· Information about the:

o History of Mickleham Road, including its date of construction / historical uses.

o Trees in Mickleham Road, Mickleham (in particular between Bardwell Drive and Donnybrook Road), including details of the planting of the trees in this area, and those in the Avenue of Honour.

· Copies of any historical maps, surveys or photos of the road / the trees in the area.

FIRST THINGS FIRST-RESERVATION OF MICKLEHAM ROAD, AND THE TREES.
RESERVATION OF MICKLEHAM RD.
Since I started this journal, I have been looking for a proclamation of a government road that had to be Mickleham Rd. It was discovered by chance about three years ago and I have not been able to find it again. Last night I discovered in my DHOTAMA that, in 1860, John McKerchar and John Lavars had donated land that became the stretch of Somerton Rd between their farms. I also found two government advertisements for leases of land north of Swain St and Dench's Lane concerning section 2 of the parish of Yuroke and leases from the Crown. It seems obvious that the reserve for Mickleham Rd, at least through section 2, had been established between the dates of the two advertisements.
22. Bourke, 731, Seven hundred and thirty-one acres, parish of Yuroke, portion No. 2 ;bounded on the south by the parish boundary line; on the east by portion No. 3; on the north by portion No. 9 ; and on the west by portion No. 1.(P.1, The Melbourne Argus,2-6-1846.)

21 Bourke. Three hundred and forty-four acres three roods, parish of Yuroke, section No 2, portion C; Upset price £1 per acre.(P.4,Geelong Advertiser, 3-6-1848.)

The parish boundary line was the line of Swain St,with the parish of Will Will Rook to the south, and section 1 was the timber reserve (through which Providence Rd runs diagonally to Somerton Rd) between Section Rd and Woodlands to the west.

Google YUROKE, COUNTY OF BOURKE,select the first result,click VIEW and scroll down to the bottom left hand corner. "11" means section 2 of the parish of Bulla,"Woodlands". To the right is section 1, the Timber Reserve, and to the right of that is 2C running east to a crown allotment boundary with a dotted line either side of it. This would indicate that the road was reserved after the initial survey. There is no indication of such a road in the 1846 advertisement.

The 731 acres mentioned in 1846 was comprised of 2C (345.75 acres) and 2D (376.5 acres)and 88 X 1 chain (8.8 acres) being the area taken between Swain St and Somerton Rd for Mickleham Rd. You will notice that there is no indication of Somerton Rd west of Mickleham Rd; as stated above,in 1860, John Lavars and John McKerchar gave the land between 2C and Greenan/Greenvale with Timber Reserve land also being used south of Greenvale.

Heading north,you will notice that Mickleham Rd continues as a one chain (wide)road until it reaches Dunhelen Lane (Melway 385 K11) from where it becomes a three chain road,indicating its status as a HIGHWAY.

The fact that land was acquired for Mickleham Rd after survey does not mean that the route was not used by Sydney-bound travellers before circa 1848. The Brodies and Captain Pearson would have had shepherds and boundary riders rather than fences to stop their sheep from straying, and travellers could take whichever route they liked, probably following the ruts of an early dray whose bullocky avoided rocky or boggy ground,which could explain the several bends in Mickleham Rd today.The bend at Melway 178K 1/2 would have been to detour around fencing near the Dunhelen head station just to the north where the heritage-listed homestead and stables remain.

THE TREES.
It seems likely that the main focus of the request for information that Elayne Whatman forwarded to me was concerned with the roadside trees. I'd spent hours looking for an article on trove about them and only found a request from Mickleham residents to fence off part of Mickleham Rd in 1918 for a memorial using rocks. Having now almost finished the journal, it was time to resume my search for information about the Avenue of Honour.

I decided to bypass trove in the hope that the fabulous CRAIGIEBURN HISTORICAL INTEREST GROUP, whose articles about Parnell's Inn and the Methodist Cemetery have already been included, might have mentioned the Mickleham Avenue of Honour. They had!

The Mickleham Avenue of Honour

"Lest We Forget"

The 2.6 kilometer Mickleham Avenue of Honour is a historically, significant landscape, located in Mickleham Rd, Mickleham, Victoria and was originally planted by schoolchildren in the early 1900's as part of Arbour Day activities to commemorate men and women who served in World War 1. It is the longest avenue of mature eucalyptus in the City of Hume, Victoria and gives an unmistakable and powerful Australian character to Mickleham.

Originally the avenue of River Red and Sugar Gums was planted as part of Arbour Day and wooden plaques honouring people named on the Mickleham War memorial were also placed under the trees in the Avenue of Honour but have long since disappeared. Some of the trees in the Avenue of Honour had become structurally unsound due to old age and required pruning and some others needed to be removed.

On the 24th of April, 2002 as part of a commemorative planting day leading up to Anzac Day, 61 River Red Gums were planted by, school children, teachers and parents from the Mickleham Primary School, veterans from the Second World War and families of those honoured on the Mickleham War Memorial. The trees that had been removed were replaced and commemorative bronze service plaques were also installed, to honour those men and women who were listed on Mickleham's War Memorial.

Some interesting historical information on the Mickleham Avenue of Honour

Frank Cocking of Mickleham, as a school child, helped to plant the Avenue north of Mt. Ridley Road on Arbour Day in 1916. Frank named his tree after an Army General. By that stage the Avenue was already planted and well established south of Mt. Ridley Road. Originally the trees in the Avenue had guards to protect them from stock damage, as Mickleham Road was part of a stock route to the Newmarket sale yards.

Mrs. Mary Clancy of Kennington, Frank Cocking's sister, also helped to plant the trees along the avenue as a child. The children each gave their special tree a name of choice and Mrs Clancy name her tree Princess Mary. There were wooden plaques under the tree painted with the names that the children chose.

In the 1980's the wooden signs under the trees had begun to disintegrate. A local Mickleham resident gathered them up in order to ensure they were protected from further damage. This resident has since been deceased, and the local residents family sold the property and the wooden plaques were subsequently lost.



The following lists in order the 43 individual plaques and the inscription on each plaque.

The plaques commence from the first tree south of the Mickleham War Memorial, heading south, on the east side of the road on (the same side as Mickleham Primary School). The order was shuffled to ensure that veterans and their families who came to plant a tree on the 25th of April could do so for themselves or their family member. Hence some WW2 plaques are amongst the WW1 plaques to allow for a newly planted tree.

1.4164 - Private Rupert Francis Chambers 8th Battalion served in WW1

2. 169 - Private Henry Coates 3rd Pioneer Battalion A. I. F. Served in WW1

3. 4760 - Private Frederick John Cocking 5th Pioneer Battalion A. I. F served in WW1 † died in action 26.11.1916 "in the field" France.

4. VX18809 - Sergeant Major George Hubert Cocking 2/2 field Regiment served in WW2 in Palestine, Egypt, Greece, Ceylon and New Guinea.

5. 109 - Trooper William James Hall 4th Australian Light Horse served in WW1 † Died in action 14.11.1915 Turkey, Aged 22.

6. A. Henderson Served in WW1

7. P. Johnson Served in WW1

8. 136 - Lance Corporal Percival Charles William Langford 4th Light Horse Regiment Served in WW1

9. 2005A - Driver William John Pepper 11th Field Artillery Brigade Served in WW1

10. B. Roberts Served in WW1

11. W. Saunders Served in WW1

12. 1405 - Gunner Bernard Schroeder 14th Battlion A. I. F. Served in WW1 † Died of wounds received in action, 14.8.1916 in France.

13. H. Sutton Served in WW1

14. E. Talent Served in WW1

15. H. Vincent Served in WW1

16. Albert Williams Served in WW1

17. 729 - Lance Corporal Leslie Norman Williams 8th Btn, Australian Infantry, A. I. F. Served in WW1 † died in action 20.9.1917 Aged 22.

18. William (Bill) Williams Served in WW1

19. 286 - Corporal John Thomas Williams 22nd Battalion Served in WW1

20. VX138988 Mechanic Craftsman Gr 2 Edward Thomas Williams 3rd Motor Brigade Headquarters 285 Light Aid Detachment Served in WW2 in Australia.

21. VX744 - Lance Bombardier John Edward Beasley 2/2 Field Regiment Served in WW2 † Died of injuries 2.4.1942 Gun shot wound accidentally received.

22. VX54325 - Private Andrew Mitchell Beveridge Australian Army Medical Corps Served in WW2

23. V315242 - Private Denis Patrick Bourke 39th Australian Works Company Served in WW1

24. VX117995 - Corporal Ernest John Bourke 5th Battalion Served in WW2

25. VF345897 - Corporal Ellen Sarah Bourke Australian Women's Army Service Served in WW2

26. Miss Irene Bourke Served in WW2

27. William Bourke Served in WW2

28. 120203 - Corporal Don Brown 10 Squadron Royal Australian Air Force Served in WW2 in England

29. 23132 - Yeoman of Signals Kenneth Tom Brown Royal Australian Air Force Served in WW2

30. VF515985 - Private Nancye Brown Australian Women's Army Service Served in WW2 in Australia

31. VX100432 - Gunner Thomas Francis Curley 112th Australian Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment Served in WW2 in Darwin

32. Captain F. Code Served in WW1

33. VX128081 - Sergeant Laurence Walton Davis Australian New Guinea Administrative Unit Served in WW2

34. VX119616 - Sergeant Neil Watson Davis 102 Australian Composite Anti Aircraft Regiment Service Served in WW2

35. VX57551 - Bdr George Morris Loyd 24th Battery, 2/12 Field Regiment, 9th Division Served in WW2, in the Middle East, New Guinea and Borneo (AUTHOR OF MICKLEHAM ROAD 1920-1952!)

36. VX57550 - Gunner Sydney Evans Loyd 24th Battery, 2/12 Field Regiment, 9th Division Served in WW2, in the Middle East, New Guinea and Borneo

37. VX57549 - Sergeant William John Loyd 23rd Battery, 2/12 Field Regiment, 9th Division Served in WW2, in the Middle East, New Guinea and Borneo

38. 12889 - Corporal Ronald Lionel Gibson Royal Australian Air Force Served in WW2

39. VX6517 - Sergeant Major Llewlyn Clarke Saunders 2nd 8th Battalion, 6th Division Served in WW2

40. Corporal Robert George Troutbeck New Zealand Army Served in WW2 Captured as a Prisoner of War in Greece

41. VX57338 - Private Philip Maxwell Uren 2/24 Battalion Served in WW2 † Died in action

42. VX56857 - Corporal Kenneth Mariott Webster 2/8th Australian Armoured Regiment Served in WW2

43. VX106223 - Trooper Philip Leslie Webster 8th Light Horse, 8th Australian Cavalry Regiment Served in WW2



IRONICALLY THIS JOURNAL WAS PROMPTED BY THE SAME EMAIL AS MY BROADMEADOWS HISTORICAL SOCIETY JOURNAL WHICH I STARTED WITH A GREAT QUOTE ABOUT CICERO'S OPINION OF THE NEED FOR A KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT HAPPENED BEFORE ONE WAS BORN. GEORGE LLOYD WROTE "MICKLEHAM ROAD 1920 TO 1952" WHICH TOLD OF ALL THE PEOPLE AND FARMS ALONG ALL THE ROADS BRANCHING OUT FROM THE AREA NEAR TULLAMARINE. HIS BROTHER SID LET ME PHOTOCOPY HIS COPY. THIS WAS ONE OF THE TREASURES THAT I DONATED TO THE CITY OF HUME LIBRARY VIA THE TULLAMARINE LIBRARY WHEN I LEFT FOR ROSEBUD. HOPEFULLY IT IS NOT ONE OF THE TREASURES THAT HAS BEEN LOST! IT IS ABOUT A QUARTER OF A CENTURY SINCE I READ GEORGE'S BOOK WHICH WAS A PRIME SOURCE FOR MY 2500+ PAGE "DICTIONARY HISTORY OF TULLAMARINE AND MILES AROUND". GEORGE SIMPLY REPORTED WHAT HE SAW FROM 1920. HE KNEW NOTHING ABOUT JOHN CROWE AND HIS PROPERTY "MT YUROKE" WHICH WAS NO MORE ON A MOUNTAIN THAN DONALD KENNEDY'S "DUNDONALD". MT GELLIBRAND WAS RENAMED GELLIBRAND HILL AND MT YUROKE WAS RENAMED CROWE'S HILL. HOWEVER GEORGE AND THE CRINNION FAMILY CALLED THE OLD CROWE PROPERTY CROW'S HILL! SEE WHAT CICERO WAS REFERRING TO?

