Tag Archives: 1915

Sep 10 2012

1865: St Stephen’s Church, Mount Waverley, Victoria.

St Stephen’s Church at Mount Waverley was designed by architect Nathaniel Billing and built for modest sum of £370 and was opened on the 23rd of July 1865. The circular west window was reported to be made by Ferguson & Urie as indicated in the church Gazette of 16th August 1865. Fifty years later the entire window was blown in during a storm in late November 1915 and fell 18 feet to the floor of the church. The extent of damage the window suffered at the time is not known but it was repaired and re-installed and still exists in the position it was placed, which is now nearly one and a half centuries ago.

Photos taken 3rd February 2013.

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The Oakleigh and Caulfield Times, Vic, Saturday 27th November 1915, page 4.

“St Stephen’s Church, Mt. Waverley.

JUBILEE CELEBRATION.

“The celebration of the jubilee of the above church, which was quite an event in the district, took place on Sunday, 19th September, and we have held back the report in order to gather particulars of the church’s past history, which is appended…”

“…We extract from the “Church Gazette.” Of August 16, 1865, the following report of the opening services, tea and public meeting:- “St Stephen’s Church. Waverley, District of Malvern and Oakleigh – This pretty little church, which was opened for divine worship on the 23rd ult, is built in the early English style of variegated brick work, and will seat 100 persons. It is an admirable specimen of what can be produced for the small sum of £370, and reflects much credit on the architect, Mr N. Billing, who designed and superintended its erection gratuitously. In the west end is a neat circular stained glass window, presented by Mesrs Fergusson [sic] and Urie…”

The Oakleigh and Caulfield Times, Vic, Saturday 4th December 1915, page 3

“Our Letter Box.
A WORD OF APPRECIATION.
To The Editor.

Sir, – I wish on behalf of the Vestry of St Stephens’ Church to thank you for the splendid report in last week’s issue. There are, however, two corrections which you might set right. The late Mr W. Q. Hore, senr., he was a vestryman, and the tablet mentioned is his (E. Hore’s) memory; the first services were held in his house. Mr C. Doolan’s name was omitted from the present vestry, he being the oldest and one of the most consistent supporters of the Church probably for nearly 40 years. A strange coincidence happened during stormy weather last Sunday. During the service the stained glass window, gift of Messrs Ferguson and Urie, mentioned in your report, was blown in and fell with a crash. No one was injured, I am glad to say; it had a fall of about 18ft.

Yours faithfully,
CHAS H. COLEMAN.
Mt Waverley,
Dec. 1, 1915.

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Apr 12 2012

1915: John Scott (1850-1915)

 

John Scott (1850-1915)

Cameo portrait of John Scott for the 1887 Ferguson & Urie Company Dinner
Cameo portrait of John Scott for the 1887 Ferguson & Urie Company Dinner


John Scott was born in Paisley, Scotland circa 1850 and apprenticed to the Ferguson & Urie stained glass company circa 1866 at the age of 16.

At the company dinner held on the 9th of April 1886[1], he was presented with a handsome diamond locket in appreciation of his twenty years of faithful service to the company and as a farewell gift before his impending holiday to Europe.

“In making the presentation Mr. Young addressed a few words of good advice to the recipient, whom he strongly recommended to become a Benedict so that he could hand down the locket to his family as an heirloom”.

John Scott did eventually marry, but no marriage record has been found in Australia. I suspect that he may have married his wife Agnes in Scotland on his journey back to the old country in 1886. On their return to Australia, they lived at Haines Street in North Melbourne. They never had children.

In James Urie’s speech at the dinner, he stated: “Mr. Scott had come to them when a boy as an apprentice and had gradually worked himself up to be the right-hand man in his department”. His department was where the pieces for the stained glass windows were selected and cut to the exact dimensions according to the glass painters’ designs.

At the dinner John Scott sang “Remember me Mr. George Drury, when Jeff comes home today’ and “Bonnie Hills of Scotland”. At the company dinner the following year, held on the 22nd of June 1887, he again gave a rendition of “Bonnie Hills of Scotland” [2]. His name is not mentioned in the tabloid report of the 1888 company dinner [3].

John Scott died at Ballarat on the 1st June 1915 at the age of 65.

“SCOTT. – On the 1st June (suddenly), at 506 Doveton Street, Ballarat, John Scott, husband of Agnes Scott, and for many years of the firm of Ferguson and Urie, glass merchants, North Melbourne. A native of Paisley, Scotland.” [4]

His remains were conveyed to the Ballarat West station on the 3rd of June for Melbourne and subsequently buried in the Presbyterian section of the Melbourne General Cemetery.[5] (MGC-PRE-Comp-F-No-132)

His Last Will & Testament was dated 3rd September 1892. His occupation was specified as Plumber & Glass Cutter and he appointed his wife Agnes as sole beneficiary and executrix. His probate documents specified his address as “formerly of Haines Street North Melbourne by late of Doveton Street North Ballarat”.

Johns’ meager inventory included a vacant piece of land in Ormond Street Kensington in the Parish of Doutta Galla worth £300, watches, trinkets, Jewellery, an old silver watch, and a gold chain valued at £5, and 242 shares in the Northcote Brick Co. Ltd worth £169.

Footnotes:

[1] Ferguson & Urie Company Dinner, Fri 9th Apr 1886.

[2] Ferguson & Urie Company Dinner, Wed 22nd Jun 1887.

[3] Ferguson & Urie Company Dinner, Thu 15th Mar 1888.

[4] The Argus, Melbourne, Vic, Thursday 3rd June 1915, page 1

[5] The Evening Echo, Ballarat, Vic, Wednesday 2nd Jun 1915, page 4.

Related posts:

The 1886 Employee Dinner
The 1887 Employee Dinner
The 1888 Employee Dinner

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Apr 12 2012

20-05-1915: Mrs Marion Reyburn.

The Essendon Gazette & Keilor, Bulla and Broadmeadows Reporter, Moonee Ponds, Thursday 20th May 1915, page 3.

“Mrs. Marion Reyburn died at the residence of her relatives, at 38 Chaucer street, Moonee Ponds, on Thursday, at the grand old age of 100 years. Mrs Reyburn, who celebrated her 100th birthday on 13th April last, was born at Kilmarnock, Scotland, in the year of the battle of Waterloo. She came to Australia with her husband, the late Mr. James Reburn, in the Indus, the voyage occupying 18 weeks. For many years she carried on a drapery business with her husband at Curzon street, North Melbourne, but after his death she lived with her relatives. Deceased was the eldest daughter of the late Mr. William Urie, and sister of the late Mr. James Urie, of the firm Urie and Ferguson.”

Marion Reyburn (nee Urie) Photo from Herald Sun 14 Apr 1915 (From Mrs Noelle Nathan 13 Aug 2010)