Monday, April 5, 2021

The Chalet Geneve on Albert Park Lake and the Mathieu sisters

This postcard of the Fitzroy Gardens Kiosk Refreshment rooms was addressed to Mr Waters, c/o Madame Savary, Chalet Geneve, Middle Park. The bottom right corner of the postcard has the names of the 'proprietoresses', the Misses Mathieu. They were the sisters of Madame Savary, who operated the Chalet Geneve, on Albert Park Lake. Two other sisters operated the kiosk at Central Park in Malvern.  This is the story of Chalet Geneve, the Mathieu sisters and a Victoria Cross recipient.


Kiosk Refreshment Rooms, Fitzroy Gardens
Image: Isaac Hermann

The Fitzroy Garden Kiosk was the first of the three kiosks operated by the Mathieu sisters to open. It was officially opened by the Lord Mayor of Melbourne, Cr Weedon of February 27, 1908. The building cost £900 (1).  At the opening, the Chairman of the City of Melbourne Parks & Garden Committee, Mr J. Harris said that the kiosk had no equal in any of the other states. The erection of such a pavilion would make the Fitzroy Gardens even more beautiful than they were at present, although, before its erection, the gardens were as beautiful as any to be seen anywhere else in the world (2)It was leased by Misses F. and K. Mathieu for a considerable term (3).  These women were Frances and Katherine Mathieu, more about whom later. The Kiosk was damaged by fire in 1960 and later demolished. A new Kiosk, on the same site, opened in 1964 (4).  


The Kiosk, Central Park, Malvern. Photographer: Rose Stereograph Co.
State Library of Victoria Image H32492/7058

The Kiosk at Central Park in Malvern was officially opened by the Mayor of the Town of Malvern, Cr Alex McKinley on May 26, 1911 (5). It was a big week for Malvern, because on May 30 the Town of Malvern was advanced to become the City of Malvern (6).  The kiosk was built by the Council, and then let to the Tramways Trust for three years. This was an advantageous arrangement as the kisok at  Central Park was at the terminus of the Malvern Tram and thus would stimulate traffic (7).   The Tramways Trust sublet the building to Mesdames Baumgartner and Schlichting at a rental of £1 per week until November next, and £2 per week for the balance of the three years' lease (8). These women were May Baumgartner and Sarah Schlichting, sisters of  Frances and Katherine Mathieu. The Central Park Kiosk was demolished in 1973 (9).  

The third kiosk run by the Mathieu women was the one at Albert Park Lake. This kiosk was part of  grander plans proposed by the Albert Park Committee or Trust. In 1907, there were newspaper reports that £10,000 would be spent beautifying the park and that a scheme be prepared by Mr. Catani, engineer of the Public Works department, and the engineers of the two councils for consideration (10). Nothing came of this, but two years later the South Melbourne Council proposed a £20,000 scheme for improving Albert Park. It was suggested that once again Mr Catani should prepare a comprehensive scheme for the improvement of the park (11).  However, in the end the Council decided that they should call for competitive designs for the park and the winning designer would receive £50 (12). As the money for this scheme was not forthcoming it did not go ahead, however the Albert Park Committee, of which Carlo Catani was a member, proceeded with the idea of building a kiosk (13)

In January 1911, the Emerald Hill Record published this report The committee of management of the Albert Park reserve has accepted the tender of Mr. R. L. Phillips, contractor, of Murrumbeena, for the erection of a new and commodious tea kiosk in the park, at a cost of £634. The building is a substantial two story one, having on the ground floor a large refreshment room 30 x 23, fitted with counter and shelving, and having a large shop window at the entrance. Leading off the room is the residential quarters, consisting of sitting room, two bedrooms, and kitchen, with small pantry. At the north-west corner provision is made for ladies and gentlemen's lavatories. On the east side of the building is a verandah 10 feet wide, where refreshments may be served. The upper floor consists of a large open pavilion comprising 1225 square feet of floor space, which would accommodate a large band on any special occasion. The building will be roofed with iron, and will be connected to the Metropolitan Board of Works sewer. It is expected that the building will be completed by the 1st April. The architect of Mr. D. F. Stevenson, of York Chambers, 47 Queen-street, who is a local resident. The picturesque design reflects great credit on him (14). 

Tenders to occupy the building for three years were advertised in March 1911, but it was the sewerage connection which caused a delay in the opening of the building for over six months as there was a  dispute with the Metropolitan board regarding the payment for sewerage connections (15).  This, plus other extras, meant the total cost of the kiosk was close to £1,000. The kiosk was located in the Albert Park between Middle Park and Albert Park railway stations, facing the old Speedway, which was later renamed Aughtie Drive (16). 


I expected to find many photographs of the Chalet Geneve, but they are very rare, this is cropped from the image, below. The photo shows Aughtie Drive and the tennis courts surrounding the Chalet, which were opened in 1923. 
View of Albert Park Lake, Melbourne. Photographer: Charles Daniel Pratt, c. 1954.


Albert Park Lake - the Chalet Geneve is top middle, railway line is on the right, South Melbourne Technical School bottom right.
View of Albert Park Lake, Melbourne. Photographer: Charles Daniel Pratt, c. 1954.

The kiosk was officially opened on December 9, 1911. There were many reports of the opening including this one - under the capable management of Mr. H. O. Allan, Secretary to the Albert Park Committee, who is a past-master at organising such gatherings, everything had been done that could lend to the success of the occasion. In the unavoidable absence of Major Morkham, Chairman of the Committee of Management, His Worship the Mayor of South Melbourne (Cr. D. M'Arthur) performed the ceremony of declaring the kiosk open to the public, and in doing so predicted for it a most successful future (17). 

Other officials in attendance were Councillors from St Kilda and South Melbourne, the two municipalities responsible for the maintenance of the building, through the Albert Park Committee and the aforementioned Henry Allen and Carlo Catani. Even though Carlo Catani was not called upon to draw up the beautification plans for Albert Park, he was, I believe the force behind the erection of the Chalet. This was alluded to in the speech of Councillor Jacoby of St Kilda, who when thanking individual members of the Albert Park Committee for their work on the Kiosk said (in a jocular manner) he believed Mr Catani had something to do with it (18).   Cr Baragwanath of South Melbourne confirmed this as his speech concluded with a tribute of praise to Mr Catani, to whom was due the erection of the building (19). The construction of the kiosk was funded by the Public Works Department. 


The Chalet Geneve, photographed on the opening day, December 9, 1911.

The opening ceremony proceedings were considerably enlivened by selections played by Di Gilio's band (20) and a toast was made the lessees of the kiosk Misses Savary and Matthieu, who named the kiosk, Chalet Geneve (21).

