surrey hills historical society newsletter february-april ... · newsletter no 62 july 2016 surrey...

1 Surrey Hills Historical Society Newsletter February-April 2018

Forthcoming meetings and events

Tuesday 20 February: Members’ night - My life in a shoe box! What might you place in just one shoebox to represent your life and interests? No doubt some photos would be included.

Members are invited to ‘fill’ a shoe box with objects and ephemera that do just this, to leave it without an identifying name for another member to ‘play detective’ and when identified be prepared to talk for a few minutes about your life.

No prize for guessing who these photos identify!

Tuesday 20 March: Aliya and Rob Porter - The Restoration of Carbethon – one of Mont

Albert’s Finest Residences, Churchill Street, Mont Albert

Aliya and Robert Porter purchased Carbethon in 1997. Built in 1922, it is a heritage-listed family residence that is one of a number of impressive houses facing the railway line along Churchill Street, opened up by the extension of the railway and establishment of the area as a garden suburb. At that time the Porters purchased the house it was a special accommodation facility that housed approximately 16 elderly women.

On 5 November 2015, Kay Johnston and Trevor Phillips were presented with Victorian Environment Friends Network Awards and Golden Trowel Awards for their significant contribution to the Friends of Gardiners Creek Valley.

working bees and tree-planting days.

Newsletter No 62

July 2016

Surrey Hills Historical Society Newsletter – February-April 2018


Rooms were subdivided, false ceilings had been installed and the house’s magnificent lead light was boarded up. The Porters were sixth owners of the house. After an extensive restoration project, Carbethon was returned to its original glory, with most of its original features still intact, including light fittings, cast plaster figures, timber staircase and leadlight. In researching the property, the Porters learned of the previous owners and that what was originally built as a squat red brick property by the Garrett brothers, local builders, was extended by a subsequent owner with garden statuary installed, a Japanese inspired entrance gate and woodwork, as well as Australian motifs in the decorative cement work. A conservation architect retained by the Porters described the house as ‘an outstanding example of neo-Baroque overlaying an Arts and craft derived residence’. The Box Hill Conservation Study (1989-90) described Carbethon as incorporating ‘elements of the English Arts and Craft Style and American Romanesque’. The Porters were able to find the son of the original owners and photographs of the house, while later owners – the Butchers – owned an impressive white Jaguar and held many social events at their home. The Porters will talk about their experience in restoring Carbethon, some of the surprises they encountered and the features of this magnificent house, supported by photographs.

Tuesday 17 April: Sandra Dexter - Finding their own words - the men and women of Surrey

Gardens Shrine. Sandra’s presentation is timely, coinciding closely with the 100th anniversary of the dedication of The Shrine in the Surrey Gardens, opened by Donald MacKinnon, Director-General of Recruiting, on Friday 12 April 1918, six months before the end of the war. The early date is unusual; it is probably the earliest memorial built in Victoria, although there are earlier purpose-built memorials in Newcastle and Manly, dating from 1916. The Australian War Councils actually prohibited public war monument construction appeals until January 1919 but, despite this, such was local pride that there about 40 building appeals documented around the country before the Armistice in 1918. Most date to the 1920s. In our area, the original compilation of the names for the honour roll probably occurred towards the end of 1916. The result was 8 panels with 345 names. Since the dedication there have been at least 2 attempts to correct errors and omissions. Over the past few years local resident Sandra Dexter has spent innumerable hours identifying the servicemen on the honour roll, correcting spelling errors and compiling a list of names omitted. Soon new panels reflecting this research will be added to the roll as part of restoration works undertaken by the City of Boroondara, with the assistance of government grants.

For Sandra collecting the statistics and precisely identifying the names was essential in an analytical sense, but it’s the letters, articles, photos, diaries and recordings that are the voices of the time and words of experience and what she will focus upon in her presentation.


Artists at the Victorian Tapestry Workshop have created another masterpiece! The Morning Star tapestry was commissioned by the Australian Government and designed by prominent Australian artists Lyndell Brown and Charles Green. It has been created for display in the Sir John Monash Centre, due to open in Villers-Bretonneux, France in April 2018. It has been on display since 18 January at the Shrine of Remembrance and in case you have not seen it I include a couple of photos taken when I viewed it. The colours are a subtle blend of those of the bush through the mist of a new morning and the photos do not do justice to the nuances. Artists Lyndell Brown and Charles Green were both official war artists in Afganistan and Charles’ grandfather was badly wounded whilst serving on the Western Front. In Morning Star they seek to evoke the experience of departure from their home country to war on foreign shores, in particular for Australians at the Western Front, where 46,000 Australian servicemen lost their lives. Photos of troop departure from Station Pier were used to inform the foreground of the tapestry. Morning Star was created with the generous support of the ANZAC Centenary Arts and Culture Fund, Tapestry Foundation of Australia, Australian Hotels Association, Marjorie M Kingston Charitable Trust, Janet Calvert Jones AO and John Calvert Jones AM, Anne and Mark Robertson OAM, Baillieu Myer AC and Sarah Myer, Yulgilbar Foundation, Chasam Foundation and the Myer Foundation.

