Monday, 14 August 2023

Villa Mar (Villa Maria) Beaconsfield

Villa Maria, Beaconsfield

 



Figure 1: Private Donor, Villa Maria verandah, Myli Local History Archive.

Early Owners of the Land:

The land on which Villa Maria (also known as Villa Mar) rests on is traditionally recognized as belonging to the Bunurong People of the Eastern Kulin nation.

After European colonization, the area we now know as Beaconsfield was once called ‘Little Berwick[1].’ The land which surrounds the Villa was once leased out as a pastoral run named Panty Gurn Gurn. In the Upper Beaconsfield Early History, C.W Wilson sites the first European owner of the land as C.F Jackson. The property then passed to Thomas Jackson in the 1840s and to William Bowman in 1850 before David Bowman was given preemptive right in 1853[2].

The Cardinia Heritage Study reports that a C.F Henry who owned land next to Panty Gurn Gurn requested Lots 34 and 35 were removed from the run[3]. In the 1870s the O’Neil siblings acquired lots of land surrounding Panty Gurn Gurn. From 1878, maps indicate an E. O’Neil occupying Lot 53, M. O’Neil in Lot 34, and John O’Neil holding lot 54.

It is thought that David Bowman’s slab and bark hut was built around the area where the current Villa Mar is located[4]. This historical map overlay of the run viewed on the Public Records Office of Victoria’s Map Warper shows a public house on the north-west corner of the property, and an old hut on the lower eastern boundary near the current Glismann Road. Another hut is also mentioned in Michael O’Neil’s probate record. You can also read more about Michael's death here, after being kicked in an altercation at the old Gippsland Hotel.



Figure 2: Overlay of map of Panty Gurn Gurn and Beaconsfield today from PROV Map Warper, PROV



Figure 3: Overlay of map of allotments in 1878 from PROV’s Map Warper, PROV

This map overlayed with a current map of Beaconsfield today shows property holders from 1878 in the County of Mornington indicates Villa Mar is located on Michael’s old Lot. O’Neil Road, named after the family in 1879[5], runs directly through Michael’s old property, through the northern boundary into John’s property before running through the north-east corner into an M. Officer’s land. Located just off O’Neil’s road on Michael’s property is Villa Mar Rise, where the Villa is located today.

Interestingly, rate books from 1876 and 1877 list Lots 53, 54 and 34 in Pakenham Riding as being under John O’Neil’s name, despite the above maps. Below are images from the 1876 rate book.





Another map found on Upper Beaconsfield History, presumably dated to after 1879 and most likely after 1880 due to the presence of O’Neil Road lists John as the executor of Michael O’Neil’s estate[6]. Michael actually appears to have passed in 1874, the same year as his mother Catherine, with John passing in 1852. Their memorial was erected at Berwick Cemetery[7]. Michael’s probate directs the property be left to his two brothers, John and William. The 174 acre property held a wattle and daub hut of two rooms[8]. In John’s probate of 1882, in which Elizabeth Savage is listed as committed, we can see John holds two properties, one of which has a wattle and daub hut of 5 rooms, while the other has no hut. Edward Savage, Elizabeth’s husband is listed as executor. After their deaths, the property was apparently gifted to the Sisters of Charity.

C.W Wilson[9] states that a William Brisbane requested a road be placed running through O’Neil property. Elizabeth Savage (nee O’Neil) consented, on the provision the road was named O’Neil road. This William Brisbane may be the same W. Brisbane that occupied several selections north and north east of the O’Neil properties, with O’Neil Road running directly to two properties listed under his name (Lots 70, 77 and 64)[10].

In 1878 and 1879 Rate Books it appears a William Sanderson was renting the lots off of John. Below is an image from the 1878 Rate Books.



From 1880, the properties are occupied by Mrs Savage (Elizabeth O’Neil, but still under John’s name. See below the rate book for 1880.



The properties are then list John as the proprietor in 1881, 1882, 1883. See below for 1881.



By 1880, Beaconsfield was seeing further development, with the Panty Gurn Gurn estate being subdivided[11]. After this year John O’Neil disappears from the rate books with his apparent passing in 1852. Lots 34, 53, 54 are now under an Francis E(?) Stewart, a banker from 1884. See below for the 1883-1884 rate book.



In 1888/1889 rate books F. Stewart appears again as occupier of lot 34, Michael O’Neil’s old lot. See below.



I do believe Stewart may have been renting the property, as from 1900 on Edward and Elizabeth Savage (the sister of John and Michael) are listed as owners of the land. See below.



Elizabeth passed sometime in 1916, and her probate lists properties held.







The last snippet mentions her inheriting her ‘brothers’ estates.’ Further, lot 34 is listed as:



Figure 4: Elizabeth Savage’s probate and will, PROV.

In her will, she gifts a number of assets to the Roman Catholic Church upon her husband’s death, due to the Villa already existing by this point, it is most likely the Elizabeth and Edward were allowing the use of the property even before Elizabeth’s death.

