Mrs Gertrude Kilroy of the Motor Club Hotel, Cranbourne

At a hearing of the Dandenong Licensing Court held on March 17, 1914 Gertrude Emily Kilroy applied to have the license of the Motor Club Hotel, Cranbourne transferred from Julia O'Brien to herself. The application was granted (1).

The Motor Club Hotel was established in 1860s by Thomas and Eliza Gooch as the Mornington Hotel, There were various owners and licensees after the Goochs and on December 14 1911 the Dandenong Licensing Court approved an application for John Taylor to renew his license of the Hotel and also for the Hotel to be renamed the Motor Club Hotel (2). This name may have been related to the birth of the Royal Automobile Club of Victoria in Tooradin or may have reflected the fact that Cranbourne was a popular destination for early motor car excursions. John Taylor still owned the hotel during the time Gertrude was the licensee (3).

The Mornington Hotel, when it was owned by Thomas and Eliza Gooch.

Image: The Good Country: Cranbourne Shire by Niel Gunson

Gertrude (also referred to as Emily or Emeline) was born in Parramatta in New South Wales in 1865 or 1869, to William and Emma (nee O'Toole) Tasker. Her father was a Military Officer (4). Gertrude married Nicholas Keam on August 24, 1887 in North Sydney. Sadly, for Gertrude, this was a disastrous marriage. About a year after they were married they moved to Victoria, to Bendigo, where they lived with Nicholas' father. Nicholas was out of work, so Emily took a position in a Hotel and some time after that he went away and she did not hear from him for seven years. Around mid 1902 Gertrude discovered that Nicholas was living with another woman, Annie Lewis, by whom he had a number of children. In February 1904, Gertrude instituted divorce proceedings. The Judge granted her the divorce and described Nicholas Keam as a cold blooded scoundrel (5).

Gertrude's (or Emie as she called herself) sentimental In Memoriam notice for her parents. 

Bendigo Advertiser January 29, 1892 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/89013671

On May 31, 1906 Gertrude married William John Kilroy - he was listed on the marriage certificate as a 35 year old commercial traveller, born in Maryborough, Victoria. The service was conducted at 24 Brunswick Street Fitzroy, by Albert James Abbott, a clergyman of the Free Christian Church (6). Gertrude's occupation was a housekeeper, she was 37 years old and their address was 396 Albert Street, East Melbourne (7). The couple had been together since at least 1903 as they are both in the Electoral Roll at 49 Clark Street, Prahran, and she was using the surname Kilroy (8).

In 1909 the couple were living in Bendigo and in April 1910, Gertrude took over the licence of the Camp Hotel, in Hargreaves Street in Bendigo, which she held until March 1912 (9). After Bendigo they moved to Oaklands and the Inverness Hotel at Oaklands Junction, where once again Gertrude was the licensee (10). They moved to Oaklands Junction to the Motor Club Hotel.

The first advertisement for Kilroy's Motor Club Hotel

Dandenong Advertiser, April 9, 1914 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/page/8487694

Once in Cranbourne they joined in with the community life. In July 1914 a dinner to celebrate the achievements of Anthony Facey, Cranbourne Shire Secretary and later Shire Engineer (11). It was held at the Motor Club Hotel where a sumptuous poultry dinner was in waiting, prepared by the deft fingers of Mrs Kilroy. The table decorations were in giant violets and wattle blossom, and the effect of the purple and gold (the Royal colors) was very pleasing. The viands were excellent, and full justice was done to a five course dinner (12).

In June 1916 Mrs Kilroy's catering was praised again when she catered for a function given by the Cranbourne Turf Club - The tables were laden with edibles to satisfy the wishes of any epicure, and full justice was done to the inner man, which reflects great credit on Mrs Kilroy, licensee of the Motor Club hotel, who had charge of the catering (13).

Whilst in Cranbourne the Kilroys donated prizes for fund raisers, William was an official of the Cranbourne Turf Club; Gertrude played the piano at a Red Cross function and William sung a solo at a farewell function for local soldiers amongst other activities (14). They also carried out Extensive alterations and improvement are now in progress at the Motor Club hotel, Cranbourne, which when completed will add greatly to the appearance of the building and increase the comfort of the interior. Enterprise is displayed by the proprietress and Mr Kilroy, who have now a motor garage, at which the general public can hire cars (15).

