St Bede's street sign in Elwood

Old street signs to discontinued destinations that remain in situ will continue to be markers of yesteryear, often suggestive of destinations gone by the wayside, and in some cases of bygone customs and culture. Other lamp post signs such as 'Hail Cars Here' denoted old tramway stops (1); while a 'War Savings Street' was an indication of local patriotic support (2). Even the round metal tags embedded in the actual timber pole and inscribed with two mysterious letters informed us of the type of tree by its common name. Old street signs are indeed intrinsic to the local flavour of neighbourhoods. They are little sentimental links that continue to bind us to our sense of place.

This street sign to St Bede's Church was on the corner of  Ormond Road and St Kilda Street in Elwood and went missing around April 2021. St Bede's Anglican Church, in Ormond Road, opened October 3, 1916; a hall, kindergarten and a tennis court were later added to the complex (3).  It was closed some years ago and is now apartments.

The missing sign to St Bede's Anglican Church, Elwood.

Image: © VanishedVictoria

Image: © VanishedVictoria

An example of the tag inscribed with BB denoting the type of timber a pole was constructed of. 

In this case  'BB' stands for Blackbutt a native eucalypt hardwood. 

Image: © VanishedVictoria

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Footnotes

(1) 'Hail cars here' sign  - the Melbourne Tram Museum has one of these signs in their collection, see here.

(2) 'War Saving Street' sign - these signs are part of the collection of the Kew Historical Society, see here and Monash History, see here.

(3) Cooper, John Butler The History of St Kilda from its first settlement to a city and after 1840 - 1930, v. 1 (St Kilda City Council, 1931), p. 342; There is a short history of the Church in Spirit of St Kilda: Places of worship in St Kilda by Janette Bomford (St Kilda Historical Society, 2003). Access it on-line here, http://skhs.org.au/SKHSchurches/churches.htm

Cast metal hitching post, South Melbourne

This cast metal horse hitching post, outside 295 Clarendon Street in South Melbourne, went 

missing in the 1980s. 

Since this was first posted an update has been provided by the Port Phillip Library Local History Librarian. In 1983, the restoration of the Emerald Hill Estate was undertaken  for the occasion of the 100th anniversary of South Melbourne becoming a City in September 1883. The verandas on the Emerald Hill Estate site were painted in brown and cream stripes, the fences were renewed and 

painted and they decided to put a whole lot of hitching posts around various places on the hill. 

By that time 1983, the only original post was the one in front of 295 Clarendon Street which was originally the Bank of Victoria.  This one was taken away and used as the cast for all the other 

ones that are now in the streets. Unfortunately the original was lost (probably mixed up with the copies). 

Hitching post in Clarendon Street, February 12, 1971.

Photographer: John T. Collins.

 J.T. Collins Collection, La Trobe Picture Collection, State Library of Victoria, Image  H98.251/835:

These hitching posts were once a common part of the streetscape, but as horse transport was replaced by motor cars, there was no longer any use for them, so they may have been gradually removed, or in some cases just disappeared. Even 70 years ago these posts were rare as Emerald Hill Record reported in July 1954 - 

The rare hitching post outside 295 Clarendon Street

Emerald Hill Record July 24, 1954 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article164507426

The now vanished hitching post outside 295 Clarendon Street, 1970/1974.

Photographer: Committee for Urban Action.

State Library of Victoria Image CUASM199/3-4 Image 5

Plaque and bronze lettering, Elwood Life Saving Club

Recently, the commemorative plaque and the bronze letters, John R. Conabere, on the Elwood Life Saving Club Pavilion were stolen. The building was dedicated on October 23, 2004 and was named in honour of John R. Conabere, O.B.E. All that remains are the letters, O.B.E.

The commemorative plaque and bronze letters in situ.

Image courtesy Elwood Life Saving Club

John Russell 'Jack' Conebere was a Life Member, Trustee and former President of the Club. The Elwood Surf Life Saving Club was established in 1911 and Mr Conabere was interviewed by The Age  newspaper in January 1988 and informed the reporter that Elwood was the first club to use the reel and line in rescues and also pioneered the the use of flotation devices, which replaced the reel and line. They were also the  the first club to use marine radio. The report continued with  Listeners to Radio 3KZ were still informed by Elwood life savers about conditions on the Bay, a service started by Mr Conebere in 1956 (1). 

