The St Kilda Foreshore Committee matched the Council's contribution and donated £750 (2). The Prahran Telegraph reported on how the rest of the finance would be obtained - Town Clark, Mr F. Chamberlin (3) , explained that the rest of the money would come from allocations of local carnivals in past years [where] there is available the sum of £635; Messrs. H. F. and L. Phillips, of the Palais de Danse, have promised a donation of £50. The article goes on to say that although there will be no direct appeal for subscriptions voluntary contributions would be gladly received by the Town Clark, St Kilda. (4).
The competition received 46 entries and they were assessed by Thomas Buchan (5) President of the Royal Victorian Institute of Architects. In July 1930, he selected, and it was accepted by the St Kilda Council, a design in the Italian Renaissance style by Geelong Architect, Norman Schefferle. (6) A review of all the designs was written up in Building: the magazine for the architect, builder, property owner and merchant, Vol. 46 No. 276 (12 August 1930) - you can read it here.
The Clock Tower under construction. Photographer: Albert Jones.
This image has been cropped, see the original at the State Library of Victoria
Carlo's daughter, Enid, was in attendance at the unveiling where the Chairman of the Memorial Committee, Frederick Michaelis (7), said the tower was a worthy memorial to a worthy friend of St Kilda (8). At the foot of the clock tower was a bust of Carlo Catani, by sculptor, Paul Montford (9). The bust is mounted on a sandstone plinth, with a bronze plaque which includes the words A great Public Servant of Victoria 1876 - 1917. The bust was unveiled by long-term St Kilda Councillor, Edward O'Donnell (10), who also had the honour of starting the clock's mechanism.
This fabulous photo, by Isaac Hermann, shows the bust of Carlo at the foot of the clock tower, with one of Carlo's palms in the background and the shadow of a palm on the tower.
At the foot of the clock tower is a bust of Carlo by Paul Montford.
Photo: Isaac Hermann.
This article from The Argus reports on the unveiling.
An account of the unveiling of the Clock Tower, which is transcribed, below.
The Argus August 23, 1932 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/4469746
The report of the unveiling of the Clock Tower, from The Argus -
CATANI CLOCK TOWER - Unveiled at St. Kilda.
After the death of Mr. Carlo Catani, a former chief engineer of the State Public Works department, in 1918, it was decided to erect in his memory a clock tower on the upper esplanade at St. Kilda. The tower, which occupies the site of the old band rotunda on the esplanade, was completed at a cost of about £2,800, collected from residents of St Kilda. It was unveiled before a large gathering yesterday. Among those present was Miss Enid Catani, a daughter of the late Mr. Catani. The tower, which is built in brick in Italian renaissance style, was designed by Mr. N. E. Schefferle. It will be illuminated at night. At the foot is a bronze bust of the late Mr. Catani by Mr. Paul Montford.
The chairman of the memorial committee (Mr. P. D. Michaelis) said that the tower was a worthy memorial to a worthy friend of St. Kilda. The mayor of St. Kilda (Councillor H. Moroney) said that the State was full of monumental tributes to Mr. Catani's genius. Councillor Edward O'Donnell, who unveiled the bronze bust and started the mechanism of the clock, recalled Mr. Catani's enthusiasm for the beauty of the St Kilda foreshore. The Minister for Public Works (Mr. Jones) was represented by the chief engineer for public works (Mr. G. Kermode).
The Clock Tower is a landmark in St Kilda, and the subject of many photographs and postcards, some of which you can see here.
(1) The Herald, December 17, 1929, see here.
(2) The Age December 18, 1929, see here.
(3) Frederick William Chamberlin, City of St Kilda Town Clerk . According to his obituary he was born in England, arrived in Victoria in 1881, appointed assistant Town Clerk in 1897 and became the Town Clerk on May 1, 1913. Mr Chamberlin died suddenly on October 11, 1934 when he collapsed outside the Town Hall on his way to a Council Public Works Committee meeting. He was 62 years old. You can read his obituary in The Argus, here and The Age, here. This is irrelevant to the clock tower story, but of interest - Chamberlin's daughter, Marie (1902 -1993) was a Senator. She married Robert Tweeddale Breen in 1928, he was a Mayor of the City of Brighton and this gave Marie a public role and she was involved in groups such as the Brighton Baby Health Centre Association and Victorian Family Council. In 1945 she joined the newly established Liberal Party, and stood for the Senate in the 1961 election, she did not seek re-election when her term expired at the end of June in 1968. She was made Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in June 1979. Dame Marie Breen died in June 1993. Read more about her, here, on the Senate website.
(3) Frederick William Chamberlin, City of St Kilda Town Clerk . According to his obituary he was born in England, arrived in Victoria in 1881, appointed assistant Town Clerk in 1897 and became the Town Clerk on May 1, 1913. Mr Chamberlin died suddenly on October 11, 1934 when he collapsed outside the Town Hall on his way to a Council Public Works Committee meeting. He was 62 years old. You can read his obituary in The Argus, here and The Age, here. This is irrelevant to the clock tower story, but of interest - Chamberlin's daughter, Marie (1902 -1993) was a Senator. She married Robert Tweeddale Breen in 1928, he was a Mayor of the City of Brighton and this gave Marie a public role and she was involved in groups such as the Brighton Baby Health Centre Association and Victorian Family Council. In 1945 she joined the newly established Liberal Party, and stood for the Senate in the 1961 election, she did not seek re-election when her term expired at the end of June in 1968. She was made Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in June 1979. Dame Marie Breen died in June 1993. Read more about her, here, on the Senate website.
(4) Prahran Telegraph, March 14, 1930, see here.
