City of Casey Civic Memorabilia Collection

Early in 2020, the City of Casey Civic Memorabilia Collection was formed. The collection, which numbers 800 objects in total, tells the story of the development of City of Casey. All objects have social, historical and cultural significance to the current and past local government entities in the region, including the Shire of Berwick and Cranbourne.

The objects include purchased, created, awarded, or gifted items, including artworks, ceremonial, armorial, commemorative, development, sport and community objects. From the 1970s, the City of Casey displayed many of these objects in their council building at Narre Warren. When the council moved offices, to Bunjil Place in 2017, the decision was made to take the collection off display. Once the council offices in Narre Warren were closed, the collection was documented and put into storage.
Portrait of Lord Casey. System ID: 1361.

Berwick Sister City Commemorative Plate. System ID: 1223.

All objects remained in storage until 2019, when the City of Casey commenced a project to catalogue the items to make them accessible to the outside world. Currently, around 124 items are available to view through the online catalogue. The City of Casey has indicated that it intends to add more objects to this collection in the future, when adequate research can be completed into the remaining collection items.

Edwin Flack Statuette. System ID: 1326.

Old Cheese Factory, Berwick. System ID: 1434.

Wilson Botanic Park, Berwick. System ID: 1368.

There are quite a few objects depicting Lord Casey, the Berwick sister City programs with Berwick-Upon-Tweed and Springfield, Ohio, the Edwin Flack games available for viewing on the site. There is also a notable collection of artworks which display historical buildings throughout the City of Casey.

You can peruse the collection via the Civil Memorabilia Collection website.


Written by Kate Davis, CCLC.

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Historic Post Offices - Part 4: Old Shire of Berwick - in the hills

As part of the 2021 Casey Cardinia Heritage Festival, Patrick Ferry gave an interesting talk about local history resources in the National Archives’ collection. A key resource Patrick highlighted was series B5919 – Master Set of Post Office Photographs (1901 - ). This series of historical photographs was originally assembled by Australia Post’s museum in Melbourne and later transferred to the National Archives. The photographs have been digitized and are available via “Record Search” on the National Archives website: www.naa.gov.au.

We recorded Patrick's talk and you can see it here on our You Tube channel - https://youtu.be/vfJjZ2iYSo0

In this post we will show you the Post Offices from the the old Shire of Berwick, located in the hills. In the first post we show all the Post Offices on the Koo Wee Rup Swamp and surrounds (see here) and in the second post we look at the Post Offices in the old Shire of Cranbourne (see here). In the third post we look at the Post Offices from the old Shire of Berwick, located along the Highway or Railway line (see here).

Beaconsfield Upper Post Office

National Archives of Australia B5919, 155 Item ID 6528495

Cockatoo Post Office

National Archives of Australia B5919, 531 Item ID 6528871

Emerald Post Office

Emerald was part of the Shire of Sherbrook, not Berwick.

National Archives of Australia B5919, 636 Item ID 6528977

Emerald Post Office - showing more of the streetscape.

National Archives of Australia B5919, 636 Item ID 6528977

Gembrook Post Office, 1978

National Archives of Australia B5919, 741 Item ID 6529084

Gembrook Post Office, 1983

National Archives of Australia B5919, 741 Item ID 6529084

Guys Hill Post Office

National Archives of Australia B5919, 843 Item ID 6529188

Harkaway Post Office, 1970

National Archives of Australia B5919, 860 Item ID 9515005

Maryknoll Post Office

National Archives of Australia B5919, 1247 Item ID 9515391

Mount Burnett Post Office, 1970

National Archives of Australia B5919, 1449 Item ID 9515592

Nar Nar Goon North Post Office, 1970

National Archives of Australia B5919, 1532 Item ID 9515675

Narre Warren North Post Office, 1968

National Archives of Australia B5919, 1538 Item ID 9515681

Pakenham Upper Post Office, 1976.

Incorrectly listed as Packenham Upper at the NAA.

National Archives of Australia B5919, 1655 Item ID 9515798

Pakenham Upper Post Office, 1976. 

I assume the Post Office was down the side of the General Store.

National Archives of Australia B5919, 1655 Item ID 9515798

The Post shows the Post Offices from the the old Shire of Berwick, located in the hills.  In the first post we show all the Post Offices on the Koo Wee Rup Swamp and surrounds (see here) and in the second post we look at the Post Offices in the old Shire of Cranbourne (see here).  In the third post we look at the Post Offices from the old Shire of Berwick, located along the Highway or Railway line (see here).  

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Historic Post Offices - Part 3: Old Shire of Berwick - along the Highway or Railway line

As part of the 2021 Casey Cardinia Heritage Festival, Patrick Ferry gave an interesting talk about local history resources in the National Archives’ collection. A key resource Patrick highlighted was series B5919 – Master Set of Post Office Photographs (1901 - ). This series of historical photographs was originally assembled by Australia Post’s museum in Melbourne and later transferred to the National Archives. The photographs have been digitized and are available via “Record Search” on the National Archives website: www.naa.gov.au. 

