The McLoughlins and the Whittens
Echoes of the Past
Pioneering Families of the Whittlesea Shire
An article from the Advertiser (Hurstbridge) published on Friday 23 March 1934. (Author Unknown)
Amongst the many pioneering families whose descendants are still in residence in the shire are the McLoughlins and the Whittens. The famous old bluestone house known as Preston Hall, in Mernda is largely the work of Michael McLoughlin who lived in Melbourne soon after it had been established. His daughter Mary was born opposite Kirk’s Bazaar in Bourke Street, in 1842.
During the gold-digging days he worked as a carter operating in Mernda and carrying the manifold requirements of diggers in the hills on a bullock wagon. He purchased five farms in the district for members of his family. The present estate owned and occupied by Mr James Whitten is one of them. On it was erected an hotel built also of stone and which was delicensed years ago. Unfortunately, its actual name is forgotten although some old residents believe it was the original Yan Yean Hotel.
Mary McLoughlin married Charles Hughson, and her daughter, now Mrs. J. Whitten, was born when they were living in this hotel. For some time, Michael McLoughlin lived on the Astley Hill estate, Greensborough, which he owned. Some of his descendants are still in that district.
Mr. James Whitten was born 66 years ago in Melbourne. His father, a skilled stonemason, came to that city from Armagh, Ireland, in 1803. He has left many memorials throughout the Whittlesea Shire for he prepared stone for works connected with the Yan Yean water supply; he built the Epping Shire Hall and did work for Mernda Mechanics’ Institute. He also prepared and erected the bluestone in St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church in Mernda. He actually personally carried up on a ladder the massive and beautifully carved stone cross and set it in position on the western gable, above the main entrance of the church. His son learned the stone mason’s craft from his father and helped in moulding the stone for the foundations of the Mernda Methodist Church. Later he became a successful dairy farmer, a calling which he still practices, using the old hotel as his residence.
For some years during the residence of Mrs. Hughson in Glen Vale the old hotel was occupied and used as a store and South Yan Yean post office by Mr. C. Turner, the well-known local baker, whose interesting story it is hoped will be published In this series.
Other bluestone buildings throughout the shire are the Presbyterian churches in Janefleld, Mernda and Epping. All belong to the late “Sandy Whitten’s” period and contain work of his hand. It is a comment upon our times to know that Mr. Whitten is the last of the surviving stone masons whose work, although it has left permanent scars in the blue stone formations on the riverbank and roundabout, has also left wonderful piles of beautifully wrought work from farmyard buildings, including pig sties, to church and local government halls!
The image showing Preston Hall has been taken from the 1990 City of Whittlesea Heritage Study and was supplied to them by A. Graff. The image has been digitally upscaled.
