 
Left to carry on, Mercy Davy was naturally anxious to keep her young family about her and while the younger children were still being taught by the governess who had come down from Balranald with them, Mercy began plans for their secondary education.

With her boys established as borders at Brighton Grammar School it seemed logical for the two youngest girls Myrtle and Cynthia, to follow their oldest sister (also named Mercy and later to become Mrs Charles Greaves) to board at Presbyterian Ladies College, then in East Melbourne. However Mrs Davy was reluctant to send any more of her girls away. It was time Berwick had a college for young ladies, and a branch of PLC would be very suitable. With this object in mind Mercy Davy canvassed other mothers in the area to discuss the idea and in due course a founding committee was formed with Mrs Davy one of the six mothers.

As a result of their efforts, in 1920 the Berwick Branch of the Presbyterian Ladies College, named Presbyterian Girls School, was opened, on the site where St Margaret's now stands. Mrs Myrtle Martyn (nee Davy) second youngest of the Davy girls and now 95 years old, is still living in Berwick and remembers well being one of the first 'day girls' to attend one of Berwick's brand new girls schools. Although no formal recognition has ever been made of the Davy name, Mrs Martyn is justly proud of her mother's part in the school's beginning.

Mrs Martyn is saddened to know that her childhood home must yield to the demands of progress. In its grander days Kippenross/Brentwood supported servant's quarters and a workmen's dining room as well as the usual quota of stables and out buildings. The interior of the house, with its timber panelling and marble fireplaces with carved overmantles was a fine example of its type and it is ironic to note that while the genuine article is being demolished, the federation style has never been more popular, with copies in various sizes popping up wherever new estates are being established.

(7) Date of relocation of the Lions closer to the War Memorial - I have really just guessed it was the late 1980s. As the June 1986 photo of the War Memorial shows, they had not been relocated then. 

(8)  I had posted this photo on the Casey Cardinia Heritage Facebook page, and had looked at it many times, but had not noticed the Lions before until Paul Poulton pointed them out to me in a comment he left. 

(9) There were five death notices for Mrs Trestrail in The Age, August 16, 1921, see here.

(10) The Age, August 18, 1922, see here.

(11) The Argus, August 23, 1922, see here.

Acknowledgement - This is an updated and expanded version of a post, which I wrote and researched in 2015, that originally appeared on my work blog, Casey Cardinia Links to our Past.

William Lees McClure and his tragic death

On October 22, 1917, 25 year-old William went to his work as a bank clerk at the Bank of London branch at Koo Wee Rup. He had only been appointed to the branch a few weeks earlier. That morning,  the Bank's loaded revolver was on the counter, wrapped in a cloth and William removed it from the counter and placed it on a stool so he could dust the counter before the Bank opened. When opening the cash drawer he accidently knocked the gun off the stool, it hit the ground and exploded, and a bullet entered his groin. He was taken to Nurse Campbell's Private Hospital in Dandenong, operated on, however the wound became septic and he died fifteen days later, on November the 6th. (1)

Evidence was given at the Inquest by Clarence Adeney, the Bank manager, who said it was usual for me to place the automatic pistol in the counter, there was also another revolver for the use of the bank officials. William's father, also called William, who had spoken to his son in hospital, said in his evidence that his son did not like the automatic revolver, and had not seen [it] for three weeks prior to that morning.  William's father also noted in his evidence - My son left my home at Springvale at 6.45am in good health and spirits, and he had no financial or other troubles. The Inquest determined the incident was an accident. (2)

The local newspapers reflected the sadness that William's death caused in the Springvale and Heatherton communities - A gloom has been cast over the district owing to the death of Mr Wm McClure, who was accidentally shot at Kooweerup Mr McClure was well known and highly respected throughout the district (3) and Genuine expressions of regret were heard on all sides, when it became known that Mr W. L. McClure, son of Mr W. McClure, secretary of the  progress association, had met with an untimely death. (4)

I found out about William when I was researching the history of the Bank of London at Koo Wee Rup (5), and thought he deserved to be recognised and remembered as his death was senseless and preventable if only there had been better procedures in place at the Bank.