We recorded Patrick's talk and you can see it here on our You Tube channel - https://youtu.be/vfJjZ2iYSo0

In this post we will show you the Post Offices, along the Highway or Railway line in the old Shire of Berwick. Not every Post Office was photographed, for instance the Hallam Post Office is not the collection. In the first post we show all the Post Offices on the Koo Wee Rup Swamp and surrounds, including Nar Nar Goon, Tynong, Garfield and Bunyip (see here) and in the second post we look at the Post Offices in the old Shire of Cranbourne (see here).  In the fourth post we look at the Post Offices from the old Shire of Berwick, located in the Hills (see here). Many of the photographs  were taken around 50 years ago, back in the days when Narre Warren, Berwick and Pakenham were still country towns.

Beaconsfield Post Office, 1968

National Archives of Australia B5919, 154 Item ID 6528494

Berwick Post Office.

Berwick Post Office is identical to those built at Donald and Murtoa.

I have written about them, here.

National Archives of Australia B5919, 215 Item ID 6528555

Berwick Post Office, a later image than the one above.

National Archives of Australia B5919, 215 Item ID 6528555

Doveton Post Office, 1966

National Archives of Australia B5919, 601 Item ID 6528942

Narre Warren Post Office

National Archives of Australia B5919, 1537 Item ID 9515679

Officer Post Office

National Archives of Australia B5919, 1633 Item ID 9515776

Pakenham Post Office, located in Main Street. 

Originally known as Pakenham East Post office, this building is identical to the one at Elwood. 

I have written about them here.

Incorrectly listed as Packenham at the NAA.

National Archives of Australia B5919, 1652 Item ID 9515795

Pakenham Post Office, Main Street, a later photo than the one, above.

Incorrectly listed as Packenham at the NAA.

National Archives of Australia B5919, 1652 Item ID 9515795

Pakenham Post Office, Main Street.

Incorrectly listed as Packenham at the NAA.

National Archives of Australia B5919, 1652 Item ID 9515795

Pakenham Post Office on the Highway.

Incorrectly listed as Packenham at the NAA.

National Archives of Australia B5919, 1652 Item ID 9515795

In this post we show Post Offices, along the Highway or Railway line in the old Shire of Berwick. In the first post we show all the Post Offices on the Koo Wee Rup Swamp and surrounds (see here) and in the second post we look at the Post Offices in the old Shire of Cranbourne (see here). In the fourth post we look at the Post Offices from the old Shire of Berwick, located in the Hills (see here).

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Miss Beatrice Thomas - Berwick Shire Secretary

The Dandenong Journal reported on January 23, 1952 that Miss Beatrice (Trixie) Thomas had been appointed as the Berwick Shire Secretary. Miss Thomas (1901- 1997) had been employed by the Shire for 27 years and had been acting as the Assistant Secretary for 'some time'  Miss Thomas was the daughter of Albert Thomas, who founded  the Pakenham Gazette in 1909 and the sister of Herb Thomas, who took over the paper from his father. Miss Thomas followed Mr K. A. McKay in the role, who had served  for four years and resigned in December 1951. Keith McKay had taken over from the long serving James Joseph Ahern who was in the role from 1906 until he retired December 1947.

Dandenong Journal January  23 1952

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article222356811

Clearly, Miss Thomas was well qualified for the position,  however the Returned Soldiers League (RSL) and the Pakenham Upper Progress Association protested against the appointment as the newspaper article from the Dandenong Journal of  February 27, 1952 reported (see below). I have transcribed some of the article - the full article can be read here.

Dandenong Journal  February 27, 1952

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article222357570

CHALLENGED FROM TWO QUARTERS over its failure to give preference to returned servicemen in its recent appointment of a new Shire Secretary, Berwick Shire Council last week replied that the appointment had been made in the best interests of returned soldiers. Chief defendant of council’s action was Cr. C. Greaves, himself a returned man, who said he was very happy over the appointment, but he did compliment the two organisations who had raised the matter, because it showed their vigilance - and vigilance was necessary if preference was to be preserved.
EMPHATIC PROTEST
Pakenham Upper Progress Association forwarded an emphatic protest against the departure from the principle of preference to ex-servicemen in the appointment of Shire Secretary.
R.S.L. ASKS FOR REASONS
Pakenham Branch R.S.L. asked that council inform them of its reasons for departure from the
established policy of extending preference to returned service men in the recent appointment. Members of the branch desired to know how many returned service men made application for the
position, and, if any, what were their qualifications and experience in municipal administration. Click here to read the rest of the article.

One month later, the R.S.L. requested more information from the Council about the appointment. Read the full article in the Dandenong Journal of March 26, 1952 here.

