Issue Number 2



------------------ Issue Number 9. End of Year, 2005 -------------------[pic]

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President: Jan Lier. Publicity Officer: Basil Stafford

Contacts: Cheryl Elmes & Jim Kent, P.O. Box 48, Casterton, Victoria. 3311

Newsletter layout: Alistair Boyle, P.O. Box 186, Casterton, Victoria. 3311

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Meetings: Please see back page for days, dates and times.

Held at the R.S.L rooms, 158, Henty Street, Casterton.

Wishing Everyone a Very Happy Christmas

And a Prosperous New Year

from all the team at the Historical Society

A History of Christmas

The history of Christmas dates back over 4000 years. Many of our Christmas traditions were celebrated centuries before the Christ child was born. The 12 days of Christmas, the bright fires, the Yule log, the giving of gifts, carnivals (parades) with floats, carollers who sing while going from house to house, the holiday feasts, and the church processions can all be traced back to the early Mesopotamians.

Many of these traditions began with the Mesopotamian celebration of New Year. The Mesopotamians believed in many gods, and as their chief god - Marduk. Each year as winter arrived it was believed that Marduk would do battle with the monsters of chaos. To assist Marduk in his struggle the Mesopotamians held a festival for the New Year. This was Zagmuk, the New Year's festival that lasted for 12 days.

The Mesopotamian king would return to the temple of Marduk and swear his faithfulness to the god. The traditions called for the king to die at the end of the year and to return with Marduk to battle at his side.

To spare their king, the Mesopotamians used the idea of a "mock" king. A criminal was chosen and dressed in royal clothes. He was given all the respect and privileges of a real king. At the end of the celebration the "mock" king was stripped of the royal clothes and slain, sparing the life of the real king.

The Persians and the Babylonians celebrated a similar festival called the Sacaea. Part of that celebration included the exchanging of places, the slaves would become the masters and the masters were to obey.

Early Europeans believed in evil spirits, witches, ghosts and trolls. As the Winter Solstice approached, with its long cold nights and short days, many people feared the sun would not return. Special rituals and celebrations were held to welcome back the sun.

In Scandinavia during the winter months the sun would disappear for many days. After thirty-five days scouts would be sent to the mountain tops to look for the return of the sun. When the first light was seen the scouts would return with the good news. A great festival would be held, called the Yuletide, and a special feast would be served around a fire burning with the Yule log. Great bonfires would also be lit to celebrate the return of the sun. In some areas people would tie apples to branches of trees to remind themselves that spring and summer would return.

The ancient Greeks held a festival similar to that of the Zagmuk/Sacaea festivals to assist their god Kronos who would battle the god Zeus and his Titans.

The Roman's celebrated their god Saturn. Their festival was called Saturnalia which began the middle of December and ended January 1st. With cries of "Jo Saturnalia!" the celebration would include masquerades in the streets, big festive meals, visiting friends, and the exchange of good-luck gifts called Strenae (lucky fruits).

The Romans decked their halls with garlands of laurel and green trees lit with candles. Again the masters and slaves would exchange places.

"Jo Saturnalia!" was a fun and festive time for the Romans, but the Christians thought it an abomination to honour the pagan god. The early Christians wanted to keep the birthday of their Christ child a solemn and religious holiday, not one of cheer and merriment as was the pagan Saturnalia.

But as Christianity spread they were alarmed by the continuing celebration of pagan customs and Saturnalia among their converts. At first the Church forbade this kind of celebration. But it was to no avail. Eventually it was decided that the celebration would be tamed and made into a celebration fit for the Christian Son of God.

Some legends claim that the Christian "Christmas" celebration was invented to compete against the pagan celebrations of December. The 25th was not only sacred to the Romans but also the Persians whose religion Mithraism was one of Christianity's main rivals at that time. The Church eventually was successful in taking the merriment, lights, and gifts from the Saturnalia festival and bringing them to the celebration of Christmas.

