Saturday, March 28, 2020

Enrico Catani - life on his farm at Kyneton

Enrico Ferdinando Catani was born January 19, 1891 - he was Carlo and Catherine's third child. He was Killed in Action in France on July 29, 1916. You can read about his military service in his entry in the book War Services of Old Melburnians here. I have also written about his military service and his time as a student at Melbourne Grammar and Dookie Agricultural College in this post, here. Enrico was a talented sportsman and you can read his sporting exploits, here. In this post we will look at his career as a farmer and his time in the Kyneton before his enlistment on May 28, 1915.


Life of Promise cut short - Lieutenant E. F. Catani
The Herald August 26 1916  http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article242387087

Enrico studied for three years at Dookie, from 1910 to 1912. He then took up a farm, Glenvale, at Pastoria East near Kyneton. The address of the farm is also listed as Baynton. The 1914 Electoral Roll has Enrico's address as Pastoria East, but the clearing sale notice (more of which later) has the farm at Baynton - which is north east of Pastoria East.

I had wondered how Enrico, an new graduate, could afford  a farm, and the answer was found in this newspaper report of a meeting of the Kyneton Shire. In the Correspondence it was reported that they had received a letter from Mrs Catani, of Wyndham.  Clearly this was actually from Mrs Catani, of Wyndham - the name of their house, in St Kilda. In the letter, below, she complained about a neighbour,  George Hamilton, who fenced off  some of her property which had a frontage to Jew's Harp Creek. But she also told us that she had bought the property for her son. So that explains how Enrico could afford his own farm.


Mrs Catani's complaint to the Kyneton Council
Kyneton Guardian, January 11 1916 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/129591953

Once Enrico moved to the area he was soon involved in the community life - he played tennis, cricket and football for local teams (read more here.) He was also a member of the Kyneton Agricultural Society and was elected to the Committee in March 1914 (1).  Enrico also joined the Kyneton Twenty Club This club seemed to originally consist of twenty members and I presume the club was like a service club as it did good work and showed excellent results. By August 1915, ten of the original twenty members had enlisted  so the membership of the Club was a relatively young group of men (2).

Dances were a popular activity and in August 1914  a group of Kyneton men sponsored  a dance at the Mechanics' Institute and one of these men was Enrico.  A report said the weather was beautiful, the floor as smooth as glass, the music beautiful and the hosts most attentive to the pleasure of their guests.  One of Enrico's sister's is listed amongst the guests (3).

Before Enrico enlisted he was a member of the Kyneton Citizens Forces, part of the 66th Infantry headed by Captain Hurry.  Enrico was a Lieutenant. George Hurry, born in 1884 in Kyneton, had also attended Melbourne Grammar. He was Killed in Action on October 18, 1917. Enrico was clearly suited to military life as he had been a Cadet at Melbourne Grammar.


Enrico as a Melbourne Grammar cadet.

All this life of community service and activity in the Kyneton area came to an end when he enlisted in May 1915.  Enrico's time at Kyneton was short but his impact was great. This is from a  touching obituary in the Kyneton Guardian  - There was an ache in many hearts in Kyneton district on Saturday afternoon when, it became known that Lieutenant E. F. Catani on July 29 had fallen on the field of honor in France, for during the three years or so that he had lived in the district he had gained many firm and steadfast friends. Overflowing with kind-hearted friendliness, a true sport, with an intense joy in life, playing the game, a true comrade and a staunch friend, interest in his life's work and keen to do his duty to the land in which he was born and which his father had adopted as his own, Lieut. Catani seemed to have life before him ; but that was not for him, the "destined will," and so when duty called "he went but returns not." There seemed to be a feeling in many minds in Kyneton that "Puss" Catani would not return. He was so full of keen daring, so eager to be in the thick of the fray, so ready to look in the bright face of danger and laugh at it. (4)

Enrico had attended St Paul's Church of England in Kyneton and a memorial service was held for him and two others in September 1916. The service was conducted by Archdeacon Bishop who said this about Enrico - Lieut. Catani had spent a few years only of his early manhood amongst them and had earned a reputation for kind heartedness and cheery helpfulness, manliness and pluck, and to him death was an end to an honorable career (5).


Memorial service held for Enrico
Kyneton Guardian September 5, 1916 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/129597869?


After Enrico's death his father Carlo had the sad task of putting the property up for sale and this he did a mere four months before his own death  on July 20, 1918. I presume a manager was employed to keep the farm operating during Enrico's absence and after his death, The clearing sale was held on March 15, 1918, and the property had already been sold. The advertisement (6) for the clearing sale gives us some idea of Enrico's farming enterprise and household.

Live Stock: 150 comeback and crossbred ewes (young); Three rams (Corriedale); 22 mixed weaners; Two wethers; about 100 full-mouth comeback ewes (mouths guaranteed), pure Lincoln rams joined February 1st; One young mare, supposed in foal; One aged mare; One horse, five years old; One colt, two years old.

Implements: One McCormick reaper and binder (good); One drill; One 3-furrow plough; One set 3 leaf harrows; One waggon; One dray; One buggy; One buggy (new by Hoyle Bros.); One horse-works; One chaffcutter; One forest devil; Sundry tools.

