President: Jan Lier. Publicity Officer : Basil Stafford
------Issue Number 5. July, 2005 ------
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President: Jan Lier. Publicity Officer: Basil Stafford
Contacts: Cheryl Elmes & Jim Kent, P.O. Box 48, Casterton, Victoria. 3311
Newsletter layout: Alistair Boyle, P.O. Box 186, Casterton, Victoria. 3311
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Meetings: 3rd Wednesday of the month at 8.00 pm at the
R.S.L rooms, 158, Henty Street, Casterton.
Welcome to the July 2005 edition of, “Historical Happenings” the fifth edition of the monthly newsletter for the Casterton and District Historical Society. This month we have a look at the History of the Post Office, both locally and nationally, a look at the railway and there is a request for help. Jim Kent and Des Murphy make their usual appearances.
History of the Postal Services in Casterton and Strathdownie
Casterton:
The introduction of postal services became the main means of communication in the early days with mails arriving by steamer at Portland.
Alexander MCKINLAY founded Casterton about 1846 to 1848 and built the Glenelg Inn. He is said to be the first postmaster.
Mr. John COULSON erected the new POST OFFICE in 1875. The first appointed postmaster was Mr. L. F. MARCHANT. Casterton’s second postmaster was Mr. J. J. BARRY who joined the PMG in 1860 and came to Casterton in 1876. He was at Casterton until 1890 when he went to Melbourne on promotion. He was a life long friend of Mr. ROWAN, father of Frank Hamilton ROWAN, a firm of solicitors in Casterton, whose daughter is Brenda MITCHELL of “MOREDUN HILL”. Mr. BARRY was very active in town affairs being chairman of the Casterton Racing Club, Vice President of the Horticulture Society, registrar of Births and Deaths and involved with the Mechanics Institute and Athletic Sports meetings. He married Miss FITZGERALD from Harrow. When living in Melbourne he called his house in Spring Road, Malvern, “Kowree”.
The most famous fire in Casterton history is the burning of the Post Office. This occurred on the morning of 24th January 1908 and little could be done to save the building. The present Post Office was subsequently erected as a result of this fire. The cause of this fire has never been established.
Strathdownie:
This was opened on 1st October1877 with William HOLDEN being the first Postmaster. Before 1860 the residents of STRATHDOWNIE were compelled to send to Casterton for their mail. During the first year 10,000 letters were handled whilst in the mid 1880’s the number of letters had risen to 45,000 owing to the rise in the population in the area.
William HOLDEN carried on running the Post Office, until his death in 1906 and from 1908 until 1959 it was conducted by Miss Lexie MCEACHERN. In latter years, Postmistresses were Mrs. PEARCE and MRS JOYCE they completing the 100 years of service given to the residents of STRATHDOWNIE and surrounding district.
Taken from, “Extracts from the Casterton and District Historical Society Inc. Minutes from 1966-1996” booklet. Note: these are taken from talks given by guest speakers to the Historical Society.
Chronological History
Follow the time line below to track Australia Post’s fascinating historical development.
1809 - Isaac Nichols, ex-convict, assumed the duties of the first Postmaster in Sydney.
1828 - Australia's first postman was appointed in Sydney, a private servant of George Panton, the Sydney Postmaster.
1838 - First overland mail service operated between Sydney and Melbourne.
1838 - First adhesive postage stamp issued. World's first stamped stationery solely intended for prepayment postage sold in Sydney. World's first commemorative issue stamp sold in NSW to mark 50 years of colonisation in Australia.
1841 - The first official post office was constructed in Melbourne on the present GPO site.
1844 - The first letter box was provided - one per town.
1849 - Uniform postal rates were introduced with agreement from the colonies.
1852 - Compulsory prepayment of postage introduced in NSW.
1855 - First rail mail run completed from Sydney to Parramatta.
1856 - Monthly sea mail to England by steamship commenced.
1875 - Postcards were first issued in Sydney GPO.
1891 - Colonies joined with the Universal Postal Union.
1897 - World's first charity stamps were issued.
1901 - Federation of the Commonwealth of Australia. Government established the Postmaster-General's Department to provide postal services to the nation.
1913 - The first stamp designed for the Commonwealth was released to the public - a kangaroo in a map of Australia.
