The 1934 flood on the Koo Wee Rup Swamp - report from The Argus of December 6, 1934

This report of the 1934 flood was in The Argus of December 6, 1934 (see here.) The reports from The Argus of  December 3, can be read here and from December 4 & 5, here.  There are photographs of the flood here, here and here.

The Argus, December 6, 1934, see here.

DR. SHIELDS VISITS STRICKEN DISTRICTS

PROGRESS AT KOO-WEE-RUP

400 MEN CLEARING TOWNSHIP

2,000 Carcases Floated to Sea

Hundreds of dead cattle and sheep, ruined asparagus and potato crops, grazing lands covered with slime, bridges and plantations swept away, mud inches thick in houses, and business almost at a stand-still in the main street these are some of the impressions received by the Minister in Charge of Sustenance (Dr. Shields) when he visited Koo-wee-rup yesterday. "The trail of ruin left by the floods presented a terrible scene," he said. "It was difficult to believe that such devastation was possible."

Dr. Shields, who was accompanied by the secretary of the department (Mr. F. W. Frawley), went first to Bunyip, where he discussed the position with the municipal authorities. He found that 150 families were in distress, but they were all receiving, clothing, and shelter. Dr. Shields arranged for men to be employed cleaning out the houses and for the disposal of 200 head of dead stock.

Flood waters in the Bunyip River had caused great damage to bridges, Dr. Shields said. Banks 12ft. in height at either end of the bridge on the Nar-nar-goon road had been scoured away, leaving the bridge isolated in the middle of the torrent. Foundations around the piles of the Bunyip railway bridge had been washed away, making it unsafe for trains. Farm land near by was reappearing as the waters subsided. Many stories of bravery had been told. Two men had crawled across the flooded railway lines
with school children who had been cut off from the town on their backs.

At Bayles, Monomeith, and Lang Lang Dr. Shields found that the damage was less extensive. At Koo-wee-rup the flood had receded, and the town was free from water. Houses had been hosed out, and were drying before the return of their owners. Progress was so good tht it was expected the women and children, who were being given shelter in Dandenong, would be able to return by Saturday morning. About 400 men were cleaning shops and houses and removing dead stock.

"More than 2,000 carcases including cows sheep pigs goats and poultry have already been disposed of," he continued. "The carcases have been thrown into the main canal and floated down to Westernport. There are still about 1,000 dead animals in the district but some of these will have to be buried.

Feast for Sharks
The party was told that the carcases would be devoured readily by sharks which were plentiful in the northern end of Westernport. One resident said that they were so numerous that fishermen were afraid to put out in small craft. Countless hundreds of chickens and fowls have been destroyed by the floods. Only the dogs seem to have escaped. These are ravenously hungry and fight for scraps of food when it is thrown to them.

Water Supply in Danger
Serious difficulty had arisen over the town 's water supply Dr Shields said. The pump in the water tower on the main canal was three feet under water and could not be operated. Arrangements were being made to send two railway trucks with drinking water to-day. Supplies of firewood would also be sent as they were running short. All in need had received clothing and fresh food. Men on relief work rates would receive their first pay on Saturday by which time the stores would again be open. Dr Shields said that it was useless for other men to come to the town seeking work. All who were needed had been engaged and any who arrived would be ejected by the police.

Rates on Flooded land
Dr Shields said that a valuable asparagus crops which were worth £80 an acre had been ruined by the flood waters. The municipal valuation was £20 an acre and a rate of 4/3 in the £1 was imposed. Potato crops had been dug since the waters had receded and almost all were ruined. One farmer had lost 120 acres of potatoes As the yield was about six tons an acre and the product worth between £8 and £10 a ton the extent of the losses could be realised.

"The main canal at Koo wee rup which has always been regarded as safe against erosion because of the vegetation along its banks is showing signs of erosion." Dr Shields continued, "Siltation is occurring and in one place there is between 10 and 12 feet of sand."

The chairman of the State Rivers and Water Supply Commission (Mr R. H. Horsfield) estimated yesterday that the damage to the commissions works in the Koo wee rup district amounted to £5,000. One bridge, he said, over a large canal had been lifted bodily by the flood and deposited on a farm some distance away.

The 1934 flood on the Koo Wee Rup Swamp - reports from The Argus of December 4 & 5, 1934

These reports of the 1934 flood were in The Argus of December 4 & 5, 1934. The report from The Argus of December 3, can be read here and from December 6, here. There are photographs of the flood here, here and here.

The Argus, December 4, 1934, see here.

VAST DAMAGE IN WAKE OF FLOODS

THOUSANDS OF VICTIMS STILL HOMELESS

RELIEF TRAIN REACHES KOO-WEE-RUP

REHABILITATION OF TOWNSHIP BEGINS

Leaving in their wake scenes of desolation unprecedented in the history of the State, flood waters in all the stricken areas began to recede yesterday. Five thousand people are still homeless, and most of them are likely to remain so for some days. 

Upon the arrival of the relief train at Koo-wee-rup yesterday, immediate arrangements were made by the Minister in Charge of Sustenance (Dr. Shields) on behalf of the Government for the rehabilitation of the township and the surrounding district, following the disastrous flood which rendered the inhabitants homeless on Sunday. 

Incalculable damage has been done in the township of Koo-wee-rup and to hundreds of farms, and the work of reconstruction will take several months. The women and children have taken refuge at Dandenong and other centres, and it is the Government's wish that they should remain away from Koo-wee-rup until conditions are again normal.

HOMELESS MEN ENLISTED TO CLEAN UP TOWNSHIP

BY OUR SPECIAL REPORTER

Within half an hour of the arrival of the relief train at 1.35 p.m. yesterday the Minister for Public Assistance (Dr. Shields) had surveyed the flooded town ship of Koo-wee-rup by using a rowing boat and a motor-car. He then made arrangements for sustenance to be provided for the 4,000 flood victims in the town and district, and put into immediate operation a plan of reconstruction.

After having expressed sincere admiration for the fortitude and cheerfulness of the people, Dr. Shields assured the crowd of about 200 who had remained on the railway station or on the roofs of houses, and the privileged few who occupied the upper floors of the hotel and the bank - the only two-story buildings in the town - that the Government of Victoria would accept responsibility for the repair of damage done by flood water. The question of compensating settlers for the loss of their live stock and crops and the contents of their homes would receive the most sympathetic consideration of the Cabinet. The first work to be done was the removal of the carcases of the thousands of dead cattle, horses, sheep, pigs, and poultry. That had been begun already. The carcases would be dragged to the main canal, floated down on rafts to Westernport Bay, where they would be cut up and deposited in the sea.

