The Governor plants two Palm Trees at White Cliffs

In October 1909 the Governor of Victoria, Sir Thomas Gibson Carmichael, toured the Mildura area and the new settlement of White Cliffs (which was soon to be renamed Merbein). At White Cliffs the official party inspected the irrigation works and pumping station and then the Experimental Farm, where various types of produce were being trialled.

On October 21, as the Mildura Cultivator reports - 
While at the Experimental Block His Excellency performed the ceremony of planting a couple of Palms, one on each side of the main entrance. The holes had been dug and the trees (well-grown Date Palms) were held in place while the Governor shovelled in some of the loose earth which was lying conveniently by. A certain amount of joking went on while this work was in progress and willing hands held the trees in position while equally willing feet trampled the earth around them.

An interesting incident occurred here, when a little two-year-old boy was brought forward by his mother and told to go and help the Governor plant the tree. The sturdy little chap was nothing loth and grasped the shovel with both his chubby hands, evidently feeling that he was doing some serious work. The inevitable photograph was taken. (1)

The sturdy little chap was Master Robinson; I wonder how his life turned out.

The Governor plants a California Fan Palm on the Experimental Plot, White Cliffs : 

Master Robinson lends a hand.  

The Australasian, October 30, 1909 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article139214932

A report in The Argus (2) noted that the trees planted were two Californian fan palms, rather than date palms and the Merbein Historical Society website concurs, that they were indeed two Californian Fan Palms (Washingtonia filifera). The Historical Society website, has a recent photograph of the Palm Trees (see it here) and also tells us that -

Today, the two palms on Channel Road, across the road from the rear of the Merbein P-10 College, still survive and are a testament to the success and resilience of the Merbein settlement which was one of the first State owned Pumped Irrigation Settlements in Victoria. (3)

The State Library of Victoria has six images of the Governor planting the Palm Trees, taken by Victor Hood, two of which are shown here. You can view the others, here. 

The Governor planting a Palm

His Excellency Planting Commemoration Palm, White Cliffs Nr Mildura, 1909.  

Photographer: Victor Albert Nelson Hood.

State Library of Victoria image H36531/18/23

The Governor, and the little two year old boy, Master Robinson,  planting a Palm.

His Excellency Planting Commemoration Palm, White Cliffs Nr Mildura, 1909.  

Photographer: Victor Albert Nelson Hood.

State Library of Victoria image H36531/18/27

Footnotes
(1) Mildura Cultivator, October 27, 1909, see here. 
(2) The Argus, October 22, 1909, see here.
(3) Merbein Historical Society https://www.merbeinhistoricalsociety.org.au/merbeins-foundation-palms.html

The Palm Trees in Gahan Reserve, Abbotsford

Gahan Reserve is a small park in Park Street, Abbotsford and has seven Canary Island Date Palms (Phoenix canariensis), plus a much larger number of Plane trees. (1)

The Park was established in 1903, as this report from the The Age tells us -
With a view to adding an attractive lung to the city of Collingwood, Cr. Gahan (the mayor) moved in the local council - "That this council dedicates, for the use of the public, the reserve at the rear of the town hall as a park, and that the public works committee be requested to have the trees planted as soon as the land is prepared." The land was cut through by the railway. The western margin, immediately behind the town hall, has been taken up by the bowling club, the Abbotsford Tennis Club and the Collingwood Quoit Club. The portion now to be planted is about four acres, having a frontage to Park-street, and running along Vere-street on the north and Stanley-street [sic] on the south. Cr. Gahan suggested that about 150 trees should be planted, and diagonal pathways cut from the four corners. Cr. Cain seconded the motion, which was carried. (2)

MMBW plan of the area from 1901, showing the Council land, behind the Collingwood Town Hall, which became Gahan Reserve. Stanton Street, was later extended across to Park Street, possibly in 1906 when Gahan Reserve was landscaped. 

Detail of Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works detail plan. no. 1313, City of Collingwood, 1901,

 from the State Library of Victoria, see full plan here https://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/117687

Three years later, in 1906, The Age could report that -

The Collingwood council has just completed the ornamentation of a new reserve at the back of the town hall, in pursuance of its policy of making improvements where practicable in the city. The reserve is a little under five acres in area. It is bounded by Park, Vere and Stanton streets and the railway line, and unfenced. There are eight cultivation plots, all graded to an elevated star shaped centre, with rock borders and recesses for fourteen substantial wooden seats. About 100 plant trees have been distributed over the ground, and it is contemplated by Cr. Rain (chairman of the public works committee) to have the four winding paths from the corner to the centre lined to form shady and picturesque avenues. (3)

It is likely that the six Palm Trees were planted at this time.  I don't believe that the reserve was initially called Gahan Reserve, and the first reference I can find to the term, Gahan Reserve, is 1908. (4)  It was named for Cr John Gahan (1851-1916). This is from his obituary -

The death of Cr. John Gahan, which occurred at his residence, 'Langi Koort' Heidelberg-road, Ivanhoe, early on Saturday morning, has deprived Collingwood council of a most useful member. Cr. Gahan was the 'father of the council.' He was elected as far back as 1887, when the city was first divided into wards. After his initial contest for Victoria ward he invariably had a 'walk over.' Cr. Gahan was very nearly a foundation representative on the Metropolitan Board of Works, having served for 24 years in that capacity, during which time he was vice-chairman. He was also a member of the Manchester Unity Order of Oddfellows and was a prominent Mason, having passed through all the degrees in the Earl of Carnarvon lodge. 