There were two other significant contributions made by the Kilroys at Cranbourne. Firstly it was reported in the South Bourke and Mornington Journal in March 1917 that Mrs Kilroy, of the Motor Club hotel, Cranbourne, has at considerable expense obtained, a most unique collection of photos of local volunteers, which have been nicely arranged on the walls of the parlor of the hotel mentioned, and are well worth a visit of inspection. It is also an indication that Cranbourne has responded well to the call for volunteers (16). What an amazing collection of photographs they would have been, a lovely tribute to the local boys who enlisted and if only we could go back in time to see them.

Mrs Kilroy's Unique collection

South Bourke & Mornington Journal, March 22, 1917  https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/66191708

The other significant thing was that William enlisted to serve in the Army on May 11, 1916. He was 41 years old. The local paper reported that he has passed his initial examination. The late boniface of the Club is a good solid-looking man, and should stop a bullet with the best of them if he gets through his finals (17). It seems age was against him as he was discharged as being medically unfit on August 28, 1916 due to Rheumatoid Arthritis (18).

Part of William Kilroy's enlistment papers

National Archives of Australia www.naa.gov.au 

First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1914-1920

In May 1918, four years after they arrived, the Kilroys left Cranbourne and the Motor Club Hotel for the Royal Mail Hotel in Whittlesea. They were not there long and they moved to the Racecourse Hotel in Keilor in October 1919. By 1921 they were at the Tatong Hotel and in September that year, Gertrude took over the licence of the Railway Hotel in Goorambat and April 1922, she took up the licence of the Redesdale Hotel and by August 1923 that licence was transferred (19). Five Hotels in five years, a very quick succession and Redesdale appears to have been their last Hotel. I wonder why they kept moving, but it seemed to be the pattern of their life after that,

In 1926 they were at 20 Beaconsfield Parade, St Kilda, where Mrs Kilroy rented out rooms and William was a traveller or salesman (20). They were innocently connected to a murder while they were there as one of Mrs Kilroy's boarders was charged with murder. He was 65 year old Henry Tacke, who was infatuated by 34 year old Rachel Currell, a married woman with one child. She had already complained to her husband about his stalking her. Tacke came around to their house at 4 Mary Street, St Kilda on December 15, 1925 fought with her husband and then shot her five times - he claimed he just fired down the passage way to frighten her. He then calmly walked home to Mrs Kilroy's as if nothing had happened. At his trial he was found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to a mere seven years. Tacke died in gaol in September 1927 (21).

The Electoral Rolls list the Kilroys at two other addresses in St Kilda in the late 1920s - 241 Barkly Street and 114 Acland Street. In 1934 they were at 182 Williams Road in Toorak; 1936 at 165 Point Nepean Road in Carrum and 1937 at 127 Disraeli Street in Kew (22). William died May 15, 1939 at the age of 64, and their address listed in the death notice was 39 Alma Road, St Kilda. He was the son of William John and Margaret (nee Hughes) Kilroy and he had five sisters, Annie, Rose, Emily, Sarah and Mary and one brother, Thomas. He was also the devoted uncle of Madge, Bill and Bernie and one notice and one notice said he was loved by all and sadly missed (23). 

After William died, the next I can trace of Gertrude is that she was at 30 Hodgkinson Street, Clifton Hill and in 1954 she was at St Josephs Home, Northcote (24). She died in April 1956, at the age of 91 and is buried with William in the Catholic section at the Fawkner Cemetery (25). I cannot find a death notice for Gertrude or a Will. Gertrude was a hard working woman, essentially supporting herself all her adult life as a housekeeper, hotel keeper and even after she retired from the Hotel business, she took in boarders to help make ends meet. Gertrude Emily Kilroy - enterprising, a sumptuous and expert caterer, sentimental and community minded.

Trove list - I have created a list of newspaper articles on Gertrude Kilroy, William Kilroy and their life and work, access it here.