CRlNNION. - On the 17th September, at Mount St.Erin's, Patrick, 3rd eldest son of the late Thomas and Mary Ann Crinnion, of Crow's Hill, Mickleham, brother of Michael, Thomas, George, Mrs.D. Branigan, Mrs. J. Langtry, Ellen, late James and Andrew. R.I.P. (Interred privately, Bulla Cemetery, l8th inst.)
(P.17,Argus, 20-9-1919.)

OF COURSE GEORGE AND THE CRINNIONS DID NOT HAVE THE ADVANTAGE OF THE INTERNET, ESPECIALLY TROVE. I DEDICATE THIS JOURNAL TO BOB BLACKWELL AND GEORGE AND SID LLOYD WHO EXTENDED MY FOCUS BEYOND TULLAMARINE. WITHOUT THEIR INTEREST IN MY RESEARCH I WOULD NOT BE WRITING THIS JOURNAL.

MICKLEHAM ROAD.
The road now runs north from Tullamarine Junction (later called Green's Corner after Cec and Lily Green, used the closed Junction hotel as a garage and store)and crosses the creek on the course of Hackett St,the western boundary of Broadmeadows Township, which was never constructed until,I think,the early 1970's. The Orrs' Kia-Ora went east to Ardlie St, including some township land on which the homestead was built. The homestead later became the office of a caravan park. (This homestead is wrongly called the Willowbank homestead in a City of Hume heritage Study.)

Mickleham Rd originally ran north from the end of Ardlie St and, because the route of the Hume Highway was an absolute bog between Campbellfield and Somerton, was part of two of the three early routes to Sydney,the other being along High St through "The Plenty", all routes meeting near Wallan. The original route suggested was past the Young Queen Inn at Pascoeville (Melway 16 J 8 near Bass St),turning left near Johnstone St to Ardlie St and up the hill to meet the road to Mickleham.

In 1854 a timber bridge was built to join the two ends of Ardlie St and travellers from the west could travel to near the Lady of the Lake Hotel at Tullamarine before accessing the bridge via Turner St or Tylden Place in the township. (The Junction hotel could not be used as a landmark because it was not built till about 1870.) From whichever direction travellers entered the township, the Broady and Victoria (the latter a bit farther up the Ardlie St hill)would have done good business,especially during the rush to the Mcivor diggings near Heathcote. For those who imbibed too freely,there was a bluestone lockup across Ardlie St.See historical plaques on the Broadmeadows Hotel,the lockup and, while you're at it, the 1869 Bluestone bridge (which is NOT on the site of the timber bridge) and,I think,the old Shire Office,which served until 1928. SOME OF THE PLACES IN BROADMEADOWS TOWNSHIP WITH HERITAGE OVERLAYS ARE LISTED BELOW.
HO6 Bridge over Moonee Ponds Creek Fawkner Street, , Westmeadows
HO7 Bluestone Police Lock-up 23 Ardlie Street (adjacent to Westmeadows Pre School, Westmeadows
HO371 Westmeadows Tavern 4 – 12 Ardlie Street, Westmeadows
HO372 Recreation Reserve 25-31 Ardlie Street, Westmeadows (Goding's Hollow.)
HO373 Former St Anne’s Church 24 – 26 Ardlie Street, Westmeadows
HO374 Broadmeadows District Roads Boards Office/Shire Hall 11 – 17 Ardlie Street, Westmeadows
HO375 Ford (Moonee Ponds Creek) North of Ardlie Street, Westmeadows
HO376 House 10 Broad Street, Westmeadows(The old coach house in which Jack Hoctor was born.)
HO377 House 20 Coghill Street, Westmeadows
HO378 Former Presbyterian Church 24 Coghill Street, Westmeadows
HO380 St Pauls Anglican Church Raleigh Street, Westmeadows (Built in 1850.)

In about 1850 the new Sydney Road was declared. Champ,the superintendent of the Pentridge Stockade used prisoners to improve the road near the prison,but from all accounts construction farther north still lagged for some time. To connect the old Sydney road past the Young Queen to it, Pascoe Vale Rd was constructed north to its present limit where it ran directly into a road heading north east through a government settlement pioneered by such as Samuel Clifford after whom this road was named. (Somerton Rd was still unmade at the time. Cliffords Rd was later cut off by the north eastern railway to Sydney circa 1871.)

This link might have reduced the use of Mickleham Rd to some extent but some reports state that felling of trees along the new route took some time and this was compounded by the destruction of the bridge near William Smith's Young Queen Inn, which was probably the last straw for that landmark, a new Young Queen,later Father O'Hea's residence, at Coburg, having already taken part of its trade.The big advantage of this route,however was avoidance of the steep climbs into and out of Broadmeadows township, the descents being as dangerous as the ascents were difficult.

FARMS AND OTHER FEATURES ALONG MICKLEHAM ROAD IN ORDER.
WILL WILL ROOK.
Mickleham Road started in the parish of Will Wiil Rook at the top of the Ardlie St hill passing through the Dundonald estate of Donald Kennedy, who, with his brother Duncan, had also bought the Glenroy estate from speculators, Hughes and Hosking, through which the southern part of the OLD SYDNEY ROAD passed after crossing through John Pascoe Fawkner's Pascoeville estate before heading west to Broadmeadows Township. The Dundonald estate was leased in farms of about 300 acres,such as Kia ora (which the Orrs probably named after buying it in 1929,when all of the estate was sold), Dundonald of 400 acres, and north of Kenny St,Willowbank (now the Alanbrae Estate)and then Springbank. East of these were Wattle Glen and Annette Farm respectively which were accessed from Elizabeth St in Broadmeadows Township along a track that was used for the main pipe from Greenvale Reservoir.The northern boundary of Will Will Rook is indicated by Swain St and a strip park that was known as Dench's Lane by Carriers such as the Lloyd Brothers. Recently I stumbled across an advertisement placed by Donald Kennedy seeking application for the lease of the Glenalin Estate, which went east from Wattle Glen and Annette Farm to Pascoe Vale Rd. This farm was later owned by John Kerr Jnr., and called variously Glen Allan or Glen Allen, and later by John Twomey before the new shire offices were built on part of it in 1928.

HO240 Dundonald
Woodlands Historic Park, Greenvale




BULLA OR MICKLEHAM?
Portion of this article is included here because it mentions properties farther south, such as Gladstone Park and the Johnsons on Cumberland. In geographical order, heading north,HARPSDALE would be mentioned along with properties on the north side of Craigieburn Rd, such as John Johnson's Greenhill and Mt Yuroke/ Crowe's Hill.

If Isaac Batey had been asked where Harpsdale was, his answer would have been Bulla or north of Oaklands Junction. Oaklands Rd, which headed north from just north of the the N-S runway at Melbourne Airport where the Inverness Hotel stood for well over a century,was the easternmost road in the parish of Bulla,the boundary with the parish of Yuroke being a mile farther east. Harpsdale, section 18, was at the north east corner of the parish of Bulla, adjoining the parish of Mickleham in which the owners had also bought land. The parishes of Bolinda and Mickleham adjoined the parish of Bulla, being separated from each other by Deep Creek.

The eastern 200 acres of section 18 became the Dyson-Holland family's Troodos in 1955 under the provisions of the 1936 Closer Settlement Act.To show the vagueness of locality names, Troodos was described as being in Yuroke!

South of Harpsdale was Oaklands* from which Oaklands Rd gained its name, to the west was the Brannigans' St John's Hill and on the south west corner was Warlaby*, so named by Robert McDougall, renowned breeder of the Booth strain of shorthorns, after Major Booth's stud in the old country. Incidentally Robert was described as living in Essendon; this was between his tenures on Cona at Glenroy and Arundel at Tullamarine and he was renting John Aitkens grant, section 8 Doutta Galla, around the northern sweep of the Maribyrnong where it comes closest to Buckley St.
(*Homesteads shown at Melway 385 B9 and 384 J8.)

Harpsdale is not on Mickleham Rd (the driveway to the homestead, Melway 385E 5,6, being 1500 metres to the west) but the article is included here because of the Brodie connection with both Harpsdale and Dunhelen, the Simmie family extending their holdings farther east with the purchase of ("Belmont?")and to explain why it was described as being in the Mickleham district. In about 1990, Jack Simmie showed me the mosaic Brodie Crest set in the tiled floor just inside the front door of the Harpdale homestead. By that time Jack's family had been on Harpsdale for half a century and Jack was involved with the Greenvale Tennis Club where he met his wife who lived on Springfield North (renamed after early Bulla squatter and pioneer near Bundoora/Janefield, John Brock, from whom her father was descended.SOURCE: MERNA GAMBLE.) BROCKLANDS WAS BOUGHT BY AITKEN COLLEGE.

GAMBLE - SIMMIE. - Jean Elizabeth,younger daughter of Mrs. M. Gamble and the late Mr. D. Gamble, of Brock-
lands. Greenvale, to John Ernest, only son of Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Simmie. Harpsdale, Yuroke.
(P.8, Argus, 2-9-1947.)

MIXED FARMING AT MICKLEHAM. By F.W.L.
PROSPEROUS SETTLEMENT.
SITUATED close to Melbourne by road and rail, the Mickleham district enjoys facilities that are denied localities farther distant from the markets and shipping point. The soil and climate are admirably adapted for diversified farming,which, in the field of general agriculture,is usually the keynote of success. The
country lying north-west from Melbourne in which Mickleham is situated, has been occupied since the early days of settlement.

It is well watered and grassed, and for many years it has been devoted to mixed farming, which was encouraged in the first instance by the subdivision of the larger estates, and later by the more stringent economic conditions which imposed upon landowners the necessity of increasing the efficiency of their holdings. The principal industries are dairying and fattening sheep and lambs, both of which, assisted by near-at-hand markets and low transportation costs, are profitable. Various crops are cultivated to supplement the pastures at certain seasons, and during the last three years wheatgrowing, which was formerly largely practised, has made pronounced headway, and appears likely to assume extended proportions.

