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A Back Fence History of the Lanes and Litte Streets of Port Philip
Exhibition Catalogue 1998
Proudly presented by Port Phillp City Art and Heritage Unit
-l1"P 1-\ ,,"
~~ ò~~
79th June to 16th September, Sf. Kilda Town Hall 22nd September to 4th November; Port Melbourne Town Hall
(Ç City of Port Phillip
s
JI
Foreword
networks of existing laneways in Melbourne. The lurking in
The City of Port Phillp has one of the most extensive
Lanes Exhibition is the culmination of almost a year's
It presents a picture of the role laneways have
research by Port Phillp's Heritage Unit, and members of the
played in the life of the City from the i8005 to today.
community.
You could say that lanes were the sewerage system of the
past. Nightsoil men would trundle down them collecting human waste. The technological advent of the flush toilet and underground sewerage systems may have made this use redundant, but by now lanes are probably more important to us than ever before, albeit for diffrent reasons.
lanes are important. You can still get a sense of the City's
As aspects of our urban heritage, there is no question that
past in laneways, away from the hustle and bustle of street traffc, often still with their original cobble stone surfaces.
peifect for a quiet stroll or for taking a shortcut to where we
They have become places to leisurely experience and enjoy,
are headed.
With ever increasing demands for residential development,
lanes are also becoming home addresses, and is one of the reasons we have been naming lanes which to date have
been nameless.
i strongly recommend that you experience this
Documenting and exhibiting our cultural and artistic heritage is a key objective in Council's program of community
development.
lane lurking yourself!
exhibition, and then head for the real world and do some
~~~
Cr. Dick Gross, Mayor
Introduction
Contents'
2
Foreword
Acknowledgments
2
The Lurking in Lanes Project is the second major heritage
Introduction
4
contributions made by members of the Port Melbourne
Early Development
First R,O,W.s and Homes
':. Particular Strip of Land"
Lane Making
Squalor and Nuisance
Sewerage, Sanitation and Disease
Front Door or Back Gate
9
17
12
Lanes Now
'9
Living, Working and Other 'Goings-on' in Lanes
6
4
This exhibition has been produced with generous
The first part of the exhibition consists of work by Rebecca Eames and local school children who participated in an lanes, which evolved into two creative exploration of local
installations that interpret the result of their discoveries.
Elsewhere, stories from the community trace the history, purpose and making of laneways, and the lives of people living, working or passing through them. One could never hope to survey all the lanes and little streets in the City of
Port Philip, therefore a selection of lanes is used to represent themes and issues. The exhibition focuses on examples of particular lanes or networks of lanes that, despite surrounding gentrification, remain historically intact. There are also examples of recent architecture in lanes which create layers of change in the lanescape.
The City archives contain overwhelming factual information about life in lanes. The written complaints about nightsoil collection and the statistics on disease alone, highlight health issues of the past and bring a new appreciation for
References
20
our current standards of sanitation and health.
am sure there are many more lane stories lurking about.
Catalogue Listing Port Phillip City
Melissa Hayes Acting Curator Art and Heritage Collection
~
VICTORIA
museui Scanning of photographs
Photographic prints
(J~'
CPL:
In researching this exhibition and compiling this catalogue, I have met many people who have a lane story totell- and I
Subdivision
exhibition presented by the City of Port Philip with assistance and contributions from members of the community.
Historical and Preservation Society, St. Kilda Historical
Society, researcher Adair Bunnett and Kay Rowan of the Port Phillip Library Service. City of Port Phillp staff also provided
the Lurking in lanes Project,
lane naming and strategic planning information.Joan Winter is particularly acknowledged for her contribution to the planning and development of and as Curator of the first stage ofthis exhibition. We would like to thank Imelda Dover for her contribution as
Assistant Curator.
Our thanks also go to the winning applicants ofthe Lane Naming Competition and their friends, who made a lane generous contribution to hosting their offcial
unveilngs and parties. We would like to acknowledge the creative contribution made by members of the Graham Street Primary School, Port
Melbourne and Galilee Primary School, South Melbourne
installations, as well as Kerry MargaJit and students of
who worked with Rebecca Eames to create their art
Sponsors:
lOCAlVI$ION
11'
Elwood College for their documentary photographs of lanes.
Major Sponsor:
-~
ACTIVE FOR LIFE
e'cHealth
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Early Development To picture the landscape of Port Philip before it developed
into the network of streets and lanes oftoday, it is necessary to go back at least 160 years, to the time when Europeans first settled in the area. Aboriginals from the Yakulit-willani.c1an were the original
inhabitants ofthe Port Philip region. They belonged to one of the six clans of the coastal tribe known as the Bunurong, who are part of the Kulin nation. They lived in a landscape of
undulating plains, lagoons and patches of clustered ti-tree where an abundance of game animals and marine life
provided a plentiful food source year round. In 1835, John Batman sailed up the Yarra river and landed at a
place that became Melbourne. On the way to his destination he passed a shoreline which he later named the 'Beach'. Four
ridge', after
years later Goyernment Surveyor Wiliam Wedge Darke took a detailed survey ofthe Beach and named it 'Sand
ridge where they settled and built the first jetty
the ridge of sand dunes along the beach. In that same year, Wilbraham Frederick Evelyn Uardet and his family arrived at Sand
on the foreshore. This settement was later to become
Port Melbourne. In the same year as Uardets arrival, Captain Benjamin Baxter
took up a Government lease permitting him to pasture his cattle from the south bank of the Yarra. through Sandridge to an area southwest of Red Bluff, now known as Point Ormond.
The exact location of'Baxter's Stockyard' was somewhere near the corner of what became Robe and Acland Streets, St. Kilda. This same area is said to be the site for one of the first buildings in St. Kilda, referred to as 'Thomas's Hut', built some time before 1842. 1
At this time people living in these settlements travelled to
the centre of Melbourne along unsealed Government roads. ~ne such bumpy track became St. Kilda Road, which at the
time weaved around watery bogs and tree roots. The first land sale at Emerald Hill occurred in 1852, and it was
around this time a tent city sprang up between Emerald Hil and St. Kilda Road. Canvas Town, as it was known, was home
to a great number of gold-rush immigrants. This large In 1854, by government order, Canvas Town
community grew and spread along the Yarra river and down St. Kilda Road.
Emerald Hil. To cater for this influx, houses were quickly
was disbanded and many of its inhabitants gravitated to erected, mostly made of wood with a slate or shingle roof,
consisting of two or three rooms.
I Cooper P22,23
¡~~~
Covent Place South Melbourne
boards...thejloors, whether intentionally or not i can't say.
and a stream of light, and walls of simple overlapping
f)
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Detail 0 Auction Notice J ckson Street st. Kilda
Elwood began to develop more rapidly in the early twentieth
in the first settlements of St. Kilda Hill, Port and South
for larger house allotments and adequate sized lanes compared to the close networks of streets and lanes forming
Melbourne. This is evident in the aerial view ofthe Thalassa
Estate auction notice. May 13, 1922, showing spacious
early days of settlement. When Ù1e first rate book for the
Coventry Place, Emerald Hil Many of the houses in this tiny street today, date from the
Coventr Street'.
was not named and the address was described as 'off
new suburb of Emerald Hil was drawn up in 1855, Coventry Place had seventeen residences. The street
Port Melbourne
On i 8 October 1856, William Degraves (who originally
purchased the parcel of land from what is now Coventr Place to Ferrars Street) agreed to put aside part of his land for the formation of Coventry Place. Stephen Dorman did the same for what is now Morris Street.
Apart from some of the remaining cottages, further evidence indicating the early subdivision of this land is the lack of rear laneways between Morris Street and Coventr Place. In those early days, running water had not arrived
and would not do so unti 1860. In 1855, householders
were stil relying on cesspits for the disposal of sewage, so
lanes were not a pait of this early subdivision. However,
all properties had a degree of side access.
There is a lane running behind Coventry Place on the east side, and there is even a house at tle end of it, further
confirming the piecemeal subdivision of the ara.
rated as a resident there until 1889. By 1900 the owner
In 1855, at the property to be Numbered 8, Wiliam Kendrick is recorded as occupying a wood building and a stable. By 1859 it is recorded as a t\o roomed weatherboard, with a shingle roof and stable. His occupation in 1864, is recorded as nightman and he is
is Mrs. Wiliam Kendrick, presumably then his widow;
ridge. Between September and December 1852, 619 vessels
arrived in Hobson's Bay, carrying between them 55,057
population had doubled. 5
Emerald Hil
sold were in the area bounded by Grant, Clarendon, Coventry
At Crown land sales in Emerald Hil held in 18S2, allotments
and Cecil Streets and a small group of allotments adjacent in York Street opposite to the Market Reserve.
Some ofthe first houses built in this area were rented to former tent dwellers from Canvas Town, who gave up their temporary accommodation for more substantial homes. One
such resident, William Kelly, describes his tiny weatherboard
home as a wretched hovel, roofed with shingles that let in rain
ADAIR BUNNElT
In 1877, the residents of Coventr Place wrte to council seeking to change the name of their street to Wellngton Street. However shortly thereafter this petition was withdrawn and the name remained Coventry Place.
In a Lead newspaper report of 1886, a Mr. Kendrick is noted as witness to a tragedy at Number 6, owned by a Mr. Dempster (whose occupation is also given as nightman). The report detais a distressing story about Mr. Dempster's lodgers, the hardship of this couple and the suicide of the wife afer first taking the life of her child, whilst the husband was at work.
passengers. Within three months the Port Phiflp District
Sand
lingham had built the Marine HoteL. After the 1850 land sale and construction of a new government pier to replace liardets small jetty, trade increased and a year later the gold rush brought hordes of prospectors and goods through
landing place. In 1840 liardet had built the 'Pier' and Alfred
Before this sale, the settlement had long been operating as a
were sold.4
Sandridge occurred in September 1850, when nine acres
being suitable for docks and canals and that it be given over to major port development. After pressure from Wilbraham liardet, the earliest settler, the first sale of Crown land in
as Governor La Trobe was considering the idea ofthe land
along the edge of the Lagoon. This proposal was withdrawn,
and between Stokes Street and Wickam Street which ran
plans for this first subdivision show the block bounded by Rouse and Graham Streets, running northwest to southeast;
The first Crown land sale was proposed in 1842. The initial
squatting or leasing segments of land.
for stockyards. Nearby a handful of residents were either
Port Melbourne) was unsuitable for grazing, so it was used
area from the Yarra river to St. Kilda, land near the bend (later
Although Benjamin Baxter had grazing rights over the whole
allotments in Elwood.
were laid somewhat on the hencoop principle, so that all garbage and offal mightfall through, 6
century, when swamps were reclaimed and new land opened
this land
up for sale. Subdivision at this later stage made allowances
Subdivision - First ft.O. Ws and Homes
The first settled areas of Port Phillip were a warren of houses and access lanes, created by land being heavily subdivided into smaller allotments. On early subdivisional plans, lanes appear as a narrow piece of land set along boundaries and are often labelled 'R.O.Wo' or'right-of-way'.
