Tag Archives: 1895

Nov 14 2012

1895: Apsley House, Armadale, Melbourne, Victoria.

Apsley House in Armadale contains a magnificent Ferguson & Urie stained glass window in the stairwell. The window depicts the Patron Saint of England, St George, on horseback and in full armour, slaying the legendary dragon. Below the figure of St George is the “Order of the Garter” with the Latin text “Honi soit qui mal y pense” (loosely translated to “Shame on him who thinks evil of it”). [1] Conservation work on the window was completed in 2012 by Bruce Hutton of Almond Glass, Oakleigh [2].

Photos taken: 10th November 2012.

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An early colonial owner of Apsley house in the 1890s was the accountant William Crellin, who was the founding member, and first president of the Incorporated Institute of Accountants (the IIAV, now known as CPA[3] Australia).

William Crellin arrived in Australia in the 1850s and married Margaret Anne Fisher in Melbourne in 1856[4]. They began their family in Brunswick, first residing at “Parkside-Cottage,” [5] and later at 24 Peel-street, Windsor[6]. Between 1857 and 1870 they had seven children but only three boys, William, John, and Edward, survived to adulthood and all followed in their father’s footsteps to become accountants with William and John in their own business partnership[7].

During Crellin’s residency in Brunswick, he was both the council secretary[8] and auditor[9] and on the 8th of March 1870, J. W. Fleming, the Brunswick Mayor, declared that William Crellin was the only candidate nominated to fill a council vacancy created by the resignation of Councillor Thomas Clarke, and was subsequently elected to fill the vacancy[10], a position which he held until his resignation in March 1872 [11]

William Crellin lived and breathed his profession as an accountant and took great pride in his mathematical abilities. On numerous occasions, he felt the necessity to prove a point and was quite prolific at submitting “letters to the editor” of the tabloids, where he would refute the dubious calculations and claims of others in matters of accountancy. Apart from his role as the president of the IIAV, he held many positions among which were; Honorary Auditor to the Alfred Hospital [12], Honorary Treasurer of the Australian Health Society [13], and Secretary of the Australian Fresh Meat Company [14] and many other voluntary and paid positions. He had business premises at 46 Elizabeth street Melbourne and was regularly appointed as the trustee in many insolvency cases[15].

William Crellin died on Sunday the 17th of February 1895 at “Apsley” house in his 74th year [16]. He left an estate valued at £3,763 [17] which he left entirely to his wife Margaret.

It’s not known if William Crellin was the original owner of “Apsley”, or whether it was he who had commissioned Ferguson & Urie to create the St. George stained glass window. Crellin’s probate documents filed in March 1895 indicate that he was “formerly of “Lansmere,” Alma Road St Kilda in the colony of Victoria but late of “Apsley” Malvern Road Armadale,”[18]  indicating that he had possibly not resided in “Apsley” very long before his death in February 1895.

One of his sons, William Langdon Crellin, took up residence in “Apsley” after his wedding to Maggie Wauchope in September 1896 [19].

William Crellin’s wife, Margaret died on the 4th Oct 1915 in her 89th year [20]. They are both buried in the St Kilda Cemetery [21].

Circa 1915, “Apsley” house was then used exclusively as “Nurse Thomas’s” Private Nursing Home [22].

In 1925 “Apsley” was either owned or resided in, by the actor Arthur Styan, famous for his roles as “the mustache-twirling villain”[23] who had a 25-year career as a stage actor until his death on Christmas day in 1925 [24].

 In 1947 a Mrs Clarice Evelyn Herring resided at Apsley [25].

[3] “Certified Practicing Accountants”.

[4] Vic BDM: 2899/1856 Marriage; William Crellin & Margaret Anne Fisher.

[14] Vic Probate Record File: 106/177 in the estate of William Crellin 27th Mar 1895.

[18] Vic Probate Record File: 106/177 in the estate of William Crellin 27th Mar 1895.

[21] St Kilda Cemetery, Independent Monumental, Compartment A, Grave 9A.

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Apr 10 2012

26-10-1895: ‘Waterdale’, 56 Chapman Street, North Melbourne.