Men to Clean Up Own Town

Dr. Shields said that all the homeless men in the district had been enlisted by his department as relief workers. They would be paid wages to clean up the town. More than 60 were at work already that afternoon, and another 150 men who had been rescued and taken to Dandenong, would be brought back by an early train to-day and given work. Until the debris was removed and the sanitation and water supply restored, it would be better that the women and children, who had been provided with food and shelter in Dandenong and elsewhere, should stay away. All the fit men would be brought back to prepare for the return of their families, and when conditions in the town were normal, with the shops stocked with food supplies and clothing, the population would be permitted to return. In the meantime the Government asked all but authorised relief workers to stay away. The families of the relief workers would be returned to their homes at the expense of the Government. In the meantime everyone in the district would be supplied with food, and those in special need with clothing. Relief workers would not receive their wages until the shops reopened. Dr. Shields said that many men and women from the adjoining towns and farms, particularly the fishermen from Tooradin, who had navigated their boats

through the floods, had rendered great assistance to their unfortunate neighbours. The flood had brought forth the best Australian qualities of prompt action, unselfishness, and help to others.

Canvas Town for Relief Workers

The relief train which brought Dr. Shields and the chairman of the State Rivers and Water Commission (Mr. R. H. Horsfield), with Dr. Paul Rowan, of the Health Commission, and other relief officials, was the first to reach the railway station since Friday.

The train brought food supplies for three days, and some clothing. Another train was sent last night with 100 tents, blankets, hydrants for hosing the houses and streets, and other plant for cleaning operations. Most of the relief workers slept last night in the goods shed at the railway station. A canvas town will spring up to-day, and the men will remain under canvas until the immediate work of reconstruction is complete.

Dr. Shields decided that school should not be opened before the Christmas holidays. Provision will be made for pupils to sit for their merit certificates and scholarships at other schools. 

It was officially announced last night that the Health Commission had declared all shops and dwellings in Koo-wee-rup unfit for habitation until they had been cleaned and disinfected. Owners or occupiers will be informed when they may be occupied again. Prompt measures have been taken by the police to protect the town against people who may come there seeking free sustenance during the period of reconstruction.

On every hand there were expressions of thankfulness that the flood came in the early hours of Saturday, when many people were awake and able to raise the alarm. Senior-constable Whiteside, who, assisted by recruits from the police depot and scores of volunteers from Tooradin and elsewhere, led the rescue work, said that had the flood arrived in the middle of the night the death roll would have amounted to hundreds. Of the 600 inhabit ants of the town of Koo-wee-rup and about 3,500 settled on farms on the reclaimed swamp. Senior-constable Whiteside said that all had been accounted for except an unknown elderly man who had been camped near the main canal. It was believed that he was washed away after having refused to heed the warning that the flood was coming.

The Government will supply chaff for surviving cattle marooned on hills which are still surrounded by flood.

Telephone communication with Koo-wee-rup has been restored. The first motor-car to reach Koo-wee-rup contained the chief linesman from Lang Lang (Mr. J. Cuneen) and his two assistants Messrs D. Donaldson and J. Dixon. They drove for more than two miles through flood waters by the device of taking off the radiator fan, pulling rubber caps over the distributer, the oil intake, and other parts, and driving with the engine submerged. Water at one stage was 4 inches above the floor of the car. From the railway station they were taken across to the town by boat. The water was still 5 feet deep in the post office but the post mistress (Mrs Hamilton) remained in the town and yesterday afternoon she sorted the mails again. The telephone exchange is still submerged.

"Merged Into One Great Flood"

After an inspection of the whole Koo-wee-rup area yesterday accompanied by his district engineer (Mr Lupson) and the engineer of the Shire of Cranbourne (Mr Cockroft) the chairman of the State Rivers and Water Commission (Mr R. H. Horsfield) said that the rapidity with which the waters were draining after the catastrophe demonstrated that the drainage system although unable to cope with an unprecedented flood was more than enough for ordinary floods. Six rivers and creeks and all their tributaries over an area of 500 square miles had brought down the torrents from a deluge varying from 10 to 12 inches of rain in a few days. All the waters had merged into one great flood and had been thrown with unparalleled swiftness on to an area of about 100,000 acres. The drainage system could not cope with that. The banks could be repaired with little cost.

The Argus, December 4, 1934, see here.

TALES OF TRAGEDY 

AND HEROISM

From Our Special Representatives

KOO-WEE-RUP, Tuesday. - Fire brought a new terror to flood-stricken Koo-wee-rup early today, when the home of Mr A. J. Gilchrist, carrier, suddenly went up in flames and was burnt to the water level. Hundreds of homeless townspeople camped at the railway station looked on, powerless to fight the 30ft flames which cast a lurid light on the flooded streets. The fire began when several blankets laid out in front of the house to dry caught alight.Mr Gilchrist was alone in the house. His wife and children are among the refugees in Dandenong. They had already lost most of their belongings, including a truck and car. On Saturday, Mr Gilchrist was nearly drowned while heading a rescue party on horseback.

KOO-WEE-RUP, Tuesday.- The streets of Koo-wee-rup are now free of water, but surrounding paddocks are still submerged. Rooms are being hosed out bodies of dead animals removed, and debris and litter cleared away. About 150 men have been enlisted for the work. The Johnson and McMillan families, and their eight children, sought refuge on Saturday in the rafters of Johnson's house. All 12 persons lay on one mattress strung across the rafters, until they were rescued yesterday afternoon. They were practically without food for two days.

Wrecked by Cattle
The house of Mr Stanley, editor of the shire newspaper, at Koo-wee-rup was wrecked when a herd of terror-stricken cattle broke in and smashed furniture and china. The first car to make a complete journey to the Koo-wee-rup swamp area thus morning was The Herald car, which travelled by way of Tooradin,Lang Lang, Koo-wee-rup township and Pakenham. Miles of road and fences have been destroyed. Paddocks are strewn with dead stock. Starving chickens are perched in dozens on farmhouse roofs. A swarm of bees was seen clinging to a branch above flooded hives.

Hardly a house on the swamp is inhabited. The only sign of life among the ruined crops and pastures are a few mobs of lost cattle, and here and there knots of homeless persons surveying the remains of their farms.

The Argus, December 4, 1934, see here.

POTATO CROPS

DAMAGE BY FLOODS

12,000 ACRES DESTROYED

SERIOUS SHORTAGE FEARED

Melbourne potato merchants said yesterday that floods in the Koo-wee-rup and Trafalgar districts and other low-lying potato-growing areas in Gippsland had destroyed 11,000 to 12,000 acres of potato crops representing a loss of from 40,000 to 50,000 tons of potatoes. As the crops in these areas have been under water for some days a merchant considered that no potatoes would be obtained from Koo-wee-rup.

The flood occurred at a time when growers would be unable to obtain seed for replanting he added. The areas affected supplied the bulk of the potatoes for Melbourne in the first five months of the year and Melbourne consumers would have to rely upon supplies grown in the Western district and in the Gippsland hill country. It is feared that there will be a temporary shortage of potatoes in the immediate future because growers in the Brighton district are unable to dig their crops. Owing to scant supplies in the market yesterday prices increased 20/ to 30/ a ton. Brighton Carmens were quoted at £10 to £11 and prime old season's redsoil potatoes at £7 to £7/1 a ton.

