Glen Eira Historical Society Newsletter Number 10, July 2016 ISSN 2201-5647 Editorial Then and Now GEHS Future Dates Glen Eira's Camden Cinema Details are available on our Cultural Heritage South Caulfield website at www.gehs.org.au The Camden opened on 25 Wednesday 28 September 2016 Welcome to the tenth October 1935 and closed on 11 General Meeting 7.30pm Newsletter which looks at our August 1962. It became the Boyd Room, Carnegie Library cultural heritage. Brunswick tenpin bowling alley A history of the Salvation Army in before the Southern Indoor Bowls Australia by Yasmin van Gaalen- The word heritage can be used Club was founded in 1969. Prentice. in a number of ways. 1 October 2016 We can talk about the many Newsletter Issue 11 Deadline. heritage buildings and features 3–20 November 2016 in Glen Eira and elsewhere. Glen Eira Gallery Exhibition. The City of Glen Eira is Wednesday 30 November 2016 experiencing rapid change. General Meeting 7.30pm We are seeing our houses and History of organs in Glen Eira's mansions and churches by John streetscapes being transformed Maidment. by residential developments of Photo courtesy of CATHS varying scales, and major level Camden Cinema in 1936 GEHS Past Events crossing works. Friday 22 April 2016 Glen Eira College In this context at least, we need Anzac Day Service. to know, identify, record and Saturday 21 May 2016 highlight the heritage of our Rippon Lea 60th Open Day. natural and built environment. We also need to consider the people, places, groups and ideas which have contributed to the rich cultural history of the area Southern Indoor Bowls Club in 2016 we call Glen Eira. In this issue, we consider some Where and what is it? GEHS members at Rippon Lea aspects of our cultural heritage. L to R: Peta van Horick, Claire Barton, If you feel we have missed some Anne Kilpatrick rear, and Carol Stals aspect, please contribute to our Wednesday 25 May 2016 next Newsletter. Deadline is 1 Rosalind Mearns spoke on Rippon Lea. October 2016. Saturday 2 July 2016 Geoffrey Paterson Glen Eira Storytelling Festival. and Carol Stals Wednesday 27 July 2016 Annual General Meeting This object is attached to a tree. Dr Judith Buckrich We acknowledge that the What is it, what does it commem- The Village of Ripponlea. Boonwurrung People are the orate and where is it? traditional owners of the area Issue 9 solution We thank David Southwick MP known as Glen Eira. The tower is at Caulfield State for kindly donating the printing School 773 in South Caulfield. of this Newsletter. The Glen Eira Historical Society Inc is proudly sponsored by Glen Eira City Council Community Grants and Bendigo Bank Murrumbeena 2 President’s Column Contributors for GEHS meetings and events this Edition of Return to Labassa damage to the interior, he added our Newsletter toilets and partitions to the have identified Project: the 20th century interior for flat conversion. Robert a plethora of social history of Labassa Hannon consequently purchased buildings, environs and human activities mansion Labassa from Sergeant in 1923, they personally value across Glen Wednesday 23 March 2016 and eventually managed in Eira. What a rich cultural and Talk by Vicki Shuttleworth 1926, to convert the stables into community heritage this shows, Ontario Flats. The demography with opportunities ourselves to Vicki started of the residents who moved into be involved in any number of by giving an Labassa Flats included genteel organisations and interests on overview of widows of independent means, a volunteer or paying basis. As Labassa's 150 teachers, company directors, and a local volunteer-run/not-for- years from its one policeman – Senior Detective profit community organisation, conception as Sylliot Hill in 1862, Percy Lambell who arrested we recommend actively following to its present day as Labassa. Squizzy Taylor. Flats were whatever interest draws you in. Alexander Robertson of Cobb and advertised at three pounds and ten In news, one of our valued Co. fame was the second owner shillings per week. Committee members, Secretary in 1890, and his refurbishment Ailsa Hunt, has recently stepped The Willas flats were built in brought the home up to mansion down due to family reasons. Ailsa 1936 by William and Sarah (Sal) has been a mainstay as Secretary standards. Labassa had gone O’Callaghan, who bought the for some years now. We thank from an initial eight roomed property in 1933. After Sal died, Ailsa for her massive contribution home on eight acres, to 35 rooms William moved out. The former and wish her and Lindsay all the and 15 acres, with a tennis court laundry was the home of James very best. Filling this important (13 Manor Grove – now donated and Emily Brearly, caretakers vacancy, member Alice McInnes back to Labassa), a two-storeyed of the property for many