The exact day of the Christ child's birth has never been pinpointed. Traditions say that it has been celebrated since the year 98 AD. In 137 AD the Bishop of Rome ordered the birthday of the Christ Child celebrated as a solemn feast. In 350 AD another Bishop of Rome, Julius I, choose December 25th as the observance of Christmas.

The first mention of December 25 as the birth date of Jesus occurred in A.D. 336 in an early Roman calendar. In the late 300's, Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire. By 1100, Christmas had become the most important religious festival in Europe, and Saint Nicholas was a symbol of gift giving in many European countries. During the 1400's and 1500's, many artists painted scenes of the Nativity, the birth of Jesus.

The popularity of Christmas grew until the Reformation, a religious movement of the 1500's. This movement gave birth to Protestantism. During the Reformation, many Christians began to consider Christmas a pagan celebration because it included nonreligious customs. During the 1600's, because of these feelings, Christmas was outlawed in England and in parts of the English colonies in America. The old customs of feasting and decorating, however, soon reappeared and blended with the more Christian aspects of the celebration.

Gift giving

The custom of giving gifts to relatives and friends on a special day in winter probably began in ancient Rome and northern Europe. In these regions, people gave each other small presents as part of their year-end celebrations.

Other customs

In the 1800's, two more Christmas customs became popular decorating Christmas trees and sending Christmas cards to relatives and friends. Many well known Christmas carols including “Silent Night" and “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing," were composed during this period. In the United States and other countries, Santa Claus replaced Saint Nicholas as the symbol of gift giving.

The Modern Image of Santa

At the beginning of the 1930s, the burgeoning Coca-Cola Company was still looking for ways to increase sales of their product during winter, then a slow time of year for the soft drink market. They turned to a talented commercial illustrator named Haddon Sundblom, who created a series of memorable drawings that associated the figure of a larger than life; red-and-white garbed Santa Claus with Coca-Cola. Coke's annual advertisements, featuring Sundblom drawn Santas holding bottles of Coca-Cola, drinking Coca-Cola, receiving Coca-Cola as gifts, and especially enjoying Coca-Cola, became a perennial Christmastime feature which helped spur Coca-Cola sales throughout the winter (and produced the bonus effect of appealing quite strongly to children, an important segment of the soft drink market). The success of this advertising campaign has helped fuel the legend that Coca-Cola actually invented the image of the modern Santa Claus decking him out

in a red-and-white suit to promote the company colours or that at the very least, Coca-Cola chose to promote the red-and-white version of Santa Claus over a variety of competing Santa figures in order to establish it as the accepted image of Santa Claus.

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23rd NOVEMBER - End of year society dinner to be held at the Casterton Hotel. 7.30 pm

“THE WAINES MURDER”

By the late Jack Gorman

Taken from, “Tales of Casterton; the Waines Murder and Other Stories”

Part 3.

Thomas George CUE, the Clerk of Petty Sessions at Casterton in 1858 was a most remarkable man, and was looked upon as “The Sir Oracle” of the District. Prior to coming to live at Casterton in 1853, George Cue had had a most adventurous life. As a Naval Officer he had been First Mate to his uncle, Sir James CLARK-ROSS, had made several trips to Australia and even did some exploring of the South Pole.

Many of the earliest citizens of Casterton were poor and illiterate. They could neither read nor write, and many of our earliest documents are marked with a “His” or “Her” cross. To all his neighbours George Cues was counsellor and friend.

At Forest Farm, in its original state, the homestead was made of brick and plaster. It was a lovely property with spectacular views of the amphitheatre hills - it overlooked Casterton - and watering places for horses. Sarah BAKER and Charlotte STEVENS were constant visitors to Forest Farm. One of them, a shepherd’s wife, had done chores such as washing and cleaning up the WAINES’ home. She had also called at HUNT’S hut on the day after their disappearance. To George CUE she allayed her suspicions and fears about the missing HUNTS.

