What happened in Garfield in 1914

This is what happened in Garfield in 1914, 100 years ago. These references are from various newspapers available on Trove http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper.

A report on January 15, 1914 in the Bunyip Free Press said that Mr Laurence Plant of Garfield had caught 41 blackfish in the Diamond Creek (in Tynong North) and his companion had caught 36. The fish were caught in less than two feet of water.  Mr Plant went on to say that the trick to catching blackfish was not to go fishing when the sun is shining on the water in the middle of the day as the fish can see you. He also said that there were plenty of rabbits and wallabies within a half a mile from the Railway Station for ‘sports’ lovers. In this sense ‘sports’ lovers means shooters.  I’m not sure how many wallabies you would now see within half a mile (800 metres) of the Railway Station today but you would no doubt see plenty of rabbits. Mr Plant advertised in a later issue of the paper that he would clean chimneys at a nominal cost.

On January 22 in the Bunyip Free Press it was reported that the Iona Brass band visited Garfield and that they are making great progress under Bandmaster Legge. The Iona Brass Band began in 1909 and disbanded in 1916 as many of its members went off to war.

The Argus reported on April 13 that a school boy at the Tynong School, named Smith struck another scholar who retaliated by kicking Smith in the shin and thereby breaking the leg. Interesting report for a number of reasons – firstly they named the school boy involved, this would never happen today; secondly no mention of the word ‘bullying, perhaps they feel that young Smith got his just desserts. 

On April 16, 1914 the Bunyip Free Press reported that the Garfield School Committee had instructed the Secretary to write to the Railways Commissioner and complain about the class of train provided for school excursions as the stifling dog boxes are by no means conducive to the health and safety of children. In the last few weeks there have been similar complaints from commuters about the stifling trains and trams, so no change there in 100 years! In other school news it was reported that Mr John Daly, who had been head teacher at Garfield for 17 years, was promoted to Coburg School in May 1914. At a ‘complimentary social’ to farewell Mr Daly and his wide Gertrude. Mrs Daly was presented with a case of cutlery and a silver sugar and cream bowl.

The Argus of April 29 reported that on Thursday, April 23, the Iona Hotel and adjoining buildings were destroyed by fire. All that remained of the fine block of buildings were 20 chimneys. The hotel had been built in 1904 and its replacement (the existing building) opened in May 1915.

On May 28, 1914 in the Bunyip Free Press there was a report of the Iona Football Club dance, held at the Garfield Hall. At nine thirty there were only five couple present and it looked like the dance would prove a frost. In less than half an hour, a good crowd turned up and an enjoyable time was spent. The Iona Football Club had started as early as 1907 and finished up around 1931.

Bunyip Free Press  February 12, 1914

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article129628335

However, my favourite report for 1914 illustrates how our language has changed over the years.  From the Bunyip Free Press of February 14, under the headline Gay Life at Garfield there is a report of two men and a woman who were behaving in a disgraceful manner in the Garfield township. The Bunyip Police travelled to Garfield and found that the reports were true, so they arrested John and Elizabeth Fitzgerald and a Mr Moss. The police chartered two vehicles and transported the unsavoury cargo to the Bunyip lock-up. At a subsequent court appearance, both men were fined £5 or ones month’s imprisonment and the ‘wife’ was fined £2 or a fortnight’s imprisonment.  As the trio were all of the nomad travelling class they couldn’t afford the fine so they were sent to His Majesty’s hominy factory in Melbourne.  I had never come across the term hominy factory before; it means prison as apparently hominy is a slang word for prison food; hominy being a thin gruel or porridge made from cornmeal.

What happened in Garfield in 1913

This is a look at what happened in Garfield in 1913, 100 years ago. These references are from various newspapers available on Trove http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper.

On January 16 1913, the South Bourke and Mornington Journal (SBMJ) carried a report of a recent Shire of Berwick Council meeting where applications were presented from a Mrs C. Louch of Garfield and a Miss M. Bell of Bunyip to manufacture ice cream. In the 1914 Electoral Roll, Catherine Louch was listed as the Newsagent at Garfield. Margaret Bell of Bunyip is listed as a 'Confectioner'.  Commercial production of ice cream was relatively new in Australia and ice cream had only just become popular.  Apparently, originally custard was used in the ice cream but this was revolutionised by Fred Peters, an American, who had arrived in Sydney in 1908 with his mother's ice cream recipe which used only pure dairy products. It took Peters four year to accumulate enough money to go into the ice cream business and when he did in 1912 the demand for his 'American' style ice cream was amazing. Peters Ice Cream is now part of Nestles.

South Bourke and Mornington Journal  January 16, 1913

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article66182332

I don't know how successful the new ice cream making ventures of Catherine and Margaret were, however in the 1919 Electoral roll Catherine is still listed as the Newsagent, but in the 1924 Electoral roll there is a Catherine Louch listed in the St Kilda area and her occupation is listed a 'Confectioner', so it seems likely that her career started in Garfield. I don't have any more information about Margaret.

Also in the SBMJ of February 20, Thomas O’Donohue complained to the Council about the smoke nuisance, which had been going on for two years, from Henry Hourigan’s shoeing forge which adjoined his properties. Mr Hourigan was told that he must erect a chimney otherwise proceedings would be taken against him.

On May 22, the SBMJ reported on another Berwick Shire Council meeting where the Clerk of Works recounted that a traction engine had destroyed the road from Hill’s to the Garfield Road bridge and a considerable quantity of maintenance sand will have to be put on, otherwise the road will be impassable before the end of winter. One hundred years later people are still concerned about the state of roads, so no change there.

In the Sunday Times, a Perth newspaper, on July 6 under the headline A Mother’s Appeal there was an enquiry from Garfield for a young man named Fitzgerald who is supposed to have landed in W.A early in April and gone to the country sleeper cutting. His mother was dangerously ill and anxious to hear from him. He was described as ‘5ft 11in high, dark complexion, not very stout’. 

Sunday Times (Perth) July 6, 1913

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article57749085

In another Berwick Shire Council report from the SBMJ of July 24, a letter had arrived from William Campbell, the grocer, enclosing a petition asking that a polling booth be established at Garfield. The Council’s rather unhelpful response was that this was not thought to be desirable but that Pakenham South is more suitable.

In the SBMJ of December 17, it was reported that a money order office has been established in connection with the Post Office at Garfield.  Finally on December 27, Thomas O’Donohue was back in the news again as The Argus reported on December 27 that two brick shops owned by him were destroyed by fire. The shops were occupied by a Mr Deas who was a draper.  They were totally destroyed; however the stock was insured for £400 and the buildings for £500.