An Episode from Life in Clarendon Terrace

by Nan Hutton
From The Age, 19 May 1977

Beyond its beautiful façade, Clarendon Terrace may be a mouldering wreck today. But it was a sound and gracious building when my grandmother lived in it. In the comparatively short history of our city, this was a long time ago.

It was 1909 when my grandmother moved to town, and it was drought which drove her from the country life to which she was born. The terrible drought which began in 1902 went on too long for my grandfather to hold out. First he had to let Colantet, south of Cobden, go, and this was a family tragedy which I know about only from the stories of uncles and aunts. Colantet was a place of wide paddocks and a house with honeysuckle and wistaria growing on the pillars of its long verandahs with a rose garden beyond and an orchard beside it. And when you were cantering home, my uncle Frank said the horses’ hooves sang “Colantet, Colantet” and it was a happy song.

After Colantet went, grandfather moved to Bournefield Park at Epping. But as time and the drought went on, there was not much hope of an inheritance for the boys from there, and no hope of sending the children away for schooling. My mother, fourth in the family, was the only one safe for learning, training in Geelong to become a teacher. The hard decision my grandparents made was that since Epping was not too far from Melbourne, grandfather would stay on the property with Ivy, the eldest daughter, to look after him. Grandmother with the other children would set up house in Melbourne, not too far out for grandpa and Ivy to visit easily.

East Melbourne was the choice, and the central house of Clarendon Terrace was the place they found. None of the children wanted to go. They were country bred. City lights had no fascination for them. Pavements were hard on the feet, and the streets looked like narrow lanes lined with trim little houses huddled close with hardly a place to keep a dog, much less to stable horses. There was no alternative.

So with eight of her 10 children, three horses, two Shetland ponies, and one dog, my grandmother arrived in Clarendon Street, and a great deal of paraphernalia arrived with her. The piano, a butter churn, the sewing machine and most of the china. A hoard of preserves and jams, a wooden box of horseshoes, and horse liniment. Harnesses and bridles, cast iron cooking pots and pans, the family Bible and pictures to hang on the wall to remind them of picnic races. Stretcher beds and extra blankets came as well because my grandfather, accustomed to putting up the stock and 6 station agent or any visitor for the night, felt they were essential.

As it turned out, the narrow two-storied house in Clarendon Terrace was spacious enough to put up visitors and its kitchen was almost as big as a farm-house kitchen. At that time, even so close to the city centre, there was plenty of stabling space for the horses nearby.

Another lucky chance was that the Fitzroy Gardens were so close. Kitty and Jack, the twins who were the youngest, took advantage of that green space at once. Before they unpacked their belongings, they took their Shetlands into the gardens for exercise. They rode there on the first day, the next, and then on the third they were in disgrace.

They were apprehended by a policeman. Their sin was to ride ponies in a public park. My grandmother was aghast. Kit, who was frail, wept. Jack said he would rather become a convict than send his pony back to Epping. Gran came to her senses and went to see the police sergeant. Nobody knows what conversation went on between them, but later, the twins were allowed to ride the trails in Fitzroy Gardens, if they kept off the grass.

Much later in her life, Aunt Kitty said it was really good at school in the city. Entertainment was different from the country. For instance, from Clarendon Street you could walk into town and visit Coles Arcade, and see the old gentleman himself. There were theatres. They could all go together in the cheap seats at the Princess and Theatre Royal. There were concerts, and a highlight was when grandmother went to hear Melba sing.

The Clarendon Terrace episode was a good introduction to the city, but its story became chaotic in 1914, when the three boys who were old enough enlisted. After that, for some years the family history most carefully kept was a collection of letters from Gallipoli and Flanders. But all the time after, Clarendon Terrace has been a beautiful landmark, a place to point out to our children and say “that’s where your great grandmother lived.”

It is not merely sentiment or nostalgia which moves people to insist that good old buildings should be preserved. The sense of security and continuity confirmed by old buildings which remain as they are in European cities is important to young people. They are not merely brick and mortar, bluestone and a grand façade. They are outward and visible reminders of our forebears – evidence that we spring from some plan or other, that we are not alone.

If a building as good as Clarendon Terrace can be destroyed for profit, what will we leave our grandchildren? Only immense, inhuman towers with draughty corridors between and no place to remember anyone or anything.

East Melbourne Library site - Past and Present

An address to the Historical Society by Marga Macdonald, long time resident of East Melbourne and a founding member of the advisory committee for the new East Melbourne Library and Community Centre.
December 2006

Community centre

I am really pleased to be here tonight in our beautiful new Community Centre celebrating Xmas with you.

