January - March 2021

Meetings – 8pm, Fourth Monday of each month

Rye Primary School Library - Visitors welcome

In This Issue:

• Rye Historical Society Activities and Reports

• The Rye Historical Society - New York

• The Rye “Pier Store” ; for some years, “Stringer’s Store”

• MONKEY BRAND (Abrasive Soap) Advertisements

• RYE, 1946 - 75 Years Ago

• RYE, 1921 - 100 Years Ago

• The Back Page: Meetings, Speakers, Events & Contacts

Rye Historical Society

White Cliffs

The above photo of Point Nepean Road, Rye, in 1911 shows the Gracefield Hotel

at right and, beyond the post and rail fence, the Pier Store is also clearly visible.

It is the earliest image in the Rye HS archive to show the Pier Store. (Ref p 6-13)

2 President’s Report

While Christmas and New Years Eve 2020 are now behind us, there is little doubt that the impact of COVID19 during the year 2020 will be memorable for the Society.

As noted in a previous report, our Society has traditionally used both the Primary School Staff Room and its Library for our monthly meetings, and, of course, our museum building is also situated on Education Department property.

By the end of November, an easing of the State Government imposed COVID19 restrictions had allowed MPSC to advise those Historical Societies occupying Council owned buildings that re-opening their museums was now possible, in line with rules relating to social distancing, traffic flow, maximum numbers on site, track & trace, face masks, hand sanitiser, and so on.

That advice would apply directly in our case but we also need to have Education Department approval for site access. Hence, the present closure of our Museum continues. As at time of writing, we may be able to enter our museum a few times during January to allow limited numbers of members to carry out routine, but much overdue, housekeeping and display maintenance.

Our final Committee Meeting for 2020 was the eighth such meeting conducted via Zoom. Clearly, using the Zoom platform allows the committee to maintain continuity, but occasional audio and video hiccups tend to distract from the work at hand. There is little doubt that members are chasing the “holy grail” of resuming face to face meetings as soon as possible in 2021.

Changing the subject a bit, during November, our eagle-eyed Noel T observed some activity on the vacant property at the west corner of Dundas Street and Point Nepean Road. Pauline subsequently reported that she had visited the site and found work proceeding on an archaeological dig centred on a randomly located trial pit about one metre square. This ’dig’ was a prerequisite for a new development on that site and was being overseen by a Bunurong Council representative. Apparently, if enough historically significant items were unearthed, excavation of a larger area would be indicated. At the time of inspection, only a few flints had been found while sieving the soil.

Our horizons are broadened in this issue thanks to past president John, who has been in contact with our namesake society in New York State, USA, and as a result has put together the most interesting summary article on page 4.

Looking forward to 2021, last December Bunnings published advice that the relaxed COVID rules now allowed resumption of its Sausage Sizzles for fund raising by community groups. Since our fundraising revenues for all of 2020 came from only two street stalls, making an application for a Sausage Sizzle spot in 2021 should be seriously considered at our next committee meeting.

Similarly, it appears that resumption of our occasional Street Stalls is now a live option, and what action we take will also be decided early in the new year.

President’s Report 3

While two news items mentioning Rye 100 Years Ago appear on page 15, for a bit more perspective, the bigger picture back in Jan - Mar 1921 included:

• Australian society, having come to terms with the horrors of WW1, was then breathing a sigh of relief as it left behind its third, and final, wave of deaths from the “Spanish Flu”, which had occurred during early 1919.

• Federally, William “Billy” Hughes, as leader of the Nationalist Party, was Prime Minister. He had been re-elected in 1919 in the first Federal election to be held after preferential voting was adopted to replace the “first past the post” vote counting system established at Federation.

• In Victoria, the then Premier was Mr Harry S W Lawson, serving in the first of his three terms as Premier of Victoria over the period from 1918 to 1924.

• Sir John Monash had returned to Melbourne on Boxing Day 1919, to deafening silence from Canberra. Now being off the Army payroll and with no pension, he was soon seeking work. Fortunately, his engineering and management talent was recognised at State level and he was appointed as inaugural Chairman of the State Electricity Commission in January 1921.

FAKE NEWS OR REALITY CHECKS ?

NEWS FLASH : Another ‘World’s Oldest Man’ has died ! Commentators are

concerned that the increasing number of such deaths suggests a conspiracy!