Subsequently, George CUE with the information he was given, got in touch with Mr. FEATHERSTONHAUGH, the Police Magistrate for the district who lived in Hamilton. He also wrote a letter to the Chief Commissioner of Police in Melbourne.

Later, WAINES was arrested by the local Police and lodged in “The Logs” on suspicion of murder. He was arraigned before Mr. JACKSON, J. P. of Sandford, and was discharged as there did not seem to be the slightest grounds for detaining him. Mr. JACKSON was highly indignant at Mr. CUE for having WAINES brought before him on what he considered highly incredulous evidence.

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But Mr. CUE’S suspicions were not to be deterred. Constable AHEARN arrived at the Casterton Police station early in November 1858. He had never known HUNT or his wife. He had an advertisement inserted in the Police Gazette, circulating all over the colonies, at various Police Stations, at Penola, South Australia, and Guichen Bay, seeking information of the missing HUNTS but to no avail.

Cocksure from his acquittal in the Justice’s Court, WAINES now had a much more confident air. In June of 1859 he called at the Casterton Police Station, and putting on a very bold front told Constable AHEARN he had heard the government was going to plough up his garden searching for the HUNTS’ bodies. He told them, “If such the case I would like to get it done immediately before putting my crop in, otherwise it will put me to great expense in losing the Spring of the year”.

No proceedings had then commenced, but on the same day as WAINES called at the Police Station, several witnesses had been examined and he could have got wind of this.

In January of that year, a Search Warrant had been executed and a number of articles including jewellery, clothing and a Marriage Certificate belonging to the HUNTS were taken into custody from WAINE’S home.

In the spring of 1959, a swagman out of work, got off the Portland to Casterton Coach at Sandford, and humping his bluey into Casterton enquired from the CHAFFEY’S at the Glenelg Inn, the direction to Forest Farm.

As a swagman - Ticket of Leave men were constantly on the move in the colony - George CHAFFEY took little notice of the man, except to remark to his wife Phillipa, that despite the swagman’s attire, there was something about his muscular build, clean cut face and bronzed arm he liked.

Having made George CUES acquaintance, Charlie BROWNE as he was called was put up for the night at the CHAFFEYS INN. He was reputed to be a single man, a good dancer, and became quite an attraction for the young ladies of the district

What the locals couldn’t understand was why he became so friendly with the WAINES. He was constantly in George WAINES’ company at the Inn, frequently took grog to the WAINES’ selection and had more than his share of the dances at the local Balls. Fishing in the Glenelg became a popular pastime for Charles BROWNE, and he spent a lot of his evenings off casting a line near the Watering Place.

To be continued…….next year

Historical Presentations

TO ABC RADIO HORSHAM

Commencing on the 21st November, 2005, Mondays 6.15 am

The Society has been successful in negotiating with ABC Radio, Horsham, to have Historical Presentations relating to the towns of Harrow, Balmoral, Coleraine and Casterton.

The initial idea was put forward at the Casterton Business and Tourism Association AGM by Cliff Tischler and was originally to only have Casterton present the history of the town.

Following negotiations with Fiona Parker from the ABC Radio Horsham, a proposal was put forward by the Casterton Historical Society to involve other Historical Societies from within the viewing region to present historical presentations relating to their town. This was met favourably with our Society co-ordinating the proposal.

Five Historical Societies were asked to be involved: Balmoral, Coleraine and Casterton took up the challenge, Harrow whilst supportive of the idea was unable to commit and a person has been found to represent this town. The fifth historical society was unable to commit resources.

The groups will rotate on a weekly basis; each group presenting a 7 minute segment related to an historical account of their town.

Tune in to ABC Radio Horsham and hear the history of the towns!!!