The friable loams which constitute the bulk of the soils absorb moisture and retain it with great obstinacy. They are rich in plant food (active and inactive), and, as has been proved, they are not readily exhausted. The average annual rainfall is 25 inches, which is well distributed over the 12 months, and frequent summer showers have a revivifying effect on crops and pastures. Last year, when only 15 inches fell, was abnormally dry, but it rained every month. There was a good sole of feed in the grazing areas, crops yielded satisfactorily, and the only inconvenience suffered was a shortage of water for the stock. Following the heavy rains in January, which totalled 33 inches, and those in February, which amounted to over 41 inches, there has been a profuse growth in the pastures; autumn fodder crops are luxuriant, and water storages have been replenished to overflowing. The outlook is all that could be desired, and landowners are jubilant.
HARPSDALE.
One of the oldest properties in the Mickleham district is Harpsdale, which is 18 miles by road from the General Post-office,and three miles from Craigieburn, a railway station within the suburban radius. It was originally owned by Mr. G. S. Brodie at one time Government auctioneer, who also controlled Dunhelen, The Five Mile,
and Helensville near Sunbury. He bequeathed it to his son, Mr. David Brodie,who resided on it for over 30 years, but subsequently leased it and retired to Melbourne. He rented The Five Mile from his sister, Miss Helen Brodie, and Helensville, from another sister, Mrs. Scott, who inherited these properties under their father's will. On the death of Mr. David Brodie, Harpsdale was sold to Mr. R. S.Anderson, who disposed of it to Mr. John
Mills, the well-known breeder of Clydesdale horses. It was carried on by him as a stud farm for about five years, after which it came into the possession of Mr. A. C.Wilson, who, during his four years of ownership, effected a number of useful improvements, including a bore from which an assured water supply is drawn. The
next owner was Mr. J. Ferguson, from whom Harpsdale was acquired by the Dunvegan Pastoral Company 12 months ago.

Situated on an elevation the homestead, a substantial stone and brick structure to which are attached numerous outbuildings, and a very fine stable, commands a comprehensive panoramic new. Looking south,Melbourne and Hobson's Bay, with Mount Martha in the distance, stand out in bold relief. The Dandenong Range in the south
west, the Plenty Range in the north-east, the You Yangs and the Anakies in the south-west, and the Brisbane Range in the west, catch the eye, while Mount Macedon and Mount William form the background in the north-west and north respectively. On a clear day many other prominent landmarks can be defined in a scene of rural
beauty that is unexcelled anywhere in Victoria. Included in the estates contiguous to Harpsdale are Dunhelen (Mr.P. Irvine), Tulloch (Mr. R. A. Kett), Dunalister (Mr. W. D. Peter), Woodlands (Mr.B. Chaffey), Cumberland (Mr. J. Johnson),Glenara (Mr. A. CJark), and Gladstone Park, owned by the entailed estate of (THE COUSIN OF) Mr.William Ewart Gladstone, the great English statesman. There are in addition many smaller properties, the appearance of which attests to the prosperity of the district.etc. (P.44,The Australasian, 24-3-1928.)


PARISHES OF YUROKE AND MICKLEHAM.
MACHELL'S SUBDIVISION (W) AND PATTINSON GRANTS (E.)
The parish of Yuroke was north of the line of Swain St and east of a line a mile east of Oaklands Rd. Unfortunately, I cannot at the moment access the online Yuroke parish map,so I'll have to rely on memory.
(All parish maps near Mickleham Rd can be accessed by googling the name of the parish, then County of Bourke, e.g. yuroke, county of bourke. Tullamarine and Will Wiil Rook are north of a line joining Sharps Rd, Tullamarine and Boundary Rd, Glenroy and respectively west/south and east/north of the Moonee Ponds Creek.

The south western section of the parish of Yuroke was a square mile adjoining Woodlands that was not alienated because it was declared a timber reserve. In its south east corner (Melway 178 F11)today is the Weeroona Koorie Cemetery and from this section's eastern boundary,Section Rd, Providence Lane heads north west to Somerton Rd. The Greenvale Sanitorium later occupied the majority portion south west of Providence Lane. All other crown allotments fronting Somerton Rd,apart from section 6 at Somerton (bisected by Cliffords Rd)and Cameron's "Stony Fields" (Roxburgh Park) were about half a square mile (half mile frontage and and a mile deep.)

Machell's grant was bounded by Swain St, Section Rd,Somerton Rd and Mickleham Rd and the Pattinson brothers had the half mile frontage across Mickleham Rd (to a point just east of the Fleetwood Drive corner. The Pattinsons divided their grant laterally into two 180 acre farms. In the 1900's Hughie Williamson bought the northern half and his children attended State School 890 Greenvale at the north east corner of the aforementioned timber reserve (which causes the dog leg in Section Rd.) Eventually the Williamson family sold "Dunvegan" and a new Greenvale Primary School 890 was built among the new houses being built there. The farm between Dunvegan and Dench's Lane was occupied by a farmer named Bob Jefferies sometime after 1920 according to George Lloyd.

Farms at the north west and north east corners were Donald McKerchar's "Greenan" (which adjoined John Mckerchar's "Greenvale" opposite the school) and "Springfield". The northern half,Springfield North,was renamed after John Brock by the Gambles and Wal French ran a dairy on the southern half. The Trotmans earlier had all of Springfield and Glenarthur to the east, which today is covered by the western half of the Greenvale reservoir.

Greenvale Primary School provided me with a copy of the school's history at both locations (Section Rd, now a church,and on Dunvegan.)

A short history of Greenvale and Williamson memories from the school history.
The essay “History of Greenvale” was written by Rose Hanigan, age 11 years and 2 months for a competition at
the Bulla Horticultural Show, April 25th 1910. Prizes were presented by Mr Melbourne Dean and judged by the
Editor of the “Essendon Gazette”. Rose was award First Prize.
“HISTORY OF GREENVALE”
Greenvale is an agricultural district situated 14 miles northeast of Melbourne. It was originally called
Yuroke, but the name was changed to Greenvale in 1868. It is one of the earliest settled districts of the
State.
The pioneers of the district were:- Mr D Cameron who settled at “Gellibrand”; Mr Coghill at
“Cumberland” and Captain Greene of “Woodlands”.
The northeast portion of the district was owned by Captain Person of “Wheatlands”.
These pioneers settled in the early forties. Mr J Coghill, the son of the owner of “Cumberland”,
established a “boiling down” works at “Glenara”, now owned by Mr V Clark.
“Woodlands” after the death of Captain Greene, was carried on under management of his son Mr
Rawdon Greene, and was a model farm. The first reaping machine and the first mechanical conveyance
for loading hay in the field were employed on this property.
For many years, Church of England service was held at “Woodlands” and the first Sunday School was
held there, the teachers being Mr Stawell and Miss Greene who were afterwards Sir William and Lady
Stawell.
On the discovery of gold, there was increase demand for farm produce induced many people to settle on
the land.
Captain Pearson of “Wheatlands”, cut up part of his estate into farms which soon found purchasers and
all the unoccupied Crown Land was soon settled upon. The price obtained for hay in those times (1852-
1858) was up to 15 pound a ton.
Among the other early settlers were Messrs J and D McKercher, Mr G McLean, Mrs J Lavars, Messrs D
and P McArthur (who resided at “Glenarthur”), Mr R Shankland, Mr G S Brodie (of “Dunhelen”),
Messrs C and D Bradshaw, Mr Musgrove (father of Mr J Musgrove, of the implement works), Mrs Mary
Daniel of “Narbonne” (grandmother of Mr F and Mr H H Daniel), and many others.
Of these early settlers very few remain, but we still have with us Mesdames J and D McKercher, Mrs
Michle and Mrs Lavars. The latter lady is indeed the oldest identity of the district. She was tenant of
“Gellibrand” in 1848 and in 1856 leased the farm, now occupied by Mr Trotman, from Captain Pearson.
On sale of this farm, she went to live at her present property and has resided there ever since.
In the year 1868, a school was erected by public subscription and the school and post office were opened
in March of that year. The name “Green Vale” was given to the school and post office by the first teacher
who called it after Mr J Mckercher’s farm which was also “Green Vale”. In 1872 the late Mr J Lavars erected
the hotel which is currently being carried on by his widow.

Except for the removal of old settlers by death and migration, the district has changed little. Hay mowing
and dairying are still the principal industries. The beautiful timber reserve known as the Back Section famous as a picnic reserve has been removed by the Government and a portion of it is now a Consumptive Sanatorium where about 100 people are being treated for this dreadful disease.

Extracts of “Going to school yester year” by Gordon Williamson.
The Williamson family represented 3 generations or 50 years connection with the school. I spent 18 years
as a committee member, my father spent 29 years. I remember starting school in 1936 by walking to
school 1 mile with my brother and sister, rain, hail or shine. Some families walked up to 5 miles “as the
crow flies” to get to school. When I started school there were horse yards to tether horses while at
school. The older boys at school were let out 5 minutes before so they could saddle up the horses for the
children.
My teachers were Mr Sprake and Mr Swan who used to push a bike from Broadmeadows railway
station everyday, morning and night, 7 mile each way. At school there were 24 students from grade 1 to
grade 8, one teacher, and a sewing mistress just in the afternoons.
In those days at school we had no electricity or telephone, but we did have open fires to warm the
school. For lighting arrangements we had kerosene lamps to see when it was a little dark. The school
had board floors, no carpets.
School was used as a social meeting place such as dances, concerts, card nights, kitchen teas, and
farewell parties because there were no other halls or buildings to have these functions in. Next door to
the school there was a post office, store and a telephone exchange.
We started the week at school with the flag raising, saluting the flag and singing “God save the Queen”.
Each morning following we would do the “weather chart”. Some of our classes consisted of arithmetic,
tables off by heart, spelling, reading, writing plus geography, history, nature study (walks) composition.
If we were naughty we were either given the strap or lines to write at home, same in small grade 1
where I sat in the corner when naughty. Some of our sporting material was a football stuffed with paper,
cricket was with an old tennis ball with a bat made out of a piece of wood by one of the children’s dad.
As it was war time and it was hard to buy any sporting equipment.
Our roads to the school were gravel and muddy in the winter time. Mickleham road was cobblestone.
Mickleham road was known then as Old Sydney road. 2 mile north was stop 1 for Cobb & Co coaches,
for the changing of horses and drivers. The Blue stone stable house is still there today (1993).
In 1956 Mickleham Road, Somerton Road and Pascoe Vale Roads were used as the Olympic bike track.
The roads were sealed as bitumen roads for that event. Before this they were very rough dirt roads.
It was a long way to go shopping as people went by horse and buggy to North Essendon or Puckle
Street once a fortnight or month. Men folk would drop families to shop and they would travel on to
Newmarket yards to see and buy stock (cattle, sheep, and horses).
Newmarket saleyards were one of the largest cattle markets in the world. Greenvale area was farming,
dairy, sheep, pigs and beef. I myself came off a dairy farm on which this school is now situated (current
Greenvale primary school in Bradford Avenue). We milked cows, grew crops etc. The farm was worked
with draught horses. I left school in grade 8 and went home to work on the farm with my dad. I draw a 6
horse team ploughing paddocks to grow crops to feed the stock. As time went on we had the power
(electricity) put on in Greenvale plus telephones to homes. This all happened around 1950. Instead of
manual, the Telephone Exchange became automatic.
As the years went by the school bus started to take children into Essendon to high school and tech
school. Then there were buses to take workers into Melbourne. Prior to this people worked at home or
boarded in Melbourne. I then married and lived in Greenvale and my children started to go to
Greenvale State School. 2 members were dux of the school. That was Gayle in 1970 and Lynda in 1976.
My son Craig holds records in the combined school sports for running and jumping. These sports were
held between West Meadows, Tullamarine, Bulla, Mickleham, Craigieburn, Kalkallo and Greenvale.
They were held once a year at different locations.
The last member of the Williamson family left Greenvale School in 1976.





MACHELL GRANT (BETWEEN SECTION RD AND MICKLEHAM RD.)
Knowing of the early subdivision of this grant,I had assumed that Machell was a land speculator rather than agenuine pioneer but he seems to have been living there and even gave his farm a name.