Cr. Gahan was born in 1851 in London, and with his parents landed in Victoria on New Years day, 1854. He was at the time of his death an estate agent in Abbotsford. Cr. Gahan had not been in good health for some time and after being prostrated for several weeks, he died from heart failure. He leaves a widow, six sons and a daughter. One of the sons, Studley Gahan, is in the A.I.F. fighting for the Empire and was in the famous landing at Gallipoli. The funeral of Cr. Gahan took place yesterday afternoon, and was very largely attended, there being 500 people present at the Boroondara Cemetery. (5)

The only two historic images I can find of Gahan Reserve are 1950s aerial photographs, taken by the company Airspy. They are shown below.

Gahan Reserve, behind the Collingwood Town Hall, March 8, 1951.

Photographer: Airspy. State Library of Victoria image  H2010.91/417. 

See the full photograph here https://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/4223658

Gahan Reserve, March 23, 1957.

Aerial view of residential streets, Collingwood. Photographer: Airspy. 

State Library of Victoria image H2010.91/457. 

See the full photograph here https://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/4325234

In 1919, there was a proposal to spend £2,000 to erect a kiosk and rotunda in the centre of Gahan Reserve. (6)  These did not go ahead, but it was, however, still an attractive park without these additions and a vast improvement on its original state, as The Herald reported in June 1924 - 

Much time and money were expended on bringing Gahan reserve to its present attractive condition. This reserve, which is at the rear of the municipal buildings and alongside the local railway line, was once a waste on which, as members of the Capulet and Yarra Yarra clubs, the late Harry Trott, an Australian XI, captain, his brothers and others learnt to play cricket on hard and rough wickets. (7)

Some of the park land was later used for an Infant Welfare Centre, which cost £1,500 and opened on August 5, 1927. (9)  Interesting that if these figures are correct, how much cheaper it was to build the Infant Welfare Centre than the kiosk and rotunda. The Infant Welfare Sisters had previously operated out of a room at the Town Hall (9) and the new Centre was an immediate success. As The Age reported -

since the fine new centre was opened last year in Gahan Reserve the sisters have been able to give still more effective help to the mothers, and there have been 461 new entries on the roll of the centre. The total attendances of babies at the centre during the past year were 6673, and 46 individual expectant mothers have been advised: 1174 visits were paid to homes. (10)

That's a lot of little babies, who I am sure all appreciated the beauty of the well landscaped Gahan Reserve, and especially the six Palm Trees. 😀

The Gahan Reserve Palm Trees and the Infant Welfare Centre

Image: https://melbournelocalista.com.au/listing/gahan-reserve, with photo credit given to 

Fairly Moon: https://maps.google.com/maps/contrib/116090308450787816101

Footnotes

(1) Victorian Heritage Database - Gahan Reserve

 https://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/places/103954

(2) The Age, June 10, 1903, see here.

(3) The Age, May 1, 1906, see here.

(4) Darling Downs Gazette, December 15, 1908, see here; the next use of the term I could find was in a real estate advertisement in The Age of October 12, 1910, see here. [ad is at the top of the sixth column]

(5) The Age, July 31, 1916, see here.

(6) The Herald, October 11, 1919, see here.

(7) The Herald, June 18, 1924, see here. 

(8) Weekly Times, July 30, 1927, see here; The Age, August 3, 1927, see here. Victorian Heritage Database - Infant Welfare Centre - https://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/places/87899

(9) The Herald, June 8, 1927, see here.

(10) The Age, July 27, 1928, see here.

Palm Trees in Mildura

Mildura is a town on the Murray River, established in the late 1880s by the Chaffey Brothers, who introduced an irrigation scheme which turned the land into a productive agricultural area. The town was a planned town, well laid out and the main street was Deakin Avenue, named after Alfred Deakin who, before he became Australia's second Prime Minister, was a Victorian politician. In 1884, Deakin  chaired the Victorian Royal Commission into Irrigation and the same year he met the Chaffey Brothers in California when he went there to investigate irrigation. (1)  Mildura is a town with many Palm Trees, some planted soon after it was established.  Here are some newspaper articles which refer to Palms.

Palm Trees at Rio Vista, Chaffey's Homestead at Mildura, c. 1915.

Photographer: August Muller

Museums Victoria 

https://collections.museumsvictoria.com.au/items/772877

In July 1913, Mrs Emily Pelloe wrote to the Mildura Cultivator regarding the proposal to remove gum trees in Deakin Avenue and replace them with palm trees. Mrs Pelloe described these gums as the finest straight double row of sugar gums in Australia. She also wrote that -
It is suggested that palms be planted in their place. Now palms, though certainly handsome in some situations, are very stiff, monotonous in color, and entirely lack the graceful beauty and dignity of the gums, with their changing tints; besides being quite useless in comparison, for shade purposes. Many a horse (and motor car, too, if it could) would regret the change, not to speak of the many men, women and children who, by the use they make of it, greatly enjoy the shade of these trees in the hot summer months. (Mildura Cultivator, July 12, 1913, see here)

A letter in response noted, inter alia -  It will now be opportune to deal with Mrs Pelloe's sweeping but naive indictment of palms in general and I might ask where she obtains her information that all palms are stiff and monotonous in outline or lacking in umbrageous habit? Has she seen the palm (Jubaca Spectabilis) with which it is proposed to plant four equidistant rows in Deakin-avenue, and, if so, has she seen it in its proper climatic zone and can she possibly describe it as lacking in grace or beauty? I am greatly afraid from the tone of her remarks that her knowledge of palms beyond the few representatives of the order to be seen here, and the coddled specimens further south, is painfully limited. (Mildura Cultivator, July 16, 1913, see here)  

The editor of the Mildura Cultivator made this comment at the end of the second letter - Our correspondent has the courage of his opinion and a good amount of solid reasoning on his side, but he will not get many supporters of the proposal to remove the Deakin-avenue gums.

