Pioneer Settlers

In 1853 citizens living outside the Brighton area petitioned for the establishment of a post office in Moorabbin. Sheehy, writing in 1979 reported, "This petition, although successful only after three years of discussions, was signed by practically every pioneer in the Cities of Moorabbin, Sandringham and Mordialloc. The names form something of a comprehensive pioneers’ register covering those who took up residence here within two years of Victoria gaining severence (sic) from New South Wales, and many of them are known today merely as street names." The listing below of the petitioners is in the same order as they originally appeared.

It was in 1857 that the Postmaster agreed to establish three post offices in the district to the east and south of Brighton. Robert Hitchen was distributing mail from his boot and shoe store on a site diagonally opposite the current site of the Cheltenham Post Office in Nepean Highway. William Peel was carrying out similar duties at the ‘Double Lagoon’ general store opposite the municipal buildings in Nepean Highway, Moorabbin and E Aitchison was handing out mail from a tiny annex of his small home in East Bentleigh.

"Prior to the establishment of these post offices people had to walk or ride a horse to the General Post Office in Flinders Street, Melbourne, to pick up their letters and parcels. Normally they would call at the small Brighton Post Office on their way as mail at that time played something of a game of hide and seek with those who anxiously awaited deliveries. … Each month, page after page of unclaimed letters were listed in the Government Gazette, clearly indicating that the mail delivery service left a lot to be desired." Sheehy (1979).

A M Betties (late Lieutenant to H M 35th Regiment)
Alfred Burgess
Alfred Docwra
Alfred Young
Arthur Buckley
Benjamin Buckley
Benjm Meeres (Sth Brighton)
Charles Dunn
Charles Forcit
Charles G Knight
Charles Miller (Beaumaris)
Charles Torrers (late Lieutenant to H M 35th Regiment)
Charles Tuck
Crissen Buckley
Edward Earnes (Moorabbin)
Edward Perry
Edwin Taylor
Frederick Plumridge
George Barber
George Bate
George Bates
George Beazeley
George Gomm
George Hirms
George Howes
George Hughes
George Warburton
George Waslinton
Hector Munro
Henry Comport
Henry Ebeneser Shedland (Sth Brighton)
Henry Gomm
Henry Hilliar (Beaumaris)
Henry McKittrick
Henry Portars
Henry Smith
Henry Thorne
Henry Willard
Henry Young
Isaac Jeffreys
James Banfield
James Banfield
James Bate
James Boxshall
James Dawborn
James Duncan
James Hinnerty
James Scott
James Simpson
James Watt
Jesse Morley
John Barlow (Beaumaris)
John Bertram Skinnards
John Blencowe
John F Backhouse (Sth Brighton)
John Holdsworth
John Jelley
John Magee
John Meighen
John Miller Junior (Sth Brighton)
John Miller Senior (Sth Brighton)
John Pearce
John Ross
John Stryants
John Suttcliffe
John Tyler (late Lieutenant to HM 35th Regiment)
John Vine
John Weatherill
John West
John Whittle
John Wilkinson
Josh Freeman
Josiah Preston (Moorabbin)
Maria Illingworth
Mary Ann Tilley
Nicholas Le Page
Peter Cooney
Phillip Purcell
Richard Boss
Richard Fairlam
Robert Chapman
Robert Gough
Robert Mundy
Sam Bowden
Samuel Beaton
Samuel Brownfield
Samuel Hall
Samuel Judd
Samuel Thatcher
Sarah Illingworth
T Knight
Thomas Butler
Thomas Curley
Thomas George
Thomas Middlemiss (Cheltenham)
Thomas O'Neil
Thomas O'Neill
Thomas Porter
Thomas Walker
Thomas Woods
Thos Finnerty
Ts Simmons
William Clayton
William Darcy
William Fairlam
William Fields
William Green
William Kappell
William Miller
William Moore
William Price
William Ruse
William Seals
William Thomas Robinson (Sth Brighton)
William Watts
William Wraight (Beaumaris)
W'm Bally (Beaumaris)
W'm Howes

Barrie Gregg’s South Brighton Hotel, c1888 on the corner of South and Nepean roads.