I don't think any of us 6 or so years ago when we started planning for this, thought that we would end up with something quite so large, amazing and so full of character. Since its opening in August you, the historical society and the others, bridge, book group, children corner, garde, etc., have really shown how much East Melbourne needed a focus point, a centre that was our own.

At this point I am going to put in a plug for Elizabeth Cam and her monthly "Friends of the Library" morning tea.

Ghosts

Jill asked me to talk about the library and the site on which we stand. Like most of East Melbourne it has a lot of ghosts attached to it. However, this proved easier said than done and made me realise what an awful lot of history of our area has been lost for evermore and how important you, as a group are to make sure no more gets lost.

However, thank heavens for Winston Burchett who did record quite a lot in the 70's. He has only a snippet about this site and as I tried to find out more I realised why it was so patchy and hard to get - because it aint there!!!

East Court

The original house on this site of ours was called East Court and was built about 1857 for Alexander Beaston Balcombe, grandfather of Dame Mabel Brookes. It was a large site going right to Powlett Street. The Balcombes had estates on St. Helena called "The Briars" and Napoleon lived in a pavilion on the estate and became a friend of the family. Alexander Balcombe's father had to leave St Helena as he was suspected of being an intermediary in clandestine correspondence with Paris and after a stint in England he came to Australia. Alexander Balcombe took up land at Mt Martha on the Mornington Peninsula in 1840, built a rough-hewn slab house, the forerunner of what is still there today and open to the public, The Briars is well worth a visit and you could take in Beleura at the same time. The family prospered and Mrs Balcombe moved to East Melbourne sometime in the 1850s, first into a prefabricated house which supposedly originated in India. I suspect she was somewhat more comfortable here than at the Briars. The Balcombes had 2 sons and 5 daughters so a fairly large house was needed and the new house at East Court was built about 1857. Dame Mabel Brookes describes East Court as a hospitable place, where the front door was never closed. The main house stood immediately in front of the prefabricated house, and served as kitchen quarters, and food was transported on trays to the dining room in the main house by a myriad of domestics. It was not uncommon in those days to have the kitchen separate due to the risk of fires in the kitchens. The main house was typically Victorian, huge and stuffy. Lots of silver, antimacassars, carved emus eggs etc. But it did have some of the furniture used by Napoleon on St. Helena, a teak table used by both Wellington and Napoleon, and a writing desk bearing Napoleon's kick marks on the lower panels. I remember once hearing that Dame Mabel was once asked what three things she would take if her house went up in smoke, and she said "jewels, photographs and the death mask of Napoleon. The Briars has some of these relics on display.

Mrs Balcombe

Mrs Balcombe was a very outgoing woman, she spent lavishly on charities and, according to her granddaughter had a perennially over drawn account at the bank. She had many friends including a Miss Gibbs, who lived in the house as a companion and Mrs Perry, the Bishop's wife, of Francis Perry House fame amongst other philanthropic works. She was also a friend of Mrs Latrobe, though this must have been before the main house was built in 1857 as Mrs Latrobe went back to Europe in 1854 but the two are supposed to have swapped plants and seeds and the Balcombe and Latrobe children played together. After all it was only a short walk across fields and scrub to the two houses.

Mrs Latrobe

In 1839 Superintendent Latrobe, as he then was, later to become Lieutenant Governor, had decided that the conditions in town were unsavoury and selected land in what is now Jolimont, amongst the gum trees. Mrs Latrobe on seeing the area supposedly said "Au Jolie Mont", and so it remains. The Latrobe house was also a prefab, imported from England in two parts. Mrs Latrobe was a keen gardener and it must have looked lovely with its flower gardens and overlooking where the Botanical gardens now are. There is a wonderful picture of the house and garden in the State Library with two ladies conversing under an arbour. I'm sure you all know the sad history of the Latrobe house, how it fell into disrepair, was in the Bedggood Shoe factory grounds and was removed in 1960 to its current position in the Domain. Not visited very often but well worth a visit. I'm told that the Latrobe's had a holiday house at Queenscliff. I haven't been able to find out where but somewhere on the cliff, which must be where the fort is now. Prime real estate. Mrs Latrobe, who9 was Swiss herself, encouraged and organised Swiss vignerons to plant the first vineyards in the Barrabool hills. They were unfortunately wiped out by the Phylloxera scourge of the 1870's. Mrs Latrobe, not in good health, went back to Switzerland, her home of birth, and died there in 1854.