 

Villa Maria/St Vincent’s Rest Home

In 1913, several articles in The Advocate mention a Villa Maria Convalescent Home in Beaconsfield being run by the Sisters of Charity having been opened, with one stating the home opened a year past.



Figure 5: The Advocate, Villa Maria, 7 June 1913, TROVE


 

Figure 6: the Advocate, Visit to Villa Maria, Beaconsfield, 7 June 1913, TROVE

In 1915, The Advocate noted that the property had been purchased by St Vincent’s hospital with the Sisters of Charity administering a home for poor convalescents. Dubbed Villa Maria, and also known as St Vincent’s Rest Home, the newly constructed building had numerous modern amenities including gas, hot and cold water, and sewage.


 

Figure 7: The Advocate, St Vincent’s Rest Home, 20 February 1915, TROVE

The home proved popular, with some 86 patients having attended[12], however the distance from Melbourne proved to be too great and the home closed in 1916 only to open again as a pensioner rest home under the name Villa Maria, run by Miss Ethel Roper.[13]



Figure 8: The Advocate, Villa Maria, Beaconsfield, 14 October 1916, TROVE

In 1931, Rev. W.P. Hackett led a retreat for laymen.


 

Figure 9: The Advocate, Retreats for Laymen, 16 April 1931, TROVE

Alexander S. Thomas and Rose G. Irvine purchased the property in the 1960s and continued to run it as a rest home[14]. During the 1960s the property had shrunk to around 4 acres in size and in in 2005 the property was sold and is currently a private residence[15].

 

Architecture:

The Cardinia Shire (North) Heritage Study: Heritage Places describes the building (est. 1890s) as being “…a Federation Bungalow styled farm house sited at the top of a hill and concealed by a mature garden and trees reached by a long drive from a picketed entrance… The complex includes an Edwardian-era weatherboard former rest home with a corrugated iron room, 12 bedrooms, a kitchen, dining room, a former chapel and two bathrooms. There is also a smaller contemporary house at the rear with three bedrooms and a veranda which was reputedly once used by the priests and another cottage once occupied by the farm manager. ”[16]

 

Figure 11: Private Donor, Villa Mar Driveway, Myli Local History Archive.



Figure 12: Private Donor, Villa Maria (building on the left original Cobb & Co. Coach house),Myli Local History Archive.



The Fedaration style bungalow building boasts original joinery and ceiling details and the unique architecture including the interior chapel, interior courtyard (a significant architectural feature) surrounded by twelve bedrooms hearkens back to the building’s original purpose[17]. This floorplan, donated by a private donor to Myli’s Local History archive gives an idea of the layout of the main building.



 Figure 13: Private Donor, Villa Maria Floorplan, Myli Local History Archive.



Figure 14: Private Donor, Interior courtyard, Myli Local History Archive.

 



Figure 15: Private Donor, Interior of Villa Maria, Myli Local History Archive.



Figure 16: Front door of Villa Maria currently with the original stain glass window, 2023, Private Collection

The building is also featured on the Cardinian Embroidery, on display permanently at the Cardinia Cultural Centre.


[1] Hicks, P., 1988, Berwick Pakenham Corridor Historical Survey

[2] Wilson, C.W, 2013, Upper Beaconsfield: an early history

[3] Graeme Butler & Associates, 1996, Cardinia Shire Heritage Study: Volume 3 Heritage Places

[4] Wilson, C.W, 2013, Upper Beaconsfield: an early history

[5] Graeme Butler & Associates, 1996, Cardinia Shire Heritage Study: Volume 3 Heritage Places

[6] Unknown creator, c.1870s, Parish of Pakenham, from Marianne Rocke (comp.), Residents of Upper Beaconsfield and Surrounding Areas, https://www.upperbeaconsfieldhistory.au/land.htm

[9] Wilson, C.W, 2013, Upper Beaconsfield: an early history

[10] Unknown creator, c.1870s, Parish of Pakenham, from Marianne Rocke (comp.), Residents of Upper Beaconsfield and Surrounding Areas, https://www.upperbeaconsfieldhistory.au/land.htm

[11] Unknown Creator, 1880, Plan of the town of Beaconsfield or East Berwick, courtesy State Library of Victoria, identifier: 1586449, https://viewer.slv.vic.gov.au/?entity=IE15455272&mode=browse

[12] Graeme Butler & Associates, 1996, Cardinia Shire Heritage Study: Volume 3 Heritage Places

[13] Graeme Butler & Associates, 1996, Cardinia Shire Heritage Study: Volume 3 Heritage Places

[14] Friends of the Cardinian Embroidery, 2006, Cardinian Embroidery

[15] Friends of the Cardinian Embroidery, 2006, Cardinian Embroidery

[16] Graeme Butler & Associates, 1996, Cardinia Shire Heritage Study: Volume 3 Heritage Places

[17] Heritage Council Victoria, 2023, Villa Maria, Victorian Heritage Database, https://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/places/30156


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