 The Argus, December 5, 1934,  see here.

BUSINESS AT STANDSTILL AT KOO-WEE-RUP

200 MEN CLEANING TOWN

KOO-WEE-RUP, Tuesday. - About 200 men were engaged to-day cleaning out business premises and houses. Business is at a standstill, and shops will not be allowed to reopen until passed by the

Health Commission. The houses are uninhabitable.

DANDENONG, Tuesday. - All the men refugees from the flooded areas of Koo-wee-rup, who had been cared for in the Scout Hall, Dandenong, returned to Koo-wee-rup this morning to help in the work of reconstruction. Several more refugees were brought to Dandenong last night and given clothing and food. One man, who had not removed his rubber waders since Friday night, was in a serious condition, and he was admitted to a private hospital.

The special committee of men and women appointed to carry out relief work in Dandenong gave splendid service in administering relief to sufferers at the Scout Hall. The Colonial Gas Association installed several gas-stoves to provide hot food and drinks to the refugees. After the men victims returned to Koo-wee-rup this morning a quantity of surplus clothing and foodstuffs in the Scout Hall was sent to Bunyip for distribution among sufferers in that area.

The 1934 flood on the Koo Wee Rup Swamp - report from The Argus of December 3, 1934

This report of the 1934 flood was in The Argus of December 3, 1934 (see here.) The reports from The Argus of December 4 & 5, can be read here and from December 6, here. There are photographs of the flood here, here and here.

The Argus, December 3, 1934, see here.

TOLL OF DISASTROUS FLOODS

MANY DEAD; THOUSANDS HOMELESS

DESOLATION IN GIPPSLAND

KOO-WEE-RUP TOWNSHIP EVACUATED

YARRA CAUSES UNPRECEDENTED DAMAGE

Many lives were lost and thousands of persons were rendered homeless during the week-end in the most disastrous floods ever known in Victoria. Damage done to property is beyond calculation. 

Koo-wee-rup township was overwhelmed when flood waters burst the main channels through the swamp and inundated 20 square miles of closely settled farming country. Six persons were drowned, and about 2,000 persons are homeless. The township was evacuated, four relief trains carrying refugees to various centres. Many persons clung to the roofs of their homes for hours before they were rescued.

In many other parts of Gippsland the flood waters rose, rolling over farm lands, submerging homes, and bringing desolation and distress to hundreds of homes. 

Countless deeds of heroism were performed in rescuing the victims of the floods. A party of fishermen from Lakes Entrance, with police, rowed for miles in swiftly flowing, debris-filled water in the Moe and Trafalgar districts, and saved many lives.

Distress scarcely less acute was suffered in the metropolitan area. At Chelsea 1,500 persons are homeless. About 600 women and children were rescued in boats and lorries. Many of the residents affected were aged or ill.

The River Yarra rose to unprecedented levels and caused untold damage to property. At Warrandyte 40 houses had to be vacated. About 300 persons at Richmond and residents at many other suburbs along the river had to leave their homes.

RESIDENTS OF KOO-WEE-RUP SPEND NIGHT ON ROOFS

Feared That Six Lives Were Lost

TOWN EVACUATED; SPECIAL TRAINS FOR VICTIMS

(By Our Special Reporter.)

Bursting the main drainage channels through the Koo-wee-rup Swamp, flood waters from the hill country to the north Inundated about 20 square miles of closely settled farming country on Saturday morning and flooded the township of Koo-wee-rup. Six persons have been drowned and 2,000 others are homeless. The water rose at the rate of about 1ft. a minute.

The township has been evacuated, and four relief trains sent from Melbourne have carried the residents away from the flooded area. Several hundreds were taken to Dandenong, and others went to other areas of safety, some even to Melbourne where they were quartered. The flood is the most disastrous that has occurred in the district.

Two men, both thought to be farmers, were drowned near Bunyip. They were Councillor John Dowd, formerly president of the Berwick Shire, and a man whose, name was Jolly. George Wilson, of Iona who was drowned near Garfield. The body of a man named Williams was recovered at Garfield yesterday morning by Constable Jordan. The body of John Samwell, aged about 55 years, sustenance worker, was seen by Mr John Hickey being carried by the flood waters toward the main drain in the Koo-wee-rup Swamp. Mr Hickey, who is aged 70 years, was rescued after he had clung to a tree for 28 hours. Gordon Nash, aged 14 years, of Tonimbuk, was drowned in Diamond Creek.

Following heavy rain, which fell during Friday night, there was about 3 inches of water in the streets of the town at 8 a.m. on Saturday. The water rose so rapidly that in three-quarters of an hour its depth had increased to 7ft., and the residents of Koo-wee-rup were trapped almost without warning. It continued to rise until every single-story house was covered, and only the roofs of two-story buildings remained above water by early afternoon. As the waters rose the towns-people removed their furniture to the lofts
of their homes, but their efforts to save their property were futile, and few of them are known to have escaped with more than their lives. They had to rush from their houses and climb to the roofs, where they had to cling for hours before they could be rescued. Many of them had harrowing experiences. A large number were able to reach the station platform, where there was comparative safety, before the water became too deep for them to wade. Here they built rafts from logs and gathered boats with which they rescued as many people as possible.

The residents of Dandenong have provided clothing and shelter for more than 200 people who have been brought to them. At Dandenong refugees have been billeted with many of the residents of the town, and in the Armitage Scout Hall. Many others are in private hospitals, some of them suffering seriously from shock, exposure, and immersion. Very few of the rescued persons escaped without suffering lacerations and abrasions during the battering they received from the flood waters while on the roofs of their houses. Many families have become separated, and parents who are safely accommodated do not know whether their children are alive.

Small Girl's Escape
At 7.30 a.m. on Saturday a small girl walked out of her house on to the road where the water was a foot deep. She walked 200 yards to the railway station to give an alarm. When she reached the station the water was up to her neck. In some places the water soon rose to a depth of 30ft., covering the house-tops of settlers on the swamp and wrecking their homes. According to farmers, horses and cattle were carried by the floods toward Westernport Bay. Thousands of cattle and sheep were drowned. In Koo-wee-rup dead cows were swept into the houses.

One of the main channels draining the swamp is at Cora Lynn, the other is at Yallock Creek, two miles away. As the water rose drains broke and the flood swept over the country. The waters are spreading toward Lang Lang. Dairy farmers on the swamp, many of whom have up to 100 head of cattle, have lost all their animals. Potato fields have been ruined.

Food and Blankets for Homeless.
Blankets, bread, and tinned meat were rushed to Dandenong by the State Relief Committee. Residents of the town, however, rose to the occasion magnificently and provided shelter, food, and clothing for the sufferers. Half-naked men and women who have arrived are to be given every possible care. There was about a foot of water in the main street of the township late last night. Cuts have been made in the rail way embankment, which has prevented the escape of water to the bay, and the flood is now running down to the sea.

