Cora Lynn First World War Memorial

The Cora Lynn War Memorial was unveiled on Wednesday, February 22 1922. It was reported on in the Pakenham Gazette of March 10, 1922  and the report is transcribed, below.

The Pakenham Gazette report of the unveiling of the Memorial at Cora Lynn.

Pakenham Gazette, March 10, 1922, p. 3

The unveiling of the memorial and machine gun took place on Wednesday, 22nd inst. Despite the showers which fell so incessantly during the afternoon, there was a very large attendance of people.

The President of the Memorial Committee (Mr Anderson) briefly outlined the cost of the stone etc., to which he said the people of Cora Lynn donated most generously. He then called on Cr Groves, M.L.A., to perform the unveiling ceremony, after which all present adjourned to the Hall.

Cr Groves congratulated Lieut. Ray Jeffers on gaining such distinction during war service. He also extended his sympathy to the parents of those soldiers who fell in the war.

Lieut. R. Jeffers spoke on behalf of the returned soldiers and thanked the people of Cora Lynn for the very fine stone they had erected. He said it would be a lasting momento, not so much for the returned soldiers but in honour of the boys who had not returned.

Cr Walsh, in moving a vote of thanks to Mr Groves, said it gave them great pleasure to have Mr Groves with them that day. Anytime the people of Cora Lynn asked Mr Groves to come along he always came most willingly. Mr Groves is a most energetic member and no doubt he attends to the interest of the farmer with the greatest assiduity.

I do not know what happened to the machine gun, but the War Memorial is still there. It was originally next to the Cora Lynn Hall, but was relocated onto the drain bank between the 1934 and 1937 floods. 

Cora Lynn Hall and War Memorial, December 1934. 

Photographer: E. Boord. 

Museums Victoria https://collections.museumsvictoria.com.au/items/768357

The Cora Lynn War Memorial can be seen in this photo on the drain bank, taken in the October 1937 flood. The Hall is the building on the top left; on the other side of the Nine Mile Road is the old E.S. & A Bank, then Dillion's store, then a house. 

The Cheese Factory, is over the drain, on the right of the photo. 

The Australasian October 23, 1937 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article141810942

There are nineteen names on the memorial for soldiers from the First World War. If you are interested in finding out more about their military service, you can look up their full service record at the National Archives of Australia, https://www.naa.gov.au/. At the bottom of this post are three men with a Cora Lynn connection, but who are not honoured on the War Memorial. SN = Service Number.

Cora Lynn War Memorial.

Image: Heather Arnold taken January 2014.

Cora Lynn War Memorial.

Image: Heather Arnold taken January 2014.

Clarkin, William (SN 1522). William was the fifth child of John and Elizabeth (nee Moore) Clarkin. They had eight children - John (1886), Mary (1887-1888), James (1889), Catherine (1891), William 1894), Margaret (1896), Mary (1899) and Ada (1902). John died in 1902, aged 55, leaving Mrs Clarkin with a young family to look after and in June 1903 a concert and ball was held at the Iona Hall and £6 was raised for her. (1)  William enlisted at Tynong on December 7, 1914 at the age of 21; his next of kin was his eldest brother, John Clarkin of Garfield. William fought at Gallipoli where he was shot in the chest and bayonetted in the leg. He recovered and was serving in France when he was officially  reported as missing in August 1916 but had actually died of wounds as a Prisoner of War at Caudrey in Germany on August 26, 1916.  William is also listed on the Bunyip War Memorial and on the Iona Honour Board.

William Clarkin, reported missing

Dandenong Advertiser, September 28, 1916 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/88660906

Doherty, Edward Francis (SN 1218) Listed as F. Doherty on the memorial and known as Frank. Frank enlisted on March 9, 1915 at the age of 26. Frank was Killed in Action on August 4, 1916. Edward is also listed on the Bunyip War Memorial.
Doherty, Louis Michael (SN 12392). Louis enlisted at the age of 21 on July 17, 1915. Louis returned to Australia in May 30, 1919. 

Frank, born at Miner's Rest,  and Louis, born at Bungaree,  were the sons of John and Bridget (nee Smith). John Doherty was a Veterinary Surgeon and they lived on Nine Mile Road, Tynong. Both of the men also had their occupation listed as farmers. Louis married Bessie Gertrude Wood in 1933 and in the 1930s and 1940s they were living in  Cargelligo and then Yendon in New South Wales. Frank and Louis  are also listed on the Bungaree Shire Honour Board, unveiled at the Shire Hall in April 1918 (2) and had a tree planted in their honour in the Tynong Memorial Grove. 

Report of the deaths of Frank Doherty and Jack Fitzgerald - Jack is on the Bunyip War Memorial.

Dandenong Advertiser, September 14, 1916  http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article88664360

Another report of Frank Doherty's death

Gordon, Egerton and Ballan Advertiser, September 15, 1916

 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/129422941/13853850

Evans, Harry (SN 5589). Harry enlisted at Warragul in March 1916 at the age of 37. Harry was from Cora Lynn and his wife, Edith Minnie (nee Sunderland),  was listed as his next of kin. He embarked from Melbourne on September 25, 1916 on the HMAT Shropshire A9 and returned to Australia on December 31, 1916 having suffered continually from measles and pneumonia. He was discharged from the Army on February 12, 1917. After his return, Harry farmed on Minihan's Road in Cranbourne and then later at Bunyip.  Harry died on June 19, 1949, predeceasing Edith and their son Theo. (3)

Leslie Fritsch

 Photographer Darge Photographic Co. Australian War Memorial Image DASEY1179

Fritz, L –This is Leslie James Fritsch (4) (SN 2661).  

Leslie James Fritsch was born on June 25, 1896 at 31 Pridham Street, Prahran. He was the second child of Albert William Fritsch and Fannie Elizabeth Unwin who had married in October 1894, when he was 21 and she was 19. Their first son, Henry (Harry) Anton Fritsch was born in April 1895. It wasn’t a happy marriage and in 1899 Fannie applied  for a divorce on the grounds of his infidelity and violence towards her. 

By 1911, Albert was living in New Zealand, where he died at the age of 79 in 1953. Fannie, who was born in Warrnambool, moved back to her home town, married Joseph McKane and had another son, Allan Joseph McKane who was born in 1913. 

Harry and Leslie both served in World War One. Harry enlisted in August 1915 in C Company, 31st Infantry Battalion, he safely returned home and was discharged in July 1919. He had a long life and died in 1990, aged 95 in Queensland. 

Leslie (SN 2661) enlisted on July 19, 1915 in the 6th Reinforcements, 21st Battalion. He claimed he was 21 years old, he was actually only 19. Leslie embarked in October 1915, was admitted to Hospital in Egypt suffering from Diabetes in March 1916. He was invalided back to Australia in April and died at the Caulfield Military Hospital on July 16, 1916 from Diabetes.  He was buried the next day at Brighton Cemetery.

Leslie was living and working as a farm labourer at Cora Lynn at the time of his enlistment.  He was farewelled at a function at the local hall in September 1915 -  A most successful social and dance was held in Keast Hall on Monday evening last in honor of Mr. Fritsch, a young man who has enlisted for active service. Mr. Alf. Jeffers presided, and during the evening presented the young soldier with a gold medal. Mr. Fritsch responded with a splendid speech. (Bunyip Free Press September 30, 1915, see here)

Leslie clearly made an impact in the small community because he is listed on the War Memorial even though unfortunately his name is spelt incorrectly. Joseph McKane, Leslie’s step-father was buried with Leslie when he died in 1949; Fannie McKane died at the age of 82 in 1957 in Sydney, where she had been living with her son Allan. 