The house known as ‘Waterdale’ in Chapman Street North Melbourne was built for prominent colonial Cobbler and footwear salesman William Leeming in 1895. The house was purchased around 1970 by a branch of the Royal Children’s Hospital and is now known as Uncle Bob’s Child Development Centre. The building was classified by the National Trust in 1993 ( Place ID: 15743 File: 2/11/033/0369). There are Ferguson & Urie stained glass windows in many of the rooms as well as frosted/etched windows depicting bird life in the bathroom and walls at the rear of the house. Based on subsequent research of the 1895 period and the figurative painting style, the artist responsible for some of the windows depicting women, birds, and fruit in golden hues would have been Herbert Moesbury Smyrk who was prolific in painting with silver nitrate stain.

The photos were taken on 14th July 2011.

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The Building and Engineering Journal and Australasian Builder and Contractor News, Saturday, 26th October 1895.

“[…] the stained glass, which has been executed by Messrs. Ferguson and Urie. The sash frames are all fitted with transom lights, filled in with stained glass designed to suit the various apartments. The hall door leading to corridor is filled with an artistic panel representing night and morning. The front door panels and upper lights are treated in a conventional style introducing Australian bird and flower subjects. The doors and windows of the back corridors and bathroom, etc, are treated in floral and marine subjects, specially designed in embossed glass[…]”

The Age, Friday, December 8, 1972.

LIVING WITH HISTORY – Alex Macdonald.

“Cobbler prospered at last.

The Advertising industry might well consider establishing an archive to preserve the memories of some of its notable 19th century practitioners, such as North Melbourne’s William Leeming. Born in Castlemaine in 1859, Leeming started in the footwear business a few years after leaving school, and by 1885 was able to open the Colonnade Boot Bazaar at 1 Errol Street, North Melbourne. Other shops followed, and some time before 1900 he was wealthy enough to build a fine house, Waterdale, in Chapman Street, North Melbourne. The one-storey house, of rendered brick, commands a sloping site. Outside it has in good measure the fashionable ornaments of its age – stone urns, cast iron fence, verandah and roof finials. Inside, it’s decorated to a degree rarely excelled. The house is now Uncle Bobs’ Club Rehabilitation Centre, a branch of the nearby Royal Children’s Hospital. It is a temporary home for 12 children, mainly asthma sufferers, who receive medical care, schooling, physical and occupational therapy, and other help needed to restore them to normal home life. Two house mothers, Miss Nan Smith and Miss Val Sullivan, look after them. According to his daughter-in-law, Mrs. Jessie Leeming, of Brighton, William Leeming also had shoe shops at various times in Swanston Street (on the capitol Theatre site), and nearby in Bourke Street. In the Cyclopaedia of Victoria (1903), he is further credited with a business in Prahran. The Cyclopaedia devotes considerable space, and a photograph, to Leeming and mentions what must have been one of the most daring advertising gimmicks. A keen racing man, he entered a horse called Leeming’s Boots in the 1900 Melbourne Cup. It failed to prosper, but another Leeming horse, Patronus, won a Williamstown Cup. Mrs. Leeming recalls that a photograph of Patronus used to hang in Waterdale’s billiard room, where Leeming was in the habit of retiring with his men friends.

Mythical beast.

Another ploy Leeming used was to give away attractive little gifts. The china shoes, plates and toys bore his trademark, a mythical beast known as the “gazeka”. He must have distributed many of these, for when one of his descendants talked out “gazekas” on radio, the station was inundated with calls from people who owned them, but refused to part with them. Although the Leeming family left Waterdale some time after World War 1, it was still a private house when the hospital, with the help of money raised by the Uncle Bob’s Club, bought it two and a half years ago.      It was then much as the Leeming’s must have known it, and although the kitchen and bathrooms have now been modernised, the hospital has managed to retain and restore most of William Leeming’s decorative features. The drawing room, now the children’s school room, is notable for its gilded, moulded ceiling; Deep curving cornices have friezes of classical figures entwined in foliage. The archway on the inside of the bay window is heavily moulded, too, and even the ceiling of the bay is decorated. The door panels are painted with delicate 18th century figures and jewel motifs in pastel colors. Over this, and other important doorways throughout the house, are pediments of wood carved with flowers in high relief. The door fittings themselves are ornately chased and ornamented brass. Elsewhere in the house they are mostly crystal or china. In the dining room, the ceiling and cornices are not only covered with moulded details, but colored in shades of pink, green and gold. Still in its place is the fluted, curving brass gas chandelier. The former study, now the doctor’s room, is fitted with glass and mahogany bookcases on either side of the fireplace, and the billiard room too has a moulded ceiling icicle-like bosses hanging from it. This is now the children’s recreation room, and the raised seats around the edge, from which gentleman onlookers watched others at play have gone, and the marble floored lavatory attached is now a cloak room. Yet more color at Waterdale comes from the glass panels of the front door, dining room to verandah door, and hall door. Set in stained glass are paintings of birds and female figures, and more birds perch in small colored panels above each of he windows in the three main rooms.