Cairns Memorial Church

A monument to Mrs Latrobe was on the wall in the Cairns Memorial Church, now the Cairns apartments, and told the story of "Oh Jolie Mont!" The Cairns Church was another interesting place, which went up in great sheets of flame in 1988. The church was built in 1883 by Twentyman and Askew and was a centre of Presbyterianism. My sister-in-law, who was a boarder at P.L.C. when it was in E. Melbourne, remembers walking in a crocodile to church, hats and gloves at the ready. There were wonderful memorials on the wall to sea-farers and other old timers, it had a very small congregation in the 70's 80's but it had a wonderful basement. It was where we went to vote, all sorts of groups had meetings there, the Highland dancers, the stamp and coin collectors the train society, and, I remember, the Love Bird Society! We took our children and a couple of cousins who were staying with us there one Sunday when we first arrived in East Melbourne And the verger rubbed his hands with glee and announced, "Now we can start the Sunday School again!" The children refused to go back! The inferno was so great when it went up in flames and not one record was saved.

Lanivet

But back to this site. Mrs Balcombe died in 1907 and East court had two owners in fairly quick succession. It had a series of owners over the next 60 years, and its fortune waxed and waned as did East Melbourne. It's name was changed at some stage to Lanivet and its last private owner appears to have been a Miss White who was there for about 15 years . Cido, our librarian, told me that a lady he spoke to one day told him that she remembers as a child "The Ghost House" which had an overgrown garden and had an old lady living there. The only thing I can find out about Lanivet is of a small town in Cornwall of that name so can only assume that one of the owners had some connection there. The East Melbourne Library was then opened there on 29th May 1964.

Original Library

The little old cream brick library served us well for many years but as East Melbourne changed so did the needs of the people and time and technology caught up with it. We moved into East Melbourne in 1971 and lived directly behind the library, and the children used to climb over the back fence to get there. One time my young daughter nearly spent the night there as the Library shut and she was left unnoticed reading in a beanbag, fortunately seen by the Librarian banging on the window as she was driving out!! It was a friendly little place but we outgrew it and we still didn't have a centre for community activities.

Plots and plans

In the 1990 there was talk of the Melbourne City Council getting rid of our library, amalgamating us with Richmond or Fitzroy, and selling off the land. We think a developer must have been in the wings!!! There was also talk of a central city library and we could use that. There were library meetings of local residents to campaign not to close but then the Council changed tactics and asked the East Melbourne Group to get involved. I was a member of the East Melbourne Group Committee at that time and Nerida Samson, our worthy president, asked me to take on the Library Advisory Group, as it was then called. We organised a public meeting, to which about 20 people came, formed a committee of locals Irene de Lautour, Frank and Penny Lewis, Fiona Wood, Peter Moon and myself. We had one particularly helpful member of the Council, Maurice Bellamy, who was our liaison with the rest of Council, They provided the money for a professional postal survey, which some of you may remember, so that we could find out what it was that the suburb really wanted. It came out overwhelmingly that an enlarged library was wanted and an area where people could meet socially and for group activities. The Council then totally came out supporting us and money was set aside in the budget for a new building. We had many, many meetings with all the players, the Yarra Melbourne library bosses and our own library staff who were always most helpful, the various local groups, yourselves included, the Council who allocated the money in their budget, town planners, architects etc., and it finally all happened. There were several changes of plans. I remember at one stage there was a rather strange conveyor belt to the children's area, which had to go. We had to deal with complaints, of which there were not many actually. The proposed café was a source of contention and had to go which was a pity but in the end we got there.

New Library and Community Centre

The East Melbourne Group with first of all Nerida, and later, Margaret Wood as President, supported us in all our efforts. Irene de Lautour and myself left the Committee after about 15 months and left the others to do the rest of it, with Peter, and later Frank, as their Captain. And the result - what we have today!

I know there are problems, things that niggle and aren't quite right; the air-conditioning, the catering facilities to name but two. Rob Adams, the principal Architect is away overseas till January and has promised to look into it all on his return. I built a house at Queenscliff which was finished last February and the builder and I are still working on bits so it takes time. In the meantime we, East Melbourne, have a wonderful facility of which we can be justly proud.

Enjoy it!

HAPPY CHRISTMAS!!!