The farewell to Leslie Fritsch.

Bunyip Free Press September 30, 1915  http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article129630905

Holian, John Mildred (SN 16160) John, a farmer from Cora Lynn, enlisted at the age of 22 on December 13, 1915. He had been born in St James, the son of Patrick and Margaret (nee Gannon) Holian; they had five children - Katie (1889), Patrick (1891), John (1893), Leo (1897) and Vera (1900)  Patrick, Margaret and their family moved from St James to their farm at Cora Lynn in 1909. (5). John Returned to Australia February 7, 1919 and in 1922 he married Agnes Mary O'Neill, I believe he joined the Police Force after his war service.  He died in 1980, aged 86.

Huey, John Robert (SN 3168). John was born at Castlemaine and enlisted at Warragul at the age of 30 on November 24, 1916. His occupation was listed as a labourer and he lived at Cora Lynn at the time of enlistment. His next of kin was his friend, Mrs Mary Ann Jones of Carlton. John Returned to Australia on June 30, 1918 and was discharged on medical grounds in the October due to Debility, Bronchial catarrh and he had also suffered from paratyphoid and enteric fever. John died in Romsey on October 10,  1921, aged only 34.   

John Huey's death notice

The Argus, October 11, 1921 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/4639293/415706

Jeffers, Raymond Alva (SN 6290). Ray was born at Strathbogie and enlisted at the age of 23 on May 25, 1916. He was a Cora Lynn farmer and the son of Alexander Jeffers, also a Cora Lynn farmer. Lieutenant Jeffers was awarded the Distinguished Conduct medal and the Military medal. He was in France until at least May 1919 and arrived home in Australia later that year. He married Gladys Lillian Gardiner in 1926; their son Gordon Jeffers farmed at Cora Lynn and their daughter, Wilma (Mrs Coleman) at Yannathan. After the War he moved to Dandenong and spent seventeen years (1946 - 1963) as a Councillor with the Dandenong Shire and City of Dandenong and was Shire President and Mayor. (6)  He died in 1963, aged 70. You can read an interview from 2015 in the Dandenong Journal with his his daughter, Mrs Wilma Coleman, here.

Farewell to Ray Jeffers and William Rigby

Dandenong Advertiser September 14, 1916 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article88664360

Johnson, Charles Tudor (SN 588). Tudor, as he was known, was 19 when he enlisted on November 7, 1914. He was a farmer who lived at Cora Lynn and his next of kin was his mother, Fanny (nee Bickford) Johnson, also of Cora Lynn. Tudor had already attended Dookie Agricultural College when he enlisted, which he did at Enoggera in Brisbane. His father was Henry George Johnson who for some reason was not listed as the next of kin, as generally fathers are more likely to be the official next of kin than mothers. Tudor Returned to Australia on December 23, 1918 and married Emma Backhouse in 1923. In the 1930s and 1940s they lived in Barooga in New South Wales. Tudor rejoined the Army in  World War Two and served from August 1940 until November 1942. He died in 1963, aged 69. 

Kinsella, Bertram Michael (SN 3056) Bertram was a 29 year old farmer from Cora Lynn, when he enlisted on July 12, 1915. He was Killed in Action September 25, 1917.
Kinsella, Norman Francis (SN 920). Norman, who was also a Cora Lynn farmer, enlisted at the age of 19 on May 26, 1915. Norman returned to Australia after his overseas service on May 3, 1919. Bertram and Norman were half brothers, the sons of Michael Kinsella - Bertram from his first wife, Eliza Findlay (died 1890); and Norman by his second wife Susan Lockens. Norman married Lorna Grant in 1932 and they had two sons, Michael and Terrence. Norman died in 1959, aged 63. Bertram and Norman's sisters, Nancie and Kathleen both served as Nurses in World War Two, you can read about their extraordinary careers, here.

Milligan, Joseph Lewellen (SN 5376) Joseph was born in 1897 in Bunyip South (now called Iona) to James and Catherine (nee Hopkins) Milligan. He was the last of their ten children and the only one born locally. The others were - James (1875), Charles (1877), William (1880), Francis (1881), John (1883), Frederick (1885), Susan (1887), Catherine (1888), Thomas (1891) and then Joseph.  He enlisted at the age of 21 on March 8, 1916, his occupation was a farm hand, and his address was Cora Lynn. Joseph was Killed in Action on February 23, 1917. Joseph is also listed on the Bunyip War Memorial and the Iona Honour Board.  The Milligan family also lost two other sons in the war - William (SN 4547) Killed in Action July 19, 1916 and Francis (SN 1736) enlisted in Cootamundra, NSW and was Killed in Action on September 26, 1917. 

Murdoch, Arthur Charles (SN 2634). Arthur was born at Iona but was living in Brighton at the time of his enlistment on October 29, 1917. He was 19 years old and a motor driver. Arthur Returned to Australia August 22, 1919. Arthur was the oldest of the nine children of George Petrie Murdoch and his wife Emma Parker and he died in 1984, aged 85.  His father, George, established the Cora Lynn store in 1907 and owned it until 1922, you can read about this and the Murdoch family here. George also established the Bayles General Store in 1921 (see here). Arthur is also listed on the Iona Honour Board.

Pederson, Nils (SN 1249). Nils was born in Norway and was working as a farm labourer at Cora Lynn at the time of his enlistment on February 24, 1915. He was 21 years old and his next of kin was his father who lived in Norway. He was Killed in Action in France on September 1, 1918. In his will, dated July 13, 1917, he left everything to Miss Nellie Jeffers of Cora Lynn. Nellie was the sister of Ray Jeffers, above, so I wondered if he was working for the Jeffers. However, also in his file was a letter from Miss Corrie Anderson asking about her friend, Nils, so maybe he was working for the Andersons. Corrie later married Dan Kinsella, a brother of Bertram and Michael, above.

Corrie Anderson's letter about Nils Pedersen

National Archives of Australia www.naa.gov.au

First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1914-1920

Rigby, William Alexander (SN 2350). William was born in Georgetown in Tasmania in 1895 to Isaac William Rigby and his wife Mary Birch; he had three siblings Walter, Henry and May (7)  In 1912, the Electoral rolls show the family were living in Gardenvale, Victoria and Isaac was listed as a carpenter;  the next near they had moved to Mayfield, Murray Road, Cora Lynn. William, a farmer, enlisted on August 16, 1916 at the age of 21 and Returned to Australia on May 12, 1919. He married Mary Black in 1939 and died in 1942, aged 47.

William Rigby's death notice

The Age April 17, 1942 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/205282400/19384749

Roper, Thornton Graham (SN 61922). Thornton was born in 1898  to James Alexander Roper and his wife Ellen Graham; his sister Eleanor was born in 1899 and his brother Eric in 1903 - they were all born in Walhalla. The family moved to Cora Lynn around 1910. Thornton enlisted on June 24, 1918, he was 20 years old and a  motor mechanic. Thornton did get sent overseas and Returned to Australia January 4, 1919. He married Anastasia Quirk in 1926 and they lived in Oakleigh, then Caulfield South. Thornton died in 1966, aged 68. The family is presumably the source of the name Ropers Lane, between Cora Lynn and Bayles; Ropers Lane was also part of  the boundary between the Shire of Berwick and Shire of Cranbourne.