EVIL STALKER OUTED ! : Our community ethics reporter is outraged that a

woman living across the road is stalking him ! Using his telescope, he could

clearly see her ‘googling’ his name on her computer every evening last week !

SAD COMIC : When interviewed recently, stand up comedian Joe Bloe noted

that while his specialty is self deprecating humour, he was not very good at it.

AN AMAZING LINK : The results of a wide ranging medical statistics project

have now been published. One particularly important finding is that women

who carry a little extra weight live longer than those men who mention it.

At the time of writing this, we must assume that Australia Day 2021 celebrations will be held, subject to whatever COVID rules are in place during January. But at this stage, the annual Nepean-Rye Australia Day luncheon held in the Blue Water Room at Rye Hotel, is not seen as a realistic option.

So, in conclusion, given that any COVID vaccination program is still a fair way off, continuing to observe the now well established advice re social distancing, face masks, hand sanitizer, etc, etc, to “stay safe” remains the logical way forward. Anyway, let’s hope for a better year in 2021.

Noel Erbs, President.

By John Bertacco.

The Rye Historical Society New York was founded in 1964 by a group of

concerned citizens who banded together to preserve, restore and protect the

Square House, an 18th century inn located on the Village Green in Rye NY.

Square House served as a tavern and inn during the mid-late 18th century.

The building had several notable guests including John and Samuel Adams in

1774 and President George Washington in 1789.

The Square House also served as the Municipal Hall for the Village of Rye,

which later became the City of Rye, from 1904-1964.

Having faithfully restored that

building, the Rye Historical

Society NY continues to

maintain it as “The Square

House Museum”, pic. at right.

[Image reproduced with permission]

The Rye Historical Society

NY received accreditation

from the American Alliance of

Museums in 1980.

Subsequently, in 1992, the Society acquired the Timothy Knapp House,

Westchester County’s oldest surviving house. After being faithfully restored, this

building was opened to the public in 2001 as an archival and research centre.

The Rye Historical Society NY continues to serve the community through school

visits and programs, vacation and summer camp programs, lectures, exhibits,

walking tours and numerous family and community events throughout the year.

A General Overview:

The town of Rye (NY State) is situated about 50km north-east of New York city,

and only a few km away from the border with the adjoining State of Connecticut.

Travel to and from New York - Rye is well served by a main through railway line

running north-east from New York as well as the New England Thruway #95.

Viewing satellite images suggests that Rye NY is very likely a sought after

residential area, which offers its citizens several golf courses to choose from

and also the opportunity to enjoy summer recreation on a favourably located

strip of beach which fronts the relatively protected waters of Long Island Sound.

So it is fairly safe to say that there are at least two things all three towns of Rye

(UK, USA & Australia) have in common, namely their proximity to salt water and

their recognition of history. #

4 Rye Historical Society - New York

The historic town of Rye in England dates from the Middle Ages. It is situated 100km S.E. of London, by the Rother River, about 2km inland from Rye Bay on the Channel coast, mid-way between Folkestone and Eastbourne. Satellite view shows the town had developed mainly on the west side of the river. While the Rother River is crossed at Rye by the long established railway to Eastbourne, it appears that a fairly new road bridge has now encouraged some residential development on the east side of the river. Major river straightening and wharf works have also been carried out to develop the downstream Port of Rye area.

Interestingly, two nearby town names, which have been re-used here in Victoria, are Winchelsea and Hastings, while a bit further afield are Brighton, Canterbury, Hazelwood, Maidstone, Newhaven, Penshurst, Seaford and Shoreham.

Readers are referred to Rye UK articles in past issues of “White Cliffs”, below:

2002 October-December, 2008 October-December, 2010 July-September. [NE]

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

LIMERICKS The Australasian, of 4th October 1913, featured a full page of illustrated Limericks

based on various UK towns. Two of them (below) referred to familiar local names.

There lives an old lady at Rye, Who is so excessively shy ! “Are you in?”, callers shout, And she says “No, I’m out !”, Or she shudders and makes no reply.

A clever inventor at Shoreham, Made brown paper gloves, and he wore ‘em ! They looked strong and neat, ‘Till he stooped in the street, Just to pick up a pin - then he tore ‘em !

R Y E - U K 5

6 “Pier Store” / “Stringer’s Store”, Rye.