St. Kilda Hil First Crown land Sales were advertised in the Port Phillp Gazette, November 18, 1842. At the sale of Crown lands in st. Kilda, twenty-two sections were submitted. They were situated on the high land, close to the sea, abutting the Esplanade and Fitzroy Street. This land formed the Vilage of St. Kilda. 1
This same land changed hands at a second sale in 1847. Ten
years later, on allotments sold to Captain Lawrence, there were three houses grouped at a corner of the Esplanade and Fitzroy Street. At the same time, allotments bought by
merchants and wealthy cattlemen created Grey Street and the Esplanade. 2
Elwood Further toward Elwood, a small area of land was opened up to Crown land sales in 1851, when six blocks were sold near
represents the making of streets named South Elwood
the beach front, running toward Ormond Esplanade. This sale (Vautier Street) and North Elwood (Docker Street). Land was plentiful in Elwood and allowances were made for wide lanes spaced evenly between these streets. Among those who purchased land in 1851 were lG. Vautier, S.
St. Kilda, much of
Griffiths, a James Murphy, and a lR. Murphy. According to J.B. Cooper, author of The History of
was purchased for speculative purposes. and on May 29, 1853
Vautier offered his two sections, 12 and 13 for sale. Land was purchased by Joseph Docker who built two houses on it. The first house was built in the early 1850S and was intended to become a row of terraces. The second house was built in the
Docker and joined them together. Dougharty's wife was said
1880s. Eventually lG. Dougharty bought both houses from to have named it 'Elwood House'. The original terrace is
stands in Vautier Street with the coach house backing onto
thought to be the first house built in Elwood and stil the lane. 3
However, a subdivisional plan in the Port Phillip City Collection, relating to th~ same portions 12 and 13 ,'Sold by
Auction on the ground May 30th 1853'. one day later - fails these portions.
to show either Vautier or Docker as the owner of land in
I " , ;1 ,"ii,',' !
lanes as Drains
The natural flow of water in Melbourne was down through the soil to the water table, and then to strams
and the sea. Alternatively, it ran directly off the surface into the watercourses. In any case the low-lying areas of Port Melbourne, South Melbourne and St. Kida, had a
water table very close to the sunace.
As the years of settlement increased, so did the built up area. There were more roofs and less open ground. The
result was that water had to be collected and directed into channels which then flowed into natural watercourses such as the Yarra river, the Sandridge lagoon, Albert Park lagoon, and tle Elwood creek, and so to ile bay. However in low-lying areas of South and Port Melbourne and St.
Kida, it often ended up in swampy marshes. The uncertain elevation of streets often interrupted the flow
of water too. To this burden of surface run-off, caused by the spread of settlement, was added the disposed waste water. Melbourne had a water supply from 1857, and this had extended south of the Yarra. by 1860. This meant ilat people 'dirtied water' which then had to be disposed of leading out through the backyard to the lane, into which used water
Lane su aces and con i urations
Lane Making. "A Particular Strip of Land" Defining Streets and Lanes rn the boom years ofthe 1880s, there was rapid turnover of ridge,
land as developers erected rows of terraces and streets of cottages. As a result, the vilage settlements of Sand
St. Kilda and Emerald Hill became densely populated and
concern arose regarding who was responsible for making and maintaining small streets and lanes.
There was considerable legal debate about the definition of a lane, and respective obligations of local councils and owners of land abutting a right-of-way. Most dialogue was
aimed at determining who was to pay for surfacing and
maintaining a lane. The division of responsibilty for the costs of forming larger streets of a borough were met by the Council out of general
rates revenue, but ratepayers personally bore the cost of work on right-of-ways, lanes and other narrow streets.
A lane was originally distinguished from a road or street by
being less than 20 feet wide, and later a street was defined In legal
as being greater than 33 feet. However, some streets of less
the
public to pass over a piece of ground' and a 'right-of-way' is
than 33 feet, and indeed less than 20 feet, still exist.
was thrown. So the dirtied water eventually flowed into
'a track of land over which there is a right'.
terms the meaning of a 'right of way' is 'the right of
the lane, then to the street and natural watercourses.
The exchange of correspondence between solicitors Gillot.
The only method of disposal was a channel
In the first years of settlement, no thought was given to planning for the disposal of waste water because there
on 17th August 1895 "Re: Right.of-Way" explains the
density increased, and speculative development saw the
more revealingly it demonstrates how complicated the issue
difference between a public or private laneway or perhaps
Bates and Moir to EG. Miles Town Clerk of South Melbourne
was plenty of land around each house. As settlement
construction of terraces of dwellngs, lanes were built into
the plans of subdivision to carry away tlie excess water. Lanes were in fact open drains ways, and major drains for storm water) so material deposited in them could be
was ... when referring to streets, set out on private property the words used are Street, Lane, Yard or Passage or other premises whilst when referring to Crown lands the only words are Lane or passage formed or set out on such lands in such a manner as to afford means or back access to or drainage from property. In 1880, local councils became legally responsible for making
and maintaining right-of-ways. That is, those right-of-ways,
created as part of a subdivision of land which had not been sold with the land. Councils could also choose to surface private roads like Cromwell Place or Hill Street, South
Melbourne, in the interests of public health if used as public right-of-ways. In 1902, laneways in South Melbourne were transfered from private to municipal control under Council engineer A.E.
Aughtie's direction. He also began upgrading the roadways,
carried into the gutters ending up in the bay.
ADAIR BUNNETI
1 Cooperp27
3/bid.p 184
2 ibid. pp 24,27,28 4 U'Ren and Turn8ull P 16,17
public control. 1
and fully pitching the laneways transferred from private to 5/bid.p 19
6 Keffyp 56
lane making could not always go ahead in areas where homes lacked proper drainage and were built in a floodprone area. Records show that between the years of 1888
to 1890 residents of a lane named Church Street in Port
Melbourne were given thirty days notice from Council to lift
cottages and fill in as much as four feet of soil before work
could be done to pave the lane.
By 1887, twenty-four chains of private right-of-ways were
metalled and channelled in Port Melbourne. St. Kilda Council
lanes for drainage
reports that in 1859 metallng was carried out on a section of Neptune Street. This narrow street off Grey Street was covered with red gravel taken from the formation of Blessington Street next to the Botanical Gardens. Bluestone blocks were used to channel
flow. They were grouted in cement, sand and tar or sand and
York Street, South Melbourne. Bricks were also used
lime. There stil exists evidence of many configurations of bluestone drainage such as three pitcher lanes, or the narrow in smaller access ways beside homes.
drains off
Peckvile Street and the Case of Port Melbourne Borough Council v, Palrck McCarthy Some twenty years after streets were first formed on the western edge of Sandridge, the Board of Health gave notice that a lane between Albert and Clark Streets required sudacing and drainage channels.
This particular lane, stil known today as Peckvie Street,
Next door to McCarthy's property and at the corner of
Clark Street, lived Matilda Maskell. She was the widow of train driver William Maskell, who with his mate George McNab had died heroicaly in the Windsor train disaster of 1877. Matilda also owned several properties in Clark Street.
Other neighbours initially includedJane Slavi and
John Behne on the Albert Street corners, each of whom owned property here as well as elsewhere in the town.
Jane in fact owned thirty-five cottages in Clark, Farrell and Albert Strets, and soon moved to a thirty-sixth but grander house listed as belonging to Thomas Slavin.
Across the lane from Matilda lived Mr Feldtman, who also owned Clark and Albert Street properties, but was living in a house owned by his neighbour, a Dutchman, Antonio Dubbledan. Antonio, whose father lived beside him in Peckvile Street, also speculated in propert and was later chastised by the Town Surveyor for attempting to shift two condemned cottages to a nearby lane, Nelson Place. Not only had the two cottages been deemed 'unfit for human habitation', but he was reconstructing them onto a site of the same description, where there was no hope
of drainage.
As a group, these Peckvie Street owners seem to tyify the entrepreneurial spirit endemic in the town durig the 1880s building boom, In 1888 the local Board of Health issued a notice to owners in the little Peckvie Street rightof-way, informing them of the need to form their street.
Work on right-of-ways and lanes would proceed in one
How
'3 right-of-way was formed in 1888
centre to form almost a little squar. Secondly, the houses
is unusual for two reasons. Firstly, it opens out in the
on its nortern side make up a tye of weatherboard
frontage of each. Then:
properties along the lane to determine the relative
of two ways. Council might issue a notice to ratepayers ('owners, occupiers and agents') giving them 30 days to level, pave and drain the said street themselves. Or, as in Peckvle Street, a survey might be made of the
Sandridge/Port Melbourne was exempted from this law;
signed, and the contractor started work.
3. Council selected the winning tender. 4. Depending upon the width of each property, each ratepayer was then sent an account for his or her share of the total cost of the project. 5. Not until al costs had been received from owners whose properties adjoin the project, were contracts
costing and proposal based on these specifications and submitted these with a smal deposit (e.g. ÂŁ8).
1. The Council caled for tenders after preparing detailed specifcations regarding drainage channels and how the street is to be formed and metaled. 2. Contractors tendered for the job by submitting a
terrace which is rare in Melbourne. With the exception of one later brick addition, its party wals have no parapets (i.e. do not extend beyond the front walls of the houses). To build a terrace in Melbourne without a fire walls between each house was at the time ilegal. Oddly,
Only three such terraces remain in this area today, and the other two are made of brick.
The Peckvile terrace was owned by Patrick McCarty, a former corn dealer who must have acquired wealth in his caling as he was at the time described in the records as a 'Gentleman'. McCarthy owned quite a bit of propert in Port Melbourne in the 1880s, mostly around Ingles and Garton Streets. Around 1885-6 he bought the land across
the line in Peckvie Street and built the terrace of five
houses suitable for workers. These were indeed tenanted
by a succession of workers - a traveller, a fireman, a brass founder, a lumper and several labourers amongst them.
11' ¡i,! 'i 1" ,,, 1'; '1
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John Bendick
In the case of Peckvile Street costs equa1ed 8/6 (eight shilings six pence) per foot. Patrick McCarthy's share was £42/10/- for his 100 ft frontage, whereas
and Antonio Dubbledan had to pay only £8/10/-, In this instance the Town Council chipped in £4/10/0 itself because a bit of the work reached out into Clark Street. McCarhy had requested that while the work was being done the Council might also provide a private bluestone drainage channel around the backs of his terraces. So while the share of costs at Number 15 was only £17, McCarthy's came to a hefty £53/2/6 including
£10/12/6 extra for the private work. (The Surveyor did however acknowledge later that he'd made the mistake of including some of the Widow Maskell's property in McCarthy's levy, and credited his account with £8/10/.)
