Mt Martha House Historical Collection in Mount Martha, Victoria, Australia | Landmark & historical place

Mt Martha House Historical Collection

Locality: Mount Martha, Victoria, Australia

Phone: +61 3 5974 2297

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24.01.2022 FROM THE ARCHIVES Shire of Mornington. Bosky Nook... Mornington’s first Shire Office. The Mt Eliza Roads Board was created in 1860 and initially were responsible for the formation, construction, and maintenance of roads between Carrum to the north and Portsea in the south. Meetings were held fortnightly in a room in the Tanti Hotel until 1867 when the Roads Board met in the newly built office on the corner of Cook Street and the Esplanade In 1871 the Roads Board became known as the Shire of Mornington. Then on the 31st May 1893 the Shire of New Mornington was formed owing to the division of the Shire between Shire of Frankston and Hastings, while its western riding was severed and renamed new Mornington to avoid confusion with its previous entity. Finally in 1894 it was renamed Shire of Mornington once more. A rate of one shilling in the pound was struck and H.E.Moors who had held the positions of Secretary, Treasurer and Engineer in the original shire, was appointed Secretary with a salary of $350 per annum. Among others an Inspector of Nuisances was appointed to carry out the Shire’s regulations with regard to mixed bathing, which was becoming prevalent on the beaches plus control barking dogs. In 1905 it was decided that a new Shire Hall was necessary to be built on land adjoining the Mechanics Institute, a loan to be raised for the purpose. The question of the disposal of the present Shire Hall came under question. Cr. Jones thought it unwise to sell as in a few years it would become one of the most valuable sites in Mornington. This opinion however was not shared by his brother councillors whose experience was that things were hardly what they were in the good old boom days. The current Secretary Mr Butler purchased the hall and remodelled it into his family home and renamed it Bosky Nook. The Office had been used as the Mornington Shire Office from 1871 1906 Bosky Nook was used as a residence until the 1970’s when it was demolished and four townhouses built on the site. A memorial plaque on the corner of Cook St and the Esplanade marks the site of Mornington’s first Shire Office. The Shire Offices in Queen Street remained in use until 1961 when they were demolished to make way for the present Civic Centre.

18.01.2022 FROM THE ARCHIVES Roy, Clive and Hugh Stone Lest We Forget... STONE: Pte. Roy Frank 435 7th Battalion D Coy. Roy was born in Mornington in 1895 to George and Emily Stone and enlisted on the 15th August 1914 aged 19 years and eight months. His occupation was given as gardener. At the time of his enlistment he was serving in the Citizen Military Forces. His next of kin was given as George Stone, Tanti Creek, Mornington. He became a member of 7th Battalion, and embarked on the A20 Hororata in October, 1914. Roy was killed in action at the landing on the Gallipoli Peninsula on the 25th April, 1915. A letter to his father from Roy’s brother Clive told that Roy was hit three times before he left the boat and that it took three more to stop him. He was among the first to be landed and there was hardly a man who got ashore without being wounded. ROY FRANK STONE The Peninsula Post 2nd April 1915: Private Roy Stone writes to his sister: I received your very welcome letter the other day. It was a week later than it should have been, as we were away down the Suez waiting for the Turks to come on, but they seem to have ‘floated ‘for good .. You don’t seem to be getting too many of the letters we have written. I suppose the postal authorities are holding them for a while. Have any of the Mornington boys come on the Second or Third Contingents? I have just knocked off for a minute to ‘chuck ‘one chap outside. There were two of them wrestling in the tent and making a devil of a dust, and I couldn’t go on writing until they were stopped. No more news. Love to all. STONE: Sgt. Clive Charles 1008 5th Battalion C Coy. Clive Stone was born in Mornington in 1892, he was the next son of George and Emily to enlist, on the 11th September, 1914. His occupation also was a gardener,. He was 22 years and three months and next of kin was Mrs. Emily Stone, Tanti Creek, Mornington. He was posted to 5th Battalion 1st Australian Expeditionary Force and left in October 1914 on HMAT A3 Orvieto. He was wounded in the Dardanelles on 25th April 1915 and again in August 1915. He was then returned to Australia on medical leave September 9th 1915 and then returned to duty on the 24th January 1916. He was taken on strength with the 57th Battalion and served in France and Egypt. He was promoted to lance corporal, corporal and then sergeant in February, 1917. On the 30th March 1917 he left for 5 A.D. Infantry School, rejoining his unit on the 5th May, 1917. Sadly one week later on the 12th May 1917, Clive was killed in action at Bullecourt, France. There is no known grave. CLIVE CHARLES STONE The Peninsula Post 7th July 1916: Pte C .G .Stone, writing to his mother, Mrs Stone of Mornington, under date April 25 1916 says: As this is the Anniversary of the landing, I thought I would drop you a line or two. I have left the reinforcements and have joined up with 5th Battalion. We left for Tel-El-Kefir last Wednesday and came as far as Mohacs by train,. We camped on the sand just outside the station that night, and marched on down here the next day (about 15 miles), and as the next day was Good Friday, we had a bit of a spell. I am in a company which has a lot of old fifth boys I know in it. The 15th Brigade, which we belong to, is composed of a lot of old Victorians who have seen service and reinforcements that were intended for them. We are in the trenches where there is a chance of our being attacked at any minute, but as they would have to cross a good stretch of desert to get to us, it can only be mounted troops that could get here without us getting plenty of warning. We were issued with our Gallipoli ribbons today, red for landing and blue for the Peninsula. I have both. How is the recruiting getting on there? Are they getting as many as they want? We will need them before we are finished. Sgt. Clive Stone. M&DHS STONE: Pte. Hugh Davenport 521 6th Machine Gun Battalion Hugh was born in 1898 to George and Emily Stone, Clive and Roy’s younger brother. He enlisted in Mornington on the 29th September 1916 aged 18 years. His occupation was listed as blacksmith. He embarked for overseas in December 1916 on HMAT A7 Medic arrived in Plymouth February 1917 with the 2nd. Machine Gun Battery and saw action in France. Hugh was wounded in the face and shoulder in August 1918 and was repatriated to England. After a lengthy convalescence, he was returned to Australia and discharged on the 16th May, 1919. The War Office received a letter from Hugh Stone in 1924 with an enquiry regarding his medals. His address at the time was Tanti Takenham Road, Ashburton, Victoria. Hugh died at Malvern in 1984. The Stone family were pioneers in Mornington. George Stone arrived in 1866 as an eight year old. His father Charles had been employed by Mr. Bright of Beleura as a gardener. George and his wife Emily raised a family of thirteen children in Herbert Street, Mornington. The cottage built in 1882 housed three Stone siblings in 1976.

