How do you spell Koo-Wee-Rup?

What's the correct way to spell Koo-Wee-Rup?  Any way you want apparently. The article below, a letter to the editor of the Kooweerup Sun written by Mr C. Einsedel, suggests that Koo-wee-rup or Koo Wee Rup are the most acceptable. The way I usually spell it, Koo-Wee-Rup, is 'an absurdity' according to Dr Niel Gunson, historian and author of  'The Good Country: Cranbourne Shire' a history of the Cranbourne Shire,  published in 1968. It is a book that I admire and use frequently.  

Kooweerup Sun (that's how they spell it) March 21, 1973.

I was interviewed in the Pakenham Gazette about this very issue - here is the article from April 3, 2013. What I said was that my Birth Certificate has the town spelt as Koo-Wee-Rup and Kooweerup and that various documents from my time at the High School in the 1970s has the name spelt as Koo-wee-rup, Kooweerup and KooWeeRup, so  even Government organizations were having a bet both ways.

VicNames - the Register of Geographic Names lists it as Koo Wee Rup. You can access their website here https://maps.land.vic.gov.au/lassi/VicnamesUI.jsp

Whatever it is,  I believe that it should be three words. I agree with Dr Gunson as quoted in Mr Einsedel's letter that running the word together is a 'mark of laziness'.

Inaugural meeting of the Koo-Wee-Rup branch of the Country Women’s Association in 1944

The Koo Wee Rup Sun of November 9, 1944 reported on the inaugural meeting of the Koo Wee Rup branch of the Country Women’s Association (CWA). I have transcribed the article and researched and added some biographical information on everyone mentioned in the article. [Update September 2023 -  I have since discovered that there was an earlier CWA in Koo Wee Rup, established in March 1929, with Mrs Margaret Kerr-Paterson as the President. I have written about this here.]

On Wednesday afternoon, 25th ult. [October 25 1944] a most important and pleasing event took place in the Kooweerup Memorial Hall, viz the inaugural meeting of the local branch of the Country Women’s Association. Mesdames Nicholson, Keighery, Mortimer, Riggall and Harder transformed the hall into a delightful meeting place. The stage end was banked with shrubs and flowers and the eastern end was set with tables to hold a delicious afternoon tea provided by Mrs H. Bourke and Mrs C. Einsiedel. 

Cr Cochrane, as deputy for the Shire President, in a few well chosen words assured the convenors of the personal interest of the councillors in the formation of a local branch and welcomed and introduced the official party. Mrs Sewell, M.A., representing headquarters, was the speaker for the afternoon and seldom have the ladies of Kooweerup listened to a more able speaker who clearly and concisely and interestingly covered the whole of the functions and aims of the association. As a result 30 members were later enrolled. Miss Kent, [West Gippsland] Group President and Mrs Ellwood, Secretary installed the following office bearers. President , Mrs E. Glasscock; vice presidents Mesdames H. Bourke and Nicholson; secretary, Mrs A Mortimer; treasurer, Mrs R. Levey; committee Mesdames C. Einsedel, C. Keighery, A. Hewitt, E. Holley, W. Levey and W. Henry. 

On taking the chair Mrs Glasscock assured those present that she fully realized the importance of the office she had been elected to. After hearing Mrs Sewell’s account of the activities a branch can undertake she also realized the great importance a branch is to a district. She congratulated Mrs Nicholson and Mrs Bourke for the way they had organised the meeting. Afternoon tea was then partaken of and the function closed with the President passing a vote of thanks to the visiting ladies for their attendance, also the local ladies who had supported the effort. 

As is usual in newspaper reports of this time first names are rarely used, you only get the first initial of the person and in the case of women, they don’t even get the initial of their own first name, it is the initial of their husband’s first name. I have done some research in the Electoral rolls, old newspapers and indexes to marriages to give these women a name (and I believe the names are all correct) so, below, is an alphabetical list of all the people mentioned in the article. 

Bourke, Aileen (nee Donoghue). Wife of Hugh Bourke, grazier, of Monomeith.

Cochrane, Leslie James. Cr Cochrane was a Shire of Cranbourne Councillor from 1930 to 1964 and Member of the Legislative Assembly from 1950 to 1970. Cochrane Park is named after him.

Einsiedel, Agnes Constance (nee Grant). Wife of Percival Gustav Claude Einsiedel, grazier, of Monomeith.

Ellwood, Margaret Jean (nee Mason). Secretary of the West Gippsland Group and a member of the Harkaway Branch. This is Margaret Ellwood, wife of Allan, who was the Manager of the Boys Home (Melrose Training Farm for Boys) at Harkaway.

Glasscock, Phyllis (nee Witty). Wife of Eric Gordon Glasscock, grazier, of Monomeith.

Harder, Alma Evelyn (nee Sevior). Wife of Dudley Grenfell Harder, Bank official, of Sybella Avenue.

Henry, Alma Constance (nee Sturley). Wife of William Henry, Bank Manager E. S. & A. Bank at Koo-Wee-Rup.

Hewitt, Vera Wakefield (nee Mann) Wife of Dr Alan Hewitt of Rossiter Road.

Holley, Constance Mary (nee Feild). Wife Edward John Holley, Theatre Manager, of Koo-Wee-Rup.

Keighery, Eva Emily Adeline (nee Misson). Wife of Christopher Keighery, saddler, of Rossiter Road.