William, born April 22, 1892, was the son of William Lees McClure and his wife Catherine (nee Hallinan) of Clericote, Tootal Road, Springvale. They had married at St Patrick’s Cathedral on February 18, 1890, when they were both 22 years old. William, a labourer, had been born in England and his father (also called William) had his occupation as ‘Gentleman’. Catherine, was a dressmaker, the eldest of six daughters born to Thomas and Margaret (nee Condon) Hallinan, between 1865 and 1878, whose births were registered at Mordialloc or Cheltenham. (6)

The Hallinans were farmers, who had selected land at Heatherton in September 1872 (7).  Thomas' Probate papers tell us their address was Boundary Road, Heatherton and they owned 8½ acres, part of Allotment 3, Section 15 and 11½ acres part of Allotment 3, Section 14 - both in the Parish of Mordialloc. (8)

Thomas Hallinan's property, as listed in his Probate papers. Thomas was William's grandfather. 

Public Records Office of Victoria VPRS 28/P0002, 68/957 

 https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/A166631D-F1E4-11E9-AE98-91A36ACDFA06?image=1

Thomas, who died March 7, 1898 and Margaret, who died October 24, 1908, are buried in the Roman Catholic section at the Cheltenham Pioneer Cemetery. (9)

Death notice of Thomas Hallinan, William's grandfather.

The Leader, March 12, 1898 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article197303732

Short obituary of Margaret Hallinan, William's grandmother.

Brighton Southern Cross, October 31, 1908 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article164346824

Sadly for the Hallinan family, James Hallinan, the brother of Thomas, passed away just a few weeks after his sister-in-law Margaret on November 9, 1908. He had an informative obituary in the Brighton Southern Cross newspaper, which gives some background to the Hallinan family.

Heatherton lost one of its best known residents on Monday last, when Mr. J. Hallinan, senr., passed away at his residence, Centre Dandenong-road. The deceased gentleman was born in County Tipperary, Ireland, in 1830, and arrived in Australia in the ship James Bain in 1853, and was married in Victoria, settling first at East Brighton, and coming to Heatherton in 1856. During his long residence in the district, he had seen many changes, and was noted for his knowledge of the locality, being ever ready to assist anyone with the information that he possessed. Until a few months ago, Mr. Hallinan was in the enjoyment of excellent health, but he was suddenly taken ill, and it was found that his heart was  affected. In spite of the attention that be receded, he grew slowly worse. Much sympathy is felt for the bereaved family in their time of trouble, as it is only a few weeks since Mrs. Hallinan, of Boundary road, died, and the shock caused by her loss has left Mrs. Hallinan, of Centre Dandenong-road, in such a condition as to cause her family to feel the greatest anxiety about her health. The funeral, which was largely attended, took place on Wednesday, and proceeded to the Cheltenham Cemetery, where the service was conducted by the Rev. Father Quinn. (10)

Johanna Hallinan (nee Mackey), James' widow, passed away, less than a year later, on August 4, 1909 at the age of 71 and she is buried with her husband in the Roman Catholic section at the Cheltenham Pioneer Cemetery. (11)

Back to William and Catherine McClure. William and Catherine had three children - Margaret Flora 'Florrie' (birth registered at Cheltenham in 1890); William Lees (Cheltenham, 1892) and Thomas Hallinan, (Dandenong, 1894).  (12) 

Gillian Hibbins in her book A history of the City of Springvale notes that William had been leasing Andrew Clarke’s old estate from its new owner, John Catto, since 1895. In 1905 the 1,298 acres, or McClure’s paddock, as the sandy land between Springvale Road, Heatherton Road, Tootals road and Old (Centre) Dandenong Road, was known, had been subdivided and sold as the Spring Vale South Estate and McClure had bought the house he lived in and another 21 acres. (13) McClure Road in Dingley, part of this sub-division, is named after the family. 