Footnotes
(1) The Age, March 7, 1914, see here.
(2) South Bourke & Mornington Journal, December 21, 1911, see here.
(3) John Taylor was licensee of the Hotel in 1911 and in January 1912 had purchased the freehold of the Hotel. In May 1918, it was reported that William James Taylor had taken over the licence and the lease of the business from Gertrude Taylor. In May 1919, Sarah Kelly took over the licence from William Taylor. Members of the Kelly family also operated the Cranbourne Hotel, also in High Street. John Taylor is listed in the Cranbourne Shire Rate books as owning the Hotel until 1921/1922 Rate Year. In 1922/1923, Arthur Kelly is listed as the owner. I feel that William James Taylor is probably the son of John Taylor, but have no evidence.
(4) Information from her Marriage certificate to William Kilroy. Her mother is listed as Mary O'Toole on Gertrude's marriage certificate. Her marriage certificate said she (Gertrude) was 37 in 1906, hence born 1869. The Index to the Victorian Births, Deaths and Marriages says she was 91 when she died in 1956, hence born 1865. I cannot find a birth record in the New South Wales Births, Deaths and Marriages.
(5) Information about Gertrude's marriage and divorce comes from the reports of her Divorce hearing in Bendigo Independent, February 13, 1904, see here, Bendigo Advertiser, February 13, 1904, see here and The Age, February 13, 1904, see here.
(6) Albert James Abbott, a clergyman of the Free Christian Church - an interesting, slightly dodgy character. These two articles tell you something about him - The Age, December 1, 1892, see here and The Age November 9, 1909, see here
(7) I bought their Marriage certificate.
(8) Electoral Roll on Ancestry.com
(9) The Argus, April 5, 1910, see here.
(10) Cannot find a licence application for Gertrude for the Inverness Hotel at Oaklands Junction, but she is listed there in the 1913 Electoral Roll as a Licenced Victualler.
(11) Anthony Northey Facey - Cranbourne Shire Councillor 1876-1881; Cranbourne Shire Acting Secretary from 1884, Secretary from 1887 until 1909; Cranbourne Shire Clerk of Works 1884-1909 and Cranbourne Shire Engineer 1909-1912 (Information from Niel Gunson's The Good Country: Cranbourne Shire (Cheshire, 1968)) Mr Facey died in 1916, aged 67, read his obituary in the South Bourke & Mornington Journal of August 12, 1915, here.
(12) Dandenong Advertiser, July 9, 1914, see here.
(13) South Bourke & Mornington Journal, June 15, 1916, see here.
(14) See my Trove list, here, for accounts.
(15) South Bourke & Mornington Journal, December 9, 1915, see here.
(16) South Bourke & Mornington Journal, March 22, 1917, see here.
(17) Dandenong Advertiser, May 4, 1916, see here. The term Boniface for a hotel keeper comes from Boniface, the innkeeper in The Beaux' Stratagem written in 1707, by George Farquhar.
(18) View William's file at the National Archives of Australia https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=7372476
(19) You can see all the advertisements for applications and transferences for the Hotel licences in my Trove list, here.
(20) I assume he was a traveller as that was his occupation in 1928 according to the Electoral Rolls.
(21) Report of Tacke's committal trial was in The Argus, January 9, 1926, see here. Report of his death was in The Argus, September 10, 1927, see here.
(22) Their addresses are from the Electoral Rolls on Ancestry.com
(23) Death notices in The Age, May 16, 1939, see here. The names of his parents come from the Victorian Index to Births, Deaths and Marriages.
(24) Electoral Rolls on Ancestry.com. St Josephs Home in Northcote was operated by the Little Sisters of the Poor, read about it here https://heritage.darebinlibraries.vic.gov.au/article/342
(25) See footnote (4) regarding her date of birth. Fawkner Cemetery records https://www.gmct.com.au/our-locations/fawkner-memorial-park

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Diamond Hill

Diamond Hill was a location just out of Dandenong - the rise just over the railway crossing on today's South Gippsland Highway (1) or Cranbourne Road as it was called in the early days. It extended south to around Green's Road (2) (or Green's Lane as this road was originally called). This post looks at some references to Diamond Hill in books and newspapers.

We'll start with why the area was called Diamond Hill and this seems to be unknown. Jean Uhl writes this in her book Call Back Yesterday: Eumemmerring Parish (3) - The name Diamond Hill is obscure and obviously no great wealth from precious stones was ever forthcoming from that area although today the Drive-In Theatre at old Diamond Hill no doubt makes a good profit from its patrons. Diamond Hill and Prospect Hill were both identifiable addresses in the past, though Prospect Hill near Hallam is not to be confused with the hill so called in Dandenong because of the "Prospect" looking from the hill down over the township (4).

A Splendid Orchard and Vegetable garden to lease at Diamond Hill, 1879.