1914 - Australia's firstdomestic airmail was carried between Melbourne and Sydney by Maurice Guillaux (French aviator).
1919 - First overseas airmail arrived in Darwin from England on board a Vickers Vimy piloted by a WW1 Ace, Ross Smith.
1924 - The Cobb & Co mail service had its last run.
1930 - Mechanical mail handling was introduced at Sydney Mail Exchange. The first in the world.
1931 - The first 'experimental' airmail flights between Australia and England were completed, with famed aviator Charles Kingsford Smith flying legs of the journey. The aim was to establish a regular airmail service between the two countries.
1945 - A total of 1155 million postal articles were handled.
1954 - The Teleprinter Exchange was introduced - the Telex.
1960 - Coin-operated stamp vending machines were introduced and installed for customer convenience.
1962 - First automatic postal station was installed - Melbourne.
1967 - Introduction of postcodes - four digit number allocated to every mail delivery area in Australia. A giant new $6 million mail exchange building opened in Sydney. Worldwide interest was attracted by the new electronic equipment and technology.
1968 - Postcodes were used on 75 per cent of mail. Post office preferred size specification envelopes were introduced.
1970 - Priority Paid mail services were introduced.
1971 - Surface Air Lifted service was introduced, providing an intermediate service between airmail and seamail.
1972 - Melbourne Mail Exchange operated the first Electronic Letter Preparation Line machines, capable of processing up to 25,000 letters per hour.
1973 - Metric weights and measures were introduced in post offices.
1975 - The Australian Postal Commission -Australia Post -was established to replace the Postmaster-General's Department. Freepost was introduced for business customers, allowing people to reply post-free to advertisements. Postage is paid by the business/addressee on delivery. The third largest mailing in Australia's history was completed when 9.8 million individually addressed cards were dispatched.
1997 - The second largest mailout in the history of Australian postal services was completed. More than 12 million voting packages were sent out for the Constitutional Convention.
1999 - Barcoded mail was introduced.
1999 - The largest mailout in the history of the Australian postal service was completed with the mailing of 12.5 million pamphlets explaining the republic referendum.
Source: Australia Post Website
A History behind the names conferred on thoroughfares
In and around Casterton.
Well now we have had a look and read of what I believe, are the origins of the names of streets to the south of Casterton. In this issue we will continue to source the same reasons for the remaining streets on this the southerly side of Casterton.
WATHEN Street: Starting at Henty Street, and running through to link up with Jackson Street. A Cr. George Wathen was, in 1900, successful at the ballot for a parcel of land up for selection in the sub-division of the “Wando Vale” station. We next find Mr. Angus Wathen a son, in the capacity of a Shire Councilor, and it is after this member of the WATHEN family that this street is so named.
The next street up in a westerly direction is MCKINLAY Street, which starts at the road to Dunrobin, zigzags about, crosses Henty Street, and terminates on the bank of the Glenelg River, where the suspension bridge used to be over the Glenelg River. This street is named after Alexander McKinlay, the true and first founder of Casterton in 1846. He erected the first building on the western bank of the Glenelg River in 1846, and named it THE GLENELG INN. It is now a modern Hotel/Motel. He died soon afterwards as a result of an accidental drowning, when his horse became entangled in the vegetable growth in a swamp, in what is now the Strathdownie district. He and a companion were returning from a visit to the LINDSAY HOTEL on the coach road to the South East of South Australia, this hotel was sited on the Victorian / South Australian border.
The next street up is HUTTON Street. Now this name causes me great anguish, as I have not a single vestige of information as to who the HUTTONS were; where they came from, or how they were so honored to have had a street so named after them. As the locality of the street shows it would have been delineated at the time of the original survey, it is a supposition only on my part that maybe, there is a familial connection to the original surveyors, Messrs Clarke and Derbyshire.
MILLER Street next up is an easy one, it honors the name of an original family in Casterton whose members dispensed medicines, provided dentistry, building contractors and shop keepers.
James P. Kent
July 2005
Calendar of Events for 2005
July 24th Sunday – JOHNNY MULLAGH CENTRE & HARROW
Visit to the Johhny Mullagh Centre in Harrow. If interested in attending please contact Jan Lier – 55 752578
August – WOODWORKING SHOW
Display of vintage tools of trade and information table
Saturday & Sunday 27th & 28th August
VERN MCALLUM PHOTGRAPH EXHIBITION.