For further information see http://www.shrine.org.au/Exhibitions/Temporary-Exhibitions/Morning-Star-Tapestry

ANZAC Day dawn service in the Surrey Gardens: Wednesday 25 April 2018

In the absence of a local RSL sub-branch holding a service in the Surrey Gardens, for the last three years the Surrey Hills Progress Association has held a Dawn Service. These have been well-attended, moving services supported by local businesses, the Bendigo Bank and local primary schools. A small exhibition honouring those who served in WW1 from this area will be open after the service in the refurbished Maternal and Child Health Centre.

Morning Star Commemorative Tapestry on show at the Shrine of

Remembrance – only until 25 February


Weston Bate

Photo credit: Adam Trafford

Surrey Hills Progress Association An invitation to community members to attend the final commemoration service marking the 100th

anniversary of WW1 ANZAC Day Dawn Service Wednesday, 25th April, 2018

Assemble @ 5:45am for 6am sharp The Shrine, SURREY GARDENS 88-90 Union Rd. SURREY HILLS

The community service will be led by SHPA’s M.C. and feature:

A Bugler playing 'The Last Post' & 'Reveille'

Poetry and songs associated with ANZAC Day

A member of the armed services reading ‘The Ode’

School children reading stories about WW1 veterans who were residents of Surrey Hills & District

Australian Defence Force Catafalque party will tend flag duties

Community members will be invited to lay wreaths at the Cenotaph

At the conclusion of the commemoration, tea and coffee will be served

An exhibition of WW1 memorabilia will be on display in the cottage.

Enquiries &/or requests for ‘Priority Seating’, please email Lynette: [email protected]

Professor Weston Bate OAM FRHSV FFAHS: 24.09.1924 – 31.10.2017 Some members will remember the occasion when Weston delighted us with his recollections of growing up in Mont Albert and his vivid memories of the Hamilton Street shops and shopkeepers. In his tribute, Richard Broome, Emeritus Professor of History at La Trobe University, said Weston’s “interest in local history was sparked by school holiday work in a delicatessen and grocery in Hamilton Street, Mont Albert, where he observed the community’s characters as he weighed and ladled goods.”

Weston was born in Surrey Hills, the son of Mary Olive Akers, a Californian and Ernest Bate an English-born engineer. He attended

Surrey Hills Primary School followed by secondary education at Scotch College. His further education was interrupted by WW2, during which he served in the RAAF and flew Lancaster bomber missions from England. So it was not until after the war that he enrolled at the University of Melbourne under a serviceman’s tertiary scholarship. Weston began his teaching career at Brighton Grammar in 1949 and the following year he began a part-time MA. His first published work was A History of Brighton (published in 1962; reprinted in 1983). After 15 years teaching at Brighton Grammar and Melbourne Grammar, Weston was appointed to the History Department at the University of Melbourne. Just over a decade later in 1978 he became the foundation

Vale Weston Bate & Don Gibb – champions of local history

mailto:[email protected]


Don Gibb and Sue Barnett photographed in 2017 at the

Government House reception for RHSV members

Photo credit: George Fernando

Professor of Australian Studies at Deakin University, retiring in 1989. Weston was awarded with an Order of Australia medal in 1997 for his contribution to academia.

Victoria’s gold history was one of Weston’s enduring passions. Lucky City (1978) and his second volume of Ballarat’s history, Life After Gold (1993) were inspirations which in part resulted in the creation of Sovereign Hill. His role was recognised by the board with the establishment of the Weston Bate annual lecture. In a report of his passing for The Courier, Federation University historian and friend Dr Anne Beggs-Sunter said Mr Bate’s works documenting the history of Ballarat have gone down as models of local history writing.

