This article concludes the story previously posted of Claude Nuttall, a Cheltenham boy. He joined the Australian Army as a twenty year old and served in France, where he was awarded the Military Medal and later wounded. Claude met an English girl while in hospital and married her in a small village church. He later returned to France, where he was killed. For some time he wrote a diary in which he described some of the actions on the Western Front. Read how this diary was returned to the family in Australia.
Leo Gamble writes of a railway siding that no longer exists at Mentone Station. It was a focus of attention for several businesses, where materials like coal, briquettes, and building supplies were delivered. It was from this siding that a spur into Caudwell’s timber yard and joinery was constructed in 1913, and trains bringing spectators to race meetings were parked.
Nathaniel Levi's dream was to drain the Carrum Swamp, plant sugar beet, manufacture gin, and employ 1500 individuals. Nathaniel Levi’s dream was not realised, but for a time local residents and people trying to earn a living on the swamp were enthusiastic about the proposal.
A very long title which still did not cover all the events that took place at the show. Check out some of the people who attended, the winners, and where the show was held from 1897 to the 1920s.
Leo Gamble writes of the tussle between Mordialloc Council and Albert Lydford in his desire to build a grand theatre at Mentone. It was finally built on the corner of Point Nepean Road and Balcombe Road in 1928. He built other properties in Mentone but his entrepreneurial activities ceased when he became financially bankrupt after the Great Depression. He died at his home at 60 Balcombe Road Mentone in 1946.
Tom Sheehy wrote the story of the Keys family in 1979. He tells of the careers of members of the Keys family, who were early pioneers in what became Keysborough. John Keys, a son of George, was an engineer for both Moorabbin and Dandenong Shires and became a member of the State Parliament. Some of the land owned by members of the Keys family became part of Braeside Park.
This story, written by Barry Tilley, is about the Ball family whose members for a time were residents of Cheltenham and Mordialloc and active in community events. John and brother William were the first to leave Cornwall and to travel to Melbourne. “While working in Maldon John was fined 2/6 for leaving his horse and dray unattended while refreshing the inner man at the Royal Hotel”.
Pioneer Settlers was written by Tom Sheedy thirty nine years ago when he was the History Officer for the City of Moorabbin. It contains the names of 119 settlers who were petitioning for a local Post Office and some whose descendants still live in Kingston today.
An Experimental Farm at Cheltenham was established as a result of the urging of local members of the Promotion of Rural Industries Committee as part of their ploy to encourage rural industries. The farm was created on four acres of Joseph Wedd’s eleven acres property on the corner of Centre Dandenong Road and Point Nepean Road (today Nepean Highway). There experiments were conducted into the use of various fertilizers, and the growing of particular plants. They tested a colourfully named set of potatoes including Carmen, Sutton’s Abundance, Black Prince and Windsor Castle Of the various fertilizers available, stable manure and super phosphate gave the best results but ploughed-in pea plants (green fertilizer) was also found to be beneficial.
Leo Gamble recalls the sound of the hooter at Prince’s Laundry that announced the commencement and conclusion of the days work. Founded in 1905, the laundry provided work for local people, served the needs of local hospitals and guest houses which attracted visitors to the district. By 2005 it employed 400 staff and processed 25 million kilos of linen each year.