By 1900 there were two stores in Rye. One of them, a general store/wine bar was operated by Mr Anders M Anderson. It was situated in Napier Street, near Bowen Street, and was featured in an article in “White Cliffs” Oct-Dec 2019.

The other store was established in the 1890’s and operated by Mr Stephen Beecher. Fronting Point Nepean Road, on the west corner of Napier Street near the Rye Pier, it originally traded as the Pier Store. By about 1905, Mr Beecher had established another store at Sorrento, leaving his Rye ‘Pier Store’ to be managed by John Clifford, and, some years later, by William Horwood.

This photo dates from about 1920 and shows firewood cutters posing with a loaded tramway trolley before hauling it along the pier to a boat. Partly visible behind the stacked wood at right is the upper façade of the Pier Store. A telegraph pole with two crossarms can also be seen above the horse’s head.

Mr W. Stringer, of Sorrento, established a financial interest in the Pier Store at Rye in the period after WW1, and to quote from an article in the Sporting Globe (Melb) of 13th January 1932:

In 1911, Mr. Stringer joined with Mr. D. Macfarlan in partnership. They remained together until 1924, since when Mr. Stringer has carried on by himself as a general merchant. The stock, replete in all departments, includes drapery and footwear. Every article on sale bears the hall mark of quality. There are branch houses at Portsea and Rye but Sorrento is Mr. Stringer's headquarters, and his store there is the largest in the whole district.

Regular mentions of the Rye branch in advertisements for Stringers Stores ceased in about 1934, which coincided with the time the premises were being leased to the first of a series of store operators. The earliest (digital) image of the ‘Pier Store’ building in the Rye H S archive is reproduced at top of next page.

Sadly, any hope of dating it by searching via “Trove” for a date based on the wording on the newspaper headline sheets was dashed as that fine detail was not captured when the image was scanned. The SEC pole on the corner dates the image as post-1927, but since the Point Nepean Road surface appears to be bitumen sealed, the photograph must be more recent than about 1929.

That dating is consistent with both the parked car, which is a mid-late 1920’s model, and the signage, which confirms that the store was then trading under the “STRINGERS General Store” name.

“Pier Store” / “Stringer’s Store”, Rye. 7

It has been suggested that the undated photograph below, which is from the

ROSE series, was taken somewhat more recently than the photo above.

However: the two inclined words ESTATE / AGENTS in the upper photo can

also be seen in the photo below, there is the same SEC pole, and there is the

same signage on the adjoining building, namely: GRAIN & PRODUCE STORE

above MONKEY BRAND. (see also p15)

All of which suggests only a few years difference, at most, between them within

the period from about 1930 to 1935.

8 “Pier Store” / “Stringer’s Store”, Rye.

At Right: Enlarged detail from the above photo reads: “ARMSTRONG’S PIER STORE”, which dates the image from the WW2 period.

Ack: image “NLA Trove”.

Above: The reconstructed adjoining building is now signed “MILK BAR” and all

12 cars visible in this photo appear to be pre-1945 models. Image: RHS archive.

The published recollections of Arthur Dark regarding Bruce and Henrietta Armstrong in Rye provide us with a useful outline of the operation of this store during the late 1930s and into WW2. [Ref 1, p24, 25]

“After arrival [from Frankston] they took over the lease of the Rye Pier Store owned by Stringers of Sorrento, and being managed by the Zuppinger family. This took place in April 1937. Along with the lease of the store, Bruce inherited a red Ford panel van which had been owned by Bill Horwood, the manager of the store prior to the Zuppinger family and which had been passed down the line. . .

During the tenure of the lease of the Rye store, a Milk Bar was added, selling bread etc, the bread coming from Joss Nicholson’s Bakery at Sorrento. That bakery being at the rear of Stringers store, and Bruce would pick it up from there at about 6am. . . . . .

The Pier Store was later sold to Ebenezer and Frieda Reid in 1941, who became a petrol reseller after installing two Caltex petrol bowsers on the footpath outside the store”.

“Pier Store” / “Stringer’s Store”, Rye. 9

Above: This undated ROSE Series photo shows the two petrol pumps installed

by the Reids during WW2 (sales would have been limited by petrol rationing).

The most modern looking car in this photo, at right, looks like a 1942 Buick.

Below Left: When enlarged, the arched curve shape of the wording at the front

of the store in the above photo is like that of ERLANDSEN & CO in the photo at

below right. The change of ownership to Erlandsen occurred in about 1949, so

the ROSE photo above is probably dated ca. 1949. Image: RHS archive.