In his ‘retirement’, Weston continued documenting local history; his output included histories of Geelong and Melbourne Grammar, the Metropolitan and Barwon Heads Golf Clubs and a book on Melbourne laneways. As well as being a remarkable teacher and historian, Weston was also a great committee man. He served on the Museum Advisory Board in the 1980s; was a long-serving member of the Royal Historical Society of Victoria (RHSV), serving on the RHSV Council for 15 years from 1990 and as President of the RHSV from 1991-97 and again in 2002-05. His commitment to the RHSV was recognised by a fellowship of the Society awarded in 1991. In all aspects of his work, Weston was ably supported by wife Janice, a long-time member of the Museums Australia Medical Museums Special Interest Group; her particular historical interest being the history of Prince Henry’s Hospital A celebration of Weston’s life was held on 24th November 2017 at Leonda by the Yarra.

Professor Donald Menzies Gibb FRHSV 18.10.1937 – 9.11.2017 Members of the Surrey Hills Historical Society knew Don well as a generous and good humoured man committed to local history particularly as a key member of the Canterbury History Group. The love of history began early; became a life-long passion which filled his working life as an historian and academic. Don, his wife Ann and family lived in Balwyn Road for 34 years before moving to Malvern in 2002. Don was a foundation member of the Canterbury History Group and rarely missed a meeting. He chaired the Group’s first AGM; from the beginning he was a member of the committee, organising speakers, as a scribe and at least twice as secretary. His best known contribution to published local history is the 1995 publication Visions of a Village: Canterbury Shops and Shopping 1880s-1990s (with beautifully detailed illustrations by Stuart Warmington). Sadly, his history of Canterbury was unfinished at the time of his death, although many are aware of its depth through Don’s ‘Slices of Canterbury History’ talks delivered over a number of years to the Group’s meetings. Don was one of three children of Herbert Ian Gibb and his wife Catherine Jane Jayes. His father was a doctor in Trentham before moving for a number of years to Hobart, where Don’s early education was at the Hutchins School. From 1950-1955 Don was enrolled as a boarder at Geelong College, where he participated widely in extra-curricular activities. In 1954, he was a Mackie House Prefect, Vice-Captain of Boats, member of the 2nd Football XVIII, and awardee of the History Prize. In 1955, he was a member of


the 1st Football XVIII, 2nd Rowing VIII, House Prefect and School Prefect and awardee of the Stanley Calvert Prize for Debating and a member of the Music, PFA and Swimming Committees. Don went on to study history attending Ormond College at Melbourne University and to teach history at Teachers College and then Deakin University, where he became Associate Professor of History. During the 1970s, Don was the author of a number of educational texts and was actively involved with the History Teachers’ Association of Victoria including with their History Safari, which delivered lectures to country VCE students. Perhaps Don’s most significant contributions to documenting history in Victoria was through his commitment to the Royal Historical Society of Victoria (RHSV) to whom he devoted countless hours as a councillor and volunteer. He was a councillor from 1998 - 2008, convenor of the Publications Committee for 11 years, and from 2006 he was the author of the book review pages in History News. Most recently Don was a key member of the team behind the highly successful Remembering Melbourne; he fact-checked the whole book. Behind the scenes Don also judged the Victorian Community History Awards, reading about 150 entries each year from 2011 to 2016. In recognition of his commitment he was made a fellow of the RHSV in 2005. On the broader stage, Don was also a councillor of the Federation of Australian Historical Societies, receiving a merit award for his services to history from the FAHS. A service for Professor Don Gibb was held on 17th November, fittingly at the Emulation Hall, Canterbury.


Some highlights of the Educationalists’ tour of Box Hill Cemetery

During the Whitehorse Heritage Week last year, Keith Wilson and Ken James delivered the Surrey Hills component of the cemetery tour which foused on early educationalsists buried in the Box Hill Cemetery. Among them were a number with associations with Surrey Hills.

