On September 18, 1926 Carlo's house Wyndham, at 39 Blessington Street was sold. It had been the Catani family home since 1912, and after Carlo's death on July 20, 1918, his widow Kate lived there with her three surviving children Elvira, Ettore and Enid. It was Kate's death on August 6, 1925 which prompted the sale of the house. If only I could go back in time, I'd buy the house and make it a permanent shrine to Carlo.
Sale advertisement for Wyndham
The Argus, August 7, 1926 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3800647
Sadly, we don't have a photograph of Wyndham but this auction notice has a description of the house -That very nice brick villa, known as Wyndham, 39 Blessington st., St. Kilda, containing nine (9) rooms, including large dining room, all the rooms are in perfect order. The house is particularly well built, and on good foundations, and is situated in one of the best positions in St. Kilda, being near the tram, post-office, and town hall, and close to a splendid shopping centre. There is also a brick motor garage, with cement floor, for two (2) cars. Paths all asphalted. This villa is particularly well suited for a home, and in addition to this it is in an admirable position for letting purposes. It is only being sold to wind up the estate of the late Mr. C. Catani. Those in search of a good home, or investors. will do well to inspect this property, as it is for absolute sale. (1)
In 1910 there were only 2 properties in Blessington Street, south side, between Tennyson Street and Brighton Road.
Sands and McDougall’s Melbourne, Suburban and Country Directory for 1910 (on-line at the State Library of Victoria)
In 1915 there were six properties in Blessington Street, south side, between Tennyson Street and Brighton Road, including Carlo's house.
Sands and McDougall’s Melbourne, Suburban and Country Directory for 1915 (on-line at the State Library of Victoria)
Who was Mr E. Shannon? He was actually Mr Shannos. The 1930 Sands and McDougall's lists the occupant of 39 Blessington Street as Efstathios Shannos. His first name is spelt various ways - in the 1937 Electoral Roll, when he was still at Blessington Street, he is Epstathios and a later Electoral Roll when he was living at 244 Orrong Road, Toorak he is called Efstatheos. Mr Shannos was at one time a cafe proprietor and then a caterer. Efstathios was born on January 30, 1896 in Greece and was married to Athena; he was living in Athens in Greece when he died in 1978. (4)
In 1930 there were 13 properties in Blessington Street, south side, between Tennyson Street and Brighton Road, including Mr Shannos at No. 39, as well as a new street Irymple Avenue.
Sands and McDougall’s Melbourne, Suburban and Country Directory for 1930 (on-line at the State Library of Victoria
Maple and Oak Bedroom Suites, Blackwood Dining-room Suite, Oak Breakfast-room Suite. Very fine Jacobean Standard Chairs. Blackwood Column Pedestals, Splendid Comb, Easy Chair and Couch, in Damask; splendid Blackwood Sideboard, Two Extra Fine Easy Chairs in Moquette; Plate-glass Top Tables, Cabinet Gramaphone, Electric Fans, and a Host of General Furniture - the Contents of a 10 roomed Villa. He also auctioned his late model Auburn 6-cylinder touring car. (5)
It appears that Wyndham was rented out whilst he was away and it was occupied for a few years by Thomas Sydney Jackson and his family; he was the manager of William Peatt P/L Boot Manufacturer of Collingwood, an active member of the Collingwood Technical School who was constantly endeavoring to improve the standard of skill in apprentices and trainees. (6)
In 1935 three things happened - Wyndham was demolished, flats were built on the site and Blessington Street was re-numbered and thus No. 39 became No. 61. The 1935 Sands and McDougall’s Directory still has Thomas Jackson at No. 39. However, as the advertisement (below) from October 1935 shows, flats now occupied No. 61 Blessington Street, so I feel we can safely say that 1935 was indeed the year of the demolition of Wyndham, the erection of the existing block of flats and the year of the street re-numbering. (7)
1935 - The first advertisement I can find for the new flats.
The Herald, October 30, 1935 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article244792242
1935 - Blessington Street, south side, between Tennyson Street and Brighton Road, including Mr Jackson at No. 39, as well as a new street Irymple Avenue.
Sands and McDougall’s Melbourne, Suburban and Country Directory for 1935 (on-line at the State Library of Victoria)
1940 - Blessington Street, south side, between Tennyson Street and Brighton Road. The Panonena Flats at No. 61, still had the same neighbours as in 1935 - the Baxters and the Abercrombys. Mrs Julia Israel is still on the corner of Irymple Street and Mr Harvey on the Brighton Road corner.
Sands and McDougall’s Melbourne, Suburban and Country Directory for 1940 (on-line at the State Library of Victoria)
I am certain that Mr Shannos was the developer and in the 1937 Electoral Roll his address was 61 Blessington Street; in 1939 he lived in Hawthorn and then, as we said, later moved to Orrong Road. There is one small mystery - were the flats named Tanonena Court as listed in the advertisement or Panonena, as listed in Sands McDougall's? I do not know. Nor do I know how long Mr Shannos owned the flats, however they remained in single ownership until 1997 when these older style apartments for connoisseurs of fine living, were sold off individually. (8)
1997 - The flats at 61 Blessington Street for sale
The Age October 11, 1997 p. 159 from newspapers.com
What is interesting is that Wyndham was only 20 years old when it was demolished however as its location was in one of the best positions on St Kilda, being near the tram and a splendid shopping centre (9) its fate was sealed like so many other beautiful houses and the site was redeveloped. However, Carlo's connection to No. 39 /No. 61 Blessington Street is recognised by a plaque on the gate post of the flats.
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The plaque commemorating Carlo at 61 Blessington Street.
Image: Isaac Hermann.
The plaque commemorating Carlo at 61 Blessington Street.
Image: Isaac Hermann.
Footnotes
(1) The Argus, August 7, 1926, see here.(2) Sands and McDougall’s Melbourne, Suburban and Country Directories available on-line at the State Library of Victoria (SLV)
(3) The Age, October 18, 1926, see here.
(4) Electoral Rolls available on Ancestry.com; Sands and McDougall’s at SLV; The Herald, December 13, 1946, see here, lists him as Cafe owner; the Incoming Passenger Cards at the National Archives of Australia list his birth date and place https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=9788154&S=971 and https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=9788985&S=983
Probate notice for Efstathios Shannos
The Age, July 4, 1978 p. 25., from newspapers.com
(5) The Argus, June 7, 1930, see here.
(6) Electoral Rolls available on Ancestry.com; Sands and McDougall’s at SLV; The Age, June 17, 1954, see here.
(7) Sands and McDougall’s at SLV; The Herald, October 30, 1935, see here. Another early advertisement here - The Herald, November 30, 1935, see here.
(8) Electoral Rolls; The Age October 11, 1997 p. 159 from newspapers.com
(9) The Argus, August 7, 1926, see here.