Above Right: A well loaded semi-trailer hauled by a mid-1940’s era Diamond-T

prime mover operated by T B Armstrong Motors, pictured parked in front of

ERLANDSEN & CO, PIER STORE in about 1950. Image: courtesy ref [1]

10 “Pier Store” / “Stringer’s Store”, Rye.

SUMMARY

The history of the “Pier Store” goes back to the early days of the township of Rye, with the known Rye store owners or managers up to the 1950s, in chronological order, listed as below:

BEECHER, Stephen Richard,

CLIFFORD, John Lovell,

STRINGER, Walter (Stringer Stores),

HORWOOD, William Benjamin,

ZUPPINGER, Ernest Mayor,

ARMSTRONG, Thomas Bruce,

REID, Ebenezer,

ERLANDSEN. Alan Christen.

Efforts to distinguish owners from lessees and to establish dates of tenure have centred around evidence accessible in the public domain, which is occasionally difficult to reconcile with some details in published recollections of early Rye.

On balance, the best course of action seemed to be to include the following list of relevant snippets of evidence (each source identified) in time-line format and let the reader try to make some sense of it all (names are in capitals for quick reference).

1888, Wise’s PO Directory entry: Anderson, A M, storekeeper, RYE. [ NOT Pier Store ]

1903, Electoral Roll, Rye Polling Place: Beecher, Stephen Richard, Rye, merchant.

1904, Wise’s PO Directory entry: Beecher, Stephen, produce dealer, RYE.

1904, Wise’s PO Directory entry: Andersen, A M, storekeeper, RYE. [ NOT Pier Store ]

1908, 6th Jan The Age: “SNAKE-BITE. SORRENTO, Sunday. Mr S Beecher, of Rye, was bitten by a snake whilst trying to kill it in a cellar. He eventually killed the reptile, scarified the wound and applied ligatures. He was driven to Sorrento in a state of collapse. A visiting doctor applied the usual remedies, and now the patient is a fair way towards recovery.”

1908, Electoral Roll, Subdivision of Dromana: Anderson, Andas Madsen, Rye, storekeeper. [ NOT Pier Store ]

1910, Sands & McDougall Directory , Rye: Beecher, Stephen (no occupation given)

1912, Electoral Roll, Subdivision of Dromana: Clifford, John Lovell, Rye, engineer.

1912, John L Clifford married Margaret Hannah Rowley. (ancestry.com)

1912, 7th Nov, advert in Bendigo Independent: “Sorrento and Portsea. Furnished houses, apartments etc, moderate rentals. Lists sent. S R Beecher, Grocer and Baker, Sorrento”.

1913, 6th Sep, in Mornington Standard: “S R Beecher, of Sorrento, requesting permission to erect a verandah in George St - Granted, under the supervision of the Engineer.

1915, 27th Jul: William Benjamin Horwood, of Bright (Grocer, British born, aged 23 years), enlisted in the AIF, assigned to the 60th Battalion. (AIF Enlistment Form)

1917, 21st Jan: Lance Corp. W B Horwood, 3139, sustained a disabling injury to his right hand while handling ordnance in 5th Division Bomb Dump. (AIF Form B117).

1917, 8th Mar: the Myrtleford Mail & Whorouly Witness carried the following para: “Lance Corporal W B Horwood, of Bright, is reported seriously wounded”.

1917: Electoral Roll, Subdivision of Dromana: Clifford, John Lovell, Rye, engineer.

1918: Cities Directory: Clifford, J L, Rye (no occupation given).

1918: Electoral Roll: Clifford, John Lovell, Cottles Bridge, farmer.

1919: Electoral Roll, Subdivision of Dromana: Beecher, Stephen Richard, Rye, merchant.

1919: Victorian Directory (Sands): Included within list of 36 under RYE: Clifford, John L. (no occupation given), and Macfarlan, Stringer, storekeeper.

1920: Victorian Directory (Sands): Beecher, Stephen R, merchant,

1922: Electoral Roll, Beecher, Stephen Richard, Fairfield, Investor.

1924: Electoral Roll, Horwood, W, Rye, driver.

1925: Victorian Directory (Sands): Macfarlan & Stringer, storekeepers,

1928: Electoral Roll, Horwood, W, Rye, driver.