(5) Thomas Johnston Buchan (1874 - 1962) became President of the Royal Victorian Institute of Architects in 1930. He was a partner in the Architectural firm of Laird and Buchan. He began his career in 1891 in Geelong when he was articled to J. A. Laird, where in 1906 he became a Partner in the firm. He studied at the School of Architecture at the Gordon Institute of Technology. The firm designed Churches, banks, houses and some outstanding architectural memorial, which are among the leading ornaments of Geelong. Source: The Herald, February 25, 1930, read the article here.
(6) Norman Edwin Schefferle (1899 - 1983), also studied at Gordon Technical College in Geelong, but he as he was younger than Thomas Buchan, so their time at the College did not overlap. Schefferle was with the firm Schefferle and Davies. He designed Geelong's Art Deco Carlton Hotel built in 1936, the Point Henry Signal Station ( the Geelong Harbour Control building) built 1939 and the Kilmore Hospital in 1953. As well, he designed the Caulfield War Memorial, unveiled in 1932. Read more about Norman Schefferle, here.
(7) Frederick David Michaelis (1861 - 1935) was a partner in the firm of Michaelis, Hallenstein & Co, leather merchants. He was a member of the St Kilda Foreshore Committee and the St Kilda Cemetery Committee and on the Board of Management of the Alfred Hospital. He was also a supporter of Wesley College, where he went to school. Like Carlo Catani, Mr Michaelis, had a son who died in the First World War - his son Frank Moritz Michaelis (Service number 31586) enlisted on August 23, 1916 at the age of 24 and died of disease on May 14, 1917. Another son, Archie, was a Lieutenant in the Royal Field Artillery, you can read his biography in the Australian Dictionary of Biography, here. You can read Frederick Michaelis' informative obituary in the Hebrew Standard of Australasia, here and shorter obituaries in The Age, here and in The Argus, here.
Michaelis, Hallenstein operated a very large tannery in Footscray, you can read about it and see photos of it on the Living Museum of the West (LMW) website, here. They were said to be the first employers to introduce the eight hour day for their employees. The Company also had their own World War One memorial to their nineteen employees who lost their life in the War - Frank Michaelis is listed on the memorial as well.There is a photo of the memorial on the LMW website. I have done a blog post on the Michaelis, Hallenstein Tannery war memorial on my Victoria's Past - Rescued and Retold blog, here.
(5) Thomas Johnston Buchan (1874 - 1962) became President of the Royal Victorian Institute of Architects in 1930. He was a partner in the Architectural firm of Laird and Buchan. He began his career in 1891 in Geelong when he was articled to J. A. Laird, where in 1906 he became a Partner in the firm. He studied at the School of Architecture at the Gordon Institute of Technology. The firm designed Churches, banks, houses and some outstanding architectural memorial, which are among the leading ornaments of Geelong. Source: The Herald, February 25, 1930, read the article here.
(6) Norman Edwin Schefferle (1899 - 1983), also studied at Gordon Technical College in Geelong, but he as he was younger than Thomas Buchan, so their time at the College did not overlap. Schefferle was with the firm Schefferle and Davies. He designed Geelong's Art Deco Carlton Hotel built in 1936, the Point Henry Signal Station ( the Geelong Harbour Control building) built 1939 and the Kilmore Hospital in 1953. As well, he designed the Caulfield War Memorial, unveiled in 1932. Read more about Norman Schefferle, here.
(7) Frederick David Michaelis (1861 - 1935) was a partner in the firm of Michaelis, Hallenstein & Co, leather merchants. He was a member of the St Kilda Foreshore Committee and the St Kilda Cemetery Committee and on the Board of Management of the Alfred Hospital. He was also a supporter of Wesley College, where he went to school. Like Carlo Catani, Mr Michaelis, had a son who died in the First World War - his son Frank Moritz Michaelis (Service number 31586) enlisted on August 23, 1916 at the age of 24 and died of disease on May 14, 1917. Another son, Archie, was a Lieutenant in the Royal Field Artillery, you can read his biography in the Australian Dictionary of Biography, here. You can read Frederick Michaelis' informative obituary in the Hebrew Standard of Australasia, here and shorter obituaries in The Age, here and in The Argus, here.
Michaelis, Hallenstein operated a very large tannery in Footscray, you can read about it and see photos of it on the Living Museum of the West (LMW) website, here. They were said to be the first employers to introduce the eight hour day for their employees. The Company also had their own World War One memorial to their nineteen employees who lost their life in the War - Frank Michaelis is listed on the memorial as well.There is a photo of the memorial on the LMW website. I have done a blog post on the Michaelis, Hallenstein Tannery war memorial on my Victoria's Past - Rescued and Retold blog, here.
(8) The Argus August 23, 1932, see here.
(9) Paul Montford. Paul Raphael Montford (1868 - 1938) was born in England and worked there until he came to Australia at the age of 54. His work includes the statue of Adam Lindsay Gordon in Gordon Reserve in Spring Street and the George Higinbotham sculpture near the Old Treasury Buildings. You can read his Australian Dictionary of Biography entry, by Jenny Zimmer, here.
(10) Edward O'Donnell was a St Kilda City Councillor for 44 years, inaugural member of the St Kilda Foreshore Committee (formed in 1906) and Chairman of the Committee from 1919. He died in 1933 at the age of 88. O'Donnell Gardens in St Kilda is named for him, where there is an elaborate fountain erected as a memorial, which was unveiled in August 1935. You can read his obituary in The Argus, here
(10) Edward O'Donnell was a St Kilda City Councillor for 44 years, inaugural member of the St Kilda Foreshore Committee (formed in 1906) and Chairman of the Committee from 1919. He died in 1933 at the age of 88. O'Donnell Gardens in St Kilda is named for him, where there is an elaborate fountain erected as a memorial, which was unveiled in August 1935. You can read his obituary in The Argus, here
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