Date Palms at Mildura, c. 1908.

State Library of Victoria image H90.140/1066

There were, however, palms in other locations in Mildura, in fact in 1920, the Mildura Council decreed that they must be planted. L. Jacob wrote to the Council asking permission to remove pepper trees from his block on the corner of 11th Street and Benetook Avenue. - Permission granted, provided palms were planted in the breaks. (Mildura Telegraph, February 6, 1920, see here) . 

The issue came before the Council again, the next year - 

Street Trees -  Council Control of Private Planting. Are Palms a nuisance? The question of citizens planting palms in front of their residences is to be discussed by the Mildura Borough Council, as it is considered that some uniform plan should be adopted, so as to make the avenues more attractive. At present different species of palms might be planted in the avenues, and detract from the attractiveness of the thoroughfares. Certain kinds of palms do not grow well in Mildura, and some adapt themselves to the climate excellently.

At Thursday night's meeting of the Mildura Borough Council a letter was received from Mr. A. F. Brown, asking permission to plant palms in front of his residence in Lime Avenue. Cr. R. M. Black said that some regular plan should be carried out with the planting of palms. Other councillors inquired whether the palms were to be planted right along the avenue, and were answered in the negative.

Cr. J. W. Washington pointed out that Mr. Brown was doing his bit to beautify the street. Others would not do their share, and perhaps the borough could not afford to plant the avenue with palms at the present juncture. The Town Clerk said the gardener had a number of palms available at the recreation reserve, which he was holding for extensive planting. Cr. Henderson submitted that the council should refer the matter to the Parks and Gardens Committee; Cr. Black said that it was a policy matter: other councillors asserted that the fan-palm was a nuisance and dangerous in town, and so the matter was deferred until a further meeting could consider it. (Sunraysia Daily, March 15, 1921, see here)

Deakin Avenue, Mildura, c. 1940s.

Photographer: Murray Views. State Library of Victoria image H2017.26/542/8

In 1920, there was this report about street trees, which notes that the Palm Trees in Mildura were 30 years old, hence planted around 1890 -  

Mildura has many imposing lines of trees, some of them far from the business centre; but the most strikingly picturesque are the stately rows of palms that the pioneers planted so generously and tended so religiously. Yanco, modelled in so many of its features upon Mildura, has some promising avenues of baby palms; but Mildura's are twenty to thirty years old, and, having found a congenial soil, they have come to a noble maturity. (Mildura Cultivator, June 5, 1920, see here)

Five years later in 1925, there was this report on the trees in Mildura's main street,  Deakin Avenue -

Mildura streets were laid out at right angles with a chief boulevard, Deakin avenue, 13 miles in length and 200 feet wide, admitting of ornamental tree and palm planting, which has been carried out by the early founders. Ample reserves were set aside by Chaffey brothers for churches, hall, reading rooms, schools, parks, gardens and the like. (Sporting Globe, May 13, 1925, see here)

A month later was this report on the same issue - trees in Deakin Avenue in the section between Eleventh and Twelfth Streets. The council desired some months ago to plant this particular section with date palms, owing to the excessively salty soil having killed the gum trees which had been placed there. (Sunraysia Daily, June 26, 1925, see here)

The Gardens, Deakin Avenue, Mildura, c. 1940s, perhaps showing some of the 424 trees of all varieties planted in 1934. 

Photographer: Rose Stereograph Co. State Library of Victoria image H32492/6933

In 1934, there were two reports of landscaping work on Deakin Avenue and we learn why Deakin Avenue was so wide and thus ideal for tree planting -

Deakin Avenue Plantation.  In the designing of Mildura, the Chaffey brothers made ample provision for the future needs of the district by providing wide roads. Deakin Avenue was designed for an electric tramway to serve the immediate settlement. With the introduction of motor transportation, that need does not now exist. But the Chaffey brothers gave Mildura a boulevard which is outstanding. The beauty of that road, with its centre plantation of trees and gardens, is to be extended by the work that is now in progress from Fourteenth Street toward Seventeenth Street. The Mildura Shire Council controls that section, which is being laid out in small plantations. It is proposed to plant 424 trees, which will include sugar gums, palms, jacarandas, umbrella cedars and Cape chestnuts. The completion will be a further step towards the ideal of an avenue of trees extending from Red Cliffs to Curlwaa bridge. (Sunraysia Daily, May 28, 1934, see here)

Work On Gardens. The following work was reported by the parks and gardens committee of the Mildura City Council last night: Fences were removed in Deakin Avenue on the sections of the central plantations from Eighth Street to Ninth Street, and a rockery was constructed around the bandstand. The section from Twelfth to Thirteenth Streets was fenced, and palms and wattles were planted. Palms and wattles were planted in the centre of Orange Avenue from Ninth to Eleventh Streets, and missing trees on the river frontage park were replaced with others. A section in Deakin Avenue, opposite "Sunraysia Daily" office, was planted with selected shrubs, and new beds were laid out at the railway reserve. (Sunraysia Daily, September 14, 1934, see here)