Sometimes it was diffcult to extract the funds from property owners. Some ratepayers shared the skeptical attitude taken by Antonio Dubbledan in his letter to the Council, which states that as the is UStly a ve long time
bifre th work is started, he would make his payment only after acceptance of the tend,er.
Unfortunately, Patrick McCarthy didn't get round to paying his shar, and the Council, havig gone ahead with the work, was caused a considerable amount of aggravation and legal correspondence. Finaly in 1891, Patrick was taken to court and persuaded to pay up the debt and court costs as well. This occurrence was hardly
an unusual case as Council devoted quite a bit of time to chasing up ratepayers who didn't contribute their share. PAT GRANGER
Lanes that Have Disappeared Some lanes that were once accessible have since been
It
absorbed into further development of an area. In Emerald Hill, Cromwell Place was reserved out of private property and included four houses with Cromwell Place as an address.
the Local Board of Health, but never really
was made into a cobbled lane and maintained by Council on the instruction of had the status of a public highway. It now seems to have reverted to being private property without even a signpost. In Port Melbourne, Uttle Evans Street near Graham Street
lane was later absorbed into railway land, now
was formed around 1R93 near the Railway Station. This tiny
overshadowed by the Graham Street overpass.
Reily's Lane Reily's Lane was situated across the raiway in the part of Sandridge that wasn't built up until the 1870s. Its common name came about through the Rass Street grocery that it
ran alongside. The grocery was run by Joseph Reily for nearly thirty years from 1881. For some tIme Mr. Reilly lit this narrow passage - at his own expense but possibly also
to his benefit - by kerosene lamp. This proved somewhat impractical, so in July 1905, Council considered either closing 'Reily's Lane' or properly lighting it themselves.
Town Suiveyor Heath warned Councilors that the lane had been open t/ th publu so long tJ I doubt if it could ever be closed now againt the wi/i of th public. So the Council
added street lighting which was strategically positioned in Alfred Street, and this smalest right-of-way continued to
be used by pedestrians and cyclists at least into the 1950s. At scarcely five feet wide, Reily's Lane was hardly a lane
at al. If you were skiful you could ride your bike along this bumpy narrow passage all the way from Rass Street, across Alfred Street and through to Albert Street, without grazing an elbow on adjacent houses. (Boys on bicycles
delighted in annoying householders by banging on the houses as they pedalled past). It's gone now, having been absorbed into neighbouring properties. PAT GRANGER
1 Pr;estley P250
Ni ht hatch in brick wall rear 0 Little Finla Street Afbert Park.
Squalor and Nuisance - Sewerage, Sanitation and Disease
Most people associate lanes with the purpose of nightsoil collection, which occurred in the days before sewerage.
Over the years. six methods have been used to dispose of nightsoil.
Cesspits In the earliest days when houses were freestanding and there was a lighter density of housing, the method for disposing of nightsoil was the cesspit. A kind of prImitive septic tank, this was a hole in the ground lined with bricks. In early days, little attention was paid to the way the bricks were laid, and inevitably sewage seeped out into the surrounding soil. This was soon recognised as a health
the low-lying areas of South and Port Melbourne and St.
This had the same disadvantages as the cruder cesspit. In
Kida this method was not adequate as the hole did not
have to be very deep before it reached the water table. The result was that the subsoil became impregnated with the sewage, which inevitably flowed to low-lying areas. So those aras of South Melbourne, Port Melbourne and St.
Kilda had a dual problem. Overflow from their own earth-closets accumulated and they were also the recipients of overflow from higher ground.
Nightmen were employed to empty the cesspits when they riled. However, by the late 1870s it was recognised that this was an unsatisfactory and unhygienic way of dealing with the matter. 2 Indeed, Port Melbourne Council outlawed such pits in 1876 followed by South Melbourne
in 1880,3
The Single Pan System
Januar 1863 the Central Board of Health
wrte to the local councils in their capacity as the Local Boards of Health about the situation. They instructed the
The single pan system began to operate from about 1866. The night-soil was accumulated in a pan which the
hazard and in
councils as to the expected sanitar standards of cesspit construction, and warned of fines to anyone alowing the
nightman then collected usually once a week. He tipped
Barkly Street.
Port Melbourne established and maintained a manure depot at Fisherman's Bend and in St. Kida there were complaints about the manure depot next to the slaughter yard at the end of the Government road, later to become
a statelY hotel, polluti the air with an abominable stech cannot well be imagied. s
Apart from the problems caused by the dumping of nightsoil outside of designated areas there was the foul smell. Arrthin more degradin to afie city thn soil carts parad th str~ts at night or nightm bei met on tlie staircase af
Melbourne grew, so did the distance that the nightman and his horse had to travel. About 150 loads were collected nightly, each load averaging 2.5 tons. Often ile horse was tired or ile nightman was tired, or it was getting too late or..., and so he deposited the contents of his cart in the nearest hole, piece of vacant land, river or even along the roadside. 4
i 1 pm and 3am because of the stench. The waste was supposed to be deposited on the fringes of the city, but as
place. The nightman had to work between the hours of
its contents into his wagon and returned the pan to its
contents of water closets or privy cesspools to overfow or soak from them.
cesspool we have of a mere Iwk dug in the soil, or at best a ver
The Chief Medical Offcer of the Colony, Wiliam McCrea describes the drainage situation in the city and suburbs in the 1860s. Insted af a substatil and wate liht
ineffcitly constructed cesspool,from which contets arefiee to
worst descrption of filth. The difcts of conrtrtin permit suifce
percolate and saturate IJ soil under and around dwellins with the
drainage to run in, so that ever showe af rain ad to the afenve
contets af these plaes, which graduallY become jüll, and drain out
into the open channels af the streets and lanes, or on to (uljacent
premises. Cleansing is th exception not the rule, and is more
frequentlY the result of percolation and drainage from receptacle as
thy becom suffcitlY ftllfor thr contets to oVerW. 1
Several years later) the problem sti existed and in 1889, a
Port Melbourne Health Offcer eloquently report on the offensive sight of one lagoon when he states putrescent slime flts finge that pool.
Earth Closet
The earth closet was a refinement of the cesspit. A hole layer of earth.
was dug and as waste was deposited, it was covered with a
the possibilties for mistake, spilage and so on were great,
The lanes were ideal for the nightman's purpose. However
and there was also the manure of the nightman's horse.
Al this contributed to the foulig of the lane. By 1891, an estimated 2900 night pans were emptied in Port Melbourne.
1111' '11 i,l! '."1
Detail 0 letter advertisin n; ht ans
In September 1888 Mr William Burch, living in
Rubbish however was often strewn in lanes or on vacant land.
Khartoum Terrace, wrote to the Port Melbourne Council, describing the filth that had accumulated behind the Terrace
Two Pan System In the two pan system, the used pan was collected and
as pools of slimy. poisonous matter with dead dogs, cats and
replaced with a clean disinfected pan. In South
Melbourne, the rate books show that from 1892-3
totally enclosed steel pneumatic tyred
The Milk Trade and Health Cattle from local dairies grazed on low-lying land at the
the century.
the Victoria Barracks and the Homoeopathic Hospital,
A Central Board of Health was set up in 1857 to oversee Local Boards of Health, a role which was taken on by each local council. In this role, councils were charged with
known then as Melbourne's premier typhoid hospitaL. The
11 ibid P.90
10 Temp/eton p87,8B
9 opcit p82
7 Ding/e AE.and Rasmussen C. p 79 B Laughton A.M P 256
6 Priestley P 148
5 Davison p 233
3 Priestfey p 148 4 Dingle AE.and Rasmussen C. P38
2 V'Ren and Turnbufl p 134
1 quoted in Dunstan P 235
typhoid in South Melbourne.
low-lying area
consumption of contaminated milk, and prevalence of
The dumping of waste in the area where cows grazed had a detrimental effect on the milk produced by the cows. This resulted in the spread of disease through human
cows wallowing up to their udders in the liquid filth. 11
and nightsoil were also dumped into this swamp for some time. The intention ofthe Council was to use waste to gradually raise the level ofthe ground, and fill in the swamp. One contemporary report said it was a common sight to see
to create a foul swamp. Not only foul drainage but rubbish.
hospital combined with water in the natural
Before this time, drainage from these barracks and the
hospital was not sewered until after the turn of
rear of
the responsibility for attending to the redw;:tion of health
area in the 1870s.
hazards. The relationship between fith and disease became evident afer severe outbreak of measles, scarlet fever and diphtheria gripped the Melbourne metropolitan
The filing in of leaking cesspits, and the introduction of the pan system was one of the first steps to improving the situation, In 1875, the Borough of Sandridge introduced By Law Number 36 for Suppressing the Nuisance of Cesspits and Cesspools attached to privies in the Borough. As the correlation between good sanitation and the prevention of disease became understood, cottages were
ever-present in Melbourne. The worst
lifted and lanes were progrssively fully paved. Typhoid fever was
year of al was 1889 when the Board of Health recorded
tyhoid as accounting for five percent of the total deaths
of persons between ten and twenty-five years of age.
Although the Homoeopathic Hospital (later Prince Henry's Hospital) seived South Melbourne in particular, it was renowned for its success in nursing tyhoid, so patients came from most inner city suburbs. 10
A Port Melbourne Health Report submitted to the Public Health Department in 1894. indicates disease statistics and action being taken to improve hygiene, in order to combat disease.
TyphoU ever month butJuly; scarletfev" allyear, diphthe February to May, also December.
Sewers conrtrcied in Spring, lidet and FaTTell to replae
open drain.
Noties serd were: Prvie with difctive conrtrtin 47, Prvis
trenclid by a council employee.
Rubbish tip an nights soil depotJenced this.year; nightsoil is
economically. With some sorrow therefore, Council
ADAIR BUNNETl
washing) was much easier, and this was a major factor in controllng these diseases, as was vaccination in the post World War 11 period.
Victory over disease was by social as well as medical means. The advent of sewerage, and later of running hot water meant that personal hygiene (such as regular hand
people living in sub-standard living conditions.
Government bodies, medical and engineering experts focused resources on finding solutions to preventig the spread of these infectious diseases. Philanthropic and religious groups waged campaigns to provide relief for
badlY conrtrted cow yards: 2
oveiwi 61, Neglect to clean premises or yards: 14, Dirty or
Disease There are several factors that contributed to the high incidence of disease in Melbourne in the nineteenth century. The high density of housing, compounded by shabby construction of cottages in low-lying areas and a general lack of understanding about hygiene, human and other waste disposal, were all part of the problem.