Jack Conabere received his O.B.E in the Queen's Birthday awards in June 1969 in recognition of service to life saving. He passed away January 8, 1989 at the age of 68 (2).

A tribute from the City of St Kilda to Jack Conabere.

The Age January 12, 1989

It seems a shame that a man who devoted so much of his life to keeping the beach at Elwood safe for the thousands of visitors every year, should be treated with such  a lack of respect by the thieves.

Elwood Life Saving Club.

Image: © VanishedVictoria

The wall where the plaque and lettering once was.

Image: © VanishedVictoria

The letters O.B.E are all that remain.

Image: © VanishedVictoria

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Footnotes

(1) Tuohy, Wendy Around the Bay: Elwood published in The Age January 7, 1988. p. 10.

(2) Australian Honours database https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/search; Death notice in The Age January 10, 1989.

Quarantine Station plaque, Point Ormond

There is a cairn on Point Ormond, Elwood which marks the site of Victoria's first quarantine station.  The quarantine station was established on April 24, 1840 when the ship, the Glen Huntley arrived, flying  the yellow quarantine flag. The cairn was unveiled in November 1985, a project of the St Kilda Historical Society and the Elwood Lions Club. Unfortunately the top plaque has recently disappeared. The lower plaque, which commemorates the 150th anniversary of the arrival of the Glen Huntley  is still there.

The missing plaque

Image: © VanishedVictoria

The cairn complete with both plaques, photographed in 2019

Image: © VanishedVictoria

The cairn in May 2022

Image: © VanishedVictoria

In good news, in September 2023 the City of Port Phillip replaced the missing plaque.

The cairn with the replacement plaque

Image: © VanishedVictoria, September 2023

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Ornamental bird bath, St Kilda

Image: © VanishedVictoria

This plinth is all that remains of  an ornamental bird bath (also called a bird fountain) presented by Victor Miller to the City of St Kilda for the St Kilda Botanical Gardens in Blessington Street on April 14, 1928.

The bird bath donated by Victor Miller and the Aviary, at the Botanical Gardens.

Image: St Kilda Botanical Gardens: a social snapshot of its first hundred years (1)

The presentation ceremony was reported in the Prahran Telegraph of April 20, 1928 -
Last Saturday afternoon a pleasant little ceremony took place at the Blessington Street Gardens. Mr. Victor Miller, an enthusiastic member of the Field Naturalists' Club, presented to the council an ornamental bird fountain which has been erected in the gardens. Members of the club - numbering about 40 - assembled, and after the formal presentation, the Mayor (Cr. F. L. Dawkins, J.P.), thanked Mr. Miller for his generous donation. The Mayoress (Mrs. Dawkins) then filled the fountain. Mr. Miller, expressing admiration of the fine aviary in the gardens, then offered to subscribe £10 towards the extension of same. The Mayor promised to bring the matter under the notice of the council. 

Members of the club then proceeded to plant a number of Australian trees in a specially prepared
bed and in other parts of the gardens. These trees were also donated by Mr. Miller. The Mayoress planted the first tree, a Gippsland Lillipilli, and this was followed by the Mayor planting a Kanuka. Various councillors then followed suit, and altogether quite a pleasant afternoon was spent. The Mayor and Mayoress then invited the president, Mr. Pescott, and members to afternoon tea at the Town Hall, where other speeches were made, and thus terminated a very enjoyable afternoon. Mr. Dickens, of the Horticultural Society, promised to plant a plot in the gardens at a later date. (2)

Victor Henry Miller was born at 84 High Street, St Kilda on November 8, 1875 the ninth child of  Jacob and Catherine (nee Streeting) Miller. Jacob was a cabinet maker, furniture dealer and a St Kilda Councillor. Victor was a member of, and also served as President of, the Horticultural Society of Victoria, the Field Naturalists' Club and the Bird Observers' Club and was an executive of the Historical Society of Victoria. He died July 4, 1974 (3).  The aviary mentioned in the article had been presented by Mrs Dawkins in 1926. 