William's father was Secretary of the Heatherton Progress Association

Moorabbin News January 29, 1916 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article91355807

Along with managing his farm, William senior was also the Secretary of the Heatherton Progress Association. A report in the South Bourke & Mornington Journal in September 1915, showed how seriously he took his role. The Shire of Dandenong councillors, and the Shire Engineer and Shire Secretary, accompanied by a journalist,  were undertaking their Annual Inspection of Roads -

From the Heatherton road we travelled along West Boundary road to Cheltenham road, and on to Dingley church, to view the clearing done some time ago on the unmade road near the church. The party was about to set off along Tootle's road when a man was seen running along Cheltenham road, evidently keen upon an errand of importance, so the city fathers decided to await developments. In due course Mr. W. L. McClure, a property a owner in the vicinity, and a prominent member of the local progress association, duly arrived, and ere long was advocating claims on behalf of the locality. First, a footbridge was required on Tootle's road, near the church, and the request appeared to meet with a favorable consideration. Mr McClure was taken along to the private road intersecting with Tootle's road, which, in its present state, is a drawback to residents, and in order that the road, about two miles in extent, could be gravelled, the majority of the people interested are prepared to repay the council if a loan is floated in order that the work might be carried out. There are about 40 people concerned, and the estimated cost is set down at £1120. Mr McClure put the request in a plain, business-like way, and in such a manner as to enlist the support of those whom he was addressing. (14)

Gillian Hibbins in her book A history of the City of Springvale (15)  produced this map of the Dandenong Council 1915 Annual Inspection of Roads, and it shows the location of the McClure property.

 At the time of  young William’s death, he was the only one of the children living at home. Flora and Tom were both school teachers and Flora was at Balliang East School and Thomas at Dartmoor School. Flora had started her teaching career in 1909, close to home at the Heatherton State School. (16)

Florrie McClure teacher at Heatherton State School

Brighton Southern Cross, February 27, 1909 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article164349728

Catherine died on May 5, 1921, aged 53 and is buried with her son, William, in an unmarked grave in the Roman Catholic section at the Cheltenham Pioneer Cemetery.  (17) 

Death Notice of Catherine McClure, William's mother. 

 Her son Thomas seemed to have been known as Hal (short for Hallinan, his middle name) 

at the time.

Melton Express, May 14, 1921 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article254690614

After Catherine died, William and his daughter Flora left Australia for England, where William died on July 3, 1946. The Melton Express published this short update on the family-

The announcement in the "Argus" of Saturday last of the death of William Lees McClure, at Whiston, England, on 3rd July, recalls the fact that about 1922, following the death of his wife, he left Australia to take over property in England left him by his brother, and he was accompanied by his daughter, Flora. Many of us have pleasant recollections of her sojourn in this district, as she was beloved by both pupils and parents when she taught in the Balliang East school prior to 1922. She corresponded fairly regularly with a few of her pupils and the last heard of her was that she was travelling with her father in Italy. She has one brother in Australia. Over the period of years she has never been forgotten and these notes have been written to acquaint her many friends of her sad loss. (18)

William of The Lathams, Whiston, Lancashire left an estate of £6800 in England. His second wife, Ellen Myfanwy McClure and his daughter Flora were executors. Flora, who never married, died in Whiston, on April 4, 1951 and is buried in a family grave in the St Nicholas Churchyard, Whiston with her father, great-grandparents and other relatives. (19) 

Thomas taught at various schools in Victoria throughout his working life, including Dartmoor, Ensay, Werribee South, Macedon and Epping.  He married Eileen Weston in 1937 and died on July 28, 1972, aged 78. (20) 

Death notice of Thomas McClure, William's brother.

The Age, August 2, 1972. p. 23 from newspapers.com

Sadly, William's life was cut short at the age of 25 by a tragic, but highly preventable incident at Koo Wee Rup. The local newspaper, the Lang Lang Guardian, which normally reported on Koo Wee Rup matters, did not mention the accident or his subsequent death, even though it did  have a paragraph on the outcome of the Inquest in its November 21, 1917 issue. It seems a bit remiss, as the paper often reported local accidents and accidental deaths, so one hundred years on I hope this post can atone for this lack of coverage.

Trove List - I have a list of articles about the Koo Wee Rup Bank, which has articles on William McClure and family, access it here. 

Footnotes

(1) Appointment to Koo Wee Rup - South Bourke & Mornington Journal, October 11, 1917, see here; William's Inquest - Public Records Office of Victoria Inquest Deposition Files VPRS 24/P0000, 1917/989  https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/92888D50-F1C3-11E9-AE98-6D8B14280B73/about

(2) William's Inquest - Public Records Office of Victoria Inquest Deposition Files VPRS 24/P0000, 1917/989  https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/92888D50-F1C3-11E9-AE98-6D8B14280B73/about

(3) South Bourke & Mornington Journal, November 8, 1917, see here.