Holy Trinity Centenary 2007

A Talk in Commemoration of 150 years of Anglican presence and the centenary of the consecration of Holy Trinity Church

By Father John Stewart, Vicar, Holy Trinity Anglican Church East Melbourne
Director, The Living Well Centre for Christian Spirituality
Friday 19 October 2007

Thank you all for coming this evening to share in the joy of our celebrations. When we started thinking about how we would celebrate these important events, we were clear that we wanted to offer something for our friends and neighbours in the wider community of East Melbourne.

It is 150 years since Anglican worship and ministry commenced in East Melbourne, and in two days time it is 100 years since the current parish church was consecrated. Both these events are important for East Melbourne and for Anglicanism – and our partnership with the community is demonstrated by your presence with us this evening. So do enjoy the champagne and food – do have a look at the historic display here. And do come with me as I sketch a little of the story which brings us to this day.

In preparing these reflections, I say thank you to Sylvia Black and Elizabeth Alexander for their assistance. They spent hours reading through our archival material and giving me reams of notes about what I might share with you.. Obviously I can’t share a lot – but I hope what I do share will give you a sense of the bigger story. Might I also thank those who have worked so hard in other ways – Jill Fenwick and the Historical Society, Elizabeth Cam and the catering people, and David Aspin and the planning committee.

The Church

Quite early in the settlement of Melbourne there was a desire to provide for Christian worship, pastoral care and mission. In the early years there were seventeen churches in East Melbourne, of twelve different persuasions. The first Anglican church in East Melbourne was St Peter’s founded in 1846. Another congregation started meeting in Francis Hobson’s Iron Store at the rear of Bishopscourt. Then on 5th July 1857 Bishop Perry blessed “a very commodious and well built schoolhouse” on the corner of Victoria Parade and Hoddle Street. It was the start of Trinity Parish and services were held in the schoolhouse. It was a mission church to the working class families who lived on the low-lying Richmond and Collingwood flats. Trinity Public School was also based at that building, and it alternated with the church on Sundays. At the time there were few residents in East Melbourne and most of the buildings were temporary – indeed, the first land sales in East Melbourne had only taken place in 1853. So the parish is almost as old as East Melbourne itself.

That beginning was marked by controversy. A Crown Grant of land had been made of the area bounded by Clarendon, Gipps, Powlett and Hotham Streets. It was intended to be used for the Bishop’s home, the Diocesan Cathedral and the Diocesan school. Local residents hoped that the parish church would be built on the Clarendon Street site – but the bishop refused. Protest meetings and lobbying continued and seven years later a complete bluestone church seating 500 was opened near the corner of George and Clarendon Streets. It was to be the first stage of the Cathedral. It was blessed by Bishop Perry in 1864.

The congregation moved to the new building and Sunday School services continued at Victoria Parade for another 50 years as a branch of Holy Trinity. That site is now the home of St John’s Catholic School and Church.

In 1866 money was raised to build a Parsonage on what is now 25 Hotham Street. Over the years, clergy lived at several locations until a Vicarage was built on Clarendon St, the corner of George Street. That served until 1970 when it was replaced by the Clarendon Apartments and 193 Hotham was purchased as the Vicarage.

In the 1870s the Diocese decided not to build the Cathedral in East Melbourne and the foundation stone of the present St Paul’s Cathedral was laid in 1880. So Trinity became the parish church of East Melbourne.

Holy Trinity church was finally cleared of debt after forty years of use and fundraising, and it was consecrated by Bishop Lowther Clarke in 1903. On New Year’s Day 1905 the brand new Vicar, the Revd Newport White preached his first morning sermon. At 3pm the church was completely gutted by fire. The insurance cover enabled a replacement to be planned and built and by September it was under way. This red brick building on this site was cleared of debt in two years and on 19th October 1907 – 100 years ago today – it was consecrated by Lowther Clarke, who had become the first Anglican Archbishop of Melbourne.

In 1956 the steeple was blown off the roof in high wind.

The MacBean Vestry was added in 1957.

1964 brought the celebrations of the centenary of the establishment of the parish and the dedication of the first church. Archbishop Woods presided at the Eucharist. Tapestry kneelers had been lovingly worked by members of the congregation and they were dedicated. They held a back to Trinity service which was attended by the boys of the Cathedral choir. And two memorials were unveiled – the centenary plaque on the west wall and the list of Incumbents in the narthex. They also launched a centenary appeal for funds to maintain the properties.

Memorial garden was added in the 1980’s.

In August 1988 fire destroyed the Cairns Memorial Church and some members of their congregation joined Holy Trinity. There had always been ties with that congregation, since its foundation in 1881. Next year marks the twentieth anniversary of that fire and we will observe the anniversary when it comes around.