A DRAUGHT HORSE LOST.
A WHITE Horse, without brand,(clat?) fore feet, shoes on all round, and hobbles on,is now running in the undersigned paddock. The owner can have him by paying expenses to Messrs Machell, Mozergh, Yuroke near Gellibrand's Hill. (P.7,Argus, 23-3-1852.)


Keith Brown of Canberra is the author of the two books about the Johnson family held at the the historic Woodlands Homestead. His wife, Evelyn,is a Johnson descendant. Since this journal resulted from a request to the Broadmeadows Historical Society for information,it is ironic that my knowledge about the Johnson family came about because the late Jim Hume referred Keith's request for information about Peter Robertson of Gellibrand Cottage to me. In 1999, I was researching my EARLY LANDOWNERS (DOUTTA GALLA, TULLAMARINE) at the Titles Office and changed tack to record transactions related to the Machell grant. If I don't happen to give a source for any statement that I make, such as John Johnson of Greenhills having previously owned 40 acres between Swain St and Providence Lane,you can bet your bottom dollar that there is one.

INFORMATION FROM KEITH.
23-2-1863. William Johnson married Wilhelmina Robertson at Gellibrand Cottage in the parish of Yuroke, the home of Wilhelmina’s parents, Peter and Henrietta Robertson. In the same ceremony,Wilhelmina’s older sister, Margaret, married Donald McKerchar, widower (of Colina) of “Springfield”. Donald renamed his property “Greenan”in honour of his wife’s birthplace in Scotland. (This was his 302 ¾ acre grant, lot P of section 9, across Mickleham Rd from Springfield.) A third sister, Henrietta Robertson, married Donald McNab in 1855.
Donald and Margaret’s only daughter, Henrietta (or Etty, who was only a week old when Donald died in 1869) was for many years the postmistress at Greenvale. She did not marry and died in 1944 of drowning (in a dam on the property. Was this Greenan or Springfield North?)
Gellibrand Cottage (must have been reasonably close to Gellibrand Hill) as in 1861 an attempt was made to establish a toll gate and it was resolved to offer Mr Robertson of Gellibrand Hill 8 pounds to ascertain the traffic on the road and to call for tenders for the erection of a toll house and gate on the Broadmeadows Road opposite Mr Robertson’s house. The Robertsons arrived from Scotland about 1853-4.The Johnson family arrived from Huntingdonshire in 1852 and John Johnson worked in Moonee Ponds for Peter McCracken.
MY COMMENT.
(Peter McCracken was on Stewarton,the part of Gladstone Park north of the Lackenheath Dr. corner, from 1846 to 1855. It was probably here that John worked for him.(A.D.Pyke,the author of THE GOLD THE BLUE, a history of Lowther Hall School,thought the 777 acre farm was in the suburb of Moonee Ponds, but in early days the term meant near the Moonee Moonee Chain of Ponds!)
KEITH.
John Johnson’s son, William, purchased land at Drummond in 1856 as did Peter and Robert McCracken. John went to manage this property and in 1861, John and William bought the McCracken land. William became a prosperous Drummond/Malmsbury identity. His son, John, purchased “Glendewar” at Tullamarine in about 1906 and retained it until his death in 1948. From about 1919 to 1934, John Johnson leased, and the family lived on,“Cumberland” adjacent to Glendewar.
ME.
After W.W.1, Reg Poole renamed Greenhill as Lancedene. (Jack Simmie of Harpsdale.)
Was John Johnston the father of William Johnson? His surname seems to have been consistently written with the T, but that does not necessarily mean it was right. It is a strange coincidence that Reg.Poole took over the Johnston grant and Blanche Wilhelmina Johnson married a Poole.

The land east of Section Rd, Greenvale, allotment C of section 2, was granted to Leonard James and George Wolfenden Muchell (sic) in 1843. This was subdivided and sold to Messrs Lavars, Bond, Salisbury, Johnson, Davidson, and in 1854, John Lawrence bought lots 6 and 7. Part of lot 6 became the church site in Providence Lane. (Greenvale: Links with the Past by Annette Davis* found in the Bulla file at the Sam Merrifield Library, Moonee Ponds.) *Annette was the wife of former Bombers champ,Barry Davis,when she wrote it. Reprints give a different surname.

Notice that one of the above buyers was Mr Johnson. I wonder if this was John Johnson who had been working for Peter McCracken at Stewarton two miles to the south. There is no mention of a Peter or Henrietta Robertson in the 1863 ratebook despite the fact that they were living in a house near Gellibrand Hill on the 23rd of February in that year. Neither does the surname Johnson appear. Was John Johnston’s house (N.A.V.9 pounds) or farm (N.A.V. 18 pounds and therefore about 40 acres) where Peter and Henrietta Robertson were living without paying the rates? As Henrietta was 72 and Peter 66, it is possible that they were guests of a 56 year old Johns(t)on. It is not possible to determine where Johns(t)on’s house and small farm were but it is likely that they were between Section Rd and Mickleham Rd.

An inspiration has rendered Peter visible and perhaps established a link with D.Robertson of Chester Hill/Barbiston. The last time I perused the list of founders of Bulla Presbyterian Church (about six years ago), a name struck me as one I’d never heard of. The list includes P.Robertson and D.Robertson. (P.58, Bulla Bulla, I.W.Symonds.)

THE GREENVALE CONNECTION. (Robertson, Johnson, McKerchar, McNab.)
As you have stated, Peter and Henrietta lived on Broadmeadows (Mickleham) Rd near Gellibrand Hill. A Mr Johnson bought a subdivision block on Machell’s grant in the early 1850’s just north of the hill and perhaps built Gellibrand Cottage. Donald McKerchar owned Greenan just across Somerton Rd from Machell’s grant. In 1863, Angus and Duncan McNab were leasing a fair slab of the Dunhelen Estate from G.S.Brodie. They were leasing a farm (N.A.V. 113 pounds so probably 250-300 acres) as was Samuel Hatty whose entry comes between those of the McNabs and Donald McKerchar. Hatty also had the 100 acres between Sherwood (Oaklands Hunt Club) and Ballater Park so it is likely that his two farms adjoined. On this basis, I would presume that Hatty and the McNabs were on the part of Dunhelen west of Mickleham Rd that later became Thomas G. Hall’s Kentucky and was between Greenvale/ Greenan and Dunhelen Lane. This supposition is confirmed by the Broadmeadows directory of 1868 which lists:
Angus McNab, farmer, Euroke and
Duncan McNab, farmer, Green Gully.
Green Gully was where Somerton Rd crossed the start of the Moonee Ponds Creek just east of Woodlands.
The following was supplied by Keith McNab. The children of Angus McNab and Mary were:
Janet or Jessie, born 1816 and married E. Robertson.
John, born 1818, married Mary Grant, established Oakbank.
Donald, born 1820, married H.Robertson.
Duncan, born 1822, married M.McPherson, established Victoria Bank.
Mary, born 1824, married John Grant.
Christina, born 1826, died at 17.
Catherine, born 1828, married John McKerchar.
Finlay, born 1830, married A.Stewart.
Angus, born 1832, married R.McIntosh.

The above confirms that Helena Robertson married Donald McNab but also shows another possible connection with Peter Robertson’s siblings or children. Is this why D.Robertson was farming Barbiston just across McNabs Rd from Oaklands and the original Victoria Bank?
The Macintosh family was farming Peter Young’s old “Nairn”, across Oaklands Rd from Dunalister (now Balbethan) in 1868 and this is probably why the McNabs bought land just to the west, across St Johns Lane, later on when Walter Clark’s Glenara Estate was subdivided.

Dear Keith,
As I mentioned on the phone, I’ve been to the titles office and while I’ve found nothing relating to Peter Robertson in the parish of Yuroke (and need to look up the many other Peter Robertsons), I’ve found the exact land owned by John Johnson near Gellibrand Hill.

Leonard James Machell and George Wolfenden Machell sold portions of their grant, allotment C of section 2, parish of Yuroke to:
Her Majesty the Queen (Volume L folio 692), James Simpson (N 340), Thomas Dutton (U 120), William Bond (no reference to volume etc in index), John Johnson (U 382), S.Davidson (U 689), John Salisbury (U 691), John Lawrence (Z 510) and John Lavars (13 404). (1st series index vol.11 folio 204)
Note that G.W.Machell’s co-grantee was not L. James as previously stated, repeating an error in a source.

The first series index was consulted re John Johnson (8 68) and John Johnston (8 29) and the second series index re Peter Robertson (14 141) but no mention was made of land in Yuroke. It is interesting that the sale of land in Drummond was listed under John Johnston (55 394), which confirms my suspicion that William’s father owned the land on the n.w. corner of Craigieburn and Mickleham Rd.
The second series index gives the same reference for John Johnson and John Johnston, Vol. 8 folio 396. This listed the sale of lots 1, 2 and 3 on the Machells’ grant to Samuel Mansfield. Before detailing this, I will return to John Johnson’s original purchase from the grantees.

VOLUME U FOLIO 382.
On 2-2-1853, John Johnson paid the Machells 94 pounds to purchase lot 1 of their subdivision, which consisted of 13 acres 1 rood and 8 perches. Commencing a chain (the width of Mickleham Rd) from the south east corner of allotment C, its boundary went 13.5 chains west, 10 chains north along the lot 2 boundary, 13.1 chains east along a one chain road (Providence Lane) and then south 10 chains to the commencing point.
Mickleham Road was wrongly described as running along the eastern boundary of section 2 to the Sydney road. Mickleham Rd actually bisects section 2; it runs along the eastern boundary of allotment C. The interesting point is that with Somerton Rd being called the Sydney road, much traffic to Sydney and McIvors Diggings must have turned right there instead of continuing past Marnong and Donnybrook Lane onto Old Sydney Rd, which emerges at Wallan.