(4) Moorabbin News, November 10, 1917, see here.

(5) https://kooweerupswamphistory.blogspot.com/2016/04/koo-wee-rup-anz-es-bank.html

(6) Date of birth from his Inquest file; McClure/Hallinan marriage certificate; Index to Victorian Births, Deaths and Marriages - the children of Thomas Hallinan and Margaret Condon - Catherine, born 1865, birth registered at Mordialloc; Margaret, 1867 Cheltenham, married name Garvey; Grace, 1870, Cheltenham, married name Sheridan; Bridget, 1871 Cheltenham, married name Williams;  Mary, 1875 Cheltenham, died aged 7 in 1883; Annie, 1878 Cheltenham, married name Kelly.

(7) Hibbins, G.M. A History of the City of Springvale: Constellation of Communities (City of Springvale, 1984) p.77.

(8) Thomas Hallinan's Probate papers Public Records Office of Victoria VPRS 28/P0002, 68/957
https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/A166631D-F1E4-11E9-AE98-91A36ACDFA06?image=1

(9) Thomas Hallinan death notice The Leader, March 12, 1898, see here; Friends of Cheltenham Regional Cemeteries database - https://www.focrc.org/

(10) Brighton Southern Cross, November 14 1908, see here.

(11) James Hallinan death notice The Age, November 11, 1908, see here; Johanna Hallinan death notice The Age August 5, 1909, see here;  Friends of Cheltenham Regional Cemeteries database - https://www.focrc.org/

(12) Index to Victorian Births, Deaths and Marriages

(13) Hibbins, op. cit, p. 109.

(14) South Bourke & Mornington Journal, September 23, 1915, see here.

(15) Hibbins, op. cit., p. 107.

(16) Public Records Office of Victoria, Teacher Records Books, VPRS 13579.

(17) Death notice Melton Express, May 14, 1921, see here; Friends of Cheltenham Regional Cemeteries database - https://www.focrc.org/

(18) Melton Express, July 13 1946, see here.

(19) England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1995 on Ancestry.com; Grave - https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/224160358/margaret-flora-mcclure

(20) Tom's schools - Public Records Office of Victoria, Teacher Records Books, VPRS 13579; Electoral Rolls on Ancestry.com and various newspaper mentions - Omeo Standard, May 20, 1927, see here; Bairnsdale Advertiser, September 23, 1930, see here;  Sun News-Pictorial, July 25, 1936,  see here;  The Argus, March 29, 1944, see here.

The Sun Dial at the Exhibition Gardens, Carlton

In 1892, the trustees of the Exhibition building installed a sun dial in the surrounding garden - The Leader newspaper reported -

The Exhibition trustees continue to add attractions to the remarkably good show provided in the buildings.... A pretty feature has been erected on one of the lawns at the main entrance, in the shape of a floral sun dial, said to be the largest sun dial in the world. Half a dial 50 foot in diameter with figures 6 feet long is traced on the grass in living flowers of variegated tints, and the shadow is cast by an index 26 feet long. The idea was suggested by the secretary, Mr. J. E. Sherrard, the plan was drawn by Mr. Ellery, and the formation of the dial was carried out by Mr. W. Sangster, the gardener of the Exhibition trustees. (1)

Sun Dial at the Exhibition Gardens, c. 1900.

State Library of Victoria image H84.202/21. http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/243925

The next report I could find of the sun dial was ten years later, in 1902 - 

There are one or two things in the grounds of the Exhibition that the visitor should see before he returns homewards....The sun dial near the front entrance is worth looking at for a moment, but don't for a moment regard it as an exact chronometer. The time as indicated by the shadow cast by the stile on the border is "apparent solar time," which is always behind the Victorian zone or statute time by a variable amount, ranging from four to thirty-five minutes. The above maximum is reached on the 14th February, and the minimum, on the 1st November. Sundials, it will be seen, are more ornamental than useful. (2)

However, sadly it appears that the Exhibition Gardens became quite neglected as this letter to the editor of The Herald noted in March 1904 -

The Carlton Gardens.