Water Infested With Snakes
Saturday night was a night of terror for the persons marooned on the housetops. The waters were infested with hundreds of swimming snakes, which tried to reach the roofs. The stranded persons had to fight them off with sticks as well as try to keep themselves above the level of the flood

Koo-wee-rup Hospital was flooded to a depth of 7ft within a few minutes, and the patients, some of whom were seriously ill, were trapped before they could be moved. Mr Clarence Renner, who had undergone an operation for appendicitis a few hours beforehand, was in bed, and unable to help himself. His father, who was on the railway platform, waded and swam through the swirling water to the hospital, and climbed on to the roof, where with the the assistance of Mr Gannon, he cut a hole in the galvanised iron and pulled his boy to safety up through the hole. Aided by others who came to the rescue, the 10 remaining patients in the wards were taken out in the same manner.

Heroism and Fortitude
Mrs Mary Ann Bolleman, aged 59 years another patient held a baby in her arms above the water for 15 hours with the water surging above her neck before they were rescued. Mrs A. Adams and her baby which was born only the night before were being pulled out when the child was dropped into the water. She grasped the child's clothing frantically and saved it from drifting away. Both were raised through the opening to safety. Joseph Lee an elderly man was caught unawares by the water while in an open paddock but after being swept for some distance was able to scramble to safety on the roof of a shed. He was joined by another man. After remaining on the roof for several hours with the water surging round them, Lee's companion, whose name is not known, was carried away and drowned, but Lee remained there for 30 hours and was in a state of collapse when rescued. He was placed in Murray House private hospital, at Dandenong, where is is suffering from shock and exposure. His condition is serious. Mr. J. F. Brewer chemist of Koo-wee-rup, with his wife and two children, were caught almost unawares. Seizing a few clothes hurriedly they climbed to the top of the shop, where they stayed for several hours before they could be taken off.

The residents of Dandenong made a magnificent response to appeals to accommodate the refugees. The day before Koo-wee-rup was evacuated they had been engaged in rescuing persons and property from any houses in their own district which had been flooded. On Saturday night only straw mattresses and blankets were available for the victims, many of whom were dressed only in their night clothes. Last night every woman had been provided with a bed in the homes of residents of the town. The men slept in the Scout Hall, but under much better conditions. Admirable co-operation by the townspeople enabled sufficient food to be obtained for them.

Many Refugees at Garfield
A report from Garfield last night stated that hundreds of people are homeless there and were taking refuge in the Mechanics' institute and the hotel. Rescues were effected by police from barns and isolated houses. Mr. Patrick Brennan a resident of the town has been missing since Friday night, and as his horse and jinker have been found fears are felt for his safety.

The telephone operator at the Koo-wee-rup post-office remained on duty at the switchboard until the water entered his office and washed the switchboard away.

Drowned While Asleep
George Wilson an old-age pensioner of Iona near Garfield, was found dead in his hut, which adjoins the main drain It is believed that he was drowned while asleep. Gordon Nash, aged 14 years of Tonimbuk was drowned in Diamond Creek. His body was swept downstream and disappeared.

Mr Pincott's Model Farm at Iona

On October 31, 1896, The Australasian published an article on the Koo Wee Rup Swamp Settlement, written by 'Thistledown.' There was a general account of the settlement, followed by this description of James Pincott's Model Farm. The address of the Pincott farm has been listed variously over the years as Bunyip South or Bunyip Junction or Iona. 

A Model Farm

Although there are many very nicely kept farms in the swamp, the block owned by Mr. James Pincott, which is situated on the main channel about three miles from Bunyip, is one of the most interesting and best managed in the settlement. Mr. Pincott carried out some experiments for six months for the Agricultural Department on this plot, when the fertility of the soil was being tested, and the place locally has consequently be come known as the " experimental farm." It is true that Mr. Pincott got a rather more favourable start than some of his neighbours, but no one can deny that, independently of the Government experiments, Mr. Pincott is doing admirable work. His block consists of 10 acres, which has all been cleared and drained. There are a couple of acres or so at the back which has not been cultivated as yet, however, and where good pasture is available for the cows, and also a run for the ducks.

 It may seem a paradox, but it is true, nevertheless, that in the midst of a swamp a man has to construct a tank for water. Partly natural and partly artificial, this tiny lake on Mr. Pincott's property affords drinking water to the three cows which are maintained, and at the same time a swimming pond for some beautiful ducks of the Aylesbury-Pekin cross, which are splendid layers, and help a long way towards the support of the family or in reducing the account at the store. Three cows and the ducks are all the live stock maintained at present. Poultry, strange to say, are not popular or numerous on the various holdings on the swamp. They scratch up and spoil all the garden produce if allowed to run about, and when fenced in—as is necessary in most cases— they cost a deal to feed, and do not lay nearly so well as those reared in the open. Very little can be made from poultry on a small farm of 10 acres unless they are given the whole block for a run, and a specialty made of the business.

Cropping Experiments
From the very start Mr. Pincott commenced to make experiments with various kinds of products, and he has now arrived at definite conclusions with regard to the utility of a great number of crops. The character of the soil is changing every year, as it is gradually becoming drier, and this renders it necessary to adjust and select the plants accordingly. The principal crop sown this season is onions, which occupy 1¼ acres. Onions do very well here, and if prices are as high next season - good onions are now selling at £12 a ton - with an average yield of six tons per acre, it may be guessed that onions are a highly profitable crop. But, as has often happened before, this industry is likely to be over-done, for every one seems to be trying to grow onions this year. Farmers at Portarlington, near Geelong, who make onion-growing a feature of their practice, will some of these days, however, wake up to the fact that they have strong competitors in this line at Koo-wee-rup. A patch of potato onions is also grown at Mr. Pincott's place, and he considers the Red Lisborne the best variety. It is not a very large onion, but of beautiful shape and flavour. Potatoes grow to perfection in the dry peat-soil of the swamp. Mr. Pincott recommends a new variety named "Duke of Albany," as a prolific grower, and dry and floury when cooked, even when half grown. Another potato he thinks suitable to the ground is called  "Windsor Castle." 

All kinds of roots grow well here. Turnips and mangels grow to enormous size. Among other products Mr. Pincott finds that peas, beans, and garlic can be grown to perfection, and was surprised to see a patch of strawberries ready for picking. There are no strawberries in the Melbourne market, as a rule, till Cup week, but the hint may be given that a very fair supply can be obtained, if needed, a month earlier from Koo-wee-rup. As regards fruit trees Mr. Pincott has tried a few of nearly every kind, and although he is not sure about some, owing to the short experience, he is confident already that apples and peaches will both do well. Raspberries and filberts are no good. Rhubarb and gooseberries do splendidly, and I was surprised to learn that while borage - a plant which bees are fond of - was specially grown, that bees did not do well. Perhaps Mr. Pincott does not know how to manage them. Asparagus and celery can be raised to wonderful perfection in this deep virgin soil with very little trouble. Rye-grass and white clover are favourite pasture plants with those who keep a cow. Mr. Pincott has tried lucerne, but it did not succeed. He finds that the Bokhara or Cabul clover, a plant similar to lucerne, grows most vigorously. To raise the variety of crops here enumerated will fully occupy any settler's time, and there is no doubt they can all be grown to perfection. But the great question, after all, is, will it pay? Time alone can furnish the answer. (1)

This is what the Koo Wee Rup Swamp would have looked like, 

when the Pincott family first arrived.

