NEWSLETTER VOLUME EIGHTEEN • NUMBER THREE • ACN A00 390 26Z
September 2017
EAST MELBOURNE
HISTORICAL SOCIETY
NEWSLETTER EAST MELBOURNE HISTORICAL
SOCIETY
2
Committee
Affiliated with The Royal Historical Society of Victoria
Aims
A full Statement of Purposes appears in our Documents of
Incorporation but briefly the aims of the Society are as follows:• Tofosteraninterestinthehistory
of East Melbourne.• Tobuildanarchiveofmaterial
relevanttothehistoryofEastMelbourne.
• Topromoteinterchangeofinforma-tionthroughlecturesandtours.
• Topromoteheritagepreservation.
Weinvitecontributionsrelatingto the history of East Melbourne
from our members. Articles of up to 1500wordswillbeconsideredforpublication.Smallarticlesanditemsofinterest are also welcome.
Wewouldbepleasedtoreceiveyoursuggestionsandideasforactivities,guestspeakers,excursionsoranythingelseyoumightlikeustoorganizeonyourbehalf.
Please contact any member of our committee.
Contributions andSuggestions
Published by EMHS and supported by City of Melbourne Community Services Grants Program.
CONTACT DETAILS1st Floor, East Melbourne Library,
122 George Street, East MelbournePO Box 355, East Melbourne 8002
Telephone: 9416 0445.Email: [email protected]: www.emhs.org.au
President:JillFenwick 94190437
Vice President:RosieSmith 0431707405Hon. Secretary:SylviaBlack 94172037
Treasurer:MalcolmHowell 0417337519
Committee:DianeClifford [email protected] 94159771JohnStone 0419433540GrahamShepherd 94869039
MembershipMembership of the East Melbourne Historical Society is open to all who are interested in the history of East Melbourne.
Enquiries: Diane Clifford [email protected]
Annual subscription: $25.00
Guests are welcome at individual meetings $5.00
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President’s Letter
Oneofthemostsatisfyingpartsofourworkforthe
EMHSistheresponsewegettoall the material on our website. Everymonth,about30,000pagesareaccessedbyavarietyofinternet searchers. Some are our ownmembers,whoarelookingforinformationabouteventsweareholdingorareinterestedinaparticular aspect of East Melbourne. Othersarestudentsinvolvedinresearch,orhomehistoriansseekingfamily connections or information about houses or people within the suburb.
WehadamassiveresponsewhenourresearchontheWorldWar1soldierswasmadeavailableon the website. Families wrote in appreciationofthematerialwe’dresearched,addedmore,correcteduswhenwewerewrong,donatedphotographsandmadequeriesabouthowwehadgoneabouttheresearch.JanetScarfe’smeticulousstudiesoftheWorldWar1nursesalsoreceivedatremendousresponse,whichhascontinuedintothisyear.
Evenourmostnotoriouscitizens,likeGreyStreet’s‘MadamOpportunity’,MinnieCostain,arebelovedoftheirdescendedfamily.MinnieallegedlyranahouseofillreputeduringWorldWar11,largelyfor the officers of the US forces basedinEastMelbourne.Shehadpreviouslyhadaboardinghouseat167WellingtonParadeSouth,
Jolimont,where,itseems,shewasharassedbyapoliceforceintentonprovingthatshewaseitheraslygrogdealerorabrothelowner.Hergreat-greatnephewwrotetousonlylastweek,thrilledtohaverediscoveredher:
FindingoutinfoabouttheCostainfamilyhasbeenreally,really,difficult.Chancinguponthishasnotonlygivenmealaughbutputasmileonmyface.IseeonGoogleEarththatMinnie’s home in Grey Street survivesandasIwillbeinMelbourne in September I will makeapointofgoingandhavingalookatit.
Iamthrilledwhenwegetthissort of response from out there intheinternetworld.Inthenearfuture we hope to initiate a new project,abiographicaldatabaseofpastresidentswhichwillmatchthemwiththeiraddresses.Wecanbeginwiththemorefamousones,but hope that many of our members will contribute information about theoriginalownersandoccupantsoftheir property.