Kent, Kathleen Valetta. This is Kathleen Kent of Wilson Street, Berwick. She was elected as President of the West Gippsland Group on March 16, 1944 at the half yearly group conference held at Dandenong, attended by nearly 100 delegates, according to the report in the Dandenong Journal. Kathleen belonged to the Berwick branch, she was the granddaughter of William Wilson, who established the Berwick quarry in 1859 (now Wilson Botanic Park)

Levey, Marie Alice (nee Jackson). Wife of Wilfred Levey, farmer, of Manks Road.

Levey, Mollie Enid (nee Humphries). Wife of Raymond Wallace Levey, farmer, of Manks Road.

Mortimer, Adele (nee Lamb). Wife of Afton Lindsay James Mortimer, hairdresser, of Rossiter Road.

Nicholson, Jane Stewart (nee McDougall). Wife of Norman Nicholson, farmer, of Bayles.

Riggall, Edna Muriel (nee Flack). Wife of Horton Riggall, surveyor, of Gardner Street, later lived in Charles Street. They were married in 1932 and the wedding was reported in Table Talk  June 23, 1932, a newspaper that reported on popular culture - theatre, movies, sport and the activities of the ‘social set’. Mrs Riggall is pictured, left.

Sewell, Alice Maud (nee Cunning). Wife of Sir Sidney Sewell, a Melbourne surgeon noted for his research into tuberculosis. The Sewells lived at 'Roads End', Berwick. Lady Sewell went to Melbourne University where she obtained  a Master of Arts in 1906. She founded the Lyceum Club in 1912 with Ethel Osborne, a club for women who had graduated from University or had achievements in their own right.

Lady Sewell is pictured above with the Duchess of Gloucester and Mrs McDonald.

The Argus December 13, 1945 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article12158410

Letters to Aunt Connie of the Weekly Times: Koo Wee Rup, Lang Lang and Five Mile

The Weekly Times used to have a ‘Young Folks’ page, edited by ‘Aunt Connie’ and 'Uncle Ben' and children would write letters to them and have them published in the paper. The letters are quite descriptive and the children would write about their gardens, the town they lived in, their farms, school life etc. In this post we look at how the children described Koo Wee Rup Lang Lang and Five Mile. In another post we look at what they wrote about Garfield, Bunyip, Tynong and Cora Lynn. I have researched some biographical information about the writers.

Letters from Linda Ellis of Koo Wee Rup

Linda wrote about grasshoppers in 1902 -

The grass is very poor about here, and the grasshoppers are numerous. They eat all the grass up. They ate the leaves off our turnips, and now they have started on the fruit trees. A couple of weeks ago the crows started on the grasshoppers, and they are having such feeds. It is amusing to watch them fight to get the most grasshoppers. There is a lot of work going on here at present, as all the drains are being enlarged. It will be a good thing when they are done, as it will keep the people from being flooded. We are only milking four cows at present; they do not give much milk. [Weekly Times, February 15, 1902, see here]

In September 1903 Linda wrote again, this time a much more poignant letter-

The crops around here are looking splendid. We have a nice lot of cabbages in, but just as soon as they begin to look nice and green the hares come and eat them off. My father is away from home just now, working, and we do miss him so much. Since I last wrote to you we have lost a little sister, and just six weeks before she died one of my aunties died in New South Wales. Mother took my little sister to the Children's Hospital, but the doctors could do nothing for her, and about three months afterwards she died. My father's mother died, too, so you see we had a very bad misfortune last year. Our flower garden looks very nice this year; especially the violets.....Some of my cousins are saying what they would like to do when they grow up. I think I would like to always stay at home. I do not like going from home. [Weekly Times, September 19, 1903, see here]

Linda was the daughter of Henry Ernest and Jemina (nee Milroy) Ellis; she was the eldest of ten children, born in 1890. They are listed in the Electoral Rolls at Koo Wee Rup in 1903 and 1906; by 1909 the family had moved to Abbotsford. Linda married Richard Semmens in 1911 and she died in 1966. 

In May 1902, Priscilla Rundle wrote about Koo Wee Rup 

Our township consists of two general stores, a blacksmith’s shop, a draper’s shop, a bakery and also a butcher’s shop.  We have a nice Presbyterian Church and a Sunday school combined. The Roman Catholics have recently called for tenders for the erection of a chapel. A few months back some of the leading spirits of our town called a meeting, in view of building a public hall. It has been decided to do so, so we now have the prospect of another building in our small township. The local agent for the Massey-Harris machinery has arranged with my father to hold a field trial of their farm implements in one of our paddocks on Tuesday, the 20^th. Everybody seems to think that it will be a fair trial, as everything looks very favourable so far. As we live about four miles from the township, we do not see much life, so we expect to have a pleasant day the day of the trial. [Weekly Times, May 31, 1902, see here]

Priscilla Rundle, was born in 1888 to James Charles and Jessie (nee Campbell) Rundle, so she was 14 when she wrote this letter ; her parents had a farm at Koo Wee Rup. Priscilla is listed in the 1909 Electoral Rolls as a school teacher, and her address was also Koo Wee Rup. She married William Freeman in 1913 and they farmed around Traralgon. She died in 1965.

Eight year old, Dorothy Gray wrote about  her life  in Koo Wee Rup, in 1904

I am eight years old, and in the third class. I have one little sister, her name is Vera Muriel. She is two years old. I am learning to ride. We have a large orchard. Kooweerup is a small place. It is very wet in winter. There is a township and in it there is one butcher, one baker two grocers, one saddler, one blacksmith one bootmaker and a draper's shop. The people get their living by sowing oats and maize mostly, and dairying. There are three orchards altogether. My father has been taking "The Weekly Times" for a great number of years. My favourite hymns are "Holy, Holy, Holy" and "Jesus Loves Me."