ROSTER for 2005

|21ST NOVEMBER 2005 |HARROW |

|28TH NOVEMBER 2005 |BALMORAL |

|5TH DECEMBER 2005 |CASTERTON |

|12TH DECEMBER 2005 |COLERAINE |

ROSTER for 2006

|23RD JANUARY 2006 |HARROW |

|30TH JANUARY 2006 |BALMORAL |

|6TH FEBRUARY2006 |CASTERTON |

|13TH FEBRUARY 2006 |COLERAINE |

|20TH FEBRUARY 2006 |HARROW |

|27TH FEBRUARY 2006 |BALMORAL |

|6TH MARCH 2006 |CASTERTON |

|13TH MARCH 2006 |PUBLIC HOLIDAY |

|20TH MARCH 2006 |COLERAINE` |

|27TH MARCH 2006 |HARROW |

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Well now after looking at the names adorning the streets to the south of Henty Street and located on the western side of the Glenelg River, we return to the banks of this river to start an exploration of the names which indicate the streets to the north of Henty St. Before doing so, I would like to make a profound statement, to which I consider should be given some thought by those people in higher up authority that have the capability to implement the desire expressed.

It seems to me that of all the ‘right-of-ways’, lanes, crescents, avenues, streets and other forms of public access to the various sections of our lovely old town, not one, to my knowledge , contains the name of a family who most rightly can be considered veritable pioneers of Casterton. That is the name of RICHARDSON, coming to this town while it was in its very early embryonic stage, namely 1847.

John Richardson, who was at that time aged 27yrs, swelled the then population to 13 (6 women and 7 men). He built the first house in Casterton, married Ellen in 1851, and raised a family of 5 girls and 4 boys, their first born being the first white child born in Casterton. He worked first as a cook then as a roof shingler and builder. He lived to the age of 90 years - 63 of these years in Casterton and is buried with his wife in the new cemetery. Surely a man of this repute is entitled to have his name recorded by the naming of a street in the town he helped found.

Now, having unloaded all that, may I suggest that there are no less than TWO opportunities to remember these two very worthy pioneers by so naming streets after them, with their full title?

Firstly, there is a very tidy and well kept street branching off the Glenelg Highway almost opposite Carmichael Street terminating at its junction with Hansen Road. Why not name this thoroughfare THE JOHN RICHARDSON DRIVE?

Secondly, another very well kept street close to the aforementioned one runs off Henty Street and down to its junction with Miller Street. Why not name this one THE ELLEN RICHARDSON DRIVE?

If you agree on this, lobby your local councillor to affect this long overdue honour on this worthy couple. Now over to you on this matter….I rest my case!

Now back to Tyers Street which runs parallel to the Glenelg River before branching into Murray Street; which is a long one, crossing quite several other streets before it becomes Silvester St. In 1876, Alexander Sutherland Murray owned ‘Springbank’ of 25.000 acres, while in 1840 a Mr. W. Murray in Partnership, owned ‘Dunrobin’ of 153.600 acres…any relationship? I don’t know but imagine that there could have been, but I do know that in 1876, Mr. A. S. Murray was a shire councillor, so the presumption is that Murray Street is named after A. S. Murray.

Murray Street runs into Silvester Street; without a doubt named after Cr. T. W. Silvester of 1869. This name is also synonymous with large landholders and those engaged in the legal profession.

Silvester Street runs into Mc.Evoy Street but before doing so there is running off it to the South, a thoroughfare called of all names, “Oak Ave.” With not an oak tree in sight, this particular street came into being to service the residents living in dwellings which were originally used as the accommodation houses during the construction of Rocklands Dam.

Thomas Mc.Evoy was an original settler in the Bahgallah area and also a Glenelg Shire Councillor in 1873, so, again, we observe that these civic “fathers” were celebrated by having streets named after them.

Mc.Evoy Street terminates at its junction with the Dunrobin Road but before doing so it has Mitchell Street running off to the west. No Councillor bearing this name appears to have been listed before 1908, when Councillor A. Mitchell became a member, so an argument could be raised, was this street called after Cr. Mitchell or was it named after explorer Major Thomas Livingstone Mitchell who was the first white man to see this area in 1836. You be the judge.

