#ThrowbackThursday – Today we revisit an article recalling nearly 90 years of first-hand Eltham history as published in The Advertiser newspaper, 80 years ago on November 21, 1941.
Reproduced from Eltham and Whittlesea Shires Advertiser, Friday, November 21, 1941, pages 4-5 (via the National Libray of Australia’s Trove website)
BLACKS CAMPED IN TOWNSHIP
PROBABLY the oldest living pioneer of the Eltham district still resident there is Mr. Edmund Williams, who is over 91 years of age.
Mr. Williams was born in the Goulburn River district, but came to Eltham when a baby and has continued to live there ever since.
Although he admits to his 91 years, Mr. Williams would pass for a man 20 years younger and still tends a small orchard and has excellent sight and hearing.
He is keenly interested in the development of the district; and considers that the new hall and offices will be a marked asset to Eltham.
With faultless memory, Mr. Williams recalled yesterday that 90 years ago Eltham consisted of heavily timbered bush country wherein friendly blacks used to roam at will.
“As long as we provided them with food and tobacco there was never any trouble,” said Mr. Williams. “They used to ask us for rum, too, but we were careful never to give them that. They used to camp on a site between the original Eltham Hotel and the present Church of England sometimes for a week at a time. On those nights we used to have a great time throwing boomerangs.”
HARD TIMES
“The district was divided up into two acre blocks and people used to live in bark houses. Later, I bought a lot of these out and established a large orchard. I think this district was the ‘cradle’ of the fruit growing industry in Victoria. That came later, though.
“The people of our parents’ generation had a very hard time here. They lived in poverty, really. We grew wheat and potatoes, and all they could do was to grow enough of these to provide enough flour to last through the next winter.
“Bread and spuds. That was our staple diet in those days and we got heartily sick of it. But we thought ourselves lucky. As long as we got the bread, we didn’t ask about butter. There was no outside work available at all.
“When we went to town, it took us half a day there and the same back. It didn’t give us much time there, but then we had so little money that it didn’t take us long to complete our business. The only meat we had, had to come from town, and even then we had to take just what we could get.
“At that time,” added Mr. Williams, “There was a steam flour mill, owned by Mr. Henry Dendy who formerly had large properties at Brighton: a brewery and a tannery in Eltham. We took our wheat to the mill to have the flour made.
BEER FROM CREEK WATER
“The brewery used to use water from the creek to make the beer, and there were a dozen beer shanties between here and Kangaroo Ground that did nothing else but sell beer.
“Ultimately, all these businesses were forced to leave this district because we had no railway and the cost of bringing the raw materials here by bullock waggon was too costly.
“We had bush-rangers and cattle thieves to contend with, too. We couldn’t say anything to them, be-cause if we did they would pay us out at night.”
60 YEARS IN ELTHAM
Mrs. Morris, widow of the late Mr. William Morris who conducted the hotel which was first known as the ‘Fountain Inn’ but which was later re-named the ‘Evelyn Hotel’, has been living in Eltham for nearly 60 years.
For 33 years, prior to its being de-licensed, Mr. and Mrs. Morris conducted the hotel. Mrs Morris recalled that in the year Glenloth won the Melbourne Cup, Mr. Morris went to the Cup for the first and only time. While he was away a party of picnickers just took possession of the hotel – and of Mrs. Morris’ baby – and did terrific damage.
“Despite hard times – some days we might make 3d. and others 6d. – we lived and reared families,” said Mrs. Morris. ‘It was a struggle, but we got through. A lot of our business came from passing market gardeners and wood carters.
“The roads could hardly be described as such. We travelled by coach from the Globe Hotel in Swanston Street and always changed horses at the Old England Hotel at Heidelberg. “Later I began catering, and soon built up a reputation. It was a renowned fact that ‘You could always get a good feed at ‘Morris’ Hotel.’”
RACING CLUB – 1867
Councillor E. J. Andrew recalled that his father, the late Mr. W. B. Andrew, came to Eltham with his cousin, Mr. Henry Dendy who built the flour mill. Mr. Andrew senr., was also a member of the Eltham Council.
Mr. Andrew was secretary of the old Eltham Racing Club which used to hold meetings on the lower park. The first meeting was held on February 28, 1867 and the prizes were quite good.
“The first market held in Eltham was, in 1875 and this flourished for a considerable number of years. Mrs. Andrew senr., with her first husband, Mr. Harper, used to conduct the ‘Fountain Inn’, and when Mr. Andrew came to Eltham he opened a business on the site now occupied by Mr. F. H. Collis. Councillor Andrew was born there more than 60 years ago.
In addition to being a business man, Mr. Andrew was a carpenter and builder and on April 24, 1862 he was presented with a set of tools by the citizens of Eltham in recognition of his work in assisting with the erection of St. Margaret’s Church of England.
FIRST CRICKET TEAM
“When he came here from Brighton, my father brought with him records showing that he was the first secretary of the Brighton Cricket Club and he also brought the records of the first matches played between Brighton and Melbourne teams,” said Cr. Andrew, “The matches took place between 1842 and 1847, and were the first record cricket matches played in Victoria. Since then my brother and I presented the records to the National Museum.
Councillor Andrew, referring to the bad state of the roads, said that in early times there was a toll gate at Lower Plenty. The cottage had since been removed and was now occupied by his sister, Mrs. Kilpatrick, in the Main street of Eltham. One of the four red gum posts which formed part of the toll gate was also there and still giving yeoman service.
Mrs. Kilpatrick recalled some of the early settlers in the names of Hollo-way (after whom the township was first named), Sweeney, Fawkner, Kilpatrick, Williams, Carrucan and Hannaford. The descendants of these families are still living in the district and Mr. Neville Burgoyne who is at present conducting the post office is a descendant of Mr. Hannaford. He is the fourth or fifth generation to conduct the post office.
Eltham has never been the scene of any particularly large gold discoveries. There has been gold found there, but it has chiefly been small amounts on private properties and not enough to cause a rush.
LANDMARKS
Of the landmarks in the Eltham district, probably the most notable is St. Katherine’s Church of England at St. Helena.
This was erected by Major Anthony Beale and named ‘Rose Chapel’ after his wife. Major Beale served on the island of St. Helena in the employ of the East India Company during the time Napoleon Bonaparte was exiled there.
The chapel was the first place of worship in the district and, probably, the first burial ground. Many of the pioneer settlers are found in the little graveyard.
Another, but much more recent landmark, is the War Memorial at Kangaroo Ground which was erected to commemorate those residents who had served in the Great War.
A committee was formed under the title of The Shire of Eltham War Memorial League and after the memorial was completed a balance of £125 was handed over to the council.
At the wind up meeting it was decided to forward a letter to ex-Councillor Rutter informing him of the satisfactory conclusion of the work which was initiated by him as founder of the League.
The League then disbanded, but the Memorial Tower on the highest point in the district will stand for all time as a tribute to the heroes of the 1914-18 conflict.
Reference:
1941 ‘EARLY DAYS RECALLED AT ELTHAM’, Eltham and Whittlesea Shires Advertiser (Vic. : 1940 – 1942), 21 November, pp. 4-5. , viewed 23 Oct 2018, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article57495642
Eltham District Historical Society Inc. 