VOLUME 143 FOLIO 996.
On 14-10-1864, Samuel Mansfield (related through later Johnson & Hickox weddings) bought lots 1,2 and 3 of the Machells’ subdivision from John Johnson for 250 pounds. This was almost certainly the farm (N.A.V.18 pounds) on which John Johnston was assessed in 1863. Lot 1 consisted of 13 acres 1 rood and 8 perches. Lots 2 and 3 each consisted of 13 acres and 2 roods. The western boundary of lot 3, which was at the south west corner of allotment C, adjoined allotment B (the eastern half of the former timber reserve).
Lots 1-3, described as 40 acres and owned by Sam Mansfield and later Harry Swaine, were bounded by the line of Swain St, a southerly extension of Section Rd, Providence Rd and Mickleham Rd. ( Melway reference 178, H/11.) Was Gellibrand Cottage on that 40 acres?
14-12-1999
Dear Keith,
The hunt for Gellibrand Cottage continues.
As has been stated previously, John Johnson purchased Lot 1 of the Machells’ subdivision on 2-2-1853 and sold lots 1, 2 and 3 to Samuel Mansfield on 14-10-1864. If Gellibrand Cottage was not on lot 1, it was most likely that it was on lots 2 or 3, near the hill. I decided that the next step should be to examine the Machell memorials and follow the ownership of lots 2 and 3, hopefully to Peter Robertson.
L 692.
The original grant, issued on 22-6-1850, had been wrongly made out in the names of Leonard Machell, James Machell and G.W.Machell. The original grant was surrendered on 3-2-1851, Her Majesty undertaking to issue L.J. and G.W.Machell a new and correct grant as well as paying them 10 shillings.
N 340.
I forgot to mention that this might be a mortgage, which it turned out to be. James Simpson was a bank President. Len and George mortgaged the property on 18-8-1851 for 150 pounds, possibly to build Gellibrand Cottage. I thought the other night that Peter Robertson might have been renting Donald Kennedy’s “Dundonald” homestead slightly east of Gellibrand Hill’s summit, but I don’t think Kennedy would have taken kindly to a tenant applying another name to the house, so this possibility is unlikely.
U 120.
On 27-1-1853, Thomas Dutton paid 67 pounds 10 shillings for lot 5, which was on the northern side of Providence Rd (to which it had a 13 chain frontage starting 14 chains from the eastern boundary of Allotment C- this included the one chain width of Mickleham Rd.). The western boundary of 10 chains separated it from lot 4. William Bond was to have access along the un-named Providence and Section Roads. I have a feeling that Dutton actually acted as an agent for William Bond as Dutton’s index pages (from 4 302) do not mention him selling this land.
U 689.
On 4-2-1853, Samuel John Davidson paid 74 pounds 5 shillings for what seems to have been lot 4. Consisting of 13 acres 2 roods, it was bounded on the west by the government (timber) reserve, on the north by land bought by Lawrence (see Z 510) and on the east by Dutton’s (lot 5). In my haste, I traced later owners thinking I was dealing with the supposed Gellibrand Cottage site. Davidson sold to James Hooper (Y 529) who then sold it in two portions to Thomas Mallows (95 955) and Henry Papworth (195 573). Mallows also seems to have bought land from John Lawrence and sold the site(on lot 6) of the Wesleyan Church, which opened in 1869. This seems to have been belatedly memorialised on folios 559 and 560 of volume 814. Mallows also sold land to Enoch Hughes (296 774) and James Musgrove (327 72). Hughes sold his land to James Haberfield who sold it to Paul Clegg.
U 691.
Patrick Courtney had previously paid the Machells 74 pounds 5 shillings, but on 16-2-1853 John Salisbury paid Courtney 80 pounds and became the owner. The land consisted of lot 2 of 13 acres 2 roods and another 13 acres 2 roods, which was at the south west corner of portion C.
Z 510.
On 4-2-1853, John Lawrence bought lots 6 and 7, shaped like an upside-down L. Lot 6 obviously fronted Providence Rd, east of lots 4 and 5, while lot 7 ran the whole width of allotment C between lots 4,5 and 6 and Lavars’ purchase (see 13 404). The boundary of the 64 acres 4 perches bought by Lawrence commenced on the west side of Mickleham Rd, ran 13 chains 9 links westward on the north side of Providence Rd, 10 chains to the north along lot 5, 27 chains to the west along lots 5 and 4, 13 chains north along the western boundary of allotment C, 39 chains 11 links east alongside lot 8 and 23 chains south along a government (Mickleham) road to the commencing point.
Entries in the second series index (V.9 f. 229) reveal that Lawrence sold land to the Primitive Methodists (168 773) and (John?) Bond ((241 211).
13 404.
On 7-6-1854, John Lavars paid 2400 pounds for what seems to have been 200 acres, based on lot 7 (64 acres- 13. 5 = 50.5) being about a quarter of its north-south extent and hence its size. His boundary commenced at the north west corner of allotment C “being the centre of the Deep Creek and Sydney road”. Its boundaries measured:
36. 90 (north), 54. 50 chains (east and west) and 39.11 chains (south).
I believe that Lavars purchased lots 8, 9, 10 and 11, each with a Mickleham Rd frontage of 13.6 chains, making up the 200 acres that Annette Davis claims he owned (Greenvale:Links with the Past).
Next, I need to trace ownership of lots 2 and 3 after John Salisbury.
Z 346.
Salisbury seems to have been a shrewd speculator. He’d obtained lots 2 and 3 on 16-2-1853 by allowing Patrick Courtney to make a 5 pound 15 shilling profit on the 74 pounds 5 shillings Courtney had already paid to the Machells. What puzzles me is how Salisbury had obtained lots 2 and 3 for only 80 pounds when John Johnson had paid 94 pounds for half as much land a fortnight earlier.
I was hoping to find that lots 2 and 3 passed into the ownership of Peter Robertson before John Johnson acquired it. Such was not the case.
On 2-7-1853, John Johnson paid Salisbury 350 pounds plus a further 10 shillings for lots 2 and 3. In less than five months, Salisbury had made a 437 ½ percent profit. John Johnson must have really wanted that land! It is interesting that he had access to a fair amount of money.

Gellibrand Cottage.
My conclusion is that this would have been built near the road on lot 1 or on the highest point of lots 1-3 on allotment C of Section 2, either by the Machells (in late 1851) or by John Johnson in 1853. If it was built by the Machells with the August 1851 mortgage money and was on lot 1, this would explain why Johnson paid 94 pounds for 13 ½ acres while Salisbury paid only 80 pounds for 27 acres. The 40 ½ acres of lots 1-3 would have been too small for an ambitious farmer, so it is likely that John Johnson leased land near Crowe’s Hill from the Crown prior to being issued with the grant for allotment E of section 20. (N.B. As the 1863 rates list Johnston, Mrs Crowe and William Highett as owners of land near the intersection (Melway 385, J/7), the grants must have already been issued).
My guess is that Johns(t)on would have built another house on Greenhill (N.A.V. 9 pounds), the one listed by the rate collector after Pysent’s forge and hotel at Craigieburn, leaving the lot 1-3 homestead vacant. If Peter Robertson was engaged in farming or otherwise busy, and not strapped for cash, why would the council (roads board), of which John Johnston was a member 1858 to 1863, insult him by offering him 8 pounds to count the traffic. If the Johnston house assessed was the Greenhill homestead, I wonder if John Johnston suggested to the Roads Board Secretary, Evander McIver, that a certain person’s financial embarrassment might be eased if Evander forgot to assess Gellibrand Cottage.
It is likely that Johnstone St, which ran from Broadmeadows Township to the Broadmeadows Station but now includes the township (Westmeadows) deviation from the Mickleham Rd roundabout, was named after the early pioneer near Gellibrand and Crowe’s Hills, John Johnson er Johnston er Johnstone.
Merry Christmas.

A PHYSICAL SEARCH FOR GELLIBRAND COTTAGE. 14-12-1999.
Today I drove to Providence Rd and drove to Section Rd and back, which revealed little as no old buildings could be seen. Parking at the entrance to Woodlands Historic Park, I then walked up Swain St along the parish boundary. When a dog threatened to eat me alive, its owner called out to it and I used the opportunity to bring up the subject of old houses on what we know as the Machells’ subdivision lots 1-3. I neglected to ask his name and house number but I think the latter was 55 Providence Rd. He’d arrived at the end of 1970, just before the derelict Dundonald homestead was burnt down. He recalled two old houses at that time, one about 40 metres from Mickleham Rd and another on the present (No 85?) west of Mrs Hickey’s. He said that both seemed to have been built in the early 1900’s so it is unlikely that either was Gellibrand Cottage.

The first was probably built by Harry Swain. Seeing he owned all of lots 1-3, why wouldn’t Harry have lived in Gellibrand Cottage? As Samuel Mansfield, who owned the property from 1864 until at least 1900 (he died on 24-8-1905) probably did not live there, the cottage was almost certainly derelict by the time Swain bought the 40 acres before W.W.1. Mansfield owned property fronting Keilor Rd and extending into the south west corner of Essendon Aerodrome where there was a house until about 1940, on the site of Airport West Shoppingtown and on the west side of McNabs Rd on the hill leading up to Mansfields Rd. Sam probably lived on his McNabs Rd property. In his “Mickleham Road: 1920-1952”, George Lloyd states: “Farmers along there (left hand side heading towards Mickleham) were Len Butterworth (south of Freight Rd), then Wrights, Lockharts and Judds (between Freight Rd and the creek), Jack Orr’s Kia Ora, Hatty’s Dundonnell (sic) and Harry Swain on the corner of Providence Lane. Around the corner there was a little Methodist church built in 1869.A few more houses and then you came to the Greenvale Sanitorium.” The fact that George didn’t know the residents down the lane, (most likely Amos Papworth on 19 acres including lot 4 and Walter Farmer on 66 acres, i.e.John Lawrence’s old lots 6 and 7) shows that Harry Swain’s house must have been close to Mickleham Rd with a setback of only about 40 metres as stated. This house had to be demolished when the mansion on the corner of Swain St was built about ten years ago.
The second house, on the block past Mrs Hickey’s, was demolished recently, but as it couldn’t have been Gellibrand Cottage, it can be ignored. Proceeding past the giant house chimney being built as the first stage of a house, I came to some gigantic granite tors at the crest of the hill and then spotted what I was looking for, European plants of ancient vintage on vacant land. To my dismay, I found by walking due north that this site was west of the line of Section Rd and therefore on Section 1, not John Johnson’s 40 acres. Perhaps the house which stood here was the one to which William Bond was guaranteed permanent access as a term of Dutton’s purchase (U 120).
On arriving home, I rang Mrs Hickey (actually her daughter), not a bad feat considering her number isn’t in the phone book. She arrived in 1965 but seemed less sure about the two houses than her near neighbour. She did agree with his assessment of their age. Mrs Hickey did reveal that discussions with old Mrs Walters, led her to believe that there were house foundations where the power line enters 75 Providence Lane. May Walters (nee Hilsberg) grew up on the corner of Bonds Lane and Mickleham Rd and later bought Ferdinand and Susan Lubeck’s house in Section Rd. This might have been Gellibrand Cottage. Mrs Hickey has undertaken to ask her mother in law, Mrs Irene Hickey, for further information. Apparently Irene was related to the Crinnions a very old family in the area. Mrs Hickey Jnr. asked me if I knew anything about the Crinnion’s farms and I’m sure the material I will supply to them tomorrow will ensure their full cooperation.
WHILE LOOKING FOR DETAILS RE MAY WALTERS I DISCOVERED THAT HENRY PAPWORTH MARRIED ELIZABETH JOHNSON. They had nine children but Martha (3 YEARS OLD), Susannah (10 months), Sarah Ann (4 years) and Edward (17 years) were buried at Will Will Rook cemetery as were Elizabeth (died 1899 at 75) and Henry (1904 at 74).Sarah Jane and Martha Ann were baptised in the 1850's. (Greenvale: Links with the Past.)

HO32 Primitive Methodist (Uniting) Church
30 Providence Road, Greenvale

HO242 Prospect Cottage
70 Providence Road, Greenvale

LAVARS' HOTEL.
This was on the Machell subdivision, on the south west of Somerton and Mickleham Rds,not on Springfield at the north eastern corner as shown in GREENVALE;GLIMPSES OF THE PAST by Annette Davis. Many wagons taking hay to Melbourne would pass the hotel taking hay to Melbourne but on the way home,the drivers would be more likely to stop. Bob Blackwell's ancestor worked for James Pigdon on Dunhelen and had been warned not to do this. The story is told in my journal JAMES PIGDON HAD A SENSE OF HUMOUR.

James Pigdon was a man with a sense of humour. A tale related to me by the late Bob Blackwell appears under BLACKWELL in the B volume but I will give the gist of it here. Bobs grandfather, William, worked for Pigdon on Dunhelen and tended to have an ale or six at Lavars Hotel whenever he was passing the hotel, which was located at the s/w corner of Mickleham and Somerton Rds.(not at the n/e corner as wrongly shown in some maps.) Pigdon warned Blackwell not to stop at the hotel or he would be sacked. The latter could not resist the temptation so to disguise his state, he stood up on the dray as it bounced up the driveway to the bluestone homestead and loudly declared, Nobody can say Im drunk! James Pigdon laughed so much that his threat was never carried out.
Broadmeadows rate record of 1899-1900 shows that James C. Pigdon was leasing a house and 1000 acres from the Ham executors. The rate collector was obviously not acquainted with the late owner, Ferdinand Bond Brown Shortland Hann, who bought the Dunhelen estate of 2500 acres in 1885.