This 1938 report is not about Palm Trees, as such, but rather the name of Palm Avenue - 
A suggestion that Palm avenue, in which the late W. B. Chaffey lived, should be called Chaffey avenue was made yesterday by the town clerk (Mr T. J. Nihill) at a meeting of the works committee of the city council. He said that the proposal had been made by a visiting bowler, who had commented upon the failure of the council to name one of the principal thoroughfares after the city's founder. The suggestion was regarded favourably by councillors, and it was decided to investigate the matter at a later date. (The Argus, May 12, 1938, see here)

In 1951, the Mildura Cultivator reported on pioneer Palm Tree planters -
Pioneer who grew palms. The death on Tuesday of Mrs Amelia Ann Mahy at her home in Deakin Avenue severed another link with the history of the settlement of Mildura. She was the wife of Mr T. J. Mahy. Mr and Mrs Mahy came to Mildura in 1891 and purchased land on Morpung Avenue. They planted fruit trees, and at the same time beautified the avenue with a line of palm trees. Ten years later, Mr and Mrs Mahy and family returned to their homeland in Guernsey Channel Island where his people had bred stud Guernsey cattle for export to America for generations. In 1911, the family returned to Mildura and took up land on Deakin Avenue. Mrs Mahy always had an active interest in production of dried fruits and citrus. She is survived by her husband two sons and two daughters. (Sunraysia Daily, December 27, 1951, see here)

Palm Trees at the Grand Hotel, Mildura, c. 1960s.

The Grand Hotel is on the corner of Langtree Avenue and Seventh Street.

Photographer: Rose Stereograph Co. State Library of Victoria image H32492/381

Footnote

(1) Victorian Places https://www.victorianplaces.com.au/mildura

The Palm Trees of Elm Avenue, Elsternwick

Elm Avenue in Elsternwick runs from the Nepean Highway to the Sandringham railway line. It was part of the Garden Vale Estate subdivision, first sold in 1882. (1)

The Highway end of Elm Avenue now has the big car yards on both sides.  In 1955 there were eleven residences on the north side of the Avenue, there are now four; there were five residences on the south side, plus the Garden Vale Tennis Club; there is now only one, the Repton Court Flats. Repton Court Flats border Marmara Drive, named presumably for George Marmaras listed in the 1955 Sands and McDougall Directory of Victoria (see below).  If it wasn't named for George Marmaras, then it is very much a coincidence. (2) Marmara Drive was established as a private road around 1962. (3)

Elm Avenue residents in 1955

Image: Sands & McDougall's Directory of Victoria, 1955

 (on-line at the State Library of Victoria)

Also listed in the 1955 Sands and McDougall is Mr Robert Smith at No. 8 Elm Avenue. In January 1953, his son Daryl was bitten by a snake and this misadventure was reported in The Herald -

Snake or rat bite - A snake or a large rat bit a 5-year-old boy while he was playing in Elm Avenue, Elsternwick, today. The boy, Daryl Smith, said he thought a rat had attacked him, but doctors at Elsternwick and the Alfred Hospital, believe two punctures on his left thigh were made by a snake. They gave him a snake serum injection.

Daryl's home is near a railway line and tennis courts fringed by long grass. He and other children were sitting on the ground near a palm outside his house when he was bitten.

Daryl's father, Mr R. W. Smith, said his son came home crying and complained of a "stinging pain" in his left thigh. "The boy said he thought a rat had bitten him, but a local doctor told me he was almost certain the punctures were made by a snake," Mr Smith said. "He advised me to rush him to Alfred Hospital. We had him there in about 15 minutes. By that time, Daryl had stopped crying and said he could not feel any pain." (4)

The article mentions that young Daryl and his friends were sitting near a Palm Tree. This Palm Tree was one of twenty which once lined Elm Avenue. They were removed in December 1953, nearly a year after young Daryl was bitten by the snake

The twenty Palm Trees in Elm Avenue are clearly seen in this 1949 aerial (5)

The Repton Court Flats are next to the railway line on the top right; the Palm Tree in their front garden is still there. You can see the Garden Vale Tennis Club courts (the little dots are people playing tennis) on the right. 

Title: Part of Nepean Highway, from Glenhuntly Rd. to Bay St., 1949.  

Photographer: Aerial Survey of Victoria, published by the Department of Lands and Survey.

State Library of Victoria- see the full image here https://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/358991

The Herald, December 19, 1953 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article245028856

The Herald had this report of the removal of the Palms, under the headline - Elsternwick Protest on Tree "War" - 

Residents of Elm Avenue, Elsternwick, protested today to the Caulfield Council when workmen began removing 20 palm trees from their street. 

"There is no reason for it. The council is spoiling our beautiful street," Mrs R. Webb said. "I rang the council to protest but they said the trees were interfering with power and telephone lines and had to come out. The trees will be replaced with saplings but that does not help." Another resident, Mr P. Stevens, said, "If the council does not stop this, we will put them out at the next election."

A council employe [sic] said "The trees are poisonous and interfere with over-head wires. A council employe who was trimming the trees and was cut by a palm spike could not work for 11 months," he said. (4)

And that was the end of the Elm Avenue Palm Trees.

Footnotes

(1) Plan of the Garden Vale Estate, Elsternwick, 1882 - see plan at the State Library of Victoria  here https://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/161743

(2) Sands & McDougall's Directory of Victoria, 1955 (Sands & McDougall P/L, 1955)

(3) Marmara Drive does not appear  in the 1960 Sands & McDougall Directory,  but is in the 1965 Directory. Also I found the following advertisement in The Age of  May 19 1962, advertising brand new individual villa homes in Marmara Drive -

The Age, May 19 1962, p. 39 from Newspapers.com

In The Age from March 18, 1967, No. 2 Marmara Drive is advertised as being 3-years old and in a private court.