Happy Memories.

            For Mrs. Leeming, Waterdale holds many happy memories, for as a child she used to play there with the four children of he house, one of whom, Leslie, she eventually married. As far as she recalls, the Lemmings’ entertain extensively in their grand house until World War 1, when they threw it open each week for soldiers from the big army camp in Royal Park. “They would have the blinds right down over the front verandah, and we’d dance there,” Mrs. Leeming said.      The estate included land right up to Flemington Road, and each of the four children had a horse. Mrs. Leeming remembers there was a live-in staff of groom, cook and maid. Those wee the days of late shopping. According to Mrs. Leeming, William Leeming used to bring home the takings from his shop, and hide them overnight in a secret panel next to the bedroom mantel. “I wonder if it is still there?” she said.”

The Argus, Melbourne, Wednesday 27th July 1932, page 8.

Mr. and Mrs. William Leeming, of Echo, Burke road, Upper Hawthorn, will celebrate their golden wedding to-day. They were both born in Victoria. Mr Leeming commenced business in 1884 when he opened a boot shop in North Melbourne, and later extended his operations to the city, Prahran, and South Melbourne. The “Gazeka” sign adopted as an advertisement for his wares was the striking pioneer of that form of publicity. The name is still registered. Mr. Leeming at different times owned Patronus, Charmans, Pendil, Zephe?, Periloous, and Decollette, with which he won several important races including two St. Kilda Cups and a Moonee Valley Cup. In 1899 he entered a horse which did not exist for the Melbourne Cup under the name of “Leeming’s Boots”. This is no longer possible under the amended racing rules. Mr. and Mrs. Leeming’s two sons and daughter are ???? (unreadable word)

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Apr 10 2012

10-10-1895: French stained glass window for St. Patricks R.C. Kilmore.

In October 1895 a stained glass window was erected over the Virgins Chapel at St Patrick’s Catholic Church at Kilmore. This window was reported to have been made in Lyons, France and its erection was at the instigation of Catherine Murray (c.1827-1896) in memory of her daughter Bridget Frances Rush and her grandson Ormond Thomas Murray Rush.

Catherine’s daughter Bridget had married Thomas Joseph Rush in St Patricks Catholic Church in Kilmore on the 24th April 1889[1]. She gave birth to their only son, Ormond, on the 9th June 1891 but Bridget died five days later[2] and the infant Ormond died two years later on the 1st September 1893[3].

In early October 1895 the triple light stained glass window was erected behind the Virgins Altar in the liturgical east wall of St Patrick’s Catholic Church at Kilmore. The window was not made by the Ferguson & Urie Company but was reported as having been installed by a “capable workman from the firm of Ferguson and Urie”[4].

Ten months after the window was erected, the donor of the window, Catherine Murray, died at the Royal Oak Hotel at Kilmore on the 19th July 1896, aged 69. She was the wife of Publican Mathew Murray (c.1810-1886) who was the licensee of The Royal Oak Hotel in Sydney Street Kilmore from circa 1860 until his death in 1886[5].  The hotel was then under the joint ownership of Alexander Murray and their son, Thomas Francis Murray[6].