Lydia Harriet Dacomb (1854-1925) buried in plot CE-NS-239 is primarily associated with Parkville High School Lydia was the eldest daughter of Edmund and Eliza Dacomb (nee Evans) of Portland and one of a number in the family who contributed in some way to education in Victoria. Named after an aunt and one of 9 children, she had 4 brothers and 4 sisters. Their father was born in Walthamstow, Essex and after some of the family moved to Surrey Hills their home in Albany Crescent was given this name. Edmund first migrated to the Cape of Good Hope before coming to Adelaide, where he married Eliza in 1853. He was a merchant, but perhaps not the best of financial managers, and was declared insolvent sometime after he reached Portland, where in 1873 he established a wool store, Dacomb and Co, which auctioned hides and other produce. Edmund became involved in local politics as a councillor. His wife Eliza died young in 1875 and 2 years later Edmund married her sister, Margaret Thomas Evans. After he died in 1881, aged 55 years, it was Margaret who brought up the family as step-mother / aunt. Lydia was born in March 1854 in Parklands, Adelaide. She died in 1925 in Balwyn, aged 70 and is buried with her brother Godfrey, an accountant, and his wife Alice, who lived in Chestnut Street, Surrey Hills. Little of Lydia’s early career is known. She was not registered as a teacher for sub-primary and primary until 19061, although she is recorded in the 1903 electoral roll as a teacher living at 11 Drummond Street Carlton and no doubt taught elsewhere before this. By 1914 she had moved to 51 Mary Street St Kilda, still employed as a teacher. The peak of Lydia’s career came when she became Principal of Parkville High School at the beginning of the 1921 school year. The school had been founded as Parkville Hall School in 1889 by Miss Elizabeth Sutherland Gilchrist.2 Its name changed to Parkville High School in 1899.3 The school was situated in Gatehouse Street. In December 1914 the Council of Scotch College had secured the goodwill and furniture for £654 and from 1915-1918 the school was run by the Scotch College Council. This was one of a number of interim arrangements under the leadership of William Still Littlejohn, which saw Scotch expand to be the largest in Victoria. Parkville High School was temporarily used as the Preparatory School. Starting in 1914, with over 500 pupils, Scotch moved from cramped quarters at East Melbourne to its current site in Hawthorn, a move which paid off as by 1923 there were 1200 on the roll.5 Thus it was the dynamic William Still Littlejohn whom Lydia followed as Principal of Parkville High School. She remained in the position until her death in 1925. Her funeral was held at St Paul’s Church of England in Canterbury. Unfortunately no photo of her has been uncovered.

1 ref: Govt Gazette 1907

2 AKA Mrs Percy Herbert Hutchinson

3 Sands & McDougall

4 Scotch College Archives per Ken James

5 ADB entry for William Still Littlejohn


Much more is known about two of Lydia’s sisters, Beatrice and Clara Dacomb who developed the Dacomb shorthand method, which some readers may remember. Educated at Holstein House Ladies' College in South Yarra, Clara (pictured at left) matriculated with honours in 1886 and gained a Pitman shorthand diploma. Her first teaching position was probably at Kilmore Ladies' College. Her step-mother / aunt Margaret accompanied her there and tried to start up a school of her own but in January 1889 was declared insolvent for “want of capital to start a school and sued for an overdue promissory note.”6 From 1899-1914 Clara worked as a matriculation coach and commercial teacher at Methodist Ladies' College, Lilydale High School and various secretarial colleges until in 1914 she became proprietor of the School of Shorthand, Block Arcade, Melbourne. Like Lydia, Clara was registered as a teacher in 19067; her address at the time was ‘Walthamstow’, in Albany Crescent, Surrey Hills. (We presume the family moved here from Lilydale as in 1903 Clara and Margaret Dacomb were listed as teachers living in Hermitage

Street, Lilydale.) By 1909 Margaret, Clara and Beatrice had moved to Wilson Street, Surrey Hills. Beatrice (pictured at right) matriculated with honours, and in 1914 obtained registration as a teacher of shorthand and practised privately. By 1922 the two sisters and their stepmother / aunt had moved to Malvern. Margaret died in 1929, by which time Clara and Beatrice were well on their way to refining their own shorthand method. The catalyst was a friend’s failure! In 1918 a friend had asked the sisters to help him prepare for a shorthand examination in just three months. His failure made them feel that they should be able to devise a simpler form of shorthand. In 1921 they published a book on their system, which they called Web Speed, and from 1922 they taught it at the Australian Commercial College, Collins Street. It was tested in Essendon High School (1923), University High School (1928) and several private schools (1928-29) with satisfactory results. Following a formal trial against the Pitman system at Coburg High School in 1933, it was widely used in both private and government schools, and was officially adopted by the Department of Education in 1943. Parallel to this in 1936 the two sisters established the Dacomb College in the Presgrave Building at 279 Little Collins Street. Clara died on 19 October 1946 at their South Yarra flat. Beatrice also died there the following year on 12 February 1947; both were cremated.8

6 Argus 19 January 1889 – assets £97’ liabilities £488; deficiency £391.

7 ref: Govt Gazette 1907

8 Ref: ADB entry

surrey hills historical society newsletter february-april ... · newsletter no 62 july 2016 surrey...

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