The Rye Historical Society White Cliffs October - December 2016

Transcription

1 The Rye Historical Society White Cliffs October - December 2016 President: Linda Berndt Secretary: Pauline Powell Treasurer: Danny Jennings PO Box 65 Rye index.html Meetings - 8pm, Fourth Monday of each month Rye Primary School Library - Visitors welcome Gracefield Hotel being demolished ca 1927, after it was sold by Kate Weir. (The notice on the wall reads: H V GILLESPIE, ARCHITECT, 443 CHANCERY LANE, MELBOURNE) In This Issue: A B Pre-1931 Road Names, Post Code 3941, Part 4.

2 2 President s Report

3 Happenings 3

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13 Pre-1931 Road Names, Postcode 3941 Part 4 of 5 13 In 1939, the Rye-Lands Estate Sales promotion shows what we now know as Bimble Street as Bimble Avenue. While the dictionary includes an ambling walk or an astrologic connection to the number 7 for the word Bimble, the writer is reliably advised that Bimble Street was named after the type of ti-tree widespread around Rye and that bimble wood is valued by woodworkers alongside jarrah and ironbark. The only newspaper reference to Bimble St found so far was in a Rye Town Planning and Progress Association submission in 1945:.. ; Brimble (*) Avenue to be cleared and formed from Weir Street to Government Road;.. [1] Advice regarding this name suggests Elgan Avenue was adopted ca It replaced the previous name of Capel Avenue, ending confusion with Capel Avenue already named in Rosebud West. The origin / meaning of the name is as yet unclear. The name Maori Street recognises the contribution of Maoris residing on the Peninsula in the mid to late 1800s. Hollinshed [2] mentions that certain limestone quarry gangs included Maoris and refers to the Maori Farm. He also included the following recollection: Mr Rowley remembered a community of Maoris who were also fishermen and who lived in little thatched huts just below Whitecliffs, Rye. The Maori in NZ had been battling British administration forces to retain their traditional lands since the mid 1840s. By around 1860, the ongoing Maori War had become particularly vicious and bloody, so perhaps a few Maoris decided to try their luck in Australia. The Ballarat Star of 13 th April 1866 carried the following interesting insight: A correspondent informs the Argus that a fishing lugger, manned by ten or a dozen stout Maories, is making Dromana her rendezvous. The crew have the assistance of a white man, who acts as interpreter between the Maories and our own people in any business that has to be transacted. The dark skins, since their arrival in Port Phillip Bay, attended a church tea meeting in the neighbourhood of their head quarters, and took much interest in the proceedings, especially in the cakes and fruit, which they

14 14 Pre-1931 Road Names, Postcode of 5 (concl.) seemed to understand better than the speeches. Our correspondent suggests that possibly the mission of the Maories is to procure arms and ammunition rather than flatheads and flounders. The Mornington Standard of 26 th July 1902 carried the following recollection: In response to the enquiries of New Zealander in the last issue, Mr N Rudduck, of Dromana, has kindly supplied the following re the Maories who at one time were living here: There were nearly 20 Maories living at Rosebud about They afterward moved to what became known as the Maori farm beyond Rye. Some of them (Patrick and Timmo) got drowned by the capsizing of a boat taking a passenger to Queenscliff, and are buried in the Rye cemetery. One named Paul died in Geelong hospital. Peter Kanaka died in the Melbourne hospital, where I think Paul s three children (Napper, Minnie and George) also died. Pauls wife and another woman named Mary Ann were taken from here by a deputation who came over for them, as one of them was of royal blood. White Cliffs June 2001 noted: Just east of White Cliffs a group of Maoris farmed. The original farm extended through to the Melbourne Road area. According to rate valuation sheets the property was known as Maori Farm, Pt Nepean Rd and Rye. Interestingly, an eye witness report of Maori men, women and children (est. 20 persons) living in the Black Rock area ca is also on record. As with those at Rye, these people had boats and earned money by selling fish and shellfish. Unfortunately, no ready explanation of their origins is recorded. [3] Re the name Weir, Hollinshed [2] noted: The White Cliffs Inn served until 1876 and after that Patrick Sullivan s Gracefield Hotel, first under Patrick, then under his daughter, Kate Weir. The Gracefield Hotel featured in the July - Sept 2006 issue of White Cliffs, from which the following paragraph is reproduced: Kate continued to run the hotel until 1927, when she sold out to a Mrs Hunt. Mrs Hunt demolished the wattle and daub building and erected a modern brick hotel. The photograph on the front cover shows Gracefield hotel being demolished. Sources: [1] Standard, Frankston, 22/3/1945, (* = presumably a typo error) [2] Hollinshed C N; Lime Land Leisure, Shire of Flinders, [3] Sandringham Historical Series, The First People of Black Rock. Researched and written by Noel Erbs

15 Gracefield Hotel News Mentions 15 The Argus, 17 Feb 1882 A meeting of the Rabbit Committee of the Shire of Flinders and Kangerong took place at the Gracefield Hotel, Rye, on Tuesday, Mr. Robert Anderson, of the Schanck, in the chair. It was determined that an urgent appeal should be made to the Government to poison the rabbits which infest the quarantine ground. It appeared from the remarks made at the meeting that the residents of the eastern portions of the shire are taking vigorous measures to lay down the poisoned grain from the back beach in Westernport Bay to the shores of Port Phillip, and so in a steady progressive march towards Point Nepean. The residents of that part of the shire feel, however, that their labours will be in vain unless the quarantine ground - which is a perfect rabbit warren - is dealt with simultaneously. Mr. Ford, of the Portsea Hotel, calculates that it will take him some 50 or 60 bags of poisoned wheat to cover his ground, which is overrun with rabbits from the quarantine ground. One holder of a selection of 600 acres is said not to have enough grass to feed a horse. The rabbit committee meets again at the shire hall, Dromana, on Saturday next, at 4 p.m., to receive the decision of the Government. nla.gov.au/nla.news-article The Argus, 18 May 1882 A meeting of the inhabitants of Rye and district was held at Sullivan s Gracefield Hotel, on the 13th inst, Mr John Cain, JP, in the chair, for the purpose of taking measures to obtain an extension of the present jetty. Resolutions were passed appointing a committee to communicate with the members for the district, urging them to bring the matter under the notice of the Commissioner of Customs, and to point out to him the vital importance of the matter to the people of Rye. The meeting was quite unanimous in supporting the object for which it was called. nla.gov.au/nla.news-article The Argus, 31 March 1922 Raid on Storeroom. SORRENTO, Thursday. A burglary was committed at Gracefield Hotel, Rye, early this morning. The lock on the storeroom door was forced open, and a quantity of ale, spirits, money, and jewellery was stolen. Mrs. Weir, the licensee, estimates her loss at nearly 20. Later in the day a man threatened the wife of Mr. Whitehead, manager of the Woyna Dairy, near Rosebud, but, after examining the contents of the house, left without taking anything. Mounted Constable Grenfell, of Sorrento, was informed. nla.gov.au/nla.news-article

16 16 The Back Page 18th January 26th January Meetings and Guest Speakers. Committee Meeting Australia Day Stall and bus tour. Rye foreshore. 22nd February General meeting. Guest speaker Mr Bendigo Bank. 28th March Last Friday of the month. General meeting. Guest speaker to be announced. Rye RSL Happy Hour. 5-6pm Home Page. Several past issues of our newsletter may now be viewed in colour on the Society s website. Google Rye Historical Society. Members may like to send our newsletter on to friends or review past editions. Go to our site and then click on Newsletters then click on the Download File icon. The latest newsletter will be uploaded within a couple of weeks of it being posted.