NEWSLETTER VOLUME EIGHTEEN • NUMBER THREE • ACN A00 390 26Z

September 2017

EAST MELBOURNE

HISTORICAL SOCIETY

NEWSLETTER EAST MELBOURNE HISTORICAL

SOCIETY

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Committee

Affiliated with The Royal Historical Society of Victoria

Aims

A full Statement of Purposes appears in our Documents of

Incorporation but briefly the aims of the Society are as follows:• Tofosteraninterestinthehistory

of East Melbourne.• Tobuildanarchiveofmaterial

relevanttothehistoryofEastMelbourne.

• Topromoteinterchangeofinforma-tionthroughlecturesandtours.

• Topromoteheritagepreservation.

Weinvitecontributionsrelatingto the history of East Melbourne

from our members. Articles of up to 1500wordswillbeconsideredforpublication.Smallarticlesanditemsofinterest are also welcome.

Wewouldbepleasedtoreceiveyoursuggestionsandideasforactivities,guestspeakers,excursionsoranythingelseyoumightlikeustoorganizeonyourbehalf.

Please contact any member of our committee.

Contributions andSuggestions

Published by EMHS and supported by City of Melbourne Community Services Grants Program.

CONTACT DETAILS1st Floor, East Melbourne Library,

122 George Street, East MelbournePO Box 355, East Melbourne 8002

Telephone: 9416 0445.Email: info@emhs.org.auWeb: www.emhs.org.au

President:JillFenwick 94190437

Vice President:RosieSmith 0431707405Hon. Secretary:SylviaBlack 94172037

Treasurer:MalcolmHowell 0417337519

Committee:DianeClifford dianeclifford1@gmail.comSueLarkin 94159771JohnStone 0419433540GrahamShepherd 94869039

MembershipMembership of the East Melbourne Historical Society is open to all who are interested in the history of East Melbourne.

Enquiries: Diane Clifford dianeclifford1@gmail.com

Annual subscription: $25.00

Guests are welcome at individual meetings $5.00

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President’s Letter

Oneofthemostsatisfyingpartsofourworkforthe

EMHSistheresponsewegettoall the material on our website. Everymonth,about30,000pagesareaccessedbyavarietyofinternet searchers. Some are our ownmembers,whoarelookingforinformationabouteventsweareholdingorareinterestedinaparticular aspect of East Melbourne. Othersarestudentsinvolvedinresearch,orhomehistoriansseekingfamily connections or information about houses or people within the suburb.

WehadamassiveresponsewhenourresearchontheWorldWar1soldierswasmadeavailableon the website. Families wrote in appreciationofthematerialwe’dresearched,addedmore,correcteduswhenwewerewrong,donatedphotographsandmadequeriesabouthowwehadgoneabouttheresearch.JanetScarfe’smeticulousstudiesoftheWorldWar1nursesalsoreceivedatremendousresponse,whichhascontinuedintothisyear.

Evenourmostnotoriouscitizens,likeGreyStreet’s‘MadamOpportunity’,MinnieCostain,arebelovedoftheirdescendedfamily.MinnieallegedlyranahouseofillreputeduringWorldWar11,largelyfor the officers of the US forces basedinEastMelbourne.Shehadpreviouslyhadaboardinghouseat167WellingtonParadeSouth,

Jolimont,where,itseems,shewasharassedbyapoliceforceintentonprovingthatshewaseitheraslygrogdealerorabrothelowner.Hergreat-greatnephewwrotetousonlylastweek,thrilledtohaverediscoveredher:

FindingoutinfoabouttheCostainfamilyhasbeenreally,really,difficult.Chancinguponthishasnotonlygivenmealaughbutputasmileonmyface.IseeonGoogleEarththatMinnie’s home in Grey Street survivesandasIwillbeinMelbourne in September I will makeapointofgoingandhavingalookatit.