The Albert Park Lake tea-room was artistically decorated, the prevailing tints being green, from the green carpet on the floor to the green plush fringe curtain which divides the apartment from the other room. A stairway leads to a large tea room above, open on three sides, from which extensive views may be had of the surrounding country, with glimpses of sea water, and in front of the lake, with its white-winged craft, rising to the hills of the Botanical Gardens and the Domain, crowned by Government House (22). The green colour scheme was also extended to the waitresses' uniforms which were pea-green and white (23).  

The Chalet Geneve as well as being a Refreshment Kiosk also hosted many other functions including twenty-first birthdays, dances and wedding breakfasts. One wedding in 1914 was described thus a reception was held at the Chalet Geneve, Middle Park, when about a hundred guests partook of a daintily served wedding tea. The table decorations in silver and pale pink chrysanthemums were very effective (24). 

Rosanna Savary operated the kiosk until 1928 or 1929 (25).  In October 1929, the Albert Park Committee of Management decided to renovate the Chalet (26) and towards the end of that year (27) the lease of the building was taken over by Miss Marie Fitzpatrick, who had previously conducted a mixed business in Victoria Avenue, Albert Park (28). Susan Priestley in her history of South Melbourne, says that under the Miss Fitzpatrick, the Chalet was a prime catering and social venue for the district (29). The Emerald Hill Record described her thus Miss Marie Fitzpatrick is one of the best-known citizens of South Melbourne, her work in practically every movement for the welfare of the city and its inhabitants, being particularly notable (30). There are reports of her work with the St Vincent's Hospital Auxiliary, the Homoeopathic Hospital Auxiliary and Marie was also the President of the South Melbourne Home Help Auxiliary, which amongst other activities, provided meals at the local Elderly Citizens Club in Park Street (31).


Marie Fitzpatrick (1886 - 1970)
Image courtesy of her great-nephew, Geoff Fitzpatrick.

The tennis courts surrounding the Chalet, which were built by the South Melbourne Council from 1923, were also managed, along with the Chalet, by Rosanna Savary and later by Marie Fitzpatrick (32). The Courts were so popular that by 1930 over 400 girls played tennis there each week and the Council were going to open two more courts (33). Miss Fitzpatrick was at the Chalet until at least 1955 (34) by then she was 70 years old. Of the Chalet itself, it was still there in the early 1960s (35) but I don't know when it was demolished. 


The Chalet Geneve waitresses, taken at official opening on December 9, 1911.

The Misses Savary and Mathieu of the Chalet Geneve were Rosanna Savary and her sisters Frances and Katherine, who were still operating the Fitzroy Gardens Kiosk.  The women were the daughters of James Augustine Mathieu and Mary Ann McNamara. They were married on April 6, 1858 at Whroo by the minister of the Independent Church, the Reverend John Macilrea. This was interesting as the couple declared on the marriage certificate that they were both members of the Roman Catholic Church; there was possibly no Catholic Priest in the area. James was a 30 year old miner, born in Manchester and Mary Ann was listed a 21 year old servant, born in Crusheen, in Ireland (36). The couple had nine children, all the births were registered in Rushworth 

Rosanna (1859 -1930). Married Henri Armad Savary (1858-1910) in 1889. They did not have children.
Anna Maria (1860 - 1893). Married Martin O'Grady in 1881 and they had seven sons.
Josephine Cecelia (1861-1930). Married Charles Hamilton Smyth in 1902. They did not have children.
Katherine Louise (1863-1930). Operated the Fitzroy Gardens and Albert ParkLake kiosks.
Frances Ellen Agatha (1864-1917). Operated the Fitzroy Gardens and Albert Park Lake kiosks.
Sarah Ann (1865-1947). Married Henry Arthur Schlichting in 1896 and had one son. Operated the Malvern kiosk.
James Augustine (1867-1943). Married Emma Price in 1895 and had two daughters.
Margaret Emily 'May' (1869-1948). Married George Baumgartner in 1900 and had one son. Operated the Malvern kiosk.
John Baptiste (1871-1849). Married Agnes Ellen Millett in 1902 and they had six daughters and one son (37). 

They were a close knit family (38) and devout Catholics. Katherine and Frances hosted many fundraisers for Catholic causes in their Fitzroy Gardens kiosk - this is from February 1916 - In order to render substantial assistance to St. Vincent's 'Million Shilling Fund,' the Misses Mathieu, of the Kiosk, Fitzroy Gardens, have, in their usual kindness of heart and Catholic charity, ever-fervent, organised special band afternoons for the 6th and the 20th of February (39).  Another event was held in the April - A band performance, organised by the Misses K. and F. Mathieu, was given by St. Vincent's Orphanage Boys in the band-stand, Kiosk, Fitzroy Gardens, on Sunday, 9th April, in aid of St. Vincent's Hospital Million Shillings Fund, and realised the sum of £13/1/1.... All the expenses were defrayed by the Misses Mathieu (40).

After Frances died in February 1917 Table Talk had this short obituary- Miss Frances E. Mathieu, connected since its opening with the tea kiosk in the Fitzroy Gardens, died last week at her residence, East Melbourne. Though suffering for an extended period from an incurable malady, she bravely bore up and refused to let her relatives know the seriousness of her case, till she suddenly collapsed. Many will miss her kindly presence from the place with which she has been, associated, while the charities will lose a benefactress, who never failed to make opportunity to assist them (41).  

She was so well respected that a movement headed by Mrs. A. M. Davidson, Mayoress of Collingwood, is being started to erect a drinking fountain in the Fitzroy Gardens to the memory of the late Miss Frances B. Mathieu. Her friends feel that this would be a good way of expressing their regard for one who during her reign at the gardens kiosk did much to assist the charities. The bands men of Melbourne purpose giving a performance in aid of a fund. The Mayoresses of contiguous municipalities, the staff of the gardens and leaders of different societies will support the movement. The design as proposed will be carried out by Miss Margaret Baskerville (42). I cannot find any references to the drinking fountain ever being erected. 

During the First World War the family also supported patriotic causes.  In May 1915 it was reported in the Weekly Times that In aid of the funds of the French Red Cross Society, a doll, dressed to represent Victory, holding aloft the flags of the Allies, has been given by Madame Savary, of Middle Park. The doll will be raffled when £50 has been obtained. It is on view at present at the kiosk Fitzroy Gardens, East Melbourne (43).  