Scanlon, Joseph Bernard (SN 3452) Joseph enlisted on May 9, 1916. He was 21 years old and a labourer. He Returned to Australia on July 5, 1919. Joseph also served in the Second World War from June 1940 to May 1944. The World War Two Nominal roll states that he was born July 2, 1900, which only makes him 16 when he enlisted in the Great War, however the Index to the Victorian Births, Deaths and Marriages have him listed as being born 1895, so it seems he knocked 5 years off his age in 1940!
Scanlon, Thomas (SN 505) Thomas was 21 when he enlisted on January 12, 1915. He was a farmer. Thomas was awarded the Military Medal. He Returned to Australia on April 5, 1919. They are also listed in some official records with the surname Scanlan. They were the sons of William and Ellen Scanlon of Cora Lynn,  one newspaper report in a local paper says they were from Scanlon's Drain, Cora Lynn.

Smith, Berth (SN 1436) His first name was also listed as Bert, Bertie and Beith in some documents.  He was Killed in Action May 9 or May 10 in 1915 at Gallipoli. I had a hard time finding who B. Smith actually was until I found out that Berth enlisted at Tynong on September 21, 1914, aged 19, his next of kin was his father, William Smith of Rochford.  His occupation was listed as a labourer. Berth was born at Rochford, near Kyneton, and between 1907 and 1909 attended Cora Lynn State School, having previously been at Inverleigh State School, so it appears the family moved around a bit. 

By 1914 William was, as we know, back in Rochford, but he later moved to 16 Orr Street, Carlton. In June 1920, Berth's aunt Sarah McDougall, also of 16 Orr Street, wrote a letter to the Army Base Records Office stating that both his parents were deceased and he had no surviving siblings and that she was his mother's oldest sister. Mrs McDougall (nee Adcock) had requested his war medals, but in the end they were given to  his uncle, William Adcock of Cora Lynn.  It is possible that  Berth was working with his uncle and that is why he was in Cora Lynn. The Electoral rolls have a William and Margaret Adcock at Koo Wee Rup, and that must be them. Mrs McDougall's letter also notes that his half-brother, William Angus (SN 2101) was also Killed in Action, in 1916.  He was the son of William and Elizabeth Angus (nee Adcock), born 1889 in Lancefield, but his next of kin was his aunt, Mrs Yeaman (nee Adcock) of Wonthaggi, and her address was later  C/O David Cole, Cora Lynn and later still  Bayles, via Koo Wee Rup. With all this information, I finally found Berth's birth record - he was born on December 19, 1895 at Rochford to Elizabeth Adcock, father unknown, but with the surname of Angus. Elizabeth married William Smith in 1898 and she died in 1912 aged 47.  There was much sadness in the family with the death of Berth and William's parents, but it seems that both the lads were well loved by their extended family.

Berth's death notice. The date of death differs from that in his service record.

The Age July 3, 1915 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/154995661/18592496

Death notice of Berth's half brother

The Age September 27, 1916 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article155160653

The names on the Cora Lynn War Memorial.

Image: Heather Arnold, taken January 2014.

There are other soldiers I have found with a Cora Lynn connection, who are not listed on the Memorial - 

Emmott, Robert Edmund (SN 1083) Robert was 19 when he enlisted on September 2, 1914. His next of kin was his mother, Mrs Emmott of Buena Vista, Red Hill. Robert was Killed in Action on April 15, 1918, sadly he was so close to surviving the War after three and a half years of service. Robert was born in Fairfield, in September 1896 to Joseph Samuel and Alphina (nee Gunther) Emmott. Joseph and Alphina are listed in the Electoral rolls at Koo Wee Rup from 1903 until 1914; Joseph died April 1914 and it appears that Alphina then moved to Red Hill. Robert is also listed as a pupil at the Cora Lynn State School in 1908 and 1909, having previously been at Frankston State School, which doesn't fit in with the information in the Electoral Rolls, but he may have been staying with a relative for his early days of schooling. Due to his attendance at the Cora Lynn School he was on the School's Honor Roll, unveiled in July 1918 (see here)

Death notice of Robert Emmott

The Argus, May 11, 1918 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/1658720/399941

Faulkner, Samuel John (SN 72542 ) John enlisted on July 8, 1918. He was 31 years old, born in Traralgon, his occupation was traveller and his address was 22 Porter Street, Prahran and his next of kin was his father, Frederick, of Trafalgar. In spite of this I believe he is the J. Faulkner mentioned in the article, below, as the 1916 to 1918 Electoral rolls have a Samuel John Faulkner and Martha Rhodena Faulkner at Cora Lynn. They were not husband and wife, or brother and sister, I think they were cousins; Martha married William Buist Murdoch Greig in 1926.  John did not embark and was discharged due to the War ending. In 1921 he married Ivy Dearnley, and they lived in Orbost. John died in 1965, aged 76. 

Send off to John Faulkner and Thornton Roper

Pakenham Gazette October 11, 1918 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/92154316/8577418

Thomas, James Matthew (SN 6109). James was born in Bendigo and enlisted in Melbourne on March 18, 1916 but on the Nominal roll his address on enlistment was Cora Lynn and his occupation was labourer. His next of kin was his Guardian, Mrs Higgins of North Melbourne. He was 37 when he enlisted and he Returned to Australia on June 2 1919.

Sources - Service records, National Archives of Australia; Indexes to the Victorian Birth, Deaths and Marriages; the Tasmanian Archives; newspaper articles, Roll of Honour at the Australian War Memorial; Electoral Rolls on Ancestry; Shire of Berwick Rate Books; Cora Lynn State School roll.

Footnotes

(1) South Bourke & Mornington Journal, June 24, 1903, see here.

(2) Ballarat Star, April 9, 1918, see here.

(3) The Age, June 20, 1949, see here.

(4) Thank you to Lynne Bradley of the Narre Warren & District Family History Group   www.nwfhg.org.au for discovering the identity of L. Fritz. It's great that we can give him his proper identity.

(5) Benalla Standard, September 7, 1909, see here.

(6) https://seha.org.au/shire-presidents-mayors-and-councillors-of-the-shire-city-of-dandneong-the-shire-of-springvale-and-noble-park-and-the-city-of-springvale

(7) The Herald, October 3, 1924, see here.

A version of this story, which I wrote and researched,  appears on my work blog, Casey Cardinia Commemorates: Our War Years and it has also been published in the Koo Wee Rup Blackfish and Garfield Spectator.

Frederick Bayles (1884-1915)

The area where the town of Bayles is now located was originally known as Yallock, however when the Strzelecki Railway line was opened in  June 1922, the station for the Yallock settlement was called Bayles, after Frederick Bayles. Frederick was the first member of the Railway Construction Branch to be killed in World War One (1). 

Frederick enlisted in the A.I.F, 7th Battalion, on August 20. 1914 and he was a bugler.  He was 30 years old, single, of the Church of England faith and his occupation was listed as a Clerk in Government Service. His address on enlistment was 64 Hoddle Street in Abbotsford. Frederick was 5 feet, 7 inches in height; 11 stone 4 pounds in weight and had blue eyes and fair hair. His next of kin was his brother George Bayles of 6 Watery Lane, Merton Park in London. Frederick embarked on the Hororata on October 19, 1914 and less than seven months later was killed in action at Gallipoli, on May 8,  1915 (2). 

Frederick's oath on enlistment. 

National Archives of Australia www.naa.gov.au  First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1914-1920

The HMAT Horoarta - Frederick embarked in this ship October 19, 1914.

This photo was taken in 1916 at Port Melbourne at another send-off of soldiers.

Photographer: J.E. Barnes. State Library of Victoria Image H40762

Frederick’s brother, Corporal George Bayles of the 1/5 London Field Coy., Royal Engineers (3) was, as we said,  his next of kin on his enlistment form. Frederick’s Attestation file has copies of various letters sent between the Army and George who enquired about his brother’s personal effects and any wages that Frederick might be owed. There is no information as to whether George received any of Frederick’s personal effects, he was, however, sent the Memorial Plaque, the Memorial Scroll and three medals - the British War medal, the Victory medal and the 1914/15 Star medal (4). 

