THE HOLLOW LOG Issue 21, March 2004 The Hollow Family Researchers‟ Newsletter ISSN 1445-8772

A Hollow & Sons invoice head used soon after being formally registered in 1923.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE Masons to Melbourne Redruth Masons to Builders – part 2 Melbourne Builders – part 2 From the Hollow & Sons invoice head we can see the company was well In this issue we concentrate on the trials organised and confident in the way it marketed itself. This was the company and triumphs of the firm that was created. Pages 1 & 7 started by a mason and his sons from Redruth. Since 1896 the firm had operated a Melbourne city office so from an early time they had decided not to Hollow Spotting be just a small suburban builder. Featuring a couple of Hollow diggers The business commenced by Henry Hollow in Adelaide in 1883 was to last for Page 2 118 years and pass through five generations of Hollows. The family moved to Cornish Churches - Melbourne around 1885. Second son, Samuel was listed as a carpenter in the The second of Keith‟s features on Cornish 1889 directory and in 1892 he is listed as a Contractor of 210 Cotham Road churches that are significant in the Hollow family history. Kew. It seems that Samuel may have been the businessman of the family. He Page 3 was the first to be listed with a trade in the directories, his address was also the The ‘Hollow Log’ facilitates address of the firm for a long time and when the company was formally the return of First World War established in 1923 he was became chairman and remained in that position until his death in 1951. By that time he was 86. medals to family The Log is found and read by many people The name “Hollow & Sons” first appeared in the directories in 1895 listed as and sometimes what happens gives great builders at Denmark St. Kew. In 1896 the entry was “Hollow & sons (Hollow pleasure. Hy sen., Hollow Hy jun. & Samuel, Builders & contractors, Custom House Page 10 Lane off 451 Little Flinders St. Melbourne”. This remained until 1906 when “and Heidelberg Rd. Ivanhoe” was added to the entry. Heidelberg Road may have been their store yard, the office was at Custom house lane where they shared the building with four other companies. Continued on page 7

The Hollow Log Page 1 Hollow Spotting

Death of a Hollow Digger. H E L L O T HERE From The Adelaide Advertiser 26/27, February, 2004 HOLLOW, James (Jim). _ Passed away peacefully on In this issue I had two long stories that had to be broken Tuesday, February 24. 2004 at Flinders Medical Centre into parts. Keith‟s story on the Zennor church will Loving husband of Gwenda, loved father of Trevor, Michael, conclude next issue with the Hollow entries in the parish Philip, Julie and families. Sadly missed. records and some stories from the monumental inscriptions. Many of our family lines go back to Zennor. HOLLOW, Jim Passed away peacefully on February 24, 2004 at Flinders Medical Centre. Brother of Frances, uncle of The Hollow & Sons the builders‟ story will run to at least Kathleen, Dianne and Judith (both deceased), Shirley and three parts, possibly four. I am very grateful to the family Terry. In God's care. for providing the information to put this story together.

Jim was a descendant of Arthur Hollow the South Australian side of the Hollow builders (see last Log). He also was a T H E HOLLOW W EBSITE Hollow in Uniform, James Arthur Curtis Hollow, Private, 2/6-Armed Reg. Aust. Army, WWII. Jim was 90 and http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~chollow/ 11months. I hope to put together the story of this branch of The database on the website continues to grow, I try to the family for the Log in the near future. Thanks to Jim‟s son update it every couple of months. Michael and other Log readers for alerting me to Jim‟s passing. O DD S POT Another Hollow in Uniform Percy Wellington sent this candid shot of his father in law The surname HOLLOW was ranked 13,922 in 2002 in the Charles Hollow. Charles was in the New Zealand army U.K there were 380 counts of the name.., HOLLA (11) during WWI but never left New Zealand. He was in and HALLO (11) were 134,717 and HOLLOWS (347) Trentham Camp at the time of the worldwide flu epidemic was 14,812. Found at http://www.taliesin- and had the unhappy task of making coffins for the dead arlein.net/names/search.php troops. Obviously the photo is of a lighter moment when A similar analysis of the 1990 US census ranked Charles was washing his smalls. HOLLOW at 22,964 and HALLO at 72,225. There were no HOLLOWS were found. This information from: http://www.census.gov/genealogy/www/freqnames.html