Sadly for May and Sarah of the Central Park Kiosk at Malvern, their patriotism was called into question due to their surnames. George Baumgartner wrote a letter to the editor of The Age in 1916, defending his wife and sister-in-law - At a recruiting meeting at Malvern the other night an interjector made some untrue and objectionable statements as to the nationality of the lessees of the Malvern Kiosk. If such statements are not refuted they are liable to give a wrong impression, so on behalf of my wife and her sister, who are the lessees referred to, I wish to state that they are both Australian born, and that their father, whose name was Mathieu was a Frenchman, while their mother was Irish. As to myself, I am also Australian born, and my father (who was born in England, and whose father came to that country from Berne, Switzerland) was one of the pioneers of this country, having landed in Victoria over sixty years ago. Both my wife and I have relatives at the present time fighting for the King and Empire, in both the Australian and the English forces, and we shall be grateful to you if you will give publicity through the medium of your columns (44). 

It may have been this personal connection with Anti-German feeling that prompted Rosanna Savary and her sisters at the Chalet Geneve to host functions of the Anti-German League. For instance in July 1916 the Chalet Geneve hosted a social and dance for the League attended by over 100 people. Amongst the entertainers was Mr. E. Littlewood, of Prahran, Australia's popular ventriloquist, [who] gave a very interesting account of himself, together with his funny children, Tommy and Katie (45). The Albert Park branch of this league was formed in November 1915 (46).  The objectives of the League were to  financially and otherwise assist any distress or hardships that might exist among returned soldiers or their dependants, to assist in fighting the enemies of the Empire; to encourage recruiting and to undertake to those who enlist that the league will carry on a vigorous and unceasing campaign to induce the Federal and State authorities to safeguard the public interests from danger at the hands of the enemies in our midst; to advocate the internment of all alien enemies, as well as of all other disloyal persons (47).

May Baumgartner's only son, Charles, was the assistant editor of the The Herald and his only son became a Priest in the Christian Brothers Order (48). Mary Ann Mathieu died in 1918, at the Chalet Geneve where she was living with her daughter, Rosanna.  Her obituary made note that Rosanna was married to the grandson of General Savary, who earned distinction in the Napoleonic wars, and was afterwards created by Napoleon, Duc de Rivigo (49).  Mary Ann's husband James,  had died in 1881, in Shepparton (50).

This brings us to the postcard, addressed to Mr Waters, c/o Madame Savary, Chalet Geneve, Middle Park. 


The back of the Kiosk Refreshment Rooms, Fitzroy Gardens postcard. 
Image: Isaac Hermann

What is the connection between Mr Waters and Madame Savary?  The 1916 Electoral Roll has Charlotte Annie Waters at 69 Canterbury Road,  Middle Park. Her occupation is a canvasser. The address is very close to the location of the Chalet Geneve. Mrs Waters died in October 1946 at the age of 90, she was thus born around 1856, just a few years older than Rosanna Savary. She had two children, Thorold, who was a musician, music critic and journalist and  daughter, Mother N. Borromeo de Sion, a Catholic nun (51).  Charlotte and Rosanna were both similar ages, neighbours, both Catholic and I believe they were friends. I am assuming the postcard writer met Mr Waters, who was perhaps lunching with his mother at the Chalet Geneve, they got talking, he sent the writer a postcard and they had no address to reply to, so they sent it care of Madame Savary to pass on. 

The postcard writer says that 'I went to see Lieutenant Dunstan from Ballarat receive the V.C. The Governor General pinned it on him before.....'  William Dunstan, born in Ballarat, enlisted on June 2, 1915 in the 7th Battalion. He was wounded at Gallipoli on the 8th or 9th of August 15 - gunshot wound to the left eye. After treatment in hospital he  returned to Australia where he was discharged on  medical grounds in February 1916. His Victoria Cross citation reads - For most conspicuous bravery at the Lone Pines Trenches in the Gallipoli Peninsula on 9 August 1915. In the early morning the enemy made a determined counter-attack on the centre of the newly-captured trenches held by Lieut. Tubb, Corporal Burton, Corporal Dunstan and  a few men. They advanced up a sap and blew in a sandbag barricade, leaving only one foot of it standing, but Lieut. Tubb, with the two Corporals, repulsed the enemy and rebuilt the barricades. Supported by stong bombing parties, the enemy twice again succeeded in blowing in the barricades; but on each occasion they were repulsed, and the barricade rebuilt although Lieut. Tubb was wounded in the head and arm, and Corporal Burton was  killed by a bomb whilst most gallantly  building up the parapet under a hail of bombs. Lieutenant Tubb and Corporal Burton were also awarded the Victoria Cross (52). 

Twenty-one year old Lieutenant Dunstan was presented with the Victoria Cross, by the Governor General, Sir Ronald Munro Ferguson, on the steps of Parliament House, in Melbourne on Friday, June 9, 1916, in front on thousands of spectators, including the writer of our postcard (53). It is an eyewitness account of the event, which obviously continued onto another a separate page, which I don't have.

The five sisters were in their forties when they took on the kiosks - Frances and Katherine were unmarried, May and Sarah were both married, each with a primary school aged son and Rosanna was recently widowed, her husband Henri having died a year before the Albert Park Lake kiosk officially opened. What made the Mathieu sisters take up the occupation of Kiosk refreshment room proprietoresses? It  gave them was the opportunity to operate their own business on their own terms and derive an income. For Frances, Katherine and Rosanna, who did not have  a husband to 'support them', this source of income was especially important. It was also a 'respectable' business and would not have had the stigma that running a hotel sometimes had, which was a not uncommon occupation for women at the time. As well, given that married women were often barred from working and even if women did work they earnt far less than men for the same job running your own business was an attractive proposition. This is my tribute to the Mathieu sisters, without whom it seems Melbourne's early cafe culture (or perhaps Kiosk culture might be more appropriate) would have been much the poorer.


Acknowledgment
The postcard of the Fitzroy Gardens Refreshment Kiosk, which was the inspiration for this post belongs to my fellow historian, Isaac Hermann, who also provided me with some of the research, particularily that related to Carlo Catani and the Albert Park Lake kiosk. Thank you!