My father planted 600 fruit trees. I like going to school, I wish there were six school days a week. We are milking six cows, and we also have a separator. We send the cream away once a week now. We used to send it twice a week in the summer time. My little sister is such a chatterbox. My pets are a cat, parrot, calf, and a pup. Please Aunt Connie, would you mind sending a name for him. My favorite flowers are Cape Forget-me-not, sweet pea, carnation, dahlia, and chrysanthemum. [Weekly Times, July 2, 1904, see here]

Dorothy was the daughter of Richard and Margaret Mary (nee Browne) Gray. As Dorothy wrote, they had a farm at Koo Wee Rup.  Dorothy was married in 1916 to Albert Jack. A report in the paper said that she had been in charge of Christies Post Office, Wonyip for the past three years and the couple would be making their home at Daylesford. [Toora & Welshpool Ensign, August 4, 1916, see here]  Dorothy died in 1985.

Ethel Glover of Caldermeade wrote about family life and  Lang Lang in 1904 

 It has been a cold, wet day to-day, but Nellie and I went to school. Bertha has a bad cold, and she has been home from school all the week. My sister gives her lessons at home. We have skipping at school to keep us warm these cold days. I passed in everything except mental arithmetic at our last examination. I am in the higher sixth, and Nellie is in the fourth class. We go to Lang Lang State School. I will tell you a little about Lang Lang. It is becoming quite a flourishing little centre. There are four grocers' shops, two blacksmiths', two drapers', a chemist's, a green grocer's, a saddler's, barber's, baker's, and two dressmakers'; a butcher's, a printing office and butter factory, besides many private residences. So you will see it has made great headway since the railway has been constructed. When my father came to Gippsland first, 15 years ago, Drouin was the nearest railway station, and he says the roads were in a fearful state then. We have got good roads at Caldermeade. It will soon be twelve months since we came here to live. My little sister Alice is sixteen months old now, and she does torment us sometimes, when we are doing our lessons. She likes to get hold of a pen and if we don't watch her she will make a dive at the ink bottle. She races about all day like a little rabbit, and she can say a few words. We have a nice little pony to ride now. I am very fond of riding, and so are my sisters. When we lived in Lang Lang East we sometimes rode to school over the hills and small creeks, "gullies," we call them. One evening, when crossing the last gully, our pony stumbled, and tipped us over her head, splashing into the water. We were not long in scrambling up the bank, dripping wet, and the pony was quietly waiting for us. It was good of her not to clear off home and leave us. [Weekly Times, July 23, 1904, see here]

Samuel and Johanna (nee Bindt) Glover had six children - Gertrude (born 1887), Edwin (1890, died aged 7 months), Ethel (1891), Nellie (1894), Bertha (1897) and Alice (1903).  Glover. Ethel married David Scott Donaldson in 1917, they lived in Lang Lang and she died in 1971.

In 1908, 12 year old Hazel Charman of Koo Wee Rup wrote

One of my sisters and both of my brothers are away from home. One brother is driving bulls through Queensland up to the Gulf, and the other brother is with my sister in New South Wales. The cows are not milking well now. We are milking 23 cows, and we feed them with ensilage. We are making a flower garden, find we have many nice flowers. We also have an orchard, and we sell the fruit sometimes. I am 12 years old, and I am in the fifth class at the Yallock school. [Weekly Times, September 19, 1908, see here]

Hazel was the daughter of Stephen and Mary (nee Ward) Charman, who had a farm at Koo Wee Rup. She was the second youngest of their eleven children.  Hazel married William Robert Hopkins in 1920, and she died in Queensland in 1970. 

Letters from Catherine 'Kate' Garbellini of Five Mile (Koo Wee Rup North) 

In 1916, when she was 13 years old, Kate wrote -

I will take for my subject a flood that we have just had. It began to rise one Saturday afternoon and we were not able to get out until the following Friday. There were two little boys drowned, one having been swept off his feet from the flow of the water. We had to paddle out in the water to milk our cows, while my brothers had to take the horses away. I have one brother at the front. He has been in the trenches for about six months, but has not been wounded yet. He left home on May 4, 1915, to sail to Egypt. I have five sisters and seven brothers. Four of us go to school, which is about a quarter of a mile away. There are 49 children attending our school. I am 13 years and eight months old, and in the seventh grade at school. [Weekly Times, November 4, 1916, see here]

In March 1917, Catherine, as she called herself,  wrote again -

I will take for my subject ‘Our Farm’ There are 110 acres in our farm, of which 65 acres are under potatoes. The potatoes are looking well after this rain. We had about 40 acres sown down with oats and barley, but it is now cut and stacked, and the rest of the land we have sown down with grass for the horses and cows. We have six horses and a little foal, besides seven cows. We separate our milk, and send our cream to the factory, where it is made into butter. My brother at the front has been in hospital for about two months. My age is 14. [Weekly Times, March 17, 1917, see here]

Katie, as she now called herself, wrote in July 1918, this time about Koo Wee Rup -  

Koo-Wee- Rup is a large, one sided township. It consists of a large hotel, a coffee palace, a school, a baker’s shop, two butcher’s shops, three churches, four general stores, a lollie shop and a blacksmith’s shop. Large quantities of oats, barley and potatoes are grown, but some of the farmers are talking of growing flax. I have left school and am helping at home. I wish this War was over. I have had one brother killed. Many of the boys from here have gone and some of them have returned. [Weekly Times, July 6 1918, see here]

Katie was the eighth child of Pietro (Peter) and Jane (nee Crombie) Garbellini. She married David Blackwood from Pakenham South in 1923 and they had four children and lived in the Pakenham area. She died in 1983. Her brother, George, enlisted in February 1915 at the age of 23 and was Killed in Action in France in May 1917.