Settlements on the bank of the Main Drain.  

The Koo Wee Rup Swamp from The Illustrated Australian News February 1, 1894.

State Library of Victoria http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/46198 

Who was the model farmer Mr James Pincott? James Pincott was born in Berkshire in England in 1848 to Luke Pincott and his wife Hester (sometimes called Esther) Selby. He had an older brother William (1846-1857), a younger brother Mark (born 1851) and a younger sister, Ellen, born in 1858. The family arrived in Melbourne on the Telegraph in July 1859. Sadly little Ellen died soon after their arrival aged 8 months old. This was followed by the death  the next year, 1860, of Hester, who was only 38 years old, which left Luke a widower with the two boys, James and Mark. (2)

It wasn't an easy life for the boys as their father was an alcoholic, and he disappeared on May 30, 1869 from his house in Mary Street, Richmond. His body was found in a  water hole at the Richmond Quarry on June 14. This is the report of his Inquest from The Argus -

An inquest was held at Richmond on Wednesday, by the district coroner, on the body of a man named Luke Pincott, aged forty-eight years, who was found dead in a water-hole, and was last seen alive on the night of the 30th May. The deceased on the afternoon of that day received half a sovereign from his son to purchase vegetables for tea. He went to the Swan Hotel, and after staying there some time, went to the house of a man for whom he had promised to do some work the next day. At that time he was under the influence of liquor. He started to go home, and was never seen alive again. The son of the deceased stated that his father was given to drinking to excess whenever he had an opportunity. The jury returned a verdict to the following effect.-"That the deceased was found drowned on the 14th inst., in a quarry hole known as the Corporation Quarry-hole, Richmond. The jury were of opinion that the said quarry is in a very dangerous and unprotected state, and that it should be fenced." (3)

The younger son, Mark, married Mary Pearse in 1872 and he died on Christmas Eve, 1918. He had a very interesting and informative obituary in the Richmond Guardian which is transcribed below -
Father of Heroic Soldier Dies on Christmas Eve.- Mr. Mark Pincott. Was Pioneer of Burnley. With the passing of the old year there crossed to the Better Land one of Burnley's first and most prominent citizens. Mr. Mark Pincott, for more than 30 years a resident of Madden Grove, died on December 24. He was buried at Springvale on Boxing Day. The Rev. Ashby Swan officiating. Mr. Pincott had been in failing health for some time, and the end was not unexpected. With his father he landed in Australia from the sailing vessel Telegraph In July, 1859. From the beginning the Pincotts took up residence in Richmond. On his marriage to the daughter of a Richmond resident in 1872
he removed to Burnley The east end at that time was mostly open park lands. There were only two homes between Burnley-street (which was yet unmade) and the end of the present Richmond Park. Mr. and Mrs Pincott were among those who signed the petition for a railway station at Burnley.

Mr. Pincott was born in Berkshire (Eng) in 1851 and would have celebrated his his 68th birthday on the tenth of this month. For over 23 years he was an employee of the Victorian Railways, retiring some eight years ago. He leaves a widow and four sons and four daughters, one of whom is in America. One son, Petty Officer Jack Pincott, is one of the real heroes of the war. "Guardian" readers will remember that he was the subject for a notable full-page story on his return last year. Petty Officer Pincott served with the British Armored Train in Russia, Armenia, Roumania and Galicia, and was mentioned several times in dispatches, awarded the Distinguished Service Medal, and is the only Australian to gain the Russian Order of St George, with which he was decorated by the late Grand Duke Michael. He was recalled for further service some months ago. (4)

Back to James, the model farmer. James married Amelia Frances Flett on September 18, 1888 at her parents house in Scott Street, South St Kilda (now called Elwood).  (5)

Marriage notice of James Pincott

The Age, September 29, 1888 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article196000838

Amelia was the daughter of Charles Clouston Flett and his wife Amelia Jones. Charles and Amelia Flett and their four daughters had arrived in Melbourne on the Green Jacket on March 26, 1861. (6) James, as we can see by the marriage notice was a builder at the time. James and Amelia had five children - 

Frank Selby, born in Richmond in 1889 and died in Nowra, NSW in 1968.

Alice Louise, born in Richmond in 1892, married Albert Masters in 1913 and died in Richmond in 1944.

Amelia, birth registered in Longwarry in 1894. Married William Overend Fordyce in 1924 and died in Melbourne in 1934.

Esther Selby, birth registered in Bunyip  in 1896 and died in Bunyip in 1915.

Mark Pearse, birth registered in Bunyip in 1898 and I can't find his death date. (7)

The places of birth of the children tells us that the family moved to the Koo Wee Rup Swamp around  1894. By 1901, James Pincott had acquired four parcels of land -  the model farm of ten acres on the Main Drain, two five acres blocks off Evans Road and a nineteen acre block of Murray Road (8)

Land owned by James Pincott. Section 7a of 10 acres on the Main Drain, at the intersection of Bunyip-Modella Road - this was the Model farm. Also 2 lots of 5 acres off Evans Road - Lots 76 & 84 and 19  acres on Murray Road, Lot 23.  

Click here for an enlargement -  http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/104853 

Part of Koo-Wee-Rup, County of Mornington, photo-lithographed at the Department of Lands and Survey, 

Melbourne, by T. F. McGauran, 1907. State Library of Victoria 

Both James and Amelia were appointed to official positions. On November 2, 1894 James was appointed the Deputy Electoral Registrar for the Pakenham Division of the Mornington Electoral Division. (9)

James appointed Deputy Electoral Registrar

Victoria Government Gazette, November 2 1894, p. 4113. https://gazette.slv.vic.gov.au/images/1894/V/general/138.pdf 

In January 1897 Amelia took over this role from James and she was also appointed as the Registrar of Births and Deaths  for  Bunyip South in his place. (10)

Amelia's appointments

Victoria Government Gazette, January 8, 1897, p. 1

https://gazette.slv.vic.gov.au/images/1897/V/general/1.pdf

Amelia - Deputy Electoral Registrar 

South Bourke & Mornington Journal, January 17, 1906 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/66144219

In September 1899 James was appointed as a Trustee of the Bunyip Cemetery. (11) I have written about the Bunyip Cemetery, here.