Trove List  
I have created a list of articles on the establishment of the three kiosks and the Mathieu sisters on Trove, access it here

Footnotes
(1) The Argus, February 28, 1908, see here.
(2) The Argus, February 28, 1908, see here.
(3) The Argus, February 28, 1908, see here.
(4) Swanson, Rex Melbourne's Historic Public Gardens: a management and conservation guide (City of Melbourne, 1984), p. 33.
(5) Prahran Telegraph, June 3, 1911, see here.
(6) Cooper, John Butler  The History of the City of Malvern: from its first settlement to a City (Specialist Press, 1935), p. 193.
(7) The Age, July 19, 1911, see here.
(8) The Age, July 19, 1911, see here.
(9) Malvern Historical Society Facebook post of July 5, 1920, see here
(10) Emerald Hill Record, June 8, 1907, see here.
(11) Prahran Telegraph, August 28, 1909, see here.
(12) Prahran Telegraph, August 28, 1909, see here.
(13) Barnard, Jill & Keating, Jenny People's Playground: a history of the Albert Park (Chandos Publishing, 1996) p. 74.
(14) Emerald Hill Record, January 28, 1911, see here.
(15) The Age, December 11, 1911, see here.
(16) The Age, December 11, 1911, see here.
(17) Punch, December 14, 1911, see here.
(18) Prahran Telegraph, December 16, 1911, see here.
(19) Prahran Telegraph, December 16, 1911, see here.
(20) Emerald Hill Record, December 16, 1911, see here.
(21) Chalet Geneve - the first report of the Kiosk having a names was in September 1912, when newspapers referred to is as Geneva Chalet. The first use of the term Chalet Geneve was in April 1913. See my Trove list, here.
(22) Prahran Telegraph, December 16, 1911, see here.
(23) Prahran Telegraph, December 16, 1911, see here.
(24) Punch, April 16, 1914, see here. I have included other reports of functions held at Chalet Geneve in my Trove list.
(25) Rosanna Savary is granted £15 from the South Melbourne Council to supervise the tennis courts built at the Chalet (Emerald Hill Record, April 28, 1928, see here).
(26) The Age, October 25, 1929, see here. It was from Susan Priestley's book (see footnote 29) that I was alerted to the fact that the Chalet was renovated that year. 
(27) Emerald Hill Record, January 4 1930, see here.
(28) Marie was the daughter of John and Mary (nee Flanagan) Fitzpatrick. She was born in Clunes in 1886 and had four younger brothers - John (1888), Peter (1890), William (1891) and Edward (1893). Marie died in South Melbourne, aged 85 in 1970.  You can read her mother's interesting and detailed obituary in the Emerald Hill Record, May 12, 1951, see here
(29) Priestley, Susan  South Melbourne: a history (Melbourne University Press, 1995), p. 333
(30) Emerald Hill Record, May 12, 1951, see here.
(31) See my Trove list for reports of Marie Fitzpatrick's charity and community work. 
(32) Tennis Court opening - Emerald Hill Record, June 30, 1923, see here. Rosanna Savary - Emerald Hill Record, April 28, 1928, see here. There are many reports of Marie Fitzpatrick running the tennis courts - Emerald Hill Record, November 18, 1933, see here and Emerald Hill Record May 11, 1946, see here.
(33) Emerald Hill Record, June 7, 1930, see here.
(34) The Argus, April 30, 1955, see here.
(35) Australian Jewish News, May 12, 1961, see here.
(36) Details from the marriage certicate.
(37) Details of the children are from the Indexes to the Victorian Births, Deaths and Marriages; family notices published in newspapers found on Trove and in the case of the last child, John Baptiste, his details are from the Queensland Births, Deaths and Marriages.
(38) I say they were close knit because they daughters worked together, plus they inserted regular In Memoriam notices in the paper for their father and their sister, Anna Maria, who died at only 33, as well as family death notices when the occasion arose. 
(39) The Advocate, February 5, 1916, see here.
(40) Punch, April 13, 1916, see here.
(41) Table Talk, February 8, 1917, see here.
(42) Table Talk, March 15, 1917, see here.
(43) Weekly Times, May 15, 1915, see here.
(44) The Age, February 14, 1916, see here.
(45) Prahran Telegraph, July 15 1916, see here.
(46) The Age, November 29, 1915, see here.
(47) The Age, December 23, 1915, see here.
(48) The Advocate, June 3 1948, see here.
(49) The Herald, June 18, 1918, see here.
(50) Index to the Victorian Births, Deaths and Marriages.
(51) Electoral Rolls are available on Ancestry; Charlotte Waters death notice was in The Herald October 14, 1946; there are multiple references to  work and activities of Thorold Waters in the newspapers on Trove. He also has an autobiography - Much besides Music:  memoirs, published by Georgian House in 1951. He died in 1956.
(52) William Dunstan (Service No. 2130) read his entry in the Australian Dictionary of Biography, here. Read his service file at the National Archives, here.  I have already writte about Lieutenant Tubb and Corporal Burton, read about them https://victoriaspast.blogspot.com/2020/01/tubbs-hill-and-victoria-cross-connection.html
(53) Reports of the ceremony were in The Herald June 9, 1916, see here; The Age June 10, 1916, see here and The Argus, June 10, 1916, see here. As a matter of interest, the writer has dated their postcard Sunday, June 10 - which is incorrect as Lieutenant Dunstan's ceremony took place on Frday, June 9.

Friday, March 5, 2021

Dixon's Bakery, Kerferd Road

In 1891, Henry Edwin Dixon, baker of Clarendon Street, South Melbourne commissioned local architect, William Elliott Wells to design a new bakery for him in Kerferd Road, which was to be built by the builders, Meyer & Austin. This is the story of the Dixon family, the Wells family and the builders.


This is an original docket, signed by the W.E. Wells, the architect, certifying that the builders, Meyer and Austin, were entitled to a progress payment from H. E. Dixon for the shop and bakery in Kerferd Road.
Image: Isaac Hermann.

Henry Edwin Dixon was born to Henry Dixon, who was a bandmaster,  and Eliza Goslin  in 1856 in Gibraltar, according to his marriage certificate or St John, New Brunswick, Canada, according to his death certificate. He arrived in Australia at the age of twenty, so had obviously done his bakers apprenticeship wherever it was he grew up. He married eighteen year Alicia Doughtery on January 27, 1879 at her house, 23 Cobden Street, Emerald Hill (South Melbourne). Alicia had been born in Belfast, Ireland, in 1861, the daughter of a sailor, Hugh Dougherty and his wife Margaret Anderson.  Henry's Edwin's address was 21 Cobden Street, next door to Alicia's family home. The 1880 South Melbourne Rate books list a Leonard Gravolin, a baker living at that address, so I believe that Henry worked for him or with him and boarded with him and his wife, Sophia (1).

Henry and Alicia had six children - Alice (1880), Emily (1882), Hugh Henry (1884), Margherita (1886), Henry Edwin (1887) and Francis Adolphus (1892) (2). The family lived for a short time at 112 Little Raglan Street, and then in 1887 Henry established his own bakery at 191 Clarendon Street, on the east side between Napier and Cobden Streets; by 1889 this property had been renumbered as 267 Clarendon Street. This was in a useful pocket of shops which included a butcher, bootmaker, furniture dealer, green grocer, grocer, and  a confectioner. George Briggs, a blacksmith, owned Henry's shop, the four neighbouring shops as well as the first three just around the corner in Cobden Street (3)


Dixon's Bakery, 64 Kerford Road, Albert Park. 
The parapet is decorated with sheafs of wheat, the main ingredient of the bakery trade.
Image: Isaac Hermann.