What has become of Victor Miller's ornamental bird bath?

The plinth remains in the Blessington Street Gardens.

Image: © VanishedVictoria

Image: © VanishedVictoria

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Footnotes

(1) St Kilda Botanical Gardens: a social snapshot of its first hundred years by Patricia Convery 

(St Kilda Botanical Gardens, 2014) The source of the image, as listed in the book, is City of Port Phillip Archive. 

(2) Prahran Telegraph of April 20, 1928, here. 

(3) Biographical information - Birth certificate; The Herald, June 27, 1935, here and Walks in Port Phillip:  a guide by Meyer Eidelson, here.

Further Reading

These are other accounts from near and far providing further examples of heritage items that too, have gone by the wayside. Some of these references will assist in providing a broader context to these occurrences. These articles are separated into local stories and those from abroad.

Local References

From the City of Port Phillip

https://www.portphillip.vic.gov.au/about-the-council/news-and-media/brazen-bronze-thefts-in-port-phillip 

Update on this story - https://vanishedvictoria.blogspot.com/2022/11/sundial-on-bank-of-elwood-canal.html

Bendigo Joss House Temple 'ancestral tablets'.

https://www.bendigoadvertiser.com.au/story/5570884/call-for-chinese-ancestral-tablets-to-be-returned-to-joss-house/
https://www.bendigoadvertiser.com.au/story/2384957/history-returns-to-temple/

Missing Parliamentary mace

https://junkee.com/longform/mace-melbourne-mystery

https://www.emelbourne.net.au/biogs/EM01120b.htm

Missing Geelong Region Honour Boards

https://geelonghonoursthem.grlc.vic.gov.au/stories/missing-honour-boards-project/?fbclid=IwAR2Drgh-5FjMcs4Q4N8Tq45Ppc3S7NxinkE0AkLOhspvxqScsukR4lq66KM

The melting down of culturally significant artefacts from the Australian War Memorial collection to remake into modern trophies for the Henley Royal Regatta in 2019. This is discussed at the 1.45 minute mark.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnuTFJYqY04

A follow up report denies the items were significant and that they were 'non-collection' items. https://the-riotact.com/war-memorial-refutes-claims-artefacts-were-melted-down-for-medals-in-english-boat-race/653896 

References from further afield

Historic looting and illegal marketing
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-05-19/salvaging-art-and-culture-amid-bombs-and-gunfire-in-ukraine/101045912

https://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/conversations/hitlers-horses-sculptures-art-sleuth-war-nazi-neo-nazis-rpt/13884332

https://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/program/loot-blood-treasure

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-07-29/indian-artefacts-repatriated-from-national-gallery-australia/100331278

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-11-21/artefacts-stolen-from-british-soliders-returned-to-ethiopia/100637388

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-05-21/ancient-gold-ring-decorated-with-two-sphinxes-returned-to-greece/101087020

J.R. Tranthim-Fryer Young Queen statue

In 1901, the sculptor John Robertson Tranthim Fryer, produced this model of Kipling's Young Queen to commemorate Federation.

J.R. Tranthim-Fryer's Young Queen statue

The Leader April 27, 1901 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article198083229

The Leader newspaper of April 27, 1901 had a report on the statue, under the headline An Australian Symbol -
Mr. J. Tranthim-Fryer, a young Australian sculptor, of Queen's-buildings, has completed a model representing Kipling's Young Queen, presenting symbolical features appropriate to the Australian Commonwealth. The model stands over 4 feet in height, and has been made in accordance with a suggestion by Mr. O. A. Junck, of East Melbourne, that a statue of the young Queen conferring "light" and "power" on the Australian people should be erected on the top of the Exhibition, or some other public building, such as Parliament House, to permanently commemorate the foundation of the new Australia. The figure in the model is represented as being mounted on the dome of the Exhibition and holding in her right hand a powerful electric light of about 5000 candle power, which it is claimed would be seen for many miles in all directions at night; and with her left hand she is upholding the Federal charter of Australia. The various States are represented by stars, the young Queen being crowned with a diadem of stars — one for each of the federated States (1). 