South Bourke & Mornington Journal, August 27, 1879   https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/70012300 

Mrs Uhl also writes this about Diamond Hill - There was also the short-lived Diamond Hill Brick Company which was located where the giants General Motors-Holden, Heinz and International Harvester Company stand four-square to the winds of change near Diamond Hill with more material success to their shareholders than the Brick Company ever produced. It seems strange that the reason given for the collapse of the Brick Company was that the clay was unsuitable; someone blundered with the new type of kiln, evidently never going into the pros and cons of the industry, for it is in this very area that a clay pit is still being worked by the Ordish Firebrick Company Pty Ltd., founded over 100 years ago and the Centennial Brick Company managed to last for thirty years and gave employment to over 50 men in the 1880's (5).

There was a Civil Court case involving the Diamond Hill Bricks Works in June 1892 between the owner of the land on which the brick works were located and members of the Syndicate who owned the Company, you can read about it here. This wasn't the first time the Company was in the news as the August 1891 the Secretary and the Treasurer of the Diamond Hill Brick Works were charged with forging and uttering. Read a report of the Court case here.

33 acres of choice land for sale at Diamond Hill, 1880.

South Bourke & Mornington Journal March 17, 1880 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/70016621

In 2009, the Dandenong & District Historical Society published Jack Johnson's memories of Dandenong - When the Clock strikes: Growing up in the rural market town of Dandenong (6). Jack was born in 1929 and he mentions Diamond Hill and also talks about brick works - Three of the early brickmakers were Mr Handley in the Macrae Street area, Mr Hobbs in the Pultney Street area and Mr Northey (7) at the back area of the Diamond Hill property on Cranbourne Road (8). 

The clay pits at Mr Northey's Diamond Hill Brick Works were all in the area around the unmade end of Kirkham Road where it crossed Frankston Road and about where the junction of the Gippsland and South Gippsland rail lines are today. Its boundaries were Cranbourne Road, Princes Highway and Frankston Road. This brickmaking plant was operating over thirty years before the rail lines were laid in 1878/79. The Diamond Hill homestead was next to the Gippsland rail line at 78 Cranbourne Road. There was also a small granite quarry at the back of the hill. It was on this property that Mr Garnar was killed by a bull (9).

After the war, one of the first factories to be built on the Diamond Hill site in Cranbourne Road was the South Australian Rubber Factory. Another early factory, built at the back of this farm facing Frankston Road, was the Commonwealth Engineering Works. They built rolling stock for the Victorian Railways and today go by the name Bombardier (10).

Mrs Uhl wrote - This locality of Diamond Hill saw many of Eumemmerring's early settlers who considered it to be a suitable and pleasant area to live (11). Amongst these settlers was the Garnar family, mentioned by Jack Johnston. The Garnar family arrived in Dandenong area in 1854. James Garnar had a farrier's business on Pound Road and in 1857 moved into Dandenong and operated a shoeing forge. His sons, James and Edward, continued in the business and added a wheelwright and undertaking business (12). Around 1894 they sold most of the business and retired to one of their properties at Diamond Hill, still carrying on the business of undertakers (13). The Garnar family operated the Funeral Directors business until it was sold to Le Pine in 1950 (14). The aforementioned Edward Garnar, sold his share of the business to his brother and went to live on his paddock of 400 acres on the Cranbourne and Pound roads, where he resided until a few weeks before his death, when he was removed to his sister-in-law's residence for better attention, he being a bachelor, and living alone in his little house (15). His death took place at the residence of his sister-in-law, Mrs J. W. Garner, Diamond Hill, Dandenong on February 6, 1914 (16).

The death of Edward and James' mother, Christina, at Diamond Hill in 1889.

South Bourke & Mornington Journal, June 19, 1889   https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/70395700

Edward's sister-in-law, was Margaret Garnar, nee Carriss, who died in August 1946. Her husband, the late James W. Garnar, pre-deceased her 33 years ago, at “Hothamville,” Cranbourne Rd., Diamond Hill, the old home in which her family of one son and six daughters were all born and reared. They are: William J. (Dandenong), Madge (Mrs. Leppitt), Alice (Mrs. Taylor), Nellie (Mrs. Rawlings), Florence (Mrs. Sainsbury), Elsie (Mrs.Blain), and Hilda (17). It was Margaret's husband, James, who was killed by the bull, as mentioned by Jack Johnson (18).

Other interesting facts about Diamond Hill -

John Hemmings, a carpenter, constructed Richard Ellis' store in 1860 in Langhorne Street the timber being cut and sawn on Diamond Hill (19).