Around 1891 Henry and Alice purchased a block of vacant land in Kerferd Road, between Merton Street and Montague Street, and commissioned local architect, William Elliott Wells to design a property - it was a brick building of eleven rooms including a shop and bakery. The land did not have  a street number for the first ten years. The South Melbourne Rate books lists 53 Kerferd and 69 Kerferd Road while in between they have three un-numbered properties, and even as late as 1900, Henry Dixon had vacant blocks on both sides of his building. Dixon's Bakery does not get its own street number until around 1903, when it becomes 64 Kerferd Road, the street was re-numbered with the even numbers now on the west side, rather than the east side (4).


The wheat motif decorating the building.
Image: Isaac Hermann.

Henry Dixon advertised in the local papers and by 1896 the business had expanded stocking groceries as well as being a baker, pastry cook and a supplier of birthday and wedding cakes.



Advertisment for the Dixon bakery.
Emerald Hill Record April 25 1896 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/108477911

Advertisements in the 1896 papers were also the first reference I could find to Henry calling the bakery, the 'Victoria Bakery' and that same year, Henry also began advertising in the Jewish Herald. He advertised Chala loaves, which, it has been explained to me, are an essential feature of Jewish holiday and Sabbath meals and that at a commercial bakery, their preparation would be supervised or especially approved by religiously sanctioned personnel or authority (5). The reference in the advertisment, below, that all bread was guaranteed full weight, no doubt referred to the fact that Henry was charged in January 1896 with selling bread under the statuatory weight. The council health inspector had stopped his bread cart and weighed 31 loaves and found them altogether 47 ozs. deficient (6). 


Henry Dixon's advertising the availabilty of Chala loaves. 

The Dixon family had an eventful time on the night of Monday, April 20, 1910 when a storm of exceptional severity resulted in considerable damage to a cottage in Kerferd Road, occupied by Mr & Mrs Binns and their two children and Mrs Hager and her three children. The cause of the damage was the roofing from the brick stables attached to Mr. H. E. Dixon's bakery business in Kerferd-road. The roofing iron and rafters of the building, covering a space, of 45ft. x 15ft., had been lifted bodily by the wind, carted over a vacant block, about a chain, and dashed into the cottage. The impact caused the building to list right over, the side wall was almost stove in, also the roof, whilst the chimney was practically demolished. The families were lucky to escape without injury (7)

The family were tight knit and the three daughters, who never married, lived with their parents at bakery or next door at 60 Kerferd Road. Henry died on November 15, 1931 and the Emerald Hill Record published a short obituary that said, in part that he was  one of the oldest members of
the Master Bakers Society of Victoria, and as a townsman was universally liked (8)  The bakery was then operated by Henry junior until his death on April 6, 1944 and his obituary said that he will be very much missed in this 'district, where he was engaged in the bakery business all his life and that he enjoyed the high esteem and respect of his colleagues in the bakery trade (9).  64 Kerford Road  is listed in Sands McDougall Directory as Dixon's bakery until 1950 and then in 1955 it is listed as 'flats'.  Another son, Hugh was businessman in South Melbourne and he died in March 1949. His obituary said that the Dixon family conducted a bakery in Kerferd road for many years and has always been associated with local charity appeals. During the last war Mr. Dixon was an active supporter of South Melbourne Patriotic Fund (10).

Alicia died at the age of 90 on July 22, 1951. Her death was referred to at a meeting of the South Melbourne Council and Cr Wells said that South Melbourne had suffered another loss in the recent death of Mrs. Alice Dixon, well known in the municipality for her charitable work, and as the mother of the family which for long had conducted the bakery business in Kerferd road. Cr. Barry said that the Dixon family was one of the oldest established in the municipality. The late Mrs. Dixon had been a good social worker, and had been closely associated throughout a long life with local charities and with war work (11).


Mayoral portrait of W. E. Wells, 1886.
Image courtesy of Port Phillip City Collection, SM 0026

It was interesting that it was Cr Wells who paid tribute to Mrs Dixon as it was his grandfather who designed the bakery. The Wells family had a long connection to the South Melbourne Council beginning with William Elliott Wells, the architect and auctioneer. W. E. Wells was elected to Council in August 1883, was Mayor in 1886; his son Ernest Alfred, elected in 1902, was Mayor in 1906/07 and 1919/20 and his grandson, also called William Elliott Wells (but known as Elliott) was elected in 1941 and was the Mayor in 1944/45, 1945/46 (12).  The Age reported that three generations mayors is believed to be a unique record in the history of Victorian municipal government (13). One of the traditional honours of being on a Council was having a street named after you and the Wells family are recognised in Wells Street. The first references I can find to the street are in 1887, when it was described as a continuation of Palmerston Crescent (14).  


W. E. Wells Illuminated Address, presented in 1887. The illustrations at the bottom of are of the South Melbourne Town Hall and Albert Park Lake.
 Port Phillip City Collection. Image: Isaac Hermann.


W. E. Wells Illuminated Address, presented in 1887. 
 Port Phillip City Collection. Image: Isaac Hermann.

Another honour bestowed upon William Wells was the presentation of an illumintaed address in March 1887 by the Mayor and Councillors of the City of South Melbourne  to express their estimate of the service rendered by you during the term you occupied the mayoral chair, and of the great concern taken by you in the affairs of the city during the three years you have held office as councillor (15)The Wells' Illuminated Address is part of the Port Phillip City Collection.


The illustrations from W. E. Wells Illuminated Address -  
The South Melbourne Town Hall, which was a familiar building for three generations of the Wells family.
 Port Phillip City Collection. Image: Isaac Hermann.



The illustrations from W. E. Wells Illuminated Address -  
Albert Park lake, looking towards the Bay
Port Phillip City Collection. Image: Isaac Hermann.

William Elliott Wells, the designer of the Dixon bakery, was born in Bridport Street, Dorsetshire in 1837 and arrived in Victoria in 1855. He lived in the Bendigo area and was at Eaglehawk when he married Jane Wright Fry on December 16, 1865. He was a 27 year old carpenter and Jane, who had been born in London, was 21 years old. They had eight children; the first two were born at Eaglehawk and the other six at Emerald Hill (as South Melbourne was then called) -  Eliza Alice (1866), Ernest Alfred (1868), Edith Clare (1870), Annie Eva (1873), Francis Stanley (1875), William Thomas (1877), George Elliott (1879) and Gertrude Evelyn Mary (1888) (16). 