Dandenong Journal  March 26 1952

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article222358110

PAKENHAM RSL PERSISTS IN PREFERENCE PROBE
Feeling that the Berwick Council had not given the information it asked for at its last meeting over

the appointment of a non-returned service secretary, Pakenham R.S.L. last week repeated its request for this information: “How many returned servicemen applied for the position? What were

their qualifications?”, it asked. It is getting the information it sought, but not before several brushes between councillors not over any desire to withhold the information but over the claim of some councillors that they had been in favor of giving the information in the first place, but couldn’t get support. This was challenged.  

Cr Houlihan said he felt the R.S.L. was entitled to this information. Their purpose was to watch the interests of the returned servicemen and they couldn’t do this unless they had the information. When the advertisement  appeared one clause in it was “Preference to Returned Soldiers.” There were 22 applicants for the position, but no one outside the committee of the council knew whether any returned soldier was included or not. Pakenham R.S.L. had been placed in a very awkward position. They were responsible to the League to see that preference was given to returned soldiers in their district. “They do know”, proceeded Cr. Houlihan”, that the secretary who was appointed is not a returned soldier although our advertisement stated that preference would be given to returned soldiers. And while I’m in this council I hope to see that preference is given to returned servicemen, or an opinion voiced in support of that policy. ... I feel that the branch is entitled to this information so that they can take proper action. Cr. Houlihan moved that the information be supplied.

Seconding this motion, Cr. Greaves claimed that he had tried to get a more adequate reply in the first place.

There was some support for Miss Thomas -  Cr. Kinsella  said -  I feel this matter has gone far enough. I came to this council table with one purpose only - and that is to get  the best service  possible for the ratepayers. I took the action in moving as I did in furtherance of that policy and I was supported by 10 councillors. I  have nothing against telling the R.S.L. what it wants to know. Certainly tell them. I would say that ’when the position became vacant we should have appointed Miss Thomas there and then if that was our intention. We can’t appoint a member of the staff unless it is unanimous'. 'I may-be wrong', proceeded Cr. Kinsella, but I believe that for a returned soldier to serve this council he would have to have qualities at least equal with one who has given this council long and loyal service and who has nothing against them. I would always support the appointment of one whom I believe, rightly or wrongly, has served this shire well. ... I do object to councillors now getting up and saying they said things they definitely did not say when this matter first came before council.

Read the full article here

The controversy was still raging a month later when the Dandenong Journal had  a 'vox pop' on the issue.

Dandenong Journal  April 22 1952

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article23175326

The dispute that has thrown Berwick and Pakenham into two camps - whether Miss Beatrice Thomas should be Shire Secretary was settled at the Berwick Shire Council meeting yesterday. But the result is a closely guarded secret. Cr. A. G. Robinson, Shire President, said 'Miss Thomas's appointment was made with the full approval of council' 

Mr. Vernon Clark, Pakenham R. S. L. branch honorary secretary,who wants an ex-serviceman appointed, was not admitted to the meeting. Mr Clark will seek the advice of a Queen's Counsel on whether the Council violated it's agreement to grant preference to returned servicemen. 

Shire residents yesterday supported Mr Clark's protest.

Mr. L. C. Futcher, Pakenham shopkeeper, said:  'Rejection of the promises made to returned servicemen is a thing that should be stopped before it spreads to other Councils and other employees'.

Miss Alma Lang of Berwick:  'I have two brothers who went right through the War, so I'll always stick up for servicemen'.

Miss Joyce Berry, cook, at Berwick Hospital: 'How can we  expect men to join up for the next War if those who fought in the last one aren't given a fair go'.

Misses Evande Trebilen and Pat Fritzlaff, Berwick dressmakers:  'The Shire Secretary's job is a man's job whether he's a returned soldier or not'.

The Dandenong Journal of May 21, 1952 published another article on the issue, this time reporting on some support Miss Thomas was receiving from a number of high profile women's groups.

Dandenong Journal  May 21 1952 

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article222359127

WOMEN RALLY TO DEFENCE OF BERWICK'S SHIRE SECRETARY

Counterblast To R.S.L.'s Protest.

The women are not taking the R.S.L’s. protest against the appointment of Miss Beatrice Thomas, as Berwick Shire Secretary in preference to an ex-serviceman, lying down. At Monday’s meeting, no less than five letters were received by council, congratulating it on having appointed Miss Thomas, and urging it to stand its ground.

The National Council of Women wrote: 'We desire to express to the President and the members of council our appreciation of your action in not allowing any discrimination on the grounds of sex to

prevent you from appointing the most suitable applicant for the position'.

Dr Janet P. Cooper of Albert Park, wrote: 'Having read of your selecting Miss Thomas as Shire Secretary, I am pleased to congratulate you on recognising her service and ability. While fully appreciating and remembering what we all owe to the ex-service people, there are situations when the ratepayers are entitled to the most efficient service'.

'The League of Women Voters of Victoria congratulate your Shire Council on having appointed as Shire Secretary, your very experienced officer, Miss Thomas’ wrote the president of that organisation. 'The officers and members hope that, in spite of any protests that may be made you will continue to employ Miss Thomas in that position, and to enjoy her services, which after 25 years experience, must be entirely adequate'.