Dunhelen, whose historic house and stables still stand at 1240 Mickleham Rd., originally consisted of sections 11,12 and 13 of the parish of Yuroke, a total of just over 1980 acres, whose location is indicated by Melway 178, E/1-2 to 179, H/2-4. By Pigdons time, Dunhelen land west of Mickleham Rd. had been sold to the Crinnions (426 acres) and Michael Crotty (200 acres); this later became the Hall family's Kentucky. Pigdons leased 1000 acres was on the east side of Mickleham Rd.

(DHOTAMA, BOURKE RELATIONSHIP ON TROVE RE LAVARS.)

I recalled that Annette Davis had mentioned that Lavars' Hotel was later operated by the Bourke's and that there was some sort of relationship. Trove should confirm this memory.

LAVARS. —On the 6th April, at private hospital,Emily, dearly beloved youngest daughter of Mary and the late John Lavars, of Greenvale, sister of Mrs. O'Donnell, North Melbourne; Mrs.Bond, of Pechilby; Mrs. Burke, Greenvale; Mr.M. Lavars, Essendon; and, Mrs. Hill, North Melbourne. R.I.P. (P.1, Argus, 9-4-1906.)

Burke?
A social evening was held in the Greenvale school on June 4th by residents of Greenvale and Broadmeadows
in honour of Mrs. Bourke, of the Greenvale Hotel, who is leaving the district after a residence of forty years.
There was a large and representative attendance from all parts of the district. Cr. Hall, J.P., in a suitable
speech, made the presentation-a very nice tea and coffee service-to Mrs.Bourke and a leather handbag to Miss
Bourke. Mr. H. H. Daniel supported Cr. Hall in his remarks, and Cr. Cargill suitably responded on behalf of
Mrs. and Miss Bourke. (The Essendon Gazette and Keilor, Bulla and Broadmeadows Reporter (Moonee Ponds, Vic. : 1914 - 1918) Thursday 1 July 1915 p 6 Article)

DHOTAMA (Pages I-L 99-100.)
As the entries for John and Martin Lavars can be seen on pages 428 of Alexander Sutherland's VICTORIA AND ITS METROPOLIS: PAST AND PRESENT,the following is a brief summary only.
John Lavars, at the age of 14 according to Annette Davis (Ferguson), arrived in 1840 and after 6 months at Colac and 27 months working at livery stables in Melbourne,he (John or his father?) leased land at Pascoe Vale in 1845 and 1846. It is possible that it was during these two years John Lavars met his future wife,Mary Sullivan, who was working as a servant at Pascoe Vale. In 1847, John would have reached his majority and have been able to lease land in his own right. It is possible that the land he supposedly leased from Duncan Cameron was part of sections 5 and 6 Will Will Rook,the Glenroy Estate,but Donald and Duncan Kennedy would have been the owners,having bought the estate from speculators, Hughes and Hosking,from whom the Camerons had been leasing the estate. John and Mary's oldest child,Martin*, was born in 1849 and brought up on a farm in "the Broadmeadows district", a description which could apply to Will Will Rook or Yuroke. I have researched tenants on "Glenroy", but have never seen John's name mentioned.
*Incidentally,Martin said he was born of English parents, but his mother, Mary (nee Sullivan) was from County Cork!

John's biography states that from 1847, he leased 1500 acres from Duncan Cameron for three years and from Captain Pearson for another three years. It is possible that the Cameron land was in the parish of Yuroke straddling today's Somerton Rd (with Stony Fields,later Roxburgh Park, being the pre-emptive right) of which James Pearson purchased the grants for Springfield, John Bond's Fairview, young Shankland's Brook Hill and the southern half of section 4 (the latter two extending south to the Shankland wetlands.)

Martin married Miss Bourke from N.S.W. in 1974 and in 1879, he leased 500 acres from D.Kennedy. His sister, Catherine, married James Bourke and was the Mrs Bourke who was farewelled in 1915. James built a house in Section Rd but when he died, Catherine and her daughter, Katherine Mary, moved back into the hotel. The hotel on 5 acres and another 10 acre block had been sold in 1914.

Martin was a shopkeeper at Glenroy in 1890 which would seem to indicate that the 500 acres, rather than being on the Dundonald Estate, was at Glenroy West/Jacana, Duncan Kennedy's share of the Glenroy Estate which Duncan sold during the land boom circa 1888 to Chapman after whom Chapman Avenue was named. If John's leases were of 5 years (a common length) the sale probably coincided with the end of the second lease, accounting for his move to the Wheatsheaf Rd shop.

I was given the opportunity to provide historic street names for the Alanbrae Estate on Keith Campbell's old "Willowbank" farm. Obviously the developer would have consulted rate records to check that I had the spelling right. Bad mistake! That why you'll see Lavers Place at Melway 6 A5. Another early purchaser on the Machell subdivision, John Johnson, had a street named after him too.



GREENAN AND GREENVALE (W) AND SPRINGFIELD SOUTH AND NORTH/ GLENARTHUR (E)

DUNHELEN ESTATE (BOTH SIDES)
See the Lavars' Hotel entry re Dunhelen.
(HO31 Dunhelen House & Barn
1240 Mickleham Road, Greenvale)



GREENHILL (W)HARPSDALE (FARTHER WEST. See MIXED FARMING article above.)

KENTUCKY. This was the property of Thomas G.Hall according to George Lloyd. A mile north of Somerton Rd past Greenan and Greenvale,it was across Mickleham Rd from Dunhelen,having originally been part of the Dunhelen Estate. In 1920-1 Thomas G.Hall was rated on 366 acres and a house on 10 acres. Tommy Loft (later of Dalkeith in Tullamarine)was leasing a house and 200 acres from John T.Hall,which may have been part of Kentucky.

See the Lavars' Hotel entry re Kentucky and Dunhelen.


TULLOCH.
HO261 Tulloch Outbuilding (former Cheese Factory,ruin) 30 Farleigh Court (rear), Mickleham

THE DAIRY FARM OF TULLOCH NEAR MICKLEHAM.
Journeying northward through the agricultural township of Broadmeadows, which,we note, has lost the jaunty appearance it used to wear in the palmy days of Moonee Ponds farming, we reach, at a distance of some 20 miles from Melbourne, the white gates which admit us to the farm of Tulloch, a fine estate of 1,530 acres, owned and
occupied by Mr. R. B. Stevenson. Throughout the greater part of the journey the road is ascending, but the last mile or two is nearly level, and this continues up to the site of the homestead, a plain and useful building of
bluestone.

Although the Deep Creek presents at various points of its course bold and interesting landscape scenery, it is questionable whether so extensive a view of the valley through which it meanders or rushes, according to humour, is obtainable as from the site of the farmhouse of Tulloch. At Glenara the rocks impart a grandeur which is wanting at the former place, but the view is limited by the windings of the creek and the steepness
of its banks. At Tulloch, several miles of the valley can be taken in at a glance; the banks are less steep, although deeper perhaps in some spots, and clothed with verdure.

In this elevated region on which we are standing bluestone crops out in abundance, andon our journey to Mickleham, the granite quarries were noticed whence was brought the material of which (THE ORIGINAL) Prince's-bridge is formed. Thus it is not surprising that stone is generally employed in all buildings in course of construction, or that Mr. Stevenson is replacing at convenience the post and rail fences with stone walls. He has wisely left the rails to stand as long as they will, but when repairs are needed, a portion of the fence at one end is taken for the purpose, and its place is made good by an extension of the wall, now measuring three miles and upwards including the stone walls of the pig and stock yards. The work of erecting these walls, and
indeed of carrying out most of the building operations, is done by the hands upon the farm during spare time between the morning and evening milking.

The business of the farm is confined to dairying and stock rearing, the latter including, as already intimated,
swine. Thus a good many hours can be spared in the course of the day for other work, especially as a dozen hands are usually kept the year round. The cost of such walling as has been done at a fixed price was 32s. per chain, which the owner observes is cheaper than fencing of any other sort can be erected in that locality. "If a wall gets thrown down, the materials are there, you have only to rebuild them." Where pigs are to be kept within bounds, stone walls are invaluable, but as they are usually built much wider at the base than at the top, in order to give them stability, the sides afford foothold for sheep and goats, against which animals
therefore, they are not invariably proof.

The subdivisions of the estate are few, the greater part of the area being a natural grass run. "This season, for the first time not a plough has been put into the ground." Some years ago, when tillage was more profitable
than now, a considerable area of wheat, oats,and other crops was grown. The land that bore them has been laid down in grass. In one paddock the dairy herd was grazing on 100 acres of rye-grass; another of 70 acres has
been mown for hay, and this supply suffices for the stock, no other hay being grown and no produce of the land being sold, the whole being consumed upon the farm. Nor is it difficult to imagine how the hay goes. In the
stable were 10 cart horses; as fine and well conditioned a lot as can be found together,and seeing that no ploughing has to be done they are likely to have an easy life of it. Their labours are shared by an equal
number of fine working bullocks that were bred upon the place, and that appeared to be as happily fitted with work as the horses.

For 19 years Mr. Stevenson has used in his herds shorthorn bulls that he has purchased of Mr. M'Dougall, of Essendon.(SECTION 8,DOUTTA GALLA.) His stock, therefore, has the appearance of pure shorthorn, and as five crosses only of pure blood are required to qualify for admission to the Herd Book, it is evident that the
majority of Mr. Stevenson's stock must possess that amount of qualification. The herd comprises 217 head, of which only the younger portion-heifers with their first calf came under our notice. The majority had been in milk from seven to nine months, but a few had recently come in. Mr. Stevenson prefers bis strain of milkers to any others he has met with; he states that their milk, if less in quantity, is richer than that of common cows-that his cows fatten quickly when going dry,and do not lay on flesh whilst they are in full milk. Some of the heifers exhibited, in their length of head and thinness of neck, indications that serve to justify Mr. Stevenson's good opinion, whilst others promised well for the butcher at all times.

In determining upon the best breed of cattle for dairy purposes, all the circumstances must be taken into consideration. At a long distance from a beef market, the produce of the cow at the pail may be the point, whilst in localities where beef realises a high figure, the dairying would perhaps be a secondary affair. At Tulloch, however, no male calves are kept except the few required to grow into working bullocks. The males
therefore are killed, the " vell" or stomach and the skin being saved; they realise about 3 s.per head, or rather the skin is sold for 1s. and the vell is valued at 2s. for use as rennet.

The cow calves, of which 43 were in the calf paddock, are reared by hand. At first they get the new milk {the first produced after calving) which is unfit for use in the dairy, but after a few days they are gradually familiarised with skim milk. The cows are not stalled at night beyond the number of 50,that being the extent of accommodation furnished by the old wooden sheds with thatched roofs which have done duty for a number of years, but which are soon to give place to the bluestone sheds whose walls are now about a yard high. In loose boxes in the old shed were the bulls now in use in the herd.
On page 24 Cabar-fieidh tbe younger, who is four yearsold, has two crosses of ... etc.
(P.23-4,The Australasian, 31-12-1870.)


PARNELL'S INN.(HO36 Former Post Office
1921 Mickleham Road, Mickleham)

CHIG stands for Craigieburn Historical Interest Group and I'm rapt that their history is published on the internet instead of gathering dust in a local history room. Well done Yvonne Kernan and Co. Several good photos.
Old Parnells Inn
www.chig.asn.au/old_parnells_inn.htm


The old Parnell's Inn



The Old Parnell's Inn at Mickleham

My thanks to Cheryl Reid and Marion Hill who are both descendants of the Parnell & Harman Family, for the family information and photos on this page.