J.R. Tranthim-Fryer was born in Tasmania in 1858 and studied at the Technical College in Sydney. He was appointed to the Art Department at Hobart Technical College in 1890. From 1895 he undertook more study in London at the  Royal College of Art, Lambeth School of Art, and the  Royal Academy. On his return to Australia he held positions at Sale Technical School, Horsham Men's College and Gordon Technical College in Geelong.  In 1908, Tranthim-Fryer was appointed the first director of Swinburne Technical College, a position he held until his death in July 1928 (2). 

Otto Junck, who was noted in one newspaper report as having suggested and designed the statue, was born in Germany. After the family migrated to Australia, they lived in Bendigo. Otto was employed in the Electrical Engineers branch of the Victorian Post Office. He died in 1949, aged 83 (3). 

In July 1901, it was reported that Junck and Tranthim-Fryer intended to exhibit the statue at the Bendigo Jubilee Gold Exhibition which was held from November 13, 1901 to May 14 1902 (4).  We have no information as to whether it was actually exhibited.

Where is Tranthim-Fryer's Young Queen statue?

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Footnotes

(1) The Leader, April 27 1901, see here.

(2) Tranthim-Fryer - The Herald, May 31, 1928, here; Hobart Mercury, July 14, 1928 here; Design & Art Australia Online entry, here.

(3) Otto Junck - The Bendigo Independent, July 6 1901, see here; The Bendigonian, November 3, 1914, here.

(4) The Age, July 6, 1901, see here.

Carrara marble bust, St Kilda

On May 10, 1927 The Argus newspaper reported that

Mr Alexander Isaacson of Inverleigh, Acland street, St Kilda has made a presentation to the St Kilda foreshore committee of a piece of valuable statuary the subject of which is a smiling Italian peasant boy. The statue is of Carrara marble, and stands 23½ in, high. It was sculptured by G. Livi (1) in 1888. The secretary to the committee (Mr H. O. Allan) said yesterday that it was probable that the statue would be placed on the lawn between Luna Park and the end of the Upper Esplanade. Mr Isaacson had offered to provide a suitable pedestal for the statue. A few years ago Mr. Isaacson presented to the trustees of the National Gallery a very fine collection of coins (2).

Alexander Isaacson is listed in the 1927 Electoral Roll at 12 Acland Street, St Kilda and his occupation is a jeweller.  The property was actually called Inverleith, not Inverleigh as stated in the article; it is now demolished, but the St Kilda Historical Society has a history of the property, here. Mr Isaacson, who was a bachelor, died on October 18, 1950, aged 80 (3). 

What has happened to the marble bust of the smiling Italian boy generously donated by Alexander Isaacson?

A photograph of the Carrara marble bust

The Argus May 11, 1927 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/3853798

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Footnotes

(1) The sculptor was likely Giuseppe Livi, born in Italy in 1828, but we have no other biographical information.

(2) The Argus, May 10, 1927, see here. There is a similar report in The Age, of May 10, 1927, here.

(3) Alexander Isaacson's death notice wa sin The Argus, October 19, 1950, here. He is buried at the Melbourne General Cemetery.

Levi summer house plaque, St Kilda Botanical Gardens

Commemoration and memorial plaques do vanish and in mid-April 2022 this plaque on the summer house in the St Kilda Botanical Gardens, in Blessington Street, was stolen. The summer house was donated in memory of Albert and Rachael (nee Benjamin) Levi by their children. Their son, Joseph, who was a City of St Kilda Councillor, wrote to the Council in December 1928 -
The family of the late Alfred and Rachael Levi, who were very old residents of our city, desires to perpetuate their memory by placing a memorial in the Botanic Gardens, Blessington street, in the form of a summer house for the use of our citizens. The erection of the summer house was completed in July 1929 (1). 

