What happened in Koo Wee Rup in 1914

This what happened in Koo Wee Rup and surrounding areas, 100 years ago in 1914. These references are from various newspapers available on Trove http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper

1914 started off with an attempt to start a soccer league in the area. The Lang Lang Guardian reported on January 14, that Mr Frank Garwood of Modella wanted to start a British Association Football League. The League would cover the area between the two Railway lines - Koo-Wee-Rup to Lang Lang and Garfield to Longwarry.  There was already at least one team practically formed at Modella. Mr Garwood urged anyone interested in playing the English soccer game (NOT rugby, as he emphasized) to contact him.

Lang Lang Guardian January 14, 1914

Read the full article here - http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article119510085

The Weekly Times reported on February 21, 1914 on Mrs Agnes Hudson’s will. She left Real Estate worth £5595 and personal property of £1634.  Mrs Hudson had died on December 10, 1913 aged 86. She owned The Grange, the oldest extant house in Koo Wee Rup. 1914 also saw the death of David Mickle (her son by her first marriage to Alexander Mickle), who was born in 1858. His death was reported in The Argus of November 25.

On March 1, the Lang Lang Guardian reported that the erection of the Lubecker Steam bucket dredge on the Lang Lang River was nearly complete. The dredge had been imported by Public Works Department Engineer, Carlo Catani, from Germany at a total cost of £4716. It spent a few years working on the Lang Lang River and when it finished there in 1916 it moved on to work on the Main Drain.

On April 8, the Lang Lang Guardian reported that 92 crates of rabbits, each containing 24 pairs was sent off from the Lang Lang railway station. That’s 4,416 rabbits! No wonder the paper reports that it was now an important industry!

Lang Lang Guardian April 8, 1914

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article119510495

The Lang Lang Guardian reported that on April 22 that a 3 lb (1.3kg) potato was on display at Lang Lang, having recently been displayed at Koo Wee Rup.

On April 23, the Bunyip Free Press reported that a Caledonian Society had been formed in Koo Wee Rup. The inaugural meeting was attended by members of the Bunyip and Cranbourne Caledonian Societies. The purpose of the Society was to promote Scottish culture. Mr R. Laidlaw was elected Chief and the Chieftains were J.Hudson (the son of the aforementioned Agnes Hudson), H. Beattie, Mr Christie and Mr Bethune. A Highland Gathering was planned for December 28 with prizes for Highland dress, piping and dancing, tossing the caber, throwing the hammer and putting the stone (which I presume is the forerunner of the shot put) and tossing the sheaf.

On June 24 the Lang Lang Guardian  reported that the old Yallock Mechanics Institute was being demolished. The replacement Hall was finished a few months later and officially opened on September 30. The Hall was 26 feet  by 50ft, with a 9ft stage; there was a supper room which was 26ft by 10ft and two other rooms each 20ft by 12ft.  These last two rooms were made from the timber of the old hall. The dance floor was built of Tasmanian oak.  The cost of the hall was £300. The opening ceremony consisted of a concert, then supper at 11.40pm followed by dancing. The Hall (or part of it) was moved into Bayles in the early 1930s (Report of the opening of the Hall was in the Lang Lang Guardian, October 7 1914).

Also in the news - John Colvin was given the contract to enlarge and renovate the Koo Wee Rup Hall (South Bourke and Mornington Journal, September 3, 1914).   In October, the Bill to authorise construction of the Koo Wee Rup to McDonalds Track Railway was passed - construction began in August 1915 (The Argus, September 22 1914). In November , the  additions to St John’s Catholic Church were opened. (The Argus, November 2, 1914)

And finally my favourite report from 1914 was from the Lang Lang Guardian of October 28. Reverend Butchers, the Presbyterian Minister from Cranbourne, was driving to Koo Wee Rup to conduct the wedding of Mr A.C Colvin and Miss Johnston, unfortunately he was thrown from the vehicle and his collar bone was broken and his shoulder dislocated. Lucky for everyone, one of the wedding guests found Rev Butchers on the road, drove him home and then secured the services of the Church of England Minister and brought him out to perform the wedding. Weddings were much simpler in those days. Mr Colvin had started a cycle shop in the town in 1909

Lang Lang Guardian October 28, 1914

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article119511491

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.