"Pro Patria" writes:- Last week, with a visitor from Sydney, who was desirous of seeing the beauties of our city, I paid a visit to the Carlton Gardens. Not having been there for some months, I was looking forward on seeing the beautiful late roses, perfect lawns, etc., etc., for which it was justly famous. Relying on my glowing account, my friend had built up very rosy visions, but on arrival had them sadly shattered. Instead of a garden, we found a wilderness. The once beautiful lawns are now overgrown with rank parasitical growths, in some places a foot high. The ornamental beds and shapely sun-dial are almost unrecognisable, through the profuse growth of foreign vegetable matter. This, Sir, is greatly to be regretted, for our city is all too bare of floral adornment, and our Exhibition display was one of which any city might be proud. (3)

A week later, The Herald, published this explanation of why the Garden was so neglected-

Carlton and Exhibition Gardens. 

In "The Herald" of Thursday there appeared a complaint by "Pro Patria" as to the unsightly appearance of portions of the Carlton gardens, particular attention being called to the neglected state of the rose beds and floral sun-dial. So far as what is known as the Exhibition gardens, i.e., the grounds immediately surrounding the big building, and where the sun-dial is situated, is concerned, it might be explained that the Exhibition trustees who have control of that portion, have found it necessary to retrench, and as a result, the services of one of the gardeners have been dispensed with, while a second man is ill and has not been replaced by a temporary substitute. The Exhibition gardens are at present being looked after by the head gardener (Mr J. Taylor), and a youth, consequently it is quite impossible, under the circumstances, to keep the grounds in perfect order. The public generally is not aware of the fact that the two lots of ground are under different management, the Exhibition gardens being under the control, as stated above, of the trustees of the building (who receive no subsidy from the Government), while the outer portions, extending from Victoria street to Carlton street (and known as Carlton gardens), are cared for by a body of men under the control of Mr J. Guilfoyle, who is responsible to the Parks and Gardens Committee of the City Council. (4)

The Sun Dial, Exhibition Gardens, Carlton

There were a few more mentions of the sun dial over the next few years - in a history of the clock published in The Australasian in 1905 - 

The sun-dial was one of the first methods used by our forefathers to tell the time. No doubt most of my young readers have seen a sun-dial. A very pretty floral example is to be seen in the Melbourne
Exhibition-gardens. (5)

In 1906, The Town & Country Journal published a photograph of the sun-dial (sadly the photo is too dark to reproduce here) -

One of the attractions of the Exhibition Gardens, Melbourne, is the huge sun dial illustrated above. The dial, which is situated immediately in front of the Exhibition Building, is specially interesting to children, numbers of whom may often be seen working out the time of day. By it the time may be very accurately ascertained. (6)

Sun Dial at the Exhibition Gardens, Carlton, c. 1900.

Photographer: Thomas McKenzie Hill, taken from the roof of the Exhibition Building.

State Library of Victoria image H2004.84/13. http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/359226

In 1911 The Leader reported on the sixth annual conference of the Australian National Nurserymen and Seedsmen's Association -

[the conference] was brought to a successful conclusion last week. A paper on the parks and gardens of Melbourne was read by Mr. R. Cheeseman, of the Brighton Nurseries. For many years Mr. Cheeseman had been an enthusiastic advocate of the system of opening up our parks and gardens, which is now enhancing the attractions of these beauty spots.......The gardening in the Exhibition reserves proved to be another centre of interest. The many bedding designs opposite the Exhibition, however, was regarded as more novel than attractive. It is open to question whether flags, bicycles, motor cars, kangaroos, emus and other figures designed with bedding plants is a legitimate form of gardening. It may be novel, but it is hardly artistic. The floral sun dial is not so bad. (7)

Exhibition  Gardens and Building.

You can just see the Sun Dial to the left the part of the building with the arch. 

State Library of Victoria image H90.132/15. http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/367977

What happened to the sun-dial?  It's fate is partly explained in a letter to the editor of The Age in 1929 from Clara Weeks -
Floral Clocks and Dials.
Sir,- The picture of the floral clock in "The Age" of to-day reawakens the indignation that I felt at the vandalism of the authorities who have charge of our parks and gardens. Here in Melbourne we had a far more unique and interesting time indicator than a floral clock. In the Exhibition Gardens hours from one to twelve were composed of flowers, and a huge sun dial indicated the hours as the sun travelled from east to west. I have watched it many times with great pleasure, and, as a teacher, recognised its educational value as showing one of the many means of indicating the time before clocks were invented, or at least in general use. The last time I visited the gardens, a few years ago, I found the sun dial had been removed, also the figures, and ordinary flower beds in their place. - 

Yours, &c., Clara Weeks. 4th February. (8)

Thus it appears that the largest sun dial in the world, was installed at the Exhibition Gardens from 1892 until around 1925.