Alterations were carried out to the Sanctuary area of the church, especially by removing the choir stalls and providing a new altar area. Further alterations were carried out several years ago to provide for the ministry of the Living Well Centre – a ministry in spirituality based at the parish centre.

The Parish Hall

In 1888 the parish hall was built. It provided facilities for all kinds of community activities. Mutual and moral improvement societies, literary societies, gymnastic and athletic clubs catered for the young. The ladies of the church were active on auxiliaries and in the affairs of the Richmond and East Melbourne Ladies Benevolent Society. It was also, for a time, the home of the Cathedral choir school. Other groups who have used the hall over the years include the Victorian Folk Song and Dance Society, the Dickens Fellowship Society, Melbourne Chorale, Council of Adult Education, African Love Bird Society, the ALP, dancing classes, tennis club, East Melbourne Harriers. On a number of occasions it was used as a polling booth. In 1967 it was used as a centre for the Billy Graham Crusade. In recent years it has been the home of the Mothers Union Diocesan shop and the temporary home of the East Melbourne library. It is now used as the administrative centre for AngliCORD – an Anglican agency for overseas development and relief work.

In the 1990s five residential units were added to the Parish Hall. They are administered for the parish by the Ministry of Housing and provide affordable housing for low income people.

Financial struggles

The church’s activities and difficulties mirrored those of the wider society. In 1885 there was a land boom and crash. Many people left the area and the Vicar was asked to accept a drop in stipend from £400 to £300 per annum; the parish ran an overdraft of £120. Income from pew rents was important for a long time. In 1888 annual income from pew rents was £518 whilst collections amounted to £358. In 1901 the situation was changing – pew rents brought in £256 and collections £524. In 1908 a vestryman resigned because the vestry refused to reduce the vicar’s stipend from £325 to £300 to balance the budget. In 1913 Scotch College and PLC were paying pew rents. In the 1930’s, a time of depression and drought, a special collection was taken up to support the farmers in the Mallee. We find ourselves in a similar situation again and have recently entered into a partnership with the Parish of Horsham to support them in this time of rural crisis.

Some characteristics

Holy Trinity has always been an important centre for the participation of women. In 1899 a Ladies Working Guild was formed and a Ladies Guild in 1930. Church rules in those days prevented women holding office in any parish, but in the late 1930’s the Vicar of the day got around the rules with a very forward thinking committee of three women and three men who worked as a committee of the Vestry. Fund raising was an important part of their work – and so too were social and musical programs, monthly support and fellowship meetings and occasional speakers on topics of interest. A Womens’ Fellowship was formed in 1973 and later it opened its membership to men.

Music has always held an important place at Holy Trinity. From 1890 the Cathedral choir were located at Holy Trinity until their own facilities were ready. For many years the parish had a robed choir who led regular services of worship and also participated in choral festivals and competitions. In 1913 a manual organ was purchased and in 1930 an electric organ blower was acquired. In 1940 the blackwood casing was added to screen the pedal pipes. In 1972 further alterations were made. George Harrison was the organist for 25 years from 1951. On his retirement our current organist, Laurie Moore was appointed – after the Cairns Memorial Church burnt down. Music continues to play an important part of our worship and the congregation happily explore all kinds of music traditions. Last year we purchased a concert grand piano through many fund raising efforts. It is already proving to be a wonderful asset. Last Sunday the internationally renowned pianist Geoffrey Tozer gave a wonderful recital as part of our anniversary celebrations. The repertoire he played consisted of piano pieces composed to explore biblical stories and faith issues.

Sunday School was also important from the earliest times. By 1881 there were 18 teachers, with 227 pupils. They had a library of 400 books and enjoyed an annual excursion to Brighton Beach. In 1913 there is a record of examinations held and prizes awarded.

Humour and signs of changing times

In 1901 the vestry received a letter from the organ blower.

I respectfully desire to direct your attentions to the present draughty and unsatisfactory state of the organ chamber. Prior to the alterations to the organ a small partition was provided to screen the blower from the draught from the doors and also to allow a certain amount of privacy from the congregation. This partition was not replaced. … Trusting you see your way clear to kindly rectify the above before the winter months.

The amount paid to the organ blower for his services was £13 per annum.

At about the same time the Vestry wrote to the choirmaster as all was not well. The letter complained about members of the choir arriving late for the services, leaving before the sermon, talking, laughing and other irreverent behaviour during the services. It is pointed out that the tunes in our Hymn books are composed and harmonised by the leading masters of music. They should therefore be played and sung as to time, harmony, and expression, only as they are written, without embellishment by anyone.