Letter from Airlie Ragg, eleven years old, of Lightwood Park Yannathan, 1919

I will take for my subject, the district where I live. There is no township at Yannathan. Our nearest town is Lang Lang, eight miles away. There are a school, hall, church, and butter factory here, but they are all situated in different parts of the district. The chief thing that is done here is dairying. Some of the farmers send their milk to Melbourne. others send their cream to the factory. The country all around here is very flat, and is often flooded in the winter. The Lang Lang River flows through Yannathan. Most of the farmers around bore for water, and have windmills to pump the water for the cattle. It is good grass country, mostly rye grass and clover. There is no railway here at present. Our nearest station. Caldermeade, is eight miles from here. There is a branch railway line being made from Koo-Wee-Rup to a place called McDonald's Track, and the Yannathan station is going to be on the farm where I live. My brother and I go to the Heath Hill school, which is nearer for us than the Yannathan school. I have a little sister, her name is Nancy. She is just four years old, and is going to school next year. My father has been taking the "Weekly Times" for a long while and I always enjoy reading the Young Folks' page. I am eleven years and three months old, and in the seventh grade at school. [Weekly Times, May 31 1919, see here]

Airlie was the daughter of Thomas and Rose Amelia (nee Newbound) Ragg. She married Thomas John Collins in 1937 and they lived (according to the Electoral Rolls) in Flowerdale and they had five children.

In this post we looked at how the children described Koo Wee Rup Lang Lang and Five Mile. In another post we look at what they wrote about Garfield, Bunyip, Tynong and Cora Lynn.

Who lived in Koo Wee Rup in 1903?

In another post, we looked how lived in Garfield in 1903 (see here)  now we'll look at who lived in Koo Wee Rup, in 1903.  Once again this information is taken from the Commonwealth Electoral Rolls, which in 1903 are listed by Polling Place and the Koo Wee Rup Roll covers Koo Wee Rup and Yallock, the settlement which was based around Finck Road, School Road, Hall Road etc in what is now called Bayles. The rolls tell you the name of the person enrolled; they had to be 21 to enroll, and their occupation. From the roll we can tell who lived in Koo Wee Rup and Yallock in 1903.

In 1903 there were 284 people listed on the Roll – 212 from Koo Wee Rup and 72 from Yallock, there were 138 women and 146 men.  As you would expect the major occupation was farming – there were 109 farmers, including three women, Elizabeth Fraser of Koo Wee Rup and Annie Yeaman and Helen Reitchel both of Yallock. According to the Cranbourne Shire Rate books many of the farms were only 20 acres, with over half being 40 acres or under. There were also five graziers listed - Charles and William Moody of Koo Wee Rup, Henry and John Lyall of Yallock and Henry Beattie also of Yallock. I don’t know what qualified a person to call themselves a grazier – if it was based on acres, then the Cranbourne Shire Rate Books list Beattie with 1,193 acres and Charles Moody with 647 acres, however Charles’ brother Christopher had over 1,800 acres and he called himself a farmer, so maybe one branch of the family thought they were more gentrified than the other.

Rossiter Road from what is now Alexandra Avenue, Koo Wee Rup, 1903.

Koo Wee Rup Swamp Historical Society photo

The other occupations give us some insight into the commercial activities in the town at the time – Koo Wee Rup had Robert Laidlaw the blacksmith; Patrick Bergin the boot maker; Henry Woodman, the butcher; Michael O’Shea, a carrier; Abraham Choury, the draper; William Kilgour, a gardener; Alfred Wilkson, a saddler; George Dempster, the Station Master and Charles Barbour, a railway employee. There were 20 men who had Labourer listed as an occupation. We also had two teachers - Grace McKenzie and John Minahan. Mrs McKenzie started at the Koo Wee Rup State School No. 2629 (then called the Yallock school, out on Bethune’s Road) in 1888 and was there until 1911. Her husband George is listed on the roll as an Engineer. Koo Wee Rup had three grocers – Elizabeth O’Riordan, James Rundle and John Sykes.

Of the 138 women listed, 132 had their occupation listed as the all purpose “Home Duties” – including both Helen and Florence Lyall, the daughters of William and Annabella Lyall of Harewood, this is in spite of the fact that they both held land in their own names, Helen had at least 250 acres. The Cranbourne Rate Books has “Lady” as their occupation – which I presume means that they were of independent means and didn’t need to work. The other six women were the three farmers, the grocer Elizabeth O’Riordan, Mrs McKenzie and finally Clara May Allardyce, of Yallock, who was listed as a Governess.

The Electoral Rolls give us an interesting insight into our region and many of the names from 1903 are still remembered in the area by road names or some of their descendants are still around - Bethune, Burhop, Gilchrist, Johnston, Lineham, Lyall, Mickle, Moody, Rossiter, Ware, Woodman etc.