Trove list - any article with a mention of the Sun Dial is on my Trove list, access it here. 

Footnotes
(1) The Leader, March 19, 1892, see here.
(2) Broadford Courier, December 31, 1902, see here
(3) The Herald, March 3, 1904, see here
(4) The Herald, March 9, 1904, see here
(5) The Australasian, March 18, 1905, see here.
(6) Australian Town and Country Journal, July 4, 1906, see here.
(7) The Leader, February 25, 1911, see here.
(8) The Age, February 5, 1929, see here.

The James’ Brothers of Mordialloc and Koo Wee Rup

John and Robert James are buried at the Cheltenham Pioneer Cemetery and their brother Charles at the Cheltenham Memorial Park. This is the story of the James’ brothers, the sons of Robert and Mary Ann James. I wrote this article for the Friends of Cheltenham Cemeteries newsletter, Raves From the Graves and it was published in the September 2024 issue. I am not related to the family, but came across the obituary of John James on the Koo Wee Rup Sun, and thought I would investigate further. 

Robert James married Mary Ann Butler on January 1, 1866 at the Wesleyan Church in Newington, which is now a suburb of Ballarat. Robert was a 24 year old miner, the son of Charles and Martha (nee Thomas) James and had been born in Blackford, Somerset. Mary Ann, was 19 years old, the daughter of Thomas and Mary (nee James) Butler and had been born in Bridghampton in Somerset. (1)

The Butlers had arrived in Geelong on the Sir Edward Parry on October 23, 1852 with Mary Ann who was their youngest child and four older children. Mary Ann’s mother, Mary, had been born in Blackford, and as she had the same surname and birth place as her future son-in-law it is likely that Robert and Mary Ann knew each other in England and were possibly cousins. (2)

After their arrival in Geelong the Butlers were employed by Miss Anne Drysdale and Miss Caroline Newcombe, of Coryeule, Moolap. These pioneering women gave their name to the towns of Drysdale and Newcombe. (3)

Robert and Mary Ann had eight sons in various towns throughout Victoria, the first in Moolap and the next three in Clunes, but by the mid 1880s they had settled in Geelong. The children were - William Butler (1866-1894), John (1868-1939), Charles (1870-1947), Joseph (1872, died aged 19 days old), Robert (1878-1918), Thomas (1879-1956), George Edward (1886-1915) and Arthur Bertram (1889-1949). Mary Ann died in Geelong on August 9, 1901 and is buried the Western Cemetery Geelong, with her first born son William, who died in November 1894. (4)

After the death of his wife, Mary Ann, Robert James purchased part of the Richfield Estate at Mordialloc which was auctioned in 1901. This land was formerly the Richfield racetrack established around 1887 by Alfred Bradshaw, and it was the first racecourse in the Mordialloc area. Tom Sheehy notes in his book Mordialloc-Chelsea: Aspects of History that Bradshaw was offered £18,000 for the property during the land boom, and even though the property had cost him only £40 he was too concerned with the need for paddocks to rest horses in to give serious consideration to profits. (5)

Main Street, Mordialloc, c. 1910 - how the town would have looked when the James' 

family owned Richfield.

Image: By the Creek: a Mordialloc History (6)

When Richfield went to auction on May 16, 1901 it was described as 253 acres of grand onion and potato land, and was sub-divided into farms of 13 to 30 acres. (7)  

The sale of the Richfield Estate in 1901

The Age, May 11, 1901 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article190033972

The James’ family purchased 165 acres of the property, which had an address of Wells Road, Mordialloc, for £20 an acre. (8)  Robert and his six sons farmed there until they sold in 1909. The reason for the sale was that Robert had died on June 12, 1905 aged 62, at St Arnaud Hospital. It would be interesting to know why he was in St Arnaud, as his death certificate lists address as Mordialloc, however son Thomas was born in St Arnaud so there was a connection to the town. Robert was buried at the St Arnaud Cemetery. (9)

Assets of Robert James as listed in his Probate papers.