In April 1915, Diamond Hill was the scene of a fatal accident - On Saturday the Coroner inspected the scene of the fatal accident at the level crossing on Green's-lane, at Diamond Hill, near Dandenong, in which Mrs. Dowsett was killed. Mr. Dowsett is suffering from severe shock and fractured ribs (20).

In June 1917, there was another fatal railway accident at the Diamond Hill Railway Crossing, which I feel would have been the crossing on the South Gipplsland Highway - We regret very much to chronicle the death of Mr John Holly, nursery man, of Mornington Junction, which took place on Thursday afternoon at Nurse Campbell's private hospital, Thomas street, Dandenong, from the result of a railway accident, sustained at the Diamond Hill railway crossing, on Tuesday evening, May 29, at about 6 p.m. (21).

On a light hearted note, in 1918, a farm at Diamond Hill produced a perfect pumpkin - A very fine sample of Turk's Cap pumpkin, of perfect symmetry, is on view at the Club hotel, Dandenong, where a guessing competition as to its weight is in progress, in aid of the funds of the Alfred Hospital. We don't want to tell you the exact weight of the "pump," but it is somewhere between 251bs and 35 lbs. It was grown by Mr Alex Haslett, manager for Major Wilson,"Brackenhurst," Diamond Hill, Dandenong, The guesses are only 3d each, and the winner gets the cap (22).

The last mention of Diamond Hill I could find was in 1956 (23), but now it seems to have disappeared, as has any sign of the Diamond Hill Brick Works, the Garnar home where James and Margaret raised their seven children and Alex Haslett's pumpkin patch.

Trove list - I have created a list of articles on Trove connected to Diamond Hill, which includes references to other settlers. Access the list, here.

Footnotes
(1) Reminiscences of Early Dandenong by G.F.R. (Dandenong & District Historical Society, 1992), footnote p. 17. G.F. R was George Fenton Roulston, who originally published his book in 1935.
(2) The  Age, April 23, 1915, see here and The Age April 27, 1915, see here.
(3) Uhl, Jean Call Back Yesterday: Eumemmerring Parish (Lowden Publishing, 1972)
(4) Uhl, op. cit., pp. 89-90
(5) Uhl, op. cit., p. 89.
(6) Johnson, Jack When the Clock strikes: Growing up in the rural market town of Dandenong (Dandenong & District Historical Society, 2009).
(7) Mr Northey, this may possibly by Mr Northway, who is referred to in Reminiscences of Early Dandenong on page 79.
(8) Johnson, op. cit., p. 201.
(9) Johnson, op. cit., pp. 201-202
(10) Johnson, op. cit., p. 202
(11) Uhl, op. cit., p. 73.
(12) Edward Garnar's obituary in the Dandenong Advertiser, February 12, 1914, see here and Reminiscences of Early Dandenong, pp. 34-35.  I haven't found out when Edward Senior, dies. His wife Frances Christina (nee Tilney) died in 1889 aged 76. Their son Edward died 1914, aged 72 and their other son, James William Garnar, died in 1913 aged 62.
(13) Dandenong Advertiser, February 12, 1914, see here
(14) https://dandenong.starcommunity.com.au/news/2017-12-04/new-lease-on-life/
(15) Dandenong Advertiser, February 12, 1914, see here
(16) Dandenong Advertiser, February 12, 1914, see here
(17) Dandenong Journal, August 7, 1946, see here.

(18) South Bourke & Mornington Journal, March 27, 1913, see here.
(19) Reminiscences of Early Dandenong, op.cit., p. 30
(20) The Age April 27, 1915, see here.
(21) Dandenong Advertiser, June 7, 1917, see here.
(22) Dandenong Advertiser, March 28, 1918, see here.
(23) The Argus, February 13, 1956, see here.

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Narre Warren East wants to change its name

Narre Warren East is just over the border from the City of Casey in the Shire of Yarra Ranges. It was previously part of the Shire of Fern Tree Gully / Sherbrooke (1). Narre Warren East is located off Wellington Road in the Berwick Road and Mountain Flat, Edebohls and Haysey Roads vicinity. In the late 1950s, Helen Coulson, in her book Story of the Dandenongs (2) wrote the following about Narre Warren East -

Narre Warren East, known originally as Muddy Creek, is a rural hamlet boasting only a school, hall, sports ground and store. The Muddy Creek, a stream of crystal clear water which traverses the area, derived its name from the fact that in the early days horses crossing the stream in winter were often covered in mud up to their bellies, Few changes - except in ownership - have occurred in the district since 1839, when cattle from the Monbulk run roamed the poor-type scrubby country, in the vicinity of Mountain Flat Road. In the early days one or two well defined tracks run through the district, the best known of these being the old road to the Emerald Diggings, which crossed the Eumemmerring, Muddy and Cardinia Creeks en route to Emerald, following roughly the route of present Old Emerald (Westland) Road.