C ONTACT

Colin Hollow edits the Hollow Log, comments and contributions are always welcome. Write to 11 Dorothy St. Croydon, 3136, Australia. Or e- mail: [email protected]

Hollow and variants Holla, Hollah, Hollaw and Hollowe are registered with The Guild of One-Name Studies. Guild members who are Hollow researchers are Colin Hollow (Mem. No. 3056) and Keith Hollow (Mem. No. 3257)

©No material in this newsletter should be produced without permission.

The Hollow Log 2 small enclave of Madron, and to the east by Halsetown Cornish Churches (formerly part of St. Ives) and Towednack. During the 19th century mining activity caused a rapid increase in the population which grew from 544 persons in 1801 to a peak of 1025 in 1841. At one period, in addition to the Parish Zennor Parish Church – Church, six Non Comformist Chapels were also in operation but as the ore became exhausted the miners migrated to other The Church of St. Senara parts of the county or emigrated overseas and by 1891 the Tucked away beneath the bleak, rugged granite of Zennor population had dropped to 496, falling to a minimum of 202 Hill and just half a mile from the windswept Atlantic coast at in 1971. In recent years the population has remained the relatively stable northern at around 250 side of people. West The earliest Penwith, a record of the church has present church existed on is from 1150 this spot when Robert since the Fitzwilliam, sixth Lord of century Cardinham, when the confirmed to first Celtic the Prior and church was Convent of built. The Tywardreath church is the church of dedicated St. Sinar which to St. Ralph de Sicca Senara, Villa and his thought to be the Celtic Princess Asenora of , mother wife Margaret had given to them. In 1270 the church was of St. Budock. appropriated by the provost and canons Zennor, and of Glasney College at Penryn who the remained rectors of it until the surrounding dissolution of the in 1545. area has been Glasney College appointed the vicars of inhabited Zennor to do the actual job of running continuously the parish. A list of vicars from 1271 for about six hangs on the vestry wall many prefixed thousand with the title „Sir‟ which did not imply a years and the knighthood but was used as a mark of area is rich respect in a similar way to the term with remains „sire‟. of its history. The Parish is bounded by the sea to the north and by The chancel with typical Cornish barrel vaulted the parishes of ceiling and the 15th Morvah to the century extension through west, Gulval the arches on the north to the south side. including a

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There are traces of the original cruciform layout of the church, however, the original nave and chancel were opened into a north isle in 1451 by an archade of six granite arches on octagonal piers and columns. The surviving Norman features are present in the south walls which include a window 3 foot high and just 6 inches wide which splays inwards to a width of 3 foot 3 inches The Norman window in the south wall. through the massive wall.

To the south of the transcept is a side chapel containing the famous „Mermaid‟s Chair‟. The „Mermaid of Zennor‟ legend relates how a beautiful girl attended church, always sitting at the back attracted by the beautiful singing voice and handsome looks of a chorister, Matthew Trewella, son of the churchwarden., One Sunday evening after the church service she lured him down the stream to Pendour Cove (Mermaid‟s Cove) and into the sea never to return. It is said that on warm, calm, summer evenings in the cove the pair of lovers can be heard singing. The Mermaid‟s Chair is thought to be about 600 years old and has been constructed from the only two surviving medieval bench ends, one of which has the carved figure of a mermaid holding a comb in one hand and a mirror in the other. In the the mermaid was used to symbolise the two natures of Christ, being both human and divine.