Probate and Administration Files (VPRS28), 

https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/F341797E-F215-11E9-AE98-CD4882710A7C?image=17#

Robert’s will listed the Richfield property as 165 acres Crown Allotments 129 and 130 Parish of Lyndhurst and it was valued at £3,300 for Probate purposes. The property also had a 6 room weatherboard house and out-buildings. His liabilities included wages due to his children for the period June 1902 to June 1905 - John, Charles, Robert and Thomas were to receive 15 shillings per week for the three years (or £115) and George and Arthur ten shillings per week (or £72.00). (10)

The homestead and haystacks on the Richfield property. 

Detail from sale flyer State Library of Victoria  http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/169848

In 1909, the Richfield property was advertised as 11 choice intense culture farms of rich black Carrum land it was for many years the property of  James' Bros and that for years it had upheld its reputation of being the best farm in the district. It was auctioned on September 29, 1909 and was divided into ten farms of around ten acres and one of 66 acres which included the homestead (located on the corner of Wells and Edithvale Roads). The land that was sold reached an average price of £31/9/ per acre. (11)

The sale of the Richfield Estate in 1909

State Library of Victoria  http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/169848

The James’ Brothers (with the exception of Charles) then moved their farming enterprise to Manks Road in Koo Wee Rup. The five brothers, either separately or in partnership with one other brother purchased 380 acres on eight different titles. (12)  Sadly, George died on September 11, 1915 when they were at Koo Wee Rup, aged only 29 and was buried at the Melbourne General Cemetery. (13)

George James' death notice

The Argus, September 13, 1915, https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/1559412/386726

Between 1918 and 1920 the James’ brothers sold all the land on Manks Road and, apart from Arthur, left the area. The brothers held a monster clearing sale on July 21, 1920.

James' Brothers clearing sale July 21, 1920

Koo Wee Rup Sun, July 8, 1920 p. 1

After the sale of land one brother did remain in Koo Wee Rup, the youngest one, Arthur and his wife Elizabeth, who took up a farm on Rossiter Road in Koo Wee Rup. (14)  Arthur died on May 7, 1949 in sad circumstances as the Dandenong Journal of May 11, 1949 reported -

While watching his son play football for Kooweerup last Saturday Mr. Arthur Bertram James, farmer, of Rossiter Rd., Kooweerup, collapsed and died. Deceased, who was very well-known, was 59 years of age and is survived by his wife and three sons, John, Alan and Frank. (15)  

Arthur James'death notice

The Argus, May 9, 1949 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article22727315

As a matter of interest, Arthur’s son John, known as Jack, had a shoe shop in Koo Wee Rup and I can honestly say that every pair of shoes that I owned during my school days would have come from Mr James’ shop in Rossiter Road.

Jack James' shoe shop

Koo Wee Rup Sun, January 27, 1965, p. 4.

What happened after they left Koo Wee Rup?

Charles, who did not move to Koo Wee Rup, had married Polly Adams in 1910, and they had one son Keith. Charles was a carpenter and they lived at Mordialloc and later at 422 Centre Road, Bentleigh. He died on January 12, 1947 and is buried with Polly (who died in 1937) at the Memorial Park. (16)

Charles James' death notice

The Argus January 13, 1947 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article22401699

Thomas had a farm on the Princes Highway at Dandenong and married Linda Aileen Roberts in 1937. He died on February 17, 1956, and was cremated at Springvale. They had no children. (17) 

Thomas James' death notice

The Argus, February 20, 1956 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article72536820

Robert had died at his brother John’s home on Point Nepean Road, Mordialloc on March 17, 1918. He was aged 39, was not married and, as we said, is buried with John at the Pioneer Cemetery. (18)

Robert James' death notice

The Argus, March 18, 1918 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1646667

Which brings us to John, who died on January 19, 1939. John had an obituary published in the Koo Wee Rup Sun of January 26, 1939, which I came across when looking for something else and it was the catalyst for this research and story - 
We regret to record the death of Mr John James, of “Manuka” 301 Beach Road, Mentone, who passed away on Thursday last at the age of 70 years. Although he had not been laid aside with illness, Mr James had not been well for some time, but his death was rather unexpected. He was quite well on Thursday afternoon and did not complain of feeling ill until Thursday evening, when he had a severe heart attack from which he did not recover.