Jill Fenwick
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Cairns Memorial Church
Ontheeveningof15August1988,thelightsinEastMelbourne
turnedoffandnotonlythelights–the whole electricity system was shut downbyorderoftheStateElectricityCommission.TheCairnsMemorialChurch on the corner of Powlett andHothamStreetswasablazeandtheauthoritiesfearedthatlivewiresmighthelpspreadthefiretothewholeneighbourhood.
TheCairnsChurchwasoriginallyPresbyterianandnamedafterDr.AdamCairns,thelatepastorofChalmersChurchonEasternHill,whohademigratedtoAustraliain1853.Bornin1802inLongforgan,Perthshire,Scotland,CairnswascommissionedtofoundaMelbournecongregation,uniteallPresbyteriansandtopromoteeducationwithinthecolonyofVictoria.Describedbyhisbiographer,DonChambersas‘Hastyoftemperament,firmofconviction,doctrinallyrigid,butwithalwarmofheartandsincere’1,Cairnswasbothsuccessfulandextremelypopular,particularlywiththelargenumbers of Scottish Presbyterians in Melbourne.Hediedin1881andintribute,thePresbyteriancommunitycalledforthefoundingof‘ahandsomeandcommodiousedificeintheearlyGothicstyle,capableofseating750people’2 in his honour.
ThechosendesignwasbyarchitectsHendersonandSmart.Theinteriorwastobeoctagonalinform,withorganandchoirinthesoutherntransept,‘’ahandsomeandcommodiousedifice…(with)atower180feettall,ascendingform the north-eastern corner.’3Thefoundationstonewaslaidin1882and
thechurchwasformallyopenedin18844.Itwascompletedin1887atacostof£19,384,thoughthetowerwasneverbuilt,havingprovedtooexpensive.5 Electriclightwasinstalledin1916.
InJune,1977,theMethodist,CongregationalandPresbyteriancongregationsjoinedtofoundtheUnitingChurch.InthedivisionofpropertybetweenthecontinuingPresbyteriansandtheUniting,thechurchpassedtotheUnitingandwasrenamedastheCairnsUnitingChurch.Bythelate1980s,however,therewerefewchurchgoersandthefireisbelievedtohavebegunfromfaultyelectricwiring.
Onthenightof15August,localEastMelbournephotographerRodGoodwinwascominghomefromaprofessionalengagement.Asaresult,hehadhiscameraequipmentwithhimandwasabletocaptureaseriesofshotsthatshowedtheferocityoftheblazeandthegradualdemolitionofthechurch.In1999,withtheco-operationoftheCityCouncil,theruinedchurchwasconvertedintoelevenluxuryapartments.
1Chambers,DonDr.AdamCairns ADBVol.3(MUP)1969
2TheAustralasianSketcherJan. 1853)
3TheArgus1September1882p.4
4TheArgus12February1883p.3
5TheArgus22April1887p.4
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In1848revolutionwasragingintheGermanstatesandLieutenantGustav
TechowofthePrussianArmy’s17th RegimentofInfantry,wasoneoftheofficersservingattheBerlinarsenal
andby1852hehadmadehiswaytoAustralia.
Little of his life in his early yearsherehasemerged,buthewasnaturalizedin1854andhiscertificate
Gustav Techow and the National Gymnasium
whenitwasattackedbytheinsurgents.Techow’ssympathieslaywithrebellingcitizensandherefusedtoshootthemanddefendthearsenal.Hebecameaherotothembutwascourt-martialledforhistreachery.HemanagedtoescapetoSwitzerlandwhilehistrialwentaheadwithouthim.Hewassentencedtofifteenyearsinprison.Hecouldnevergobacktohisnativecountry
giveshisresidenceasMelbourneandhisoccupationasengineer.1860istheearliestthathisnamecanbefoundinthenewspapers:
ST.KILDAGYMNASIUM,establishedaccordingtothesystemoftheeminentSwedishprofessorLing,willbeOPENED,onthe9thofApril,attheTheatreattachedtotheRoyalHotel,frontingtheBeachReserve.