The first Federal election in Australia took place in March 1901, and was conducted according to the voting legislation in each State. This Parliament enacted the Commonwealth Franchise Act of 1902, which gave the vote to most adults - both males and females - who were British subjects over the age of 21. The first election under this Act took place on Wednesday, December 16, 1903.  We should appreciate the fact that women, including the 138 Koo Wee Rup and Yallock women listed on the 1903 roll, were eligible to enrol to vote and stand as candidates. This didn't happen in England until 1918, when women over 30 got the right to vote (women over 21 got the right to vote in 1929). In the United States women couldn't vote until 1920 and there are still countries in the world where women cannot vote. As a matter of interest, women in Victoria could not vote in a State election until 1908, and Victoria was the last State to give them this right – South Australia was 1894, Western Australia 1899, New South Wales 1902, Tasmania 1903 and Queensland 1905.*  

This is the list of the 184 people on the Electoral Roll at Koo Wee Rup and Yallock in 1903.

Alexander,  James Yallock Labourer

Allardyce,  Clara May Yallock Governess

Anderson,  Mary Ellen Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Barbour,  Charles William Koo-Wee-Rup  Railway employee

Beattie,  Henry Yallock Grazier

Beattie,  Alice Yallock Home Duties

Bergin,  Patrick Alexander Koo-Wee-Rup   Boot maker

Bethune,  John Koo-Wee-Rup  Farmer

Bethune,  Norman McLeod Koo-Wee-Rup   Farmer

Bethune,  Catherine Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Bethune,  Janet Margaret Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Binge,  James   Koo-Wee-Rup   Farmer

Binge,  Harriet Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Brains,  Charles Koo-Wee-Rup   Labourer

Brown,  Margaret Yallock Home Duties

Brown.  William Yallock Invalid

Burhop,  Frrderick William Koo-Wee-Rup   Farmer

Burhop,  Henry Koo-Wee-Rup   Farmer

Burns,  Francis Koo-Wee-Rup   Farmer

Burns,  Margaret Koo-Wee-Rup  Home Duties

Burns,  Joseph  Koo-Wee-Rup   Labourer

Burns,  Patrick Koo-Wee-Rup   Labourer

Callanan, John Koo-Wee-Rup   Farmer

Callanan,  Elizabeth Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Chamberlain,  William Koo-Wee-Rup  Farmer

Chamberlain,  Jane  Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Charman,  Charles Herbert Koo-Wee-Rup   Farmer

Charman,  Stephen  Koo-Wee-Rup   Farmer

Charman,  Stephen Herbert Koo-Wee-Rup   Farmer

Charman,  Eveline May  Koo-Wee-Rup  Home Duties

Charman,  Mary Frances Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Choury,  Abraham  Koo-Wee-Rup  Draper

Choury,  Thekla Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Conlan,  Alfred Yallock Labourer

Connor,  Barclay George Koo-Wee-Rup   Overseer

Conway,  Sarah Frances  Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Conway,  Matthew  Koo-Wee-Rup  Home Duties

Cooper,  George  Koo-Wee-Rup   Farmer

Cooper,  Elizabeth  Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Courtney,  Rosetta  Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Courtney,  Robert  Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Cox,  Arthur James  Yallock Farmer

Cox,  Burton James Yallock Farmer

Cox,  William  Yallock Farmer

Cox,  Daisy  Yallock Home Duties

Cox,  Mary Jane Yallock Home Duties

Craig,  David Sherwood Farmer

Craig,  Agnes Sherwood Home Duties

Curry,  Dennis Joseph Koo-Wee-Rup   Farmer

Curry,   Sarah  Koo-Wee-Rup  Home Duties

Davey,  John  Koo-Wee-Rup  Farmer

Davey,  Sarah Elizabeth  Koo-Wee-Rup  Home Duties

Davis,  Charles James Koo-Wee-Rup   Farmer

Davis,  Francis Koo-Wee-Rup   Farmer

Davis,  John Thomas Koo-Wee-Rup   Farmer

Davis,  Catherine Koo-Wee-Rup    Home Duties

Davis,  Mary Hannah Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

De Vries,  John Koo-Wee-Rup   Farmer

De Vries,  Mary Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Dempster,  Alice Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Dempster,  George   Koo-Wee-Rup  Station Master

Donaldson,  John Walter  Yallock Farmer

Donaldson,  Mary Jane  Yallock Home Duties

Douglas,  Louis Koo-Wee-Rup   Labourer

Dunlop,  Alexander  Koo-Wee-Rup   Farmer

Dunlop,  John  Koo-Wee-Rup  Farmer

Dunlop,  Matthew Koo-Wee-Rup   Farmer

Dunlop,  Agnes Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Dunlop,  Annabella  Koo-Wee-Rup  Home Duties

Dunlop,  Florerence Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Dunlop,  Martha Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Dunlop,  Mary Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Dunlop,  Mary Jane Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Egan,  Denis Koo-Wee-Rup   Farmer

Egan,  Catherine Koo-Wee-Rup  Home Duties

Ellis,  Henry Ernest Koo-Wee-Rup   Farmer

Ellis,  Jemina Koo-Wee-Rup  Home Duties

Emmott,  Joseph Samuel Koo-Wee-Rup   Farmer

Emmott,  Alphina Theodora Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Ferguson,  Edward Reginald Koo-Wee-Rup   Farmer

Finch,  Louis Wilhelm Yallock Farmer

Finch,  Elizabeth Mary Yallock Home Duties

Fraser,  Elizabeth    Koo-Wee-Rup  Farmer

Gale,  John Koo-Wee-Rup   Labourer

Galtier,  Louisa Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Garnham,  John Yallock Farmer