Expressing concern at the press statement made by an R.S.L. representative, 'That we will oppose the appointment of a woman as Shire Secretary', the Women’s Christian Temperance Union of Victoria, wrote: 'We feel that the appointment would not have been made unless the council is assured that the best interests of the shire would be served by this officer, and trust that your council will adhere to

the decision to make qualifications rather than sex, or other issues the basis of the appointment'.

Voicing their congratulations on the appointment the Business Professional Women’s Club

of Melbourne stated: 'This club considers that in the interests of the community, appointments

should made having regard only for the ability and experience of the candidates, and without discrimination because of sex'.

So what happened in the end? Miss Thomas retained her appointment and served the Shire of Berwick until she retired in 1966. She is pictured, above, with the 1965 Shire of Berwick Councillors and staff.

Miss Thomas (pictured)  was an inaugural member of the Historical Society of the Berwick Shire, formed in 1962 (now called the Berwick Pakenham Historical Society) - this is the original headquarters in John Street, Pakenham, built on land donated by Les Futcher, who was one of the locals who opposed Miss Thomas' appointment as Shire Secretary in 1952 (see 'vox pop' article, above)

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Shire of Berwick - Report to Ratepayers - 1968/1969

This is a copy of the 'Report to Ratepayers' produced by the Shire of Berwick for 1968/1969. The Shire had an estimated population of 30,000 and covered the area from Doveton all the way down the Railway line to Bunyip and the towns north of the Highway - Narre Warren North, Harkaway, Beaconsfield Upper, Cockatoo and Gembrook and south of the Highway - Cora Lynn and Iona. There were 14,450 voters on the roll and 15,500 rateable properties. The Shire of Berwick was split onto the City of Berwick and the Shire of Pakenham in October 1973 - you can read about the chronological development of Local Government in our area here.

This shows the old Berwick Post Office in Gloucester Avenue. The Centenary Celebrations would have commemorated 100 years since the proclamation of the Shire of Berwick in 1868. The Shire Office was located in Pakenham on the corner of Main Street and John Street.

List of Councillors.

Shire statistics and a some instructions on payments of Rates. Rates, of course, was considered one of the key tenets or '3 Rs' of Local Government - the other two being Roads and Rubbish. The photo is of Edrington at Berwick - the home of the then Governor General of Australia - Lord Casey.

List of mainly Road works carried out in 1968 - the major works were carried out in the Doveton Ward, this being the most populated and also the Riding or Ward that brought in the most Rates.

On the left is the continuation of the Plans for 1969 and the right page lists some of the services provided by the Council. 2080 tons of rubbish was collected the previous year, which was burnt at Beaconsfield.

List of Rubbish tips - back when they were called 'Rubbish tips' not 'Waste management centres'. On the right page is  a list of all the Infant Welfare Centres in the Shire.

A list of other Council services and the photo is of the new Gembrook Pre-School Centre.

 A few 'Points to Observe' - the photo is of the Doveton Swimming Centre.

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Sustenance Applications for the Shire of Berwick and the Shire of Cranbourne

The Public  Records Office of Victoria www.prov.vic.gov.au  has just received a series of  records consisting of the applications for sustenance administered by various Shires under the provisions of the Unemployment Relief (Administration) Act 1932. We are fortunate that the records cover the Shire of Berwick, the Shire of Cranbourne and the Shire of Dandenong.

According to the PROV blog the applications for Sustenance forms contain-
applicant name, place of birth, address, age, usual trade, marital status, out of employment details, particulars of children and dependents,  information regarding assets or income,  investigation notes regarding application and application support documentation such as statements of income. You can read the full blog post here and the blog provides the links to the records. Sadly, the records are not yet digitised so you will need to visit the PROV to see the records.

There are 231 applicants for the Shire of Cranbourne and only 46 for the Shire of Berwick. I am surprised that  there is such a discrepancy between the two sets of records as I would have thought that they would have had similar populations and thus a similar amount of applications. I don't have any population figures for 1932, but in 1944 the Shire of Cranbourne was 8022  in population and the Shire of Berwick was 9950.  Of all the applicants there were three women who applied in their own right -  Celia Brown,  Daphne Jean Dixon and  Meg Wilde. There were also two married couples - Henry and Beatrice Pedersen and C.T. and P. Priestley who applied.