Iamthrilledwhenwegetthissort of response from out there intheinternetworld.Inthenearfuture we hope to initiate a new project,abiographicaldatabaseofpastresidentswhichwillmatchthemwiththeiraddresses.Wecanbeginwiththemorefamousones,but hope that many of our members will contribute information about theoriginalownersandoccupantsoftheir property.

Jill Fenwick

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Cairns Memorial Church

Ontheeveningof15August1988,thelightsinEastMelbourne

turnedoffandnotonlythelights–the whole electricity system was shut downbyorderoftheStateElectricityCommission.TheCairnsMemorialChurch on the corner of Powlett andHothamStreetswasablazeandtheauthoritiesfearedthatlivewiresmighthelpspreadthefiretothewholeneighbourhood.

TheCairnsChurchwasoriginallyPresbyterianandnamedafterDr.AdamCairns,thelatepastorofChalmersChurchonEasternHill,whohademigratedtoAustraliain1853.Bornin1802inLongforgan,Perthshire,Scotland,CairnswascommissionedtofoundaMelbournecongregation,uniteallPresbyteriansandtopromoteeducationwithinthecolonyofVictoria.Describedbyhisbiographer,DonChambersas‘Hastyoftemperament,firmofconviction,doctrinallyrigid,butwithalwarmofheartandsincere’1,Cairnswasbothsuccessfulandextremelypopular,particularlywiththelargenumbers of Scottish Presbyterians in Melbourne.Hediedin1881andintribute,thePresbyteriancommunitycalledforthefoundingof‘ahandsomeandcommodiousedificeintheearlyGothicstyle,capableofseating750people’2 in his honour.

ThechosendesignwasbyarchitectsHendersonandSmart.Theinteriorwastobeoctagonalinform,withorganandchoirinthesoutherntransept,‘’ahandsomeandcommodiousedifice…(with)atower180feettall,ascendingform the north-eastern corner.’3Thefoundationstonewaslaidin1882and

thechurchwasformallyopenedin18844.Itwascompletedin1887atacostof£19,384,thoughthetowerwasneverbuilt,havingprovedtooexpensive.5 Electriclightwasinstalledin1916.

InJune,1977,theMethodist,CongregationalandPresbyteriancongregationsjoinedtofoundtheUnitingChurch.InthedivisionofpropertybetweenthecontinuingPresbyteriansandtheUniting,thechurchpassedtotheUnitingandwasrenamedastheCairnsUnitingChurch.Bythelate1980s,however,therewerefewchurchgoersandthefireisbelievedtohavebegunfromfaultyelectricwiring.

Onthenightof15August,localEastMelbournephotographerRodGoodwinwascominghomefromaprofessionalengagement.Asaresult,hehadhiscameraequipmentwithhimandwasabletocaptureaseriesofshotsthatshowedtheferocityoftheblazeandthegradualdemolitionofthechurch.In1999,withtheco-operationoftheCityCouncil,theruinedchurchwasconvertedintoelevenluxuryapartments.

1Chambers,DonDr.AdamCairns ADBVol.3(MUP)1969

2TheAustralasianSketcherJan. 1853)

3TheArgus1September1882p.4

4TheArgus12February1883p.3

5TheArgus22April1887p.4

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In1848revolutionwasragingintheGermanstatesandLieutenantGustav

TechowofthePrussianArmy’s17th RegimentofInfantry,wasoneoftheofficersservingattheBerlinarsenal

andby1852hehadmadehiswaytoAustralia.

Little of his life in his early yearsherehasemerged,buthewasnaturalizedin1854andhiscertificate

Gustav Techow and the National Gymnasium

whenitwasattackedbytheinsurgents.Techow’ssympathieslaywithrebellingcitizensandherefusedtoshootthemanddefendthearsenal.Hebecameaherotothembutwascourt-martialledforhistreachery.HemanagedtoescapetoSwitzerlandwhilehistrialwentaheadwithouthim.Hewassentencedtofifteenyearsinprison.Hecouldnevergobacktohisnativecountry

giveshisresidenceasMelbourneandhisoccupationasengineer.1860istheearliestthathisnamecanbefoundinthenewspapers:

ST.KILDAGYMNASIUM,establishedaccordingtothesystemoftheeminentSwedishprofessorLing,willbeOPENED,onthe9thofApril,attheTheatreattachedtotheRoyalHotel,frontingtheBeachReserve.