Some people might say, it's just a plaque, what does it matter? But  it does matter because we have lost the connection between the summer house and the generosity of the Levi family; we have lost a connection to part of the history of St Kilda and we have lost the connection to civic philanthropy, when people would donate land or a fountain or in  this case a summer house, to be freely used by all members of the  community. The plaque can be replaced, but it won't have the same ring of authenticity as the very solid and stylish original.

The missing plaque

Image: © VanishedVictoria

The Levi summer house, St Kilda Botanical Gardens.

Image: © VanishedVictoria

This was not the only plaque stolen in April 2022 from the Elwood St Kilda area, there were several others as well. The City of Port Phillip has issued a media release on these thefts https://www.portphillip.vic.gov.au/about-the-council/news-and-media/brazen-bronze-thefts-in-port-phillip

In good news, in September 2023 the City of Port Phillip replaced the missing plaque.

The replacement plaque

Image: © VanishedVictoria, September 2023

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Footnote

(1) The quote is from the Prahran Telegraph, December 21, 1928, see here; there is also a report in the Prahran Telegraph of July5, 1929, here.

Stanley Hammond Bronzes, Albert Park Reserve

In 1972, the Albert Park Reserve Committee of Management commissioned sculptor, Stanley Hammond, to provide bronze sculpted inlays depicting sports played in the park, to be set in brick pillars at the park entrances (1). 

Stanley Hammond was born on August 1, 1913 in Trentham. He attended Daylesford Technical School and at 17 became an assistant to Orlando Dutton and worked with him on the stone sculptures at the Shrine of Remembrance. In 1933, Stanley began working with Paul Montford, to learn to work in bronze. During the Second World War, he joined the Army and produced accurate scale models of military hardware for recognition purposes. He resumed his career after the War. His works include a bronze of Sir Walter Scott at Ballarat, one of John Batman in Melbourne and the four sandstone lions which were added to the South African Soldiers' Memorial in St Kilda Road in 1952. He worked with George Allen to carve the 125 ton Victorian Second World War Memorial - Fallen Warrior - which is in the forecourt at the Shrine. In 1970, he created a 3 metre bronze statue of an Australian World War One soldier which was erected in Mont St Quentin, France to commemorate the Second Division. Stanley was a life-member of the Association of Sculptors of Victoria and also served as President. He was awarded an M.B.E., in 1974,  for services to sculpture and the arts.  Stanley died February 1, 2000. 

Much of this information about Stanley Hammond comes from his obituary, written by David Roper, which was published in The Age on March 2, 2000. David also wrote - the six bronze panels for the entrance to Albert Park reserve enabled him to incorporate his own record-breaking speedboat, Atom, in the design.

As a matter of interest, Stanley first raced the Atom in 1955, when it had a top speed of 35 mph.  After modifications by 1960 it could reach speeds of 60.8 mph (2).  The  Atom is now at the Science Museum, and is pictured below.

Where are Stanley Hammond's six bronze panels now? An enquiry was made with Parks Victoria to no avail.

 

Stanley Hammond's speedboat, Atom, which featured on one of the six bronze panels which once adorned the entrance pillar at Albert Park Reserve.

Image: Atom speedboat in McArthur Hall at the Science Museum, 1971.

https://collections.museumsvictoria.com.au/items/733360

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Footnotes
(1) Barnard, Jill & Keating, Jenny People's Playground: a history of the Albert Park (Chandos Publishing, 1996) p. 166

(2) Stanley Hammond and the Atom - information can be found in The Proprider October 1973, here and on the Classic Australian Wooden Power Boats website, here.

Marble topped tables, Shakespeare Grove, St Kilda

In December 1913, Andrew Stenhouse (1) presented the City of St Kilda with seats and marble topped tables for the convenience of picnickers under the trees at the Shakespeare grove (2).  Shakespeare Grove runs behind Luna Park, between Acland Street and Marine Parade.  Where are these marble topped tables now? 

The avenue of cypress trees in  Shakespeare Grove in the foreground, beside Luna Park. 

The Palais Theatre is next to Luna Park.