From the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website at www.cwgc.org we know that Frederick has his name on the Helles Memorial in Turkey which serves a memorial to the Commonwealth service men who died on the Gallipoli Peninsula and have no known grave or were buried at sea. This site lists Frederick’s parents as John and Louisa Bayles of Battersea in London.

The Helles Memorial, in Turkey, where Frederick's name is listed. 

Image: Commonwealth War Graves Commission  https://www.flickr.com/photos/cwgc/7682751484/

Frederick was the youngest child of John and Louisa (nee Torr) Bayles. He was born on January 11, 1884 and attended Gideon Road School in Battersea. John was a Stone-mason. Frederick's siblings were -  Louisa  (born 1869), Annie (1871), Eleanor (1873), Arthur (1875), Alice (1877), George (1882) and then Frederick. The first four children were born in Wokingham, Berkshire, the same town where John and Louisa were married. The last three were born in Battersea, London. In the 1881 English Census the family lived at 8 Ashbury Road, Battersea. In the 1891 and 1901 Census they were at 59 Tyneham Road, Battersea. In this Census, Frederick was listed as Clerk. In the 1911 Census, Fred is living with his brother, George at 20 Shelton Road, Merton Park, Surrey. Also living there was George's wife Nellie and their two children - George, aged 5 and 3 year old Violet Nellie. In 1911, Fred's occupation was a Commercial traveller (5). 

Frederick arrived in Melbourne on the Norseman in August 1913 (6).  He was then employed by the Victorian Railways as a Clerk. Then a year after he arrived, he enlisted with the Australian Imperial Force and by the following May, he was dead. You would have to surmise that he had made a big impact on his fellow workers because seven years later, they honoured him by naming the Bayles Railway Station after him. The name soon spread to the small settlement surrounding the Station (7) thus the town is a memorial to Frederick and, in a sense, his fellow soldiers who were killed during the First World War.

Frederick's Roll of Honor circular (8) was completed by his sister-in-law, Nellie Bayles, the mother of little George and little Violet. Her own husband, George, was also Killed In Action, on September 21, 1917. He is buried at the Dozinghem Military Cemetery in Belgium (9).

Frederick's Roll of Honor circular, at the Australian War Memorial, was completed 

by his sister-in-law, Nellie Bayles.

https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/awm-media/collection/RCDIG1068852/document/5550735.PDF

Footnotes

(1) The Great Southern Advocate, July 6, 1922, see here.

(2) Frederick's Attestation papers - https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=3059170

(3) A letter from George in Frederick's file (see above) says he belonged to the 1/5 London Field Coy., Royal Engineers, but his Commonwealth War Graves Commission entry said George belonged to the Royal Engineers, 511th Field Coy.

(4) See Footnote 2.

(5) This information comes from various databases on Ancestry, including the English Census collection, Marriage records and School records.

(6) Unassisted Passenger list, 1852-1923 at the Public Records Office of Victoria www.prov.vic.gov.au

(7) According to the Cranbourne Shire Rate Books, by 1923-1924, the name had spread to the small settlement surrounding the Station.

(8) On-line at the Australian War Memorial - https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/awm-media/collection/RCDIG1068852/document/5550735.PDF

(9) Commonwealth War Graves https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/619876/g-bayles/

Butter, Cream and Milk factories

In 1889, the Victorian Parliament allocated £233,000 to establish creameries, cheese and butter factories in the Colony and to aid other primary industries (1). By 1895 there were 174 factories and 284 creameries in Victoria, including a number in the Koo Wee Rup Swamp area. Up until the 1930s the area could sustain several factories for a number of reasons. Firstly, dairy cattle numbers were at their peak in the 1920s. It is estimated that the Parishes of Koo Wee Rup, Koo Wee Rup East and Yallock (essentially the area of the Koo Wee Rup Swamp) had 12,000 dairy cattle in early 1920s (2) Secondly, most farmers were still using horse and cart for transport, so local factories were necessary. Lastly, the factories had slightly different purposes. For instance, whole milk was received at Iona and Cora Lynn, whilst farms with a separator could deposit cream at Drouin, Lang Lang or Bayles.

My grandparents farm at Cora Lynn in 1928. I have written about their dairy farm, here.

At Iona, a Creamery run by the Fresh Food and Frozen Storage Company, was opened in 1897 and by 1900 it had 50 suppliers. The Creamery operated until around 1907. In 1906, the Drouin Co-Operative Butter Factory established a factory in Iona on the corner of Little Road and the Main Drain. It closed in October 1928 and was demolished in 1930 (3). Another butter factory, owned by Holdenson and Neilson, operated in Iona from 1912 or 1917 (depending on sources). It closed in 1921 (4).  At one stage the Fresh Food and Frozen Storage Company operated 70 butteries and creameries in Victoria (5). Holdenson and Nielson operated at least 20 and in the early 1890s they produced over 2 million pounds of butter, most of it being exported (6). The two companies amalgamated in 1908 to become Holdenson and Nielson Fresh Foods P/L.(7).

The Drouin Co-Operative Butter Factory was established in 1904 (8) and expanded under the leadership of their aptly named General Manager, Bill Kraft. This Company should not be confused with the Drouin Co-Operative Creamery, which was established in 1891, went into liquidation in 1895, and was taken over by the Victorian Creamery and Butter Company, who were another big player in the dairy industry, at this time.

Cora Lynn Cheese Factory, taken in 1998. I have written about the Cheese Factory, here.

The Drouin Co-Operative Butter Factory began the work of establishing a factory at Cora Lynn in 1910, and it opened in November 1911. The factory was remodelled and extended in 1932, partially to compensate for Iona closing down;  in that year the factory had around 500 regular suppliers. It was closed in the late 1940s/early  1950s (9).  The building is still standing at Cora Lynn and was restored a few years ago. Drouin Co-Operative Butter Factory took over the Bayles Butter Factory in 1944, which had been established in 1922. It was re-built and enlarged in 1966 and operated until January 1980. This gave Drouin access to the Melbourne market as Bayles had a City distribution license.  It was for this same reason that Drouin had obtained shares in the Cranbourne and Croftbank Dairies in Cranbourne in the 1930s (10). 

Bayles Milk Factory, 1943.

Image: Bayles Fauna Reserve collection.

Yallock Southern Creamery, which was situated on the corner of the Yallock Creek and the No.5 Yallock Drain Road (which was thus also known as Creamery Road) opened in 1897 as a Co-Operative, closed in 1898, re-opened 1899 and eventually sold to the owners of the Lang Lang Butter Factory (11).  A butter factory had operated in Lang Lang for a few years before it closed in February 1893. It re-opened around 1895 with Charles Wood (or his company Wood & Co) being listed as the owners until 1926, when it was sold to Southern State Produce.

 In 1928 it was purchased by Ivan Stedman, a butter merchant. The Factory was a major employer in Lang Lang. Part of the original factory was destroyed by a wind storm in August 1930 (12). In 1934 it was reported that Extensive additions and alterations are to be made to the Lang Lang butter factory, at a cost of £2000. It is proposed to build a brick milk factory adjoining the present butter factory, a commodious modern garage to hold six trucks, a fodder room, and greatly extend the present can rack (13).  Not sure if this ever came to fruition as this photo from the Weekly Times of June 1932,  looks very much like the later photo, shown below it. 

Lang Lang Butter Factory

Weekly Times, June 4, 1932 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/223303581

Lang Lang Butter Factory,

Image: Lang Lang & District Historical Society.