In 1902 Bishopscourt was 50 years old and it was recommended it be demolished. The report said that the building was costly to maintain, inconvenient and unsatisfactory as a residence, out of repair, out of date and in an unsanitary state. All of that sounds rather familiar – 100 years later all that is still being said.

In 1908 the Vicar gave a vigorous address about reverence in church and he spoke particularly of kneeling at the prayers. He received a sharp response from a parishioner. It pointed out that it was all very well for the Vicar to be encouraging kneeling – he had a well padded kneeling desk at the front. The rest of the congregation have only bare floorboards – the Incumbent’s remarks under present circumstances are weakened, and in fact are apt to be considered unreal. The writer went on to suggest that thin hassocks could be provided in each pew for around two shillings.

In 1939 the Revd Crossley made alterations to the Vicarage at his own expense and asked the Registrar for permission to sublet some of the rooms. There was controversy for a time amongst parishioners. It was resolved by giving him permission to let the rooms to the ladies already residing there and that a member of his family lived with him. He had to refund the rent to the church funds.

In the same year the parish invited all 154 couples who had married there in the previous 5 years to renew their vows. 100 came, some with their wedding parties. A musical program followed. The most popular song was by Mr L Matters I wish I was Single again, accompanied by his wife.

In 1940’s women were expected to wear hats to church as a sign of good manners; and they were asked to refrain from wearing lipstick because they did not want it to mark the communion cup.

Also in the 1940s, early in the war Joan and Ron Dixon tell the story of their request to be married during Lent as it was the only time they had before embarking on overseas service. The Revd Gilder refused to marry them, but eventually agreed when the archbishop gave permission. But there were conditions – he insisted her neckline should be high and that only a small bouquet should be carried. When the bouquet arrived from the florist it was huge – so Joan trimmed it with an axe before walking down the aisle – cutting it into three.

During WW2 they decided to leave the church open every day and a social club was formed to cater for soldiers on leave.

In the 1960’s the Synod recommended that raffles be banned. Trinity people were in the habit of running raffles – so they made the concession that when there was a member of the Archbishop’s family present, they wouldn’t bring out the raffle.

The Royal Overseas League had to get special permission to serve a glass of sherry at one of their meetings in the hall.

People

Dr John Singleton was a member of the first Vestry and well known citizen. He was a formidable and controversial personality; innovating medico, social crusader, evangelist. He distributed thousands of religious tracts to prisons and other places. He tells of entering the waiting room of a brothel, distributing suitable tracts, and exhorting the clients awaiting their turn to renounce their evil ways. He founded the Melbourne Total Abstinence Society, the Collingwood Free Medical Mission Dispensary, the Temporary Home for Fallen and Friendless Women and the Men’s Model Lodging House.

P H Nunn, the founder of Buckley and Nunn was a founding member from 1857 until his death in 1909; his daughter Annie was a member until she died in 1969.

Sir William Clarke and Lady Janet Clarke lived at Cliveden. Lady Clarke was in NZ when she heard of the fire – she sent a message immediately to the parish offering the use of Cliveden.

Arthur Anderson secretary of vestry for 60 years, from 1873 to 1933.

E F Cooke was Superintendent of the Sunday School for 40 years.

Selina McBean was involved from 1895 to 1948. As a result of her bequest to the parish, the McBean Vestry was added in 1957.

Stuart Esnouf was involved in many parish activities from 1930 to 1993.

Dr John Macdonald, John Petty and others.

In addition 14 clergymen and 4 bishops and 9 archbishops during these 150 years.

More recent times – links to community continue.

Brotherhood bin “is the best they have”, they tell us.

Pastoral ministry at the Mercy and Freemasons Hospitals – memorial service for relatives who have lost loved ones.

Sausage sizzle has just completed its 12th year –it has raised over $150,000 during that time – much of which has been given away to church welfare and mission projects.

Meditation group meets weekly and offers a space for people – some church members and others are not – to experience meditation and its benefits for daily living.

Regular musical recitals are offered, including the series in connection with these anniversary celebrations.

Monthly luncheon for socially isolated was run for a number of years. It is in recess at present – but it was a wonderful example of practical care and friendship.

Book fair comes around each year and gives many local residents the chance to swap their books and extends their collections.

St Mark’s Community Centre and Lazarus Centre are supported by the groceries and other items parishioners bring week by week.