Shire of Berwick Applicants (VPRS 17877)

ALLAN, John George Montgomery (Date of Birth 25/04/1888)  ALLSOP, Frank Henry  (1897) BAKER, Herbert Frank (31/12/1894) BAKER, William (1888)  BARNES, James  (1902) BICKNELL, Charles Richard  (15/01/1886)  BOOTH, William  (15/12/1904) BOULD, Walter  (14/10/1886) BROUGH, William  (1897) BROWN, Archie Edward  (1902) BROWN, Celia  (1870) BROWN, Cyril  (31/08/1895)   BROWN, John  (1905)   BUCK, Ronald Arthur (11/03/1912)
BUCKINGHAM, Thomas Leslie (1885)  CAMPBELL, Clyde  (1896) CAMPBELL, Eric (1900) CARR, George  (1904) CARROLL, Denis  (29/01/1907) CASLEY, James Henry  (1895)
CHILDS, Leo  CLANCY, George   CLARKE, Ernest  (1897) CLINCH, Edward  (1880) COBBLEDICK, Robert William  (1891)  COLE, Gordon Keith ( 07/12/1900) CORBIN, Edward Albert  (01/10/1906) CORRY, John  (1885)  COWAN, Frederick William CUMMINS, Michael Francis  (1873 or 1875) CURLEY, James T   DALTON, Arthur Lionel (30/08/1909)
D’ANDREA, Guido  (1902) DANIEL, William Walter  (1914)  DAWES, John Cedric  (20/02/1915) DAWSON, Thomas Richard  (26/09/1898)  DEAN, J.H. DIXON, Daphne Jean  (1906) DODD, Frank Crichton  (1878) DOWLING, Joseph Henry  (28/11/1875) DUNLOP, Robert  (01/08/1902) FELTHAM, Robert Courtney  (24/12/1908) FOUNTAIN, J.A. FOX, Frederick Samuel (22/04/1884) HYDE, Thomas Alfred (15/10/1895) ROGERS, Alfred  (21/02/1896) Shire of Cranbourne Applicants (VPRS 17876)

ADAMS, Frederick George (1870)   ADDERLEY, William James (02/05/1903)     AGNEW, Thomas James ( 02/11/1905)  AGOSTA, Francesco Frank (27/04/1904)  AKISTER, Norman ( 1903) ALEC, John  (1891)  ALLARD, John Charles  (06/07/1899)     ALLEN, William Robert (1905)   ALLSOP, Edward William John (1908) ALLSOP, Harold Victor  (10/07/1911) ANDREWS, Harry  (06/05/1916) ASTON, Herbert W  ( 1905)      AXFORD, William Douglas (1909)                           BAILEY, John Wier (1913)    BALCHIN, J.S.      BALFOUR, William Scott (21/06/1888)             BARTLETT, John (1897)    BASSO, Eugenio (1903)     BAXTER, Norman Alexander (08/02/1910) BERTONCELLO, Settimo (1905)   BERTONCELLO, Settimo (1905)   BISHOP, George Juble (18/03/1887)   BLACK, Alfred   BLACK, Roy (1899)    BROUGHTON, Lemuel (Should this be Samuel?) ( 26/11/1912)  BOULD, Mervyn Earnest (1904)  BOULD, Roydon Dean (1907)   BOULD, Stanley Edward John (1908)  BRAND, Alexander King  (01/07/1903)   BRUNSDEN, Thomas Henry (1909)   BRYAN, Daniel   (09/03/1897)    BULMAN, Keith Noel          BULMAN, Vere James Frederick (1903)    BURGAN, Clarence Frederick  (05/05/1916)       BURGAN, Frederick Galloway (24/05/1895)    BURGESS, Fred (1907)      BURLEY, Hugh Lauder (1908)    BURNETT, Alexander  (19/06/1876)     BURNS, William Noble (1905)    

CADDY, Donald  (05/11/1899)  CAIN, Henry Roy (1906)  CANTY, Daniel  (26/08/1877) CASERTO, Veto  ( 06/06/1897)  CASTELLO, Rosario (03/09/1899)  CHAPRONIERE, Henry Stanley (1905) CIANCI, Domenico (1883)   CLAYDON, John William (22/12/1897) CLINTON, James (1880)   COATES, George Frederick (1903)   COCHRANE, James (05/11/1886)  COCHRANE, James Thompson (1883) COLLINS, Thomas (02/04/1897)   CONSIDINE, Leo David (09/08/1908)    CONSOLINO, Giuseppe (01/01/1990)  COOK, Frank (1901)  COOK, William  (12/02/1885)    COOTER, Stanley Ralph (1903)   COBETT, Michael James (1906)  CORBETT, Thomas Patrick (08/08/1877) CORBETT, Thomas Patrick  (8/11/1901) CORNWALL, James Arthur (1884) COSGRAVE, Alfred John (1878) COTTER, John Jack (1910) COULSON, Harry William Oliver (1882) COX, Harold William (1909) CRAFT, R  CRAMERI, Eugene Dominic (04/06/1914) CRAMERI, Joseph Francis  (1907) CRIPPS, Regional Edward  (26/01/1912) CUMMING, Alan  (06/07/1905)