Just a note of interest on Mitchell Street - it once gave access to WEST and FELL’S property known as ‘Daffodil Farm’ from where bulbs of this flower were exported world wide.

Mitchell St. terminates at Hansen Rd. which connects the Glenelg Hwy with Dunrobin Rd.

Now Hansen Rd is so named after James B Hansen who, in 1953 joined the Shire of Glenelg as its Secretary and Rate Collector. He was a dedicated and capable person in this capacity.

Just west of Hansen Rd is a small dead end street called Marshall St, so named after a family of that name who resided there after emigrating from Tasmania.

Don’t forget to get in the ear of our local Councillor re The Richardson Street naming!!!

James P Kent.

November 2005

THE CHANGES IN TIME

By Des Murphy

Part 7

My first modes of transport were riding a pony or on the seat of my parent’s buggy. In my early school days all children rode a pony or walked up to five miles. Then the bicycle started and children rode up to eight miles for their education. Remember NO sealed roads existed in those days. The average family travelled in a buggy or in a gig drawn by one horse. There were very few cars on the roads in the mid 1930’s.

All country schools had a pony paddock where the pony was turned out in the day and caught for use for the home trip in the evening.

When I started going to the Convent, I left my pony in the horse boxes at the Glenelg Hotel in Casterton. There were six lots of horse boxes serving the area at that time. For the last two years I rode a bike to school.

In those days there were schools in every settlement. For instance, on the Apsley Road were Dunrobin, Nangeela, Red Cap, Dergholm, Poolaijelo, Langkoop and Apsley. It was the same throughout the whole area with small schools dotted all around. This trend continued through the War years when petrol rationing was introduced and no new vehicles were available to expand the education and transportation of students to better equipped schools.

One teacher, 20 students, 7 classes were a no no.

The 60’s, saw the start of closures and one by one the small rural schools, including the bigger settlements of Dergholm and Chetwynd were closed and the bus system of taking children to bigger, better equipped schools was used and the roads were sealed.

Later, students travelled up to 80 kilometres to the bigger schools in the area for Higher education and on to University.

Starting in a one teacher school, there were 25 pupils in 8 grades. From that to 30 pupils in 3 grades with a teacher of higher standards, the pass rate was greater

Going to school on a pony or a bike in all weather in 1933 is different to going to school in a bus in 2004.

Continued Next Year ………………

A Brief History of the Casterton Railway and Station Masters

The Station Building:

It comprises a substantial standard building with a cast iron platform veranda. The detail to the entrance gable end and booking lobby remains intact. Casterton Railway Station is historically significant in recalling the dominance of the Port of Portland as an outlet to the Glenelg and Wannon Rivers, Wool and livestock traffic as well as the rivalry for that traffic shown by the South Australian Railways and the town of Hamilton.

It is also historically significant as an important example of a standard station building that arose from the ‘Octopus’ Act of 1884. The Railway Station is architecturally significant as a substantially intact example of the ‘Casterton Style’ of railway buildings. The ‘Casterton Style’ represents the first departure by the railways department from the previous classical/Italianate station designs to use the Gothic and Tudor detailing. The stations were typically located at major points on the main lines.

Sources: Government Buildings Register Review of Country Railway Places-Former Casterton Railway Station Complex, Beeston, R., 1995.

The Casterton News February 1977

Activity at the goods sheds. Date Unknown

The railway line to Casterton was opened in September 1884. Construction of the Railway Station started in 1886. The Architect/Designer was Robert Watson. The Architect style is known as Victorian Period Gothic (1851-1901). The opening ceremony consisted of a banquet; the principal guest was Hon. W. Sheils M.L.A., representative of Normandy.