Garnham,  Jessie Yallock Home Duties

George,  Stephen Koo-Wee-Rup   Farmer

George,  Eliza   Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

George,  Miriam Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Gilchrist,  William Koo-Wee-Rup   Farmer

Gilchrist,  Agnes Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Gilchrist,  Margaret  Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Gilchrist,  Margaret  Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Gilchrist,  William  Koo-Wee-Rup   Labourer

Glen,  Robert  Koo-Wee-Rup   Farmer

Glen,  Elizabeth   Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Gorman,  John Koo-Wee-Rup   Labourer

Graham,  Ann Yallock Home Duties

Gray,  David Koo-Wee-Rup   Farmer

Gray,  John Koo-Wee-Rup   Farmer

Gray,  John Kersey Koo-Wee-Rup   Farmer

Gray,  Richard Koo-Wee-Rup   Farmer

Gray,  Margaret Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Gray,  Margaret Mary Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Gray,  Sticia Maud Yallock Home Duties

Griffiths,  Cornelius Koo-Wee-Rup   Farmer

Griffiths,  Margaret Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Gruber,  Sarah Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Gudgin,  William Yallock Farmer

Gudgin,  William Yallock Farmer

Gudgin,  Elizabeth Yallock Home Duties

Haar,  Ernest Yallock Farmer

Haar,  Caroline Yallock Home Duties

Hackett,  Marion Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Hackett,  William Koo-Wee-Rup   Labourer

Hahesy,  Richard Koo-Wee-Rup   Farmer

Hahesy,  Margaret Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Hamilton,  Henry Campbell Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer

Hamilton,  Elizabeth Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Hargraves,  Albert  Koo-Wee-Rup Labourer

Harrold,  Elizabeth  Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties

Hatty,  James Craig Yallock Farmer

Hatty,  William John Yallock Farmer

Hatty,  William John Yallock Farmer

Hatty,  Augusta Yallock Home Duties

Himbeck, Edward Koo-Wee-Rup   Farmer

Himbeck, Elizabeth Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Hudson, James Johnston Koo-Wee-Rup   Farmer

Hudson, Agnes Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Huges, Thomas John Koo-Wee-Rup   Farmer

Huges, Mary Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Izzard, Charles Yallock Farmer

Jenkins, Thomas Koo-Wee-Rup   Farmer

Jenkins, Annabella   Koo-Wee-Rup  Home Duties

Johnston, Joseph Spencer Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer

Johnston, William  Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer

Johnston, William Frank Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer

Johnston, Barbara Hay Taylor Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Johnston,  Isabella Donald Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Johnston,  Jessie Ann Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Johnston,  Isaac Henry Koo-Wee-Rup  Labourer

Johnston,  Louis Mitchell Koo-Wee-Rup   Labourer

Jones,  John William Yallock Farmer

Jones,  Isabella Yallock Home Duties

Jones,  Mary Ann Yallock Home Duties

Kane,  John Koo-Wee-Rup   Farmer

Kane,  Elizabeth Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Kerr,  Clara May Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Kilgour,  William   Koo-Wee-Rup Gardener

Kilgour,  Margaret   Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties

Killeen,  Thomas Koo-Wee-Rup   Farmer

Killeen,  Maria Theresa   Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Kirwin,  Thomas Yallock Farmer

Kirwin,  Elizabeth Yallock Home Duties

Laidlaw,  Robert Koo-Wee-Rup   Blacksmith

Laidlaw,  Margaret   Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Lineham,  William   Yallock   Farmer

Lineham,  Annie   Yallock   Home Duties

Longmore,  John Koo-Wee-Rup   Farmer

Longmore,  Mary Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Longmore,   John Koo-Wee-Rup   Labourer

Lyall,  John Mickle Koo-Wee-Rup   Farmer

Lyall,  Edwin Yallock Grazier

Lyall,  John A.A. Yallock Grazier

Lyall,  Annabella Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Lyall,  Cecile Garnet Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Lyall,  Helen Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Lyall,  Florence Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Lyall,  Eugenia Christina Yallock Home Duties

Lyall,  Helen Yallock Home Duties

Lyall,  Julia Anderson Yallock Home Duties

Lyall,  Margaret Helen Yallock Home Duties

Lyall,  Victoria Lavinia Yallock Home Duties

Mahon,  Darius Koo-Wee-Rup   Farmer

Mahon,  Bridget Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Mahon,  Catherine Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Mallcott,  William James Koo-Wee-Rup   Farmer

Mallcott,  Mary Ann Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Marshall,  Samuel Koo-Wee-Rup   Farmer

Marshall,  Mary Jane Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Matthews,  Frank Koo-Wee-Rup   Farmer

Matthews,  Sarah Ann Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

McCarthy,  Daniel Koo-Wee-Rup   Farmer

McCarthy,  Thomas Koo-Wee-Rup   Farmer

McDonald,  Cyril Koo-Wee-Rup   Farmer

McDonald,  Hugh Koo-Wee-Rup   Farmer

McDonald,  Jane Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

McGregor,  John Koo-Wee-Rup   Farmer

McGregor,  Josephine Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

McKenzie,  George Secundus Koo-Wee-Rup   Engineer

McKenzie,  Grace Scott Koo-Wee-Rup   Teacher

McLean,  Christina Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

McLennan,  Annie Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

McLeod ,  John Koo-Wee-Rup   Farmer

McLeod,  William John Koo-Wee-Rup   Farmer

McLeod,  Mary Isabella Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

McLeod,  Hugh Johnston Koo-Wee-Rup   Labourer

McNamara,  James   Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer

McNamara,  Annie   Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties

Mickle,  David Koo-Wee-Rup   Farmer

Mickle,   John Alexander Koo-Wee-Rup  Farmer

Mickle,  Alice Martha Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Mickle,  Laura Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Milroy,  James Koo-Wee-Rup   Labourer