James appointed Trustee of the Bunyip Cemetery

Victoria Government Gazette September 22 1899, p.3628 

https://gazette.slv.vic.gov.au/images/1899/V/general/78.pdf 

Whilst the Pincotts were at Bunyip the deaths of three family members occurred. On February 16, 1899, Amelia's father Charles Flett died. (12)

Death of Charles Flett

The Age, March 25, 1899 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article189689150

On February 9, 1915 Amelia Pincott's 95-year old mother Amelia Flett died. The Bunyip and Garfield Express reported that -

Mrs Flett, mother of Mrs James Pincott, had the misfortune to fall and break her leg at the thigh. It appears that Mrs Flett, who is residing with her daughter, slipped on the doorstep, when returning to the house on Wednesday last with the result as stated. The victim is 95 years of age, but nevertheless bears her injury with cheerfulness and fortitude.  (13) The next week, the newspaper would report on her passing. She was buried with her husband at Bunyip Cemetery (14)

Only ten days later, on  February 19,  their daughter Esther died and this  obituary was in the Bunyip and Garfield Express -  

One of the saddest happenings in this district for some time past was the unexpected death of Miss Essie Pincott at Dr Withington's private hospital on Friday morning after coming through two severe internal operations. Miss Pincott was only 19 years of age, and was one of the most popular young ladies  in this district. Figuring as she did in most of the young peoples organizations she was known to young and old as a bright,  intelligent young girl, to whom the residents became attached and it is no exaggeration to say that a pall was thrown over the town when the news of her death became generally known on Friday. 

The tragic suddenness of  demise was all the more acute since deceased appeared amongst her chums and schoolfellows, apparently in the best of health, strength and spirits only a week or two previous to the crisis, and it would be difficult to express the sorrow with which the news was received. Deceased was the youngest daughter  of Mr and Mrs James Pincott, who are very old and highly respected residents of Iona, and are perhaps the best known couple in the district, having resided on their present farm since the inception of settlement and it goes without saying that the deepest sympathy is extended to them by all classes and creeds in their hour of great grief. We wish to express our feelings in common with those of our readers for the distress this kindly couple and their family to whom time alone can bring relief. 

The funeral took place on Sunday afternoon when a cortege half a mile long followed the coffin to the grave side. The internment was made in the Bunyip cemetery and an impressive burial service was read by Reverend A. banks, of St Thomas' Church of England, Bunyip. Mr W.W. Browne had charge of the mortuary arrangements.  (15)

The Age reported in February 1913  that James Pincott had sold his farm (16), so it was either  a delayed settlement or the sale fell through as they were still at the farm in 1915. The Shire of Berwick Rate books lists a sale of the property having taken in 1915/1916.

James Pincott is pictured middle row, third from left, outside the Bunyip Mechanics' Institute in September 1915.

 Image: Call of the Bunyip: a history of Bunyip, Iona and Tonimbuk, 1847 - 1990 by Denise Nest 

(Bunyip History Committee, 1990)

In 1921 the Electoral Rolls have the couple in 26 Railway Place, Kensington and Amelia is listed as a shopkeeper, and James had no occupation. In 1928 they were at 110 Edwards Street, Preston, once again she was a shop keeper. In 1932 their address was 260 Johnston Street, Fitzroy and in 1937 they were at 62 Station Street, Fairfield, which is where they was living when James died on August 25, 1943, aged 94. James is buried at the Booroondara Cemetery at Kew. (17)

James Pincott's death notice

The Age August 23 1943  http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article206363446

Almost a year to the day later on August 24, 1944, Amelia Pincott died at her son's house in Naremburn, in New South Wales, aged 84. (18)

Amelia Pincott's death notice

Sydney Morning Herald, August 25, 1944 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/17918438

James and Amelia were some of the early pioneers of the Koo Wee Rup Swamp, one of the richest agricultural regions in Australia and his work at his Model Farm would have inspired other settlers to  experiment with a variety of crops. 

Footnotes

(1) The Australasian, October 31, 1896, see here.

(2) From Ancestry.com - 1851 English Census, England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915; England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1837-1915; Shipping Records at the Public Records Office of Victoria; Indexes to the Victorian Births Deaths and Marriages.

(3) Report of disappearance - The Herald, June 5, 1869, see here; Luke Pincott's body found - The Herald, June 15, 1869, see here; Inquest report - The Argus, June 17, 1869, see here.

(4) Richmond Guardian, January 4, 1919, see here; the report of Jack Pincott's heroic war service - Richmond Guardian, November 19, 1917, see here. Short obituary of  Mary Pincott - Richmond Guardian, July 9, 1927, see here.

(5) The Age, September 29, 1888, see here. 

(6) Shipping Records at the Public Records Office of Victoria

(7) Indexes to the Victorian and New South Wales Births Deaths and Marriages. Amelia Fordyce death notice - The Age, April 19, 1934, see here.

(8) Shire of Berwick Rate Books

(9) Victoria Government Gazette, November 2 1894, p. 4113   https://gazette.slv.vic.gov.au/images/1894/V/general/138.pdf 

(10) Victoria Government Gazette, January 8, 1897, p. 1   https://gazette.slv.vic.gov.au/images/1897/V/general/1.pdf

(11) Victoria Government Gazette September 22 1899, p.3628   https://gazette.slv.vic.gov.au/images/1899/V/general/78.pdf 

(12) The Age, March 25, 1899, see here  

(13) Bunyip and Garfield Express, February 2, 1914, p. 2. Death notice - The Argus, February 10, 1915, see here.

(14) Australia Cemetery Index, 1808-2007, on Ancestry.com

(15) Bunyip and Garfield Express, February 23, 1915, p.2.  Death notice - The Age, February 22, 1915, see here; Also a short obituary in the Bunyip Free Press, February 18, 1915, see here.

(16) The Age, February 21, 1913, see here.

(17) Electoral Roll on Ancestry.com; Death notice - The Age, August 26, 1943, see here;  Funeral notice The Age, August 26, 1943, see here.

(18) Sydney Morning Herald, August 25, 1944, see here. 

David and Sarah Ann Cole of Bayles

The Koo Wee Rup Swamp Historical Society receives queries on a regular basis and a recent one was from a chap from Adelaide, who visited our Museum, wanting information about his great-grandparents, Robert and Sarah Cole, and in my research I came across a connection to the Swamp with a Footscray identity, Frank Shillabeer - builder, Councillor and race horse owner.

We will start with David and Sarah Cole -   
David Cole married Sarah Ann Shorthouse in February 1877 in Sutton Coldfield, Warwickshire. They were both 27 years of age and his occupation was a Nurseryman. They arrived in Melbourne on the Garonne in September 1883 with their four daughters - Bertha Kathleen aged 5; Edith Cameron, aged 3; Margaret Shorthouse, aged 2 and baby Catherine. After their arrival they had another daughter, Victoria Elizabeth, who was born in Brighton and died at the age of 3 months and a son David Cameron Cole in 1890, also born in Brighton. (1) At some time they moved to Adelaide and their children got married - Edith had married William Drury in 1906 in Melbourne and lived in Footscray; Margaret married Professor Arthur Davis of Mackenzie College, Sao Paulo, Brazil in Sao Paulo in 1909 and lived later in the state of New York. It would be interesting to know how they met. Margaret's marriage announcement in the Adelaide Evening Journal noted she was the daughter of David Cole of North Adelaide. Catherine married John Schiller in Adelaide in 1907 and David, the only son married Myrtle Jackson in Adelaide in 1913. (2)  David and Myrtle were the grandparents of our Museum visitor from Adelaide. 