DrawingbyCharlesSamuelBennett.1.ViewofbuildingsinJolimont.2.LaTrobe’sCottageJolimont.3.Engineerssheds.4. National gymnasiumandTechow’scottage.5.Lonsdale’sCottage.
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Threeclassesdaily,exceptSaturday,oneinthemorning,fromhalf-past7to9;oneintheafternoon,fromhalf-past4to6;oneintheeveningfrom7to9o’clock. Terms-Two guineas perquarter,payableinadvance.G. TECHOW.
TechowhadlearnedthesystemofSwedishgymnasticsfoundedbyPerHenrikLingearlyinthe19th century while still a member of the Prussianarmy.Forthenextfewyearshetaughtgymnasticsprivately,includinginstructionatschools.In1862itwasadvertisedthathewouldteachcallisthenicsandgymnasticstothepupilsofMrandMrsDamm’sEducationalInstitutionforYoungLadies,1and2Apsleyplace,Eastern-hill,Melbourne.Thissiteisnowoccupiedbythefiremuseum.
InthefollowingyearTechow,aged48,marriedthe17yearoldElizabethCumming.Sixchildrenfollowed.
Atthistimegymnasticswasconsideredbymanyasslightlyunseemly;thatitwasnotdignifiedtothrowyourbodyaround,andcontortitintounnaturalanduncomfortablepositions,butthetidewasturningandpeoplewerebeginningtounderstandthevirtuesandbenefitsofagoodwork-out.Especiallyitwasthoughtthatitwouldbeexcellenttrainingforthevolunteerarmycorpsandeventuallythegovernmentagreedtoprovidepremisesforanationalgymnasium.TheArgusreportedon16February1864that:
TheNationalGymnasium,fortheestablishment of which the sum of
£490wasvotedbytheLegislaturelastyear,andtowardsthemaintenanceofwhich£300hasbeengrantedthissession,willbeopenaboutaweekhence.TheplacesetapartforthepurposeistheannexetotheExhibition-building,Williamstreet,whichisnowfittedupwithparallelandhorizontalbars,leapingandclimbingstands,laddersofropeandwood,perpendicularandslantpoles,andothergymnasticappliances.Bathanddressingroomsareattachedtothebuilding.TheestablishmentwillbeunderthedirectionofMr. G. Techow,apalaestricprofessorwellknowninthecolony.Itisdesignedchieflyfortheadvantageofthevolunteers,butcertainhourseach,daywillbedevotedtotheinstructionofprivateclasses.
Howeverby1870ithadbeendecidedtobuildtheMintonthesiteoftheold1854exhibitionbuildinganditwasdemolished,buttheironannexewascartedovertoWellingtonParadeSouthandre-erectedadjacenttotheEastMelbourneCricketGround,whichwasonthecornerofJolimontRoad.Atthesametimethetrusteesarrangedforatimberhousetobebuiltnextdoorforthegyminstructor,GustavTechow.Hediedtherein1890butthegymnasiumcontinuedforanotherfewyears,withformerpupilsinstructing,until1909whenatenderwasawardedforthe‘purchaseandremovalofold NationalGymnasium,cottage,&c.,onrailwayreserve(nearEastMelbourneCricket-ground),Melbourne,£35.’
Sylvia Black
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Media Release – Mount Alexander’s Silk WomanReadersofournewslettermayrememberthestoryofpioneeringsericulturalist,SarahBladenNeill,andherconnectionwithEastMelbourneinourMarch2017issue.Nowabookhasbeenwrittenabout her.
SarahFlorentiaBladenNeillisaname not familiar with many but
ifhistorian-writersIanBraybrookandMarilynBennethavetheirwaythatwillsoonchange.Theyhavewrittenabookaboutheranditisdueforreleasethismonth.
