Friday 29 January 2016

'Endeavour' streets in Endeavour Hills

Endeavour Hills was officially gazetted as a suburb on July 14 1971, and the first land sales took place on November 24, 1973. The project was first conceived in 1970 when Lewis Land Corporation purchased the 1,032 acre site (about 420 hectares). As the suburb was being developed at the same time as the 200th anniversary of the arrival of Captain Cook in the Endeavour, it was considered fitting to name the suburb after the Endeavour. The Endeavour carried members of the Royal Society, who were on board to observe the Transit of Venus in Tahiti as well as sailing crew and military personnel,  as after leaving Tahiti, Cook was instructed to 'find' the southern continent.  Around 80 Endeavour Hills streets are named after the Endeavour crew and passengers and what follows is a list of these 'Endeavour' streets, the person they were named for and their position or role  on the ship.

ANDERSON - Anderson Court - Robert Anderson A.B (Able-bodied seaman - a seaman with four years experience - they start as a Boy, then two years as an ordinary seaman and  then a year as seaman and then you can become an AB)
BANKS - Joseph Banks Crescent - Joseph Banks (1743 to 1820) Natural Historian


Sir Joseph Banks painted by Thomas Phillips
(State Library of New South Wales image)
You can read more about Sir Joseph Banks in the Australian Dictionary of Biography 

BOOTIE  - Bootie Court - John Bootie Midshipman
BRISCOE  - Briscoe Court - Peter Briscoe Joseph Bank’s servant
CHARLTON  - Charlton Court - John Charlton  Captain’s servant
CHILDS  - Childs Rise - Joseph Childs  A.B
COLLETT - Collett Rise - William Collett  A.B
COOK  - James Cook Drive - James Cook (1728 to 1779)  Captain


Captain James Cook R. N., F. R. S., from an original engraving published in London, 1784 
State Library of Victoria Image  H96.160/298 
You can read more about James Cook in the Australian Dictionary of Biography 


COX  - Cox Court - Matthew Cox A.B
DAWSON  - Dawson Court - William Dawson A.B
DOZEY  - Dozey Place - John Dozey A.B
DUNSTER  - Dunster Court - Thomas Dunster  Private
EDGCUMBE  - John Edgcumbe Way - John Edgcumbe  Sergeant
ENDEAVOUR  - Endeavour Crescent - Name of ship
GATHREY  - Gathrey Court - John Gathrey Boatswain or Boson -  foreman of the seaman - they were the link between the Officers and the seaman.
GOLDSMITH  - Goldsmith Close - Thomas Goldsmith  A.B
GOODJOHN   - Goodjohn Court - John Goodjohn  A.B
GORE  - Gore Rise - John Gore 3rd Lieutenant
GRAY  - Gray Close - James Gray A.B
GREEN - Charles Green Avenue - Charles Green  Astronomer
HAITE  - Haite Court - Francis Haite  A.B
HARDMAN - Hardman Court - Thomas Hardman Boatswain’s mate
HARVEY  - Harvey Place - William Harvey  Zachery Hick’s Servant
HICKS - Zachary Hicks Crescent -  Zachary Hicks 2nd Lieutenant
HOWSON - Howson Close - William Howson Captain’s Servant
HUGHES  - Hughes Close - Richard Hughes A.B
HUTCHINS  - Hutchins Avenue - Richard Hutchins A.B
JEFFS  - Jeffs Court - Henry Jeffs A.B
JOHNSON  - Johnson Place - Isaac Johnson  A.B
JONES -  Jones Court - Thomas Jones W illiam Monkhouse’s servant  (1)
JORDAN  - Jordan Court - Benjamin Jordan A.B  (2)
JUDGE  - Judge Rise - William Judge Private
KNIGHT  - Knight Court - Thomas Knight A.B
LEGG  - Legg Court - John Legg A.B
LINDSAY  - Lindsay Close - Alexander Lindsay A.B
LITTLEBOY  - Littleboy  Rise - Michael Littleboy A.B  (3)
MAGRA  - Magra Place - James Magra A.B
MANLEY  - Manley Close - Isaac Manley Robert Molyneux’s servant
MARRA  - Marra Court - John Marra A.B
MOLYNEUX  - Robert Molyneux Avenue - Robert Molyneux Master
MONKHOUSE  - Monkhouse -  Drive William Monkhouse Surgeon  (4)
MOODY  - Moody Place - Samuel Moody  A.B
MOREY  - Morey Rise - Nathaniel Morey John Gore’s servant
MORGAN  - Morgan Court - Peter Morgan A.B
NICHOLSON  - Nicholson Close - James Nicholson A.B
NOWELL - Nowell Court  - George Nowell A.B
ORTON  - Orton Rise - Richard Orton  Clerk
PARKER  - Parker Court - Isaac Parker 27 A.B
PARKINSON -  Sydney Parkinson Avenue - Sydney Parkinson (1745 to 1771) Natural History Artist