GLENCOSHAM
Street (Sullivan's).
prior to their discontinuance, the horses were kept in brick stables (stil in existence) at the rear of 34 Cruikshank
resolved to cease the hire of these horses. For several years
but by May 1975, increases in the price of feed, veterinarian servces, etc. and the need to carry out expensive repairs to his stables had forced the contractor to more than double his charges to the Council. Despite a petition caling for the horses' retention, the Council was faced with the realisation that mechanical means of street cleaning could do the same work more effciently and
For many years, the cost of horse hire was insignificant,
Port Melbourne was the last council in the metrpolitan area to use draught horses as part of its street cleaning program. They worked as part of a team of three: one man to sweep rubbish in gutters into a heap, one man to shovel the rubbish into a cart pulled by one draught horse at walng pace, directed solely by the men's voices.
Horses and Stret Cleaning
service. The change from open wooden type drays was completed in 1947.
vehicles maintain an effcient and hygienic refuse collection
and services. Afleet of
by vehicles. A leaflet produced by the St. Kilda Council in 1949 promotes a new policy for fully mechanising its public works
and rubbish collection when horses and carts were replaced
Dramatic changes occurred in the method of street cleaning
drainage, unti this be done the nuisance wil exist.
there that requires to be made in order to take away the
the Inspector of Nuisances reports There ;s a right-afway
fowls. The Health Inspector replies with the suggestion that he spread sand on it as a temporary measure. A week later
onwards the council collected an annual fee for this
seivice. However, only 120 out of 8469 properties took advantage of the seivice. 6
This system continued after sewerage for a number of properties unti the fees were steeply increased in 1908-9.
It was also necessary to continue to collect nightsoil in this way from formerly low-lying areas which had not originally been connected, and which were now being used by industr This was a major problem in the 1920s
when the City of South Melbourne found it necessary to make frequent representations to the Melbourne Metropolitan Boar of Works about the matter. Pans were stil being collected as late as 1941 from unsewered areas north of the municipality
Sewerage System
The Melbourne Metropolitan Board of Works main sewers and pumping stations commenced operation in 1897 and, in the same year, the Al England Eleven Hotel on the corner of Rouse and Princes Streets in Port Melbourne was the first building in Melbourne to be connected to sewerage. 7 By December 1908, the sewerage system had been laid in Port and South Melbourne and nearly the whole of St. Kida. Gradually the sewerage pipes were extended, as settlement extended into formerly unused land. Albert Park, in particular, was not par of the
sewei-d system for many years. 8 It usually took two to three weeks to connect an ordinary house. Then of course people had to be taught that things like sardine cans were
not to be thrown down the sewer. 9 Septic Tank
Versions of the septic tank were gradually instaled in Albert Park to replace the pans. ADAIRBUNNET
Sanitation While nightmen removed human waste from homes, contractors were also employed to remove all manner of rubbish from streets and lanes to municipal rubbish tips.
streets and channels. By 1887.
IiI ,
Esplanade in St. Kilda toward the sea, was used as the
In 1857 in St. Kilda, three men and a dray constantly cleaned
I
refuse from St. Kilda houses were buried each day, to a level of four feet six inches. This refuse was later used to fill swampy areas where roads were to be made.
municipal tip. Eleven cartloads of rubbish and household
land from the south end ofthe
11
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Front Door or Back Gate - Living. Working and Other 'Goings-on':ln Lanes The character of a lane may evolve over time with the changes of homes, businesses, and industries that exist in them, and the people that move through them. A lane may be a neglected pocket, a busy thoroughfare, or place for a
communal garden.
McArthur Place, South Melbourne
Mc Arthur Place South Melbourne
Gladstone, Buckurst, Thistlethwaite and Montae
Montague The Montague district of South Melbourne extended from Ferrars Street to Boundar Road, and from City Road to the raiway line. The main cross streets were
A report in The Record newspaper 13th of December 19'3,
While from the HISAB's own figures, the number of houses
In Patterson Place, otherwise known
demonstrates that these homes became more than temporary housing.
these homes were owned by
an attic.
In 1936, the Housing Investigation and Slum Abolition.Board
constructed. During the 1970s, slum clearance would also be phased out.
to announce that no further high rise buildings would be
house years previously. By 1971, the government was forced
reimbursing them less than they had originally paid for their
compensation paid to householders, in many cases,
Commissions activities also rested on the system of
methods used by the Housing Commission to assess a site for redevelopment. Hostilty toward the Housing
During the 1960s, there was growing resistance to the
when the tower flats were opened, they housed a population of1028.
While 178 people were displaced by the 'clearance', in 1969,
development, only twenty-nine needed to be demolished.
to the Commission, of
...having eliminated wasteful roads and lanes.... According the eighty homes cleared for the
Towers, was promoted by the Housing Commission, as
site opposite in Dorcas Street. The project, including Park
Luke, Coventry and Moray Streets, with a smaller half acre
Court Estate in 1960, on 2.5 hectares bounded by Dorcas, St.
Victoria's first high~rise flats were built on the Emerald Hil
by the Commission were twelve storeys or more.
flats of less than four storeys. By 1968, all flats constructed
the newly constructed public housing were concrete walk up
There was a change in attitude in the early 1960s as most of
regions, including Port Melbourne and Fishermen's Bend. While there was recognition that most people were generally not willing to move from places of residence for social and economic reasons, it was also considered at that time, that high rise development was not desirable.
of semi-detached stock, were established in rural and city
Housing Act was passed. By 1942, housing estates, mostly
was to be achieved. In 1938, the Slum Reclamation and
Housing Commission to investigate how slum reclamation
Housing Act and made provision for the constitution of a
In October 1937, the Victorian Government passed the
requiring demolition was relatively small and scattered throughout the inner suburbs, thirty per cent of houses investigated were without bathrooms, while the bathing and laundry facilities in the remaining houses were primitive.
as Tin Pot Alley, there were several iron houses which were
imported in sections. They have iron roofs and iron walls. There are about fourteen houses, each with three or four rooms...They are generally all around the metropolitan area, rate records show fourteen of
but there are more there than any other place. The 1885~1886
AnotherTin Pot Alley existed in St. Kilda. Mr. Pommeroy was
Streets. It covered nearly forty acres, and took its name from the Montague Railway Station which was established in 1883. By 1900, there were twenty~two small streets and lanes within the district. Development of the area occurred from the late i 860s. The area was intended for 'persons of the artisan class'
Robert Patterson and were listed as having two rooms and
houses in a small cul-de-sac, named McArthur Place. These
and this was reflected in the tye of housing advertised for
At a very early date, before 1857. there were seven tiny
houses typified buildings placed on land before council
the hill off High Street
one of St. Kilda's first settlers, a plasterer who came from London to live on land at the crest of
sale in the area: Neat tw-roomed cottae and land, Plasteed 110
(now St. Kilda Road). He imported iron houses from England and assembled one upon his land. From this position he
created a lane that ran from his home to High Street and
lined it with other iron houses. He named the lane St. Mary
Axe after his place of birth in London, although there it was
Alma Road and Inkerman Street. although the name was
pronounced 'Simmery Axe'. This tiny lane stil exists between
shipwrights. Suprisingly, nearly a third of the inhabitants
changed to Pommeroy Lane. Pommeroy's house and garden
was stil extant in 1930. Nearby, there was another enclave of these tiny homes in Alma Place.
In Victoria
By the mid 1930S, conditions during the Great Depression
Slum Clearance and Park Towers had led to a severe depletion of housing stock.
there existed a coalition of social reformers, committed to
a new government role in the provision of housing.
The Victorian campaign for housing reform was dominated
(HISAB) commissioned an external survey of 85,779 dwellngs
by The Barnett Study Group, which favoured housing reforms controlled by a central, state wide authority. Formed by F. Oswald Barnett, the group argued that if providing better housing became a local council responsibilty the burden would fall on the poorer municipalities, with less open space for development. Sections of Barnetts thesis for a Master of Commerce at the University of Melbourne were published by the Herald as a booklet, The Unsuspected Slum. At the same time Barnett and his colleagues gave presentations using slides taken from his excursions into slum areas.
in these often rusty homes felt like an oven in hot weather.
re-erected there, and the third house has been on this site since the early 185°5. These homes, built from iron, were imported to Australia from England in kits. They were erected as a means of supplying housing during a shortage of building materials and labour due to the gold rush of ,881. The houses were never mean.t to be permanent and living
were on lanes, right~of~ways, or in 'slum pockets'.
internal survey and social census. Most of
in a five mile radius of the GPO, and 7330 houses were identified as being in a condition warranting a special these houses and crowded. 1.
Such accommodation would have been uncomfortable and basic, at best rustic but more likely smelly damp
stand. Two have come from other suburbs and have been
of portable iron houses. At 339 Coventry Street in South Melbourne, three of the last remaining portable houses
'Tin Pot Alleys' was a name often used to refer to lanes
Tin Pot Alleys
KAYROWAN
by industrial development.
fourteen lanes still extant, the others were swallowed up
storehouses and factories. In 1988 there were only
'rookeries' had been demolished to make way for large
feet and 26 feet in the lanes. By 1967, al of these
four. Allotment frontages were usualy between is
Most of the houses in the little streets and lanes were made of wood, and had two or three rooms, occasionaly
of Montagu.e's lanes were owner occupiers.
Many of the workers attracted to the low cost housing were la~ourers. firemen, boilermakers, mariners and
By 1875, there were about 560 households in Montague, 220 of these were found to be in the lanes. In 1900 there were over two thousand households in the district.
pound, Stoke Street af Glatone Place,
planning existed.
It remained like this until the slum
McArthur Place was not even a right-af-way or a proper lane, it was a small dirt laneway with a pitched bluestone gutter running down the middle.
reclamation of the Moray Street area in the 1960s.ln
testimony given at an early Slum Housing inquiry in 1913, McArthur Place was stated to have a lot of rotten hovels.
In 1992 Susan Priestley,
The house at Number 4 McArthur Place was occupied from 1918 to 1934 by the Rowan family.
Rowan, one of
author of South Melbourne, a History, interviewed Arthur the four children of Patrick and Martha
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wash
the yard.
nightman was able to remove the pans without entering
McArthur Place, so that in the days before sewerage, the
space was at the front, with a separate lavatory backing onto
attached to the fence ofthe church next door. The only yard
at the side with a skil
house as it was then called, was a later addition built ion roofthat sloped down and was
it covered with a skylight. The bathroom/laundry, or
An open light well between the two houses would trap water in winter and flood the houses until the landlord had
and he climbed onto the rootto pour a bucket of water down onto it thereby spoiling the neighbour's dinner completely.
Arthur remembered that the chimney once caught on fire
and a slate roof over the two main rooms with another two skillon rooms at the rear, which backed onto Number 2. A shared chimney serviced the kitchen fires of both houses.