The Age, March 18, 1967, p. 42. from Newspapers.com

(4) The Herald, January 17, 1953, see here.

(5) To say I was excited to find this photograph and be able to identify Elm Avenue and then find the Palm Trees are shown so clearly, is an understatement!

(6) The Herald, December 14, 1953, see here.

The Palm Tree in the garden of the Lumeah Hospital in Flinders Lane

There was once a Palm Tree in Flinders Lane, in the grounds of the Lumeah Private Hospital, at 108 Flinders Lane, which is between Russell and Exhibition Streets. It was considered to be a landmark and photographs of the tree appeared, on occasions, in the newspapers. 

1931 - original caption - A Solitary Palm attempts to give Flinders Lane an eastern air.

Table Talk, March 19 1931 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article146708731

The Lumeah Hospital building was erected by Dr James Barrett and in 1905 Miss Garlick, relocated her Lumeah Private Hospital from Hoddle Street to the Flinders Lane (also called Little Flinders Street) premises. (1) Lumeah is Aboriginal for 'Here I rest.' (2)  

Dr James Barrett (1862-1945) was an Ophthalmologist, lecturer at Melbourne University (and later Chancellor), served overseas with the  AIF in the First World as the Assistant Director of Medical Services - Australian Forces and also served with the Royal Army Medical Corps. He was involved with the Red Cross; and with his sister Edith, established the Bush Nursing Association in Victoria. (3) 

Miss Garlick relocated her hospital to Flinders Lane

Weekly Times, October 21, 1905 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article225189222 

Lucy Garlick, the daughter of  the Reverend Thomas Boothroyd Garlick and his wife, Annie Agnes (nee Miles). She was born in Tasmania in 1848, where her father was a Convict Chaplain; she  died on July 28, 1919 at the  age of 71. The Hospital was then taken over by the Anderson sisters. Miss Garlick's obituary was in the Weekly Times - 

By the death of Miss Lucy Garlick, which occurred unexpectedly on Monday, the nursing profession loses one of  its most distinguished members. Miss Garlick was one of the first nurses in Melbourne to take up private hospital work as a branch of the nursing profession. With Miss Fitton, now in Sydney, she took charge of a private hospital for Dr. T. Rowan in the house in Collins place now known as "Normanhurst." For some years she had a private hospital of her own in Flinders lane. Miss Garlick joined the Royal Victorian Trained Nurses Association when it was established in 1901. She was the oldest surviving daughter of the late Rev. Thomas Boothroyd Garlick. The funeral took place this afternoon, the arrangements being carried out by A. A. Sleight. (4) 

Was it Miss Garlick who planted the Palm Tree in the grounds of  the Lumeah Private Hospital? I like to think so, but I have no proof. 

1933 - Strangely out of place  in a world of bustle and business, this lonely palm tree in Flinders Lane has a mute, sympathetic companion in the old buggy at the kerb.

Sun News-Pictorial, May 19, 1933 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article277589724 

There is some mystery as to what happened to the Palm Tree. The Sun News-Pictorial in October 1942, published this report, about it being senselessly destroyed - 

Landmark Tree Goes. The palm tree which stretched almost half-way across Flinders-lane, between Collins-pl. and Russell-st., from the front of a private hospital, was destroyed on Wednesday night

by vandals for a wager of 8/-. Eyewitnesses said yesterday that they saw three men making the bet on the footpath. Then the competition to break the stem began. It did not last long as the first man was successful. The palm tree has been a landmark for many years. (5)

1934 - From this angle  the palm tree in Flinders Lane lends an Oriental touch. It is located between

Collins Place and Russell Street.

The Herald, March 2, 1934 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article243308688

Dr Barrett died in 1945 and the Lumeah Hospital was sold was part of his Estate dispersal in 1947.  It was sold to the Post Master's General Department who were to demolish it and erect a telephone exchange. The Sun News-Pictorial reported on this sale in July 1947 -

The Hospital with the lone palm tree over the fence - Lumeah Private Hospital, in Flinders-lane - is to be closed although eight city doctors have asked to be allowed to buy the building and maintain it as a hospital. The Postal Department intends to acquire the property, which will be used as a temporary telephone exchange. (6)  

However the article was accompanied by this photo (below) of the Palm Tree, the very tree which was supposedly destroyed in 1942.

1947 - The Palm Tree

Sun News-Pictorial, July 24 1947 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article279222280

Were there actually two Palm Trees at Lumeah? All reports and images refer to the one palm; however looking at the 1947 image, above, perhaps another was planted in 1942 to replace the vandalised one (or it regrew from the broken stem, not sure if that is possible). It doesn't look as tall, compared to the hedge height, as the original one. 

The final reference I could find to the Flinders Lane Palm Tree was in the Cobram Courier. Cobram is near the New South Wales border, so that is far the Palm Tree's fame had spread - 

Near the top of Flinders Lane a palm tree sticks out over the footpath. It is an unusual sight so much so that every now and again a picture of it appears in one or other of our illustrated weeklies with a comment upon its singularity. It has become a land-mark, and everybody whose business takes him up that end of the city knows it. It grows in the little front garden of a private hospital, which has been there for very many years, but both the hospital and the palm are doomed, for the post office intends to acquire the building to erect an exchange on it.

The doctors concerned are very upset over the matter, and as a result of interviews with authorities there was a chance that some other site would be selected. It appears they were given an option to purchase the spot and retain it as a hospital, but the transaction involved the purchase of an additional adjacent block. This has made the price prohibitive, and at the time of writing it looks as if the deal will fall through. If it does it will not make the hospital shortage more acute than it is, but will lead to the disappearance of the little lone palm for which everybody in the neighborhood has formed an affection. (7) 

So that was the end of the landmark Palm Tree and the Lumeah Hospital building in Flinders Lane.