Bridget’s husband, Thomas Joseph Rush, was a local businessman in Kilmore[7] as well as a Kilmore District Electoral Returning Officer[8], Kilmore Waterworks Trust Commissioner[9], President and member of the Kilmore hospital committee and Justice of the Peace. In March 1896 he sold his business interests and household furniture and effects[10] and decided to leave Kilmore and in May he was fare-welled at the Royal Oak Hotel by the Councillors and prominent members of the district[11].

The lone gravestone of Bridget Rush and her infant son Ormond is located at the Kilmore Catholic cemetery and is inscribed:

“ERECTED BY THOMAS JOSEPH RUSH IN MEMORY OF HIS LOVING WIFE BRIDGET FRANCES, WHO DIED 14th JUNE 1891. MAY THE ALMIGHTY HAVE MERCY UPON HER SOUL. ALSO, ORMOND THOMAS MURRAY RUSH, WHO DIED 1st SEPT 1893, AGED 2 YEARS & 3 MONTHS”

Photos taken 14th Dec 2013.

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Kilmore Free Press, Victoria, Thursday 10th October 1895, page 3.

“ERECTION OF MEMORIAL WINDOW”

“Last week, at St. Patrick’s R.C. Church, Kilmore, a capable workman from the firm of Ferguson and Urie erected a stained glass window, in accordance with instructions from an esteemed and respected townswoman. The window is placed at the back of the Virgin’s Altar, and consists of three lights, in which are placed figures, the centre one being a full length representation of our Blessed lady, while in the lights in either side are representations of the Annunciation and the Immaculate Conception. All three are surmounted with suitable tracery in the mullions, both overhead and beneath. The glass, antique in pattern, was imported from one of the principal houses in Lyons, France, famous for work of this description, and a very noticeable feature in connection with the figures is the perfection with which they are drawn, indeed for beauty of design, completeness of detail, and for forcible expression, they seem to leave nothing to be desired, and in time to come when the present and coming generations shall have passed away, it will speak for the solid piety and charity of the generous donor. At the base of the very chaste memorial window is the following inscription in plain Roman letters:- ‘Erected by Mrs Murray to the memory of her beloved daughter and grandchild, Bridget Francis Rush and Ormond Thomas Murray. R.I.P.”

The window is indicated as being made in Lyons, France and only installed by a Ferguson & Urie employee in 1895. The makers are likely to be from the parent firm of Louis Gille & Co or Lyons, France.

Significant transcriptions:

The Argus, Melbourne, Vic, Thursday 11th June 1891, page 1.

“RUSH.- On the 9th inst., at Sydney-street, Kilmore, the wife of T. J. Rush – a son.”

This is Ormond Thomas Murray Rush – who died on the 1st September 1893. His mother Bridget died five days after giving birth to him.

The Argus, Melbourne, Vic, Monday 15th June 1891, page 1.

“RUSH.- On the 14th inst., at her late residence, Sydney-street, Kilmore, Bridget, the beloved wife of Thomas J. Rush. Deeply regretted. R.I.P.”

The Argus, Melbourne, Vic, Thursday 16th June 1891, page 1.

“THE Friends of Mr. T. J. RUSH are respectfully invited to follow the remains of his late beloved wife from his residence, Sydney-street, Kilmore, THIS DAY (Tuesday, 16th inst.), at 9.30 a.m. The funeral will proceed first to St. Patrick’s R. C. Church, where a requiem mass will be celebrated, and thence at 3 p.m. to place of interment, the Kilmore Catholic Cemetery. THOMAS BOSSENCE, Undertaker, Kilmore.”

The Argus, Melbourne, Vic, Thursday 2nd September 1893, page 7.

“RUSH.- On the 1st instant, at Kilmore, Ormond Thomas Murray, only son of T. J. and the late Bridget Frances Rush, aged 2 years and 3 months. R.I.P.”

The Argus, Melbourne, Vic, Monday 20th July 1896, page 1.

“MURRAY.- On the 19th July, at the Royal Oak Hotel, Kilmore, Catherine, relict of Matthew Murray, aged 69 years.”

Footnotes:

[8] Victorian Government Gazette, No.92, Friday 5th July 1895, page 2563.

[9] Victorian Government Gazette, No.36, Friday 30th October 1891, page 4360.