100 years ago this week - Granite quarry

It seems that quarries haven't always been unwelcome in this area - this is a report form the Bunyip Free Press of December 31, 1914. Granite from Tynong was used in the construction of the Shrine of Remembrance

Bunyip Free Press  December 31, 1914

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article129630055

100 years ago this week - strychnine poisoning

This tragic report was in the South Bourke and Mornington Journal on December 24, 1914.  Sadly for this little girl, strychnine used to be readily available and was  used in many households, I presume, for rodent control. The little girl was called Olive and she was the daughter of Emanuel and Elizabeth (nee Black) Metzenthen. 

South Bourke and Mornington Journal on December 24, 1914.

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article66186738

Drainage of Bunyip - 100 years ago this week

Here's an interesting article about drainage (or lack of it ) in Bunyip. The drain went from the Hall, along Main Street to the Railway Hotel and the Hotel's urinals emptied into it and the householders also emptied all their 'bedroom and other slops' into it. Ah, the good old days - very smelly!

Bunyip Free Press    November 19, 1914

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article129629868

100 years ago this week - Patriotic Concert

Here's an account of a Patriotic Concert held at Koo-Wee-Rup on October 30, 1914.  The school children put on the concert, well trained by Mr and Mrs Eason and Mrs Morrison. Lots of familiar Koo-Wee-Rup names mentioned including  Colvin, Hudson, McNamara, Johnson and Mickle.

South Bourke and Mornington Journal November 5, 1914

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article66186454

100 years ago this week - Rabbit Inspector resigns

A report in the Bunyip Free Press of October 22, 1914 said that Mr Kelleher, the Rabbit Inspector had resigned,

Bunyip Free Press October 22, 1914

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page14855587

I believe that Rabbit Inspectors were first appointed under the 1884 Rabbit Suppression Act. The Department of Crown Lands and Survey was the overseeing Government Department. The duties included rabbit extermination on Crown Land and serving notices on land owners who failed to eradicate rabbits on private land.   Rabbits were first introduced into Australia in 1859, when 24 wild rabbits were released near Geelong. They soon became a major problem throughout Australia and in 1950 there were 600 million rabbits in Australia.

Michael Kelleher was officially appointed on December 17, 1912 and his resignation dated from November 15, 1914 according to the State Government Gazette, where all Government appointments were listed.

State Government Gazette December 27, 1912

State Government Gazette  November 4, 1914

It appears that the life of a Rabbit Inspector was not  always a happy one and some land owners were against them and their methods as this article from the Pakenham Gazette attests.

Pakenham Gazette November 11, 1914
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article89082964

100 years ago this week - Potatoes and Asparagus

Here's the Crop report from 100 years ago. 

Bunyip Free Press October 1, 1914

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article129629602

100 years ago this week - it's raining!

There has been some heavy rain this week - just like it was 100 years ago!

Bunyip Free Press July 16, 1914

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article129629245

100 years ago this week - Roller Skating

Roller Skating was a popular winter past-time 100 years ago - these advertisements for skating at the Bunyip Mechanics' Institute and the Nar Nar Goon Public Hall appeared in the Bunyip Free Press of July 2, 1914.

Skating at Bunyip and Nar Nar Goon

Bunyip Free Press July 2, 1914  http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article129629166

A Skating Carnival was held at Keast Hall (the public hall) on July 17, 1914. The Bunyip Free Press reported that In spite of the unpromising night and the state of the canal, which was running a banker, the local people turned out well and a vey enjoyable evening was spent. 

Report of Skating Carnival at Cora Lynn.