Rowan, about life in this house.The house had wooden walls
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When horses were the common form of
Stables and Garages
Gladysdale Dairy delivery horse and cart
Note s ike, 0 a stable door
Gladysdale Dairy, Port Melbourne
were built at the back of properties and had entrances on
stable at th rear of th house.
I used to sell em~ beer bottle to the Rowe. (Our father's job was
disguised by renovation.
to emp~ the bottLes!) Wé used to load up an old pram of a Saturday
Twe~ years late they no longer had horses) but th stables always seemed to be dark and mysteus) and jûll of bottLes. My broth and
Bottle Collectin!!
in Port Melhourne which he operatedJrm about 1920.
My fath William Raeburn Sturt) ha a milk round
100.fet.fm Rala Street, At no 312, the Rowe family had
In the late 1930s my mother Mary LoWlie lived at 320 Ross St:eet) Port Melbourne tw doors south of Ragla Street on the east sie of Ross Street. A lae used to run at the rear of the propertis about
This stable was a doubLe story galvanised strcture whù;h stood acrss th b""k 'I the block, the UPPIJ leuel being th laft with a door
Melbourne lanes, such as the garage in Ashworth Street which has a Scout hall above it on the first floor.
Natural Logic at Melbourne University came to live at the
(George) Hotel with his bride of Q few weeks. He had hired a horse from the George stable to ride to ¡presumably Albert) Park, but the horse bolted for home,fell and rolled on Perani, killng him. 1
These stables at the rear ofthe George Hotel, on Fitzroy
Street can be seen on lE.5.Vardy's 1873 map ofSt. Kilda HilL.
Further down the street at the corner of Princess Street, the Victoria Hotel (now known as the Ritz) also has a stable dearly shown at the rear of the HoteL.
picked up)you would give thm a fttitious name; th would book
The gamin squad of arved in an old Ford Murer lf you got
Everyone coverd up for the bookies.
hooked riht next to the loo - th didn't even Look insde for him.
own of the house came out to see what the noise was, and he was
hid in someone's loo (the back gates were always unlocked)) and the
One day th gaming squa maTly caught up with an SP booki, who
decent lae if it didn)t have a bookie.
(who weren)t gentlen) chased them up th lanes. Ther was)t a
af broken boards at th back 'I the loos, whe th gaming squ
by the booki; they stahed thei bett paper in the hole in th
pictures on Saturday qfoons, as their loos were ver of needed
shelling peas as they talkd. Children wee advied to go to the
1/- each wa on th Melbourne Cup) with their hair in CUleS and
wa)t used by ilLegal SP booki. The wome would come and put
There was)t one lane between Albert Park and POTt Melbourne that
SP Bookies, Port and South Melbourne
GLENCOSHAM
Mr. Rowe onlY gave us Bd. (Or wa it vie versa?)
Mrs. Rowe would be home) because she gave us 9d a dozen) whiLe
lae at the back of the Ross St:eet house. Wé always used to hope
qfnoon and take themfrom our place aTound to th stabLes in th
backs onto Canterbury Place, was once a livery stable with a nine room house at the front, built some time between 1900
proprietor' and the premises is stil a motor workshop. Only
and 1910.
In ~918, the occupier was rated as a 'garage
The motor workshop on Canterbury Road, Middle Park which
transport, stables
that they were home to a number of local dairies. A report
Dairies An important aspect of many lanes and small streets was
to laneways (like car garages of yesteryear). N'any of these
~
I
I undertad that he orallY started out wokifor Mick
Wiliamtown Road, Norm Barr of Ingles Street near Crockfrd Street, and beses these three, there was Woodruff)s of Brie St:eet) which wa the bigest in th area) even in those days!
Grahm Street, Cl.y Butcher of Grahm Street near
house at 273 Bridge Street undlJ the name 'I Gladysdale Dairy, At this time) as in oth suburbs, severaL smalL familY dairi covered Port. Oths from memor wee Spaines of Stoke Street just below
Street. Dad opened his own busnes at tM back of his mother's
Wood1'if (Senior) at thr busness in Brie Street) near Derham
sturdy brick buildings can still be spotted in laneways, most
of this industry in South Melbourne prepared in 1902 distinguished between smal shops and retailers, producers and vendors. Reports were written on thirt-six premises where milk was produced. Of these some 14 were located in streets less than thirty-three feet wide. Many of the proprietors listed in the report were women. In MO instances, the property where cows were kept is described
as a wood yard. Many were located near the southeast part of the suburbs, close to grazing at Albert Park, and behind the Homoeopathic HospitaL.
Stables in St. Kilda
minimal changes have been made to the interior walls which stil indicate the position ofthe original loft and horse feeding troughs. It would stil be possible to drive from the entrance, past the original ticketing booth, and out onto Canterbury Place.
way at th lae siefor th unloading of straw andfeedfor the
Dad had a Iwrse nained Goali and a two wheelflatfrom which he did his dairy house delivees. The horse was stabLed in the baik of the proPlJty 'I 205 AlblJt Street, thftrst house on the left 'I the lane whid, ran (and still does) thughftom AlblJt Street ÚJ Clek
horses. There were enough stalls on tlie Lowe level for around five February 18th 195 J, Melbourne was hit by a wild storm) whuh
reduced the stabLe where Dad)s horse wa)from a doubLe storn to a sile one! S(Jebody came to our door in Ross Street) and wld Dad
that he)d bette go and look at the horse, so checki it out hefound the horse standin bolt upriht, badly frhted but othe all riht. The lower structure had stood soundl) agait the crash.
in Bay Street (Stewie Craila just acrss ftm th Port Piture
There are other examples of stable conversions in South
One producer was Mrs Ada Gay of 3 Raglan Place. In 1888, she had a herd of fif-five, producing 500 quarts a day. The MO largest vendors obtained mil from suppliers on the outskits of Melbourne, supplementig it in the case of Morgans dai, with localy produced mil. Morgans came from a dairng family, the second generation set up their 'Heidelburg Dair' in Thisdethwaite Street. They were the second largest vendor in Melbourne, delivering
In i887 Fredric Joy Perani, Professor Elect to the Chair of
Street and serves the row of houses tJ face Farrell StTeet West.
al'und 1400 quarts daiy.
horses although at th time Dads horse wa th onlY one there On
Morris Brothers commenced operations in 1893 out of Montague Street and Bay Street depots. Morris Brothers
were not mentioned at al in the he~lth inspectors report, presumably because of their clean slate, though other leading businesses - Morgans, Grierson Brothers and Farnsworths - scored a mention. Morris' claimed to be leaders in the matter of sanitar standards.
Dad)s dairy was onlY a one horse and cart busness consting of a
Taggart and Sons
Theatre), the POTt Melbourne Fire Station in Lidet St:eet) and
ADAlR BUNNETI
'Taggart and Sons, Point Ormond Dairy' operated from a brick
'I 183 houses (in Januar 1942), a Mill Bar shop
structure at 10 Wilton Grove, Elwood. The dairy was built on
deliuer round
i
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come to colLect fies and th coppers would say to the booki) "whee
Landsdown Terrace at 33-37 Dalgety Street. There are stables
AS REPORTED TO JAN MACDONAL
you". They knwjùll well who 'Joe Blow) was.
is Joe Blow) and he would say ((He's not here, but Left th mont for
you) and let you go again w earn som monn. Next week thry would to stable horses for the occupants of
large stables in the St. Kilda Hill area, built
off Dalgety Lane serviced the needs of residents of
in this lane now converted for other uses.
There were several
seven factori on Williamstown Road) thse bei Daniel ScoU's Malcobn Moore's) Kelvinat's) Dico) PMG wokshops) and 1Tomaxls. The dai1y wa openfrom around lam w 6pm dairy In
the 1950s, advertising on Taggart and Sons order slips and
busess) would close up at around noon and head of to th nearby
except for Saturdays whe grandmoth who lookt af tlie passi
a small lane that was part of the original Wilton Estate.
bottle tops stated "pasteurised milk from tuberculin
borough supporte!
Port Football Ground OT be tak to the (away' match) being a great
terrace houses. A stable
tested cows." ,i
GLEN STUART
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Pawnbrokers The Glee Club story began shortly rg Wórld War I in one
The Glee Club
spurious florins' began turning up. Although they
appreciated for the pedestrian access they provide. In Port
..~.-.-
Now
Notice on gate in lane, st. Kilda
Lanes
tn 1991, the Strategic Planning Branch of the City of
Pedestrian Access
Melbourne commissioned a study of laneways. An objective
Robe Street has long been well known for prostitution.
By 1977 traffc counts in Robe 5treet were as high as 590
vehicles in an hour, with 6,940 vehicles passing through in a
prosecuted at that time.
twenty four hour period. However, few 'gutter crawlers' were
The Prostitutes Collective of
Victoria (PCV) was established in
were preserved, developed and beautifed for pedestrian access
from this study was to ensure that the character of lanes
the 1980s, and advocates that while street workers are given
Melbourne the 'ut shaped 'walk through' lane from Princes
was held under the auspices of the City of Port Philip Police
Kilda Town Hall for the Street Sex Work Forum. The meeting
members, community representatives and PCV met at St.
On the 26th August 1997, St. Kilda residents, police, Council
not access legal agencies if they are abused. While working in a legitimate brothel is legal, it is currently illegal to solicit or accost any person in a public place or loiter in a public place for the purposes of prostitution.
criminal status, they are unable to operate safely, and may
and other street level activities.
úite th moved their mus to th All Englad Eleve Hot£l at
In the City of Port Phillip there are certain lanes which are
Rouse an Prces Streets. Jut back of the pub wa the lane known
between Garden City through to Bay Street.
and liardet Streets to Station Street is a well used path
When Marie and Marcus Davidson of Station Street married
in 1989, their wedding procession assembled in parkland
Melbourne Yacht Club where the wedding and reception
along the Railway Reserve and advanced to the Port
All th Amy family wee much involved in th Glee Club. lOung
in Beach Street by way of the lane now known as Donaldson
took place. Accompanied by musicians, the procession arrived
on both street workers and residents, and agreement was reached on some strategies for improving the situation.
Community Consultative Committee for the purpose of finding solutions to the impact that street work is having on local residents. At this forum, chaired by former Mayor of St. Kilda, Tim Costello, issues were identified which impact
in the Yacht Club, which burned the following year.
In 1909. the Port
liberal State MP,
'gutter crawling'. The area in and around
containers supplied.