His obituary says that after spending time in the Bendigo area he came to Melbourne and worked as a buildier before he commenced practice as an architect and auctioneer in Clarendon Street, in 1880 (17).  Given that he listed his occupation as 'carpenter' on his marriage certificate, it doesn't appear that he was a trained architect.  His obituary also says he designed the grandstand at the South Melbourne Cricket Club.  However, Susan Priestley in her history of South Melbourne writes that it was George Gray who designed the grandstand in 1886 and William Wells designed the members stand and refreshment pavilion (18). The grandstand was destroyed by fire in August 1926 (19).

There are two other works that I can attribute to W.E. Wells. In 1885 a meeting of property owners in Clarendon street was held, on Wednesday evening, which plans and specifications were adopted and tenders ordered to be invited for the erection of a new set of street verandahs, extending from Park to Bank street, on the western side. The owners having agreed with two exceptions to the proposed extension of the verandahs to the curb stone, this portion of the street will, at an early date form a splendid promenade which will, without doubt, beneficially influence the business done in the block. The preparation of the plans was entrusted to Cr. W. E. Wells, of this city, who submitted a light and graceful design, which was at once unanimously adopted (20).

The other buildings are a pair of buildings at what was 45 and 47 Dundas Place, Albert Park which were put up for auction in February 1889. The buildings are still there; the street was renumbered between 1900 and 1905, with the even numbers on the north side instead of the south side, and they are now 30 & 32 Dundas Place (21).


Advertisement for the sale of 45 & 47 (now 30 & 32) Dundas Place, 
designed and built under the supervision of W. E. Wells.



30 & 32 Dundas Place (formerly 45 & 47) designed by W. E. Wells
Image: Isaac Hermann

William Wells also operated an auction house which he established 121 Clarendon Street, at Bank Corner. This was near the corner of Clarendon and Banks Street. I presume it was called Bank Corner because the new E. S. & A Bank was erected at that intersection in 1880 and opened the next year (22).  The first mention I can find of the term 'Bank Corner' is in 1882 (23).  In 1896 the firm moved to new premises at 183 Clarendon Street, and due to the renumbering of South Melbourne streets which took place sometime between 1900 and 1905, it became 301 Clarendon Street (24)


An early advertisement for W. E. Wells


The 1896 move to 183 Clarendon Street, which was renumbered as 301 Clarendon Street
sometime between 1900 and 1905. 
Emerald Hill Record November 7, 1896 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/108481715#


Wells & Son Auction Rooms, 301 Clarendon Street.
Image courtesy of Port Phillip City Collection, SM 1442
 
William Elliott Wells, one of Emerald Hill's greatest pioneers (25), died on August 30, 1930.  His obituary (26) said he was warmly attached to the local Congregational Church, and a few years back took a prominent interest in Freemasonry, holding the office of P. G. S. W. (27) in the first Victorian Grand Lodge under the Grand Mastership of the late Geo. Coppin (28)His wife Jane had died May 23, 1923 (29) and they are both buried at the Brighton Cemetery. William and Jane's daughter, Eliza,  was married to the Reverend William Silas Pearse, who when he died in 1949 was described as one of the oldest Congregational Church ministers in Victoria (30). For  a short time in the mid 1880s and during the time William was the Mayor, the family lived at 42 Howe Crescent, South Melbourne. Their youngest daughter, Gertrude, was born in the house. It was a convenient location for the family as it was just down from the Congregational Church (31). As a matter of interest, the Wells family later lived  at 154 Kerford Road for a number of years until the early 1920s, 45 houses up from the Dixons (32)  


41 & 42 Howe Crescent, South Melbourne. 
The Wells family lived at No. 42 during the time William was the 
Mayor of South Melbourne in 1886.
Image: Paul Caine.


Mayoral portrait of E. A. Wells, 1906-07. 
Image courtesy of Port Phillip City Collection, SM 0019

The Auction business was taken over by his  son, Ernest Alfred and after Edward's death on May 17, 1950 by his son William Elliott, named for his grandfather.  Ernest and his wife Ethel (nee Thornton) were also involved in the Congregational Church, attending and holding various honorary offices in  the church in Howe Crescent for over 60 years. Their son, Henry became a Congregational Minister and their daughter a medical missionary in India Ernest also served as both the Treasrurer and Vice President of the Homeopathic Hospital, which was renamed Prince Henry's Hospital  in 1934 (33)


Mayoral portrait of Elliott Wells, 1944.
Artist: Max Casey. Port Phillip City Collection.
Image: Isaac Hermann.
I acknowledge that this painting is still under Copyright and it is reproduced here for the purpose of research only. 

In 1895, Ernest Wells and Charles Buchan Sydserff (34) established the South Melbourne TRY Boys Society. The main object of the Society was to offer to young men inducements to refrain from prowling about the streets and to persuade them to improve themselves at some of the classes which the Society provides for education in writing, book-keeping, shorthand and elocution, and so to fit them better to fight life's battle (35). 

The last element of the Dixon's Bakery docket are the builders -  Meyer and Austin. I cannot find out much about them, however in 1893 they built Samuel Coulter's house, Ulster, in Station Street, Port Melbourne. Mr Coulter (36) invited a large number of visitors to the laying of the foundation stone ceremony, including the Mayor, Cr Malcolmson and this was reported on in the Port Melbourne Standard.  At the function afterwards at the Albion Hotel, the Mayor called on Mr Austin as the senior contractor, to propose the health of Mr & Mrs Coulter.  Mr. Austin said he had much pleasure in responding to the Mayor's request. He contended that Mr. Coulter had shown great pluck in undertaking such a work at the present time. Such buildings were always a boon to any place, and as things were now the value to contractors and workmen was doubly valuable (37).


Ulster, the house built by Meyer & Austin in 1893 in Station Street in Port Melbourne, is shown here. It is the house directly behind the horse's saddle. The house immediatley to the right is Derwent house; the house to the far right is the start of Alfred Terrace.  The house on the left, obscured by the tree, is Emerald (38) which is on the corner of Raglan Street and Station Street.
Horse drawn wagon owned by Port Melbourne City Council. Photographer: Albert Jones.
State Library of Victoria Image H2007.130/13


In 1900, Samuel Coulter offered Ulster, with its amenites such as a bath, wash-house 
and 2 stall stable, for lease. 
Port Melbourne Standard, June 30, 1900 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article164949748

I believe that Mr Austin, who worked with Meyer, also worked  in partnership with Anthonie Dubbledan, of Port Melbourne. Mr Dubbledan's obituary said that some of the most prominent buildings in the town were erected by him (39)In 1889 Dubbledan and Austin built a school room at the Catholic Church in Port Melbourne (40) and 1893 they built the Britannia Hotel on the  corner of  Graham and Bay Street (41). Other than this I have no other information about Mr Austin. 