Formerly a resident of the Kooweerup district, Mr James was married about 13 years ago to Miss Lillian Griffiths, of Dandenong. His wife survives him and there were no children of the marriage. Mr Tom James, well-known resident of Prince’s Highway, Dandenong, is a brother, and other brothers to survive him is Mr Arthur James, of Kooweerup, and Mr Charlie James, of Mordialloc.

The funeral which took place on Saturday, was very well attended, the remains being interred in the family grave in the Methodist portion of the Old Cheltenham Cemetery. The pall-bearers were Messrs H. Higgins, F.A. Singleton, H. Osborn, S. Norton, J. Nott, B. Vale, G. Halford, J. Wilson, E. Breen, and M.M. Dally. Rev. Clark of Mentone conducted the service both at home and the graveside, and the funeral arrangements were in the hands of Mr W.J. Garnar of Dandenong. (19)

John James' death notice

The Argus, January 28, 1939 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article12091279

John’s wife Lillian Griffiths came from an established Dandenong family who had arrived in the town in 1874. Her father Arthur, who died 1926 aged 79, was a blacksmith, operating first in premises at the corner of Lonsdale and Foster streets and later in Pultney street. Her mother, Rachel Susan Griffiths (nee Wright), died aged 84 in 1935. She was the mother of ten children of whom all except her son, Wallis, were still alive at the time of her death. Wallis had been killed in Action in France on May 3, 1917. Lillian died March 18, 1971 aged 88 and she buried at Springvale Cemetery. (20)

The James’ Brothers are representative of the many farming families who could make a living on their small farms in the Mordialloc region; farms which have now turned into housing, or in the case of some of the Richfield property, a retirement community that carries its name.

Footnotes

(1) James/Butler marriage certificate

(2) Chuk, Florence  The Somerset Years: Government assisted emigrants from Somerset and Bristol who arrived in Port Phillip/Victoria 1839-1854 (Pennard Hills publications, no date), p. 174.

(3) Ibid.

(4) Indexes to the Victorian Births, Deaths and Marriages. Mary Ann James' death notice, Geelong Advertiser, August 10, 1901, see here; Geelong Cemeteries Trust   https://gct.net.au/resource/location/geelong-western-cemetery/

(5) Sheehy, Tom Mordialloc-Chelsea: Aspects of History (Standard Newspapers, 1970), p.  31-34.

(6) Whitehead, Graham & Gamble, Leo By the Creek: A Mordialloc History (City of Kingston, 2014), p. 107

(7) The Age, May 11, 1901, see here.  

(8) As listed in Robert James' Will and Probate papers, held at the Public Records Office of Victoria https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/F341797E-F215-11E9-AE98-CD4882710A7C?image=1

(9) Robert James' death certificate

(10) See Footnote 7

(11) Richfield sale poster, State Library of Victoria  http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/169848; Clearing sale at Richfield - Brighton Southern Cross, September 18, 1909, see here;  Clearing sale results - The Australasian, October 9, 1909, see here; Property sale results - Geelong Advertiser, October 2, 1909, see here.

(12) Shire of Cranbourne Rate books

(13) Robert James death and funeral notice - The Argus, September 13, 1915, see here. 

(14) Shire of Cranbourne Rate books

(15) Obituary - Dandenong Journal, May 11, 1949, see here; Death notice - The Argus, May 9, 1949, see here.  

(16) Indexes to the Victorian Births, Deaths and Marriages; Electoral rolls on Ancestry.com; Death and funeral notice, The Argus January 13, 1947, see here.

(17) Death and Funeral notice The Argus, February 20, 1956, see here. 

(18) Death and Funeral notice, The Argus, March 18, 1918, see here.

(19) Koo Wee Rup Sun, January 26, 1939, p. 1.; Death notice The Argus, January 28, 1939, see here.

(20) Arthur Griffiths obituary, South Bourke & Mornington Journal, August 19, 1926, see here;  Rachel Griffiths obituary Dandenong Journal, June 6, 1935, see here; Lillian death notice The Age, March 20, 1971, from newspapers.com