A mixed passenger/goods train continued to operate on the Casterton line until 1949 when the passenger service was withdrawn. On 15th March 1954, a rail-car service between Branxholme and Casterton was started on a trial basis. Unfortunately, this was also removed on 31st July 1954. Goods trains continued to use the line until 1977, with the railway station closing on 3rd February 1977.

The engine shed was built by John Patterson for ₤881/9/5. The water supply and the turntable by P. Denholm for ₤16/6 and the Station building by G. and AC Findlay for ₤1754/18/2. The Branxholm to Casterton Railway line was built by Neil McNeil Junior; contract number 1610, for ₤90,514/3/9.

Records of Station Masters are not complete, however Victorian Railways have provided the following dates and names:

1920 - 1929 Mr. W. Naughton 1953 - 1955 Mr. A J Coleman

1925 - 1926 Mr. E. M. Fitzgibbons 1955 - 1958 Mr. L. W. Hivon

1926 - 1929 Mr. L. Norwood 1958 - 1961 Mr. W. J. Smith

1929 - 1931 Mr. A. Larkins 1961 - 1966 Mr. W. L. Hedges

1931 - 1933 Mr. J. Clarke 1966 - 1967 Mr. A. J. Williamson

1933 - 1948 Mr. A. J. Smith 1968 - 1975 Mr. L. J. Nelson

1948 - 1950 Mr. E. Cooper 1975 - 1976 Mr. C. Williams

1950 - 1953 Mr. J. Crack

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J.R. MacPherson Esq.

Have you ever noticed the bronze statues in the front of the Casterton Town Hall? There is a noteworthy story of where they originated and this year marks the 100th anniversary of their bequest to the Casterton Community.

August 5th 2005 was the 100th anniversary of the death of one of the early settlers of the area, a Mr. John Russell (J.R.) MacPherson who lived at “Phoines”. It is an interesting story of his life and death and legacy that deserves to be told on the centenary of his death, as he made quite a contribution in his quiet way to this district and beyond.

J.R. MacPherson was born in Kingussie, Scotland in 1832 and was the son of Mr. Duncan MacPherson and his wife Georgina MacPherson. The family came out to Australia on the ship “The Courier” arriving on the 11th September 1849. A description of the voyage is given in a book entitled “Perilous Voyages to the New Land” by Michael Cannon. Chapter 20 details the rather wild trip characterised by drunken and debauched behaviour, which lasted three months. Duncan, his wife and their six children apparently had a dreadful time on the voyage.

They settled in the Port Fairy area (Belfast) briefly and subsequently took up land at Carapook, purchasing two blocks of 350 acres. They then took up “Phoines”, building the homestead where J.R. MacPherson and his brother Donald were to live. Another brother, Duncan, worked at Glenthompson Station. None of the brothers married. It is difficult to acquire memorabilia or photographic records about these three men and I believe that is because they had no family to preserve such items.

Phoines was a large run, and they would have had sheep and cattle. Mr J R MacPherson was obviously a successful grazier, and his property prospered. Of the few records available, he paid £594 shire rates in 1874, which was a good amount of money at the time. It is remembered that he had a naturally retiring personality and a quiet disposition, so it is interesting to note that he served as a Glenelg Shire Councillor from 1872-1875.

Mr MacPherson obviously loved to collect and read a wide variety of books, as evidenced by some still stored in the old storeroom at Phoines. He was obviously a thinker and enjoyed literature and the arts; he had travelled widely, back to Scotland and even to India. He was planning another trip to Scotland when he became unwell. His brother, Donald, had died from stomach cancer earlier at the age of 44, and then he also contracted this disease.

He remained at Phoines and was cared for by a nurse, Nurse M J Gardiner. His doctor, DR. F. Laidlaw would travel from Hamilton to see him. He was also cared for by a Dr. Newman from Casterton. He died in the early hours of the 5th August 1905 at Phoines aged 73.

His funeral left the homestead on the 11th August at noon. He was buried at the Casterton Cemetery with his brothers Duncan and Donald. Their impressive grave can still be seen today.

