Port Melbourne History – Page 33 – Port Melbourne Historical and Preservation Society

Flinders St Station to Sandridge – the first journey

Port Melbourne HistorySeptember 12, 2014

Museum Victoria c1907 Although a later image, chosen for its 'birthday' feel At 12.20 pm on 12th September 1854, the first journey of the first steam powered passenger train in Australia left Flinders Street for Sandridge. The gold rush had made the long and convoluted journey up the Yarra River increasingly untenable. Goods had to be transferred to lighters which was expensive…

Finding J Budd

People, Port Melbourne HistoryAugust 28, 2014

The Ship Inn in Bay St (3) where J Budd and others were farewelled . Port Phillip City Collection The Port Melbourne Standard of 19 September 1914 carried a story about a send-off for three Port lads who had enlisted for the war. On Friday 11 September 1914 about 150 friends and workmates assembled at the Ship Hotel in Bay Street to bid…

McCormack Street

People, Places, Port Melbourne HistoryAugust 20, 2014

Member Dr Robyn Clinch explored the history of 26 McCormack St and learned about its very close connection with the Cricketers Arms Hotel. McCormack St is a short, angled street that runs between Esplanade East and Bridge St. McCormack St is so narrow, making it difficult to get a good picture Thomas McCormack began accumulating property in the Sandridge area from his…

Keeping Warm in Port

Port Melbourne HistoryJuly 23, 2014

South Melbourne Gasworks It is one of Port’s often told stories - how people ‘knocked off’ coal from the trucks taking coal to the Gasworks from Town Pier at the end of Bay Street. Emily Lock remembered "The different cargoes were a source of wonder. Some of them brought coal for the Gasworks. It was a dirty job unloading the coal into small…

Unhappy Ending

Port Melbourne HistoryJuly 17, 2014

Roland Thomas Rose c1925 Roland Thomas Rose, Licensed Grocer of 168 Ross Street, Port Melbourne, the proud owner of his 'company' car. In the mid 1930's, some ten years after this photograph was taken, Roland was tragically killed in a car accident on the corner of Ross and Graham Streets. The small boy standing on the running board is his son, Frank William (Bill), who was…

Lost Shops of Graham Street

Places, Port Melbourne HistoryJuly 10, 2014

Shirley Videion recalls the shops in Graham Street before the construction of the Graham Street overpass: Graham Street was blessed with milk bars. The two most preferred by our group when walking on a Sunday were McCarthy's next to the double storey house on the corner of Graham Street and Evans Street or McKenzie's on the other side of the Graham Station…

Movement at the Station (Pier)

Collection, Port Melbourne HistoryJuly 8, 2014

From the PMHPS collection A place of “Welcome and Farewell” - Early settlers, cargo ships, soldiers going overseas to fight in the wars, new migrants and travellers embarking on an overseas holiday would throw coloured streamers to family, friends and departing soldiers on the pier. streamers sold at the Eastern kiosk, Station Pier Station Pier was originally Railway Pier, built in 1854…

A Kerosene Ship in Flames

Port Melbourne HistoryJuly 3, 2014

The Hilaria, a 1,500 ton ship from New York caught fire at Town Pier on the morning of the 7th July 1895. Earlier it had been ordered to an outer anchorage away from the pier as its manifest included a case of detonators as well as the usual general cargo including kerosene, rosin and other flammable materials. The Captain had no knowledge of…

This is Where the Story Ends

People, Port Melbourne HistoryJune 26, 2014

In the story of our first settlers we often focus on the arrival in November 1839, their subsequent settlement at the Beach and those early years during the establishment of Sandridge but what of their later life? By 1853 Wilbraham and Caroline Liardet were living at the Chusan Hotel in Bay Street, which was owned by their sons, Frank and Hector. A…

Trash & Treasure

Port Melbourne HistoryJune 19, 2014

Trash & Treasure Market sign (c 2007) - Photo by David Thompson I snapped this sign in 2007 on the fence at the former St Josephs Primary School site in 2007 near where Swallow Street diverges from Graham Street near the overpass but for me it has always raised one question. When, exactly, was the Trash & Treasure Market held? Time for a bit of detective…

Acknowledgement of Traditional Custodians