Minahan,  Kate Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Minahan,  John Koo-Wee-Rup   Teacher

Moody,  Christopher Koo-Wee-Rup   Farmer

Moody,  Christopher John Koo-Wee-Rup   Farmer

Moody,  Charles Koo-Wee-Rup   Grazier

Moody,  William Charles Koo-Wee-Rup   Grazier

Moody,  Cecelia Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Moody,  Edith Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Moody,  Elizabeth Mary Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Mortenson,  Florence Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Nichols,  William James Koo-Wee-Rup   Farmer

Nichols,  William James Yallock Farmer

Nichols,  Elizabeth Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties

Nichols,  Susan Yallock Home Duties

O'Brien,  John  Thomas Yallock Farmer

O'Donnell,  Michael Yallock Farmer

O'Donnell,  Margaret Yallock Home Duties

O'Neil,  John Koo-Wee-Rup   Farmer

O'Neil,  Helen Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

O'Riordan,  Elizabeth Koo-Wee-Rup   Grocer

O'Shea,  Michael John Koo-Wee-Rup   Carrier

O'Shea,  Helen Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

O'Toole,  Patrick Koo-Wee-Rup   Farmer

O'Tool,   Mary Tracy Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Parker,  George Yallock Labourer

Patrick,  David Koo-Wee-Rup   Farmer

Patrick,  James Koo-Wee-Rup   Farmer

Patrick,  Martha Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Patrick,  Mary   Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties

Patrick,  Rosetta Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Powis,  Edward Yallock Farmer

Pretty,  Thomas Scott Yallock Farmer

Pretty,  Emma Yallock Home Duties

Reid,  Henry Charles Yallock Farmer

Reid,  Matilda Yallock Home Duties

Reitchel,  Helen Yallock Farmer

Reynolds,  Bernard William Koo-Wee-Rup   Farmer

Reynolds,  Annie Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties

Rossiter,  Edward August Yallock Farmer

Rossiter,  Helen Louisa Yallock Home Duties

Rundle,  James Charles Koo-Wee-Rup   Grocer

Rundle,  Jessie Koo-Wee-Rup Home   Duties

Saunders,  William Henry Koo-Wee-Rup   Farmer

Saunders,  Margaret Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Scanlan,  William Koo-Wee-Rup   Farmer

Scanlan,  Ellen Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Scharf,  Henry Yallock Farmer

Sharman,  William Koo-Wee-Rup   Labourer

Simmill,  Charles Yallock Farmer

Simmill,  Federick Herbert Yallock Farmer

Simmill,  Samuel Yallock Farmer

Simmill,  Alice Clare Yallock Home Duties

Simmill,  Florence Yallock Home Duties

Smith,  George Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer

Smith,  Mary Koo-Wee-Rup Home Duties

Speers,  Thomas Isaac Koo-Wee-Rup Farmer

Stevens,  James Yallock Farmer

Stevens,  Maria Yallock Home Duties

Stokes,  Helen Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Stokes,  Thomas Koo-Wee-Rup   Labourer

Sykes,  John Thomas Koo-Wee-Rup   Grocer

Sykes,  Mary Annie Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Talman,  William Koo-Wee-Rup   Labourer

Tierney,  Patrick Koo-Wee-Rup   Farmer

Tierney,  Catherine Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Ware,  Charles Joseph Yallock Farmer

Ware,  Brewis Yallock Farmer

Ware,  Christina Yallock Home Duties

Ware,  Georgina Yallock Home Duties

Wilkinson,  Mary Yallock Home Duties

Wilkson,  Agnes Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Wilkson,  Alfred W Koo-Wee-Rup   Saddler

Woodman,  Henry Koo-Wee-Rup   Butcher

Woodman,  Albert Koo-Wee-Rup   Farmer

Woodman,  Charles Edward Koo-Wee-Rup   Farmer

Woodman,  Ann Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Woodman,  Emily Ann Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Woodman,  Florence Koo-Wee-Rup   Home Duties

Yeaman,  Annie Yallock Farmer

To see who lived in Garfield in 1903, click here.

* https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/FlagPost/2022/June/Womens_suffrage

Koo-Wee-Rup ANZ / E.S. & A Bank

The ANZ Bank in Rossiter Road is closing down in the next few weeks (May 2015) so this is a look at the early history of the bank in Koo-Wee-Rup. The bank started in the town 110 years ago as the London Bank, in 1920 the London Bank amalgamated with the English, Scottish & Australian Bank (E.S. & A Bank) who in turn amalgamated with the ANZ in 1970.

The Garfield branch of the London Bank was established in 1905 and in August 1905 an Agency had been established at Koo-Wee-Rup and by the next year there were Agencies at Iona and Tynong. The first manager was Clarence Adeney, described in one report as the ‘genial Mr Adeney’ and described by David Mickle as ‘a kind and gentle man’. He retired in early 1920 and was replaced by Mr W. K Patterson.