Footnotes

(1) Weekly Times, October 21, 1905, see here  

(2) Endacott, Sydney J. Australia Aboriginal Words and Place Names and their meanings (Georgian House, 9th edition 1955)

(3) James Barrett (1862-1945) Australian Dictionary of Biography entry by S. Murray-Smith  https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/barrett-sir-james-william-64 

(4) Birth information  Tasmanian Archives https://libraries.tas.gov.au/slat/ . Anderson sisters - The Age, January 7, 1927, see here.  Miss Garlic death notice - The Argus, July 29, 1919, see here; obituary - Weekly Times, August 2, 1919, see here.

(5) Sun-News Pictorial,  October 2, 1942, see here.  

(6) Sun News-Pictorial, July 24 1947, see here.  Barrett Estate sale -  The Herald, April 23, 1947, see here; Sun News-Pictorial, April 24, 1947, see here; Attempts to save the hospital - The Age, August 27, 1947, see here; Sun News-Pictorial, October 20, 1947, see here.

(7) Cobram Courier, October 10, 1947, see here

Palm Trees in Flinders Street, near Banana Alley

There are four  Palm Trees in Flinders Street, between the Flinders Street Railway Station and  Banana Alley. This existing Flinders Street station building, opened in 1910, spans Flinders Street from Swanston to Elizabeth Streets. Banana Alley  is the railway viaduct in Flinders Street between Elizabeth and Market streets was designed by William Henry Greene, chief engineer of the Victorian Railways, and built in 1891-92 to link Spencer and Flinders Street stations..... Early tenants including fruiterers associated with the nearby Western Market gave the vaults their colloquial name. (1)

The Palms were planted in late 1911 or early 1912, and they are still growing. I have found the following historical photographs of the Palms, the main subject of the images was the railway yards, of course. 

This photograph is from February 1912 and shows the newly planted Palm Trees. 

Caption: Flinders Street Viaduct that is to be duplicated - The bird's-eye view shows the course of the viaduct. Commencing in the west end of the Flinders-street station-yard, it runs thence in a curve across Market-street to the Fish Market. This it encircles, crossing the bridge over Flinders-street (seen in the distance) and on to Spencer-street.

The Australasian, February 24, 1912. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article143327305

Three of the Palm Trees, 1910s.

Elevated view along Flinders Street, Melbourne, looking over railway yards, Yarra River and wharves, c. 1910-1920. Photographer: Lyle Fowler, Commercial Photographic Co. 

Harold Paynting Collection, State Library of Victoria image H91.40/391.

 https://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/145719

The Palm Trees, c. 1920-1925

Flinders Street looking west, from an elevated viewpoint, c. 1920-1925. Photographer: Kerr Brothers. 

State Library of Victoria image  H99.100/64. https://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/42954

Elevated view of the Palm Trees, 1920s or 1930s

Flinders Street Signal "A" exterior showing Flinders Street yards looking west. 

Public Records Office of  Victoria, Railway negatives Photographic collection VPRS 12903/P0001, 039/11

https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/613D1414-F822-11E9-AE98-B95D512B65CC?image=1

Two of the Palm Trees, c. 1930s

Melbourne Rail Yards. Photographer: Victorian Railways. 

State Library of Victoria image H92.301/319. https://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/74481

The Palm Trees in c. 1938

Flinders Street, Melbourne, c. 1938. Photographer: Rose Stereograph Co.

State Library of Victoria image H96.200/282

The Palm Trees, 1954

Flinders Street Station Yard looking east along retaining wall.

Public Records Office of  Victoria, Railway negatives Photographic collection VPRS 12800/P0003, ADV 1954

https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/AF1E0463-F821-11E9-AE98-6F9D5F157F4D?image=1

Footnote

(1) Banana Alley by Andrew May eMelbourne https://www.emelbourne.net.au/biogs/EM00151b.htm

Palm Trees - ghastly and ugly

It appears that not everyone loves palm trees as much as I do. In 1939, The Argus published a few articles and letters urging Melburnians to 'banish ugliness' by painting houses, railway stations, shops, factories and offices. There was also the following letter suggesting that Melbourne could rid itself of palm trees to banish ugliness, especially from small domestic gardens. 

Banish Ugliness.
Sir - Banish Ugliness is an excellent slogan and in my opinion we might begin with the palms and banish them. In large grounds and parks palms look very well but in small gardens they are out of 

place shutting out as they do light and air from the windows and taking nourishment from the borders. The hideous leggy variety, lifting its little tuft of dirty leaves to high heaven is merely a blot on the landscape and many an otherwise beautiful little garden is ruined by these monsters. Melbourne should be a picture in November with its wealth of early flowers but it will look a great deal lovelier if we get rid of the palms which never would be missed."
Yours, &c, FLORA. Hawthorn (The Argus, August 4, 1939, see here)

The letter writer, above, was not the only person critical of palms in small domestic gardens. In 1950, Professor J.T Burke gave a lecture on 'Ghastly Melbourne'. The report of the lecture is transcribed in full and as well as the palm tree, the Professor also disliked the Spanish Mission style of architecture, which I really like. It appears, then, that my taste is basically ghastly.