Farm pick-ups were initially done by horse and cart, but the 1930s the Factory had a fleet of trucks which collected from farms as far away as Phillip Island (14). The factory was sold in 1940 (15). In 1946 Prestige Ltd, the lingerie manufacturers opened in the factory for  a time (16).  Lang Lang Butter Factory is now occupied by Larmax. 

Opening of the Prestige factory in the Butter Factory premises

Dandenong Journal, March 20 1946 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/214792914#

Yannathan Butter Factory was established in 1900 or 1905 (depending on sources) and was purchased by Ivan Stedman at the same he purchased the Lang Lang Factory. According to the article from April 1929 (17) below, the plants from both factories were dismantled and re-assembled at Lang Lang.  The closure of the Yannathan factory is confirmed by the Cranbourne Shire Rate books as from 1929/1930 they list the Yannathan factory as the “old Butter Factory." Factory Road, off Heads Road, is all that is left to remind us of the Yannathan Butter Factory. 

Amalgamation of the Lang Lang and Yannathan factories.

Great Southern Advocate, April25, 1929, https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/254596341

Yannathan, Catani and Bayles dairy farmers could also send their milk to Melbourne on the train, after the Strzelecki Railway line opened in 1922, and in 1923 the milk train carried over 1000 gallons of milk per day from those stations (18). Read about this Railway line, here.

Yannathan Butter Factory

Image:  More Mickle Memories of Koo Wee Rup by David Mickle, published by the author, 1987.

Incidentally, Ivan Stedman (1895-1979) was a champion swimmer and led the Australian team at the opening ceremony of the Antwerp Olympics in 1920. He won a silver medal in the 4x200 freestyle relay team at those Olympics and also competed in the 1924 Paris Olympics. This is an achievement, made even more remarkable, by the fact that Ivan spent over three years in the A.I.F. during the First World War and was wounded at Passchendaele (19). 

Before we leave this subject there was a private cheese factory,  constructed in 1892 by John Henry Smethurst on his property Glen Avis in Yannathan.  Smethurst was a pioneer in the use of machines. His dairy had a four horse-power boiler and a three horse-power Tangye engine which worked a 90 gallon separator and 200lb butter churn. He milked 75 cows at Yannathan and also had another cheese factory on his other property Lang Lang Park, at Athlone, where he milked 260 cows (20).

 

Glen Avis, Yannathan, in 1979

Image: Shire of Buln Buln by Graeme Butler (Shire of Buln Buln, 1979)

Footnotes

(1) Godbold, Norman Victoria: Cream of the Country – a history of Victorian Dairying (Dairy Industry Association of Australia, 1989). p. 18.
(2) Gunson, Niel The Good Country: Cranbourne Shire (Cheshire, 1968), p. 195.
(3) Nest, Denise Call of the Bunyip: History of Bunyip, Iona and Tonimbuk 1847-1990 (Bunyip History Committee, 1990), p. 17
(4) Ibid.
(5) Godbold, op. cit., p. 58.
(6) Godbold, op. cit., p. 75.
(7) The Argus, June 26, 1908, see here.
(8) Godbold, op. cit., p. 142.
(9) Opening - https://kooweerupswamphistory.blogspot.com/2013/01/cora-lynn-cheese-factory.html; The Argus, September 29, 1932, see here.
(10) Godbold, op. cit., p. 144.
(11) Gunson, op. cit. p. 146.

(12) The Age, August 18, 1930, see here.

(13) Dandenong Journal, September 6, 1934, see here.
(14) Protector's Plains: history of Lang Lang Primary School No.2899, 1888-1988 and district compiled by Barbara Coghlan (CBC Publishing, 1988), p. 12.

(15) Sale of Butter factory

Advertisement for the sale of the Lang Lang Butter factory

Dandenong Journal, August 14, 1940 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/216062604

(16) Dandenong Journal, March 20 1946, see here.

(17) Great Southern Advocate, April 25, 1929, see here.
(18) Gunson, op. cit. p. 196.
(19) Australian Dictionary of Biography entry, written by Harry Gordon https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/stedman-ivan-cuthbert-11754

(20) Butler, Graeme Buln Buln: a history of the Shire of Buln Buln (Shire of Buln Buln, 1979), p. 181-182.  

This book is now, unfortunately, out of print, but if you have an interest in the area it worth trying to track down a copy from a library or a second hand book dealer. Yannathan was part of the Shire of Buln Buln until 1893 when it was annexed by the Shire of Cranbourne. 

A version of this blog post, which I wrote and researched, also appears on my work blog - Casey Cardinia Links to Our Past and has appeared in the Koo Wee Rup Township newsletter, The Blackfish.

Arcuarte Ridges

There are two arcuate ridges along Ballarto road, one at Cardinia and the other at Rythdale. An acruate ridge is a curved sand ridge or one shaped like a bow. The Victorian Resources online website, has descriptions of both these ridges, in their Sites of Geological and Geomorphological Significance section, which you can see here.

Cardinia Arcuate Ridge

This aerial photograph was also taken in 1980 and shows the town of Cardinia, built on the arcuate ridge. Starting at the bottom of the photograph, is the Cardinia Recreation Reserve. Ballarto Road runs along the right of the Reserve to the top of the picture. The town is bi-sected by Dalmore Road to the left of the picture, and Cardinia Road to the right. The curve of the sand ridge can be clearly seen.

From the Victorian Resources on-line website - Cardinia township is built on a low sandy ridge that rises five to eight metres above the drained wetlands of the former Dalmore Swamp, part of the Koo-Wee-Rup or Great Swamp. The elevation of the ridge is partly due to depression of the adjacent drained area, as a result of shrinkage and compaction of the peats, but it is also clearly a distinct depositional feature related to sedimentation of the Cardinia Creek. The ridge is composed of coarse and often gravelly and clayey sand and has a well defined concave western margin which resembles an abandoned shoreline. In contrast the eastern edge is less regular with small lobes of sand surrounded by peaty swamp deposits.

These lobes may represent old flood crevasse breaches of the ridge. The ridge has the general appearance of a lunette although it was explained by Jenkin (1974)* as a former levee deposit of the Cardinia Creek.

Sketch map of the Cardinia Arcuate Ridge

http://vro.agriculture.vic.gov.au/dpi/vro/portregn.nsf/pages/ppw_86-map

Rythdale Arcuate Ridge

The Rythdale Arcuate ridge can clearly be seen in this 1980 aerial. Ballarto Road cuts across the centre of the photograph, above the oval trotting track. Hobsons Road runs towards the top of the photograph and the curved object is the arcuate sand ridge. On the left of the photograph are man made drains to carry the water from the Deep Creek and Toomuc Creek to the Bay, part of the Koo Wee Rup Swamp drainage works.

From the Victorian Resources on-line website - The narrow ridge traversed by Hobson Road is similar in form and composition to that described at Cardinia. It extends for three kilometres south of the Deep Creek Drain but is seldom more than 100 metres in width. The convex (eastern) side lacks the irregularities and depressions that are present at Cardinia, and the Rythdale ridge describes a more gentle curve.

Sketch map of the Rythdale Arcuate Ridge

http://vro.agriculture.vic.gov.au/dpi/vro/portregn.nsf/pages/ppw_84-map

Significance Statement
These ridges are considered to be of State Significance -

Cardinia: This is one of the two broadly arcuate sand ridges that rise above the drained swamplands. They are morphologically and sedimentologically unique in the study area, and are unusual landforms on a state-wide comparison. Their exact mode of origin has no been investigated in detail.

http://vro.agriculture.vic.gov.au/dpi/vro/portregn.nsf/pages/port_lf_sig_sites_cardinia

Rythdale: This ridge is an unusual feature and its precise mode of Cardinia above, the only comparable features in Victoria appear to be on the East Sale Plain near Lake Wellington.

http://vro.agriculture.vic.gov.au/dpi/vro/portregn.nsf/pages/port_lf_sig_sites_rythdale

*The references the websites used are
Jenkin, J.J. (1962). The geology and underground water resources of the Tooradin area. Dept. of Mines Vict. Underground Water Investigation Report. No. 4
Jenkin, J.J. (1974). The geology of the Mornington Peninsula and Westernport. Geol. Surv. Report. No. 1974/3.