Furniture, Etc.: Single and double beds; stretcher; chest drawers; chairs; sofa; table; sideboard; lamps; cooking utensils; crockery etc.

The day before Enrico was killed, Carlo had received a cable message from  him (7) with just three words - Well: Busy: Love. This sums up Enrico's life  - Well: athletic, happy and healthy.  Busy:  busy with social, community and farming activities. Loved: loved by his family, loved his family, loved by his friends and loved by his community.


Trove list: I have created a list of articles on Trove relating to Enrico's life in the Kyneton district. You can access it here.

Footnotes:
(1) Kyneton Guardian March 24, 1914, see here.
(2) Kyneton Guardian August 14, 1915, see here.
(3) Punch August 20, 1914, see here.
(4) Kyneton Guardian August 29, 1916, see here.
(5) Kyneton Guardian September 5, 1916, see here.
(6) Kyneton Guardian March 12, 1918, see here.
(7) The Herald August 26, 1916 see here.

Friday, March 6, 2020

Enrico Catani - life on the sports field

Carlo's son, Enrico, enlisted on April 28, 1915 and he was Killed in Action, fighting in France, on July 29, 1916 (1). Enrico was a keen footballer and cricketer and all-round sport...... He was  overflowing with kind-hearted friendliness, a true sport, with an intense joy in life, playing the game, a true comrade and a staunch friend, interest in his life's work and keen to do his duty to the land in which he was born and which his father had adopted as his own according to his obituary in the Kyneton Guardian of August 29 1916 (see here)  His obituary was titled Dead on the field of honor, a fitting headline for a man who spent time on the football and cricket field.


Melbourne Grammar's Football team 1909. Enrico is back row on the left.
Weekly Times  June 19, 1909  http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article222258328

In June 1909, Enrico, was photographed with the rest of the Melbourne Grammar Football team, he is shown above, standing on the far left.  In July just after this photograph was taken the team went to Adelaide to play intercollegiate football. They played three matches against the School of Mines, St Peters College and Prince Alfred College. Against the School of Mines Enrico, who played on the wing, was listed as a good performer (2) and as one of their most prominent players (3). Against Prince Alfred College he was described as one of Melbourne Grammar's best players (4).

In 1910,  Enrico was at Dookie Agricultural College and played in the football team which was in a competition with local teams - in a match against Devenish he was reported as playing some nice football (5).  When he was at Dookie he also competed at the Sports Day in the 100 yards foot race. Enrico also played Lacrosse for a Melbourne Grammar team when he was at Dookie. There is a report in May 1911 that he played, and scored a goal, in Section C of a Lacrosse league based in Melbourne (6). After Enrico finished at Dookie College, he graduated in 1912,  he farmed a property at Baynton, near Kyneton, where he played both football and cricket. In 1913,  he was playing football  for the Old Collegians  and he did many fine things on the centre wing (7).  In February 1914, Enrico played cricket in a Kyneton vs Farmers match - so the town versus the local farmers. Enrico batted at No. 3 for the Farmers team (8).  Also in 1914, in days of calm until the Great War blew their lives apart, Enrico and other members of the Kyneton Tennis Club played against the 'Mucklebah' Club from St Kilda, who travelled up to Kyneton for the matches. Kyneton won the tournament which consisted of four doubles matches (9). I don't know the significance of the name 'Mucklebah' - the St Kilda team was possibly just a group of chaps that Enrico knew from his school days at Melbourne Grammar.

 After his death at the age of 25 his obituary in The Age noted that he was well known as an athlete (10). The Kyneton Guardian had this tribute to Enrico and his fellow footballers - It is now some considerable time since the turf on Barkly Square has been disturbed by footballers but to hear the shouts of the barrackers for ......Kyneton, turned one's thoughts to the good old days when the "older bloods'' hearing the same name played such a prominent part in the football matches on Barkly Square. Most of them now are playing the greater game "some where in France," whilst Leslie Powell, Charlie Fincher. "Puss" Catani, Harry Grant, etc., have made the supreme sacrifice for "Australia and Liberty." Who could witness a football match on Barkly Square without feeling  a thrill of admiration for these fine, manly fellows; admiration now doubly keen because they have played so well in the last great game of all (11). 

....................................................................................................................................................................................
Footnotes - 
(1) You can read about Enrico's military service here in his entry in War Services of Old Melburnians. My post, see here, about his connection to Archer Peck also has information about his military service as well as his school days.
(2) The Argus July 8, 1909, see here
(3) Adelaide Express & Telegraph July 8, 1909 see here
(4) Adelaide Register July 14, 1909, see here
(5) Benalla Standard July 1, 1910, see here
(6) The Herald, May 5, 1911, see here.
(7) Mount Alexander Mail August 15, 1913, see here
(8) Kyneton Guardian February 19, 1914, see here
(9) Kyneton Guardian July 28, 1914, see here
(10) The Age August 28, 1916 see here
(11) Kyneton Guardian May 21, 1918, see here

Trove List - all the articles quoted in the post, plus others relating to Enrico and his sporting activities are in a list I have created on Trove, access it here.