Disposal of used needles is an issue for council.
transported to beaches this way.
produced by Melbourne Water, Melbourne Parks and Waterways emphasised the role of drains in transporting street litter into waterways, and therefore onto beaches. It was then realised that needles and syringes used in streets and lanes, and left in gutters, were being
concentrated in these areas. However in 1993, a report
As needles and syringes were often found on beaches, installation of Sharp Safe containers was at first
laneways, parks, public buildings and near toilets.
and installed stainless steel needle deposit containers in
the 5t. Kilda Council commenced the Sharp Safe program
In 1990
and Hepatitis C, and to return used needles in sharps
and syringes to prevent the transfer of diseases such as HIV
needle exchange and educates people to use clean needles
Centre, Grey Street, St. Kilda. This organisation operates a
Information Exchange at the Salvation Army Crossroads
drug use is undertaken by such organisations as The Health
Responsibility for some health issues relating to injecting
of used needles and syringes. and health issues for the users.
problems associated with street use, including safe disposal
As the use of heroin is ilegal,
lanes can offer a discreet location for injecting drug use and drug trading. There are
Injecting Drug Use in Lanes
several narrow dirt pathways which connect between small streets lined with interesting houses and flats.
of Carlisle Street and Barkly 5treet. This walk weaves along
In St. Kilda, a pathway goes from Fitzroy Street right through to the park at the rear of the National Theatre at the corner
Street. The celebration was dancing and a wedding feast of champagne, fish and chips and was one ofthe last to be held
George's house in Rouse Street hacked onto th lae, an GeoTge
unlicened Glee Club. Port Melbourne police were good mates of the
Pop Amy could watch flT atr imint legal inteerene with the
properl¡ whuh was in Prnces Street. From this convenient positin,
('PoP) Amy kept th keys to the cmbhouse, It was at th back af his
along the lane, it came to be knwn as the (Glee Club'.
clubhouse wi a bar an dance flor. Secludd behind a high fence
Chinese landry which Ann subsequetly bought and tuned into a
th turn f4 to ru north bes th Prry, In this lae wa a
as Prnces Place, which runs af Prnces Street to StJoseph's Hall
th ftuad" af the group,
equipped with an upriht pian that wa played !? George Amy,
Derham). Here a muscal group called th 'GO) Boys' got togeth Thy travelled around Port Melbourne with a fwse and cart
Street had been th Muse first af Thomas Arill th af Fredek
first af Thor Arill then af Rouse Street (th one cwsest to Stoke
of th thee Iwuses owned by Swllow & Arill on the north sie
There is a photograph of a row of terraces in Bay Street taken in 1875 that shows a pawn shop, 'Johnny Allsorts', then owned
by H. Davenport. This shop had a walkway running beside it connected to a lane at the rear. Pawn shops were often
positioned next to a lane, to prevent the opportunity for a pe,rson being seen making an entry and exit from the shop, particularly if that was frequently. A register of items left at this shop in 1892 lists people pawning jewellery, household
items and clothing. One family in a desperate situation deposits their tea pot several times in one year.
Counterfeit Coining in a Port Melbourne Lane '
At Melbourne racetracks and pubs toward the end of 1928, a number of
were pretty good copies they were easily spotted by bank
staff as being a bit light on in weight. The police worked for some time to trace the coins, and finally tracked down a Russian sculptor living in Port Melbourne's Alien Place. Raiding at midnight, they found
the occupier in bed and a gas ring burning in the kitchen, in a colonial oven, in which a number of plaster moulds
Sometimes, members met on Sunday cinoons. Sometimes t/iei
mebers, however and pretty much turned a blind eye to its activities.
confiscated a quantity of raw material while the artist complained that they should have waited until daylight
dancing, drink and sing-a-longs took place on Saturdqy nights or
were cooking. Detectives destroyed the moulds and
to call. 2
the sound of musc and singng C()in frm the hall on SaturdO)
for special occasm lik birthdays. A neihbour remember as a child
nights. This was durng the Depression years, he ad, and not many
Prostitution in Lanes
Thieving from Lanes
people ha a joh, but thry seemed to be able to meet and enjoy
At Port Melbourne in 1858, there was mention of controllng
district since the 18005.
have worked in brothels and on the streets in the Port Phil1p
There are accounts which indicate that women and men
PAT GRAGER
dubs located in varWus streets and lane during this era.
The Glee Club was representative of th many SundO) dri
thelve anyway.
An article that appeared in the Age 21 August 1997, described
how a young man made a living thieving from homes on lanes. He used to lie in bed, shut his eyes and he could picture the place perfctly: seeing the way in through the alley, the fence high enough for cover but not too high to climb, the very window he was going to pop. Imagining all the good gear
inside. He'd lie there for half an hour or so, thinking about it
the 'exploitation of sailors' in brothels.
In a police report on
...Then he'd get dressed - gloves in one pocket, screwdriver in
against a man for
congratulated the St. Kilda police for obtaining a conviction
of prostitutes. In 1965, Brian Dixon,
because of the harassment of women by men in search
affect of street prostitution on real estate values, not least
During the 19605, there was increasing concern about the
right-ofway is at present made use offor immoral purposes. Reference is made in South Melbourne in 1880, to a den of infamy in a right-of-way off Coventry Street. 1
Melbourne Town Surveyor states i am informed that this dark
were not allowed to reside in st. Kilda.
ordered to leave Acland Street because such characters
prostitutes in St. Kilda, 7 October 1886, prostitutes were
1 The Age, 20 April, 1982
3 The Age. 21 August 1997
2 The Record, 12 Jon 1929
the other - and walk straight out and do it.
hundred in cash from the bedroom. Another nice 'earner~ In
stereo, mobile phone, a bit of
He and a mate would be in and out in five minutes. Got a T\ jewellery and a couple of
1'1 ,
I' a bad joke. 3
houses in Port and South Melbourne. Since he got pinched and sent to Pentridge he decided to give the whole game away as
three of four years he probably robbed a couple of hundred
";:
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References
,,-"'
Recentl named Ma Place Port Melbourne
Barnett F.O., Burt W.O. Housing the Australian Nation,
J
Research Group ofthe left Book Club, Vic, 1942
1931
Dunstan, D. Governing the Metropolis - Melbourne 1850-1891,
Melbourne, Alien and Unwin, Sydney, 1985
Davison, G., Dunstan, D., McConvile, C. The Outcasts of
Melbourne University Press, Vic 1978
Davison,~. The Rise And Fall Of Marvellous Melbourne,
Robertson and Mullens, Melbourne, 1940
Foundation of Settlement at Port Phillp to the Year 1938,
Daley, C. The History of South Melbourne, From The
Melbourne,
to a City 1840 to 1930, Vols 1,2 St. Kilda City Còuncil,
Cooper, J.B. The History of st. Kilda, - From its First Settlement
In 1997, a town house development at No 1-4 Bessiere Place, St. Kilda, won 'Best New Residential Development: 4-10 Units'
Athol Lodge, St. Kilda,
in the City of Port Phillp Design and Development Awards.
users in the community about the ramifications of disposal methods of needles and syringes. At times, members of the
Other strategies employed by the Council, include educating
community post notices in lanes, such as the one fixed to a The Award Citation states 1-4 Bessiere Place is an urbane townhouse development of four, three storey units in a
metal grill in a lane at the rear of the George Hotel in St. Kilda which reads, "Please do not use drugs here, as there are
ehiJdren in the area."
mews-type environment where the streetscape encouraged pedestrian priority. This development responds to the urban character of the area by merging the meeting points of the
houses are built in the lane at the rear of Athol
Dingle, T. and Rasmussen C. Vital Connections, Melbourne
Melbourne University Press, ViC,lg84
and its Board of Works 1891 - 1991, McPhee Gribble, 1991
landscaping
was also reinstated at the front of the house. In association
adjacent to 41 Acland St, Bessiere Place.
Lane Naming Competition It is one of the functions of Council to offcially name lanes -
may apply in writing to council to have their lane named.
and there are many that are unnamed. Residents of a lane
The Port Philip City Council policy for the naming of roads
(and lanes) states that Roods wil be named with names appropriate to the historical and cultural connections of the local area.
In 1997, as part of the lurking in lanes Project, The City of
the Competition was to name
Port Phillp, Art and Heritage Unit conducted a lane Naming Competition. The purpose of
Goes On - The History ofSt Kilda 1989
Upton, G. The George Hotel, St Kilda - A Narrative History Thesis Melbourne, 1998
Phillip, '995
the City of Port PhilJp, Exhibition Catalogue, City of Port
Art and Heritage Unit, Dredging Draining Dipping and Shipping - A History of the Foreshore and Low-lying Areas of
Study, City of Melbourne 1991
Strategic Planning Branch, Central Activities District, Laneway
U'Ren, N., Turnbull, N. A History of Port Melbourne, Oxford University Press, Melbourne, 1983
Hospital 1869-1969, Robertson and Mullens, Melbourne, 1969
Templeton, J. Prince Henry's - The Evolution of a Melbourne
Press, Vie, 1995
Priestly, S. South Melbourne - A History Melbourne University
Volume fi, '930- 1983, Hudson,
longmire, A. The Show
Laughton, A.M. (Government Statist), Victorian Year Book, 1908-09
'997
Kelly, W. Lif in Victoria 1853-1858, lowden Publishing Co., Vie,
Howe, R. (ed.) Fify Years of Public Housing in Victoria 19381988, Ministry of Housing and Construction, 1988
with these changes, Council resolved to name the Jane
built around 1884, and was recently restored.
lodge, at Number 41 Acland St, St. Kilda. Athollodge was
The town
builder was Hickory Developments.
of the predominant Art Deco and Edwardian styled, does sit comfortably with older buildings nearby. The architect for the development was Allom lovel! and Associates and the
public and private domains. The architecture, while not typical
Our Changing Lanes
Many lanescapes in Port Phillip have changed quite
lanes often provide a rear entrance to larger
considerably over the years. With recent government policies promoting urban density, and the attraction of living close to Melbourne, our lanes are seeing change as never before.
properties. These days, this land may be subdivided for dual occupancy, creating a new building with a front entrance
lanes, plots of land are generally narrower
facing the laneway.
In residential
and not as deep as those on wider streets. To achieve the requirements of 20th century living, alterations to a small
these alterations, such changes may compromise an
house may involve a second story, such as a first floor rumpus room or studio. Depending on the scale and style of
existing single story lanescape.
-Reserve Place In August i 997, in the lane off Stokes Street caled Reserve Place, a very old house, most recently used as a potting studio, sold for $280,000. The new owner intends to restore the property and replace the Hawthorne bricks,
that sometime in the past had been removed to alter a front window;
On the day of the auction, the auctioneer said that not long ago you just couldn't sell a house in a lane, but today
some ofthe unnamed lanes in Port Philip, and to encourage community members to investigate the historical and
the
cultural significance of an unnamed lane. The nine winners of the Competition had their proposed lanes offcially unveiled by a Councillor, at a lane Naming Party. Many of
applications received were founded on stories about
everybody's interested in "having a private street to themselves". He explained later that regulations had now changed regarding narrow streets: at one tie you couldn't get a mortgage for a lane house because if it were to burn down, you would be unable under building
respected neighbours or unique individuals connected in
strip of land.
together and celebrate their connections with a unique
some way with the lane. other applicants recognised the former landscape of a lane. The Competition and the parties were a special opportunity fo:r a community to come
regulations to put another in its place.