D’FLORA, Matteo (1897) DON, James Gilbert  (30/12/1894) DONOVAN, Charles John (1885) DUGGAN, Raymond Stacey (08/02/1890) EDWARDS, Henry  (1906) ELLIOTT, Cecil (1886 or 1888)   ELSEGOOD, T.A.   ENGLISH, Thomas Joseph (25/06/1903) EPPS, Ernest William  (23/01/1906)  ESLER, John William Leslie  (28/10/1899) FECNHER, Edgar Phillip (1896) FECHNER, Edgar Phillip  (20/10/1896) (2 different records for Edgar Fechner)  FECHNER, William (1905) FELLHAUER, William (1899) FLESTEAD, Clifford John Stanley (09/04/1896) FERRARO, Gregoro ( 12/02/1899) FIELD, Michael Joseph (30/10/1882) FLANAGAN, Harry Albert (1894) FLENTJAR, Alfred William (1912) FLENTJAR, Alfred William (20/11/1911) FLENTJAR, Leslie James (1908) FLENTJAR, O   FRANKLIN, William James (1907) FLOOD, Percy (11/03/1881) GALLAGHER, W    GALLENTI, Desiderio (07/05/1906) GALLENTI, Saverio (08/09/1881) GALLENTI, Sebastiano (1911)  GANDOLFO, Sebastiano (1900)  GARBELLINI, William Peter (16/10/1895) GIBSON, Alexander (1897)     GILLAN, Thomas (1867)    GIULIANO, Giovanni (1887)     GLASHEEN, Edward John (1893)  GLASHEEN, Edward John (26/04/1893) (2 different records for Edward John Glasheen)  GLEESON, Clarence Michael  (02/04/1889)

 GORRIE, John Callaghan (19/07/1894) GRANT, Albert Harold (1903) GRIFFIN, Keith Albert (1917) GRIFFITHS, Henry  (18/08/1897) GROVER, Alfred Henry (1869)

GRUNDY, Reginald Henry   (18/08/1906) GUNTON, Vernon (1912)

HARVEY, John  (10/03/1888 or 10/03/1898)  HAWKINS, Elvin Thomas (1906)  HEALY, Pierce Edward (1912)  HENDERSON, David Metcalfe (1876)   HENNESSY, James  (08/07/1892) HICKEY, Michael John (14/02/1865)   HILLIER, Robert Vincent  (15/12/1889)    HOLLAND, A.W.

JACKSON, George Amess (1915) JENNINGS, Keith  (1905) KING, Frederick (1911) LEACH,  C.F LOVEDAY, William (1885) MARIO, Dorio  (1901) MARTIN, John   (02/03/1902) MATHESON, R.L   MAYNARD, Bernard James   (01/11/1905) McCARTEN, Malcolm Douglas (1909)  McCOLL, J.D.M.   McDERMOTT, James    McDERMOTT,  Phelin Thomas (25/12/1900) McEVOY, Thomas  (1890) McFARLANE, Walter (1882) McLEAN, Alexander (1893) McKENZIE , A.   McKENZIE, John George (1893) McQUADE, John   (1873 or 1875) McQUIRE, John   MELROSE, A.T   MILLS, John Beatson  (02/10/1912) MOORE, James Henry  (1879) MORGAN, Leslie Alexander  (19/08/1906) MORGAN, William Frank  (03/06/1914)  MORGAN, William John (1870)    MULLENBACH, Anton (1889)  MURCOTT, Alfred William (25/06/1904)       MURPHY, John James  (1883)  MURRAY, Henry George (1907)  MURRAY, Martin Frances  (15/10/1882)   MUSGROVE, Harry Cyril   (16/07/1890)       
       

NELSON, Arthur Stephen (1899)     NICHOLS, John Frederick (1883)  NIX, Martin  (1885)       NORTH, A.E    O'BRIEN, Denis    OGIER, Jack Bernard  (12/05/1907)     O'LOUGHLAN, Michael James  (07/09/1899)    PARKER, Gerald Percival  (08/07/1898)        PAYNE, George Daniel P (21/06/1916)     PEARSON, R.G.   PEDERSEN, Henry Andrew and  Beatrice   PERGANDI, W   

PERKINS, Thomas Wedge (1899)   PETERSON, Gordon Victor (1896)   PETERSON, William Magnus  (08/05/1913)    POLGLASE, A.R.    POLLOCK, James Jim  (1895 or 1896)
POWELL, G.W.   PRESTON, Henry   (14/07/1879)  PRIESTLEY, C.T and P.   PROSSER, Leslie Henry  (11/11/1896)

QUARRELL, Ivor James (1904)     RANDLE, H.G.    REES, Charles Robert (25/06/1912) RICHARDS, John Burnard Bernard  (15/01/1875)   RICHARDSON, William David (1900) RICHMOND, Arthur  (07/02/1893)   RIDGWAY, John Alfred  (1844)  ROBERTS, Edgar (31/01/1897)  ROWLANDS, Arthur James (20/07/1870)  RULE, George W