1929: Victorian Directory (Sands): Included within a list, comprising 37 entries, under RYE is: Horwood, Wm. B (no occupation given).

1930, 27th Nov: a block advert in Table Talk (Melb): “STRINGER’S STORES … Branches at Rye and Portsea … Authorised Newsagents …. Estate Agents …. Tel Sorrento 10”.

1931: Electoral Roll: Horwood, W, Rye, driver.

1931: Victorian Directory (Sands): Under RYE: Horwood, Wm. B (no occupation given).

1931, 22nd Jan: in Table Talk (Melb) a block advert: “STRINGER’S STORES … Branches at Rye and Portsea … Authorised Newsagents …. Estate Agents …. Tel; Sorrento 10”.

1932, 13th Jan: Sporting Globe, a block advert: “STRINGER’S STORES … General Merchants, Estate and Insurance Agents … Ring Sorrento 10, Ring Rye 10, Ring Portsea 30.”

1932, 2nd Dec: advert in The Age: “RYE: Seaside bargain, right at safe beach. Furnished house, 7rs w/garage, just renovated: £600, terms. Horwood (late Stringer’s Store), Rye”.

1933: Victorian Directory (Sands): Under RYE: Horwood, Wm. B (no occupation given).

1934, 21st Apr: in The Argus: Advert for: “RYE, Lovely Seaside Township Blocks, [listed below] Terms, HORWOOD, RYE”.

1934, 17th Sep: in the Gippsland Times: Personal Pars Column: “Mr E M Zuppinger, who was operated on at the Gippsland Hospital last week, is making favourable progress”.

1935, 5th Jan: in The Argus, a news item, “Vandalism by Thieves”, reported theft and extensive damage to a holiday house at Rye. The text included: “Mr W Horwood, storekeeper, of Rye, saw that the doors and windows were open …..”.

1935, 11th Jan: The Frankston and Somerville Standard carried Mr Walter H S Stringer’s obituary, which only referred to Sorrento & Portsea stores. Probably by that time, the Rye branch store had already been leased to another party. Occasional advertisements over the trading name Stringers Stores can be found up to the late 1930’s, but those more recent than 1934 only mention the Sorrento and Portsea branches.

“Pier Store” / “Stringer’s Store”, Rye. 11

1935: Victorian Directory (Sands): Under RYE: Horwood, Wm. B (no occupation).

1935, 14th Mar: advert in the Gippsland Times by E M Zuppinger, Fruiterer, of

Raymond St, Sale, assuring his many customers that his business is continuing

as usual, with Messrs. Williams and Thompson making their normal deliveries.

1935, 29th Nov: Listed within a full page advertisement for LBW drink which named

more than 3000 sales outlets across Victoria, under RYE: E. M. ZUPPINGER

(alongside his opposition, C. E. JENNINGS )

1936: Electoral Roll: Zuppinger, Rye, Grocer.

1937: Electoral Roll: Horwood, Williamstown, Storekeeper.

1937, 30th Dec: advert in The Age.: “LOST, pair tortoiseshell semi-dark glasses,

Back Beach Sorrento or Rye. Reward at Armstrong’s Pier Store, Rye.”

1939, 22nd April: in The Argus, a Wedding Notice for “ …. eldest daughter of Mr and

Mrs E M Zuppinger of Quality Street, Frankston, to …. “

1940: Victorian Directory (Sands): Armstrong’s Pier Store, storekeepers,

1943: Electoral Roll, Subdivision of Dromana: Armstrong, Thomas Bruce, Pt

Nepean Rd, Rye, Storekeeper.

1945: Victorian Directory (Sands): P.O. Armstrong T B; Reid E, Storekeeper,

1949: Electoral Roll, Subdivision of Dromana: Armstrong, Thomas Bruce, Pt

Nepean Rd, Rye, Storekeeper.

1949: Electoral Roll, Subdivision of Dromana: Erlandsen, Alan Christen, Pt Nepean

Rd, Rye, Storekeeper.

1950, 8th April: in The Argus, a Wedding Notice for “…. second daughter of Mr and

Mrs E M Zuppinger, of Seaford, to …..”

1953, 7th Jan: Advert: “LOST, lady’s chrome Omega Wrist Watch, Nepean

Highway, Rye, Jan 2. Apply Pier Store, Rye. Reward”. The Age. [Presumably

storekeeper = Erlandsen]

1954, 7th Jan: a block advert in The Argus: “The Leading Store of Rye,

ERLANDSON & CO, At The Pier Store, etc …. etc.”