Luna Park, St Kilda, c. 1946. State Library of Victoria Image H2009.12/54

This photograph has been cropped, see the original here http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/52622

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Footnotes

(1) Andrew Stenhouse (1836-1918) was involved with the timber industry in Melbourne, New Zealand and Broken Hill and in 1914 donated the statue of Captain Cook, which stands in Catani Gardens, St Kilda. 

(2) Reports of Stenhouse's donation - The Age, December 22, 1913, see here; The Argus, April 2, 1914, see here. 

Ornamental fountain, Catani Gardens, St Kilda

The St Kilda Fore Shore Committee was established in 1906 and oversaw the on-going reclamation works on the St Kilda foreshore and the commissioning of the gardens which would be named in honour of Public Works Department engineer, Carlo Catani, in 1927. Catani was also an inaugural member of the Fore Shore Committee. In addition to the lawns and gardens, landscape cultural beauties, and other means of adornment (1) were added. One of these adornments was this fountain, which has vanished.

The fountain was on the site of the English Pierrots pavilion and it was unveiled in September, 1929 (2).  

St Kilda's new ornamental fountain

The Herald September 6, 1929 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/244006597

The fountain in the Catani gardens.

Image: Cooper, John Butler The History of St Kilda from its first settlement to a city and after 1840 - 1930, v. 2

 (St Kilda City Council, 1931), between pages 210 & 211.

The fountain, surrounded by palm trees.

The Fountain and Gardens, St Kilda. Photographer: Rose Stereograph Co. 

Image dated c. 1925-1954

State Library of Victoria Image H32492/7274

It was an elaborate fountain, with some delightful features,  which was surrounded by a circular pond built of stone work, which in turn was surrounded by a circular garden bed. The statuary consisted of five pedestals – the central tallest one was surmounted by a light and decorated with four kookaburras.  On the other four pedestals  stood a statue of a boy, described as a Peter Pan figure, each holding a bowl. At the base of the statue, between each outer pedestal, was a frog (3). You can see these details in the photo below.

The fountain, showing the kookaburras and the frogs.

Detail  of the Fountain and Gardens, St Kilda. Photographer: Rose Stereograph Co. 

Image dated c. 1925-1954

State Library of Victoria Image H32492/7274

Another view of the fountain, which is partially hidden by the light pole in the centre, but it gives a good indication of where it was located in the gardens.

View in Gardens, St Kilda. Photographer: Rose Stereograph Co. 

Image dated c. 1925-1954, I would estimate late 1940s. 

State Library of Victoria Image H32492/6580

The fountain is at the centre top of the gardens.

St Kilda. Victorian Railways photographer. Image dated c. 1945 - c. 1954.

State Library of Victoria Image H91.50/841. 

This photograph has been cropped, see original here http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/450624

When did the fountain vanish? It was still there in the 1950s, as you can see from the photographs. The State Library of Victoria has a later aerial photograph dated c.1950-c.1960, which shows the fountain. The photo is still under copyright, but you can see it here.

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Footnotes

(1) Cooper, John Butler The History of St Kilda from its first settlement to a city and after 1840 - 1930, v. 2 (St Kilda City Council, 1931), p. 209.

(2) The new fountain was reported on in The Herald, September 6, 1929, see here; The Herald, May 15, 1929, see here; 

(3) Prahran Telegraph, October 4, 1929, see here.

Vanished Victoria - an introduction

Vanished! Statues and fountains, memorial plaques, beautiful bridge balustrades and street signs have disappeared from our public spaces. Whether removed for repair, or just nicked, these items were once the little landmarks that helped us to connect to place: whether objects of art or amenity, they helped us to locate not only where we were, but also how we connected to the stories that we dwelt within. In some cases we have even forgotten that these treasures were even in our midst.
This blog hopes to list these vanished items, and invites the public to add their knowledge to our list of missing items; and should you be aware of other lost heritage features you are invited to forward their details to us.
With your help, we hope that over time that we may compile an inventory of lost artefacts from the public realm with the aim of safeguarding their memory.

To contact us please leave a comment.