East Melbourne, Vale Street 26, 28

These two houses were built in 1910 by R J Wilson of Ormond Road, Moonee Ponds for Henry Fowler Ransford, customs agent.  Henry Ransford never lived in either house but his two sons, Vernon Seymour Ransford and Clive Ainslie Ransford lived in the corner house, No 28, until about 1919.  They called this house Chandos.

Like his father Vernon was a customs agent professionally, but cricket was his first love and he was good at it and had played in the 1909 test series. He was secretary of the Melbourne Cricket Club for many years.   His address could not have been more convenient. 

Chandos was sold in 1920 and the new owner and occupier was Lowell Thomas Oscar Pedler. Pedler had served in the Great War with some distinction, winning the Military Cross, but subsequently had ‘lost his nerve’ and was eventually relieved of his command and sent home in disgrace.  On returning home he found a job as a shunter at the Jolimont railway yards, handy to Vale Street.  His main interest however, was gambling.  He was a licensed bookmaker and produced a newsletter providing tips for his readers.  In 1926 he was charged with running ‘a common gaming house’ at 28 Vale Street, but managed to escape conviction. 

In 1926 Chandos was again put on the market along with its neighbour, No 26. This is curious since there is no indication that the second house had left Ransford’s ownership.  The owner was prepared to sell the houses together or separately.  For the pair the asking price was £3850, or best offer. According to the rate book this resulted in Pedler retaining ownership of No 28 while his wife, Irene Myrtle Pedler, was listed as the owner or ratepayer of No 26.  They did not occupy either property. 

Tom Pedler died in 1934 and No 26 was put up for sale in 1935. The new owner was Albert William Walter Burnham, welder.  No 28 remained in Pedler’s estate until the 1950s.  

Circa 1984-1985 a group of musicians rented No 26 who formed a band named The Mullanes in early 1985.  They first performed publicly in mid-1985 and secured a record deal with Capitol Records, and later that year they moved to Los Angeles to record their first album.  Capitol Records asked that they change their name and the name they chose was Crowded House, alluding to the lack of space in their small rented house in the Hollywood Hills. It has long been a legend in East Melbourne that the name referred to their Vale Street house.