From 1910,  David and Sarah lived on the Koo Wee Rup Swamp, on land owned by Frank Shillabeer, more of whom later.  The Cranbourne Shire Rate books of 1904/1905 show that Frank purchased 110 acres, Allotment 14, Section T, Parish of Koo Wee Rup and the next year, the adjoining Allotment 13, of 81 acres. I don't believe Frank ever lived on the property which was on the road between Cora Lynn and Bayles (apparently this road is called the Tynong-Bayles Road) and the property adjoins Ropers Lane on the Bayles side. 

The location of the Shillabeer property, marked with red stars.

Koo-Wee-Rup, County of Mornington drawn and reproduced at the Dept. of Lands and Survey, Melbourne, 1939. 

State Library of Victoria http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/104366

The Rate books list Walter Fisher as the tenant from 1906, until 1910/1911 when David Cole took over. I don't know what type of farming David undertook on the property it may have been grazing or possibly market gardening. In 1920 he wrote a letter to the Weekly Times which outlined his  horticultural experience -

David Cole (Cora Lynn) writes:- The experiments mentioned in the issue of June are interesting, and will help people to better understand plant life. In my 50 years' experience of horticulture and agriculture, I have been surprised how few understand plant life and how to work the different types of soil to get the best results, with healthy crops. 

Electrification of seeds to sprout three days earlier is of no value. You can get the same results if you soak seeds in manure water made from fresh stable droppings. Nature's way of electrifying soils to provide plant food is simply good tillage. We know the benefit of simple fallow; but how much more can we do by ploughing that fallow three or four times in the season. The soil picks up nitrogen, which, sweetened by sun and atmosphere, is electrified. Farmers usually plough only a few inches deep. If you tell them to plough deep, they refuse, saying "If I turn up all that sour subsoil it will grow nothing." 

That is true if they sow on the sour soil, but the object is to make the sour subsoil as good as the surface soil. The next deep ploughing brings the old soil to the surface again. Such a system will double the crop. 

It is a true saying that one extra ploughing is as good as a big dressing of manure; but if farmers would put a foundation into a portion of their land every year by ploughing it about four times in a season, well working with harrows, and ploughing deeper each time (to one foot) there will be a permanent improvement, and after that time land will need only ordinary ploughing for some years. Soil treated in this way will increase the yield from 10 bushels to 40 bushels an acre. A deep sweet soil, with more plant food, will stand drought, as well as an extra wet season, because there is better drainage for water to get away. The tender rootlets will not rot, and there will be no rust. My opinion is that such diseases occur because the tender rootlets rot and check circulation. The rust develops in this unconverted sap. How did the old time English farmers average from 40 to 70 bushels of wheat an acre on land no better than ours? Simply by good cultivation. Their compost or manure heaps (hundreds of loads) were turned over in winter three or four times, so doubling its value. Plant food when so sweetened is electrified by the atmosphere. In 1868 I saw crops of 70 bushels an acre in Essex, and a few years after the same land was unlettable at 7/ an acre and unsalable at £7 an acre. There was a different class of farmer.  (3)  

It was while he was at Cora Lynn that his wife Sarah died on February 9, 1919. (4)  She is buried at the Bunyip Cemetery. 

Sarah Cole's obituary

Bunyip and Garfield Express, February 14, 1919, p.2. 

Ropers Lane, which adjoined the farm, was the boundary of the Shire of Cranbourne and the Shire of Berwick, and this seemed to cause some confusion with the address. The property address was initially  Koo Wee Rup and then Cora Lynn. In the 1921/1922 Rate books David Cole's  address changed from Cora Lynn to became Bayles. Bayles was a station on the Strzelecki Railway line, the first stop out of Koo Wee Rup, and the line officially opened in June 1922. Bayles did not exist before the railway line the area had previously been known as Yallock; however it soon became known as Bayles, due to the name of the station. (5)

David Cole died July 17, 1934 (6) and the Koo Wee Rup Sun had the following short reference to his death. He is buried with Sarah at the Bunyip Cemetery.

David Cole's death

Koo Wee Rup Sun, July 26, 1934 p. 1

David's death ended the Cole family connection to the land on the Koo Wee Rup Swamp, however Frank Shillabeer still owned the land and John Fechner, leased the land for several years. Frank sold the land in September 1949 to Richard Pirrie, of 136 Exhibition Street, Melbourne for £6,500. (7)

We will now look at Frank Shillabeer, Frank was born in Totnes in Devonshire, and was baptised on February 24, 1867. He was the eleventh and last child of Samuel and Eliza (nee Drew) Shillabeer who had married in 1843. He was apprenticed to a carpenter from the age of 13 and emigrated to Melbourne in 1886, arriving on the Orizaba on November 1, 1886. (8)  His brother Frederick (1862-1927) also migrated to Australia and lived in Footscray. 

In 1888 he married Jane Winifred Ford. The couple lived in Footscray and their first child Frederick Ernest arrived in 1889 and their second son, Roy Francis, in 1895. On August 2, 1898 Jane gave birth to a still-born daughter. (9) Sadly, this led to her death two months later on October 1. The Footscray Independent had the following obituary - 

The flying of the flag half-mast at the Town Hall on Saturday morning, indicated the demise of one of our citizens, and it was soon learned that Mrs Shillabeer, wife of Cr F.E. Shillabeer, of Buckley street, had passed to that "bourn from whence no traveller returns." The deceased lady, who was only 31 years of age at the time of her decease, died in Dr. Sullivan's private hospital, Melbourne, shortly before 10 o'clock in the morning, never having recovered the consequences of her confinement in the beginning of August. The funeral took place on Monday, and in addition to many of our citizens, most of the Footscray councillors and officials joined the cortege, which wended its way to the Melbourne Cemetery. The burial service was conducted by the Rev. Toomath, C.E. The Footscray City Council on Wednesday directed that a letter of condolence be sent to Cr Shillabeer, who is very generally sympathised with in his sad and serious loss. The funeral obsequies were conducted by Messrs E. R. Warne and Son. (10)

Frank Shillabeer

The Herald, January 28, 1915 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/242279202

Frank Shillabeer was ambitious and his contracting firm, which he started in 1890,  built many of Melbourne's buildings including Williamstown Beach, Balaclava and Canterbury Railway Stations, Police Barracks in St Kilda Road;  the Commercial Travellers Association building in Flinders Street, Melbourne Town Hall alterations;  Williamstown North State School, Gardenvale Infants School and Geelong Grammar Junior School (11)  

He was elected to the Footscray Council in 1898 and defeated in 1919, having been the Mayor on three occasions - 1902, 1916 and 1917. (12)  He was President of the Master Builders' and Contractors' Association, President of the Footscray Football Club in 1912, a Commissioner of the Melbourne Metropolitan Board of Works for sixteen years and a Melbourne City Councillor from 1915 until 1922. (13). It seems unusual to serve as a Councillor at two municipalities at once, and in fact so unusual, that in 1918 The Herald had a short report on the issue. 