Where Melbourne's Good Taste Was "Ghastly"
Melbourne's "architectural anachronisms," "atrocities" and "incongruities" suffered under verbal thunderbolts shot by the Professor of Fine Arts (Professor J. T. Burke) at Melbourne University last night. Provocatively entitled Ghastly Good Taste In Victoria, Professor Burke's lecture dealt pungently with the mistakes of the past and constructively with what should happen in the future. He said the "ghastly good taste" to which he referred was not confined to one particular country or State. The decline of taste which occurred in the nineteenth century was no worse here than in England, France or the United States. The distinguishing feature was historicism - the imitation of a variety of historical styles, none of which had any valid relation to the present.

Turkish Delight

The first group of phenomena in the boom phase could be classified under the broad title of "Turkish delight." To illustrate the architectural confusion and indecision that prevailed, Professor Burke showed lantern slides of suburban homes in which the Morrocan clashed with the baronial and other foreign styles of design and ornamentation.

Professor Burke amused an audience of 400 people with his description of the evolution of the Spanish Mission style of house. "This," he said, "originated in California, swept the United States, crossed the Atlantic to England, leaped across the Channel to France, and finally penetrated into Spain itself."

Early Gems
After praising the fine bluestone buildings erected by the first generation of Australians, Professor Burke said that the second generation seemingly labored under the delusion that this was a tropical climate. Enthusiasm for the eastern Mediterranean was not confined to architecture. Palm trees were planted." There is no sadder sight than the single solitary palm tree in the small suburban gardens of Melbourne," he commented.

As the high-water mark of ghastly good taste in Victoria, Professor Burke listed the Flinders-street railway station, facing beautiful St. Paul's Cathedral. The railway yards effectively ruined what could be one of the most magnificent views in any city in the world. He advocated adoption of a plan for a green belt and the setting up of a national trust for Victoria. (The Age, October 19, 1950, see here)

The National Trust was established in New South Wales in 1945 and in Victoria in 1956. A green belt was incorporated into the planning scheme in 1971, with Rupert Hamer, then Minister for Local Government and later Premier of Victoria, credited with the initiative. And we are lucky some of it still remains, with the ever increasing push for development at all costs which drives many current politicians. 

Professor J.T. Burke was Joseph Terence Burke (1913-1992).  As noted in his Australian Dictionary of Biography entry by Sheridan Palmer - In 1946 Burke became the inaugural Herald professor of fine arts at the University of Melbourne. The first of its kind in Australia, the position was instigated by Sir Keith Murdoch and established with a gift from the Herald and Weekly Times Ltd. Burke was expected to promote the appreciation of art in both the university and the wider community. You can read the rest of the entry here https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/burke-sir-joseph-terence-16323

When I find a suitable photograph of a palm tree in a small garden, I will post it. I will also add any other criticism of palms trees, if I find it, but I hope I don't!

James Jackson's Date Palms at Tibooburra

In March 1911, the Barrier Miner, a newspaper published in Broken Hill, had the following report and photograph -

Mr. Jackson, of Tibooburra, has two date palms growing on his property, which now bear, in season, a good crop of fruit, as may be seen in the picture. The trees are about 20 years old, and are about 15ft. high. For many years the trees have been unproductive, on account of the owner not knowing how to inoculate the flowers of the female tree. This information was however, obtained from an Afghan, and now it is expected that quite two hundredweight of fruit will be obtained from one tree.

As the Tibooburra trees have been 20 years in reaching their present height, it would seem that the trees shown in one of the Crystal Theatre pictures some time ago, which were of great height, certainly not less than 50ft., must have been very old trees, unless they belonged to another variety. If the date palm will flourish at Tibooburra, as appears to be the case, there is no reason why its cultivation should not be successfully carried on at Broken Hill. (1)

Mr Jackson's Date Palms

Barrier Miner, March 29, 1911 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article45155385

Tibooburra is a small town in north west New South Wales, 330 kms north of Broken Hill, and 140 kms from Cameron Corner, where New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia met. It was gazetted in 1881 and its growth was a result of the discovery of gold nearby at Mount Browne;  it was also on the intersection of coach and stock routes. Soon after 1881, a Post Office and Police Station were established followed by a School in 1885, a Courthouse in 1888 and a Hospital in 1890. (2) 

Tibooburra in 1925 - as Mr J.B. Jackson would have known the town.

State Library of New South Wales image16A0WQon

A few months later, in June, they had a follow up report, as some locals were sceptical that dates could be grown in Australia - 

Tibooburra Dates. Samples at "Miner" Office - To the average Australia, the date is known only as an exceedingly sweet and sticky preserve that comes from the East in closely-packed blocks, and which some people can't eat with confidence for fear of getting the toothache. 

Residents of Tibooburra, however, and especially those who have visited Mr. J. B. Jackson's residence there, know a little bit more about the origin of the date than that. They know that the date fruit grows on tall palm trees, for Mr. Jackson has some of these trees on his property, and they are thriving exceedingly. Some time ago "The Miner" published a description of these date palms, accompanied by an illustration of the trees. But even then there were people who refused to believe that the date-palm, as grown at Tibooburra, would bear fruit in season. In order that any such sceptics might be put to confusion, and that those desirous of seeing the date in its natural, unpressed state, Mr. Jackson has forwarded to "The Miner" a sample of the ripe fruit, and also a spray of the fruit in the ripening stage. The fruit is healthy-looking, and said to be a good specimen of the product of the date palm. The samples may be seen at "The Miner" office. (3)
 

In April 1914 another photo of Mr Jackson's Date Palms appeared in the newspapers .

Original caption: Date Palms in Nearing on Mr. Jackson's Property, Tibooburra. 

(Each bunch weighs about 351b. or 401b.)