George Meyer is listed in the South Melbourne Rate Books from 1881, when he lists his occupation as a shipwright. By 1886, he has purchased 71 Little Page Street, and changed his occupation to carpenter. George is at this address until 1897 at least and the only difference seems to be that in 1896 he changed his occupation again, this time to contractor (42)

The only other project that I can attribute to George Meyer is the erection of a shed at the South Melbourne market in 1895. That would appear to be a simple project but was the subject of some discussion at the South Melbourne Council meeting held May 28, 1895 - this is the report from the Emerald Hill Record - Cr. Palmer protested against the payment of £60, first part payment to George Meyer, for erection of market shed. He did so on the ground that the work was not provided for when framing the estimates. It was said that the money was to come from the surplus received from the lease of the market, but that money was used in other works. The account had not been passed by the committee, not that the members did not wish the money to be paid, but so that the council as a whole might authorise the payment. He moved that the item be excised. Cr Stead said he considered the work one of emergency as the gardeners had threatened that if some accomodation was not provided they would leave in a body. Cr. Owen could not see how the shed could come under the head of an emergency although it might be a useful erection. Cr. Gittus did not see how there could be any objection. Cr. Tope was satisfied to support the clause and let Cr. Palmer lodge his protest. Cr. White also protested against the payment on the same ground that Cr. Palmer raised. He had seen quite enough of the risks run. The account was passed for payment. Crs. Wadey, Palmer, Owen, White and Madden voting against it (43).

George later moved from South Melbourne to Ascot Vale, where he died at the age of 51 on April 1, 1909. This was followed, less than six months later,  by the death of his married daughter, twenty six year old Matta Louisa Higginbotham on August 21.  Matta had married in 1904 and she left behind four year old Linda and 2 year old Arthur. There was some happiness for the family that year as their other daughter, Linda, married Henry Dallimore on October 5, at St Pauls Church of England, Ascot Vale. George's wife, Emma died in October, 1915 (44). 

Henry Dixon, William Wells, George Meyer and Mr Austin have long passed on, but the building in which they all played a role - Dixon's Bakery in Kerford Road, is still there - 130 years later.


Acknowledgments  
A huge thank you and much appreciation goes to Anne Scambary, Arts & Heritage Officer, City of Port Phillip; Dorela Gerardi, Collections Registrar, City of Port Phillip and David Helms, Heritage Advisor, City of Port Phillip. Anne provided the copies of the Mayoral portraits of W. E. Wells and E. A. Wells, as well as the image of Wells' Auction room at 301 Clarendon Street. Dorela gave us access to W. E. Wells' Illuminated address and the Mayoral portrait of W. E. Wells (the younger) and allowed my research colleague, Isaac Hermann, to photograph them. David provided the correct identification of Ulster and also provided the information on the neighbouring properties - see footnote 37. It was Isaac who came across the 1891 docket, signed by W. E. Wells, which  inspired this story. Isaac also provided the photographs of the bakery building, the Dundas Place property and the Wells' grave at Brighton Cemetery (footnote 16) and some of the research. As always, I am grateful for his support, photographs and input. Thank you also to Paul Caine, for the photograph of 42 Howe Crescent.

Trove lists
I have created a list on the Dixon family and the bakery, access it here; and a list on the Wells family, access it here.

Footnotes
(1) The information in this paragraph comes from Henry and Alicia's marriage certificate (which includes their residential  address) and their death certificates. The South Melbourne Rate books are available on Ancestry.
(2) Henry and Alicia Dixon's children  - this information comes from the Victorian Indexes to Births Deaths and Marriages; Electoral Rolls on Ancestry and newspaper articles on Trove, which you will find on my Trove list, here.
  • Alice Elizabeth 1880 - 1968. Did not marry.
  • Emily 1882 -1970. Did not marry.
  • Hugh Henry 1884 - 1949.  Married Elsie May Scopie in 1924 and they had one daughter, Yvonne, who was for some time the pianist for South Melbourne Philharmonic Society (Emerald Hill Record, March 26, 1949)
  • Margherita 1886 -  1968. Did not marry.
  • Henry Edwin 1887 - 1944. Married Alice Elizabeth Owen in 1913. They had two children, Peggy and Hal.  Henry's obituary said that a son was a  Flying-Officer in the R.A.A.F and that Peggy was attached to the Australian Broadcasting commission (Emerald Hill Record, April 15, 1944)
  • Francis Adolphus 1892 - 1966. Married Daisy Philomena Lawlor in 1920 and she died Feb 7, 1937. He then married Helen Maud Johansen in 1947. Unlike the rest of his family Francis did not spend his life in the South Melbourne area. He was listed in the Electoral Rolls at Lancefield from 1921 until 1937, occupation grazier. He also spent some time at Fishermans Road, Five Ways. From 1954 to 1963 the was at  9 Crozier St, Bentleigh.  
(3)   This information is from the South Melbourne Rate books on Ancestry; the list of shops owned by George Briggs is from the 1889 Rate books. The information also comes from the Sands & McDougalls Melbourne & Suburban Directories, digitised at the State Library of Victoria.
(4) Date of purchase of the land comes from the South Melbourne Rate Books; in 1890 Rate books the vacant land as owned by James Tribe. The street numbering comes from the Rate books and Sands & McDougalls. The 1903 Electoral Roll lists the Dixons at 64 Kerferd Road. I don't know where my obsession with numbers comes from, but initially we had trouble identifying the building in Kerford Road as we were working on the original numbers, then we noticed the distinctive wheat  sheaf decoration on the building and that confirmed it. I say 'we' but it was actually my research colleague, Isaac Hermann who 'discovered' the building, following the advice of the City of Port Phillip Heritage Advisor, David Helms. 
Below: Sands & McDougalls Melbourne & Suburban Directories - renumbering of Dixon's Bakery and other Kerford Road allotments.


Kerferd Road, west side, 1900
Sands and McDougall Melbourne and Suburban Directory for 1900.


Kerferd Road, west side, 1905.
Sands and McDougall Melbourne and Suburban Directory for 11905.