1954: Electoral Roll, Subdivision of Dromana: Erlandsen, Alan Christen, Pt Nepean

Rd, Rye, Storekeeper.

Finally, for additional details of ownerships and connections since the mid-

1950’s, readers are referred to the section headed: “The Pier Store” in ref [2]

and a treatment of “The Pier Store” in ref [3] below.

References:

1. Arthur Dark, “My Memories of Rye”.

2. “RYE - A Book of Memories”, 2nd Ed. 2018, Rye Historical Society.

3. Rye Township 150th Anniversary newspaper.

Researched and written by Ann and Noel Erbs

12 “Pier Store” / “Stringer’s Store”, Rye.

A Few Sample “MONKEY BRAND” Advertisements 13

MONKEY BRAND Adverts: Clockwise, from “BOILS”, Weekly Times, 29th July 1933;

Table Talk, 26th Sept, 1929; Advocate, 2nd Aug 1923; The Australasian, 10th Jan 1920.

14 RYE, 1946 - 75 Years Ago

The Argus 9th January 1946, p3

MAN DIES AFTER FALL Falling from a load of hay on a motor-

truck near Rosebud on Monday, Joseph Frederick Jones, 56, of Rye, suffered fractures of the spine and skull, and died in Alfred Hospital yesterday.

Standard (Frankston) 14th February 1946, p6

RYE The following are the office bearers of Rye

Welcome Home Patriotic Fund: President, Mr D B Cain; Vice-President, Mr W Bousie, Secretary and Treasurer, Miss M Poulsen.

Money will be raised by donation and will be used to give a public welcome home to returned personnel of the fighting forces.

RYE RESIDENT SEEKS SUPPORT FOR CARRIERS LICENCE

During the Flinders Council meeting, Mr Grey-Smith (ex RAN) and resident of Rye, attended and sought the council’s support in his effort to the Transport Board to secure a carriers licence to enable him to run a fast light delivery express service between Melbourne and Portsea.

He was told by the Board that he must have strong support from local interests before they could entertain granting a licence. . . . . . . . .

Standard (Frankston) 21st February 1946, p6

RYE The publication in Melbourne and local

newspapers of Mornington Council’s efforts to have the railway electrified was read with interest as it again revives the important question whether the people from Dromana onwards should have an electric coastal railway.

Some day this facility must arrive, more especially so if Mornington is successful in getting the extension made as far as their resort which should make a highly suitable railhead until the extension can be made further down the coastline.

Standard (Frankston) 28th February 1946, p6

DAIRY EXTENSIONS

Mr G E Jennings, who conducts the dairy at Rosebud, and serves Rye area, contemplates carrying out extensions to his business premises in Rosebud, in the near future. When these alterations are made, it will be the most modern dairy on the Peninsula.

Standard (Frankston) 14th March 1946, p6

R Y E At a recent meeting of Council it was

decided to support the application of Mr G Grey-Smith for a light express parcels delivery from Melbourne to Portsea.

The Council has received a letter from the Board to the effect that as other operators had licences on the same route, it was extremely difficult for a licence to be granted.

However, the Board will agree to a hearing of the application at their office.

Standard (Frankston) 21st March 1946, p 6

RYE FOOTBALL GROUND SOUGHT

FOR RYE

A deputation from Rye Progress Association waited on Flinders Shire and asked that they take over the recreation reserve and make a suitable oval for football. Dressing rooms and conveniences were also needed.

It was pointed out that such a sports oval would be a benefit to the Council and citizens.

Speakers from the Association considered that the oval should also be wire netted.

Deputation also asked that a progressive policy of street improvements for Rye be given consideration.

The President, Mr W G Hiscock, informed the deputation that the matters mentioned would receive the Council’s consideration.

The Argus, 1st March 1921

MOTORING. POINT NEPEAN ROAD.

RECONSTRUCTION IN PROGRESS. A Popular Route.