The Australasian, April 24 1914 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article143320837

Tibooburra dates were also displayed in the office of the Western Grazier in Wilcannia and the newspaper had this report -

Dates from Tibooburra.- We have received a well-grown sample of this luscious fruit grown in Tibooburra by Mr J. B. Jackson. The fruit is well-matured and very ripe, and clearly demonstrates the fact that this semi-tropical plant will flourish and produce good marketable dates in these dry regions. The sample also includes a spray of the fruit in the ripening stage. The tree is evidently a prolific bearer for we are informed a huge quantity of fruit has already been sent to Adelaide and Broken Hill, and still about 100lbs remain. Mr Jackson has other trees growing, but the fruit referred to has all been produced by the one palm. The date tree appears to grow readily in the West, there being a few trees in and around Wilcannia but we have never heard of any fruit being successfully grown locally. This is due no doubt to some want in the proper cultivation of the palm. One tree in particular has been bearing tor years, but the fruit does not mature and some hundred weight of half-grown fruit go to waste every year. This we think is owing to the plant not receiving the pollination necessary to the life of the young fruit. We compliment Mr Jackson on the success he has attained in regard to date culture, and the practical object lesson he has given us, and must certainly give Tibooburra the "cake" as far as date cultivation id concerned. Some day perhaps the question of growing the date palm in numbers will be seriously undertaken, and then Tibooburra should become as famous for its dates as Mildura is for its raisins. As our Tibooburra friends seem to think some doubt existed in Wilcannia as to the fact of dates growing there, we have placed the sample fruit on view in our office window which should convince those who were inclined to be a bit sceptical. (4)

Dates were never grown commercially in Tibooburra, despite Mr Jackson's pioneering efforts. All that remains now is to discover who Mr J.B. Jackson was. He was usually referred to by his initials and I couldn't pick him up in the Electoral Rolls, so I looked on Trove and found a reference in 1893 to him being the herdsman at the Tibooburra Common.

Mr Jackson, Herdsman.

New South Wales Government Gazette, October, 17, 1893 [Issue 724],  p. 8131. 

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article222197903

The next year, 1894, James was appointed as the Poundkeeper at the Tibooburra Pound, and the notice listed his full name - James Bennet Jackson.

Mr Jackson appointed Poundkeeper

New South Wales Government Gazette, September 18, 1894 [Issue 617], p. 5923.

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article220937473

Now I had the full name of  Mr James, we could find other information - he was born in Ararat in Victoria in 1859 and married Mary Agnes Cecilia Fenton in Adelaide in November 19, 1881 - he was 23 and Mary was 19 years of age. They were the parents of Lillian Helen (born 1882), Theresa Maud (1883), Archibald (1884), Clarence James (1885), Evaline Sylvia (1886), Percy Doyle (1888) - all born in South Australia. The family then moved to Tibooburra and had more children - Norman (1890), Reginald Edgar (1891), James Bennett (1891), Harold Francis (1892) and Letitia (1894). (5) A few years after arriving in Tibooburra Mr Jackson planted his Date Palms.

Harold, the youngest son, enlisted in World War One in February 1916; at the time he was a 23 year old station hand; his return home to Tiboonurra was reported in the Barrier Miner. (6)

Harold Jackson returns home

Barrier Miner, July 17, 1919 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article45522635

James's wife Mary  died at Tibooburra on January 5, 1934, aged 71, survived by only five of her children. (7)

Death notice of Mary Jackson

Adelaide Chronicle, January 25, 1934 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article92352229

James Bennet Jackson died on February 27, 1944. (8) This is his obituary from the Western Grazier and it notes that he had a nice garden, ornamented no doubt by his Date Palms.
Tibooburra. Death of an Old Resident - The death of a very old and well known resident of Tibooburra occurred on Friday week last when when Mr. James Bennett Jackson passed away at his home on the northern end of the township. It was by accident that the death was not reported in our last issue. The late Mr. Jackson was well over the three score and ten mark and had been for decades one of the the district's chief residents, interesting himself in all its public affairs. In recent years Mr. Jackson, in view of his advanced age, had been less prominent, but to the end displayed interest in the district's development.

Mr. Jackson knew the whole district very thoroughly, and had served on the Hospital Board. In that Institution he was particularly interested. He had been active in years past in connection with the local school and water supply. He was a trustee of the Tibooburra Common for many years and a herdsman. The late Mr. Jackson took an active part in mining work and prospecting in the district. His home was on the northern end of the township and here for many years he had a nice garden. Deceased's wife died a good many years ago. Daughters are Mrs. Pritchard and Mrs. Stockdale. Both are well known and have reared families here. (9)

Footnotes
(1) Broken Hill Barrier Miner, March 29, 1911, see here; another report was in the Wilcannia Western Grazier on March 18, 1911, see here.
(2) https://tibooburra.org.au/about/

(3) Broken Hill Barrier Miner, June 26, 1911, see here.

(4) Wilcannia Western Grazier, June 10, 1911, see here.

(5) Index to the Victorian Births, Deaths and Marriages; Genealogy SA database   https://www.genealogysa.org.au/ ; Index to the New South Wales Births, Deaths and Marriages. Norman, born 1890 is listed on Ancestry.com family trees, but I cannot actually find any official reference to his birth or his stated death date of 1905.

(6) Barrier Miner, July 17, 1919, see here.

(7) Adelaide Chronicle, January 25, 1934, see here. 

(8) I can't find a death notice, but there was an In Memoriam notice in the Barrier Miner of February 27, 1945, see here.

(9) Western Grazier, March 10, 1944, see here.