SANDS, Alfred Walter (1899) SARGENT, Benjamin  (08/10/1892) SAVAGE, Francis Frank William (1894) SAVAGE, Patrick Leslie  (07/07/1897) SCOTT, Michael Edwin (1901) SCOTT, Thomas James (1887) SCOTT, Walter Alfred  (1908)  SEELAF, George (1914)  SEELAF, George  (02/03/1884) SHARP, E.G    SHEA, Arthur Patrick (1873) SPRINGFIELD, Fredrick Arthur Courtney (1911 or 1912) SPRINGFIELD, Jeffrey William Manning  (18/09/1903) SKANE, Leonard George  (24/05/1901) STEEN, Andrew John  (30/11/1903) STENGEL, Louis  (12/08/1878) STRAHAN, David Dalmahoy  (03/05/1903) SWEET, George Mathew (06/07/1914) SWEET, John Henry (31/05/1909)

TALBOT, Walter (1897) TETLEY, C   TIMMINS, Maxwell John (09/01/1905) TIMMINS, Thomas Joseph  (08/06/1879) THOMPSON, Henry James (1910) TORNEY, William James  (14/02/1910) UREN, Edgar Spencer Still (1887)  WAKEFIELD, Alexander George (26/07/1902)  WARLOW, Victor James (1907)  WARREN, George  (1911)  WHITE, William  (17/03/1897)  WHITEHURST, John  (1907)  WILDE, Meg   WILLIS, James Christopher  (1884)   WILLIAMS, John Wilks  (1874) WILSON, Donald Alexander   (1905)   WILSON, Horace William  (1910) WILSON, Reginald William Hall (1899)  WILSON, Sydney  (1913) WITHEROW, Laurence   WOODS, Mark Phillip (1910) WRAIGHT, Harry Thomas (1889) WREGG, Leslie Frank Theodore (04/08/1902) YEOMANS, Leslie  (1906) ZAPPULLA, Stephen  (1915)

Your Council - 100 years ago - Shire of Berwick

This is a report form the Dandenong Advertiser of July 1, 1915 about the Shire of Berwick Meeting held on June 19, 1915. What were rate payers concerned about? Basically roads and drains.  

Dandenong Advertiser of July 1, 1915

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article88656813

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Casey Cardinia - Local Government Timeline

Here is a time line of local government in this area -

1842 -  The Town of Melbourne created - the first local government body in Victoria.

1860 - Cranbourne Road Board proclaimed June 19.  The first members of the Cranbourne Road Board were Dr James Smith Adams, Chairman, who owned Balla Balla Estate; James Bruce, owner of Sherwood Park; Richard Burgh Chomley, owner of Tongola at Lyndhurst; James Lecky, Cranbourne land-owner who also owned the Cardinia Creek property; Edward Malloy, owner of Mayune property; Alexander Patterson, owner of St Germains Estate; Christopher Bond Peed, owner of Springmount; Patrick Thompson, owner of Oaklands and John Wedge, owner of Johnswood at Lyndhurst. Population of the Road Board area was 857.

1861 - The town of Berwick and the town of Cranbourne proclaimed on February 25.

1862 - Berwick Road Board proclaimed September 29.  The first members of the Berwick Road Board were John Brisbane (Chairman), early Berwick landowner; Robert Bain, the owner of the Border Hotel (Berwick Inn) in Berwick; Francis Barr, a Berwick land owner; Michael Bourke, owner of the La Trobe Inn, later known as Bourke’s Hotel, at Pakenham; James Buchanan, owner of Ardblair, who later went on to be a Member of the Legislative Council; David Connor, licensee of the New Bunyip Hotel on the Bunyip River; John Pitman, Pakenham landowner; John Startup of Mount Ararat Station; John Troup, land owner at Narre Warren North and Gotlieb Wanke, a land owner at Harkaway. The Road Board met at the Border Hotel (Berwick Inn)

1865 - Shire of Berwick Council chambers built in High Street.

1868 - Shire of Cranbourne proclaimed  February 24. The Road Board members then became the first Councillors. They were James Lecky - Shire President; Edward Malloy, Alexander Patterson, William Norquay, Frederick Poole of Triuna, Lyndhurst; Edward John Tucker, owner of the Cranbourne Hotel; Thomas Keys, George Poole and Herbert Foley who owned Sherwood Park.

1868 - Shire of Berwick proclaimed, May 5. The Road Board members then became the first Councillors. They were James Wilson, Shire President; John Brisbane, David Connor, Joseph Smith, H. Smith,  John T. Dobson (who later became a member of the Ferntree Gully Council when the Scoresby Ward was annexed to the new Shire in 1889),  Francis Barr, Thomas Henty, owner of Pakenham Park at Pakenham and James Buchanan.

1873 - The 'agricultural area of Lang Lang' was annexed to the Shire of Cranbourne on July 4

1875 - Cranbourne Shire Offices opened March 6

1889 - The Scoresby Ward of the Shire of Berwick, including Scoresby, Fern Tree Gully,  Clematis, parts of Emerald and Avonsleigh was severed from Berwick and became the Shire of Fern Tree Gully on May 23.

1893 - Yannathan and Lang Lang East annexed from the Shire of Buln Buln  to the Shire of Cranbourne on January  23.

1902 - Shire of Berwick Offices move to Pakenham Mechanics’ Institute.

1912 - Shire of Berwick Offices open in Main Street Pakenham, corner of John Street.