Bunyip Free Press July 23, 1914  http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article129629268

Skating Carnival.
The skating carnival at Cora Lynn took place in Keast Hall on Friday evening last. Owing to the extremely wet weather and the small attendance from outside parts it was decided to only run the local events, and to hold another carnival in four weeks time, leaving all events open. In spite of the unpromising night and the state of the canal, which was running a banker, the local people turned out well, and a very enjoyable evening was
spent. The events decided were as follows:— 

Most Graceful Couple, Local: Miss K. O'Brien and Mr. M. Kinsella.
Most Graceful Lady Skater, Local: Miss Evelyn Jeffers. 

Most Graceful Gent Skater, Local: Mr. Kent Muller.
Best representation of a Popular Song : Miss Ruby Wilson ("Rule Britannia.") 

Obstacle Race : Thornton Roper 1; Harry Rigby 2. 

Tilting at the Ring: W. Rigby 1; M. Kinsella 2. 

Bun Eating Competition : Harry Rigby 1.

100 years ago this week - an escaped 'lunatic'

This is an account of the capture of an escaped patient from Mont Park Mental Hospital from the South Bourke and Mornington Journal of April 30, 1914.  The work Lunatic has now gone out of fashion to describe a person who is mentally ill. According to the Oxford Dictionary the word Lunatic comes from the Old French lunatique, from late Latin lunaticus, from Latin luna '‘ moon’ ' (from the belief that changes of the moon caused intermittent insanity).

South Bourke and Mornington Journal of April 30, 1914.

http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper  http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/66185203

Trooper Maher, is Stephen Maher, listed in the 1914, 1919 and 1924 Electoral Rolls as living at Pakenham. His occupation is listed as Constable. His wife was  Bridget Catherine (nee Ryan).   There is an interesting account, below, of Constable Maher having his horse taken from him, sounds like it was a bureaucratic decision made without any consultation - so no change there in 100 years. 

Dandenong Advertiser of May 7 1914

http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper   http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article88355315

South Bourke and Mornington Journal of  17 June 17, 1920,

http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article66198261

Stephen and Catherine had ten children, Rosaline (born 1886), Cathleen (1888), Florence Mary (1890), Olive Veronica (1893), Stephen Raymond (1894), John Thomas (1896), Thomas Francis(1899), Daniel Michael (1901) Leonard Joseph (1903) and Mary Monica (1905). Stephen died in 1931 aged 70 and Bridget died in 1939 aged 77

100 years ago this week - Gay life at Garfield

100 years ago this week - from the Bunyip Free Press of February 14 1914 comes the following report. The headline indicates how the meaning of word gay has changed over the years. 

Gay Life at Garfield.

Two Men and a Woman.

On Saturday the Bunyip police got word that two men and a woman of the nomad travelling class, all under the influence of liquor, were behaving in a disgraceful manner in Garfield township. Constables Anstee and Phillips proceeded to Garfield, and a short investigation convinced them that the report was only too true. They arrested John Fitzgerald, Elizabeth Fitzgerald, and A. Moss. Two vehicles were chartered, and the unsavoury cargo was landed in the Bunyip look-up. On Monday the trio were brought before Mr. C. Pearson, J.P., when the two men were each fined £5, in default one month in gaol; while the "wife" was fined £2, or a fortnight imprisonment. None of the fines were paid, and Constables Anstee and Phillips escorted the trio 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.

Gay life at Garfield

Bunyip Free Press, February 14, 1914, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article129628335

100 years ago this week - British Association Football

100 years ago this week - on February 4 1914, the Lang Lang Guardian published this article about forming a league for British Association Football or 'soccer'.  Mr Frank Garwood of Modella wanted to start the League which would cover the area between the two Railway lines - Koo-Wee-Rup to Lang Lang and Garfield to Longwarry.  There was already at least one team practically formed at Modella. Mr Garwood urged anyone interested in playing the English soccer game (NOT rugby) to contact him. 