Following his death, his property and possessions were dispersed. He was extremely generous towards his employees. Some of those working at Phoines at the time included Mr. George Pretlove, Station Manager, Charles McCombe, Rebecca McCombe and Carrie McLean the housekeeper. A Mr. Alexander Kennedy who had been employed by the family for 60 years but was by then retired was also remembered in the will. A sum of money was given to the “New” Casterton Cemetery.

A trust was set up called the John Russell MacPherson Fund and this was administered by trustees who managed and distributed money to very many organizations locally and across Victoria for quite a number of years. The trust donated an enormous amount of money over the years, right up until 1955 when it was wound up.

In his will, J.R. MacPherson left three large bronze figures to the Mechanics Institute of Casterton and interestingly two large pictures of the Roman ‘Coliseum’ and ‘Forum’. The three large figurines are the Spanish Painter Bartolo Estaban Murillo, the Spanish author Miguel De Cervantes, who among other works, wrote Don Quixote, and a third statue depicting two soldiers, one on a horse. It seems to indicate that an appreciation for the finer things of life and an interest in the arts is a heritage from our earlier days that Casterton can be proud of.

John Russell MacPherson typified those pioneers that came to a strange new land and through their vision and determination have helped build what we now enjoy.

Linda Edge “Phoines” Casterton

Note: The Casterton & District Historical Society will endeavour to collaborate with The Shire of Glenelg to seek some funding in order to maintain these valuable artefacts.

As seen above, the subjects of two of the three bronze statues have been identified. One remains a mystery and appears over the page to see if anyone can recognise the subject and supply Linda Edge with the details.

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Can anybody name the figures/scene depicted in this bronze?

Editor’s Note: Jim’s original submissions for the newsletter were designed for two separate issues, one in November and one in December. Owing to the fact that we have decided to take a break in December and issue one end of year newsletter now, Jim’s second part appears here. It would be wrong to delete or alter anything of Jim’s work so it appears as he intended it. The fact that it has not given you a month to lobby the council is our fault not his. However, I’m sure that in the New Year you will do as you will.

Well now good morning to you all, how is your lobbying of our Shire Councillors going, re having the 2, as yet, unnamed streets in Casterton becoming identified by having them named after the Richardson couple, who were without doubt, truly pioneers of Casterton. No doubt you will come up against a barrage of objections from the bureaucrats and also Australia Post, they will raise all sorts of arguments as to why this naming cannot be implemented.

Should the same bureaucrats and Australia Post wish to change your postal address, it is done with a stroke of a pen, whether you like it or not. For instance take my case, 15 years ago I built a house on a block of land 3kms out on the NOSS Road, during the past 15 years, although I have not moved from the house, my postal address has been changed 3 times. It is now 284 whatever that means, Noss-Retreat Road. Retreat Road is miles away from where I live! Don’t let up, it is a golden opportunity to perpetuate the names of this deserving couple. Now after that bit of a blast, we will return to the job in hand which is looking at the reasons, or people, that the streets in Casterton are so named.

We now turn our attention to ADDISON St. There is no record of a Mr. Addison ever being a Glenelg Shire Councillor, but we know that both he and Mr. Murray came up from Portland and as his partner; they owned or took up considerable land known as SPRINGBANK. ADDISON Street runs parallel to MURRAY Street starting at McPherson Street and running into Silvester Street so as they were partners in land settlement prior to our town being surveyed, they are also alongside each other by having 2 residential streets named after them.

KIRBY Street also runs parallel to ADDISON Street in an east-west direction; without doubt named after James and Edward Kirby who were store keepers in Harrow prior to owning SPRINGBANK STATION from 1854-1862.

KIRBY Street runs into LEAKE Street, so named after a pioneering family who once owned the Glenelg Inn. Descendants of this family still live in Casterton.

And that, my dear people, accounts for the names streets on the WESTERN side of the Glenelg River.