Another version of this blog post, which I wrote and researched, also appears on my work blog - Casey Cardinia Links to Our Past.

Christopher Moody (1833-1920)

Moody’s Inlet, which runs into Western Port Bay near Tooradin, and Moody Street in Koo Wee Rup are both named after Christopher Moody. Who was Christopher Moody?

Christopher Moody

Image: Koo Wee Rup Swamp Historical Society

Christopher Moody was born in Shepton Mallett in Somerset on February 7, 1833 to Austin Moody and his wife Jane (nee Perrett) (1). His father is listed in the 1851 English Census as 'a farmer of 180 acres employing 5 labourers,' thus, Christopher had a middle class upbringing. However, not being the eldest son and having, I believe, fourteen siblings (2), Christopher had to make his own way in the world and he immigrated to Victoria, arriving on the Morning Star in August 1854 (3). 

He went to Commeralgyp Station (4)  at Rokewood, south of Ballarat to work and remained there until 1860 when he established the Barclay Flour Mills at Rokewood Junction (5).  It was described in the Geelong Advertiser in March 1867 - 
A visit to Moody's flour mill, or more properly called Barclay's mill, situated three miles from Rokewood, will show colonial enterprise. The building has only been erected nine months. It is built of wood, forty-five by twenty-five feet, in six flats. At the present time two stones are in operation, driven by a fourteen horse-power engine, producing above five hundred bushels of pulse per week, but the proprietor is so much pressed that two additional stones will be added shortly. The grain is received principally from the Ondit district (6). 

Christopher married Jane Halbert Hyslop on October 6, 1863 in a Presbyterian ceremony at Junction Diggings, in the Rokewood District. They were both 30 years old and their address was Roseneath Farm (7). They had eight children, all born at Rokewood -  Clara (1864-1906), John Austin (1865-1867), Isabella Mary (1868-1940), Edith (1869-1927), Jessie (1870-1960), Jane (b. & d.1872), Christopher John (1873-1943) and Celia (1874-1958) (8). 

Christopher purchased 1,686 acres of the Great Swamp Run at the land sales held on March 25, 1875 for the amount of £2,451 (9). Moody and the other land owners had to clear and drain their land. The family lived on their property called Invermead, on the South Gippsland Highway, east of the Inlets. The homestead had a dairy, workshops, slaughter house, poultry pens, pigstyes and kitchen garden (10). 

Moody was elected as a Cranbourne Shire Councillor in 1884 and served until his resignation in January 1894 (11).  His obituary in the Koo Wee Rup Sun of November 18, 1920 said that in all municipal matters, especially on roads, his sound and practical knowledge made his services of value. Moody was one of the strong personalities on the Council and Niel Gunson, in his book The Good Country, describes him as an astute councillor and man of inflexible principle (12).

In 1890, Moody who owned what was to become the site of the Koo Wee Rup township sub-divided the land between Rossiter Road and the Main Drain and Denham’s Road and the Highway. Very little of the land was sold due to the 1890s depression. The sub-division set out Moody, Gardner (called Koo Wee Rup Street by Moody), Henry (called Christopher Street by Moody) and Salmon Streets (13).

Christopher Moody was a public spirited man who exercised influence for the advancement of the district (14). Moody donated the land for the Presbyterian Church and the Public Hall in Koo Wee Rup (15) and he was a Vice President of the Tooradin Mechanics’ Institute which opened Boxing Day 1882 and a member of the Tooradin State School Board, which had opened in 1875 (16). 

Jane Moody died on December 8, 1885 at the age of 51, and is buried at Cranbourne cemetery. Of Christopher and Jane Moody’s children it would appear that only one of them married – Jessie married Edward Percy Walker in 1898. Edward and his father operated the Tooradin store for a while and after his marriage, Edward had a store at Lang Lang and later at Dandenong (17). Jessie and Edward  had seven children - Jean, Christopher, George, Marion, Edward, Keith and Lachlan. The five sons all enlisted in the Army in the Second World War. Their eldest son, Christopher, was the chief sub-editor and assistant editor of the Melbourne Sun when he enlisted. A report at the time of his death said that he preferred to fight as a Private rather than accept a commission as official broadcaster. He was killed fighting in Syria in June 1941 (18).

Christopher Moody moved to his house, Shepton, in Rossiter Road in Koo Wee Rup when it was built in 1902. He died on November 17, 1920. A report in The Argus in January 1921 said that his Estate was worth £51,862 of which £3,910 was real estate and the £47,952 other assets (19). In this Will dated April 7, 1910 Moody left the Shepton estate of 586 acres, together with all the rest of his real estate to his son, Christopher. The residual of the Estate was to be sold and  divided into five equal shares for his son and daughters Isabella, Jessie and Celia. His other daughter, Edith, was to receive the income from her share to support her, and if this was not enough, then part of the principle. After Edith’s death the Will stated that the remaining part of her share was to be divided equally between the Melbourne, the Alfred, the Austin and St Vincent’s Hospitals. This suggests that she was unwell or in need of support, even in 1910 when the Will was written (20). After Edith died on October 24, 1927 her share of the Estate was distributed to the four Hospitals. In 1927 this amounted to £7,200, and in 1929 another £1,147 was distributed (20). 

Christopher Moody is buried at Lang Lang, for some reason not at Cranbourne with his wife. The head stone also has the incorrect date on it and says he died in 1921. It seems a bit of a sad end for a man who contributed so much to the Community.

Koo Wee Rup Sun obituary
Some of this information was taken from his Obituary published in the Koo Wee Rup Sun, Thursday, November 18, 1920. It is transcribed here -
A link binding the present with the past has been severed on the death of Mr Christopher Moody, sen., which sad event took place at his residence, "Shepton," Kooweerup, early on Wednesday morning. The deceased, who was 88 years of age, had been ailing for some time, and despite the best medical attention and tender nursing he passed away as above stated. The late Mr Moody was born on February 7, 1833 at Shepton Mallett, Somerset, England. He left Liverpool on June 5, 1854, when 21 years of age, in the Morning Star, arriving at Hobson's Bay on August 20. Immediately after landing he went to Commeralgyp Station, Rokewood. After experiencing several years of station life, he established Barkley flour mills at Rokewood Junction, in the Ballarat district, in 1860. In 1870 he came to the Gippsland district and bought 2000 acres on the Kooweerup Swamp, part of which the township is now on. While here he built "Invermead," which is now occupied by Mr. R. Preston. These were stirring days, and only those associated with the hardship and struggles of the pioneers have any conception of what had to be faced. While living here many pioneers when passing through found in deceased a hospitable friend and guide. He later built a place near the Monomeith station, and later still erected "Shepton," where he has since resided. Deceased was a public-spirited man and exercised his influence for the advancement of the district. He served in the Leigh Shire Council for nine years, and was a member of the Cranbourne Council for a similar period. In all municipal matters, especially on roads, his sound and practical knowledge made his services of value. He was the first to advocate the use of swamp gravel on the roads in these parts, and in other respects he earned the appreciation of both councillors and ratepayers as a sterling worker. His wife pre-deceased him 35 years ago. He leaves one son and four daughters to mourn the loss of an upright and devoted father, and the district will be bereft of a good and honest citizen. The remains will be privately interred in the Lang Lang Cemetery to-day (Thursday) in the Anglican portion of the cemetery.