The Inn

The old Parnell's Inn still stands today on the eastern side of the road, a short distant from the corner of Mickleham and Mt. Ridley Roads. Today the old inn building is a private residence and looks somewhat different with the canvas blinds covering the windows and the large row of pines trees in front obscuring it from view.

A Parish of Mickleham Plan of original crown land purchasers tells that E. Wright owned Section 11a, the land the building stood on originally in 1852. George Parnell bought the land off Wright later that year. By 1856 the Electoral Roll states George is a blacksmith and an owner of a house and 200 acres of land at Mickleham.

It is not known whether the early building referred to as 'the bluestone cottage' was the same dwelling as the inn. In 1861 a tender was put out for the erection of a shop and dwelling at Mickleham for G. Parnell which suggests this may have been the later erection of the inn and a more suitable premises for a hotel.

The Argus, Saturday 29th June 1861

Tenders will received till July 5th for MASONS and BRICK WORK, labour only, for shop and dwelling at Mickleham, for Mr. G. Parnell. Plans and specifications to be seen at the office of Geo H. Cox, 41 Swanston Street. The lowest or any tender not necessarily accepted.

The Broadmeadows Rate Books in 1863 show that the hotel was now up and running. The 1860s were a busy time along the Old Sydney Road, used as a route for heavy bullocks, horse wagons and all kinds of stock drovers and the hotel was well situated to take advantage of the passing trade. The Victorian Gazetteer of 1865 describes Mickleham as a hamlet of 50 dwellings, including two hotels the Parnell's and the Mickleham. There was a coach to Melbourne twice daily and the Parnell's Inn was used a staging post.

From 1864 to 1869 George Parnell runs the hotel by himself and The Cole Index tells us he was issued a 'beer license' in 1869 which would have been very restrictive. It meant he could only serve beer and could not sell wine and spirituous liquors. An infringement would have been punishable by a fine and resulted in forfeiture of his license. 1869 was the last year of the hotel's licensing as there was no further licenses issued to George Parnell or anyone else at the inn and from then on seems to have reverted to farm use with the property being described as 'a house with 154 acres of land attached'.

George Parnell died in 1876 aged 57 years leaving a will. George left the dwelling house to Thirza his wife which then consisted of 'a stone house with a slate roof containing 7 rooms' occupied by Thirza Parnell and the two sons Arthur Samuel and Robert Harman.

An extra three rooms seem to have been added to the 'stone house' between George's death and when Thirza died in 1878 as the stone building was then described as 10 rooms used at a hotel but was unlicensed for at least the last ten years and confirms the hotels last year of licensing as 1869.

Arthur ran the property after his mother's death in 1878 and the Broadmeadows Rate Books again show this with him being noted as 'farmer' at the property at Mickleham from then on.

Mickleham's post office opened in 1902, occupying the house built for George Parnell and his family. In 1902 the building was then used as a post office, when Arthur Samuel Harman successfully tendered for the position as postmaster. A postmasters income was then derived from the percentage of business through the post office at the time.

Arthur Samuel Harman ran the post office at Mickleham in the old Parnell's Inn building till his death in 1932 when his wife Sarah Jane Harman (nee Pither) took over the position at the Post Office and ran it till 1934.



Parnell's Inn and Mickleham Post Office dated 1967 picture courtesy of the N.A.A)

The office was closed in the September of 1967 and for a number of years after this the building lay unoccupied and open to vandals who smashed windows and caused much interior damage to the walls and ceilings. The weather had not helped the situation and rain had flooded the cellar and leaked through the damaged ceilings into the building.



The Old Parnell's Inn vandalised before it was purchased and restored in 1972

In 1972 the building was purchased by T. and W. Capper and apparently the building still being quite sound despite the damage done by vandals was restored. From this time on the building has passed through a number of owners but today remains a private residence on Mickleham Rd at Mickleham.

The Parnell Family

George Parnell owner of the Parnell's Inn was born in c.1819 in Norfolk, England and married Maria Jones in 1855. It wasn't long before their daughter Priscilla was born in 1852 when George Parnell was 33. George, Maria and Priscilla lived in the bluestone cottage built by George from local quarried stone in 1855.

Sometime later after 1859, George divorced Maria Parnell and remarried to Thirza Harman (nee Cook) who was the second Mrs. Parnell. Thirza had two sons by her first marriage to Arthur Harman, Arthur Samuel and Robert Harman and of course now her stepdaughter Priscilla, when she married George, the family all lived at the bluestone cottage. Tragedy stuck the family in 1863 when Priscilla Parnell died aged 11 years and was buried at the Old Mickleham Cemetery in Mt. Ridley Road.

George Parnell died in the October of 1876 aged 57 years and only two years later Thirza, George's second wife, died of a stroke in the November of 1878 leaving the estate at Mickleham to her two sons Arthur Samuel and Robert Harman. However Robert suffered from epilepsy and was hospitalised for some time leaving Arthur to run the property after his mother's death in 1878 at the age of 24. Only six years after their mother died Robert died in 1884 at the age of 26 possibly from the effects of the epilepsy he suffered.

Arthur married Sarah Jane Pither born 1856 at Yuroke in 1879 and the couple had five children all daughters, Ethel 1880, Thirza Jane 1883, Evelyn Matilda 1885, Annie Elizabeth 1888 and Adelaide Louise 1891, at the bluestone cottage at Mickleham. The couple lived at Mickleham till Arthur died in 1932, then Sarah Jane Harman ran the post office till 1934.

Ethel Harman married Walter Hitchcock in 1909, Thirza Jane married William Patford in 1905, Annie Elizabeth married Thomas Hodgson 1912, Adelaide Louise married Alfred William Roberts in 1916 and Evelyn Matilda married George Henry Groves in 1923. More information can be found on the family of George Henry and Evelyn Matilda Groves below.etc.

CHIG AGAIN; THE METHODIST CEMETERY.
(HO265 Mickleham Cemetery (and site of Wesleyan
Church) 440 – 442 Mt Ridley Road, Mickleham)

The Mickleham Methodist Church Cemetery
www.chig.asn.au/cemetary.htm


Mickleham Methodist Church Cemetery

Mickleham Methodist Church Cemetery (c1858-c83)

'The Cemetery Amongst the Red Gum Trees'

View the Memorial Inscriptions of Mickleham Cemetery



What remains of the Mickleham Methodist Church Cemetery is located on the north side of Mt. Ridley Rd at Mickleham. By 1852 is seems the congregation of Methodist Wesleyan farmers in the area had grown to the size where it warranted a permanent place of worship instead of being held in the homes of various parishioners. A site, at that time being the property of the Cole family, was selected on the corner of what is now Mickleham Rd and Mt. Ridley Rd.

For some unrecorded reason the original site was never used and the acre of land the old cemetery now lies in on Mt. Ridley Rd was purchased by the Wesleyan Methodist Church off a local farmer, Thomas Langford who was elder of the local Wesleyan Church and held in trust by 12 community members, one being his brother Robert Langford-Sidebottom.

In a Land Purchase document dated 14th of July 1852 Thomas Langford described 'of Melbourne' purchased section 11c for £158 in Mickleham, County of Bourke and on the 13th day of December 1854 he sold a portion of land to the church and 12 community members for one pound and ten shillings.

The very next year in 1855 the church is believed to have been erected and was described at being 'a stone chapel in the course of erection'. The church was built of bluestone, It was also used as a school for some years until 1871 when the school was moved to other premises and the building was used for church services only. Some years later it was discovered there were cracks in the stone walls of the chapel and the walls were giving way. It became too dangerous to conduct services there and planning began by the community to construct a new church.(HO263 Mickleham Uniting Church (former Methodist) 1881 Mickleham Road, Mickleham.)


It was too expensive to rebuild the church in bluestone, so a weatherboard church on the original site in Mickleham Rd was erected in it's place, known today as the Uniting Church at Mickleham. All traces of the bluestone Mickleham Methodist Church have since long disappeared on the site and all that remains are a some depressions in the ground at the front, right of the site with a few broken stones which suggests the site of the church/school may have been located on that spot and some broken and weathered headstones, all left to remind us of days long gone by. The Old Cemetery at Mickleham land was transferred over to the Uniting Church of Australia in 1983.

Recently is has been claimed by a descendant of Langford-Sidebottom family that there could have been up to 200 souls buried at the site. It has been claimed an old resident living not far from the cemetery site used the original wooden grave markers for firewood leaving only what we see today, the few remaining stone grave markers on the site in poor condition.

Some of the residents of the Old Mickleham Cemetery are a sad reminder of the pioneering days long past.

Left: Fragments of old Williams headstones at the Mickleham Cemetery.

Right: The broken headstone of Eliza Williams and her five children.

The five children of John and Eliza Williams all dying of diphtheria one after another in 1876 are buried under the broken headstone. The headstone is broken in half with the remnants lying in the grass nearby. John and Eliza Williams came from Wiltshire in England and John worked at Mt. Ridley Station till they eventually acquired their own property at Mickleham and farmed on a small scale.

Priscilla and her parents George & Maria Parnell

George and Maria Parnell were early keepers of the Parnell's Inn, an early staging post for travellers along the Sydney Road. Thirza Parnell is also buried here George's second wife after he divorced Maria Parnell.

Robert Langford Sidebottom

Died 1877

Robert was brother to Thomas Langford who sold the land for the cemetery. Robert was a landowner of 265 acres on Mt. Ridley Rd at Mickleham not far from Thomas and served on the Road Board and Council for many years.

The headstone of Martha Williams daughter of John and Mary Ann Williams (nee Ostler) who died in June 1858 of Typhus fever. The Williams family who were Cornish farmers had come to Australia from Penstrace, Kenwyn in Cornwall 9 years earlier on the ship 'General Palmer' in 1849 with their 6 children, Martha being the youngest.

Although any remains of the headstone now is long gone, the twin daughters of Nathan and Jane Unwin are buried in this cemetery. Nathan Unwin a farmer in the area and Jane his wife had twin daughters who both eventually died at Mickleham and are buried in the cemetery. In 1879 Myra Unwin died aged 2 months and a year later in 1880 Lena Violet Unwin died aged 10 months of pneumonia.

CC20 draft.pub - Friends of St.Kilda Cemetery
www.foskc.org/pdf/CC20.pdf

Mickleham Methodist Church Cemetery (c1858-c83)(Melways Ref 366 C12) - To the north of Melbourne on the outskirts of the ever expanding metropolis are the sad sorry remains of the Mickleham (Methodist) Churchyard Cemetery. The cemetery is located on the north side of the Mt. Ridley Road (made famous in recent times by the Korp saga) and covers an area of about an acre. It is situated amidst the remnants of what once was an indigenous redgum forest. Since a heritage study was conducted in 1998, hobby farms surround the cemetery and a fence has been erected in recent times. The locality was once a thriving district of farmers with a strong Wesleyan faith. In 1854, one such local farmer Thomas Langford sold a piece of his land to the Methodist Church and the following year the first chapel was believed to have been built. (The remnants of the base of what may have been a chapel can be seen near the south-west corner). Research has confirmed that twenty interments
occurred between 1858 and 1883 with another five unconfirmed from oral sources. Names represented include
Chambers, Foxton,Langford, Parnell,Sidebottom, Thompson and Williams. Three graves each surrounded by cast iron railings on bluestone foundations are all that remain standing upright whilst another two monuments(Chambers-Thompson and Parnell) are detached from their base. Of interest is the monument to Priscilla (d.30 Oct 1863), George (d 29 Oct 1876) and Thirza Parnell (d 27 Nov 1878). The lower portion of the inscription imbedded in the earth notes the name of the monumental mason as “S. Wines 26 George St Fitzroy”.As with the Thomastown Methodist Churchyard Cemetery, the graves all face towards the east where an Italian Cypress tree (Cupressus sempervirens) stands showing signs of distress. If ever there was a greater insult to the pioneers who lie buried in the cemetery and who went through the trials of migrating to a distant land, it’s the ignominy of having to share their final resting place with grazing cows. Surely the pioneers of Mickleham deserve better

HO37 War Memorial
Mickleham Road, Mickleham

MICKLEHAM PRIMARY SCHOOL. (1880 Mickleham Rd.)
(HO35 State School #1051
1880 Mickleham Road, Mickleham)
History
(History | Mickleham PS
micklehamps.vic.edu.au/about-our-school/history/)


The first school in Mickleham was the Wesleyan School No. 423, a denominational school opened on the 1st April, 1855, with an enrolment of 48 children – 22 boys and 26 girls.