BY G R BROADBENT Probably no single highway carries a greater volume of motor traffic than does the Point Nepean road, especially over the first half, to as far as Mornington. The remaining section would have attracted a much larger share than it has done had the surface been reasonably good throughout, though at certain sections it presented a tolerable surface. For several years past the worst sections have been between Mornington and Dromana; the approaches to Balcombe Creek are now good, but nearer Mornington, the bad stretch (on either side of a rather sharp turn) is being reconstructed, as also is a length of two miles north from Moat’s Corner (near Dromana). Motorists and other users of this highway must, for the present, bear with the poor travelling conditions prevailing on these sections, but so long as the weather is fine a passage is possible, the worst features being holes and dust. There is the consoling fact however, that better things are in store. From Moat’s Corner through Dromana and Rosebud to Rye the road is much improved while beyond to Sorrento and Portsea the surface, save for a number of holes, is very fair. Such were the conditions as I found them on a trip to and from Portsea recently and I also learned that efforts are being made to have several of the sharper corners on the route reduced or otherwise improved. To avoid the bad stretch near Mornington I turned to the coast from the crest of Mount Martha and regained the first named by the beach road - a fair track throughout. To again vary the return journey the coast road from Mordialloc was adopted, leading through Beaumaris, Black Rock, Sandringham and Brighton. Generally it is in good order - a little rough near Mentone, while in the drive through Black Rock it was noticed that the surface is developing holes and requires immediate attention from the local authorities to prevent general disintegration. At present the cost of repairs would be small while also the edges of the macadam which are crumbling away in the sand require reinforcement in places. The volume of motor and holiday traffic on this much improved road is particularly heavy, hence the need for systematic maintenance of the surface.

The Herald, 16th March 1921

MISHAP TO SCHOONER

"WOOLAMAI” IN DIFFICULTIES Full particulars regarding the

mishap to the schooner Woolamai. which was in difficulties in the West Channel at the Port Phillip Heads yesterday afternoon, were made available this morning by Mr W. Breen, senior clerk of the Ports and Harbors Department.

A telephone message was received by the Department at 4.15 p.m. yesterday from Point Lonsdale that a schooner was in difficulties in the West Channel.

Lighthouse Keeper Breen at Queenscliff was communicated with, and he went in the motor launch Bass to the assistance of the vessel.

After great difficulties owing to the heavy sea, he succeeded in transferring the crew of five from the Woolamai to the Bass.

He obtained food and lodging for them at a boarding house in Queenscliff.

The Woolamai is a 37-ton wooden auxiliary schooner, 59 feet long, and is equipped with a 26 horse-power engine.

The vessel left Rye on Sunday with a cargo of wood, and was expected to reach Melbourne on Monday afternoon.

She was, however, blown across to the proximity of the West Channel Pile Lighthouse, where the master, Frank Bowley, decided to drop anchor.

Owing to the squally weather the anchor did not hold, and the Woolamai drifted and ran aground at about 12.30 on Monday night.

The sails were completely blown away, and the vessel has now moved over the sandbank, and is near No. 16 Buoy

In 12 feet of water, she can be got away by the aid of a light draught tug.

RYE, 1921 - 100 Years Ago 15

THE BACK PAGE, for January - March 2021

Coming Meetings, Guest Speakers and Events.

The dates below are correct for the events listed.

However, at time of printing, the venue and therefore the format of each meeting remains uncertain in regard to whatever COVID19 regulations may be in force on the

scheduled dates, and for the same reason, any forward planning for a street stall or sausage sizzle is “on hold”.

25th January: Committee only @ 7:00; TBA 22nd February: Committee @ 6:30; General Meeting @ 8pm, TBA 22nd March: Committee @ 6:30; General Meeting @ 8pm, TBA

___________________________________________________________

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Other options Include: 2016 HERITAGE AWARD; CONTACT US; PUBLICATIONS; William Segrave; Jetties; Sidney Smith Crispo.

FACEBOOK: Rye Historical Society Mornington Peninsula (now on Facebook) continues to be a valuable entry point for supporters to offer recollections and photos to add to the historical record as well as a path to publicise our Society.

The Rye Historical Society, PO Box 65, Rye 3941 Email: ryehistoricalsociety@gmail.com

Museum: “The Old Schoolhouse”, Collingwood St, Rye

President: Noel Erbs, Vice-President: Lynne Woollard,

Secretary: Prue Found, Hon. Treasurer: Danny Jennings.

Editorial Committee: Bernie Woiwod, John Bertacco, Noel Erbs

Reports on RHS activities (w/photos if possible) and contributed articles for the next issue of “White Cliffs” always welcome. Copy deadline 20th March.