Sydney Parkinson
(National Library of Australia image) 
You can read more about Sydney Parkinson in the Australian Dictionary of Biography 

PAUL - Paul Court - Henry Paul Private
PECKOVER  - Peckover Court - William Peckover A.B
PERRY  - William Perry Close - William Perry Surgeon’s mate
PICKERSGILL  - Pickersgill Court - Richard Pickersgill  Master’s mate
PONTO -  Ponto Court - Antonio Ponto  A.B
PRESTON - Preston Avenue - Daniel Preston  Private
RAMSAY - Ramsay Court - John Ramsay  A.B
RAVENHILL  - Ravenhill Crescent - John Ravenhill  Sailmaker
REARDEN  - Rearden Close - Timothy Reardon  A.B
REYNOLDS - Reynolds Court - John Reynolds Charles Green’s servant
ROBERTS  - Roberts Court - James Roberts Joseph Bank’s servant  (5)
ROSSITER  - Rossiter Avenue - Thomas Rossiter Drummer (interesting occupation!)
SATTERLEY  - Satterley Close - John Satterley Carpenter
SIMMONDS  - Simmonds Place - Thomas Simmonds  A.B
SMITH  - Isaac Smith Street -  Isaac Smith Master’s mate
SOLANDER  - Daniel Solander Drive - Daniel Solander (1733 to 1782)  Naturalist



Daniel Solander by Harriet Gunn
(National Library of Australia image)
You can read more about Daniel Solander in the Australia Dictionary of Biography

SPORING - Sporing Court - Herman Sporing Assistant Naturalist
STAINSBY  - Stainsby Close - Robert Stainsby A.B
STEPHENS  - Stephens Close - Henry Stephens A.B
SUTHERLAND  - Sutherland Court - Forby Sutherland A.B
TAYLOR  - Taylor Court - Robert Taylor Armourer
TERRELL  - Terrell Close - Edward Terrell  John Satterley’s mate
THOMPSON  - Thompson Court - John Thompson  Cook
THURMOND  - Thurmond Court - John Thurmond  A.B
TRUSLOVE  - Truslove Court  - John Truslove  Corporal
TUNLEY  - Tunley Close - James Tunley  A.B
WILKINSON  - Wilkinson Way - Francis Wilkinson A.B
WILSHIRE  - Wilshire Court - William Wilshire Private
WOLF  - Wolf Court  - Archibald Wolf  A.B
WOODWORTH  - Woodworth Close - John Woodworth A.B

(1)  There were three Jones on the voyage. One was Samuel Jones, A.B. The third one was Thomas Jones, also an A.B.
(2)  There were two Jordans on the voyage. The other one was Thomas Jordan , a boatswain and Gathrey’s servant. I’m not sure which one the Court is named after.
(3)  There were two Littleboys on the voyage. The other was Richard Littleboy, A.B.    A copy of the “Endeavour Gazette”, the Endeavour Hills community newsletter lists Littleboy Rise as being named after Michael.
(4)  There were two Monkhouses on the voyage. The other was Jonathan, the brother of William. He was a  Midshipman.
(5) There were two Roberts on the voyage. The other was Daniel Roberts, a Gunner’s servant. I’m not sure which one the Court is named after.

Thursday 14 January 2016

Jessie Traill - Harkaway Artist

Jessie was born on July 29,  1881 to  a well off family in Brighton. She was the youngest of four daughters  of George Hamilton Traill and Jessie Frances Montague Neilley. George was the Manager of the Oriental Bank in Melbourne. We have an account of Jessie's life written by her cousin, Bethia Foott (nee Anderson) in 1966. Bethia writes that when Jessie was young she was playing on the beach at Black Rock and met 'a younger friend of her father, Tom Roberts. The little girl admired him greatly. She loved to watch him painting those charming sketches he made of Port Phillip Bay, and when she grew up she formed a lasting friendship with him and his wife and little son, often meeting them when they lived in London'



Jessie Traill, c. 1920, proofing an etching by subdued light. 
State Library of Victoria Image H2000.63/6