We now cross over the once proud Glenelg River, reduced today to a mere congested trickle of water, some of the cause of this tragedy can be attributed to interference by man and some by natural causes such as drought and erosion. Immediately over the bridge is a road running off to the north and named NOSS Road. It leads up to and past a large pastoral property of the same name. One time part of the 25.000 acre SPRINGBANK Station, it was in the late 1800’s and in the early 1900’s owned by a colourful character, John Manson Scott. The word NOSS has a distinct Caledonian connotation and as J.M. Scott was a Shire Councillor from 1889-1904, it is safe to presume this is the origin of the name of this road.

Directly opposite the NOSS Road turn off is the RACECOURSE Road, so named because it leads to, and, terminates at, the gates to the magnificent Casterton Race Course. Self explanatory. Branching off Racecourse Road to the west is CEMETERY Road, again, self explanatory as this road passes the entrance gates to the Casterton New Cemetery. And again, the road to the east of Racecourse Road runs down to the Wannon River. It is, unnamed on the maps, but in my youthful days, was always referred to as DALEY’S RD, so called after a family of that name that lived at its terminus.

Branching off Cemetery Rd is FLOAT Rd, so named by me! Years ago, after much lobbying, our Racing Club convinced the Shire Council to construct a road over the hill so as to allow horse floats to access the rear of the Race Course with their race horses. I erected a large sign at this turnoff directing FLOATS down it, and today, it is recorded as such on maps.

Another interesting aspect to the Cemetery Rd is before it goes down over the hill and flood plain to the Glenelg River, where on the opposite bank it becomes the Old Mt. Gambier Rd, there is another street, this time branching off it to the south. For reasons unknown, one shire map calls this MAY St, while another one has it labelled as QUIET CLOSE, you take your pick, the residents who in the past lived in this street would have had 2 postal addresses. Nearly as confusing as me being listed in the recently delivered Glenelg Local Phone Book as 717 Noss-Retreat Rd, instead of 284!

We gain access to the residential streets east of the river by means of SHEILS TERRACE; actually there are 2 of them, one old, one not so old. ANDERSON Road, which runs east to west, crosses Race Course road is of recent making. Whether it was named after Cr. A. T. Anderson 1884-1887 or Cr. C.A. Anderson 1940-1950, I don’t know, but I would settle for the latter.

James P Kent.

December 2005

PUBLICATIONS FOR SALE:

Casterton Historical Street Walk from Flour Mill to Glenelg Inn - $10.00

Extracts from the Casterton and District Historical Society Inc. 1966-1996 - $10.00

Corndale State School Honour Board Booklet - $7.00

Casterton Cenotaph WWI soldiers - $20.00

Casterton Cenotaph WWII soldiers - $10.00

Major Norman McDonalds Photograph Album CD - $20.00

History in the Depths – Gallipoli - DVD - $20.00

Vern McCallum’s CD’s – Casterton High School - $20.00

Vintage Tools of Trade - $10.00

Phone Jan on 55 752578

Society Meeting Dates for 2005/6:

General Meetings:

Wednesday, 16th November at 8.00 pm

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December 2005 and January 2006

No Meeting

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Wednesday, 15th February 2006 – A.G.M. at 7.00 pm

Wednesday, 15th March 2006 at 7.00 pm

Wednesday, 19th April 2006 at 7.00 pm

Wednesday, 17th May 2006 at 7.00 pm

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Monday, 19th June 2006 at 2.00 pm

Monday, 17th July 2006 at 2.00 pm

Monday, 21st August 2006 at 2.00 pm

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Wednesday, 20th September 2006 at 7.00 pm

Wednesday 18th October 2006 at 7.00 pm

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Any material for inclusion can be left at P.O. Box 48, or passed to Basil Stafford or Jan Lier. Any ideas or comments can be left at P.O Box 186.

Next issue will be in February 2006. Happy New Year!!

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