years. has been appointed as Secretary stable and two conservatories. After James passed away, Emily by the Committee pending the One conservatory survives and continued to live there until July elections. has been restored. Robertson her death in 1964. She was See inside for an update on died in Caulfield in 1896 after a instrumental in fundraising for progress of the submission about long illness. The property was the World War 2 war effort, and the Montgomery Rest Home to tenanted until John Boyd Watson kept the spirits up of the many the Heritage Council of Victoria. bought the house in 1904. The migrant families who moved in. And finally, our sincere boom and bust of 1896 had also appreciation goes to the Bendigo set in. Labassa had a very multicultured Bank Murrumbeena for the clientele over the years, including grant of $4500 to complete a When John Watson moved from bakers, butchers, designers, “Significance Assessment” of our St Aubins in Orrong Road in furriers, radio broadcasters, Collection. 1904, he renamed the property eventually ending with the arty Labassa, possibly after a village Anne Kilpatrick bohemian tenants of the 1960s, in Fiji the family had visited. 1970s and early 1980s. He acquired his wealth through his mining magnate father. The The National Trust eventually Watson family didn’t enjoy the bought the property when it went property for long, and by 1911 up for public auction in 1980, Watson had died. His wife put with the help of Alcoa Australia. Report by Claire Barton Sue Foley of Bendigo Bank Murrumbeena the property up for sale in 1912, presents the $4,500 cheque to GEHS President but had no luck. By Anne Kilpatrrick at the 25 May General Meeting. 1913, 46 allotments were Glen Eira Historical Society Inc A0041700U auctioned from the Labassa published this Newsletter. Estate. By the 1920s, The Society’s street address is flat mania was taking 965 Glen Huntly Road, Caulfield, 3162. Postal address is PO Box 202, Caulfield place, and many mansions South 3162. Phone 9077 5395 were being demolished, Email [email protected] or converted into flats. Website www.gehs.org.au Lillian and Stanley Labassa, July 2016 The office is open Tuesday and Friday between 9 and 12 or by appointment. Sergeant – Sergeant was The deadline for the third Newsletter, one of the auctioneers published in November 2016, is 1 October of the property – bought 2016. We welcome your contribution. Labassa, and with minimal Photo G. Paterson 3 Save Ripponlea: sale of 35 splendid building buildings, formerly homes for allotments at the south-eastern nurses, and the old Glen Eira the 1960s fight to edge of the estate. However, as mansion fence which stands as a preserve Rippon Lea Rosalind Mearns, Community tangible reminder of the mansion House and Gardens Advocate, explained, it wasn’t (demolished 1965). This became until 1963 that public attention Australian Military Hospital Wednesday 25 May 2016 sought to halt these encroaches. No. 11, the largest repatriation Talk by Rosalind Mearns In 1952, the Australian hospital in Victoria at the time. Rippon Lea is one Broadcasting Commission Heritage Victoria’s of the National (ABC) had cleared land to recommendation still needs to Trust of Australia the south of the Rippon Lea be considered and decided on by (Victoria)’s key estate for construction of their the Heritage Council. We are properties. It was headquarters. After additional hopeful of a positive outcome but built and developed between 1868 land acquisitions in 1954, the our campaign is not over yet. We and 1903 by influential Victorian- Federal Government moved to will be writing a letter of support era architect Joseph Reed for compulsorily acquire a further to the Heritage Council and we Sir Frederick Thomas Sargood. four acres of the property’s formal encourage our members and other Today, it is one of Australia’s last gardens in 1963. This was the interested persons to do the same. grand estates to remain largely final straw for many including intact, thanks to the 1960s Louisa Jones. She immediately campaign, led by owner Louisa made her intentions to give Jones, to save it. Rippon Lea to the National Trust Rippon Lea has had four owners public, and within five days over the course of its history. the estate had been classified. The original occupant was Sir When Cabinet approved Frederick Sargood and his family recommendations for the ABC’s Caulfield House 2015 Photo Barbara Hoad who owned the property from four acre acquisition, there was 1863 until 1903. Upon his death an enormous public outcry. Montgomery it was purchased by Thomas On 21 April 1963, more than A couple of years ago the land Bent’s syndicate in 1903. The 10,000 people gathered in protest on which Montgomery sits was Nathan Family then purchased against the seizure of Rippon Lea.