DrawingbyCharlesSamuelBennett.1.ViewofbuildingsinJolimont.2.LaTrobe’sCottageJolimont.3.Engineerssheds.4. National gymnasiumandTechow’scottage.5.Lonsdale’sCottage.

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Threeclassesdaily,exceptSaturday,oneinthemorning,fromhalf-past7to9;oneintheafternoon,fromhalf-past4to6;oneintheeveningfrom7to9o’clock. Terms-Two guineas perquarter,payableinadvance.G. TECHOW.

TechowhadlearnedthesystemofSwedishgymnasticsfoundedbyPerHenrikLingearlyinthe19th century while still a member of the Prussianarmy.Forthenextfewyearshetaughtgymnasticsprivately,includinginstructionatschools.In1862itwasadvertisedthathewouldteachcallisthenicsandgymnasticstothepupilsofMrandMrsDamm’sEducationalInstitutionforYoungLadies,1and2Apsleyplace,Eastern-hill,Melbourne.Thissiteisnowoccupiedbythefiremuseum.

InthefollowingyearTechow,aged48,marriedthe17yearoldElizabethCumming.Sixchildrenfollowed.

Atthistimegymnasticswasconsideredbymanyasslightlyunseemly;thatitwasnotdignifiedtothrowyourbodyaround,andcontortitintounnaturalanduncomfortablepositions,butthetidewasturningandpeoplewerebeginningtounderstandthevirtuesandbenefitsofagoodwork-out.Especiallyitwasthoughtthatitwouldbeexcellenttrainingforthevolunteerarmycorpsandeventuallythegovernmentagreedtoprovidepremisesforanationalgymnasium.TheArgusreportedon16February1864that:

TheNationalGymnasium,fortheestablishment of which the sum of

£490wasvotedbytheLegislaturelastyear,andtowardsthemaintenanceofwhich£300hasbeengrantedthissession,willbeopenaboutaweekhence.TheplacesetapartforthepurposeistheannexetotheExhibition-building,Williamstreet,whichisnowfittedupwithparallelandhorizontalbars,leapingandclimbingstands,laddersofropeandwood,perpendicularandslantpoles,andothergymnasticappliances.Bathanddressingroomsareattachedtothebuilding.TheestablishmentwillbeunderthedirectionofMr. G. Techow,apalaestricprofessorwellknowninthecolony.Itisdesignedchieflyfortheadvantageofthevolunteers,butcertainhourseach,daywillbedevotedtotheinstructionofprivateclasses.

Howeverby1870ithadbeendecidedtobuildtheMintonthesiteoftheold1854exhibitionbuildinganditwasdemolished,buttheironannexewascartedovertoWellingtonParadeSouthandre-erectedadjacenttotheEastMelbourneCricketGround,whichwasonthecornerofJolimontRoad.Atthesametimethetrusteesarrangedforatimberhousetobebuiltnextdoorforthegyminstructor,GustavTechow.Hediedtherein1890butthegymnasiumcontinuedforanotherfewyears,withformerpupilsinstructing,until1909whenatenderwasawardedforthe‘purchaseandremovalofold NationalGymnasium,cottage,&c.,onrailwayreserve(nearEastMelbourneCricket-ground),Melbourne,£35.’

Sylvia Black

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Media Release – Mount Alexander’s Silk WomanReadersofournewslettermayrememberthestoryofpioneeringsericulturalist,SarahBladenNeill,andherconnectionwithEastMelbourneinourMarch2017issue.Nowabookhasbeenwrittenabout her.

SarahFlorentiaBladenNeillisaname not familiar with many but

ifhistorian-writersIanBraybrookandMarilynBennethavetheirwaythatwillsoonchange.Theyhavewrittenabookaboutheranditisdueforreleasethismonth.