1963 - 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.  

1973 - The City of Berwick and the Shire of Pakenham were formed on October 1,  when the Shire of Berwick split. The Shire of Pakenham continued to use the Main Street Offices and the City of Berwick used temporary buildings in Kays Avenue, Hallam until the Civic Centre opened in 1978.

1978 - Cranbourne Shire Offices officially opened in Sladen Street, April 22

1978 - Civic Centre at Narre Warren opened December 8. Demolished in 2018.

1979 - Cr Jeune Matthews first female Shire President of the Shire of Pakenham.

1980 - Cr Jan Bateman, City of Berwick’s first female Mayor of the City of Berwick

1983 - Shire of Pakenham Offices opened July 28 in Henty Way

1988 - Cr Judy Elso, first female Shire President of the Shire of Cranbourne

1994 - City of Cranbourne created on April 22

1994 - The City of Casey and the Cardinia Shire officially came into being on the December 15 at 4.00pm.

The City of Casey was created from the western section of the short-lived City of Cranbourne (Cranbourne, Tooradin, Pearcedale, Devon Meadows, Hampton Park etc) and the entire City of Berwick.

The Cardinia Shire was created from the Shire of Pakenham, the eastern end of the City of Cranbourne (Koo-Wee-Rup, Lang Lang, Yannathan, Bayles, Catani etc) plus Emerald, Clematis and Avonsleigh which were annexed from the Shire of Sherbrooke.  Langwarrin and Carrum Downs went to the City of Frankston from the City of Cranbourne.

The City of Cranbourne, Shire of Pakenham and City of Berwick ceased to exist on December 15.

2014 - Cardinia Shire Offices opened on November 17 in Officer.

2014 - Cardinia and Casey  both turn 20 on December 15.

2017 - City of Casey Offices - Bunjil Place - opened October 28/29

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Ball of the Century

Some of the entrants for the Belle of Berwick Shire, Centenary Ball, September 14th 1962.
Click on photograph to enlarge it.

On Friday, September 14th 1962 the Ball of the Centenary was held at the Pakenham Public Hall to celebrate the 100th anniversary of local government in the Shire of Berwick. This was the anniversary of the creation  of the Berwick Road Board on September 29, 1862, the fore-runner of the Shire of Berwick. The Pakenham Gazette reported that more than 700 people crowded into the Hall, the frocking was magnificent and youth and age gaily came together to celebrate the achievement of the Municipality's first century and to give Century Two a joyful start on its way.

The Guest of Honours included the Shire President, Cr Dan Cunningham and Mrs Cunningham ; the Shire Secretary, Miss Beatrice Thomas; Mr A. Buchanan, M.H.R and Mrs Buchanan and Cr L.J Cochrane, M.L.A and Mrs Cochrane. The highlight of the night was the selection of the Belle of Berwick Shire. The judge for this honour was Miss Dot Jones of the Sun News Pictorial newspaper. There were 22 girls who had entered this competition each representing a town in the Shire.
I will list them here and if by chance any of the girls are reading this blog, then I would love for you to leave a comment about the occasion. Margaret Bishop, representing Dewhurst, Maree McMillan - Tynong, Bronwen Taylor - Pakenham Upper, Carol Gilbert - Officer, Diane Robert - Pakenham, Carol Entwistle - Nar Nar Goon North, Lorraine Brown - Cora Lynn, Sonja Little - Doveton, Jeanette Barnes - Beaconsfield, Maureen Fitzsimons - Beaconsfield Upper, Geraldine Dyer - Gembrook, Kath Cotter - Narre Warren, Kerry Fox - Narre Warren North, Patsy Cunningham - Nar Nar Goon, Beverley Price - Bunyip, Susanne Bassed - Garfield, Jan Lia - Maryknoll, Marlene Thorne - Iona , Marla Kennedy - Modella, Audrey Haysom - Five Mile, Annette Dean - Berwick and Coral Stone - Cockatoo.

The Pakenham Gazette reported that the girls had to dance the Pride of Erin and two Fox Trots and in addition to her pleasant manner the successful girl got good marks for grooming. The winner was Miss Diane Robert, who was representing Pakenham. The judge, Miss Dot Jones, said that choosing the Belle of Berwick Shire was a difficult decision and that Diane managed to look happy all the time, whereas some of the other girls looked as if the boys were treading on their toes. Diane wore a frock of watermelon pink cotton shantung with a chantilly lace bodice. She had a french roll hair-do and wore pearl ear rings.

Unfortunately the only photograph we have of the Centenary Ball (top) doesn't include the Winner, however it does picture eleven of the other belles.

As an aside, Dot Jones, as well as being the Belle of the Centenary Ball judge is more importantly one of the people responsible for the Moomba Festival. Dot and Tom McCaw of the Melbourne City Council discussed the idea for a festival over lunch. They then presented the idea to Councillor Maurice Nathan who promoted the idea of an open-air Festival. The first Moomba was held in 1955.

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