I have no idea how it went, but I suspect that it was not successful.

http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper

In February 1914 Frank Garwood was appointed the Secretary of the Modella Cricket Club and at the Presentation night on April 15, 1914 he came second in the batting averages. I don't know anything else about him.

100 years ago this week - Yallock Methodist Sunday School Picnic

100 years ago this week, on January 23 1914 the Yallock Methodist Sunday School held their picnic on the Yallock Creek. Mr Reiter provided music from his dulciphone - which I believe is a sort of gramophone and there was a freezer containing ice cream - no doubt appreciated as the heat was rather severe. 

Lang Lang Guardian January 28, 1914, page 3.

trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper

Yallock Methodist Church being moved to Koo-Wee-Rup, 1932

Image: Koo Wee Rup Swamp Historical Society

The Methodist Home Mission Station was opened in Yallock in 1907, with the hall being used for services. The Yallock Methodist Church was opened in 1909, built by Thomas Pretty. In August 1932, it was moved from Yallock to Rossiter Road, Koo-Wee-Rup and used by the Methodists and later the Uniting Church. In 1978 this building was moved to a camp in Grantville and a wooden church, the Narre Warren East Uniting Church, was relocated to the site, it was given a brick veneer and a new hall added and opened on February, 3 1980.

100 years ago this week - Bunyip Court

One hundred years ago, this week in January 1914,  the Bunyip Court had to deal with this case of  bicycle theft. A seventeen year old, William Ayres, was found guilty of stealing a bike from Michael Dineen, of Cora Lynn. He was sentenced to three months in gaol, an extraordinary sentence compared to what he would have got today and, of course, today his name would not be published as he is under 18. 

Theft at Cora Lynn

Bunyip Free Press January 8, 1914   http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article129628102

The Bunyip Court Bench, consisting of Messrs. Chas. Pearson and A. J. Botterill, J's P., was occupied for some time in hearing a case of bicycle theft preferred against a young man named William Ayers. The evidence of Constable Boxhall, of Campbellfield, was to the effect that from information received he arrested Ayers at Craigieburn on a charge of stealing a bicycle, valued at £6, the property of Michael Dineen, of Cora Lynn. Michael Dineen swore that Ayers had worked for him and after leaving returned and took away the bicycle which was witness's property. The machine had new tyres on it now, but the old tyres (produced) he could identify as well as the frame. Accused pleaded guilty, asked to be dealt with at once, and admitted a prior conviction for a similar theft in Gippsland last year. In answer to questions from the Clerk of Courts Ayers said he was a native of Bullarto, near Daylesford, and was 17 years of age. Accused was then sentenced to 3 months' imprisonment and the Bench ordered that the bike be returned to the owner.

This article made me wonder when the Bunyip Court first started - I found this article, below, in the South Bourke and Mornington Journal.  The first court session took place on March 15, 1905 in Kraft’s Hall which was a privately owned hall operated by William Kraft, of the Gippsland Hotel. Kraft's Hall was located where the public hall is now.

First  session at Bunyip

South Bourke and Mornington Journal March 22, 1905  

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/66142961

As reported in my last, a court of petty sessions was held in Kraft's Hall on Wednesday, March 15. Naturally, being the first, some little speechifying was looked forward to, which however did not come off. Mr. Cresswell, P. M., and Messrs. Ramage and a'Beckett. J's.P., occupied the bench. Only two cases were listed. Myrtle Morris was charged by Constable J. Ryan with having no visible means of support, and was remanded to Prahran for further bearing.

John Mannix, aged twelve, was charged with endangering the property of R.McAllister by setting fire to some scrub whereby a quantity of grass and fencing was destroyed. After hearing the evidence the Bench stated its unwillingness to record a sentence, and on the father entering into a recognaissance for the boy's future good behaviour, the case was dismissed.

Once again, this article shows how the legal system has changed (for better or worse depending on your view point) a 12 year old would never have his name mentioned in relation to a legal trial today.

I have written in more detail here about the Bunyip Court here