Conclusion

The parish story is one of courage, faithfulness, tenacity, perseverance. It is truly wonderful that we can celebrate this anniversary. What else in East Melbourne has lasted 150 years? I can’t think of any other group, organisation or institution which is still carrying out its business after 150 years in this community.

But, we might ask - What’s the point of all of this?

Holy Trinity, like other communities of faith has always been on about the work of God as expressed in Jesus Christ. So regular worship and prayer is at the heart of our life.

And Rites of passage are available to all who seek them – I wonder how many baptisms, marriages, and funerals have been celebrated here.

And the Church is always open during day light hours offering a sanctuary for all who pass by. We have a book in the entrance porch for visitors to record their comments. That book is a study in itself of every human condition recorded by people who take a moment to step in off the street and reflect on life.

Several years ago the congregation worked together to develop a Mission statement. It sums up all we want to say thank you for in these celebrations as well as all we commit ourselves to for the future.

In this faith community we seek to reflect the all-inclusive hospitality of God and welcome the Spirit of Jesus Christ present in all peoples, experiences and places.

Public nuisance in Gipps Street

On 6 December 1876 Charles Barthing was summoned under common law to answer a charge that “on the 28th October at Gipps-street, East Melbourne, and on divers days and hours between that day and the date hereof (29th ult.) he did keep and maintain a certain common dancingroom near the dwelling-houses of divers subjects of our lady the Queen, and also divers public streets there, and for his own lucre and profits caused and procured large numbers of persons there to assemble, and unlawfully and injuriously did make and cause to be made divers loud and annoying sounds and noises whereby the said subjects there residing and passing were greatly annoyed, disturbed, and incommoded, thereby causing a public nuisance, and against the peace of our said lady the Queen and her subjects.”

It was said that the defendant was a boot maker in Gipps-street, and that he had erected at the rear of his shop a weather-board building, with an iron roof, which he used for the purpose of a dancing saloon. This saloon was a regular nuisance to the neighbourhood, in consequence of the noises which emanated from it. It was frequented by young persons, and all sorts of improprieties were carried on: in fact, its frequenters seemed to go there not for legitimate dancing but for a good rollicking row. Barthing charged each 7 man 1s. for admission, but admitted the girls free.

Martin Evans, inspector of revenue for the corporation, on the 28th of October, visited Barthings’s saloon at half past 10 p.m., and gained admission paying 1s. to the defendant. There were 50 or 60 persons of both sexes in the building. The music which was played could be heard in the street a long way off, and the noise of the dancing about 50 yards away. Sydney Gibbons, analyst, said that he lived near the dancing saloon in question and had found it to be a most intolerable nuisance.

From the 28th October to the present time the dancing had been stopped about 11 o’clock, but previously it had been carried on sometimes all night. The language used by some of the frequenters of the saloon was so bad that he could not permit his drawing room windows to remain open, or allow his family to go into the balcony at night. The general noise which was created at the saloon was very offensive. The music played there consisted of a cornet, violin, and piano, and someone was frequently to be heard strumming on the piano on Sundays. The conduct of those who attended the saloon when they came out of the building was of the most disreputable character.

James Richard Church, clerk in the Parliamentary Library, who resided in Hotham-street, just behind and about 35 yards distant from the dancing saloon, was among several witnesses who gave similar evidence; while George Martin, who lived in George-street, and was the owner of four houses in Gipps-street, directly opposite the saloon, and David Lumsden, owner of four houses next to the saloon in Gipps-street, both added that in consequence of the proximity to the saloon, their properties had deteriorated in value.

Among the witnesses for the defence were: Thomas Davis, cabinetmaker, who said he lived in the neighbourhood of the saloon; Mrs. Ellen Walton, living in Hoddle-street, whose husband was absent at sea; Mrs. G. Gordon, another resident in the locality, who all agreed that they had patronised the saloon and found it well conducted, and causing no nuisance whatever.

Charles Barthing was tried in the Central Criminal Court before judge and jury two weeks later. He pleaded “Not Guilty”, and was defended by Mr. Purves, who argued that the prosecution had been instituted by a number of people who objected to all kinds of innocent amusement being indulged in by what they termed the “common people.” There was no ground whatever for a criminal proceeding, and if any property-owner had felt himself injured his proper remedy was to apply to the civil courts for an injunction.

In his summing up His Honour, Mr. Justice Molesworth, said that there was the consideration whether the benefit derived from what might be looked upon as a nuisance outweighed the inconvenience. That court, churches, theatres, cemeteries, might be looked upon as nuisances by those who lived in their neighbourhood, but then they were necessary for the public benefit. On the one hand the jury must consider whether the inconvenience suffered by the neighbourhood was sufficient to create a nuisance, and then they must say whether the utility of the place outweighed that consideration.

