History of a Street Precinct
Biography - Devine Family
Devine, William Thomas
488 Williamstown Road 1922-1925, 1930-1932 and 1938-1956 
William Devine was born in West Hartlepool, Co. Durham, England around 1871. He married Mary Ellen Larkin and had two children:
Margaret Philomena born around 1899, West Hartlepool
John Bruce born around 1902, West Hartlepool
The family came to Australia early in the 20th century and moved into Port Melbourne in the early 1920s. William had a broad English accent and always called his wife by her maiden name Mary Larkin. His granddaughter Fay Bates remembers that he always wore a cap and always smoked a pipe and he walked bow-legged
William died in 1958.
Picture of William Devine taken at a Wharfies Picnic in the 1950s (courtesy Fay Bates)
Devine, Mary Ellen
488 Williamstown Road 1922-1925, 1930-1932 and 1938-1956 Mary Devine (nee Larkin) is listed in the Port Melbourne Rate Books as owner of the property from 1922 until her death in 1955. This includes the years 1926-1929 and 1933-1937 when various people lived in the house and Mary's address at least for part of that time was given as Northcote.
Fay Bates remembers her grandmother as a very little person with a sort of a fatty tummy, with long grey hair, long grey curly hair.
Picture of Mary Devine (nee Larkin) (courtesy Fay Bates)
Bates, Fay
488 Williamstown Road 1950s-1960s
William and Mary's son, John Bruce Devine, known as Tilly married Ivy Mabel Huxford at St Joseph's in 1938. They adopted two girls Maureen and Fay.
The family lived in Ringwood but after Ivy died, Fay lived, on and off for about 10 years, at 488 Williamstown Road with her grandparents and later Auntie Mag (Margaret Philomena Devine). Fay went to St Joseph's Primary School, then onto Kilbride Ladies College in Albert Park eventually taking a Hairdressing apprenticeship with Fred Coles Salon in Bay Street.
Fay married Victor Patrick Shaw on 30 Mar 1963 in Ringwood. Liana Maree was born 16 Jan 1965. Around this time, Fay worked at Woodruff's making milkshakes and spiders.
Victor was born in August 1940 in Port Melbourne and was baptised soon after at Holy Trinity. He worked as a truck driver and drove a cab with Silver Top taxis. He died tragically in 1967.
Fay married Arthur George Bates from Warrnambool on 1 Nov 1968 at St Peters and St Pauls in South Melbourne. Fay & Arthur had a son Aaron John William in 1969. They lived in Coventry St, South Melbourne before moving west to Sunshine. (See Fay Bates interview
)
Picture of Fay (left) and Maureen, 1950s (courtesy Fay Bates)
William and Mary's son, John Bruce Devine, known as Tilly married Ivy Mabel Huxford at St Joseph's in 1938. They adopted two girls Maureen and Fay.
The family lived in Ringwood but after Ivy died, Fay lived, on and off for about 10 years, at 488 Williamstown Road with her grandparents and later Auntie Mag (Margaret Philomena Devine). Fay went to St Joseph's Primary School, then onto Kilbride Ladies College in Albert Park eventually taking a Hairdressing apprenticeship with Fred Coles Salon in Bay Street.
Fay married Victor Patrick Shaw on 30 Mar 1963 in Ringwood. Liana Maree was born 16 Jan 1965. Around this time, Fay worked at Woodruff's making milkshakes and spiders.
Victor was born in August 1940 in Port Melbourne and was baptised soon after at Holy Trinity. He worked as a truck driver and drove a cab with Silver Top taxis. He died tragically in 1967.
Fay married Arthur George Bates from Warrnambool on 1 Nov 1968 at St Peters and St Pauls in South Melbourne. Fay & Arthur had a son Aaron John William in 1969. They lived in Coventry St, South Melbourne before moving west to Sunshine. (See Fay Bates interview
)
Picture of Fay (left) and Maureen, 1950s (courtesy Fay Bates)
Devine, Margaret Philomena
488 Williamstown Road 1957-1974
Margaret Philomena Devine, Auntie Mag to the family, became the owner of the house after the death of her mother Mary in 1955. She had lived in the house since 1922 and stayed there
until her death in 1974.
Fay Bates remembers Auntie Mag had a withered arm, her right one. She didn't work but helped look after the many lodgers that the family took in to help make ends meet.
A devout catholic she would attend mass on Saturday evenings at St Joseph's and spend Sunday watching the wrestling on television. Mario Milano was one of her favourites. Liana Thompson remembers spending Sundays with Auntie Mag and going around to the fish and chip shop to get her a piece of couta.
Auntie Mag insisted that Liana have a good catholic education and provided some support so that Liana could go to St Peters and St Pauls in South Melbourne.
Picture of Liana (left) and Auntie Mag, 1970s (courtesy Fay Bates)
Margaret Philomena Devine, Auntie Mag to the family, became the owner of the house after the death of her mother Mary in 1955. She had lived in the house since 1922 and stayed there
until her death in 1974.
Fay Bates remembers Auntie Mag had a withered arm, her right one. She didn't work but helped look after the many lodgers that the family took in to help make ends meet.
A devout catholic she would attend mass on Saturday evenings at St Joseph's and spend Sunday watching the wrestling on television. Mario Milano was one of her favourites. Liana Thompson remembers spending Sundays with Auntie Mag and going around to the fish and chip shop to get her a piece of couta.
Auntie Mag insisted that Liana have a good catholic education and provided some support so that Liana could go to St Peters and St Pauls in South Melbourne.
Picture of Liana (left) and Auntie Mag, 1970s (courtesy Fay Bates)
Thompson, Liana
488 Williamstown Road 1985-1999 and 2002-2005
Liana Bates moved into her great grandparents house in 1985 and barring some time spent in London still lives there. She married David Thompson in April 1989 at St Vincent's Gardens in Albert Park.
Liana was elected to Port Melbourne Council in 1992 and became Mayor in 1993. On 22 June 1994, The Kennett State Government, as part of statewide reforms, forced the amalgamation of Port Melbourne, South Melbourne and St. Kilda to form The City of Port Phillip. In that process, the Council was sacked and Liana became the last Mayor of Port Melbourne.
She remained active in local politics while Port Phillip was run by appointed Commissioners and was elected as the representative for Sandridge Ward (covering all of Port Melbourne) to the first democratic Port Phillip Council in 1996 and was was elected as the first mayor of the new city.
Liana Bates moved into her great grandparents house in 1985 and barring some time spent in London still lives there. She married David Thompson in April 1989 at St Vincent's Gardens in Albert Park.
Liana was elected to Port Melbourne Council in 1992 and became Mayor in 1993. On 22 June 1994, The Kennett State Government, as part of statewide reforms, forced the amalgamation of Port Melbourne, South Melbourne and St. Kilda to form The City of Port Phillip. In that process, the Council was sacked and Liana became the last Mayor of Port Melbourne.
She remained active in local politics while Port Phillip was run by appointed Commissioners and was elected as the representative for Sandridge Ward (covering all of Port Melbourne) to the first democratic Port Phillip Council in 1996 and was was elected as the first mayor of the new city.
Bates, Aaron
488 Williamstown Road 2000-2001
Liana's brother, Aaron, lived in the house while Liana and David were living in London.
Liana's brother, Aaron, lived in the house while Liana and David were living in London.