The Traill family travelled overseas on a regular basis; when Jessie was about twelve her mother took the four girls to England and they all went to School in Switzerland. Her mother,  Jessie,  died on October 1, 1893. Bethia Foott records that when Jessie was nineteen (so about 1900) her father took Jessie and her sister Minna to Italy and sadly George died when he was overseas and the sisters had to organise his funeral. This doesn't actually tally with George's probate papers which states that he died on April 7, 1907, but this discrepancy doesn't diminish Bethia's account of Jessie's life. Thus by 1907 the four sisters were orphans  but had inherited enough to allow them to have a secure income and live independent lives. Interestingly, Bethia records,  after the death of their father, two of her sisters, Kathleen and Minna, then entered the Community of the Holy Name at Cheltenham in Victoria as Church of England nuns. Kathleen died in November 1952 and Minna in September 1964.

Jessie attended the National Gallery Schools in Melbourne from 1902 to 1906, where she was taught by Frederick McCubbin. She was one of the first women to practice etching in Australia and studied this further in London and Paris. In 1909 Jessie held her first one-woman show in Melbourne.


Review of Jessie Traill's show from Table Talk May 27, 1909

When the Great War broke out, Jessie went to England and joined the Voluntary Aid Detachment and nursed in a military hospital in Rouen, France from 1915 until 1919.  The State Library of Victoria has a photograph album, which belonged to Jessie, of images taken in Rouen of the hospital, the nursing staff, the soldiers and also various post cards of local towns. Click here to access the album. The State Library of Victoria has also digitised Jessie's autograph book, which is more of a sketch book rather than a traditional autograph book, you can access it here.

After the War, Jessie joined the Australian Painters-Etchers Society and had regular exhibitions. Her subjects included the Sydney Harbour Bridge, factories and mines and landscapes. Jessie and Elsie lived together at Sandringham and Elsie formed the first Red Cross shop in Melbourne where wounded war veterans could sell some of their work.  Elsie later donated money to have the E.M Traill Wing built at Janet Clarke Hall (the first Women's College)  at Melbourne University, from where she had graduated, with a Bachelor of Arts in 1898. You can read more about Elsie, here.



Shire of Berwick Rate Books entry from 1918 (click on image to enlarge) 

Jessie and Elsie  had  a local connection. According to the Shire of Berwick Rate Books (see above) Jessie and her sister Elsie purchased land at Harkaway in 1913/1914. The property consisted of  a house, and 5  acres and was part of Lot 3, Parish of Berwick ( the actual address is 238 Harkaway Road) The property was named Harfra.


Possum time: Harfra at Night etching by Jessie Traill. 

Jessie spent time at Harkaway when she was not travelling overseas or in Australia and had a studio built on an adjacent block in 1924. Elsie died in December 1946. Harfra was sold in 1948 to her friend, Enid Joske, who was a teacher at Melbourne University and Principal of Janet Clarke Hall, but Jessie kept the the Studio on one acre of land.


Shire of Berwick Rate Books 1948 (click on image to enlarge) 

Jessie later sold the Sandringham house and lived in her Studio at Harkaway, until she died on May 15, 1967,  having lived an amazingly interesting and worthwhile life. Bethia wrote this lovely tribute to Jessie in 1966, the year before  she died.

Whether she is in England, France or Australia, Cousin Jessie, with her keen blue eyes and graceful flexible hands is loved by us all and I know of no-one elsewhere in the course  of so long a life  has done more good or helped more people,  than she has done. In all her many exhibitions she has always donated the proceeds to charity.  She has sponsored migrants, helped those in their distress; and as for us if some one needs to add a  room, replace an old car, paint  a house or buy a ram - who is that helps us? Cousin Jessie.

Deeply religious, selfless in her wants and ways, she is indeed the  truest Christian I have ever known.  And although she no longer works at her craft, those lovely hands, moving so expressively, so decisively and so surely are still as flexible and lissom as they were when she was a girl.



Jessie Traill, c. 1965  outside her house in the north of England, aged 84.
State Library of Victoria Image H2000.63/7

There is an exhibition of Jessie Traill prints on at the Geelong Gallery until February 14 2016. You can read about it here.

Jessie Traill Nature Reserve in Harkaway is on land partly donated by Jessie to the Council and is named in her honour. There is also a bell tower at the Christ Church Anglican Church in Berwick which was dedicated to the memory of Jessie on November1, 1970.

You can read more about Jessie Traill here in her entry, written by Mary Alice Lee,  in the Australian Dictionary of Biography.