Representing two Councils

The Herald, August 23, 1918 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/242738233

The reason, of course, that Frank Shillabeer could devote himself to his business and public life was that he had a wife to look after his children and domestic life. After the sad death of his first wife, on October 29, 1900 33 year-old Frank married 22 year-old Bertha Kathleen Cole, the eldest daughter of David and Sarah Cole,  at Holy Trinity Church, Oakleigh. His address was Footscray and her occupation was 'home with parents' and her address was Murrumbeena. (14)

Frank and Bertha Shillabeer, the Mayor and Mayoress of Footscray.

Footscray Independent, September 6, 1902 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/73264530

The couple, who had no children together, lived in Footscray, initially at 74 Buckley Street and around 1915 moved  to Amaryllis, 46 Geelong Road. This mansion had been built for John Currie Johnson in the 1880s. Johnson was an Engineer and owned the Tyne Foundary in South Melbourne. (15)  Amaryllis still stands, the verandahs have been removed and it is now the home of the Footscray RSL; it had been purchased in 1921 for use as a Memorial Hall, as the Footscray Independent reported - 

Mr F. E. Shillabeer's residence, in Geelong-road has been, purchased by the Memorial Hall trustees, and will be converted into a memorial hall as soon as circumstances allow. The price paid was £3900, and the vendor has agreed, to take half this amount as a deposit, and allow twelve months for the balance to be paid. No interest will be charged, and Mr. Shillabeer has promised, to give £50 per annum for five years towards the maintenance cost.  (16)

Amaryllis, 46 Geelong Road, the home of Frank and Bertha Shillabeer, c. 1913.

Image: Footscray: a pictorial record of the Municipality from 1859 to 1988 (City of Footscray, 1989), p. 27

After leaving Footscray, Frank and Bertha lived at 458 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, which is where they were when Frank died on November 23, 1949. (17)

The Age of November 24, 1949 had the following obituary of Frank, which also outlines his connection to horse racing -
Mr. Frank E. Shillabeer, for many years a member of the City Council, Footscray council and Metropolitan Board, and a leading builder, who was associated with the construction of many of Melbourne's prominent buildings, died yesterday. He was 82. Mr. Shillabeer, who was born  in Devonshire, England, was active in municipal life. He was mayor of Footscray three times. He had been prominent in the racing sphere since he first became an owner more than 30 years ago. His most famous horse was Shadow King, who was placed in four Melbourne Cups, and was well-known as a police trooper's mount. Under the name of "Monckton Franklin," Mr. Shillabeer won the Grand National Hurdle with Sandule in 1920. He joined the Williamstown Racing Club in 1917 and was elected a committee member in December, 1931. When the merger with the V.T. and R.A. as the Melbourne Racing Club was effected he became a member of the committee of the new club, a position he held until the time of his death. He leaves a wife and two sons. (18)

Death notice for Bertha Shillabeer 

The Age, March 6, 1971, p.23. from newspapers.com

Bertha died February 28, 1971, aged 92,  and was buried with Frank at the Springvale Botanical Cemetery. (19). As well as the death notice from her family, there was one from the After Care Hospital, Committee of Management. The After-Care Home (later Hospital) opened at 45 Victoria Parade Collingwood in February 1926 and was established by the Melbourne District Nursing Society (which later became the  Royal District Nursing Service. The Sun News-Pictorial reported on the project -  

It will have between 60 and 70 beds for sick people, who are not suitable for public hospitals, who cannot afford private nursing, and who are not able to get sufficient attention, nourishment and quiet in their own homes. It will be a unique experiment in the charitable history of Victoria - an intermediary between home and hospital. Patients will be admitted after leaving hospital, or before entering hospital, when needing nursing and rest. The district nurse comes across many such persons in her daily round. Doctors in the poorer suburbs, and doctors in the public hospitals, have long felt the need of such an institution. (20)

We can assume that Bertha and  Frank visited her parents at Bayles; Frank may even have kept some horses on the property. Is this why Frank purchased the land in the first place, did he eventually hope to retire there or was it just a speculative venture? I cannot tell you.

Acknowledgement - Thank you to Bob Cole, our Museum visitor from Adelaide, who told me that Frank Shillabeer was David Cole's son-in-law, and that added some personal information I had not discovered. I also obtained information about Frank Shillabeer from A history of Footscray by John Lack  (Hargreen Publishing, 1991)

Footnotes

(1) Warwickshire, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1910, on Ancestry; Shipping records at the Public Records Office of Victoria; Index to the Victorian Births, Deaths and Marriages.

(2) Index to the Victorian Births, Deaths and Marriages; Adelaide Evening Journal September 10, 1909, see here;    

Genealogy South Australia https://www.genealogysa.org.au/

(3) Weekly Times, June 26, 1920, see here.

(4) The Argus, February 12, 1919, see here.

(5) https://kooweerupswamphistory.blogspot.com/2021/12/koo-wee-rup-to-strzelecki-railway-line.html

(6) The Age, July 19, 1934, see here.

(7) Shire of Cranbourne Rate Books

(8) Devon, England, Church of England Births and Baptisms, 1813-1920 on Ancestry.com; Family tree created on Ancestry using the English census records; Footscray Independent, September 6, 1902, see here; Shipping records at the Public Records Office of Victoria.

(9) Index to the Victorian Births, Deaths and Marriages; Footscray Independent, August 6, 1898, see here.

(10) Footscray Independent, October 8, 1898, see here;

(11) I have created a list of his building projects from articles on Trove; access the list here.

(12) Footscray Independent, August 20, 1898, see here; Footscray Independent, August 30, 1919, see here. 

(13) Lack, John A history of Footscray (Hargreen Publishing, 1991); The Argus, January 15, 1920,  see here; Yarraville Weekly News, January 30, 1915, see here; The Argus, September 6, 1922, see here.

(14) Marriage certificate

(15)Electoral Rolls; Lack, John A history of Footscray (Hargreen Publishing, 1991); Footscray: a pictorial record of the Municipality from 1859 to 1988 (City of Footscray, 1989); Footscray & Yarraville:  a pictorial record (Footscray Historical Society, 2005); John Currie Johnson and Tyne Foundary https://victoriaspast.blogspot.com/2021/01/the-lady-loch-yarra-river-steam-ferry.html

(16) Footscray & Yarraville:  a pictorial record (Footscray Historical Society, 2005). p. 162; Footscray Independent, May 28, 1921, see here.

(17) Electoral Rolls; Death notice The Argus, November 25, 1949, see here.

(18) The Age, November 24, 1949, see here.

(19) Death notice The Age, March 10, 1971, p.28. on newspapers.com

(20)  The Sun News-Pictorial, November 21, 1925, see here;  More information - The Argus, February 3, 1926, see here; Also EMelbourne https://www.emelbourne.net.au/biogs/EM01273b.htm