The jury retired, and after three hours’ deliberation returned a verdict of guilty on the second count of the presentment, in which the defendant was charged with making “a loud noise.”

HIS HONOUR sentenced the defendant to one hour’s imprisonment, and to pay a fine of £10 and intimated that if the dancing saloon continued to be carried on he would be again prosecuted.

From The Argus, 7 and 21 December 1876

Note. The dancing saloon has been identified as being behind the premises now known as Gipps Street Cellars, 17 Gipps Street. Winston Burchett, in his book, East Melbourne Walkabout, states that, “There have been grocers and wine and spirit merchants at this address since 1871, with a break of five years between 1877 and 1881, during which time Bedggood & Co. operated a boot factory on the premises.”

Yarra Park, from Go to Woe

When Charles Joseph La Trobe arrived in Melbourne in 1839 as the newly appointed superintendent of the colony of Port Phillip he would have found the north bank of the Yarra, just east of the city, to be bordered by swamps and lagoons rising gently to open scrubland dominated by large river red gums. He would have seen aborigines from the local Wurundjeri clan hunting and fishing in the lagoons; and occasionally he might have seen a corroborree as neighbouring clans joined them in celebration.

He immediately recognised the potential of the area for recreational use and proposed that approximately 240 acres stretching, in modern terms, from Punt Road to Princes Bridge, and northwards to Wellington Parade and Flinders Street, be reserved for that purpose. However it was not until 1873 that this visionary proposal was ratified by an Act of Parliament. By then the original 240 acres had suffered several excisions.

La Trobe, himself, made the first cut when he bought his Jolimont land in 1840. Next, in 1853, the Melbourne Cricket Ground was given permissive occupancy of nine acres which was formally recognised as a Crown Grant in 1867.

1866 Richmond Paddock Australian football matchIn 1858 the first game of Australian Rules Football was played in Richmond Paddock, or Yarra Park, between Scotch College and Melbourne Gammar. However it was many years before the game was allowed to be played at the MCG as its turf was considered too delicate for the rough and tumble of the new game.

A stand built at the MCG in 1876 was reversible which could be made to face the MCG in summer for cricket, or the Richmond Paddock in winter for football. It burnt down in 1884.

In 1859 the railway line to Richmond effectively cut the park in half lengthways. In the same year land was reserved for the Swan Street extension, although it was not built until 1875. Thirty three acres to the south of this was given to the Acclimatisation Society which gave way to the Friendly Society Gardens when the animals were moved to Royal Park two years later as the start of the Zoo. Now that area is Olympic Park.

The Acclimatisation Society was linked to the Botanical Gardens by a foot bridge over the Yarra, and passengers on the Richmond line were once able to alight at the Botanical Gardens Railway Station, and from there it was just a short walk to either destination. The old railway bridge in Yarra Park, although much lengthened now, is a relic of those days. The land on the corner of Punt Road and Wellington Parade, which had once been the police barracks and gaol, was also excluded from the grant. A section of it was granted separately for a state school. The remainder was subdivided into 83 residential allotments and sold in 1881.

The remaining land when it was finally reserved in 1873 was gazetted as two parks, one each side of Jolimont Road, which then ran to the river and Branders’ ferry. Flinders Park was to the west, replacing the Police Magistrate’s Paddock where Captain Lonsdale had built his cottage; and Yarra Park to the east, replacing the old Police, or Government, Paddock, also known as the Richmond Paddock, where the police horses had once grazed. Yarra Park also included the parcel of land to the south of Swan Street known as Gosch’s Paddock.

Modern encroachments have reduced the size of the park even further. The MCG’s girth has expanded considerably. And the tennis centre, or Melbourne Park, once called Flinders Park because that is where it was, has slipped into Yarra Park with the building of the Vodaphone Arena in 2000.

The 1956 Olympic Games marked the beginning of Yarra Park’s degradation. This was the first time visitors to the MCG had been allowed to park their cars in the park proper. Previously parking had been limited to the corner formed by Brunton Avenue and Jolimont Street. The Council was very pleased with this clever solution and has never looked back, and except, ironically, for the hugely successful banning of car parking during the 2006 Commonwealth Games, cars now fill Yarra Park every time the MCG is used. The result is bare, compacted earth and suffering trees; a far cry from the thriving natural environment La Trobe hoped to bequeath to the citizens of Melbourne for their recreation and pleasure.