Bus trip to Digby for this exhibition on the Saturday, if enough numbers will run bus for Sunday. If interested in attending please contact Jan Lier – 55 752578 by 1st August.
5th to 19th September
PUBLIC RECORDS OFFICE, TRAVELLING EXHIBITIONS
These displays will be available to view free of charge in the Town Hall foyer, Monday to Friday and on Saturday and Sunday at the Museum during these dates. More information available in future newsletter.
OCTOBER 2005 – MARCH 2006 (Daylight Saving Time)
The museum will be open every Sunday from 11 am – 3 pm. Closed Christmas Day and New Years Day.
12th November – Casterton Pastoral and Agricultural Society Show
Information Table and Memorabilia display.
PUBLICATIONS FOR SALE:
Casterton Historical Street Walk from Flour Mill to Glenelg Inn - $10.00
Extracts from the Casterton and District Historical Society Inc. 1966-1996 - $10.00
Corndale State School Honour Board Booklet - $7.00
Casterton Cenotaph WWI soldiers - $20.00
Casterton Cenotaph WWII soldiers - $10.00
Major Norman McDonalds Photograph Album CD - $20.00
History in the Depths DVD - $20.00
Phone Jan on 55 752578
THE CHANGES IN TIME
By Des Murphy
Part 4
George joined the Light Horse Troop in a part time capacity on 8th December 1940 and served full time between 16th May 1941 and 11th June 1944 in the A.I.F. He was at Broome W.A. for most of the time and was in problem spots at times. George was only 16 years 5 months when he joined the Light Horse Troop when he went to camp for the first time.
Brother Jack was a very good bike rider. One Sunday afternoon he was training with two mates when a car hit him on one pedal and he sustained multiple fractures of the leg, arm and head. Seven days he was semi concussed, gradually he got well with a leg shorter than the other, a hole in the skull. Three months later he recovered from his accident and was back again working for Stooke’s Store.
The family bought an “A” Model Ford Car. Jack was the driver. He was working after his bike smash. George was in the Light Horse Troop in Hamilton. Dad was running the farm and I had just successfully obtained my Merit Certificate. I was going to take a carpenter’s apprenticeship with Peden’s in the New Year.
War in the Pacific area broke out December 10 1941. The Japanese bombed Pearl Harbour and Singapore and were going southwards in a hurry. Brother George was first to go. In a few days the horses were going home and the Regiment was motorized and heading to Western Australia to protect the North West corner of the continent. Dad was called up to train the young soldiers because he was a trained soldier and in action many times in the First War and his experience was helpful to young soldiers who were in uniform for the first time.
Jack was in the call up, when it was his turn to report to Dr. O’Sullivan, he said, “No way Jack, like a trip to Melbourne to verify your fitness for the army?” Jack took the trip. When it was his turn to be examined the Sergeant called out, “Any grocers?” Jack said, “Yes”. He was shown a form to sign and he was a grocer in the army. Dr O’Sullivan was staggered with the turn of events.
Jack was over two years in the army until one night in an exercise he was hit on the head in a vehicle accident. The army Medico couldn’t find the missing piece of skull and one leg was 1.5 inches shorter than the other. Jack O’BRIEN and Doug SIMSON convinced the army that the army records were wrong. Jack was later discharged from the Army and went back working for Stooke’s Store.
Continued Next Month ………………
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John “JACK THE SHINGLER” Richardson
John Thomas Richardson was a convict exile from Brighton, England who arrived in Casterton in 1846. At the time of his arrival there were possibly only a dozen people in the township.
He had a hand in the erection of the first building, the Glenelg Inn. He then married Ellen Curran in that building on 3rd November 1851.
This is believed to be the first marriage in Casterton, in so far as he had to send to Portland for a Priest to perform the ceremony. During his early years he was a cook at Wando Vale Station. He went to the goldfields for a time and helped to build many of the original buildings in the town.
John and Ellen’s first child, Mary, is said to be the first white child born in Casterton. They went on to have 10 children in total. They were: Mary (Ayres), John Richardson, William Richardson, Alice (Lawrence), Arabella (Campbell), Ellen (Shipham), Edwin Richardson, Phillipina (Towart), Walter Richardson, and Henry Richardson.