Quarterly journal of The Genealogical Society of Victoria Inc MUCHM GAINED GETTINGG IT WRITE SEARCHINGS FOR JANE Searching the newspaper Getting it into print Returning to Kent, England VOLUME 31 ISSUE 2 JUJUNE/J/ ULY/AUGUST 2012 $9.50 ISSN 0044-8222 WILLIAM LAWRENCE BAILLIEU Founder oof the Baillieu family fortune DEATH IN THE ORCHESTRA PIT Mystery at the Bijou Theatre WINW ’ A LARRIKIN HISTORY ‘Larrikins: A History’ by Melissa Bellanta Street youth in Australian cities ‘WL Baillieu’ by Peter Yule Discovercover a world ooff ffamilyamily historhistoryy The Genealogical Society of Victoria Inc SEMINAR Saturday 25 August 2012 10:00 am – 4:00 pm BYO Lunch See the website for full details www.gsv.org.au Level B1, 257 Collins Street Payments at GSV reception or online Melbourne VIC 3000 Bookings with payment essential Phone: (03) 9662 4455 Members $40 / Non-members $80 Web: www.gsv.org.au EDITORIAL TEAM Dorothea Rowse Quarterly journal of The Genealogical Society of Victoria Inc. Narelle Donegan Volume 31, Issue 2 / June, July, August 2012 CREATIVE Narelle Donegan Allister Hardiman PRINTER Ancestorr wins 2011 Elizabeth Simpson Award GEON Impact Printing for outstanding family history journal CONTRIBUTIONS At the Annual General Meeting of the Federation of Family We welcome the submission of History Societies (FFHS) held in London on 24 March, articles on family history topics for the GSV was announced as overall winner of the Elizabeth possible publication. Simpson Award for 2011 in recognition of the high standard of The Editor reserves the right to edit its journal Ancestorr and its contribution to family history. and abridge articles to accommodate David Holman, Chairman of the FFHS, was in Adelaide to space constraints. attend the Australasian Congress on Genealogy & Heraldry Submissions should be the work (28–31 March) and present the award. of the Author submitting the article and should not have been published Tony Arthur, President of the GSV, said ‘we are very proud that elsewhere unless agreed. Ancestor has been we recognised in this way’. Although we endeavour to take care of For just over two years Ancestor has been under the direction all materials submitted for publication, of Narelle Donegan and Dorothea Rowse who have introduced we regret that we cannot be held a new look and feel to the publication. In addition to design responsible for any loss or damage. and historical imagery, Ancestor features a mixture of articles It is advisable to retain original items by both professional writers and family historians. Ancestor and submit scanned images in high has showcased the work of resolution JPG or TIFF file format. historical writers such as CLOSING DATES Grace Karskens, Charles Fahey MARCH 1 JANUARY and Richard Reid. JUNE 1 APRIL Narelle commented ‘Dorothea and SEPTEMBER 1 JULY I are very fortunate to work with DECEMBER 1 OCTOBER some of Australia’s best authors. ADVERTISING Through their words we get a better understanding of our history and Advertising space is available. For details contact the General the lives of our ancestors.’ Manager [email protected] Right: Narelle Donegan accepts the award from David Holman, CORRESPONDENCE Chairman of the FFHS. Image courtesy Festival City Photography The Editor, Ancestor, The Genealogical Society of Victoria, Level B1, 257 Collins Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3000 or email [email protected] © The Genealogical Society of Victoria. Material in this publication must not be reproduced without consent. Quarterly journal of The Genealogical Society of Victoria Inc MUCHM GAINED GETTINGG IT WRITE SEARCHINGS FOR JANE The views expressed in Ancestor Searching the newspaper Getting it into print Returning to Kent, England VOLUMME 31 ISSUE 2 are those of the Author(s) and do not JUNE/JJUJUNE/JNE/JULY//AUGUST 2012 $9.50 ISSN 0044-8222 necessarily represent the views of WILLIAM LAWRENCE BAILLIEU The Genealogical Society of Victoria. Founder oof the Baillieu family fortune DEATHDEATH IN THETHHE ORCHESTRA PIT Mystery at the Bijou Theatre Our cover: Collins Street, Melbourne c1873. Photograph by Charles Nettleton (1826–1902). WINW ’ A LARRIKIN HISTORY ‘Larrikins: A History’ by Melissa Bellanta Street youth in Australian cities ‘WL Baillieu’ Pictures Collection, State Library of Victoria by Peter Yule Discovercover a world ooff ffamilyamily hishistorytory [H88.21/8]. Contents ARTICLES Much gained researching the local newspaper 4 Joy Grove Searching for Jane 6 Tony Martin A Larrikin History 9 Melissa Bellanta William Lawrence Baillieu 12 Peter Yule Death in the Orchestra Pit 15 Cheryl Carnahan Tom and Libby Luke 42 Vaughan Duggan Notes to the Editor 43 REGULAR FEATURES Editorial 1 About the GSV 17 Pen of the President 18 Society Services 19 At the GSV Bookshop 20 Book Reviews 21 Research Corner 22 What’s On at the GSV 23 What’s On at our Member Societies 