(5) Thanks to my research colleague, Isaac Hermann, for the explanation about chala or challah loaves.
(6) The Herald, January 3, 1896, see here.
(7) Emerald Hill Record, April 30, 1910, see here.
(8) Emerald Hill Record, November 21, 1931, see here.
(9) Emerald Hill Record, April 15, 1944, see here.
(10) Emerald Hill Record March 26, 1949, see here.
(11) Emerald Hill Record, August 4, 1951, see here.
(12) These dates regarding their elections to the South Melbourne Council come from various newspaper articles on my Trove list, here.
(13) The Age, May 19, 1950, see here.
(14) Emerald Hill Record, March 9, 1887, see here.
(15) Emerald Hill Record, March 19, 1887, see here.
(16) This information in this paragraph (and below) comes from William and Jane's marriage certificate; the Indexes to the Victorian Births Deaths and Marriages and his obituary in the Emerald Hill Record, September 6, 1930, see here
William and Jane Wells' children - 
  • Eliza Ann 1866 - 1930. Married William Silas Pearse in 1897. 
  • Ernest Alfred 1868 - 1950. Married Ethel Thornton in 1898.
  • Edith Clare 1870 - 1956. Did not marry. 
  • Annie Eva 1873 - 1956. Did not marry.
  • Francis Stanley 1875 - 1917. Married Ada Elizabeth White in 1897. Killed in Action in France May 2, 1917.
  • William Thomas 1877 - ?. Married Emily Maude Crook in 1901. 
  • George Elliott 1879 - 1963. Married Myra Tilley in 1906. 
  • Gertrude Evelyn 1888 - 1961. Did not marry.

The Wells' grave at the Brighton Cemetery. It's interesting that it contains five members of the family - William and Jane and three of their daughters - Edith, Annie and Gertrude.
Image: Isaac Hermann.

(17) Emerald Hill Record, September 6, 1930, see here
(18) Priestley, Susan South Melbourne: a history (Melbourne University Press, 1995), p. 187.
(19) The Argus, August 14, 1926, see here.
(20) Emerald Hill Record, May 23, 1885, see here.
(21) Sands & McDougalls Melbourne & Suburban Directories - renumbering of 45 & 47 Dundas Place to 30 & 32.


Dundas Place, north side, 1900.
Sands and McDougall Melbourne and Suburban Directory for 1900.


Dundas Place, north side, 1905.
Sands and McDougall Melbourne and Suburban Directory for 1905.
(22) The Record & Emerald Hill Advertiser, December 17, 1880, see here.
(23)  Letter to the editor from W. E. Wells, Emerald Hill Record, March 24, 1882, see here.
(24)  Sands & McDougalls Melbourne & Suburban Directories - renumbering of W. E. Wells' Clarendon Street property and other allotments.



Clarendon Street, east side, 1900.
Sands and McDougall Melbourne and Suburban Directory for 1900.


Clarendon Street, east side, 1905
Sands and McDougall Melbourne and Suburban Directory for 1905.

(25) Emerald Hill Record, September 6, 1930, see here.
(26) Emerald Hill Record, September 6, 1930, see here.
(27) P.G.S.W. - Pro Grand Superintendent of Works - a Freemasons office which advices on any matter connected with building works.
(28) George Coppin - read his Australian Dictionary of Biography entry, here.
(29) Death notice, The Argus May 26, 1923, see here.
(30) The Argus, August 18, 1949, see here.
(31)  We discovered that the Wells' family lived at 42 Howe Crescent from this notice, below,  about the candidates in the South Melbourne Council election. Information about the Congregational Church can be found here, http://vhd.heritage.vic.gov.au/search/nattrust_result_detail/66610


Emerald Hill Record July 29, 1886 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article113012684


 Birth  notice of Gertrude Evelyn Wells at 42 Howe Crescent in 1881

(32) Electoral Rolls, available on Ancestry.
(33) The information about Ernest and the involvement with the Congregational Church and Prince Henry's Hospital is from his obituary in the Emerald Hill Record, May 20, 1950, see here.
(34) Charles Buchan Sydserff. Born in 1872 in Emerald Hill to John Buchan and Mary Henderson (nee Disher) Sydserff.  Charles married Helen Hart Williams in 1900. She died in 1919 at the age of 49. He then married Maggie Porter in 1920. He lived at 73 Merton Street in Albert Park and then (around 1917) moved to Merton, Suffolk Road, Surrey Hills. He was an accountant and died in 1962.  
(35) The quote is from Emerald Hill Record, September 28, 1896, see here. Information about the establishment of the Society in South Melbourne and a list of the patrons and office bearers is in 
Table Talk, November 1, 1895, see here.
(36) Samuel Lowry Coulter -  died February 11, 1925 at the age of 84. His will left his estate to his wife, Alice, and his daughter, Alice Watson, and his grandchildren John and Alice Watson - clearly they liked the name Alice. He also left various bequests to other relatives. Of interest though is that he left £1000 to the Presbyterian Church in Bridge Street, Port Melbourne; plus a further £100 for the Minister to use for the benefit of the Sunday School children and £500 for the erection of a verandah of the manse at Bridge Street Port Melbourne and for the maintenance of the manse. A manse is the house provided by the Church for a Presbyterian minister. There were two other bequests to the Church - £100 to the local minister, the Reverend John Landels and £100 to the Presbyterian Church in Killinchy, County Down, Ireland for the benefit of the Sunday School Children. His will has been digitised by the Public Records Office of Victoria. 
(37) Port Melbourne Standard, November 25, 1893, see here.
(38) The identification of the buildings and the following information was kindly supplied by David Helms, Heritage Advisor, City of Port Phillip -  Derwent, was built c. 1870 and purchased by Samuel Coulter in 1890. Emerald was designed by local architect, Arthur Bidgway and constructed in 1901, also for Samuel Coulter. Alfred Terrace was built c. 1869.


This photo shows Emerald, Ulster and Derwent - all part of Samuel Coulter's property portfolio - and  the three buildings which make up  Alfred Terrace
Station Street, Port Melbourne, c. 1907. State Library of Victoria Image H93.431/1


Samuel Coulter advertising Ulster and Derwent for lease in 1896.
Port Melbourne Standard, November 7 1896 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/165314573
 
(39) Port Melbourne Standard, November 23, 1901, see here.
(40) Port Melbourne Standard, May 25, 1889, see here.
(41) Port Melbourne Standard, November 23, 1895, see here.
(42) South Melbourne Rate Books available on Ancestry.
(43) Emerald Hill Record, June 1, 1895, see here.
(44) Death notice of George Meyer - The Argus, April 2, 1909, see here; death notice of Matta Higginbotham - The Argus, August 23, 1909, see  here; marriage notice of Linda Meyer - The Argus, November 17, 1909, see here; and death notice of Emma (nee Aslett) Meyer - The Argus, October 11, 1915, see here