Sarah’sattemptstoestablishasilkindustryinAustraliainthe1860’stothe1880’smakeforamostremarkablestoryaboutauniqueperson.
SarahcamefromaverywealthyfamilythatoriginatedintheU.K.SheinheritedconsiderableinterestsinpropertiesintheCorowadistrictonthedeathofherhusband.
ShebeganexperimentingwithSericulture there on a small property ontheAlburyRoad,whichshenamedMulberry Farm.
Herinitialstep,in1865,wastoplantalargenumberofMulberrytreesatMulberryFarm,essentialfoodforsilkworms.
Encouragedbythesuccessofthisplanting,shebeganworkonaprojectthatwas to occupy her for the rest of her life.
In1874,aspartofherboldplantogrowtheindustry,sheestablishedaSericulturefarmonMountAlexander.UndermanagementofherfriendJessieGroversheplantedthousandsofMulberrytreesthere.Thefarmconsistedofanumberofsubstantialbuildings,essentialtoraisingsilkwormsandharvestingtheirsilk.In1877,foranumberofreasons,thefarmwasabandoned.Sarahhowevercontinuedherdeterminedworkfor many more years.
Herfascinatingstoryisfullyrevealedinthebooktitled“Sarah’sSearch–ASilkOdyssey”.ToquoterenownedHistorianandAuthorMichaelCannon‘Itisabouttimeitwastold.’
FurtherInformation:IanBraybrook0409333513
Mystery Women - Can You Help?
ThisphotoappearedinTheArguson9September1953.Thethree
womenareun-namedbutdescribedas‘irateEastMelbournepropertyowners’.TheyweremeetingwiththeTownClerkinprotestabouttheremovaloftheelmtreesinGeorgeStreet.They
wereundoubtedlyfoundationmembersof the East Melbourne Group. We wouldverymuchliketoknowtheirnames. If anyone can help please contactJillFenwickjill_fenwick@[email protected]
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Coming Events
When our Society was incorporatedin1999itadopted
asitsRulestheModelRulesenactedin1981,withonealteration.
TheModelRuleswerereplacedin2012,butthe2012RuleshavenotbeenadoptedbyourSociety.Attheannualgeneralmeetingon18Octoberthecommitteewillputforwardamotionfortheadoptionofthe2012Rules,withsevenalterationsoradditionsthatareconsistentwiththeway in which the Society has been run in the past.
Noticeoftheannualgeneralmeeting,andadetailedexplanationoftheproposedRules,willbeprovidedtomembers.TheexplanationandtheproposedRulesalsoareavailableonourwebsiteemhs@org.au
Wednesday, 18 October, at 8.00 p.m. – AGM
FollowingtheAGMDrMadonnaGrehan,historian,registerednurse
andmidwife,andHonoraryFellowattheUniversityofMelbourne,willtalkon:
TheMidwife,theBishop,andanAssassin:threedegreesofseparationinnineteenth century Melbourne. PeterAndrewCharlesO’FarrellisbutadotinthehistoryannalsofEastMelbourne. At some point in the mid-nineteenthcentury,heownedtwoplotsoflandonPowlettStreet.ApropertyspeculatorandasolicitorofVictoria’sSupremeCourt,O’Farrellwasavolatileandobstreperousindividual.Shiningaspotlightonhisshadycharacter,thispresentationexplainsO’Farrell’s close connections with threeunlikelybedfellows:amidwife,aBishop,andanassassin.
At Clarendon Terrace, 210 Clarendon Terrace, East Melbourne
Wednesday, 6 December at 6.30 – Christmas Drinks
Putitinyourdiarynow.Moredetailslater.
Proposed New Rules
NoticeofAnnualGeneralMeetingandnominationformareenclosedwith
this newsletter. All financial members
oftheEMHSareeligibletobenominatedforthe
committee.
Notice of AGM
CoverImage
CairnsMemorialChurchablaze.
PhotographbyRodGoodwin.