26 Member Societies Contact List 27 Around the Groups 28 Jottings 29 Additions to the Library 30 Q & A with Jenny Carter 34 Surname Interests 36 Getting it Write 38 News from the State Library of Victoria 44 News from the Royal Historical Society of Victoria 45 News from Public Record Office Victoria 46 Genies on the Web 47 Help Wanted 48 Volume 31 Issue 2 / June, July, August 2012 2 • © The Genealogical Society of Victoria Inc Scottish Family History Seminar ScottishScottish Housing through the Ages Saturday 30 June 2012 1010.00am00am – 3.00pm00pm Medieval and early modern Scottish housing From wattle and daub, roof trees and other materials at hand, to stone, timber-frames and shingles; from cottouns and farmtouns Volunteering to apartment living in the burghs; explore the housing of the medieval Scot. Opportunities Scottish Domestic Architecture From timber-frames to mortared masonry; Do you have some time to from turf, shingles and thatch to slates and tiles; from solars to dormers; from spare on a regular basis? forestairs to grand stairs; learn about the The GSV as a member society housi ng of th e l ower and middl e strata of Scottish society. is very grateful for the volunteer time already given by its The nobility and landed proprietors members but From castles, towers and bastle houses to we need more. the manor house; from spartan fortification to style and creature comfort; from barrel- We can use your help vaulted ceilings to the architectural orders, in the following areas: gain an insight into the residences of the Scottish elite. Bookkeeping Resources in the GSV Library and Library Research Assistance on the Internet Tap into resources that describe the Computer Maintenance housing and living conditions of the Computer Network and Scottish population, by time, by place Software Skills and according to economic status. Handyman Skills Exclusive to GSV and Scottish Ancestry Contact Neil Walker, Group members – $30pp. Incl. morning tea. General Manager. To be held in the GSV Meeting Room. Phone: 9662 4455 Places are limited – bookings online or Email: [email protected] at GSV Reception. TheThe GenealogicalGenealogical Society Society ofof Victoria Victoria Inc Inc The Genealogical Society of Victoria Inc Level B1, 257 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000 Level B1, 257 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000 www.gsv.org.au www.gsv.org.au Volume 31 Issue 2 / June, July, August 2012 © The Genealogical Society of Victoria Inc • 3 Much gained from researching the local newspaper Joy Grove When researching my paternal great In 1852 William and Jane arrived from grandparents, William and Jane Bennett of Launceston in Bacchus Marsh where William Coimadai, a former small village near Bacchus took up the position of Baker at the Border Inn Marsh, I found the local paper The Express not Hotel. It wasn’t long before he was lured away only helpful in providing an insight into my by the gold rush, to Cockatoo Gully, but he was grandfather’s life but, because of the subjective shrewd enough to establish a bakery and store, style of journalism in the mid to late nineteenth not stake a claim. Whilst not a prospector he did century, also an insight into life of those times. find ‘four ounces of gold with his baker’s shovel It is fair to say the article following my great when wandering around the diggings after a grandfather’s death provided greater detail than shower of rain’. that written for his wife when she died ten years A later article provided me with the information earlier. Indeed, I found much more was printed that William was one of four settlers to be granted about his achievements over his lifetime than 30 acres on the Comadai Flats and it was on this those given for Jane, she having been confined land he built his first hotel, the ‘Foresters Arms’. to raising their twelve children and the It was a simple timber structure but as business domestic side of their partnership. increased he built a more substantial fourteen room brick building named the ‘Alliance Hotel’ in anticipation of an impending tourist trade. The Genealogical Around Comadai several mineral springs had Society of been discovered and he felt that people would be Victoria Inc attracted to the area for the scenery, shooting and ABN 86 947 919 608 A0022763D the benefits of the mineral water; his hotel was well situated to be a tourist resort. He dubbed the area to be like ‘Switzerland or the Bay or Naples’. Your Sadly the rail track did not deviate from Bacchus Marsh; the area didn’t become a hub for tourism. advertisement Nevertheless, William and Jane played a significant role in the Comadai community and their property was often the venue for various could be here. community meetings ranging from political aspirants to discussions on the proposed rail link or the site for a more permanent water supply.