Sarah’sattemptstoestablishasilkindustryinAustraliainthe1860’stothe1880’smakeforamostremarkablestoryaboutauniqueperson.

SarahcamefromaverywealthyfamilythatoriginatedintheU.K.SheinheritedconsiderableinterestsinpropertiesintheCorowadistrictonthedeathofherhusband.

ShebeganexperimentingwithSericulture there on a small property ontheAlburyRoad,whichshenamedMulberry Farm.

Herinitialstep,in1865,wastoplantalargenumberofMulberrytreesatMulberryFarm,essentialfoodforsilkworms.

Encouragedbythesuccessofthisplanting,shebeganworkonaprojectthatwas to occupy her for the rest of her life.

In1874,aspartofherboldplantogrowtheindustry,sheestablishedaSericulturefarmonMountAlexander.UndermanagementofherfriendJessieGroversheplantedthousandsofMulberrytreesthere.Thefarmconsistedofanumberofsubstantialbuildings,essentialtoraisingsilkwormsandharvestingtheirsilk.In1877,foranumberofreasons,thefarmwasabandoned.Sarahhowevercontinuedherdeterminedworkfor many more years.

Herfascinatingstoryisfullyrevealedinthebooktitled“Sarah’sSearch–ASilkOdyssey”.ToquoterenownedHistorianandAuthorMichaelCannon‘Itisabouttimeitwastold.’

FurtherInformation:IanBraybrook0409333513

Mystery Women - Can You Help?

ThisphotoappearedinTheArguson9September1953.Thethree

womenareun-namedbutdescribedas‘irateEastMelbournepropertyowners’.TheyweremeetingwiththeTownClerkinprotestabouttheremovaloftheelmtreesinGeorgeStreet.They

wereundoubtedlyfoundationmembersof the East Melbourne Group. We wouldverymuchliketoknowtheirnames. If anyone can help please contactJillFenwickjill_fenwick@yahoo.comorSylviaBlacksylvia.black@bigpond.com

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Coming Events

When our Society was incorporatedin1999itadopted

asitsRulestheModelRulesenactedin1981,withonealteration.

TheModelRuleswerereplacedin2012,butthe2012RuleshavenotbeenadoptedbyourSociety.Attheannualgeneralmeetingon18Octoberthecommitteewillputforwardamotionfortheadoptionofthe2012Rules,withsevenalterationsoradditionsthatareconsistentwiththeway in which the Society has been run in the past.

Noticeoftheannualgeneralmeeting,andadetailedexplanationoftheproposedRules,willbeprovidedtomembers.TheexplanationandtheproposedRulesalsoareavailableonourwebsiteemhs@org.au

Wednesday, 18 October, at 8.00 p.m. – AGM

FollowingtheAGMDrMadonnaGrehan,historian,registerednurse

andmidwife,andHonoraryFellowattheUniversityofMelbourne,willtalkon:

TheMidwife,theBishop,andanAssassin:threedegreesofseparationinnineteenth century Melbourne. PeterAndrewCharlesO’FarrellisbutadotinthehistoryannalsofEastMelbourne. At some point in the mid-nineteenthcentury,heownedtwoplotsoflandonPowlettStreet.ApropertyspeculatorandasolicitorofVictoria’sSupremeCourt,O’Farrellwasavolatileandobstreperousindividual.Shiningaspotlightonhisshadycharacter,thispresentationexplainsO’Farrell’s close connections with threeunlikelybedfellows:amidwife,aBishop,andanassassin.

At Clarendon Terrace, 210 Clarendon Terrace, East Melbourne

Wednesday, 6 December at 6.30 – Christmas Drinks

Putitinyourdiarynow.Moredetailslater.

Proposed New Rules

NoticeofAnnualGeneralMeetingandnominationformareenclosedwith

this newsletter. All financial members

oftheEMHSareeligibletobenominatedforthe

committee.

Notice of AGM

CoverImage

CairnsMemorialChurchablaze.

PhotographbyRodGoodwin.