Some 55 years ago Muddy Creek boasted a post office, which was located at the home of E. Cunningham. It remained in service for only two or three years and letters were then delivered by the contractor carrying mail from Narre Warren to Macclesfield. The district once possessed a church (3), which was erected about 1907 and remained in use for 20 years. The small Church of England congregation was served by the clergyman stationed at Emerald and today the arbitrary manner in which the district was deprived of its church still rankles with some old-timers. Almost overnight the building was sold for £35 and spirited away to Springvale. About 1921 (4) the Muddy Creek (now Narre Warren East) School was erected on a site adjoining the church. [School had previously operated in the Church Hall]

The Narre Warren East hall was erected in 1926 (5) and compulsorily acquired by the Council at the request of the committee in 1951.

A picnic ground of two acres, adjoining the Muddy Creek, was purchased by the Council in 1924 and named Kerr Park in honour of R.H. Kerr (6). In 1947 A.R. A'Beckett (7) gave to the Narre Warren East Progress Association a lease in perpetuity of some 7 acres of Kalora Park for use as a sports ground, in a fulfilment of a promise made to that body by his father, W.G. A'Beckett. In 1949, under threat of compulsory acquisition, A.R. A'Beckett sold this land and the adjoining three acres to the Fern Tree Gully Shire Council, which was anxious to secure tenure for all time by outright ownership, and the area is known as A'Beckett Park in honour of this pioneer family (8).

As Mrs Coulson has written, Narre Warren East began life as Muddy Creek. In 1946 the name of the town was again an issue for discussion. A meeting of residents was held was held on October 11, 1946. They apparently felt that there were too many Narre Warrens and they were too far from Narre Warren proper - the town at the Railway Station.

Meeting to change the name of Narre Warren East

Dandenong Journal October 2, 1946 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/214795742

The meeting decided that Melville, Pendrill or Lyndisfarme were better alternatives to Narre Warren East. I cannot find any connection between these names and the local area. None of them are listed in Mrs Coulson's extensive index as either surnames or property names. The names were submitted to the Post Office for approval, according to this article from the Dandenong Journal, below. Either the names were not approved or the residents went cold on the idea, because it is still called Narre Warren East today.

New names for Narre Warren East

Dandenong Journal October 23, 1946  http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article214796145

Footnotes

(1) In 1963 the Shire of Fern Tree Gully split and the Shire of Knox was formed on  November 16 (it became a City on July 4, 1969)  The remains of the Shire of Fern Tree Gully were renamed Shire of Sherbrooke and this was announced in the Victorian Government Gazette of  December 23, 1964.  

(2) Coulson, Helen Story of the Dandenongs, 1838-1958 (Cheshire 1959), p. 246-247

(3) The Church was called St Mungos.

(4) The State School No. 3719, opened in February 1912, in the Anglican Church Hall. It initially operated half time with Menzies Creek, No. 2457, but they both became full-time in 1914. In February 1921, a new school building was erected. Source: Vision & Realisation

(5) The Hall was opened on November 30, 1928, by Sir George Knox, M.L.A.

Opening of the Narre Warren East Hall

Dandenong Journal November 29, 1928  http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article200678402

(6) R.H. Kerr - Robert Hart Kerr. His father, Hamill Kerr arrived in the area around 1869, his property was called Aura and was adjacent to Kerr's Lane (source: Coulson Story of the Dandenongs) Robert Kerr was a Councillor of the Fern Tree Gully Council for over 30 years and was also a Councilor at Dandenong Shire. He died October 1944, read his obituary in The Argus of October 27, 1944, here.

(7) A.R. A'Beckett - Arthur Richard  Walstab A'Beckett (1914 - 2004) was the son of  William Gilbert A'Beckett (1864 -1941) and his wife Gertrude Walstab (1880 - 1962). William Gilbert A'Beckett was the son of William Arthur Callandar A'Beckett, M.L.C., J.P. (1833-1901). 

(8) Coulson, op. cit pp 246-247

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