The Hollow Log 4 The side chapel also incorporates a „squint‟ which enabled members of the congregation sitting there to be able to view the activities in the chancel and at the altar. Although built into ancient stonework, the squint itself was added during a restoration in 1890.

The 1890 ‘Squint’ provides a view of chancel and altar from the side chapel

The tower, located at the western end of the church, is of three sections reaching a height of 49 feet at the battlements and follows the usual Cornish pattern. The

belfry houses three bells, the first recast in 1717 and the second and third carry the inscriptions ‘ SANCTE JOHANNE ORA PRO NOBIS‟ and „SANCTA MARIA

ORA PRO NOBIS‟. The south face of the tower has a small sundial made by Paul Quick of Zennor and has an image of crossed bones signifying that the passage of time leads to death. However, the figure of a winged angel at the top ensures the rise to salvation beyond the grave. The inscription reads, “The glory of the world Paseth. Paul Quick, Fecit, 1737”

Paul Quick’s 1737 Sundial on the south face of the tower

The Hollow Log 5 In addition to the present day entrance via a door in the south porch, there is also a north door leading from a gate with a granite coffin rest. Coffins were often carried considerable distances across fields to the church and the coffin rest enabled the bearers, who sat on the side benches, to gain breath and composure before entering the church.

The North Gate with coffin rest

The British War Medal and Victory Medal were issued for The ‘Hollow Log’ facilitates Howard‟s war service and his parents, like all next of kin of those who lost their lives, were awarded the bronze Memorial the return of First World Plaque. Howard was my great-uncle and having researched War medals to family his life and war service I had searched without success for Howard‟s medals which were no longer in the possession of Howard Hollow was the family. Anyone who has attempted to trace „missing‟ war born in 1896 in medals will know that it is very much a „needle and haystack‟ , , situation. the youngest son of It was therefore both surprising and exciting to hear from Richard Henry and Annie Hollow. In 1915, Colin in November 2003 that he had been contacted by a collector of D.C.L.I., medals who had come across Colin‟s aged 19, when working Internet website and had read a reference to Howard‟s as a Sales Assistant in Heard‟s Music Shop in photograph in Issue 5, and stating that he had Howard‟s medals. Colin kindly forwarded copies of the email exchanges the town, he enlisted to me and a period of negotiation with the collector then into the army joining the 10th Battalion, ensued. He had purchased the medals at auction at Chacewater near , Cornwall in June 2003. In March Duke of 2004 the Cornwall‟s Light medals were once again Infantry as back in Private Number family hands. The 22714. The hunt for the 10th D.C.L.I., elusive plaque crossed continues. over from to The pictures in below show August Howard‟s 1916 and a medals and year later, his grave at on 27th Ramscapelle October 1917, Howard was killed in action near Nieuwpoort, Road, Military Cemetery, that I was fortunate to visit West -Vlaanderen, Belgium. in 1999. [Keith Hollow, March 2004

