The Castle Hill farm was originally owned by John Bear who had bought the land on the 24th November 1842, under a “Deed of Grant Purchase”. Section 20, Parish of Yan Yean, County of Bourke, lot 52 consisted of approximately 932 acres. John Bear died in 1851 and in 1855 John’s son, Thomas Hutchings Bear entered an indenture under which...
This article intends using existing documentation to discover when the brick section of the Caretaker’s House at Yan Yean Reservoir was built and occupied. Meredith Gould in her 1991 Whittlesea Heritage Study, speculated that the oldest or masonry section of the building known as the Caretaker’s Cottage, may have been designed by James Blackburn. This is entirely possible as existing documentation...
In 1840, Arthur Sergeantson purchased Section 19, Parish of Morang, a total of 842 acres. He named the property Sergeantson Hall but the portion between the Plenty River and Plenty Road soon became known as Carome the name of the flour mill he established in 1841. The Homestead itself was built in 1861 from local bluestone and is a large...
In 1899 John Matthew Vincent Smith ( 1857-1923), a prominent identity in the horse breeding and racing industry, acquired the property known as “Bundoora Park” consisting of some 606 acres. The homestead was the result of a design competition. The owner John Matthew Vincent Smith advertised in the Argus and attracted 16 designs. The first prize of 50 Pounds was...
Among the early townships in the Plenty Valley, Whittlesea came the closest to fulfilling the role as the main centre in the area. It was for this reason that Whittlesea was chosen as the site for the courthouse, which was built in 1864. The courthouse is of solid brick on bluestone footings and the builder was William Lockwood, a local...
The origins of Pubs and Hotels are often a forgotten aspect of local History. It seems strange because the hotel is looked upon as a hub venue in any town. People congregate there to gossip, to bet and certainly to relax and tell stories. The City of Whittlesea has many old Pubs and Hotels within its boundaries, some dating back...
Wollert Primary School No. 1861 It had an initial enrolment of 84 children and the Head Teacher was Mr Josiah Willmott. In 1878 he even conducted night school for about 27 children who were needed for farm work during the day. The Education Department acquired the site for this school on High Street from Mr. Cameron in 1875 for 5 Pounds....
Christ Church Anglican, Whittlesea In 1863 a Whittlesea resident Thomas Wills donated fifteen acres of land to the Church of England for the use of promoting the Christian religion within the area. More specifically though Wills directed that part of this land was for the erection of a building for public worship and of a dwelling for the Minister duly...
Have you noticed the clock on the wall of the Whittlesea Post Office? Have you wondered where did it come from and what is the story of this old clock? Here is my story. I was made by Thomas Gaunt who was born in 1829, and arrived in Melbourne in 1852. By 1858 he had established his business as a...
William Lockwood William Henry Lockwood was born in Glossop, Derbyshire in 1832. He migrated to Victoria on the first voyage of the Marco Polo in 1853 and married Naomi Bullock in St. Peter’s Church of England Melbourne on 27th December 1856. They had nine children, four of whom died in infancy and were buried in Yan Yean Cemetery. The family lived...