Trove list - I have created a short list of newspaper articles on Trove, on Christopher Moody and his extended family. All articles referenced here are on the list, which you can access here.

Footnotes
(1) Birth date from obituary - Koo Wee Rup Sun Thursday November 18, 1920 -  and parents from marriage certificate. There are some sources which list his mother's surname as Berkley, but the marriage certificate says Perrett. 

(2) Various family trees on Ancestry list the 15 children of Austin and Jane  Moody. Christopher's younger brother Charles also migrated to Victoria and lived locally. Charles Moody died at his property Milford, in Pakenham on May 18, 1926, at the age of 91.

(3) Obituary - Koo Wee Rup Sun Thursday November 18, 1920

(4) Commeralgyp Station  - listed as Commeralghip in Pastoral Pioneers of Port Phillip by R. V. Billis & A.S. Kenyon (Stockland Press, 1974). It had 25, 574 acres and was first taken up in 1838. It was leased by John Cullen from March 1875 until August 1857; then Richard Lewis had the lease until January 1862, so these would be the two men who Moody worked for.

(5) Listed on obituary as Barkley flour mill.

(6) Geelong Advertiser, March 25, 1867, see here.

(7) Information from marriage certificate. Her parents are listed as John Hyslop and Mary Brownrig. The witnesses were Thomas Hyslop and the second signature looks like Bridget Bettina Hawkins. A Thomas Hyslop is listed as holding the licence of Hyslop's Hotel, Rokewood Junction in 1872 (Geelong Advertiser, December 19, 1872, see here) He died May 2, 1877 at Rokewood Junction, aged 60 (Ballarat Courier, May 4, 1877, see here) His parents were John Hyslop and Jane Halbert, so I presume he was Jane Moody's cousin. I have no information about Bridget Hawkins, assuming that  was the name of the second witness. Roseneath Farm - Edward Johns had a Roseneath Farm in the 1860s in the Carngham Roads Board District - see below. Carngham is north of Rokewood, but still in the Ballarat area, so this is possibly the place where the couple were living and working (?) at the time of their marriage.

Ballarat Star, November 9, 1861 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/66343348

(8) Indexes to the Victorian Births, Deaths and Marriages.

(9) Gunson, Niel The Good Country: Cranbourne Shire  (Cheshire, 1968), p. 125

(10) Gunson. op. cit., p. 127

(11) Gunson, op. cit. 

(12) Gunson,op. cit.,  p. 93

(13) Mickle, David  Mickle Memories of Koo Wee Rup - for young and old  (The Author, 1983), p. 18.

(14) Obituary - Koo Wee Rup Sun Thursday November 18, 1920

(15) Gunson, op. cit., p. 166.
(16) Tooradin : 125 years of coastal history - Blind Bight, Cannons Creek, Dalmore, Sherwood, Tooradin North and Warneet. Published by the Tooradin celebrates together 125 years Education Committee in 2000. 

(17) Gunson, op. cit., p. 167.  See articles in my Trove list regarding the various locations where the Walkers operated.

(18) Dandenong Journal, October 1, 1941, see here.

(19) The Argus, January 28, 1921, see here.

(20) Christopher Moody's will is on-line at www.prov.vic.gov.au

(21) The Argus, December 23, 1927, see here; The Herald September 25, 1929, see  here.

Mr Nutting 'invents' a new type of Ute

The Argus of October 13, 1936 published the following article

A NEW TYPE OF COUPE UTILITY Victorian's Invention
An interesting variation of the coupe utility type of coachwork has been invented in Victoria. It gives all the goods carrying facilities of the usual type, but the tray can be converted to a lorry type in

a few seconds, or can be folded so that the vehicle is indistinguishable from an ordinary private coupe car. Last week Mr. A. C. Nutting, the proprietor of general stores at Garfield and Catani, who was largely responsible for the design, demonstrated a vehicle built to his specifications to General Motors-Holden's Ltd., who have expressed considerable interest in it.

Mr. Nutting has used the vehicle for some time in his business, and claims that it has several advantages over the usual coupe utility. For example, it can protect bulky loads from the weather; it can be adjusted to take long articles which extend over the rear of the vehicle; and when folded down does not possess the appearance of a commercial vehicle, and, consequently, does not look out of place for social use.

The construction is simple. The boot cover, which is substantially built, is hinged in two places, so that when unfolded half of it forms an extension to the floor of the boot and the other half forms the rear flap of the goods tray. On this rear flap the two side pieces are hinged. Mr. Nutting's car is a Ford Ten, and the floor space for goods obtained with his patented coachwork is about 5ft. 3in. by 4ft. It is believed that a rather similar type of coachwork has been developed with considerable success in America (1).

This is the image which accompanied the article. The caption reads - Above, as a coupe. In the centre, opened for carrying goods which may extend over the rear platform. Below, as a utility with bows in place for covering in wet weather.

The Argus, October 13, 1936 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/11924778

I don't believe Mr Nutting's design went into full production, but it was an innovative solution which allowed him to carry out deliveries in a motor car, rather than having to purchase a truck, and this was the same rationale behind the invention of the standard Utility. There are various versions on the Internet as to how and why the Ford utility was invented - the story goes that  in 1932 or 1933  a 'farmers wife' from Gippsland wrote to Ford Australia asking if they could produce a vehicle which could be used for 'going to church on Sunday and to  take the pigs to market on Monday'. I have read somewhere that the farmer's wife was actually from Bunyip.  The Managing Director of Ford, Hubert French, passed the letter onto Louis Thornet Bandt of the design team and the first Ford coupe utility was built at Ford's Geelong Plant in 1934 (2). The Ford Utility thus predates Mr Nutting's 'invention' by two years, but the benefit of his design was that goods could be carried in the standard boot, or the space could be extended to take longer items and a cover could also be fitted for protection from rain. 

Who was Mr Nutting?  Arthur Clive Nutting was born in Carlton on February 19, 1896 to George and Emilie (nee Sears) Nutting. George was a tinsmith and the family lived at 70 McIlwraith Street in North Carlton (3).  On April 27, 1916 Arthur enlisted in the A.I.F. His occupation was listed as a Clerk and he was 20 years old. Arthur embarked on May 20 and after serving overseas he Returned to Australia July 23, 1919. Arthur also served in the Volunteer Defence Corps in the Second World War (4).  In April 1920, Arthur was admitted as a Licentiate of the Incorporated Institute of Accountants (5).  During the early 1920s he was employed in the Commonwealth Public Service War Service Home Commission until his resignation in November 1922 (6).

In 1923, Arthur married Connie Eunice Grace Smith (known as Eunice) the daughter Andrew and Emily (nee Wildman) Smith. They had three children that I can trace - Donald George, Robert Arthur and Heather Elizabeth (7). The family lived  at 292 Riversdale Road in Auburn until 1926 when they moved to Catani to operate the General Store (8). The store had been established by Robert Bush in 1922 (9) in the newly created town on the Koo Wee Rup to Strzelecki Railway line. In November 1927, Arthur successfully applied to the Cranbourne Shire to install a petrol pump in front of the shop (10). He also applied at the same time to the Licensing Court for a Spirit's Merchant's and Grocer's Licence (11). Whilst living at Catani the family took part in the social life of the community - in February 1927 Arthur was the Secretary of the Yannathan and Catani Picnic Race Club and the next year he was the President of the Catani Tennis Club (12).

Catani State School 1931.