The Hollow Log 6 possibly because they were both known as “Harry”. The

Continued from page 1 minutes however were quite formal and that was the way it was done. Henry was probably called Harry to distinguish him from his father Henry and H Hollow junior was a Harry Redruth Masons to anyway. Gordon Mitchell was a builder too and presumably had Melbourne Builders – part 2 worked in partnership with the Hollow brothers before the Hollow Brothers? Hollow & Sons? company was established. He was always a minor shareholder Henry senior had died in 1901 and his sons may have flirted There were five items of business at the first meeting. with a change of name for the firm. In 1907 a second entry in 1. Mr Emmerson was appointed secretary the directory is Hollow Brothers, builders, Upper Heidelberg Rd. Ivanhoe. This entry remained along with the Hollow & 2. A bank account at the National Bank of Australasia was to be opened. Sons until 1910. The brothers may have thought Hollow and 3. Wages were set; S & H Hollow £8 each per week, G Sons was a more distinguishing name, as there was another Mitchell, £7:10:0, H Hollow jun. £7 and Miss C Hollow Hollow Brothers company in Melbourne, Hollow Brothers £1:10:0. (Clara Hollow is the sister of Samuel and Harry) and Bourke, plain and fancy box manufacturers. They had 4. Mr Berggy was appointed auditor to the Company premises in Clifton Hill. These Hollow brothers were Ernest 5. That the Company meets every Monday morning at 9 Joseph and Walter Stanley Hollow, first cousins of Henry and o‟clock. Samuel, sons of their father‟s brother Joseph. (See Log 12) They had been involved in the building trade too but had set The last motion may have been adhered to but minutes were up the Box manufacturing business in 1906. not kept in the official minute book. Another consideration was probably the fact that Henry‟s son Harold Whelpton Hollow would have been ready to join the A Hollow legal eagle firm making it Hollow and son again, just a different The next minutes are from a meeting two months later on generation from the original Hollow and sons. Henry‟s other November 12th 1923 when an agreement entered into on son Edward Charles (Charlie) did not ever join the company; August 29th 1923 with V.S. Hollow was formally accepted. he was seven years younger than his brother Harold and Victor Sydney Hollow was Samuel and Henry‟s first cousin, became a commercial traveller. Samuel‟s son Norman was the son of their father‟s brother George and a solicitor. He also involved with the company but not in a high profile had advised the directors on the setting up of the Company. capacity. Another item of business that day empowered the secretary “to interview Mr V.S. Hollow re the adjustment of account The Custom House Lane address remained until 1913. In rendered in connection with the formation of the Company.” 1914 the address changed to Condell‟s Lane Melbourne and So just because he was family didn‟t mean his accounts were “private residence Como St. Alphington” was added to the not checked. The account was amended and the amount, Directory entry. This was most likely the address of the head £40-8-8, passed for payment at the next meeting on of the company, Samuel although both brothers were living November 26th. at Como St. at this stage. The minutes were written in a formal way but the matters Another step recorded seemed to be largely issues that arose at the time. At In 1923 Hollow and Sons Pty. Ltd. was became a registered the second meeting they discussed selling a horse, cart and company and through a study of the minutes of the director‟s harness. The horse was found to have an incurable leg injury meetings from 1923 to 1974 held by Harold Hughes Hollow, and was sold for £17-10-0, well below market value. son of Harold Whelpton Hollow, some of the history of the The directors were very much “hands on”, Mitchell was firm can be told. designated to select a quantity of Silky Oak timber and Henry On September 10th 1923 the first meeting of directors of was given a similar job to select some Maple. Each director Hollow & Sons Propriety Limited was held at the registered was to be with a full list of works in progress. Mitchell and office at Condell‟s Lane Melbourne. The directors were, S Harold Hollow were directed to obtain driving licences so Hollow (chairman), H Hollow sen., H Hollow jun. and G they could use the company car. Samuel was to travel to Mitchell. H Hollow senior was Samuel‟s brother Henry; H England during 1924 and he was empowered to”ascertain the Hollow junior was Harold Whelpton Hollow, Henry‟s son. price of small English cars and if suitable purchase 2 of same.” The terms H Hollow senior and junior were always used,

The Hollow Log Page 7 Hollow & Sons City Locations From 1913 to 1956 the city office had three locations, all in the same area.

1913 – 1924 Condell‟s Lane (Now part of the Myer building. 1924 – 1931 231 Elizabeth St. (Redeveloped) 1931 – 1956 281 Little Lonsdale St. (Still standing)

Note: Post Office Place was a section of Little Burke St., behind the G.P.O.

The first city office at Custom House Lane lasted from 1896 to 1913. The lane no longer exists as the area has been redeveloped. The black and white maps are from a Melbourne city street number map of 1915.