This would account for the fact that the many lanes originally faced with houses are now lined only with garages and back fences of adjoining properties. Toward
lane. One hundred
the end of the 19th century there were two brick houses and four timber ones in this small
years later there is just the one (although a second house is now being constructed). PAT GRANGER
1 Upton pm
I
i
Installations Subdivision - First R.O.W.s amd Homes
of Port Philip
Surveyor Commander Henry L. Cox R.N.
9 Survey
A Laneway Experience '998 Rebecca Eames with Grades 5 and 6 students of Galiee
the Parish at Prahran
Port Phillp City Collection
sepia photograph
Fitzroy Street
'864
12 Melbourne Terrace
Latrobe Collection. State library of
Victoria
Wilbraham F. E.liardet 1799 -1879 photographic reproduction from the original watercolour
1862
11 A Blrds Eye View of St. Kilda Beach
Port PhiJlp City Collection
lithograph
'857
W. Colbs, lithographer
Crown lands Offce, Melbourne Victoria
10 Part of
St. Kilda Hil
La Trobe Collection, State Library ofVlctoria
'864
Primary School, South Melbourne
copy of original map
shoe boxes and mixed media 2 View from a Back Fence
'998 Rebecca Eames with students from Graham Street
Primary School. Port Melbourne cardboard and mixed media
1998
3 Maps Overlay Installation Examining changes in the lanescape from 1842 to the current day ink on acetate
1998
4 Photographic Installation
Imelda Dover and Melissa Hayes c%ur laser copies on street signs
Early Development
5 Geological Survey of Victoria
c 1872
13 View at St. Kilda
engraving
Department of Public Lands
'864 reproduction
St. Kilda Historical Soclety Collection
Port Philip City Collection
15 Plan No. 84, St. Kilda and Brighton Melbourne Metropolitan Board of Works 1904 reproduction
Port Philip City Collection
Wrn H. Cropper Auctioneer
30 May,8S3
the Parish of Prahran
14 Plan at Allotments No.s 12 and 13. County of Bourke, in
Elwood
Port Philip City Collection
6 Plan of twenty two urban allotments in the Parish of
South Melbourne County of Bourke. for a vilage to be called 5t, Kilda
'842 reproduction Port Phllip City Collection
'855
7 Plan of Sandridge Township
reproduction Port Phllllp City Collection
1888 by Sutherland
Published in 'Victoria and its Metropolis: Past and
8 Canvas Town, South Melbourne Present'
Depicts the Canvas Town ofthe early
1850'S
hand coloured engraving Port Phlllp City Collection
16 Receipt for the making of the lane between Beach Avenue and Vautier Street Elwood 30 September 1927
laser copy from the original Courtesy Fred and Val Walsh
between Beach Avenue and Vautier Street, Elwood
17 Account for the construction of a right-at-way 5 September 1927
laser copy from the original Courtesy Fred and Val Walsh
18 Elwood House, Elwood
after 1880
photographic reproduction of watercolour and photograph insert. Port Philip City Collection
19 Thalassa Estate, Elwood
13 May 1922 notice of subdivisional auction sale Courtesy Don Taggart
13 May 1922
20 Thalassa Estate, Elwood
Courtesy Don Taggart
sale notice
ridge
looking west from the Balaclava bridge
Courtesy of Elwood College
21 Coach house at rear of Elwood House '997 photograph
Balaclava 22 Carlisle Street,
1862 Sydney W, Smith
photograph Port Philip City Collection
Port Melbourne 23 The Township of Sand
'859 Port Philllp CIty Collection
lihographic map
Emerald Hil
24 Petition addressed to the Mayor and Councillors of
Emerald Hil from residents of Coventry Place 28 April18n Re: changing the name of Coventry Place
Port Phllllp City Collecion
25 Letter to the Chairman and Councilors of the Municipal District of Emerald Hil
Victoria
of Allotment 12 for the making of Coventry Place
18 October 1856 Agreement to alienate 16' x 165' ofthe Western portion
Port Philip City Collection
1998
ridge
26 Streetscape - existing cottages
ph.t.graph
27 Emerald Hil and Sand
c.187째 Charles Nettleton
La Trobe Picture Collecion. Stae Library of
reproduction photograph
Lanes as Drains
28
ridge, Victoria Sand '874 After Nicholas Chevalier by Godfrey Published in Australia Ilustrated 1874, representing
Port Phlillp City Collection
Melbourne in the 1850'S steel engraving (hand coloured c. J990)
29 Plan of rlght-of-way of Farrell and Nott Streets,
Port Melbourne 9 August '884 Now Rowans lane, named in the lurking in lanes Lane Naming Competition in 1998
ink and watercolour on paper
Port Melbourne Historical and Preservation Society Collection
drainage or sewerage
30 Team of men in Princes Street Port Melbourne. repaIring
1933
Courtesy of Berryl (nee) Brown
photograph
r
31 Installation of stormwater pipes and replacement of 41 Plan of rlght-of-way, Peckvile Street between Albert and Clark Streets, Port Melbourne
16 October 1888 ink and watercolour on paper
bluestone surface channel. C.1990
photograph Port Phillip City Collection
1887
1887
Squalor and Nuisance - Sewerage, Sanitation and Disease
Sewerage
S1 Letter from the Titan Manufacturing Company to the Town Clerk of South Melbourne 15 August 1901 Re: the pรงior standard of pan replacement Port Phitlp City Collection
52 letter from Mayne's Sanitary Appliances Co. to South
Melbourne Town Clerk
20 March 1902 Port Philip City Collecion
53 Night Hatches
Street, Port Melbourne
1998 1. Nfght hatch formerly at rear of house in Stokes
2. Rear of Little Finlay Street, Albert Park
two photographs S4 All England Eleven Hotel
Image date unknown The first building connected to sewerage in Melbourne, on 17 August 1897 Port Phillp City Collection
photograph
ss Cesspit excavation
6 November 1997
286 Rouse Street Port Melbourne three photographs Courtesy Peter Llbbis
Nott and lalor Streets, Port Melbourne
Port Philllp City Collection
,897
City of St. Kilda, Detail Plan No.
1366
56 Melbourne Metropolitan Board of Works ink and watercolour on paper
50 Plan of little Evans Street 14 March 1893 ink and watercolour on paper Port Phllip City CollectIon
Sanitation
Port PhllJlp City Collection
49 Plan showing alterations to the right-of-way off
Port Phillp City Collection
20 April
of Dow Street
48 Specifications for the making of rlght-of-way
Port Phllip City Collection
20 April
47 Plan of right-of-way off Dow Street on Section 5
'998 photograph
46 Peckvile Street
Port Phllllp City Collection
1889
of Peckvlle Street, Port Melbourne
45 Document Indicating shares of payment for the making
Port Philip City Collection
of Port Melbourne 22 February 1889 Re: payment for the making of Peckville Street
44 letter from A. Dubbledan to the Mayor and Councilors
Port Phlllp City Collection
43 Letter to the Mayor and Councillors of Port Melbourne , July 188g Re: the level of channels being laid in Peckville Street
Port Philllp City CollectIon
For the formation of Peckvile Street Port Melbourne
4 June 1889
42 Tender Contract No. 523
Port Philllp City Collection
3:Z lanes as drains igg8 . three photographs
33 Drains and drain grils
,gg8 three photographs 34 Pipes running into lanes 1998
three photographs
Lane Making - "A Particular Strip of Land"
3S Report from Gilot and Bates for the City of South Melbourne May 141895 Re: liability of Council for damages arising from
injuries sustained in Cromwell Place Port PhiUip City Collection
36 letter from Gilot, Craker, Snowden and Co to F. G. Miles,
Town Clerk South Melbourne, 11 October 1887 Re: the ability of Council to take over lanes or R.O.Ws
reserved out of private property, and have them made public highways Port Phillp City Collection
37 Church Street, Port Melbourne C.1935
photograph Facing a wall of the Methodist Church Port Phlllp City Collection
38 letter to Surveyors Offce
13 November 1888
Re: Church Street off Nott Street, Port Melbourne Port Phtlip City Collecion
S9 Rubbish bins
'998 three photographs
January 1949
60 Facts About St. Kilda City
Port Philip City Collection
pamphlet
61 Garbage truck and 'wheelie' bins 1989
Port PhlUlp Cly Collection
four photographs
6:z Inkerman Street Depot c.1930
PortPhillip City Collection
ph.tograph
pr" '947
63 Street cleaners, St. Kilda
Port Phillp City Collection
photograph
Disease
The University of Melbourne Medical HIstory Museum
64 Monaural Stethoscope
The University of Melbourne Medical History Museum
65 Llebreich's Ophthalmoscope set
66 Durhams Tracheotomy set
The University of Melbourne Medical History Museum
Surgical instrumentation used in the treatment of diptheria
1900 ~ 1950'S
67 Brunton's Auriscope
The University of Melbourne Medical History Museum
68 Certificate from the Queen's Memorial Trust to the Council of the City of St. Kilda
colour print, ink on paper
,897
Port Philip City Collection
1 February 1886
69 Memo for the Inspector of Nuisances from the Port Melbourne Oficer of Health 1888
Port Philip City Collecion
57 letter from Wiliam Birch
Re: the deplorable state behind Khartoum Terrace
39 letter to the Mayor and Sanitary Committee '891
Port Phillp City Collection
Port Phillp City Collection
70 Letter from J. C. Knight to the Sanitary Inspector, South Melbourne '9 January 1902
Re: Church Street off Nott Street, Port Melbourne
Port Phlllp City Collecion
8 August 1907 Offering his services to collect waste
58 Letter from John J. Turner to Mr Miler, South Melbourne City Destructor
Port Melbourne Historical and Preservation Society Collection
40 Plan of Church Street, Port Melbourne 13 November 1888 ink and watercolour on paper Port Phillip City Collection
~
1921
71 Regulations relating to the Destruction of Rats Department of Public Health, Victoria Health Act 1919 Port PhllUp City Collection
72 Leter from Felton Cirimwade to the Town Clerk,
South Melbourne 30 March 1900 quote for prices
- Offering a sample of Phosphorous Rat Paste and Port Phillp City Collection
the consumption of tuberculosis-infected
The Milk Trade and Health 73 Dangers of
milk
78 Blueprint map of Montague copy
C.1960 laser
Port Phllllp City Collection
79 Children In Ferrars Street 1946/47
photograph Courtesy K. Rowan
80 Letter from residents of Gladstone Street to the Mayor and Councilors of the City of South Melbourne Re: nuisance due to blocked drain in Doran Street
28 August 1901 Port Philip City Collection
81 City Surveyor's Report 17 November 1937
Housing and Reclamation Scheme report re: Gladstone Street and Montague Street
cow's
Mid 1920'S
Port Philip Cit COllection
Tin Pot Alleys 82 House in Tin pot Alley, South Melbourne C.1935
phot.graph the Department of Human Services, Information
Resource Centre
Wil Dyson
pen and Ink drawing Courtesy Prahran Archives, City of Stonnington
Front Door or Back ,Gate - living, Working and other 'Goings-on' In Lanes
McArthur Place, South Melbourne Courtesy
83 Prefabricated iron house erected in Patterson Place, South Melbourne
C.1933
87 Washing Day, tub used as copper
F. Oswald Barnett photograph and slide collection South Melbourne phatograph
Courtesy the Department of Human Services, Information Resource Centre
88 Port Melbourne house at rear 15/~p/w C.1935
photograph
Courtesy the Department of Human Services, Information Resource Centre
(,'935
8g Montague Place, off Dorcas Street, South Melbourne
photograph
Resource Centre
Courtesy the Department of Human Services, Information Resource Centre
go View from Convery Square to the rear of houses facing York Street C.1935
Information Courtesy the Department of Human Services.