The site of this first school was in what is now known as Mt. Ridley Road, about 2 kilometres east of Mickleham Road. Classes were held in this church building until it was replaced by the present bluestone building – School number 1051 – in 1871.

In February 1870 the Board of Education agreed to a new school building. The building was to be erected on land purchased from Mr. William Saunders of Riseborough Park, using money raised by public donation. The school, made of locally quarried bluestone, was completed in July 1871, with half the money to complete the school coming from local contributors. In 1883 a teacher’s residence was approved and a weatherboard house was completed in 1884.

The school was closed from June 1951 until February 1953 – not through lack of pupils, but through a decision made by the Education Department when a replacement could not be found for the Head Teacher who was to take his long-service leave.

Today there are 110 students in five grades and the school that began as a small community church school in 1855 remains the only small school in the area and the sense of community and belonging remains as important today as it was then.


MARNONG.(HO264 Marnong 155 Old Sydney Road, Mickleham.)

Place: Marnong - Hume City Council
www.hume.vic.gov.au/files/e9d99623-466c.../Marnong_Kalkallo.pdf
Place: Marnong. Place No.- 67. Type: Dwelling. Location: 155 Mickleham Road, Kalkallo. Critical Date(s): Bluestone section constructed c. late 1840s or early ...

EXTRACT ONLY. The Marnong gates are directly opposite Donnybrook Lane.
History:
The substantial rural holding now known as Marnong, and once called Green Grove,
started off as a portion of a run called Bank Vale, which was held in the 1840s by William John
Turner Clarke. At the time of his death in 1874 Clarke had become one of Australia's wealthiest
landowners, with property in New South Wales, the Port Phillip District and Van Diemen's
Land. It was in Van Diemen's Land in the 1830s that Clarke had begun to amass property and
wealth and in the late 1830s or early 1840s he lent money to the Scotch Company, which was
composed of a number of Hobart Town traders, for the purpose of establishing a run in the Port
Phillip District. The run they set up, Bank Vale, lay some twenty miles north of Melbourne, to
the east of the Deep Creek (or Saltwater River), and just beyond the site of the future village of
Mickleham. The land comprised undulating open pastures and was well suited for sheep.1
From such descriptions it would appear that the present Marnong property is situated in what
was the south west part of this run.
In the early 1840s the Scotch Company was no longer able to maintain the venture and
the run was subsequently taken over in early to mid-1841 by Clarke who quickly installed John
Edols, a young overseer, in the vacated manager's hut. This was Clarke's first undertaking in a
district where he was within less than two decades to own the freehold title to more than
100,000 acres. In the immediate area, however, by July 1841 he had installed his brother Lewis
on the small Plover Plains [see Site Report BL/04] run, which lay to the west of Bank Vale on
the other side of the Deep Creek. And by the late 1840s Clarke had taken over the Hill Head
run, which adjoined Plover Plains on the north.2
In 1839, directly to the east of and below Marnong, surveyor Kemp noted what he
described as a 'Ford and Road to the Settlement' across Deep Creek.3 'The Settlement' was
Melbourne, and on the west of the creek the track connected directly with Mortimore's Station
(later WJT and Lewis Clarkes' Plover Plains), the Hill Head Station further north (also
eventually taken up by WJT Clarke), and thence to northern and north-western Victoria. It was
very likely the Deep Creek crossing which FR Godfrey of Mount Ridley homestead often used,
describing it in his journal as being near Clarke's 'old station.'4 As the crossing was about
midway between Plover Plains and Marnong, it is possible, but not certain, that it was Marnong
which was being referred to as Clarke's 'old station.'
The present Marnong homestead is situated directly on top of the highest hill in the
immediate landscape, and it is possible that the rear part of the homestead, which has been
added to over the years, is the first permanent dwelling of the Bank Vale station. Certainly, the
rear sections of the present homestead, constructed of quarried bluestone laid in regular courses,
could have been constructed in the late 1840s or early 1850s to serve as a substantial cottage
from which the Bank Vale run, which spread to the north-east, could be overseen. The vantage
point of the cottage, high above the Deep Creek, would also have given Clarke and his overseer
a clear view of the Hill Head run in the north-west, and the Plover Plains run to the west.
The possibility that Marnong was Clarke's original Bank Vale homestead increases in
the light of the other options for the site of this station. The only other early sites known to have
been built east of this part of Deep Creek are the small, part bluestone Kalkallo Park [see Site
Report M/01], situated square to 1850s alignment of Donnybrook Road; and the bluestone ruins
of Bleak House [see Site Report M/04]. Together with a few other sites which no longer exist,
local tradition has it that these were built as managers,' or boundary riders,' homes by Clarke.5

It is also possible, but less likely, that Bleak House, with its wide views across the surrounding
pastoral countryside, and which remained in Clarke's ownership, was the Bank Vale homestead
site.
The Bank Vale run itself was described as 'one of [Clarke's] most cherished stations and
his only home in the Sunbury District'.6 It was the address to which Hoddle wrote a letter in
July 1850 informing Clarke that part of the Hill Head run had been leased to Captain James
Pearson.7
Clarke's Sunbury land holding was increased enormously by his 'land grab', or Special
Survey, of over 30,000 acres in 1851,8 but it is said that Hoddle, long plagued by Clarke's
manipulations, was not prepared to allow him the Bank Vale run. He sent a 'curt note' to Clarke
on 30 January 1851 notifying him that the whole of the Bank Vale run, except the homestead
section of 640 acres, had been leased to a John Robertson. This angered Clarke, who so
strongly disputed the lease that Hoddle finally put the land up to public auction.9
By the end of February 1852 Clarke had bought some 1700 acres in the immediate area,
including Section 23 of the Parish of Mickleham, where the present Marnong homestead is
located.10 It is possible that this section of 440 acres, and some of the adjacent land, made up
the 640 acres of 'homestead section' referred to by Hoddle.
By 1863, part of the Bank Vale property had been acquired by the grazier, Thomas
Colclough, who named it Green Grove. Over the next fifteen years he increased his holding
from some 846 acres to a little over 1000 acres.11 In 1869 he became a member of the
Broadmeadows Road Board, the district in which his property lay.12 In the running of this
property Colclough was said to be 'often in the [stock] yards as he handled both sheep and
cattle'.13
In September 1877 a notice appeared in the Argus in which the architect Robert
Adamson invited tenders for extensive additions for Thomas Colclough Esq. at Mickleham 'near
Donnybrook'.14 This would have been the addition of the front section and the remodelling of
the original bluestone buildings. Adamson is not particularly well-known but he is said to have
worked as an architect in Melbourne, by himself and in various partnerships, from 1868 to at
least 1900.15 In the 1870s he appears to have been quite busy and tender notices show that he
undertook numerous commissions ranging from ecclesiastical to commercial to domestic.16
Much of his work was at Emerald Hill (the present South Melbourne) although he also designed
residences in Williamstown, Hawthorn, Footscray, Prahran and other Melbourne suburbs. None
of this work has been identified or located. The work he did for Colclough appears to have been
a rare commission outside of Melbourne.
Thomas Colclough died in 1897 and in one of the documents required for Probate, a Statement of Assets and Liabilities, the Green Grove estate was valued at £4045.18.3. Thisincluded some 1033 acres of land (Sections 21, 22, 23, and 27 of the Parish of Mickleham), a stone villa of 7 rooms, and outbuildings.17



OLD SYDNEY ROAD.

TEN POUNDS REWARD, if Strayed, or Twenty Pounds If Stolen-Strayed or Stolen from Mickleham, Deep Creek, eight
miles beyond the Broadmeadows, on the 17th instant the following Draught Horses;
One Black MARE, branded AH near shoulder. P off neck, star on forehead, 10 hands high,
One Roan MARE, branded JR on near shoulder, 16 hands high.
Parties bringing the same to WATKIN'S Bush Stables, Elizabeth-street, Melbourne ;Robert Burns Hotel, New Sydney-road; Broadmeadows Hotel: or to GEORGE PARNELL, blacksmith. Mickleham, will receive the above reward. (P.8,Argus,29-10-1856.)

An early survey map shows the Craigie Burns and Robbie Burns Hotels on the NEW Sydney road near Craigieburn.
George Parnell built an inn on the old Sydney road. See photo on page 45 of Andrew Lemon's BROADMEADOWS A FORGOTTEN HISTORY. The caption reads:"Like everything else in Mickleham,this was built to last: the bluestone Parnell's Inn, a favourite stopping place on the Old Sydney Road,is now a private home."

The sales of land and house property reported during the week include the following:— 634 acres of land at Mickleham, Sydney road, about 18 miles from Melbourne, 500 acres of which are in cultivation, all fenced in.
The improvements consist of dwelling-house, out-offices, &c., stable capable of holding 100 horses, large barn, milking yard, dairy, well, &c., late the property of John Johnson, Esq.,for 5151 pounds, etc.
(P.4, The Age,25-4-1859.)

Google YUROKE,COUNTY OF BOURKE to see the Crowe and Johnson grants near the north western corner of the parish of Yuroke.

John Johnson had a farm of about 100 acres "Greenhill" at the northern end of (the parish of) Yuroke. He was a(Broadmeadows) Road Board representative only until 1863 but remained in the district until his death in 1877 at the age of 77. (P. 46-7 BROADMEADOWS A FORGOTTEN HISTORY.) Descendants of John who worked at Stewarton (777 acres of the Gladstone Park area) when he first arrived, later returned to the area occupying Glendewar and Cumberland near Broadmeadows Township and Spring Park near the A.J.Davis Reserve in Keilor Rd. Two books about the Johnson family, containing photos of the homesteads on these three properties, can be seen at the historic Woodlands homestead.(One is called ALWAYS A LADY.)

As John Johnson had 634 acres,he'd probably bought John Crowe's adjoining grants,"Mount Yuroke",later renamed as "Crowe's Hill". John Johnson had first bought 40 acres on Machell's early subdivision north of Donald Kennedy's "Dundonald" between Swain St and Providence Lane that was later Harry Swain's farm.


SURNAMES.
PARNELL, JOHNSON, CROWE, SWAIN, ORR, LLOYD, CRINNION, GREEN, CLIFFORD, SMITH, KENNEDY, KERR, TWOMEY, BRANNIGAN, McDOUGALL, BRODIE, SIMMIE, GAMBLE, ANDERSON, MILLS, WILSON, FERGUSON, IRVINE, KETT, PETER, CHAFFEY, CLARK, GLADSTONE, MACHELL, LAVARS, McKERCHAR, STEVENSON,