The Hollow Log Page 8 A Cousin’s Advice First Profits Sometimes legal matters were attended to. On February 21 In May 1924 the directors were asking the auditor when 1924 three separate meetings were minuted. Something their profits could be distributed. A balance sheet was presented in solicitor had obviously advised to satisfy legal requirements September but profits were not distributed until 23rd of the Companies Act. The minutes have sections marked in December 1924 after Samuel had returned from his trip green ink, someone has checked to see that all the necessary overseas. The profit until 30th June 1924 of the first nine business had been covered. No doubt advice from their months of operation of the new company, were £1733-9-8. solicitor cousin, Victor Sydney Hollow. This was distributed according to the formula already agreed to. Emmerson, the secretary, was given a bonus of £20. This On February 21st 1924 the directors were formally appointed, commenced a practice that continued for many years. The their share holdings recorded and the formula for the division fortunes of the company can almost be mapped by the size of of profits recorded. S Hollow and H Hollow Sen. were the secretary‟s bonus. allotted 3300 shares each, then a further 4 shares (£1 each paid up) were allotted to the directors, one each. Mitchell and The next year 1924/25 the profit was £4953-3-2, Harold Hollow were to both receive 10% of any profits, 50% Emmerson‟s gratuity was £52. The next year the profit was in cash and 50% in shares of the company. The names and just above £3000 and it remained at £3-4000 until the addresses and occupations of the directors were listed. depression years of 1931.

S Hollow 7 Aroona Rd. Caulfield Builder Henry jun. Dies H Hollow 7 Menzies Ave. Brighton Beach Builder In the first ten years of the company every time there was H Hollow jun. 271 Beaconsfield Parade Middle Park Builder some change in personnel, i.e. solicitor or secretary or as in G Mitchell 37 Merton St. Caulfield Builder Samuel Hollow was away from March to November. Sam 1928 after the death of Henry Hollow, legal matters took up the time of the meetings. Henry‟s death brought particular and his wife, Mary, visited England, Europe and America, problems. His shares would eventually go to his son Harold Sam was asked to negotiate an agency for roofing tiles in America. Letters to and from Samuel where recorded in the who by now had 425 shares. This would have made him the major shareholder as his uncle, Samuel; the chairman had minutes. While he was away Henry acted as chairman and 3301, as did his brother Henry. To solve this Samuel was Harold was empowered to sign cheques on behalf of the company. allocated 851 shares for his services to the company. Those minutes have the green ink again and a draft of the minutes Business Booms for the next meeting to execute this legally has been written The business expanded, minutes record new machinery being by the solicitor and is included in the minute book. purchased. During this time the Hollows were looking to buy, rent or lease premises for a timberyard. In November The company continued to expand; the minutes record the 1924 they decide to move the registered office to18/22 purchase of new equipment regularly although meetings were O‟Shannassy St. North Melbourne. This was not acted on as less numerous. Bonuses began to go to the typist (spelled on the December 17th 1924 a meeting was held at a new typiste) and others. Jobs in the country were mentioned, one Company office at 231 Elizabeth St. Melbourne. The at Woodend, another at Eurobin. Condell‟s Lane building, owned by the Hollows, was sold to The Depression Years Sydney Myer for the expansion of his store, The Myer Emporium. The profit of 1929/30 was £3389:13:10 but directors recorded their apprehension at the economic prospects of the A job at Hardware chambers required the purchase of an current year. The annual meeting in September 1931 showed electric hoist. Hardware Chambers is later identified as 231 only a profit of £144 for the year 1930/31. Several decisions Elizabeth Street Melbourne. The fact that the company was were made at the suggestion of the auditor, Mr Berggy, who to move its office there suggests they owned that building. also reduced his charges to the company to £40 per annum. The O‟Shannassy Street, North Melbourne, premises were In February 1932 the directors met again The secretary used as a factory and warehouse and were to be part of the reported that turnover for the first six months of the financial company until 1997. In 1924 the O‟Shannassy Street premises year was down almost 50% on the previous year. Decisions were owned by a Hollow family trust. It was not part of the were made to further cut costs. The director‟s salaries were company and rent was paid to the trust, it was used as a reduced. Samuel and Harold Hollow‟s salaries were reduced factory and storage area. by £1-10-0 per week and Gordon Mitchell‟s by £1. The Secretary‟s ½ time salary of £3-10-0 was reduced by10 shillings (10/-) and the secretary‟s salary of £2 was reduced