Above: Article from South Bourke and Mornington Journal, August 16 1905

  

The Lang Lang Guardian reported on September 5 1906 that Mr A. Woodman had accepted a contract from the London Bank to erect a Bank chambers and dwelling at an estimated cost of £600. The construction was to be of oregon and plaster and it was also proposed to use tiles for the roof.  An advertisement in the same paper in the November said the London Bank Agency had been converted into a branch and ‘will be open daily for the transaction of all usual banking business’ – so I believe this would have coincided with the completion of the new building.

The Bank was obviously going well as in October 1912 they purchased the site of their building for a ‘satisfactory price’ according to the South Bourke & Mornington Journal.

In 1919, a ‘Receiving Agency’ was established by the bank at Dalmore - it opened Wednesdays from 10.15am to 1.00pm.

Above: E.S. & A. Bank in  Station Street, Koo-Wee-Rup c. 1940s

Below: The Lang Lang Bank 

In the October of 1919 the Koo-Wee-Rup Sun reported that The contractor for the alterations to the London Bank at Koo-Wee-Rup has the work well in hand and will complete it in a few weeks. It speaks well for Koo-Wee-Rup when the local bank has to enlarge its premises. The extra room will be needed in anticipation for the next record season. The second storey was added at this time and the banking chamber was enlarged, a manager’s office added as well as a room upstairs to be used as residential quarters. A strong room was also constructed and the ‘premises were renovated throughout’.

The works were not completed until the December owing to ‘labour trouble, strikes and railway delays’  The architects were Ballantyne and Hare – who designed houses in Malvern and Toorak and in 1929 Cedric Ballantyne designed  the Regent Theatre in Melbourne.

The Cardinia Shire Heritage Study describes the Bank as an early example of the architectural style known as ‘towards modernism’ and it is one of three former E.S. & A Banks on the Heritage Study. The other ones are the Garfield Bank, which was built in 1925 and the Lang Lang Bank, which was built in 1929.  The Garfield Bank is thought to have been designed by Twentyman & Askew, the same Architects as the Lang Lang bank. 

There was an E.S & A. Agency at Cora Lynn, which was staffed about a morning a week and closed in the early 1960s. 

Flood photos Koo-Wee-Rup

These are some photographs of  Koo-Wee-Rup and surrounds in what maybe the 1924 flood or the 1934 flood from the  Koo-Wee-Rup Swamp Historical Society collection.

This is the Railway bridge, there  are people at either end of the bridge. 

Rossiter Road

Four people in a row boat

I have seen this one dated 1916 and 1924.

Andrew Colvin's Shackcloth cycle factory

Stranded cars

Drying out after the flood, this is possibly the 1934 flood.

Country Women's Association - Koo-Wee-Rup Branch 1963

This is the booklet produced by the Koo-Wee-Rup Branch of the Country Women's Association for 1963.

s

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

Koo-Wee-Rup Memorial Hall

The Memorial Hall used to stand between the Presbyterian Church and the Historical Society in Rossiter Road. The first hall had been opened on this site in April 1902 – the same year that the original Catholic Church was opened. In 1912, the Hall became a Mechanics’ Institute. In the nineteenth century the term ‘mechanic’ meant artisan or working man. The Mechanics’ Institute movement began in 1800 when Dr George Birkbeck of the Andersonian Institute in Scotland gave a series of lectures to local mechanics. The lectures were free and popular. They led to the formation of the Edinburgh School of Arts (1821) and the London Mechanics’ Institute (1823). The movement spread quickly throughout the British Empire. The first Victorian Mechanics’ Institute was the Melbourne Mechanics’ Institute established in 1839 and renamed The Melbourne Athenaeum in 1873, which continues to operate in its original building on Collins Street. Over a thousand were built in Victoria and 562 remain today.

Mechanics’ Institutes were generally connected to a Public Hall. Bayles was another local town which had a Mechanics’ Institute. This was located in the Bayles Hall which had been re-located from Yallock and officially opened in January 1932. The Tooradin Mechanics Institute was built in 1882, burnt down in 1937 and the existing Hall was opened in 1938. The old Cora Lynn hall was also originally a Mechanics Institute.  Mechanic’s Institutes generally had a library, and may have offered lectures, discussions or classes.

The Koo-Wee-Rup hall was of weather board and it was extended in 1919.  The brick front and other rooms were added in 1923-24 and it was renamed the Memorial Hall to honour the First World War soldiers.

 Hall before the 1923 extension.  

The Returned Sailors and Soldiers Imperial League of Australia paid £300 to help fund these additions and had a lease on the Hall at the rental of one peppercorn per annum.  The Hall was used for various entertainment s - Colvin’s Pictures began weekly screenings on September 11th, 1922, this was five years before the Wattle Theatre was opened. The first Koo-Wee-Rup Scout troop gave a display in the Hall in August 1929. Public meetings, wedding receptions, debutant balls, twenty first birthdays, kitchen teas were all held in the Hall.

The original Hall and the brick extension are clearly seen in the photograph, which was taken during the 1934 flood 

During the Back to Koo-Wee-Rup celebrations of late October, early November 1969 the Hall was used for activities. Students of Koo-Wee-Rup High School would well remember having their H.S.C exams in the Hall in the 1970s.  In one of my exams there were about five of us in the Hall, and we were at least equalled in number by the sparrows flying around the ceiling. The Hall was demolished in 2002 and plaque on the fence marks its location.

These two views of the Hall are photographs from the Mechanics’ Institutes Resource Centre at the Prahran Mechanics' Institute http://home.vicnet.net.au/~mivic/projects.htm