15.01.2022 Join the free Explore the History of Mount Martha House for two sessions Wednesday 11 and 18 from 10 - 12 midday. Bookings through Mount Martha House Community Centre 0466 691 585 Book Now!

15.01.2022 They are back!! - great news

13.01.2022 FROM THE ARCHIVES Is saying goodbye, Thank you all for your support for the 60 odd stories that have been posted on our Face Book page since June.... The stories were researched from the archives of our Mornington & District Historical Society, to help fill an empty spot on our FB page during Lockdown. I hope you enjoyed learning more of our local history and please support our Historical Society when you can. They have been busy since the 1960’s preserving our past for the future. We will post the occasional story for your interest, keep safe and all best wishes for Christmas and 2021 Val Wilson Mornington & District Historical Society.

01.01.2022 FROM THE ARCHIVES. Joseph Harris M.L.A. J.P. Joseph Harris Scout Camp... Marina Joseph Harris was born near Bristol England in 1833, his father had a three acre plant nursery and seed shop in Bristol, but Joseph set sail in July 1856 to visit the gold fields of Australia, after spending a year looking for gold, he returned to Melbourne and bought a seed and floral nursery in South Yarra. He married Eliza Nicholson in 1863 and they raised three daughters and a son. In 1875, he became Mayor of Prahran and had become a noted horticulturalist and politician by the late 19th century. A Member of Parliament from 1889 to 1894,he was also Chairman of the Metropolitan Parks and Gardens, a founder of the Burnley Horticultural Society and a Board member of Dookie College. Upon completion of the construction of the Royal Exhibition Building, Harris designed the surrounding gardens. One of the earliest ‘public gardens’ in Victoria was created by Joseph Harris in the 80 acre site he purchased in 1876 on the summit of Mt Martha. Later known as Joseph Harris Scout Camp and Bay Park, he experimented in planting seeds he had gathered from over the world, and was often accompanied by Baron Von Mueller of the Royal Botanical Gardens of Melbourne. Some trees he planted still remain in Mount Martha Park, adjacent to the Joseph Harris Boy Scout camp. This camp was built on land donated by Mrs. Rose Pitt, daughter of Joseph Harris in 1931. Also in 1876 he bought a waterfront property and built a six roomed holiday villa. From his home Marina on the Esplanade Mornington he edited the horticulture columns in the Argus Newspaper and The Australasian journal "Marina is located on the cliff top above Marina Cove, named after the house. His property originally extended to the intersection of Strachan’s Road and the Esplanade, where the Joseph Harris memorial is now situated, this was once known as ‘Harris’s Corner’. By 1903 he had established an ornamental garden of 12 acres around the house highlighted by a Heritage listed Japanese Tea House, said to have been exhibited at the 1888 International Exhibition When an unfortunate fire destroyed his home Marina in 1915, Joseph Harris’s notes and records, a work of a lifetime were lost. He rebuilt the house and at the time of the gift of the Scout Camp was the home of his daughter Mrs. Rose Pitt. Joseph Harris died in 1925 and is buried in the Mornington Cemetery.