The Hollow Log Page 9 by 5/-. The auditor‟s fee was reduced and the rental of the the end of the decade the company was back on track. O‟Shannassy Street factory was reduced from £6 to £5 per There is very little evidence of dissent in the minutes but at week. Samuel and Harold were trustees of the Hollow trust the twelfth annual meeting on September 17th 1935 when established when Henry senior was alive, and were able to they were emerging from the depression the salaries of the reduce the rental for Hollow and Sons Pty. Ltd. A regular secretary and the typist were increased. The secretary from £4 donation to the Collingwood Cricket Club of five guineas to £5 and the typist from £1-10-0 to £1-17-6. Remember (£5:5:0) was reduced to two guineas so things hadn‟t hit salaries had been cut severely during 1932. Bonuses of £50 absolute rock bottom. and £5 were also to be paid. The meeting was adjourned after Two months later in April another meeting of directors was the secretary Mr Whitehead requested reconsideration of his held to further reduce costs. The Hollow‟s salaries were bonus. The meeting reconvened the next day the motion for further reduced by £2 per week and Mitchell‟s by £1-10-0. a £50 bonus to Whitehead was rescinded. It was replaced The secretary‟s salary was reduced a further £1 per week The with a motion granting a bonus of £75 and an increase in private telephones were to be paid by the directors instead of salary to £5-10-0. The director‟s expenses were also increased the firm and Samuel Hollow was to be responsible for his from £2 to £3 per week. Miss Collins‟, the typist, salary and son, Norman Hollow‟s salary. What Norman‟s role in the bonus stayed the same. firm is not made clear? Business Overseas New Premises In the early 20s Samuel had combined an overseas trip with Around this time the business address changed again, this business. Probably Henry did to when he travelled in 1922. time it shared a building with The Cycle Press printing According to the minutes, in 1938 the company paid for Company at 281 Little Lonsdale Street. Once again the Harold W Hollow‟s trip to Colombo, part at least was work Hollows owned the building. related. Exactly how was not They were of the opinion that explained, perhaps it was to the city could only expand in organise the supply of materials. one direction, that is, At the Fifteenth Annual meeting northwards from the Yarra. in September 1938 the year‟s result Their belief held true right was described as “excellent” and through until the late 1980s all were thanked for their work, up when the south side of the river to sixteen hours a day in some near Princess Bridge was cases. A week before the annual eventually developed into what meeting, a meeting of the directors is known as Southbank. The 281 had paid out bonuses totally £5000 Little Lonsdale Street building is to the directors. This was to the only one of the Hollows‟ city compensate for the loss of salary buildings still standing today; all the directors had suffered. A new of the others have been secretary joined the company and demolished and developed. the old one, G.E. Whitehead, was given a gift of £30 for past The annual meeting for 1931/32 services rendered. Even with the was not held until May 1933. extra bonuses there was still £1600 The balance sheet and auditors to be distributed at the annual report was accepted but no meeting. At another meeting a profits or losses mentioned. In week later the directors salaries August the Annual meeting year were set for the coming year, the 1932/33 was held; a profit of Hollows were to get £1500 each £1500 was distributed and and Mitchell £1000. Hollow & bonuses were paid. Business Sons had successfully come picked up slowly and a similar through the depression years. profit was distributed in 1933/34, then profits rose each In part 3 we take up the story at year until 1937/38 when the the War years and have more of profit was around £7000. So by 281 Little Lonsdale St., 2003 the family‟s stories. Colin.

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