ph.t.graph
Towers
Courtesy the Department of Human Services, Information Resource Centre
photograph
C,1935
gl Three children with dolls
Park
92 Park Towers
c.1880
Produced by the Housing Commission, Victoria
'969
74 Congested housing off Dorcas Street showing the yard of 4 McArthur Place. 1936
Port PhiUip City Collection
photograph
Summer
the Housing Commission of
1959
93 Home Truth
Port Philip City Collection
information pamphlet
From Housing Investigation Board
1998
84 Dwellng in Patterson Place, possibly a clad tin house
ph.tograph
Published by
pamphlet Port Phillip City Collection
94 View over South Melbourne,
from Park Towers c.1970 Port Phillp City Collection
photograph
Port Philip City Collection
laser
Showing the site of Park Towers, before redevelopment copy
c.1960
96 Blueprint map NO.16 of South Melbourne
Port Phllllp City Collection
photograph
C.197째
from Park Towers
95 View over South Melbourne to Melbourne,
Victoria
phot.graph Stae Library ofVlctorla COllection
75 Patrick Rowan and his four sons C.1923
photograph Courtesy K. Rowan
Slum Clearance Date unknown
85 Report
T.J.W. Kenny Health Officer, Public Vaccinator, Examiner
Mantague 76 Streetscape
South Melbourne
C.1930
Port Phillip City Collection
under the Factories Act Re: overcrowded house premises at 33 Little Park Street,
Buckhurst Street, Montague, between Montague Street and Kerr Street
Courtesy the Department of Human Services, Information Resource Centre
photograph
(,'933
86 South Melbourne, Convery Square
series of three photographs cape
Port Phillip City Collection
1998
77 Streets
Buckhurst Street between Montague Street and Kerr Street
four photographs
DairIes
Port Phllllp City Collection
97 Map of South Melbourne indicating the location of dairies In the district in 1902
the Inspector of Dairies by the Health
Offcer Or Norrls
98 Report of
19째2 Dairies in South Melbourne
Compiled by Adalr 8unnett
Indicating the location of some dairies in the early 1900'S
99 Map of Port Melbourne
Port Phlllp City Collecion
c.191o
100 Morris Bros Dairy
Port Philip City Collection
photograph
101 Stuart Dairy Delivery Cart
C.194째 W R Stuart with 'Goatie' the horse
Port Melbourne Historical and Preservation Society COllection
ph.tograph
102 Stuart Dairy Delivery Cart
W R Stuart with second horse after 'Goatie' (no name)
C.1950
Courtesy Glen Stuart
photograph
103 Milk bottle, one Imperial Pint with cardboard top Woodruff Dairy
Port Melbourne Historical and Preservation SocIety Collection
glass and cardboard
104 Milk bottle, half pint with cardboard top Woodruff Dairy
Port Melbourne Historical and Preservation Societ Collection
glass and cardboard
105 Milk bottle opener
Used to remove the cardboard tops from milk bottles metal
Courtesy Fre and Val Walsh
106 Five accounts from Rosebank Dairy 1929 & 1930 Dairy formerly located in Moray Street, South Melbourne
Port Phillip City Colledion
107 Ledger June 1941 - March 1947
Gladysdale Dairy records
Courtesy Glen Stuart
Early - mid 1900'S
108 Note spike
For messages to be left for dairy drivers, on the stable door
metal Donated by Mr Barry to the Port Philip City Collection
109.01d Dairy
Stables and Garages
"9
Pawnbrokers
Kay Rowan
1998 Montague Street, near City Road
127 Pawnbroker's sign
1873
photograph
22 North Elwood Street and South Elwood Plan No. Street from the Plan of the Borough of St. Kilda
Showing the George Hotel stables
J.E.S. Vardy, Surveyor
120 Stable buildIngs
Port Phllip City Collection
Rear 380 Montague Street, South Melbourne; Coventry
1998
Charles Nettleton Bay Street shops showing lane next to the pawnbroker
1969
Fiona Maclaine As seen from the laneway off Clarendon Street, parallel to Bridport Street photograph
reproduction photograph
The Glee Club
Port Phillip City Collection
newspaper report
Jane Kenrick, Emerald Hill, Sand
129 Bluestone lane stolen June 181992
Thieving from Lanes
Port Phlllip City Collection
128 Bay Street Port Melbourne 1876
Courtesy Flona Maclaine
Moubray Lane, South Melbourne; Nixon Place, South Melbourne, in the yard ofthe former Caledonian Hotel five photographs 1998
iz1 Former stables now used as motor repair workshops Phil Wailer Motors, Middle Park Michael Motors, Ashworth Street (Scout hall above)
five photographs
Businesses and Shops on Lanes 122 Grocer shop on the corner of a lane
130 The Glee Club 1930'S
Port Melbourne Historical and Preservation Society
metal and enamel
Inscription on reverse: Presented to G Amy Esq. by the members
C.1930'S
131 Glee Club medallon
Port Melbourne Historical and Preservation Society
The All England Eleven Photograph taken at the back of Hotel, Princes Place, Port Melbourne. Jaser copy of photograph
ridge & St Kilda Times
Place, South Melbourne; Dalgetty Lane, St. Kilda;
110 Mr F. J. E. Morgan, Thistlewaite Street dairy
carts ready for the rounds c.1905
ph.tograph Port Phillip City Collection
Crescent, South Melbourne
111 Mr H. Morgan's Dairy premises at 36 Palmerston C.1905
photograph Port Philip City CollectIon
"2 Milk bottle, 600 ml Port Melbourne Historical and Preservation Society Collection
glass
"3 Milk Bottle, half imperial pint From the Amalgamated Dairies in Nth Melbourne glass
Port PhUlip City Collection
Date unknown photograph
two photographs
126 A business by a lane off Ormond Road, Elwood 1998
Courtesy lan MacOonald
125 Edwards Bras Shoeing Forge 1910 laser copy of photograph
Port Philip City Collection
phot.graph
c.1880 Emerald Hil
124 Mrs Adams outside her grocery shop
Port Phlllp City Collection
photograph
c.1880's
123 James Fraser, wheelwright, at John Parry's
Courte5Y Fred and Val Walsh
"4 Milk Bottle, half Imperial pint glass
1 Imperial pint
Courtesy Fred and Val Walsh
glass
115 Milk Bottle,
Courtesy Fred and vai Walsh
,,6 Page of memorabila from the Point Ormond Dairy: three cardboard bottle tops; order forms; Images of
copy
business card; photograph laser
Courtesy Don Taggart
"7 The former Woodruff Dairy site Corner of Bridge and Derham Streets, Port Melbourne.
1985 -1988
Port PhilJip City Collection
three photographs 118 Advertisement for the Ideal Dairy, High Street, St. Kilda 1954 In the Ruskin All-about Sf. Kilda, St. Kilda edition Port PhilUp City Collection
Lanes
Now
Pedestrian Access
132 Plan of right-of-way between Railway and Station Place, Port Melbourne
Port Melbourne Historical and Pre5ervation Society Collection
5 November 1879 ink and watercolour on poper
133 The right~of-way between Princes Street and Station Street, Port Melbourne
1989 -1998 The lane between Princes Street and Station Street, Port Melbourne
Courtesy Pat Grainger
selection of photographs
134 rlght-of-way between Railway and Station Place, Port Melbourne
two photographs
1998
Nameplate
135 Victa
Courtesy Pat Grainger
Rear gate of 231 Princes Street, Port Melbourne
136 Victa nameplate and the cat's lane entrance
Courtesy Pat Grainger
photograph
137 Wedding Procession in a Lane, Port Melbourne The wedding party of Maree and Marcus Davidson
three photographs
1989
Courtesy of Pat Grainger
National Theatre, cm Barkly and Carlisle Streets
138 Walk between Fitzroy Street and the rear of the
1998 six photographs
Prostitution in Lanes
139 Fitzroy Street at Night 1986
The Age
Port Phillp City Collection
photograph
(.1986
'40 Corner of Acland Street and Eildon Road The Age
phot.groph Port Phllip Ciy Collection
'4' WorkIng Girl/Working Boy #24
Victoria
Published by the Prostitutes Collective of
,Autumn '997
magazine Courtesy the Prostitute Collective of
Injecting drug use in Lanes
Courtesy The Health Information Exchange st. Kilda
Victoria
'42 Equipment supplied to injecting drug users 143 Sharps container
At the Children's Adventure Playground between Eildon Court and Neptune Street, St Kilda Sign at the rear of the George Hotel, St Kilda
two photographs
'998
Our Changing Lanes '44 344-346 Dorc3s Street 1998 Retirement Vilage, 18 units. Developed by the
Ministry of Housing and Construction in 1993 ph.t.gmphs (1998) and plans (1993) City of Port Philllp
'997
'45 Bessiere Place
award citation, lane naming documents (1996) ond photographs (1998) City of Port Phillp
'46 Recent residential developments in lanes and small streets 1998
laser copies of photographs CIty of Port Philip
Lane Naming Competition
'47 Panels as displayed at the lane naming parties
Rossetti Lane, Felix Lane, Bell's Lane, Florence Lane,
1998
media
Rowan's Lane, Farrier Edwards Lane, May Place, Lagoon Lane, McLarty Lane mixed
Tribe Street, South Melbourne
City of Port Phillip
,886
148 Lane off
Named McLarty Lane in the Lurking in Lanes lane naming competition, 1998 Map Port Phillp City Collection
Unless other wise stated, contemporOlY photographs dated
7998, are by Melissa Hayes and Imelda Dover
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