Arthur and Connie's son, Don, is fourth from left in the front row (13).

Image: Koo Wee Rup Swamp Historical Society.

In January 1929, the family had a narrow escape from a fire, an unusual fire, except if you are living in a town on a reclaimed Swamp, like Catani was - this is the report from The Age -  The store of Mr. Nutting, of Catani, narrowly escaped destruction by fire yesterday. The peat near the store had been burning for some days, and yesterday's high wind caused the fire to spread rapidly. Owing to the peat burning some distance under the surface, a trench had to be dug on three sides of the buildings. A large number of neighboring farmers gave valuable assistance in saving the premises. The railway buildings were also threatened at one stage (14).

In 1930, the Nuttings, who had been renting the Catani store from Robert Bush, purchased a store in Garfield, however he still continued to operate the Catani store until 1936, as far as I can tell from the Cranbourne Shire Rate books. They moved to Garfield around March 1932 (15).

Arthur was a man who saw a future in motor cars, because in 1934 he applied to the Berwick Shire to have  a petrol pump installed in front of his store and this was granted (16). Once again, the family involved themselves with the community - in 1933 Arthur was elected as President of the Garfield Golf Club and he was later the Secretary. In 1940, Arthur was elected as the inaugural President of the Garfield branch of the Victorian Bush Nursing Association. In 1933, Eunice was elected as the secretary of the Garfield Country Women's Association and in  1935 she was the Secretary of the newly formed Baby Health Care Centre in Garfield and she was also the Vice President of the Mothers Club (17). 

It was in October 1936 when Arthur demonstrated a vehicle built to his specifications to General Motors-Holden's Ltd. (18) The Nuttings, as well as operating the store at Garfield also had a farm as  there are a numerous references of sales of his merino sheep in the Newmarket sales reports (19). The farm was sold in 1945 and the store was sold in 1950, but the Nuttings had already left Garfield for Black Rock in 1943, where they lived at 32 Ebden Avenue (20). Eunice was the inaugural President of the Black Rock branch of the Country Women's Association, established in February 1946. At its first anniversary celebration it had 150 members. (21)

The Nuttings home after Garfield, Black Rock House.

Black Rock House. Photographer: Rose Stereograph Co.

State Library of Victoria Image H32492/5101

The Nuttings moved (22) to the original house in Black Rock, Black Rock House, which had been built in 1856 for Charles Ebden - the house gave the suburb its name (23).  In August 1973, Arthur Nutting applied to the Sandringham Council for permission to demolish the house to build flats. The application to demolish the house was refused, after some involvement from the National Trust and other interested parties. The Age newspaper of August 14, 1973, also published an interesting article, written by Peter Smark, about the building, under the head line - Time to  stop developer - If the hammer falls the council and people of the area will have proved they care nothing about the origins of their place and Melbourne as a whole will have shown it has learned nothing (24).

The garden walls of Black Rock House, Black Rock, the property 

the Nuttings moved to when they left Garfield.

Black Rock House and Fortifications, c. 1905.

Image is cropped from a postcard. State Library of Victoria Image H90.140/55

Further in the article Peter Smark wrote about the significance of the building Black Rock House was built of timber and sandstone quarried from nearby Quiet Corner area in 1856-57. It was designed by Clauscen and Becker for Mr Charles H. Ebden, and the superb stonework on the garden walls is by John and Patrick Barrow, two of the best stone craftsmen then working in the Port Phillip Bay area.  Mr Ebden was a man of some importance. Before separation he was the Port Phillip District's member in the NSW Legislative Council. He later served as Auditor-General to Lieutenant-Governor LaTrobe and was Treasurer and member of the first Victorian Legislative Council (25).

In 1974, Black Rock House was purchased by the City of Sandringham Council for $66,000, with two thirds of the money being a State Government grant. (26). The property has been restored and renovated and is now open to the public,   https://www.blackrockhouse.org.au/

Arthur Nutting, World War One veteran, Accountant, Storekeeper and the inventor of a new type of Ute, died November 13, 1978, aged 82 and his wife, Eunice, died April 10,  1983, aged 81. They were cremated and their ashes at the Springvale Botanical Cemetery (27).

Trove list - I have created a list of articles on Arthur Nutting and his family, access it here.

Footnotes
(1) The Argus, October 13, 1936, see here.
(2) Two versions of the story https://web.archive.org/web/20100412152629/http://www.fastlane.com.au/Features/First_ute.htm
and https://hidrive.com.au/a-brief-history-of-the-ute/
(3) Date of birth from his listing on the Springvale Botanical Cemetery website, here. Address and father's occupation from the Electoral Rolls on Ancestry.com
(4) World War One record https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=7991299
World War Two https://nominal-rolls.dva.gov.au/ww2
(5) The Herald, April 22, 1920, see here.
(6) Commonwealth of Australia Gazette December 28, 1922, see here and resignation Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, March 22, 1923, see here.
(7) Victorian Births, Deaths and Marriages Index; children listed with them in the Electoral Rolls and Donald served in World War Two https://nominal-rolls.dva.gov.au/ww2 He was born August 2, 1924.
(8) Date of arrival in Catani from the Electoral Rolls - in 1927 they were listed at Riversdale Road, and in 1928 Arthur was listed as a Merchant at Catani. As he became the Secretary of the Yannathan and Catani Pony Races in February 1927, I believe they must have been in the town in 1926, in spite of what the Electoral Roll says.
(9) https://carlocatani.blogspot.com/2018/10/the-town-of-catani.html
(10) Dandenong Journal, December 10, 1927, see here.
(11) The Argus, November 22, 1927, see here.
(12) The Argus, February 24 1927, see here; The Argus, April 3, 1928, see here.
(13) The Photo was labelled with most of the names when it was donated to the Koo Wee Rup Historical Society in 2020.
(14) The Age, January 19, 1929, see here.
(15) Shire of Berwick and Shire of Cranbourne Rate Books. The Koo Wee Rup Sun of March 3, 1932 on page 1, reported that Mr A.C Nutting has taken up his residence at Garfield. 
(16) Dandenong Journal, August 23, 1934, see here.
(17) The Age, April 25, 1933, see here; https://kooweerupswamphistory.blogspot.com/2014/08/garfield-hospital.html;  The Age, November 29, 1933, see here; The Argus, July 25, 1935, see here; The Argus, July 15, 1936, see here.
(18) The Argus, October 13, 1936, see here.
(19) See my Trove list.
(20) Shire of Berwick Rate books, various articles in my Trove list and the Electoral Rolls on Ancestry.com.

(21) The Age, January 10, 1947, see here; Black Rock House: built for Charles Ebden in 1852, Sandringham Historical Series, No.2, published by City of Sandringham, March 1983.
(22) A Colonial Beau Brummell built Black Rock House by John Hetherington, The Age, October 19, 1963. p. 22. The article said the Nuttings purchased the property in 1943 and lived in part of the old house for a while but now lived in a modern house on the property. The Age article was accessed on Newspapers.com, an Ancestry.com add-on.
(23) The house has a Friends Group - https://www.blackrockhouse.org.au/
(24) Time to Stop Developer by Peter Smark, The Age, August 14, 1973, p. 2. Accessed on Newspapers.com, an Ancestry.com add-on.
(25) Time to Stop Developer by Peter Smark, The Age, August 14, 1973, p. 2. Accessed on Newspapers.com, an Ancestry.com add-on.

(26) Black Rock House: built for Charles Ebden in 1852, Sandringham Historical Series, No.2, published by City of Sandringham, March 1983.
(27) Springvale Botanical Cemetery website, here.

This article, which I researched and wrote, was first posted on my work blog Casey Cardinia Links to Our Past blog.